Gene Edward Veith Jr.'s Blog, page 2

Thanksgiving is the one national holiday that has an explicitly religious meaning.  George Washington got the holiday started “as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God.”   Thankfulness is an acknowledgment of dependence.  In that, it is like faith. The […]

Donald Trump is controversial, even among many conservatives.  But he already has accomplished a legacy achievement, something that will shape this country in what conservatives believe will be a positive direction for decades.  He has practically re-made the federal court system, packing it on every level with conservative judges. The Supreme Court is the most […]

In my blog post A Lutheran Take on Exorcism and the Demonic, I discussed the work of Dr. Robert Bennett, who has written two books on the subject and who has experience with exorcising demons.  We heard from him at the Rural and Small Town Ministries conference I attended and I wanted to pass on to you […]

The worst wildfire in California history has killed 76, with some 1,000 people still missing.  The so-called “Camp Fire,” named for its origin at Camp Creek Road in northern California, has burned 140,000 acres and destroyed some 10,000 homes, virtually wiping out the entire towns of Concow (population: 700) and Paradise (population:  26,218). The fire is […]

At the Rural and Small Town Ministries conference I attended, I got to hear from Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz, the former Lutheran Hour speaker who now heads the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty This office was established by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod to represent the church body’s interests and to promote its causes in Washington, D.C.  […]

Michelle Obama says that she can “never forgive” Donald Trump for spreading doubt about her husband’s citizenship.  Whereupon President Trump, in his signature tit-for-tat way, said that he could “never forgive” Barack Obama for undermining our military.  Hillary Clinton said that President Trump’s supporters were not only “deplorable” but “irredeemable.”  Meanwhile lots of politicians and […]

One of the speakers at the Rural and Small Town Ministry conference I attended was Rev. Timothy Koch, a fierce advocate for ministry to these “places no one wants to go to,” where the first thought about new pastors is “how long is he going to stay?”  Anyway, he gave a sermon on the Scripture […]

As I keep harping on in this blog, the white working class in rural small towns and rust-belt cities has become the largest demographic of the unchurched in America.  They also have the lowest marriage rates and the worst problems with drug addiction, including heroin.  These folks in what used to be America’s “heartland” used […]

Yesterday, November 11, was Veterans Day, which is also being observed today.  (Those of you who are veterans–thank you!  Lots of businesses are offering you all kinds of free stuff–from haircuts to an abundance of food–to express our nation’s thanks.  Go here for a list of what you can get.) Veterans Day also has some interesting […]

The Orthodox tradition seems to many Christians to be a haven from the woes of contemporary Christianity and a way to experience the unity of the historic church, as it used to be in the early church, before both popes and protestants.  An Orthodox friend told me that their church avoids problems by just never […]