Gene Edward Veith Jr.'s Blog, page 3

The Church is growing so rapidly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America that by 2050 the world will have 3 billion Christians, only one-fifth of whom will be non-Hispanic Whites.  So says Peter Leithart in a long, fascinating article on Christianity in Africa. Yes, there are problems, as he documents:  syncretism with animism, violence, poverty, […]

In the midterm election–which had been turned into a midterm examination for President Trump–Democrats took control of the House of Representatives, but the Republicans increased their hold on the Senate. As of right now, Wednesday morning, with a few races still to be decided, the Democrats have picked up 26 seats in the House ( with […]

Today is the midterm election.  All members of the House of Representatives, whose term is only two years, are up for election.  Also one-third of the Senate.  An untold number of state and local officials and referendums will also be voted upon today. And all of these elections, taken as a whole, are being framed […]

  As we get ready for election day tomorrow–which we will discuss then–we all know that America has become politically polarized.  Furthermore, it seems that everything is getting politicized (entertainment, education, technology, religion).  It turns out, even our shopping is political.  Liberals and conservatives buy products, they prefer different brands. Politico studied brand research and reported […]

The growing number of “Nones,” those who profess no religion, makes many observers assume that America is becoming secularized–materialistic people living in a material world, above us only sky.  But a Pew Research study shows that, to the extent traditional religions like Christianity are fading, they are being replaced by a more primitive, animistic religion […]

  Have you noticed when talking to non-Christians that often what they object to is what you object to yourself?  That their objections to the faith are often based on complete misconceptions about what Christianity is and what it teaches?  There is so much confusion about Christianity–including on the part of Christians–that the first task […]

The Church is discredited:  plagued by corruption, including sex scandals.  Trusting human leaders whose failures disillusion their followers.  The Church is seen as pre-occupied with politics.  The Gospel of Christ’s justification of sinners is buried under elaborate schemes of works-righteousness.  The Word of God is marginalized and misused.  That was the Church of 1517, in […]

Josh Harris launched the “courtship movement” with his book I Kissed Dating Goodbye.  Instead of the drama and sexual temptations of dating, Harris recommended that Christian young adults find someone to marry in  a different way, including by getting the families involved. Harris’s advice has influenced a whole generation of Christian young people, many of […]

Over the last few days, someone sends pipe bombs to virtually every prominent Democrat and Trump critic.  A gunman in Pittsburgh walks into a synagogue during a Sabbath service, yelled “All Jews must die!” and kills 11 worshippers.  A man in suburban Louisville on Wednesday tried to get into a black church but found it […]

When I was in Houston last week, my brother and I also visited the Rothko Chapel. We found it very emblematic of contemporary spirituality. Mark Rothko (1903-1970) was an abstract artist who was commissioned by Houston art collectors John and Dominique de Menil to create a “meditative space” employing his paintings.  The Rothko Chapel was completed in 1971, a […]