Applied Theology
AN ANCIENT PRINCIPLE The Apostle Paul was once set free from prison, but he wouldn’t go. Paul did not leave the jail which held him in Philippi until he had first asked for the magistrates to come to him in person (Acts 16:16ff.). Why the unnecessary stay? Students of the New Testament recognize the Apostle... Continue Reading →
Kudos to K.A. Ellis, a Ph.D. candidate at the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. Her recent article in Christianity Today demonstrates a thoughtful and insightful response to the oft-repeated question of whether Christians in the U.S. are “really” suffering persecution. Ellis points out that Christians around the world—including those in hotspots like Syria and the... Continue Reading →
After the Obergfell decision this past year, Christians have tried to cope with a new definition of marriage. What does this new definition mean for church Marriage Retreats? for childcare? or for conversations in youth groups about sexual intercourse? So many questions have risen since June 26, 2015, when the Supreme Court verdict was released.... Continue Reading →
The people of God seem always to struggle with exactly how to relate to powerful governments. Israel hated her slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh, but promptly wanted to go back to Egypt after landing in the wilderness. At least in Egypt she could have melons. This longing to go back to Egypt and trust in... Continue Reading →
The following article was originally POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2012. I Re-post it now because a decision from the Supreme Court is imminent: There are two major stories whose trajectories are coalescing toward a permanent loss of religious liberty in the United States. The first story is the on-going saga known affectionately as Obamacare. The second... Continue Reading →
Just this past weekend, my family and I hosted a World Cup party. About 25 people crowded into my living room to enjoy the epic battle in which the U.S. Men’s National team fought against the highly-touted, Ronaldo-led squad from Portugal. Yes, the last-second cross from Ronaldo to the head of Varela sent shockwaves down... Continue Reading →
In my previous post, I sought to show why it is important for Christians to fight for religious liberty. What are some simple ways Christians can do this without selling out to a political agenda? I thought of 3 simple ways to get the conversation going: Learn. Disciples are learners. Primarily, this learning must be... Continue Reading →
Freedom, though given freely by God, isn’t offered freely by Man. It must be fought for and won, sometimes through reasoned debate and cool persuasion, other times through battles with swords or guns. Tyranny is always lurking, scheming to usurp individual liberty. This is as true in America as it is anywhere. I am thankful... Continue Reading →
The news story from North Korea this week is making its way around the blogosphere and through social media outposts, and I am very glad that folks are realizing more and more that Christians are the most persecuted group of people on planet earth. Thank you, Lori Stanley Roeleveld, for your recent post concerning the... Continue Reading →
If you own a copy of the Bible in English, you should be thankful for a man named William Tyndale. William Tyndale fought both the government and the established church to give the plowman his own copy of God's Word. Tyndale held the courage of his convictions firm to the end, translating the New Testament... Continue Reading →
For more than three years now, I have had an unsettling fear that religious liberty in America is on the wane. Turns out, I am not alone. A movement is afoot among state legislatures across the country. According to Baptist Press, there is a plan in place to have caucuses for religious freedom in every... Continue Reading →
The Family Research Council is calling on Christians to pray for those who are filing lawsuits against the Health and Human Services mandate. The mandate—which is part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)--states that all employers must provide “preventative” care to all women. The word “preventative” must be put in quotes because... Continue Reading →
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has released its annual report, detailing the 16 countries which are of particular concern because of their stringent opposition to freedom in matters of religion. The countries of particular concern this year are Burma, North Korea, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia, Sudan (North),... Continue Reading →
Gregory C. Cochran 