Anyone who’s been watching Glenn Beck over the past few months with anything approaching objectivity cannot fail to have noticed that Beck has not only recognized the threat of this new anti-Semitism, but he’s become a leading opponent of it. How often do cable news shows devote entire episodes to such ratings busters as reviewing the history of anti-Semitism — with a special focus on Christian anti-Semitism — or interviewing Holocaust survivors? [...]

I’m not claiming that the Crusades were a proud chapter in the history of the West.  Neither was Senator Santorum.  The Crusaders committed atrocities and excesses which, while typical of warfare at that time, hardly fulfill Christianity’s highest ideals. 

The latest cultural darling to denounce Christianity and all of its works is Ann Rice. This famous vampire novelist and pop theologian announced last week that she was rejecting Christianity as an organized religion. She is still a Christian, mind you. Simply a better one than those millions who actually go to church. [...]

The hallmarks of the Obama campaign and, arguably, the administration’s domestic policy—principle and compassion—are absent from the international equation. The fact that the administration’s pragmatism is often a ham-handed one—seeking to engage enemies unlikely to be impressed by such overtures—does not make it any less devoid of principle.

What makes a foreign policy “moral” is naturally open to debate. Yet certain factors are obvious. A moral foreign policy will inject ethical considerations into its calculus. The fate of the oppressed will be placed on the scales of policy along with the wealth and power of the oppressors. And, especially given our founding principles and Judeo-Christian roots, a moral foreign policy will focus on human rights in general and religious freedom in particular. [...]

How the Oil Disaster Will Teach Us Humility- Crosswalk, July 15, 2010
The ongoing oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico is an unmitigated disaster for the environment, the economy, and the multi-thousands who depend on the Gulf for their livelihoods.  Like all tragedies of this magnitude, the only benefits to flow from it are lessons learned the hard way.  Above all, this episode should shatter the myth of our own omnipotence.  This blatant failure of science to control the physical world should at long last disabuse us of the notion that science can unlock truths beyond the physical.  This technological collapse should enable us to finally acknowledge the far greater tragedies which our blind faith in human reason - in the form of both science and philosophy - has wrought.  

How times have changed.  When I was young, it appeared that reason was clearing a path to paradise.  We were landing men on the moon.  The Concorde was crossing the Atlantic in record time.  And we were eradicating the worst diseases through the miracle of modern medicine.  As we unlocked the secrets of the universe, ancient stories of desert prophets could not have seemed less relevant.  When John Lennon infamously remarked that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus," he wasn't bragging -- he was simply noting an unfortunate reality. [...]

The odds are that you have never beaten your breast or searched your soul over this incident in Fallujah. In fact, you have likely never even heard of this incident. And the odds are that you have never heard of the tens if not hundreds of incidents like it, in which civilians have been killed as U.S. soldiers fought in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade. [...]

The Truth About Christian Zionists - Foreign Policy, September 16, 2010
It is curious -- and deeply disappointing -- to observe the way in which some figures on the pro-Israel American left discuss the phenomenon of Christian support for Israel. These are people who are capable of discerning subtle shifts in the mood of the Arab street. They delve into the complexities of Hamas politics and report back to us on apparent -- if often meaningless -- policy distinctions. But when the subject turns from Israel's enemies to Israel's friends, their palate grows dull. Suddenly, the shades of gray disappear and all that remains is stark black and white.

Such is my evaluation of M.J. Rosenberg's July 24 piece, "Playing the Jesus Card," in which the author provides a stunning example of exactly this sort of simplistic analysis. Rosenberg repeats three stereotypes about Christian Zionists that stand in stark contrast to the facts. First, he mischaracterizes the beliefs of Christian Zionists, claiming that they are "fundamentalist Christians whose theology dictates unwavering support for Israel." Next, he confuses the politics of Christian Zionists when he imagines that they all "are hard-core Republicans." Finally, he mistakes the policy of Christian Zionists when he asserts that they "emphatically support Israeli settlements and oppose the two-state solution." [...]

What was most breathtaking about the debate over Pastor Hagee's statements on the Holocaust was the complete absence of one. This was not a case where thoughtful arbiters discussed his words in the context of a rich Judeo-Christian tradition of theodicy. There was no respect given to a quite common worldview. There was no trial. We skipped right to the auto da fe.

Breathe in deeply and you can still smell the embers smoldering around Pastor Hagee's public persona. [...]

All Roads Lead to Jerusalem - Op Ed News, June 1, 2007
In the aftermath of Jerry Falwell’s death, there has been a wide ranging debate over both his accomplishments and his legacy. All observers agree on the accomplishments: Dr. Falwell was the man who led evangelical Christians from the sidelines back onto the political playing field. But this consensus breaks down over the question of his legacy and his successor.
Jerry Falwell carefully selected and discipled his successors at the two institutions most near and dear to his heart: his oldest son Jerry Jr. will take over the reins at Liberty University, and his younger son Jonathan will ascend to the post of senior pastor at the Thomas Road Baptist Church. But what about Falwell’s political successor? After creating the religious right, to whom did Dr. Falwell pass the baton? [...]