Politics & Government

Politics & Government gathers Christian Standard articles that explore the Christian’s relationship to civic life through a biblical lens. Here you’ll find thoughtful engagement with topics like authority and obedience, religious liberty, public policy, elections, justice, and how believers should speak and act in the public square. These articles aim to help Christians pursue faithful citizenship with conviction and humility—seeking the common good while keeping ultimate allegiance to Jesus and his kingdom.

August 22, 2019

Christian Standard

Returning to Palestine

It can be fascinating to read an editorial from an old issue of Christian Standard and consider biblical history that preceded it and world history that has occurred since. Such is the case with this piece from 140 years ago. One important note: We don’t believe the editor’s reference to the Jewish people as “the hated race” was intended as a personal slur. Instead, we think he meant to describe the anti-Semitic opinion held by many in the world at that time in history. Sadly, some of these feelings and rhetoric remain today. _ _ _ Jews in Jerusalem An

July 4, 2019

Christian Standard

A July 4th Message from 1960

Here is an Independence Day editorial by Edwin Hayden from 1960 . . . 94 years after the founding of our magazine and 184 years after the founding of our nation. _ _ _ Which Kind of Freedom? An EditorialJuly 2, 1960; p. 2 About to talk to a group of school children on the subject of freedom, the preacher asked his young hearers to define the word free. First offered was this: “Like getting into the show without paying.” Free—“without cost”—has been lifted from an obscure and incidental place among the definitions of freedom so that it becomes a

May 27, 2019

Christian Standard

Chaplain Colonel Barber’s Memories of D-Day

In the late 1990s on into the early 2000s, the Christian Standard office would occasionally receive phone calls that would start something like this: “Hello, Jim. This is Chaplain Colonel Barber” (spoken with a hint of a Southern twang). During our conversations, George Russell Barber would share recollections of his service in the Army and to God during World War II, of landing on Omaha Beach with American forces on D-Day, of sharing a can of Spam with legendary war correspondent Ernie Pyle a day later, of helping select the site for the U.S. Cemetery overlooking the beach, and of

May 9, 2019

Christian Standard

James Garfield’s European Vacation

James A. Garfield was the 20th president of the United States and an original investor in Christian Standard. He grew up in northeastern Ohio and was baptized in 1850 at age 18. He preached frequently during the 1850s while attending the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (which became Hiram College in 1867) and then Williams College (Williamstown, Mass.), and after returning to Hiram, Ohio, in 1856 to serve on faculty and as principal (commencing in 1857). In 1861 he entered military service with the Union Army during the Civil War. Soon after the war, he helped make arrangements to establish this

February 12, 2019

Christian Standard

Presidents’ Day

By Ronald G. Davis  The presidents of the United States of America have represented the best among us. And the worst. For every president—whether moral, immoral, or amoral—has sinned. None has been perfect in policy nor in person. The wisest and the most foolish, the politest and the rudest, the honorable and the dishonorable, all are sinners. Oh, many have been men of prayer and public worship, but none has been the perfect example of righteousness and noble behavior. It is appropriate that we express honor to those to whom honor is due. Peter spoke for the Spirit when he

November 17, 2018

Christian Standard

President Trump Breaks Tradition, Eats White House Turkey

By Caleb Kaltenbach WASHINGTON, DC—President Donald Trump broke the presidential tradition of pardoning the White House Thanksgiving turkey. After a speech about why people should be thankful for him, the president was jovial until he saw Fat Gobble. He immediately scowled, pointed to the turkey, and said, “Fat Gobble, you’re fired.” The first lady, among others—including the children of some White House staffers—watched in horror as chefs appeared out of nowhere, seized the turkey by the neck, and hauled it to the kitchen. With feathers still flying, the first lady was overheard reassuring the president’s youngest son, Barron, that Fat

April 3, 2018

Christian Standard

Proclaiming

By Jackina Stark Abraham Lincoln issued several proclamations. Two have forever affected American history and culture. The Emancipation Proclamation, announced September 22, 1863, and effected January 1, 1864, shifted the foremost focus of the Civil War from preserving the Union to the moral issue of abolishing slavery. It made possible the long journey to “liberty and justice for all.” It is a revered document. The original is kept in the National Archives. Its pages are fragile and its ink is fading. It is so delicate it is displayed publicly only on special occasions. Despite its condition, it is considered one

June 20, 2017

Christian Standard

A Profoundly Influential Leader

By Ken Idleman One of the contributing factors in maintaining ourselves as a nominally Christian nation is the presence of moral leadership in the White House. Some of our presidents have used their considerable influence to point us to the God of the Bible: George Washington, John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush, to name just a few. Without question, we have been blessed as a people when our most prominent national leader has demonstrated godly convictions and character. Joseph, whose biography is detailed in Genesis 37 to 50, was just such a dynamic and deep

March 21, 2017

Mark A. Taylor

Immigration: My Final Word

By Mark A. Taylor It”s true for every web post, published article, or magazine cover theme: Some agree. Some object. And many ignore what has been written. That”s been the pattern for the immigration posts appearing at christianstandard.com this month (all of them lifted from the March issue of the print magazine), and your editor is tempted to reply to each response. I”ll resist, but I am motivated to give 500 or so more words to the subject. First: the positive comments, Facebook reposts, and retweets of links to the articles are gratifying. But I”ll admit that some of this

March 9, 2017

Christian Standard

Questions and Answers about Refugees and Resettlement

By Kevin Lines Who are refugees and displaced persons? They are men, women, and children fleeing war, persecution, and political upheaval. They are uprooted with little warning and endure great hardship during their flight. They are displaced when they are forced to flee their homes, but remain within the borders of their native country. They become refugees when they cross borders and seek safety in another country. The United Nations” 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, as amended by its 1967 Protocol, defines a refugee as a person who “owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for

March 5, 2017

Christian Standard

A Christian Perspective on Immigration

A conversation with immigration attorney Land Wayland By Justin Horey President Trump”s election in November left many Americans wondering: Will he really “build that wall,” as his supporters chanted at campaign rallies? Will our new president follow through on his campaign promise to deport millions of undocumented (illegal) immigrants? Will he institute a ban on Muslims entering the United States? The 2016 presidential campaign brought the issue of immigration back into the news and back into the minds of many American voters. It also left millions of people in fear of imprisonment, deportation, or worse because of their immigration status.

March 4, 2017

Christian Standard

Immigration: What You Can Do

By Kevin Lines American communities today contain more migrants than ever before. The ends of the earth have come to us! You and your church can reach out to the immigrants living close to you. Within our fellowship of churches, multiple organizations have joined together to form the RISE (Refugee and International Student Engagement) Project. If you are interested in starting a ministry to refugees or international students through your church, the RISE Project website (www.theriseproject.com) has great resources and training materials. Your church can even apply for a grant to help start a new ministry! Volunteer If you”re not

March 3, 2017

Christian Standard

Learn More About Immigration

By Kevin Lines The Evangelical Immigration Table (www.evangelicalimmigrationtable.org) is an organization of Evangelical Christians seeking bipartisan immigration reform and who seek to love the stranger in their communities. Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion, & Truth in the Immigration Debate, by Matthew Soerens and Jenny Hwang (Downers Grove: IVP Books, 2009) This is a great primer for learning about the current immigration situation and how Evangelicals should get involved in a proactive and biblical way. This easy-to-read book is designed for beginners, but is thoroughly researched and documented. It provides a solid framework for understanding immigration. Christians at the Border: Immigration,

March 3, 2017

Christian Standard

Defining Immigration Terms

By Kevin Lines Some assume that all people who come to the United States from another country are either here illegally or have only a temporary visa. The following list explains the various categories and statuses of immigrants in the world. Migrant (immigrant, emigrant): This general term is applied to any person who lives temporarily or permanently in a country where he or she was not born. An immigrant is someone moving into a country; an emigrant is someone moving out of a country. There are an estimated 244 million international migrants worldwide; 42 million live in the United States.

March 3, 2017

Christian Standard

Immigration: What Does the Bible Say?

By Kevin Lines There are more international migrants today than at any other time in history””more than 240 million. While two out of three international migrants live in Asia and Europe, the United States hosts 19 percent of international migrants, the most in the world. It should come as no surprise that our nation, founded by immigrants and often relying on waves of new immigrants as the labor force for our economic growth, would continue to host migrants. The United States is still seen by many in the world as a land of opportunity; a place where, no matter your

March 2, 2017

Christian Standard

The Devil, the Disbeliever, and the Politicians

By LeRoy Lawson Reviving Old Scratch: Demons and the Devil for Doubters and the Disenchanted Richard Beck Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2016 Unapologetic: Why, Despite Everything, Christianity Can Still Make Surprising Emotional Sense Francis Spufford New York: HarperOne, 2014 The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan Rick Perlstein New York: Simon and Schuster, 2015 What should we do when faith falters, either our faith in God or our faith in no God? Either loss is a life-changer. Like most serious believers, I have had my own doubts. I am not alone. Some of my best friends have

January 31, 2017

Mark A. Taylor

Welcome the Immigrant

By Mark A. Taylor Some Christians are ready to retreat from the barrage of controversy surrounding the first days of Donald Trump”s presidency. Some are so upset by his policies and pronouncements, they”ve just decided to turn off the news and stay away from Facebook. Others are congratulating him for keeping campaign promises, regardless of the style in which he does so. And many have taken to the streets to protest his policies. The news has reported waves of turmoil because of his executive order refusing entry to refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries. CHRISTIAN STANDARD is not a political magazine,

January 22, 2017

Christian Standard

Refugees by the Numbers

The world is currently dealing with a refugee crisis. More people have been displaced forcibly from their homes in recent years than at any other time in history. An unprecedented 65.3 million people around the world have left their homes. Among them are 21.3 million refugees who have crossed international borders seeking refuge, with more than half of them under the age of 18. As a result of conflicts and persecution, nearly 34,000 people are forcibly displaced every day. In 2016, the International Organization for Migration recorded more than 7,600 deaths of refugees while fleeing their homes. Fifty-three percent of

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