RealClearReligion Articles

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenburg Church, igniting the Protestant Reformation. Luther was not trying to start a political or a spiritual revolution but attempting to begin a conversation about the theological problem of indulgences.  The sale of indulgences in the Roman Catholic Church originated, not as a spiritual matter, but as a civil one. In the Middle Ages, the church was the state, so it not only enforced theological, but civil, standards. Indulgences, then, were first instituted for criminals to pay for offenses against the...

Homelessness has been a daunting problem in the state of California — and in many other states — for decades. Economic hardship and rising housing costs are just two factors that contribute to this crisis.  I am grateful that state leaders — like those in Sacramento who recently proposed the creation of the Sacramento Area Housing and Homelessness Agency — are seeking lasting solutions that give people experiencing homelessness hope and an opportunity for healing.  While these efforts are essential for progress, the truth is that politics and policy alone...

I stood just a few feet from President Trump’s team as thunderous applause and standing ovations erupted again and again during his speech to the Knesset. It was a historic moment, and as Trump spoke, word spread that all the hostages had been released.  From Jerusalem, the President then traveled directly to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to meet with Muslim leaders and the nations of the world. Astonishingly, they united behind his peace plan. There is no question — the war in Gaza is over.  But now comes a different kind of battle, namely, the battle for hearts and...

On October 19, 1781, in a battlefield not too far from Jamestown, America won its independence. The framers of this country said this was by the grace of God. We too should acknowledge the help of God, upon whom our rights are predicated, as the founders spelled out in the Declaration of Independence. In the victory at Yorktown, Virginia, British General Cornwallis surrendered to America’s Commander-in-Chief, George Washington. Two hundred years later, reflecting on this virtually impossible (humanly speaking) achievement. President Ronald Reagan declared: “That...

The passing of Russell M. Nelson at 101 marks the loss of one of America’s most consequential religious leaders — not merely for the 17 million members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he led, but for all who cherish religious freedom, civil dialogue, and the possibility of unity across profound differences. Neither of us are members of President Nelson’s Church. But over the last decade of working beside its members on some of our most contentious national issues, we have come to deeply appreciate a commitment to the common good that President...

At the beginning of October, in the immediate wake of President Russell M. Nelson’s passing, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the “Mormon Church”) held its biannual General Conference: a global gathering where church leaders address members. Two senior leaders focused on “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” a 1995 document has stirred controversy and debate for three decades. While its stance on gender and marriage often dominates discussion (and much of the scholarship), the proclamation’s roots in the 1990s family...

My wife and I had the privilege of attending the memorial service for Dr. James Clayton Dobson, Jr., in the greater Denver area this past Saturday. (He had died August 21.) The audience got to hear just a taste of Dobson’s incredible impact and of his humble, thoughtful, and Christian character. Dobson was a best-selling author with multiple titles of books to help bolster the family. He earned his doctorate in child psychology at UCLA. In his work, he discovered the power of radio and utilized this incredible tool to reach a vast audience. At the height of his broadcast ministry, he...

Last month, as Jews around the world began our observance of the High Holy Days — the most sacred time of the year — we were once again reminded that Jewish life, though flourishing and resilient, exists under constant threat. On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, Hamas released a video of Alon Ohel, one of the 48 hostages still held in captivity. According to his parents, who watched the horrific footage, Alon was frail, frightened, and had lost sight in his right eye. This video, and the many others like it, captures the terror endured every day since October 7,...

Certain religious groups can easily be identified by their distinct attire. However, several decades ago, a cultural shift occurred within some traditionally conservative evangelical groups. In an effort to move away from rigid legalism and place a higher value on faith, strict dress codes were relaxed, and church members were allowed to wear more contemporary clothes in line with fashion trends among the public. As a result, many Christ followers can no longer be identified by the type of clothing they wear and can effectively blend in with society. In his book, “Quest for Piety and...

While history suggests that religious zeal often follows and quickly fades after tragedies like Charlie Kirk’s assassination, prophetic visions from more than four hundred years ago shine a light on the current situation and offer hope for a sustained faith revival. Through a 16th-17th century Ecuadorian nun, Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres, the Virgin Mary — under the title Our Lady of Good Success — reputedly foretold with staggering precision the ominous religious landscape in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. However, an immense loss of faith and practice — a...

In an age of hyper-individualism, funerals have not escaped unscathed. Increasingly, they are recast as secular “celebrations of life” or replaced by novel practices — planting cremains as trees, pressing ashes into vinyl records, or even launching them from a cannon. Yet how a soul is commended to God matters because it did so to Jesus Christ on Good Friday, but more so for the participants who perform the corporal work of mercy: burying the dead. A funeral is not merely symbolic, but an efficacious prayer proclaiming Christ’s victory over death. Mourners join in...

I serve as rabbi for a large Orthodox synagogue in Toronto. In a world increasingly defined by division and conflict, it is more important than ever that people of conscience and people of faith come together — not just in grief, but in hope. As we approach the second anniversary of the horrific attacks of October 7, 2023, I want to share a story of solidarity that, for me personally, lights the way forward: Flags of Fellowship. Flags of Fellowship is a project launched by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) — the leading organization dedicated to...

My daughter’s first words after Charlie Kirk’s death stopped me cold: “Dad, I’m scared.”   As a Christian leader and pastor, I am accustomed to speaking out publicly and offering guidance, comfort and perspective during times of crisis. But before I could gather my public thoughts, my daughter’s voice cut through the chaos as she spoke to me privately as her father.   It was more than her words — it was the way she spoke them. Not as a little girl frightened of the dark at night, but as a thoughtful, self-aware 21-year-old young woman...

We are living in extraordinary times, perhaps a moment of history that is ripe for another Great Awakening. The shocking murder of Charlie Kirk on September 10 seems to have sparked a movement that transcends the typical response to such horrifying events. On the Sunday following his death, churches across this nation were overflowing with people, many of whom had never attended church previously, or who had not attended in many years. This trend continued on September 21, which also saw another remarkable event, the memorial service for Kirk. Every seat at State Farm Stadium was occupied,...

If you have to resort to violence, you’ve lost the debate. The assassination of Charlie Kirk two weeks ago was a case in point. They couldn’t defeat him at debate, so they killed him. Charlie’s slogan, as seen on the white tent he was in when he was shot, says it all, “Prove me wrong.” Anybody who may claim he was “proved wrong” by being shot subscribes to the view that might makes right. I once read about an English tourist visiting China about a 100 years ago recounts how two laborers were having a heated argument in the street. After watching and...

Pope Leo XIV’s meeting Tuesday with the head of the Armenian Church, Catholicos Karekin II, was a significant sign for the millions in the country who are pleading for help and protection against an authoritarian prime minister who has targeted the church and made his bed with its enemies. Armenia’s Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, has launched an unprecedented attack on the Armenian church, the country’s oldest institution started in 301 A.D. In recent weeks, Pashinyan—a convicted felon brought to power with Russian help in 2018 and has presided over a series of...

In the overwhelming focus on the domestic political impact of Charlie Kirk's life, a critical dimension risks being overlooked: his profound influence on Christian youth worldwide. If you just scanned the crowd at his memorial on Sunday, this would be quite obvious.  Kirk's unapologetic testimony of faith in Jesus, the transformative power of the Gospel, and the civilizational foundations of Judeo-Christian democracies resonated deeply with young believers searching for bold, young leadership in an era of spiritual ambiguity. Vigils honoring Kirk sprang up across continents —...

With the passing of Charlie Kirk, we have lost a voice that resonated with young men and summoned them to be good men, even godly men, and to know that a good portion of that manhood is expressed in getting married, having babies and proudly serving as the point man for their family. I got married at 22 in large part because when I was 17, restless, aimless, hormone-pumped, I was challenged by a Charlie-like voice in the 70s, named Josh McDowell. He had the nerve to go to college campuses across America and to talk about “Maximum Sex.” Smack in the middle of the sexual revolution,...

Latinos are at the center of an incredible number of issues in our current civil discourse and political dialogue, ranging from immigration and sanctuary cities to voting power to housing insecurity and homelessness. The vast majority of Latinos reflect hardworking American values, dedicated to this country's success and prosperity. However, they face a proportionately larger set of unfortunate challenges because of the comparatively few bad actors.  Latino pastors and civic leaders are a great example of this challenging juxtaposition. Not only do they face...