A popular claim that early Christians were communists is clearly false. Even Missouri’s own Harry S. Truman said to his daughter, “You know there was but one idealistic example of Communism. That is described in the Acts of the Apostles.” When Acts 2:44 says, “Now all the believers where together and had everything in common,” the text is not describing socialism as we know it. Instead, the Bible is describing the voluntary generous spirit that comes when a church is unified. Why is the … [Read more...]
‘Developmental Personhood’: Secular lie devalues the weak, defenseless
Pro-abortion and pro-euthanasia arguments presume an idea known as developmental personhood, the philosophical idea that human personhood and human life are separate categories of being and only human persons deserve protection but human life itself does not necessarily deserve protection. While human life is a simple matter of biology, personhood is a debated notion based on cognitive abilities, self-directed choices, emotional response, and the ability to interact with others. Based on … [Read more...]
Will Democracy survive in the United States?
EDITOR'S NOTE: J. Alan Branch serves as professor of Christian ethics at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. This article first appeared on Midwestern's "For the Church" website, ftc.co. Carl F.H. Henry’s 1996 book Has Democracy Had Its Day? is a provocative and helpful reflection on American democracy as he considers its future in an era when the Christian faith has been shoved to the side in favor of highly individualized moral autonomy. Since Henry’s death in 2003, the dramatic … [Read more...]
Don’t be N.A.I.V.E about Amendment 3: Christian ethicist urges a ‘No’ vote on legalizing recreational marijuana in Missouri
EDITOR'S NOTE: J. Alan Branch serves as professor of Christian Ethics at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Mo. During their annual meeting in St. Charles, Oct. 24-25, Missouri Baptist messengers approved a resolution opposing the legalization of recreational marijuana. "... [W]e desire to protect the people of Missouri from the dangers of state-legalized recreational marijuana by urging a vote of 'No' on the measure entitled Amendment 3 on the November 8, 2022 Missouri … [Read more...]
‘Is cannabis in the Bible?’: MBTS’s Branch debunks interpretive myth
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article first appeared online at www.ftc.co. J. Alan Branch serves as professor of Christian Ethics at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. KANSAS CITY – “The Bible includes cannabis as part of the worship of Yahweh!” Marijuana advocates often repeat this claim in an effort to gain leverage for the moral permissibility of smoking pot. The claim is so strange and peculiar, pastors, church leaders, and parents can be caught off guard and find themselves ill-prepared … [Read more...]