by John Ellis As the world’s largest children’s book publisher, it is almost assured that everyone reading this is familiar with Scholastic. With Clifford the Big Red Dog as their mascot and holding the US publishing rights to the Harry Potter and Hunger Games series, Scholastic has helped lead the way in encouraging children to … Continue reading The Inconvenient History of the USA: ‘Love in the Library’
Tag: History
Hookworm and the Idol of Liberty
by John Ellis By all accounts, hookworm is nasty. An intestinal parasite, victims suffer from diarrhea, pain, lethargy, and debilitating anemia. For most of human history, hookworm was relegated to the African continent and was non-lethal owing to the levels of immunity built up over generations. That changed after, “Western doctors first realized how dangerous … Continue reading Hookworm and the Idol of Liberty
Church History: Sacerdotalism and Church As State
by John Ellis (This is the slightly edited manuscript for the class I taught this past Sunday at my church. It’s been edited for others to read instead of it being written for me to speak. Even with that, though, there may be places where it hits your “ear” funny because you’re reading something that … Continue reading Church History: Sacerdotalism and Church As State
Has J.R.R. Tolkien Been a Bad Influence on American Evangelicalism?
by John Ellis Okay. Hear me out. Well, don’t so much hear me out as prepare to interrupt me and provide counterpoints, because I’m not stating a thesis supported by well-crafted arguments. I’m sneaking a (possible) future thesis inside of a question. So, hear me out in the context that this article is like the … Continue reading Has J.R.R. Tolkien Been a Bad Influence on American Evangelicalism?
Lessons Christians in America Can Learn from ‘Coolidge’ by Amity Shlaes
“If the federal government were to go out of business, the common run of people would not detect the difference.” Calvin Coolidge By John Ellis Calvin Coolidge is a hero (maybe the hero) for old-school conservatives who still stubbornly cling to the classical liberalism that was long valued but now scorned by the bulk of … Continue reading Lessons Christians in America Can Learn from ‘Coolidge’ by Amity Shlaes
The Scottish Clearances Speak Into the Reparations Debate
by John Ellis I’ve been reading about the Scottish Clearances, a devasting time during the late 18th and early 19th centuries when the Highland chieftains, bowing to the immense pressure of the steamrolling commercialization of the British Isles, forcibly removed tenants from their lands. While not the legal owners of the land, these tenants were … Continue reading The Scottish Clearances Speak Into the Reparations Debate
How Long Shall the Wicked Prosper?: A Competing Narrative of the United States of America
Digital image of original artifact. by John Ellis Yesterday morning before Sunday school class began, the young man teaching asked about my t-shirt. “What kind of flag is that on your shirt?” “It’s the A.I.M. logo,” I replied through my mask. His expression revealed that “A.I.M.” wasn’t translating through the double-ply cotton. “The logo for … Continue reading How Long Shall the Wicked Prosper?: A Competing Narrative of the United States of America
Don’t Miss the Parallels Between Pope Pius XI and Evangelical Leaders Who Support Trump
by John Ellis The rhetorical bullying of Godwin’s Law aside, it hasn’t been unusual since 2015 to find those who tease out parallels between Hitler and Donald Trump as well as 1930s Germany and contemporary white evangelicalism. And it’s not unusual because parallels seemingly write themselves from time to time. While successfully resisting the urge … Continue reading Don’t Miss the Parallels Between Pope Pius XI and Evangelical Leaders Who Support Trump
An All-Star Basketball Team Made Up of World Leaders
by John Ellis For some reason, and something I’ve never understood, most people are surprised to discover how much I love sports. And I, like, really love sports, especially basketball. If the contemporary maxims of self-actualization that can be distilled into “whatever you dream, you can accomplish” had any basis in reality there would be … Continue reading An All-Star Basketball Team Made Up of World Leaders
With Your Vote, Are You Worshipping Religious Liberty or Are You Worshipping Jesus?
by John Ellis “There remains a fundamental tension in Christianity. Flourishing is good, nevertheless seeking it is not our ultimate goal.” Charles Taylor[1] Voting can be a sticky wicket for Christians. Rarely, at least on the national stage, are we presented with options that align comfortably with a conscience informed by the Holy Spirit, God’s … Continue reading With Your Vote, Are You Worshipping Religious Liberty or Are You Worshipping Jesus?
Practically Known Theology 