New Haven Colony Puritans hang a man for "crimes against the faith." As the presidential race prepares to jump into high gear, and as influential segments of American Christianity seek to ingratiate themselves with and guide — you could say manipulate — our civil government, it is worth pausing to consider the history of intermingling … Continue reading We must protect faith from the state, not by it
Constitution
The arc of our politics — sound and fury, signifying nothing
Do you recall the great fight between Tiberius Gracchus and the Senate? The Revolt of the Ciompi? The Iberian Union? The Sepoy Rebellion? No? Not surprising. These events, while critical turning points in the world powers of the day of Rome, Florence, Spain, Portugal and Britain, are mostly forgotten to history. And, so too will … Continue reading The arc of our politics — sound and fury, signifying nothing
A republic — if we can keep it
In the summer heat of 1787, delegates gathered in Philadelphia for the Constitutional Convention, to craft for America a new government. But, the outcome was by no means certain. Would we be governed by a new monarchy? By some form of oligarchy? Those were the most likely outcomes, as demonstrated by countless revolutions before and … Continue reading A republic — if we can keep it
Duty requires courage, not skulking in the darkness of anonymity
Democracy dies in darkness. The New York Times should have read that bit of wisdom on the masthead of its rival, The Washington Post, before publishing Wednesday an anonymous op-ed from a senior White House official “working diligently from within to frustrate parts of (President Trump’s) agenda and his worst inclinations.” The unnamed official claimed to be protecting America from … Continue reading Duty requires courage, not skulking in the darkness of anonymity
Religious liberty: A lesson hard-won through oppression
In my previous post I wrote briefly on the new Justice Department religious liberty task force, announced Monday by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The AG's words in making that announcement, I wrote, revealed an intent steeped in fear and intolerance, and having little to do with true religious liberty: Sessions spoke Monday of a “dangerous … Continue reading Religious liberty: A lesson hard-won through oppression
Guns, violence and our dwindling middle ground
Last week, I wrote about two horrific acts of violence. I wrote, in part, about how we’d already forgotten the loud cries for common sense gun regulation — specifically, banning bump stocks — in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting. I wrote in that column that we were apparently waiting until the next mass … Continue reading Guns, violence and our dwindling middle ground
James R. Neal 