Jonathan Haidt explains why everything is crazy now...

Ok, not exactly, but kind of.

Haidt is a Social Psychologist and he is discussing some of the same trends that have alarmed conservative commentators, though Haidt himself comes from the Left.

I've featured him in another recent post, and he is the co-author of The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are setting up a Generation for Failure.

While I certainly have some political and philosophical disagreements with Dr. Haidt, I've added him to my list of "YouTube Intellectuals" that I'm following, and I think the over-arching point that he makes in this video is critically important.


 

Last Sunday's Message on the Mustard Seed

Forgot to post this at the beginning of the week, but here is the whole service from this past Sunday.  Bible readings are Matthew 13 and Romans 8.

Psalms Study Video #10

A look at Prayers for Help in the Book of Psalms.

Read ahead:
Psalm 61, Psalm 70, and Psalm 86

A Christian Response to "Cancel Culture"

One thing that has been nice about YouTube is that I've found Christian voices from all over the Church - Roman Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Wesleyan, Evangelical, Reformed/Presbyterian - that have some really good things to say about living our faith in these times.  The primary voice from the Lutheran Tradition that I've been listening to is Dr. Jordan Cooper, a confessional Lutheran with an interest in Systematic and Scholastic theology.

Cooper is always thoughtful and articulate so I've both enjoyed an profited from his videos.  Here is is video in response to the "cancelling of J.K. Rowling" and "cancel culture" in general.



For those who are unfamiliar with this controversy, Rowling has drawn the ire of Progressives, and been labeled a bigot for asserting that a man is not a woman and that freedom of speech is a good idea; some authors have even refused to work with the Publishing company that handles her works. 

Sunday's Message: Creation is Groaning

My message from this past Sunday on Romans 8 and Matthew 13.  God bless you!

Psalms Study Video #9

Nature & Creation spirituality in the Psalms.

Promoting Viewpoint Diversity at the University

Jonathan Haidt is a social psychologist and Professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University's Stern School of Business.  He is another "YouTube intellectual" I've been following a bit lately.

He has been a prominent voice (and one from the political left, I might add) calling for reform at our universities that are increasingly homogeneous in terms of political perspective or ideology.  He is (rightly) concerned that efforts to stifle free expression of ideas and shield students from any and all viewpoints that might be upsetting leads inevitably to a loss of intellectual rigor, both among faculty and students.

If controversial (often simply another word for "conservative") speakers are banned or shouted down when they attempt to share their perspectives on campus, this means that students and faculty never "do business" with their ideas, never examine the claims, never evaluate the evidence. 
Far from protecting the students, this intellectual sheltering can only leave them less prepared to evaluate the many new or challenging ideas that they will encounter for the rest of their lives upon leaving the university.

He also shares about the work he and colleagues are doing at https://heterodoxacademy.org/ to bring about reform and also rank schools according to their openness to free inquiry and the free debate of ideas. 

Psalms Study Video #8

The next video shows how the Gospel of Salvation is shown forth in the Psalms, using John Wesley's "Way of Salvation" to explain how it works:

Sunday's Message: Got Fruit?

N.T. Wright on Undermining Racism

Christianity has a unique contribution to make in combating racist attitudes; indeed it is not for no reason that the very concept of combating racism itself emerged in Western cultures that have historically dominated by Christianity.

Here is a video from theologian and retired Anglican bishop N.T. Wright addressing this issue:

Psalms Study Video #7

Here is the next video studying the Book of Psalms.  In this video: Songs of Thanksgiving.

Message for Independence Day Weekend

Here is my Sermon for Independence Day Weekend, July 5, 2020.  I'm continuing to follow (albeit somewhat loosely) the Lectionary through The Gospel according to Matthew and The Letter to the Romans.

One Nation under God...?

"One Nation, Under God..."
Why is that phrase in our pledge of allegiance so important?  Why do some want to remove it?

There are many reasons, but one is this: "Under God" stands as a constant reminder that human beings and human government are not the highest authority.  The power of the State cannot demand our very highest allegiance, because there is a higher power still.

In a world where the State has often made itself into an idol - from Ancient Rome to Modern Communist states - the claim that there is a higher Power that is the Ultimate source of Justice serves as a continual check against the tendency of the state or those in power to grasp more than is right.

Go back and read the Declaration of Independence.  The very logic of it runs like this: God is the highest Power and the Highest source of Justice.  Insofar as the King and Parliament of Great Britain have acted contrary to God's design, by trampling our God-given rights, then the King and Parliament really are in the Wrong.  That is what makes our Declaration of Independence from them a legitimate and justified act.

We were appealing to the Justice of God over against the injustice of our human rulers.  That is of course why the Colonists had flags that said things like "An Appeal to Heaven" on them.
That is also why governments and people in authority - especially those who have turned their own power into an idol - will often try to either hijack the Church (as the Nazis did, putting swastikas on the altars in German churches) or they will try to destroy the Church altogether (as the Communists have attempted to do for over a century now wherever they've come to power) - because the Church's confession that "Jesus is Lord" will always bring with it the corollary "and therefore the State is not..."

Below is a remarkable video from Bishop Barron discussing just this topic:

Psalms Study Video #6

Here is the next video in the Study on the Book of Psalms.  This covers the Psalms of Lament (and Cursing Psalms):