Faith and Law

Cherie Harder will respond to the proposition that Christians may be becoming a moral minority:  Is that true and if so, what is our response?  Are we a prophetic voice that can still lead?  Support the show

Dr. Meyer will be presenting on intelligent design and the origins of the universe.  A deep and thorough understanding of science is a doorway into the mind of a Creator who has encoded an information system into all living things. Support the show

What are our Biblical responsibilities to our brothers and sisters, especially those who are not like us?  From Cain to Christ, God is clear that we have a responsibility to help the "other."  President Obama understood this principle when he recently launched an initiative for young men of color of the same name.  Come join a discussion about what it means to be our brother's and sister's keeper in the current context.  Max Finberg has dedicated his career to serving others, especially hungry people. He has a wide range of experience in the government, non-profit, and political arenas.  He currently serves as Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture and coordinates two Secretarial initiatives:  StrikeForce, USDA's initiative for rural growth and opportunity, and Cultural Transformation, focused on creating a 21st Century workforce that is diverse and inclusive.  USDA administers programs that benefit one in five Americans with nutrition assistance, contribute to rural development, promote environmental stewardship and feed hungry people around the world.He recently finished assignments at the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, as a Senior Policy Advisor within President Obama's Domestic Policy Council, as well as Acting Director of USDA's Office of Tribal Relations, working with American Indians.  In May 2009, he was appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to direct USDA's Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.  The Center builds partnerships between USDA and faith-based and secular organizations to better serve individuals, families and communities.  Previously, he was the first director of the Alliance to End Hunger, a non-profit organization that engages diverse institutions in building the public will to end hunger, both in the United States and worldwide. The Alliance connects U.S. businesses, religious bodies, charities, and foundations to change the politics of hunger. Prior to joining the Alliance, Mr. Finberg served Ambassador and former Representative Tony Hall (D-OH) for 12 years in a variety of capacities.  He was special assistant to the ambassador at the U.S. Mission to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture in Rome, Italy.  Mr. Finberg was also a senior legislative assistant covering domestic hunger and poverty issues for Representative Hall. He worked on the successful passage of The Hunger Relief Act and the Community Solutions Act with a variety of anti-poverty and faith-based organizations. Support the show

From the earliest years after the death and resurrection of Christ, the affirmation "Jesus is Lord," that is, Jesus is King, has been the fundamental Christian confession of faith.  But is he King? And if he is, what difference does it make in the corridors of power and in everyday living?Support the show

A comprehensive report just out from the non-partisan Pew Research Center confirms findings from its previous reports: Almost three-quarters of the world's population live in countries where religious freedom is severely restricted. These consistent findings raise significant moral, humanitarian, and national security issues for the United States. For more than 15 years, the US has had a statutory requirement to advance religious freedom in its foreign policy. Unfortunately, America's IRF policy has accomplished precious little under three administrations. Farr will discuss the high stakes in religious persecution, the reasons for US failures, and how we might succeed should we choose to do so.Support the show

Christians and all people of good will should be concerned about poverty at home and abroad, and want to do something about it. Unfortunately, there is strong disagreement about how to do so. One way to resolve the disagreement is to consider the top ten conditions that allow countries to prosper, the lack of which correlates with poverty. Since there is one known pathway to widespread prosperity, the prudent strategy is to help others find their way up the path, rather than seeking to forge a new and untested one.Support the show

Conservatives are known for their love of liberty, but what about justice? Do conservatives love justice, too, and if so why don't they talk more about it? Henry Olsen will discuss these questions in the context of conservatism's continued electoral challenges.Support the show

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While expressions of faith remain common in political discourse today, the actual policy decisions of political leaders seem less connected to that faith. Today, too, our culture - while still seeming to expect a president to have a faith - rejects faith as an explanation for those decisions. Ronald Reagan's faith, however, was a driver of some of his most profound moments as President--including the breaking up of the Communist Bloc.Rev. John Boyles is a former pastor of National Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC, the church of President Ronald Reagan during his Adminstration. Rev. Boyles served under President Reagan as Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Ethical Values. As the President's minister he made a pastoral visit to the persecuted Russian Pentacostals taking refuge in the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. During the Reagan Administration, Rev. Boyles set up the first VOA international broadcast of an English language Christmas Eve service in 1982 into the Soviet bloc, broadcast from President Reagan's church. A graduate of Yale Divinity School, Boyles became Presbyterian Chaplain at Yale and associate pastor of the Church of Christ in Yale and as Director of Dwight Hall, the university's community service and religious activities organization.Support the show