James Madison

Thomas Paine was an inspiration to the founders and still has lessons for today

Reclaiming chaplains who understand themselves first as chaplains, and not merely as decorative functionaries would be one way of retrieving Christianity in the public square.

Renewed debates over history reveal the narratives that conservatives and progressives employ to justify or decry American history. One narrative insists on lionizing historical figures, the other on demonizing them—yet both distract from the ongoing pursuit of the American ideals of justice, liberty, and equality.

It’s worth noting here that the “anachronistic” system the Founding Fathers crafted in the eighteenth century—based on the will and procedures of semi-sovereign states—serves as an extra layer of protection against twenty-first-century threats.

The most profound and powerful reasons for religious freedom are Christian reasons, and they extend not only to Christians but to all people. In my view this means that there is also a deep theological warrant for international religious freedom.

In the ceaseless struggle between civilization and barbarism, America has tipped the scales toward civilization, toward freedom and justice. In many ways, it has organized its national life—its economic, military, and moral resources—toward this end. Are we still up to the task?

Today we see forces against liberalism at home and abroad. We need statesmen who understand liberalism and who can make the case for limited, representative, and accountable government.

After centuries of declarations upholding the importance of religious freedom, why are we still issuing declarations?

Providence continues to look back at how American Christians thought through the challenges of World War II 75 years ago. In this article that Christianity & Crisis originally published on May 17, 1943, Henry P. Van Dusen proclaims that the postwar peace would rely on international consensus.