On Faith and Culture

Shifting our understanding of “salvation”: An interview with J.D. Greear

By Jonathan Merritt — February 21, 2013

Note: Each Friday, “On Faith & Culture” will feature an exclusive interview with a Christian thought leader or a voice of importance to the American Christian community. Thirty-nine-year-old J.D. Greear pastors The Summit Church in Durham, N.C., which has been named one of the top 25 fast-growing churches in America for several years by Outreach […]

Drone debate reveals moral hypocrisy of both sides

By Jonathan Merritt — February 20, 2013

At the end of The Godfather Part II, Michael Corleone famously remarked, “If anything in life is certain, if history has taught us anything, it’s that you can kill anybody.” America’s current drone policy has made the fictitious mobster look like a prophet. The Bush administration began using the nimble humanless aircrafts, authorizing about 50 […]

Disappointment is rooted in love, not disdain

By Jonathan Merritt — February 18, 2013

On April 30, 1967, Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech at New York’s Riverside Church. It was one of his finest, and would later earn him a spoken word Grammy. The primary topic of his address was not the plight of black men and women or even race in general. No, that day his […]

The Love Language legacy: A Valentine’s Day interview with Gary Chapman

By Jonathan Merritt — February 13, 2013

(RNS)— The author and pastor looks back at the unexpected success of the Five Love Languages.

Waning influence of faith leaders presents historic opportunity

By Jonathan Merritt — February 12, 2013

Much has been made of the decline of the institutional church in the 21st century. In 1975, for example, 68 percent of Americans said they had a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the church / organized religion. That number has plummeted to 44 percent. Though many Americans still consider themselves “spiritual,” fewer […]

Following Jesus in a celebrity-obsessed age: A post-Grammy reflection

By Jonathan Merritt — February 10, 2013

The glitter has been swept up, the borrowed jewelry returned, and star-struck fans are left to process all that transpired last night. Another Grammy Awards has come and gone, but they raise an important question for American Christians in the 21st century: What does it mean to follow Jesus in a celebrity-obsessed age? In […]

The future of American Christianity: An interview with David Campbell

By Jonathan Merritt — February 7, 2013

Note: Each Friday, “On Faith & Culture” will feature an exclusive interview with a Christian thought leader or a voice of importance to the American Christian community. David Campbell is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame and co-author (with Robert Putnam) of American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us. […]

Obama fails to win over religious conservatives on contraception mandate

By Jonathan Merritt — February 5, 2013

When the Obama administration announced mandatory coverage of contraceptives in January of last year as part of sweeping healthcare reform, religious conservatives were incensed. Roman Catholics were angry because the church prohibits use of birth control, even though most congregants ignore the teaching. Evangelicals were upset because religious non-profits were not exempt from the mandate, which […]

And so begins our journey

By Jonathan Merritt — February 3, 2013

Objectivity is an illusion. A fairy tale. Gold spun from straw. No writer is completely unbiased, regardless of the level of attention they give to journalistic integrity or impartiality or deference to opposing views. Every one sees life through a particular lens whether they realize it or not. As the late evangelical Christian thinker, Francis […]

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Jonathan Merritt