James Ernest

A note of appreciation to Heather Cox Richardson

My Facebook friends who pay any attention at all will to my posts know that I repost every single instalment of Heather Cox Richardson’s Letters from an American. I believe that if the United States survives its current crisis as a functioning democracy, her letters will be anthologized and read and re-read for as manyContinue reading “A note of appreciation to Heather Cox Richardson”

“Trust in the Lord” as a political slogan

While out bicycling this afternoon I saw a yard sign—the same size and format as a campaign sign for a political candidate—that said “Trust in the Lord.” So . . . was it a political sign or a religious sign? Clearly it’s a political sign, or a counter to political signs. Signs of this size,Continue reading ““Trust in the Lord” as a political slogan”

Naming racists and racism

Two things that are not helpful: If you sense racist elements in my speech or actions and react by calling me a racist, that doesn’t help. If you sense some racist elements in my speech or behavior, and try to clue me in to what I’m missing, and I respond with, “You’re calling me aContinue reading “Naming racists and racism”

The wicked, God, and me (Psalm 5, day 1)

Psalm 5 sounds perennial themes. These themes recur throughout the Psalter, throughout the Bible, and throughout the life of the person who would follow God and live righteously: wicked people, God, and oneself. What happens if we try to take this psalm as a paradigm, a model, of how to relate these three constants? TheContinue reading “The wicked, God, and me (Psalm 5, day 1)”

Persuasion does not work; love anyway

Here’s a news item: file, according to your own preferred system and nomenclature, under “sociology of knowledge” or “mass delusion” or “our epistemological maelstrom” or (for the Harry Frankfurt fans) “bullshit”: Eighty-one percent of respondents who never watched Fox, and 76 percent of respondents who never listened to conservative talk radio, said the government shouldContinue reading “Persuasion does not work; love anyway”

The tragic irony (possibly?) of white American evangelical Christianity

Everything that Jesus ever said was true, but not everyone who heard was able to grasp his meaning. Those in his environment who were most certain that they and not others possessed religious and spiritual truth—faithful disciples though they might believe themselves to be, and might to all appearances have been, of the same greatContinue reading “The tragic irony (possibly?) of white American evangelical Christianity”

How to love our atheist (in a sense) neighbors?

Good people can believe outrageously false things. For example, a certain good man was able to believe, earlier this week, that: COVID-19 should in public policy be treated like a flu epidemic. The closings aimed at controlling the pandemic hit small businesses unnecessarily hard because politicians and the media hate small businesses and want themContinue reading “How to love our atheist (in a sense) neighbors?”

Scriptures for the day

There have been people who have memorized vast swathes of scripture. I wish I were one of them! I would love to be able to rehearse the entire Psalter from memory, as did some ancient monks. I would love to be able to answer yes, as did at least one well-known (among peers, not amongContinue reading “Scriptures for the day”

My American reflections on the news from Belarus

Yesterday morning whole driving across the state I listened to BBC news on Michigan Radio. The report that I heard contained essentially the same information that you can read online today at the BBC website or in the BBC app. If you’re not up on events in Belarus, I encourage you to click that linkContinue reading “My American reflections on the news from Belarus”

Faith, Fanaticism, and Trumpism

What to make of the phenomenon of professing Christians who either give their support to Donald Trump or withhold their support from Joe Biden, the only other candidate standing between Trump and reelection, because they find Biden to be insufficiently Christian? These people are to be differentiated from the core Trumpist. The core Trumpist isContinue reading “Faith, Fanaticism, and Trumpism”