Rex M. Rogers Blog
Welcome to my blog.
I use this forum to express ideas about current world events, politics, social issues, cultural developments, things that are happening on the Cornerstone University campus, or other personal experiences.
I invite you to visit often and to give me feedback through the e-mail link we have provided.
You may also want to review commentary on the radio programs link. This page features about 450 print and audio files of material originally written for the "Making a Difference" radio program, many of which are now also distributed as a newspaper column.
Thirty Years in Christian Education
May 9, 2007
This academic year marks my 30th year in Christian education and my 25th anniversary year in Christian higher education. It's difficult to believe, but time does indeed go by quickly. God is good, as we know, but he's demonstrated his unfailing love to …
Presidential Transition
May 8, 2007
After much prayer and discussion with Sarah, I have come to the conclusion that it is time for me to initiate a transition plan that will ultimately result in my leaving the presidency of Cornerstone University. I have enjoyed many blessings of God …
Finding the Right Kind of "Yes Men"
Apr 30, 2007
One of the greatest lessons I learned during my undergraduate experience was a lesson in leadership. I did not know it then, but God had plans for me, plans that required me to understand a few things about people before he would entrust me with his purposes. …
Crude Celebrities
Apr 28, 2007
We’ve recently been treated to a spate of notables revealing their inner child by making unguarded comments. Don Imus managed to offend women, minorities, and moralists at the same time with his comments about the Rutgers University women’s basketball …
Listening to the President from the Third Row
Apr 26, 2007
My son is a 22 year old Sergeant in the Army Reserve MPs heading to Iraq in early May. So I listened with a Father’s interest to President George W. Bush’s Iraq policy speech delivered Friday, April 20, 2007, in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. Our …
Soulforce Returns Uninvited to CU for a Surprise Chapel Visit
Apr 24, 2007
Soulforce pulled a fast one on us today. All 26 of the riders came back to CU and entered ourCollege Chapel this morning. As far as we know, never before has Soulforcereturned to a school onceit had moved on and never before has Soulforce gone en masse …
Soulforce at Cornerstone University
Apr 23, 2007
Soulforce made its uninvited visit to the edge of the Cornerstone University campus today. The organization had been repeatedly and kindly informed that its tour bus stop was not welcome and that riders would not be permitted on the campus. When enough …
Virginia Tech, A Confused Media, and a Loving God
Apr 22, 2007
The slaughter of innocents at Virginia Tech University is a form of apparently random killing rooted in a rage that most of us, thankfully, cannot understand. More than thirty students dying at the hands of a lone gunman in the otherwise bucolic atmosphere …
Politics and Character in President Ford and in Today's Washington, D.C.
Jan 5, 2007
Politics and character make uncomfortable suite mates these days. It seems like the days of gentlemen (or women) politicians—people who could debate like political warriors during the day and then enjoy a dinner together in the evening—are long …
The Local Church Funeral of President Gerald R. Ford
Jan 4, 2007
President Gerald R. Ford’s funeral took place at Grace Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids yesterday afternoon. My wife, Sarah, and I were among about 400 individuals who were privileged to attend the service, one I consider both an historic and a once-in-a-lifetime …
Things I Wish I Could Leave Behind In 2006
Dec 31, 2006
There’re a few things I think the world would be better off without. Wouldn’t it be great to ring out the old year and leave these things behind with 2006? Here’s my list: 1. The Iraq War. Sure, I know this is unrealistic, but we’re …
Saddam Hussein's Capital Punishment
Dec 30, 2006
Justice has been served to former Iraq President and dictator, Saddam Hussein. The method? Capital punishment. At about 6:00 am Baghdad time Saturday (10:00 pm EST last night), Hussein was executed by hanging. He was convicted in Iraqi courts of ordering …
Christmas vs. New Years
Dec 29, 2006
The shift from the “Spirit of Christmas” to the “Spirit of New Years” always bothers me. The first focuses upon love, family, the Christ child, gifts, warmth, and well-being. The latter focuses, at least in popular culture and media, …
Gerald R. Ford, A Humble Hero
Dec 28, 2006
The passing of a former president of the United States always brings with it a host of memories and feelings for the American people. This is especially true for me in the December 26 death of President Gerald R. Ford, at age 93 years, the nation’s …
Books I Have Recently Read
Nov 30, 2006
David Anderson and Brent Zuercher, Letters Across the Divide: Two Friends Explore Racism, Friendship, and Faith (2001). This book is what its title indicates. It’s a series of letters between a White and a Black man, both Christians, wrestling with …
O.J. Loses In the Court of Public Opinion
Nov 29, 2006
To say O.J. Simpson is a disappointment is too much an understatement. His recent attempt to publish and profit from a book called, If I Did It, about the murders of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman is, in a word, unbelievable. It’s …
Kramer's Meltdown
Nov 28, 2006
Comedian Michael Richards is no longer funny. After his unbelievable tirade at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles November 17, in which he screamed the “N-word” and profanities at patrons for several minutes, his career is toast. Most of us …
Cornerstone University Radio Achievements and Blessings
Nov 18, 2006
Cornerstone University Radio completed its annual four-day Sharathon this week surpassing our funding goal for the first time since 9-11 with more than 5500 people making pledges: Year Goal Pledges 2005$1.1M $909K 2006 $1.250M $1.254M per final total …
"Merry Christmas" Makes a Comeback
Nov 13, 2006
As Christmas approaches we find ourselves in another round of the Christmas culture wars—this time with Christmas winning. Wal-Mart recently announced it would not only allow but encourage its Associates to jettison last year’s “Happy Holiday” …
What Should We Learn From Ted Haggard?
Nov 9, 2006
Rev. Ted Haggard, recently pastor of the 14,000 member New Life Church of Colorado Springs, Colorado and President of the National Association of Evangelicals is another casualty in Christian leadership. He resigned his pastorate November 5th because, in …
"The Reckoning: Remembering the Dutch Resistance"
Oct 20, 2006
“The Reckoning: Remembering the Dutch Resistance,” is a socially and historically significant film. It is a story of the Dutch resistance to Nazi occupation of The Netherlands during WWII, a story of Jewish resilience in the face of a systematic …
Baby Boom in New Orleans
Sep 2, 2006
In the year since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and other coastal areas of the American south, the birth rate of New Orleans has jumped an amazing 39%, May 2005 to May 2006. Citizens, medical professionals, and counselors have said this increase …
Male/Female Relationships in the Workplace
Sep 1, 2006
Male/Female relationships in the workplace have always been an important organizational consideration. At times, depending upon prevailing winds of culture, they’ve been a challenge, perhaps none more so than today. In no particular order, here …
CU Foundations of Faith Award Recipient Dr. Larry W. Poland
Aug 31, 2006
Dr. Larry W. Poland is this year’s recipient of the Foundations of Faith Award given by Cornerstone University to those who have demonstrated significant leadership and service to the Lord. Since 1985, Dr. Poland has been the Founder, Chairman, and …
Representative Katherine Harris's Church/State Remarks Unwise
Aug 29, 2006
U.S. Representative Katherine Harris (R, FL) recently called separation of church and state “a lie” and said that God and the Founding Fathers did not intend a “nation of secular laws.” She also told a religious journal that if Christians …
Sports Wagering a Growing Youth Problem
Aug 28, 2006
Sports wagering is the primary entry point to more gambling among adolescents and college students. Dr. Durand Jacobs, a pioneer in treating problem gambling, believes “there’s not a high school in the country where kids are not making book …
Books I Have Recently Read
Aug 26, 2006
Randall Balmer, Thy Kingdom Come, An Evangelical’s Lament: How the Religious Right Distorts the Faith and Threatens America (2006). The title says it all, doesn’t it? Balmer is a good writer, so this book reads well. But it’s not fun to …
Drug Cheating in Professional Sports
Aug 25, 2006
PGA Commissioner Tim Finchem says the PGA Tour does not need to implement a drug testing program for its professional golf athletes. He bases his decision on what he cites as a lack of evidence, at this point, that any real problem with use of such drugs …
Student Dress Codes
Aug 23, 2006
American public schools continue to struggle with student dress codes: to have them or not to have them? To enforce them? How to enforce them? What should be allowed and what should be disallowed? The problem is not so much modesty, lack of some perceived …
Another Look at Abortion
Aug 15, 2006
Abortion is not a pleasant subject. But it remains a reality in American culture and, for that matter, cultures around the world. Since Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in America beginning in 1973, we’ve lost an entire generation of our posterity to …
What Christians Can Learn From Mel Gibson's Meltdown
Aug 1, 2006
Mel Gibson’s recent trials—DUI, resisting arrest, and a belligerent drunken anti-Semitic tirade—is a sad reminder for the Christian community. I don’t know the condition of Mr. Gibson’s heart. Is he a believer in Christ? …
Bush Veto About Principle Not Politics
Jul 21, 2006
What I like about President George W. Bush’s veto of Congress’s recent embryonic stem cell legislation is that it is clearly based upon principle, not politics. Bush could have changed his long-standing belief that the destruction of embryos is …
Media and Religion
Jul 5, 2006
Recently, Terry Mattingly wrote USA Today’s Monday editorial “On Religion.” In his piece he argued that journalists need to “get religion.” He meant that journalists need to learn more about religious beliefs so that they can …
Secondhand Smoke
Jun 29, 2006
The U.S. Surgeon General’s latest report is that secondhand smoke is dangerous to people’s health—period. Surgeon General Richard Garmona says “The debate is over.” Secondhand smoke is a health hazard. According to the report, …
Protecting the U.S. Flag
Jun 28, 2006
The most recent U.S. flag desecration amendment failed to pass in the United States Senate by one vote. It’s the fifth time such a measure has failed in the Senate since 1990. The House of Representatives has approved an amendment seven times in that …
Warren Buffett's Example for Us All
Jun 27, 2006
News this week about Warren Buffett’s announcement he will gift some $30.7 billion to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has set the philanthropic world on its ear. This gift, coming over time, will make the already enormous Gates Foundation by far …
Unplugged Public Space No Longer Exists
Jun 26, 2006
As I write this blog I’m sitting in a Metro Detroit airport Northwest World Club lounge. Once again I’m reminded that cell phone technology has removed all semblance of privacy, quiet reflection, or personal space. Another traveler and I have …
Dallas Mavericks Onwer A Poor Sport?
Jun 21, 2006
In a very short time, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has become the new poster boy for poor sportsmanship in American professional sports. The National Basketball Association has repeatedly assessed him six-figure fines for his courtside actions, the latest …
Motorcycle Helmet Laws
Jun 15, 2006
Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s motorcycle accident this week was serious and unfortunate. The youngest quarterback ever to lead his team to a Super Bowl victory required fairly extensive facial surgery, and I wish him the very …
In God We Trust
Jun 13, 2006
It was good to see that a federal judge in California rejected atheist Michael Newdow’s lawsuit contending that the words “In God We Trust” on American coins constituted a violation of his First Amendment rights. Newdow is a Sacramento doctor, …
Internet Dangers
Jun 9, 2006
For children, and for that matter, for teenagers, the Internet is not a harmless toy. In fact, like many other features of modern life, people need to exercise a degree of spiritual discernment and maturity when the access the Net. Since all children, most …
Westboro Baptist Church Demonstrations Not Christian
Jun 7, 2006
I’ve written before about the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas and Pastor Fred Phelps. But I must write again. Why? Because I do not want to be associated in any way with Pastor Phelps’s followers’ demonstrations outside the funerals …
Funny Man Bill Cosby Weighs In On Not So Funny Topics
May 31, 2006
Bill Cosby has been pulling no punches about what he considers poor choices and lack of personal responsibility among low income Black individuals. As commentator Clarence Page says, Cosby’s choice of words is harsh (“We’ve got these knuckleheads …
"The Da Vinci Code," the Movie
May 19, 2006
If you’ve read The Da Vinci Code, the book, don’t bother watching “The Da Vinci Code,” the movie. Depending upon what part of this over-long movie you’re viewing, you’ll be disappointed, befuddled, grossed out by the self-inflicted …
Attending Church a Privilege
May 14, 2006
Attending church without fear of your life or property is one of the greatest freedoms this free country affords us. Freedom of worship, the ability to honor God and apply his will in our lives, work, and culture, is a First Amendment guarantee, a continuing …
CU's "Faculty Vices" or CU's Personnel Lifestyle Statement
May 12, 2006
“It’s a free country,” we say, and God be praised it is. Americans are afforded choices that most in human history simply could not imagine. So the idea of a workplace “Personnel Lifestyle Statement” may strike some people as …
Commencement Day at CU
May 11, 2006
The 2006 Cornerstone University graduating class was the largest in the university’s history—742 undergraduate, graduate, and seminary students. For this we praise God. Dr. H. B. London, Jr., Focus on the Family, spoke at the Grand Rapids …
Sports Takes It On the Chin
May 3, 2006
Sports culture suffered another blow in the past couple of weeks when high school quarterback standout, Mark Sanchez, now at the University of Southern California, was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a female student. This follows an NCAA investigation …
Plagiarism for Fun and Profit
May 2, 2006
Plagiarism has long been the bane of college professors. Under the pressure (generally self-imposed by procrastination) of approaching deadlines, college students too frequently “write” term papers by “borrowing” from myriad sources—whether …
A Spanish Language Star Spangled Banner
May 1, 2006
“The Star Spangled Banner” is now available in a Spanish-language version. This development has incited a barrage of negative conservative reaction, along with positive response from many in the Hispanic community as well as others who think such …
A White Evangelical Religious Conservative Take on Illegal Immigrants
Apr 28, 2006
The so-called immigrant problem, or what has now become the immigrant rights movement, is producing disagreement among religious conservatives and leaders. Some, like Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention, are arguing for stiff penalties against …
Bush, Rumsfeld, and Leadership Styles
Apr 22, 2006
I’ve written before that I believe one of President George W. Bush’s greatest liabilities is his under developed communication skills. He may possess the right values on many issues, or at least in terms of his desire to do right and do well by …
Character Matters
Apr 21, 2006
Very few articles I have read about an alleged rape possibly involving members of the Duke University Lacrosse team have mentioned the words “right” or “wrong,” “character,” or “morality.” Instead, we’re …
Professional Wrestling's Strange Attraction
Apr 18, 2006
So-called professional wrestling has always perplexed me. It’s crass, it’s fake, and on top of all that, it’s fairly expensive to watch: tickets over $60. These big boys are athletic, no question, but World Wide Wrestling is more about schlock …
Immigration Demonstrations and American Ideals
Apr 11, 2006
The immigration demonstrations or “protests” of the past few days are a truly historic phenomenon. They bring us back to the foundational ideals that made this country what it is today: freedom, access, opportunity, work, self-improvement, desire …
Sports Wagering a Bad Bet for Intercollegiate Athletics
Apr 8, 2006
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is taking the threat of sports wagering seriously. Believing that all forms of cheating via sports wagering undermines fair competition and debilitates individuals involved, the NAIA Council of …
American Sports Culture Hits New Low
Apr 8, 2006
Whatever the truth is regarding recent rape allegations against members of the Duke University lacrosse team it will eventually come out. One way or the other, this incident is another example of the deterioration of the American sports culture. Members …
Books I Have Recently Read
Apr 6, 2006
Dick Devos, Rediscovering American Values: The Foundations of Our Freedom for the 21st Century (1997). Mr Dick DeVos is the former President of Alticor, the parent company of Amway and other related businesses located in Ada, Michigan. He is also the presumptive …
Principals, Proms, and Principle
Apr 5, 2006
Three cheers for the New York Catholic high school principals who cancelled their proms on principle. Brother Kenneth M. Hoagland, principal of Kellenberg Memorial High School in Uniondale, cancelled his school’s prom because he was weary of the financial …
The "Immigrant Problem"
Apr 4, 2006
Immigrants are as American as apple pie. Yet we seemed to have entered a brave new world wherein we’re not as brave as we thought we were. With some 12 million undocumented immigrants in the country and more finding ways to come across the borders …
Christian Faith in a Religiously Pluralistic Culture
Mar 31, 2006
Our problem in American culture does not occur when we say “I believe in Jesus.” It occurs when we say “Jesus is the only way.” The exclusive claims of biblical Christianity are not welcome to many in our religiously pluralistic and …
Two Dilemmas Every Christian Faces Every Day
Mar 30, 2006
Christians face two dilemmas each day: one, I call the “In the World/Not of the World” dilemma. This comes from John chapter 17 in the midst of Jesus’ prayer. He talks to his heavenly Father about the fact that human beings exist in the …
Protests That Do More Harm Than Good
Mar 29, 2006
At the Michigan funeral this week of a slain Army Corporal, members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas came to the military funeral to conduct a protest. They claim that American soldiers are being killed as a direct result of God’s judgment …
Barry Bonds Bombs
Mar 17, 2006
Barry Bonds is on track to surpass Babe Ruth’s career homerun record of 714 four-baggers. Just a few more at bats, just a few more blasts and Bonds will have gone where no one but Hank Aaron (755 homeruns) has ever gone before. But does anyone really …
What Starbucks Can Teach Cornerstone University
Mar 14, 2006
Starbucks coffee stores are virtually ubiquitous, one on every corner it seems and now one in every major grocery or discount store—certainly one in every airport. The one person we have most to thank for this is Howard Schultz, Starbucks entrepreneur …
HBO's "Big Love" Polygamy
Mar 11, 2006
When HBO’s new series, “Big Love,” begins Sunday evening, March 12, American television enters the brave new world of polygamy. In this program, a successful but struggling businessman juggles business, children, and three wives who live …
Wondering About Federal Funding of Faith-Based Programs
Mar 10, 2006
President George W. Bush has used executive orders to steadily increase federal funding to faith-based organizations, this year to the tune of $2.1 billion or about 11% of the $19.7 billion awarded last year to community groups. The Bush Administration’s …
Parental Responsibility Re Online Threats To Teens
Mar 9, 2006
Teen techno-savvy is outpacing their moral, ethical, and intellectual maturity. The kids are online with friends, but they don’t understand what it means to simultaneously be accessible to a worldwide web of strangers. Chat rooms, social network …
South Dakota Takes On Abortion
Mar 7, 2006
South Dakota’s new law banning abortion in all cases except to save the life of the mother appeals to my theology and my philosophy even if my instinct for realpolitik questions the strategy. Governor Mike Rounds signed the bill earlier this week, setting …
Books I Have Recently Read
Mar 6, 2006
Ann Coulter, Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism (2003). Ann Coulter is a highly articulate conservative jackhammer, trying to dismantle the liberals with each paragraph of her book. I’ve read a lot of these kinds of …
Christian Condemnation of Muslim Cartoon Reactions
Mar 3, 2006
I’ve read more than one column written by an American Christian decrying Middle East Islamic violence in reaction to recent cartoons of Muhammad in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. I understand their criticism of the violence. It saddens me too, …
Harvard's Summers: What People Want From A University President
Mar 2, 2006
Harvard University President Lawrence H. Summers’ resignation last week is an occasion to reflect upon what people want from a university president. Summers’ five year combative reign at Harvard featured one battle with the faculty after another. …
Debating Ideas Instead Of People
Mar 1, 2006
American culture is in danger of losing one of its most cherished democratic principles, the ability to disagree with another person’s ideas. Tolerance and “sensitivity” toward others are now considered more important than cogent debates …
Kiddie Porn
Feb 26, 2006
Child pornography has got to be one of the more despicable crimes an individual can commit. Frankly, it makes me sick to write about it. But it’s real. In an article in the February 19, 2006 issue of Parade magazine, attorney Andrew Vachss, notes …
Cornerstone University's Personnel and Its Plumb Line Principles
Feb 23, 2006
The defining characteristic of a Christian university is its Christian personnel—faculty and staff members who know Jesus Christ as Savior, who live dedicated Christian lives, who hold biblical doctrines in common, who have learned and can articulate …
Cornerstone University Considers What It Means To Live For Christ In A Changing Culture
Feb 22, 2006
Cornerstone University is reviewing its Personnel Lifestyle Statement. The point of the review is to assure the university is positioned to fulfill its mission “to enable individuals to apply unchanging biblical principles in a rapidly changing world.” …
Christian Colleges and Universities and the Homosexuality Issue on Collision Course
Feb 21, 2006
Virtually every time an incident occurs in a local college or university related to homosexuality, a media personality visits our campus and asks me, “Do you kick out gay students?” If I say, “Yes,” than the university may be portrayed, …
Olympiad Fever
Feb 20, 2006
You don’t have to watch the Olympics very long to understand why they’re the best reality show on television. Jaded sports pundits say the games are boring, but what do they know? The 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy have demonstrated once …
Gambling With Our Kids
Feb 18, 2006
I would like to stop talking about youth gambling. But I can’t, because the problem is very big and getting bigger. Let the record show that I’m not against poker—if it’s played simply as a card game. But I must say that poker …
Amway President Doug DeVos Speaks At CU
Feb 17, 2006
Mr. Doug DeVos visited campus today as Executive-in-Residence and speaker at the Executive Series Luncheon. Mr. DeVos spoke in a student and personnel chapel, conducted a question-and-answer session with students and personnel, visited classrooms, and …
High Tech Cheating In Universities
Feb 16, 2006
University students are taking cheating high tech. Information technology has changed virtually everything about students’ ability to undermine or destroy the integrity of the academic experience. Students used to trade copied papers, exchange pirated …
Straining At "Gnats" and Swallowing "Camels"--Music and Fashions
Feb 14, 2006
In Matthew 23, Jesus warns his true spiritual followers about the hypocritical Pharisees, people who Jesus said, “do not practice what they preach” (23:3). The Pharisees and other teachers of the law publicly and with great showiness tithed their …
Cornerstone University Teaches Character Principles to Public School Students
Feb 13, 2006
Cornerstone University announced today that it will teach character principles to students in West Michigan public schools. The university will use the NAIA’s Champions of Character program. In a precedent setting move, the university’s program …
Criticism Growing More Intense
Feb 11, 2006
Aristotle once said, "Anyone can become angry. That is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose and in the right way -- that is not easy." Aristotle got it right. But my experience …
How Christian Is The University?
Feb 10, 2006
There’s probably not a week that goes by that I am not called upon to defend the “Christian-ness” of Cornerstone University on some issue or in some fashion. Usually I find this phenomenon rather fascinating. Sometimes, I confess, I find …
Funeral Politics
Feb 9, 2006
Coretta Scott King’s funeral in Atlanta earlier this week became as much a political event as a time for remembering and mourning. Mrs. King was rightly lauded for her consistent support for civil rights for minorities and for her diligence in protecting …
Super Bowl Wagering
Feb 3, 2006
The Super Bowl is the number one betting day of the year---this time with legal wagering predicted over $7 billion. Illegal gambling worldwide will more than double that total. Gambling is not just an American pastime; it’s a world pastime. I know …
Family Leadership Succession in Christian Ministries
Feb 2, 2006
The Crystal Cathedral’s recent investiture of Robert H. Schuller’s son, Robert A. Schuller, as pastor of the Crystal Cathedral is the latest in a series of similar family leadership successions in Christian ministries. Bob Jones followed Bob …
Sirius Broadcasts Missions News Not Just Porn
Jan 28, 2006
Cornerstone University is giving Howard Stern a nudge on Sirius Satellite Radio. The university’s radio ministry, Mission Network News, is now aired on Sirius 159 at 7:05 am and 9:00 am. So this new technology is no longer just a tool for the Devil …
Oprah's Mea Culpa Much Welcome
Jan 28, 2006
Oprah Winfrey's back-pedaling apology for defending falsehood-published-as-truth is a very welcome development. On Thursday’s show, Winfrey expressed chagrin, remorse, and anger, some of it directed at herself and most of it aimed at James Frey and …
Feminism AWOL at Golden Globe Groping
Jan 24, 2006
Apparently feminism went on holiday at last week’s 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards. E! Network red carpet correspondent Isaac Mizrahi grabbed then peered down the front of Teri Hatcher’s dress, asked Eva Longoria about the disposition of her pubic …
Credit Card Companies Target College Students
Jan 23, 2006
In the late eighties when I was an academic dean at The King’s College in New York, my office regularly received stacks of postcards from credit card companies requesting that I place these postcards in each student’s mailbox. The postcards were …
America Could Do With Fewer Politicians and More Statesmen and Stateswomen
Jan 21, 2006
Ethics, like the lack thereof, is not a matter of partisanship or ideology. Both Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals, have at times, "had their day in court." The first president for whom I ever voted, a conservative to moderate …
Justice, Mercy, and the American Taliban
Jan 20, 2006
The father of the “American Taliban” John Walker Lindh went public yesterday calling on President Bush to grant clemency to his son. Frank Lindh claims his son, first captured at 20 in Afghanistan and now 25, is innocent, “acted with integrity,” …
Books I Have Recently Read
Jan 19, 2006
Jeff Alan, Anchoring America: The Changing Face of Network News (2003). If you want to learn more than you ever wanted to know about television news anchors, read this book. If you want to learn about American history during the past sixty years or so through …
Best-Selling Fiction Masquerading As Nonfiction
Jan 18, 2006
“How much fiction can anonfiction book contain before it must be re-classified as fiction?” That’s the question of the month that’s raising eyebrows far beyond publishing industry. James Frey’s book, A Million Little Pieces …
Mayor Nagin's Take On God
Jan 17, 2006
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin thinks recent catastrophic weather is a message from God. During a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day rally yesterday, the Mayor said, "As we think about rebuilding New Orleans, surely God is mad at America. He's sending hurricane …
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Jan 16, 2006
Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. No one will ever duplicate the morally compelling content nor the energy and amazing vocal cadence of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech delivered from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, August 28, 1963. …
What Should We Think About Pat Robertson?
Jan 14, 2006
Dr. Pat Robertson, a once influential evangelical Christian leader, recently added another bizarre comment to a growing list of eccentric views. Following Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s massive stroke, Robertson wondered on his television program, …
A Christian University in Postmodern Times
Jan 13, 2006
Christianity helped conceive the idea of the university, which developed from schools attached to great cathedrals in places like Paris and Bologna. The pattern continued in America. Beginning with Harvard University in 1636, for the next two centuries most …
Fidelity to the Faith in the Christian College or University
Jan 12, 2006
A January 7-8, 2006 article in The Wall Street Journal, called “A Test of Faith,” tells the story of Wheaton College’s (IL) decision not to continue the employment of a non-tenured faculty member who converted to Catholicism. Wheaton College …
What's Next for Potty Mouth Howard Stern?
Jan 11, 2006
Sirius Satellite Radio is staking its future on the potty mouth of Howard Stern, paying him a budget-breaking $500 million over the next five years to attract subscription listeners at $12.95 per month. Run the numbers on this and you’ll see what a …
Congressman Mike Rogers Calls for Reform of Indian Gaming Laws
Jan 10, 2006
United States Representative Mike Rogers (R,MI), recently called for comprehensive reform of Indian gaming laws, as well as a two-year moratorium on casino expansion. In addition, he plans to introduce legislation establishing a moratorium on creation of …
Another Look at Sports Wagering and Youth Gambling
Jan 9, 2006
Sports wagering is a major threat to the integrity of sports. It’s what one experienced gambler called “seasonal losing.” Sports wagering is a more than $200 billion business in the United States with the NFL Super Bowl the biggest betting …
Best-Selling Books and Bad Words
Jan 6, 2006
I just finished reading John Grisham’s eighteenth book, The Broker (Dell, 2005). Like all of Grisham’s best-selling legal fiction, this book is well-written, interesting, and contains a plot taken from recent front pages. And most surprisingly …
Enjoying Competitive Sports
Jan 5, 2006
This week’s Orange Bowl and Rose Bowl, and for that matter the Sugar Bowl, all show-cased some of the very best drama in top level intercollegiate football. Pageantry, competitiveness, excellence, achievement, the thrill of victory and the agony of …
Christmas Morphs Into New Years
Dec 28, 2005
The transition in focus and tone from Christmas to New Years never fails to startle and bother me. For at least a month, maybe two months, leading to Christmas, people’s thoughts focus on gifts for friends and loved ones, re-connecting with people we …
Parental Rights in Sex Education
Dec 23, 2005
On November 2, 2005, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals handed down a sex education decision in Fields v. Palmdale School District so sweeping in its breadth and so threatening to parental rights as to take your breath away. The case is rooted in a Palmdale …
Sex Education
Dec 22, 2005
I learned about “the birds and the bees” while sitting in a barber chair. My father was a barber, so he knew that he had me pretty well trapped for however long it took to cut my hair or cover his topic, whichever came first. My Christian …
Alito. Abortion, Principles, and Partisanship
Dec 21, 2005
In the run-up to the January, 2006, Senate hearings for United States Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, both Republicans and Democrats are trading long-standing philosophic principles for perceived partisan advantage. In a fascinating switch, both parties …
Tell Me the Old, Old Story in New, New Ways
Dec 20, 2005
Christian pollster George Barna says, “Local churches have virtually no influence in our culture.” When I first read this statement it stopped me cold, right in my tracks, a total focus while I tried to get my mind around the implications of what …
Santa Claus Comes to Town
Dec 19, 2005
I wore a Santa Claus suit to a university department Christmas party today. It occurred to me that this is something I wouldn’t have done a decade or more ago. In fact, during my early days at the university I had a beautifully tailored Santa Claus …
Christmas Sunday: To Church or Not to Church?
Dec 17, 2005
Several “mega-churches,” in West Michigan and nationally, are getting mixed reviews in response to their decision to forgo Sunday services Christmas morning. Many people have praised leaders in these churches for their sensitivity to family …
Optimistic Leaders
Dec 16, 2005
Leadership and optimism go hand in hand. At least that’s what surveys and experience repeatedly indicate. Del Jones’ review in today’s edition of “USA Today” of recent surveys, CEO commentary, and scholarship found that leaders …
Purple Ink-Stained Fingers Point the Way
Dec 15, 2005
Iraq’s experiment with democracy today is heartening. In an election that should give them their first full-term Parliament since Saddam Hussein was toppled, the people of Iraq turned out in remarkably high numbers, braving curfews, security, road closures, …
Syriana's View From the Left
Dec 14, 2005
“Syriana,” executive producer George Clooney’s latest cinematic offering, is being widely praised by critics as one of the best films of the year, a thinking person’s film. I hope people are thinking---first, to skip this film, and …
Cellphone Companies Eye Pornography
Dec 13, 2005
First Sirius pays Howard Stern $500 million to take his vulgar, obscene, profane, and pornographic version of entertainment to satellite radio and now cellphone companies are getting into the pornography act. Cingular Wireless, the nation’s largest …
Christmas Cards Sans Christmas
Dec 12, 2005
The White House left the word “Christmas” out of its Christmas card text—something it has done since 1993—so some conservatives are interpreting this as one more example of the “war on Christmas.” The White House card …
Theodore Roosevelt, the Proactive President
Dec 10, 2005
Theodore Roosevelt personified the word active if not also proactive. From his sickly youth he lived his life to the fullest, as though he wanted to extract from it every ounce of possibility. At 42, he became and still is the youngest President of the …
"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe"
Dec 9, 2005
“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” is everything the critics are saying that it is—a first class work of cinematography. Even more, this film is a wonderfully presented fantasy adventure depicting the individual …
Entering the Blogosphere
Dec 8, 2005
My launch into the “Blogosphere” has been fun. To write an online web log or “blog” is to participate in what has been called “New Media.” It’s to experience the power of self-publishing. Blogging by-passes publishers, …
Military Recruiters Denied Access to Law School Campuses
Dec 7, 2005
On the day before the sixty-fourth anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the United States military had to go to the United States Supreme Court to defend its ability to recruit on the campuses of the nation’s most prestigious law schools. …
Christmas Is Back
Dec 6, 2005
It appears Christmas is back, or at least the “Christmas tree” is back. After several years of referring to the tree at the United States Capitol as the “Capitol Holiday Tree,” at the request of Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert …
Britain Legalizes Gay Unions
Dec 5, 2005
Great Britain is joining other European nations in another step toward the normalization of same-sex relationships. Dating to a law passed last November, beginning today, December 5, 2005, same-sex British couples older than 16 can declare their intent to …
Capital Punishment Still Viable
Dec 3, 2005
Kenneth Lee Boyd acquires a dubious distinction today. He will be the 1000th person executed for a capital crime since the death penalty was reinstituted in 1976. The North Carolina man will receive a lethal injection for murdering his estranged wife and …
What's in a Name?
Dec 2, 2005
Names are a central feature of our lives. In a very real sense, without names, we are unknowable. Names tell us Who and What, sometimes even Where. Use of a person's name signals some contact with or even knowledge of that person. To "know" …
Professional Sports in Las Vegas
Dec 1, 2005
Las Vegas-Sin City-is now betting it can attract major league sports. While professional boxing has been virtually synonymous with Las Vegas for decades and other sports like NASCAR and arena football make their home in the desert gambling capital, until …
Evangelical Colleges Turning Out Just Republicans?
Nov 30, 2005
In a September, 2005 article in The American Prospect, author Christopher Hayes claims that students at evangelical Christian colleges and universities are taught "to live out a Christ-centered existence in all facets of their lives. But what they learn is …
Vatican Says No To Gay Would-Be Priests
Nov 29, 2005
From the viewpoint of the American victims of priestly sexual abuse, the Vatican’s pronouncements this week about would-be gay priests may be a day late and a dollar short. But a clear line has been drawn in the moral landscape. On Tuesday, the …
Political Rhetoric
Nov 28, 2005
If you don’t know who you are, all you have to do these days is read the press or listen to the news. I’ve learned that if I believe life begins at conception, than I am an “extremist” whose views represent the “the radical Right.” …
Officially Sanctioned Torture?
Nov 26, 2005
What Senator John McCain modestly calls being “physically coerced” is more commonly referred to as torture. Whatever the Senator from Arizona calls it, his credibility is unassailable. He survived five years as a prisoner of war in Viet Nam during …
Beer Companies Promote Drinking Games
Nov 25, 2005
Beer companies are now pushing organized drinking games for university students. Groups of guzzlers crowd around the ends of tables trying to lob ping pong balls into cups of beer at the other end of the table. One team scores points and the other team downs …
A Good Mother
Nov 24, 2005
Today is my Mother's 74th birthday. I am truly thankful on this Thanksgiving Day for a loving, caring, Christian mother. I could not have had a better one. Praise God for his gracious blessing. © Rex M. Rogers - All Rights Reserved This blog may …
Thanksgiving and Christian Higher Education
Nov 24, 2005
The beauty of Thanksgiving Day is that it is a time of reflection. It allows us to ponder what God has done in and through our lives and what he may yet wish to do. I’m thankful God has allowed me to work since 1974, almost continuously, in Christian …
Presidential Communications
Nov 23, 2005
To the question, “Why is support for President George W. Bush’s performance declining in the polls?” one might reasonably be expected to respond: “Because people disagree with his policies.” And, of course, this answer would …
Inaugural Blog: Full Disclosure
Nov 22, 2005
In this inaugural web log I cast my vote for full disclosure. I am a “Christian,” a follower of Jesus Christ and, insofar as I am able, a proponent of a biblical worldview. This value system is how I interpret culture and the world in which I …
