Institute on Religion & Democracy

‘Inclusive’ Methodism and Real Inclusion Imposed “inclusive” language didn't lead to the inclusion of more United Methodist congregants, writes retired Pastor Riley Case.

Use of "inclusive" language was not a decision discussed by local churches. It was imposed by conferences and church officials. It didn't work, recalls Riley Case. Here is what did:

The Fate of Democracy and the Warning of Decadence Catholicism is not merely compatible with democracy but foundational to it insists George Weigel. An erosion of truth and virtue threatens both Church and policy alike.

Churches flourish when they maintain a clear sense of identity as a countercultural proposal. Those that conform to the zeitgeist, warns George Weigel, “wither and die.”

Wesley, Advent and the Means of Grace Ryan Danker writes that, for Wesley, there were two groups of means of grace; acts of piety and works of mercy.

The word “Advent” is meant to imply the various “comings” of Christ. He came as the babe in the manger, he comes to us now by faith, and he will come again in glory to finish the work of the new creation.

Challenges to the New Testament Canon It is important to recognize the difference 'between the existence of the canon, and the recognition of the canon.'

“Early Christians were bookish, they used books early and pervasively,” notes Albin Huss.

Taking our Rights and Dignities for Granted Those who want the West to ditch Christianity would destroy the foundation of its success, writes IRD President Mark Tooley.

Assumptions of equal justice and social equality are so pervasive that many in the West just assume they are intrinsic, natural, and universal, writes @markdtooley.bsky.social. They fall upon all like an April rainstorm.

Can America Survive Without Christianity? What happens to America’s democracy when its historic foundation begins to erode?

While the Church should be distinct from political parties, Jonathan Rauch tells @bariweiss.skystack.xyz that it is important for churches to disciple their members in Christian civic engagement. “That’s where the church has really fallen down and that’s where it has the most to contribute."

As Illinois Advances Assisted Suicide, Opponents Warn of Devalued Life Opponents warn of a slippery slope that could lead to normalizing suicide and creating a society that views the elderly and infirm as burdensome.

As Illinois nears becoming the 13th jurisdiction in the U.S. to legalize assisted suicide, opponents caution that the law now allows it for minors as young as twelve in the Netherlands or for the mentally ill in Belgium.

Generous Love: The Salvation Army launched in Victorian London by William and Catherine Booth, a powerhouse couple overwhelmed and horrified by the conditions of the poorest of the poor.

“Go for souls and go for the worst!” Salvation Army founders William and Catherine Booth proclaimed of the “submerged tenth” who had virtually no escape from the clutches of misery and poverty.

Assemblies of God and Denominations: How They Might (Still) Matter Do people in the pews care about denominational affiliation? Maybe not, but institutions that facilitate growth make a contribution beyond identity.

Pentecostal-but-not-weird-about-it? IRD's Jeff Walton thinks the Assemblies of God's institutions and networks matter, even as denomination identity is downplayed in the pews.

Holiness: Set Apart to Give Thanks to God God’s judgement is mirrored by his mercy. And those who are in Christ, those whom Christ died to save, need not fear the judgement.

Christ “emptied himself of all but love,” as Charles Wesley wrote. And he did this for you.

Thanksgiving & England's Civil War American democracy and religious freedom were the largely unintentional fruits of what emerged from Britain's civil war and the compromises that followed.

A timely conversation amid America’s Thanksgiving: the pilgrims were ultra-Protestant separatists whose persecution in England foreshadowed the parliamentary Puritan revolt against King Charles I and the established church. @markdtooley.bsky.social interviews Oxford historian Jonathan Healey.

Christian Realism & Faithful Disagreement The state of American pluralism begs the question: how can Christians faithfully live alongside those who reject God?

The Christian seeks to respect other citizens’ conscience, dignity and autonomy while recognizing that common grace enables cooperation despite deep disagreement.

The Incarnation: God’s Rescue Plan Fulfilled The Incarnation—something the Church celebrates in March, nine months before Christmas, which is the celebration of the Nativity—changed everything.

It’s not Christmas yet, nor Thanksgiving or even Advent, but with all of this taking place around us it’s a good time to think about the Incarnation, to ponder the awe-inspiring reality that God became one of us, lived with us, touched us, and continues to walk with us even now.

Heritage Americans? The moral genius of Anglo Protestants who crafted The Declaration was aspiration of human equality for all, not just for people like themselves.

The moral genius of Anglo Protestants who crafted The Declaration was aspiration of human equality for all, not just for people like themselves, writes @markdtooley.bsky.social. “Heritage Americans” prioritize ancestry over Declaration’s universality. ⁦

Examining the Meaning of Faith for Those Who Walk Away Faith which begins from personal choice - rather than authority one has good reason to trust - seems to be the “common thread” running through the deconstruction stories told by many people who have t...

Faith which begins from personal choice - rather than authority one has good reason to trust - seems to be the “common thread” running through the deconstruction stories told by many people who have turned away from Christianity.

Wednesday Worship with Theodore Hoham Lutheran minister Theodore Hoham spoke to the IRD staff and guests on Ephesians 6:10-13 and John 8:31-36 themed “Stay in the Fight.”

WATCH: IRD hosts the Rev. Theodore Hoham, Associate Pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Alexandria, Virginia on November 19 for our “Wednesday Worship” noonday prayer. Hoham spoke on Ephesians 6:10-13 and John 8:31-36 themed “Stay in the Fight.”

Third World Methodism's Rise These churches thrive not because of strategies conceived by U.S. persons in high places but because of U.S. churches and individuals supporting indigenous efforts.

Even though American churches are in a period of decline, God has been raising up churches in other places, writes Riley Case.

Professional Women: please join us on Saturday, November 22 for our next Women’s Brunch featuring Dr. Becky Munson, Department Chair for Government and Public Policy and an associate professor in Liberty University’s School of Government. More: theird.org/events/ird-p...

‘Season of Strain and Sorrow’: Anglican Bishops Inhibit Archbishop Influential voices within the denomination have raised concerns for weeks, not only about the allegations made against Wood but also processes and canonical structures.

As Archbishop Steve Wood is suspended by the senior-most bishops of the Anglican Church in North America, some stress that complaints against Wood are not the extent of a crisis of trust.

Antisemitism, Christian Zionism & Methodism. Here’s Andy Miller of Wesley Biblical Seminary asking me about antisemitism, Christian Zionism and Methodism. And here’s podcast:

LISTEN: IRD's @markdtooley.bsky.social joins Andy Miller on the More to the Story podcast to discuss how Christians should engage the public square—especially in light of rising antisemitism on both sides of the political spectrum.

Alisa Childers and the 'Side B' Framework Repentance of homosexual or transgender identity is possible and is the only way to be an obedient Christian. The same message of faith and repentance applies to anyone struggling with any sin.

Can "Side B" and its proposed ideas of “gay Christian” and “spiritual friendship” be understood as Biblical?

“Communal life in Christ is messy,” Global Methodist Pastor Jeffrey Rickman notes in a recent episode of the PlainSpoken podcast. “Methodists and Anglicans have a lot in common. I think that, by learning about them, believers in other tribes can also learn to see themselves rightly.”

Trump must hold Syria’s new leader al-Sharaa accountable Legitimacy will depend on whether he defends all Syrians.

With new opportunity comes a familiar challenge. Syria is not yet realizing the fruits of its valiant uprising, writes Richard Ghazal.

Mennonites, Methodists, and ‘The Poor in Spirit’ If we allow Scripture to permeate our heart and mind, it is bound to affect us, writes Riley Case on the Beatitudes and 'the Poor in Spirit.'

In the homes of his newspaper delivery customers, Riley Case as a young boy observed how they lived, becoming convinced many of these were the “poor in spirit” whom Jesus spoke of.

Christian Zionism as Heresy? Is Christian Zionism a “heresy?”  Some think so, including a publicized young staffer at the Heritage Foundation, who said: Gen...

The charge that Christian Zionism is "heresy" evinces that pro-Israel Christians need to upgrade their talking points and their theology, writes @markdtooley.bsky.social.

Anti-Intellectual Christianity’s Rise in the Digital Age In this digital era, where every meme is a manifesto and every reel a micro-sermon, young believers are reframing Christian witness in ways that bypass traditional church structures.

In Christian circles, a major paradox is emerging: the rise of intellectualism that is, in practice, anti-intellectual, writes Lauren Knights.

Wesley, Commandments and Changed Hearts The God who is love acts according to his character, writes John Wesley Institute Director Dr. Ryan N. Danker.

It’s not the rule follower that God is looking for, it’s the one who loves him, the one with a changed heart.

The Darwinian Foundation of the Sexual Revolution Only "a permanent moral standard independent of natural selection" will allow one to criticize any developed morality as a whole, but the objective existence of such a standard is precisely what class...

The idea that “muting ourselves” about the Biblical sexual morality that Christians believe in “would have no serious consequences” has been proven wrong, insists John West. When cultural destruction proceeds unopposed, you only “get more of it.”

Reconquista and a Subverted Mainline Pastor Jake Dell of The First Congregational Church of Woodbury, Connecticut describes Reconquista as a generational answer to a question that has been asked for years: “How did these [Christian found...

Pastor Jake Dell describes Reconquista as a generational answer to a question that has been asked for years: “How did these [Christian founded] institutions get so far off track”?

John Wesley and All Saints’ Day Let’s celebrate All Saints’ Day this year by looking to those who reflect Christ, who point to Christ, and follow their example.

All Saints’ Day was arguably John Wesley’s favorite festival of the Christian year, writes Ryan Danker. Wesley was an admirer of the holiday because its focus is holiness, and a saint is someone who in their life and their actions reflects Christ.