Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Samuel D. James

Home
Evangelical

2015-03-17T10:04:50-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Is This the Beginning of the NFL’s End?

Last updated on: March 17, 2015 at 10:04 am By Samuel James

Chris Borland, a second year linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers, is retiring after his successful rookie season. He tells ESPN that the money, fame, and fun of pro football “isn’t worth the risk” of long-term head injury: Borland becomes the most prominent NFL player to leave the game in his prime because of concerns about brain injuries. More than 70 former players have been diagnosed with progressive neurological disease after their deaths, and numerous studies have shown connections between... Read more

2015-03-15T22:29:34-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Christians and College Debt

Last updated on: March 15, 2015 at 10:29 pm By Samuel James

I’ve found myself thinking about one particular classmate from my undergraduate years. We entered around the same time. He was able to graduate much sooner than I, though, mostly because his Sallie Mae loan covered enough of his college bill so that he could take a full load or more every semester without working many hours (if he worked at all). Unfortunately, my friend made an alarming discovery upon graduation: His bachelor’s degree, though fully accredited and indicative of a... Read more

2015-03-13T09:02:29-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Why I’m Joining the ERLC

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 9:02 am By Samuel James

I am thrilled, grateful, and excited to announce that as of yesterday I have accepted a position with the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. I’ll be working as a Communications Specialist, helping the ERLC in its mission to produce Gospel-faithful, culture-relevant and church-empowering content. Excitement is really too small a word. This move represents a thousand different blessings coming through many people. I won’t get very personal, except to say that this opportunity could not... Read more

Uncategorized

2015-03-10T12:37:30-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Why the Caged Birdman Sings

Last updated on: March 10, 2015 at 12:37 pm By Samuel James

Henry David Thoreau once said, “The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation.” He was thinking about men like Riggan Thomson, the protagonist of Birdman: Or, the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture just a few weeks ago. I finally watched it. It’s a very funny film, particularly if the viewer knows a thing or two about actor culture or the current dilapidated state of Hollywood. More than satire, though, Birdman is a... Read more

2015-03-06T11:34:30-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

In Addiction, But Not Of It

Last updated on: March 6, 2015 at 11:34 am By Samuel James

Los Angeles Angels slugger Josh Hamilton is in the news again after the former American League MVP confessed to Major League Baseball of another drug relapse. Hamilton’s struggle with drug and alcohol addiction is well-documented. In 2007 ESPN Magazine published a powerful piece by Hamilton in which he attributed recent sobriety to faith in Christ. However, since then Hamilton has publicly relapsed at least three times. Hamilton continues to speak openly of his Christian life, telling the press after a... Read more

2015-03-02T09:42:41-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

4 Responses a Non-Scientist Christian Can Give to Science-Based Atheism

Last updated on: March 2, 2015 at 9:42 am By Samuel James

Lack of scientific knowledge can leave Christians feeling vulnerable when talking to unbelieving friends about why faith is superior to skepticism. Many college students discover atheism through science classes; students who enter university as Christians have their faith fiercely tested by their studies, and too many give up the fight merely because they assume that a biology professor must be correct about whether God exists. When a little bit of childlike faith meets a lot of studied atheism, fear can... Read more

2015-02-27T12:43:26-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Ugly Legalism of Sports Worship

Last updated on: February 27, 2015 at 12:43 pm By Samuel James

Do I worship sports? I hope not. I don’t think I do, but I’ll admit that my fiancé might have a more informed take on the question. I have been guilty of scheduling certain days around games and have been distracted by the restaurant’s ESPN-locked TV when I really shouldn’t have been. (I’m sorry, baby, what did you say we need to discuss?) And I suppose I’ve spent a best-not-to-mention amount of money on tickets, “Game Rewind” subscriptions, t-shirts and... Read more

2015-02-25T14:21:37-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How the Oscars and Elitism Help America

Last updated on: February 25, 2015 at 2:21 pm By Samuel James

Mathematically speaking, the odds are that if you A) purchased a ticket to a movie in 2014 and B) watched Sunday night’s Oscar telecast, you C) didn’t see your favorite movie from last year win…well, anything. The New York Times reports this morning on the startlingly large discontinuity between the films honored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and those honored with the almighty dollar by the American public. Whereas nominee American Sniper has earned over $300... Read more

2015-02-23T14:50:00-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Scott Walker Doesn’t Know if Obama Is a Christian (And Neither Do I)

Last updated on: February 23, 2015 at 2:50 pm By Samuel James

Governor and Republican Presidential hopeful Scott Walker says he doesn’t know if President Obama is a Christian. I, for one, believe him. Why is it so hard for some to accept his answer? The President says he is a Christian. This is, as Ross Douthat points out, an indisputable fact of public record. There’s no need to assume the governor was unaware of this when asked the question (he came close to implying as much, though, stretching credulity). By the... Read more

United Church of Christ

2015-02-20T14:17:58-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How Addiction Votes

Last updated on: February 20, 2015 at 2:17 pm By Samuel James

Carl Trueman has written several fine pieces lately on both the nature of and antidote to our cultural pornography addiction. His latest concerns the power of porn to reshape subconscious patterns of thought and, by extension, alter deeply held moral attitudes and actions. Understanding Trueman’s point requires putting together two emerging facts about American sexual morality. First, many Americans are increasingly skeptical of any sexual moral norm except for one: consent. Violation of consent (indeed, even the possibility of its violation) remains the... Read more

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

In Revelation, what do the four living creatures say day and night without ceasing?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Worthy is the Lamb Blessing and honor and glory Come, Lord Jesus Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category abortion bible books Christianity Current events DVD of the Week education Essays Ethics Fun Liberal Christianity life Mailbag Monday media Movies My Essential Movies philosophy Politics pop culture Quotes religion Southern Baptist Convention sports theology Uncategorized video Weekend Roundup

Select a Month October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 November 2013

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Evangelical