Can the “state” really be separated from the “church”? We have all heard this now famous statement as a justification for any event in which a Christian who works within a secular government system or private sector business who uses their religious Faith as a means to justify their practices at the office. But how… Continue reading There Can Be No Separation of Church and State
Category: Social Science
The Reality of Transgender Children
What would you do if your child was confused about their gender identity? This was a question posed to a group of college students, and I found their responses to be quite interesting. Answers ranged from “I don’t know” to “I would love them no matter what,” which is quite refreshing. Some of the more… Continue reading The Reality of Transgender Children
The Modern American Prometheus
Donald Trump is possibly the most powerful man in America. His meteoric rise to the top of the Republican presidential ticket this primary season has cultural, historical, and future ramifications that I think too many Americans are missing. Americans, as a nation, have become incredibly short sighted. For three out of his four years in… Continue reading The Modern American Prometheus
Modern Materialism and Value Giving
Consider for a moment how many of our material possessions contain little to no inherent value. No matter what technological advances we make, the objects that we acquire for our entertainment needs are essentially worth the sum of the parts that they are made with. Our homes are furnished with "things" that are not valuable… Continue reading Modern Materialism and Value Giving
The Power of the Image
The image is an intriguing construction. Not only visible, an image can also be produced through sound and touch. We can even close our eyes and create an image that is unique to our imaginations. There are natural images, such as forests or mountains. There are also socially constructed images, which are pretty much anything… Continue reading The Power of the Image
The Postmodern World
I want us all to really think hard about this: There will be people voting in the next election who have no personal connection to America prior to George W. Bush. There is a massive voting bloc who were 3 years old when the World Trade Center went down. There are millions of eligible voters… Continue reading The Postmodern World
Evil is NOT a Social Construction
As a Christian social scientist, my personal views are often at odds with those of my peers. That is not to say that I cannot apply sociological thought and theory to the world around me. In fact, I believe it gives me a unique perspective in both the academic and religious worlds. I believe that… Continue reading Evil is NOT a Social Construction
Social Media, Biblical End Times, and the Inevitable Trump
A recent conversation in my church small group really got me thinking about where we are headed as a society. I have no doubt that my group is full of well-intentioned, reasonable people who truly do their best to walk with God. That being said, we had a pretty interesting disagreement over media and social… Continue reading Social Media, Biblical End Times, and the Inevitable Trump
How Do You Gender?
Operational Definitions: Sex is biological. This is your DNA, your genitalia, and any physiological marker of male and female. Gender is socially constructed (Berger 1967). This is a fluid construct that can change over time and context. It is your behavior at any given moment. A century ago, it was proper for a “man” to… Continue reading How Do You Gender?
Critical Thinking in the Modern Age
Why? It is one of the first questions we articulate as children, yet we often forget to ask it as adults. Perhaps we were told too often by our parents to stop asking, and we listened too well. Perhaps we should start asking it more often. Why do I want this job? Why do I… Continue reading Critical Thinking in the Modern Age
Simmons' Opinions 