Religion & Liberty Online Archives

Effective Compassion

January 02, 2007

Resolved

‘Tis the season for making resolutions. Today’s ZondervanTo The Point newsletter focuses on a variety of Christian resolutions, and includes a link to a piece from Leadership Journal on Jonathan Edwards’ resolutions (related blog piece here). Continue Reading...
December 29, 2006

Poor Kids in America are Fat

A new study finds that children growing up in poverty in America are disproportionately more likely to be obese, compared to other income groups (HT: God’s Politics). So, poor kids in the US are fat…and in this they are just like the rest of America: “The whole country is struggling with this,” said Virginia Chomitz , senior scientist at the Institute for Community Health at the Cambridge Health Alliance . Continue Reading...
December 29, 2006

Who Really Cares for the Poor?

Syracuse University professor Arthur Brooks challenges perceived mainstream social orthodoxy in his new book, Who Really Cares: America’s Charity Divide – Who Gives, Who Doesn’t and Why It Matters. For generations it has been assumed that political and social liberals are generous towards the poor while conservatives are proverbial tightwads. Continue Reading...
December 28, 2006

Never a Countdown on Effective Compassion

The “10 years after welfare reform” articles of this past summer are old news, of course. Not surprisingly, indications were that, like any public policy, reform hadn’t been the all-time poverty solution, but that policies had, in fact, helped a significant number of people to move themselves to self-sufficiency. Continue Reading...
December 21, 2006

Keep Those Receipts!

Filing your taxes just got a little more complicated. The IRS recently announced new guidelines for charitable deductions to be introduced for the 2007 tax year. Beginning next tax season, “taxpayers must provide bank records or other information when claiming deductions for charitable donations of money.” Continue Reading...
December 20, 2006

Colson on Debt and Giving

“The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives…” Psalm 37:21 That verse is a pretty good introduction to the issues facing people who declare bankruptcy but want to continue to give to the church. Continue Reading...
December 18, 2006

For More on the Black Family

…check out the helpful website by the Seymour Institute. Founded by the Rev. Gene Rivers in Boston, the Institute brings together information and tools to advocate for marriage in the black community. Continue Reading...
December 18, 2006

Marriage and the Black Family

I recently received a letter from a reader of my Acton Commentary column, "Marriage as a Social Justice Issue," which she had seen reprinted in modified form at Town Hall. My correspondent was concerned that I had overlooked a key fact: the lack of marriageable black men. Continue Reading...
December 14, 2006

One Campaign Remix

I can’t offer a wholesale endorsement, but it’s a critique worth a hearing…give it a watch. See here for Acton’s answer to the One Campaign. HT: eucharism Continue Reading...