FOR a HEAVYWEIGHT As MBI Drops Its Top Executives and 30 Percent of Its Faculty, Critics Spotlight Fissures in an Evangelical Fortress

Christian TV in Iran // YouTube wars

FEBRUARY 3, 2018 HARD TIMES FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT As MBI drops its top executives and 30 percent of its faculty, critics spotlight fissures in an evangelical fortress

China grabs influence in Australia Andy Savage confessed: Should he resign? Gladney Center tiptoes into the LGBT parade tENACIOUS like Noah INSIGHtFUL like Gideon L OYAL like Nathan Send your student to a Worldview Academy Leadership Camp.

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World mag ad series 4 11/15/17 2:08 PM CONTENTS | February 3, 2018 • Volume 33 • Number 2

30 17 36

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FEATURES DISPATCHES 5 News / Human Race / 30 Moody blues Quotables / Quick Takes Financial errors, insider dealings, and theological concerns force a change at an evangelical powerhouse CULTURE 36 Signals of change 17 Movies & TV / Books / Protests in Iran have met censorship and brutality, but Christian Children’s Books / Q&A / Music broadcasters use daily media to spark lasting reformation NOTEBOOK 42 Under the radar 55 Lifestyle / Technology / The Gladney Center for Adoption has—very quietly—accepted Medicine / Sports the application of a same-sex couple, betraying the trust of many Christian supporters VOICES 46 A tale of two feminists 3 Joel Belz Anita Sarkeesian and Laci Green may seem similar, but interaction 14 Janie B. Cheaney with cultural opponents has led them in very different directions 28 Mindy Belz 50 Outside influence 61 Mailbag In their capital, universities, and media, Australians increasingly 63 Andrée Seu Peterson feel the impact of political pressure from China 64 Marvin Olasky

ON THE COVER: Photo by Alex Garcia/Genesis

Give the gift of clarity: wng.org/giftofclarity Notes from the CEO “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world and those who dwell therein.” am now in my 15th year here, as of November. That makes me a —Psalm 24:1

relative newcomer among most of the staff here, but I’m grateful to Chief Content Officer Nick Eicher God for bringing and keeping me at this place all this time. Editor in Chief Marvin Olasky I I say 15th year, measuring my involvement in employment years, Senior Editor Mindy Belz but it’s my 20th year, because I’d been reading WORLD for five years before I started working here. It all began, as so many WORLD stories Editor Timothy Lamer National Editor Jamie Dean begin, with a gift subscription to this magazine I had never heard of. Managing Editor Daniel James Devine Art Director David K. Freeland No exaggeration, WORLD literally changed my life from my first reading of it. Associate Art Director Robert L. Patete I don’t think that will seem odd to a good many of you, because I’ve heard similar Reporters Emily Belz • Sophia Lee East Asia Bureau June Cheng • Angela Lu Fulton stories from you members about the magazine’s impact. But while it may not seem Story Coach Susan Olasky Senior Writers Janie B. Cheaney strange that WORLD can be life-changing, it’s not every day you encounter the Andrée Seu Peterson • John Piper claim that a news magazine changes a life. Edward E. Plowman • Lynn Vincent Correspondents Sandy Barwick • Megan Basham It’s difficult to put into words the ways God used WORLD to work on me. But for Julie Borg • Anthony Bradley • Bob Brown Michael Cochrane • John Dawson me it boils down to the way our writers wrestled through issues and arrived at con- Juliana Chan Erikson • Katie Gaultney Kim Henderson • Charles Horton • Mary Jackson clusions (or humbly refrained from arriving at conclusions) and looked at everything Jill Nelson • Henry Olsen • Arsenio Orteza Jenny Schmitt • Jae Wasson • Emily Whitten as if God was real and the Bible actually mattered. I was a Christian, and I believed Mailbag Editor Les Sillars all of that, but WORLD made it solid in a way that was meaningful to me. Executive Assistant June McGraw Editorial Assistants Kristin Chapman In those first few issues, I suppose I found a handful of things that I wasn’t sure I Amy Derrick • Mary Ruth Murdoch Graphic Designer Rachel Beatty agreed with. That didn’t bother me and, although I didn’t realize it, it didn’t really Illustrator Krieg Barrie bother the people at WORLD, either. They weren’t trying to get me to think about Digital Production Assistant Arla J. Eicher everything their way—they were just trying to get me to think about everything, period. And they were trying to stir me to look at everything through a Biblical lens, Website wng.org Executive Editor Mickey McLean whether it was what Congress was up to or what kind of movies everybody was Managing Editor Leigh Jones talking about, or the way I interacted with my colleagues at work. Assistant Editors Kiley Crossland Lynde Langdon • Dan Perkins That’s my story, but, as I say, it’s a common one. We know, based on your extraor- Reporters Onize Ohikere • Evan Wilt Correspondents La Shawn Barber • Gaye Clark dinary support of our work, that WORLD is much more than just a news source to Laura Finch • Samantha Gobba • Anna K. Poole Bonnie Pritchett • Julia A. Seymour many of you. Editorial Assistant Whitney Williams I’d like to know your story, and so I invite you to get in touch. I’d love to hear it.

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MISSION STATEMENT Biblically objective journalism that informs, educates, and inspires. WORLD (ISSN 0888-157X) (USPS 763-010) is published biweekly (24 issues) for $59.95 per year by God’s World Publications, (no mail) 12 All Souls Crescent, Asheville, NC 28803; 828.232.5260. Periodical postage paid at Asheville, NC, and additional mailing offices.Printed in the USA. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. © 2018 WORLD News Group. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to WORLD, PO Box 20002, Asheville, NC 28802-9998. VOICES Joel Belz

The lament struck a familiar chord. For several months prior to my electrical issue, I had heard the same six-word complaint from a longtime WORLD member who owns and manages a significant farming operation. “Americans just don’t like to work,” he asserted, and even invited me to come and see for myself what he was talking about. His invitation was Wanted—a few an expression of trust—based on my agreement not to identify him, the farm, or any of the laborers I might meet during such a visit. I’m hard workers still struggling to provide you readers with a HAS OLD-FASHIONED, SWEAT-OF-THE-BROW significant report on what I’m learning through that visit to the farm, but without breaking my LABOR BECOME AN OCCUPATION TO AVOID? promise. That column is probably still several issues away. A couple of electrical circuits in the base- And oh, yes. That visit R ment of my house were acting up, and the to the farm involved an nagging reality hit me: It’s time to call an elec- overnight stay. And my trician. No, Joel, I argued with myself, you can wife and I couldn’t help do this. It’s an obvious do-it-yourself assignment. noticing who at the hotel But that’s when my visiting brother-in-law was making our bed, clean- settled the matter. “Joel,” he said with finality, ing our room, and waiting “it’s time to call an electrician.” on the breakfast tables. Which is why, for the third or fourth time in Almost to a person, they the last couple of months, I ended up getting appeared to be relatively another mini-lecture on the whys and where- recent immigrants, per- fores of the immigration crisis that’s been forming jobs (admittedly, shaping and reshaping our nation and culture. perhaps low-paying ones) Why, I asked the electrician the next after- that many native-born noon while he nimbly corrected the problem Are we Americans seem unwilling to do. that had eluded my limited skill set, has it But back to my electrician for a related and become so hard to find and contract with you ultimately perhaps even more distressing perspective. “Let fellows in the construction trades? I told him the victims me tell you,” he reported, “about a continuing how in the last few months our 60-year-old of our own education session I attended recently—some- home had cried out not just for an electrician, thing I have to do to keep my license current. I but also for the services of a plumber, a brick success and would guess there were about 75 people in the mason, an excavator, a ceramic tile setter, and prosperity? room—all renewing their licenses. What really a drop ceiling installer. So why, in almost Have we got my attention was when the fellow in charge every case, did my conversation with these asked how many of us were under the age of 40. professionals inevitably turn to a labor come to I think only two fellows raised their hands.” market twisted by immigration policies and despise So what happens when the next generation realities? hard work? prospers enough to be able to afford to hire an No, my wife and I heard. Don’t blame the electrician—only to discover there are no immigrants. Responsibility, we were told, lies at electricians to hire? the doorstep of Americans who don’t like hard Are we ultimately the victims of our own work. success and prosperity? Have we come to We got that message repeatedly, simply, and despise the hard work that has pulled millions emphatically: Americans just don’t like to work. of Americans, whether native-born or new- “I spend half my time,” the owner of one small comer, out of poverty and dependence? plumbing firm told me, “looking for people who I wonder, is this what happens to all the are ready to help me dig a ditch or crawl under descendants of Adam and Eve? Is it part of the a porch to run a water line. And when I finally Fall? Is part of the price that everyone pays that do find them, I know it won’t be long before even good old hard work (do we refer to it as someone else discovers them and can pay them “the sweat of our brow”?) becomes something

M-GUCCI/ISTOCK a better wage.” to be avoided? A

 [email protected] February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 3 Medi-Share World Ads5.indd 1 9/21/17 12:10 PM DISPATCHES News / Human Race / Quotables / Quick Takes

Ominous threat Residents of Legazpi in central Philippines were among nearly 40,000 Filipinos who evacu- ated their homes after the Mayon volcano began oozing lava in mid-January. Scientists warned that the eruption could turn explosive and potentially deadly: An 1814 eruption at Mayon killed 1,200 people.

DAN AMARANTO/AP

Manage your membership: wng.org/membership February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 5 DISPATCHES News Pot shots LEGALIZED MARIJUANA SETS UP A SHOWDOWN BETWEEN FEDERAL AND STATE LAW, AND REWARDS UNLIKELY BENEFACTORS by Jamie Dean

In at least four California cities, a R new opportunity awaits low-income citizens convicted of certain drug crimes: a leg up on starting their very own marijuana business. California has joined seven other states and the District of Columbia in legalizing marijuana for recreational use, and the state began allowing sales on New Year’s Day. In some spots, hundreds of customers lined up hours Getting a piece of the action A customer in low-income before shops opened. involves more than a preference on purchases neighborhoods often marijuana at Twenty-nine states and the District permits. Some cities also plan to give Harborside have suffered from of Columbia have legalized cannabis no-interest loans to those who qualify dispensary the effects of the for medicinal use, and some purveyors for the program. (Applicants may also in Oakland, drug trade as well, in California obtained licenses to include family members of drug Calif., on and they may not Jan. 1. expand their sales to recreational use offenders or residents of neighborhoods want offenders to set as well. affected by drug trade.) up shop in their When it comes to issuing new per- Business owners who aren’t in the communities. Riley also notes that a mits, officials in Los Angeles, Oakland, program may have a better chance at criminal record can prevent someone Sacramento, and San Francisco plan to getting a permit to sell marijuana if they from obtaining a liquor license in give preference to a surprising group of agree to partner with an applicant or California, but now could help potential marijuana entrepreneurs: give him rent-free space to set up shop. someone get ahead in selling pot. those who have been convicted of drug At least one thing may stand in the Meanwhile, legalization hasn’t crimes. Proponents call it restorative way of the plan: federal law. Since a stopped illegal activity in other states. justice. They say that whites and blacks federal statute outlaws marijuana, USA Today reports drug dealers often use marijuana at the same rate, but that many banks regulated by the federal buy marijuana in states where it’s legal authorities have arrested black citizens government are reluctant to give loans and then illegally transport it across at a higher rate than white citizens for for starting marijuana businesses. But state lines to sell it for three times as marijuana possession. Now that mari- even if bank managers offer such loans, much as the purchase price. juana is legal in California, people they’re often unwilling to give the loans While less marijuana is flowing over convicted for possessing it in the past to people who have been convicted of a the U.S. border, officials in California should be able to cash in on the benefits drug crime: Even if marijuana is legal say cartels have increased their activity of the industry in the future. now, it wasn’t legal when former drug in the United States—growing pot in “For so long, people that were black, offenders chose to break the law. large quantities and selling it across people that were Latino, we have paid That doesn’t mean offenders don’t state lines.

the price for this business,” City Council need help. It’s important to give former In Oregon, the state police estimate MATHEW SUMNER/AP President Herb Wesson said at a com- convicts opportunities to pursue produc- the legal marijuana market makes up just munity meeting in Los Angeles. “And as tive lives and vocations and to consider 30 percent of the state’s entire market. we move this into the legal realm, it is practical ways to make that possible. What about federal law? important to us that we have a piece of But as Jason Riley of The Wall Street In 2013, President Barack Obama the action.” Journal points out, law-abiding citizens urged federal prosecutors to ease

6 WORLD Magazine • February 3, 2018 BY THE NUMBERS 40 minutes The length of time some Hawaii residents spent taking shelter Jan. 13 after state officials mistakenly sent out cell phone emergency alerts warning of an incoming ballistic missile. There was no missile.

The number of miles between Pyeongchang, South Korea—host of the 502018 Winter Games—and the DMZ border with North Korea. pursuing certain marijuana cases in states that had voted to make the drug legal. But in early January, Attorney General Jeff Sessions reversed that $93 million course: He said the Trump The amount of online donations the American Civil Liberties Union administration would use its discretion raised in the 12 months following Donald Trump’s election, up from to enforce the law, even in states that $5.5 million the year before, according to Politico. passed laws in favor of selling marijuana. That likely doesn’t mean federal agents will raid marijuana businesses in states that have legalized cannabis, but Sessions does seem to indicate the federal government won’t ignore federal law in all cases either. It’s an interesting twist on federal vs. state politics: Conservatives often emphasize states’ rights, but in this case, a conservative attorney general is pressing federal law against state decisions. Meanwhile, left-leaning states that sometimes call for federal action on issues they care about, now The number of people responsible for more than 11,000 complaints filed over insist on states’ rights when it involves noise levels at London’s Heathrow Airport in the last three months of 2017. a law they favor. Some Democratic and Republican lawmakers have derided Sessions for 10 his recent announcement, but few have pushed to change the law to decriminalize marijuana in the federal $20 million statute. Instead, they want Sessions to The amount the IRS paid private debt collectors to collect refrain from enforcing the law in the $6.7 million in back taxes in 2017. cases where they see fit.A

 [email protected]  @deanworldmag February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 7 DISPATCHES Human Race

Died Vietnam. Hays, who grew Arthur Rorheim, who up in Pennsylvania, joined helped create the Awana the Army Nurse Corps for youth program, died on World War II and worked Jan. 5 at age 99. Rorheim in a field hospital treating began as a children’s pastor engineers building a road at a small Chicago church through the jungle to

during the 1930s and ’40s. China. Hays later helped TIMES/REDUX YORK NEW HENRY/THE JASON • DAMORE: IMAGES AL-ARIFI/AFP/GETTY ALI ARABIA: • SAUDI BENSEMRA/REUTERS/NEWSCOM ZOHRA SÉFRA: • AÏN INTERNATIONAL CLUBS AWANA RORHEIM: Rorheim’s senior pastor, found the first military Lance Latham, hospital in Inchon, South asked him to Korea, during the Korean design and War. In 1967, she became a lead a colonel and chief of the weekly Army Nurse Corps. In this club for capacity, Hays made three children, visits to Vietnam to ensure a new idea the best medical care for at the time. the troops there. Three James Damore They created years later, she was pro- fun activities and incen- moted to brigadier general. tives to capture children’s She died on Jan. 7. photographers on the scene the entry of women into minds built on a Biblical said the snow stuck even the stadiums,” as the foundation. The club grew Snowed after the sun rose, remain- soccer-obsessed nation quickly until 500 children Aïn Séfra, a desert town in ing until the evening. discussed the decree. were coming every week. Algeria, has reported snow Rorheim and Latham for only the third time in Attended Sued created Awana in 1950, 40 years. Some said parts For the first time,Saudi James Damore and David sharing their model with of the area, often known as Arabia has allowed women Gudeman, former Google churches throughout the the “Gateway to the to attend a soccer game. engineers, are suing the country and eventually the Sahara,” recently The new decree tech giant for discrimina- world. Rorheim served as received almost 15 opened three station against conservative, executive director for 42 inches of snow. diums that the male employees. Google years and as president for Aïn Séfra offi- government fired Damore last year after another seven. cially reported has specially a memo he wrote became less than 1 inch. modified public where he argued Died During the for women biology is the reason fewer Anna Mae Hays, the first summer, the with family women than men are inter- U.S. female brigadier gen- town regularly entrances, ested in tech jobs. The eral, died at the age of 97 experiences some of family stands, and memo sparked a tense from a heart attack. Hays the hottest temperatures women-only bathrooms debate about free speech was a front-line nurse who on earth. At night the and prayer areas. During a and diversity in Silicon THE BJU COMMITMENT served in three wars: in temperatures drop signifi- match in Jeddah, both the Valley. Damore and India during World War II, cantly, making it possible fans and their specially Gudeman’s lawsuit claims in Korea, and then in for snow to stay. But designated female ushers they were “openly threat- commit to provide an outstanding wore the full abaya robe, ened” during their time at We but they were free to cheer the company, which they Christian liberal arts education purposely as loudly as the men. called an “ideological echo Women will be permitted chamber.” They also say the designed to inspire a lifelong pursuit of to attend two more company doesn’t protect matches, one in the capital employees with conserva- Riyadh and one in tive views and uses illegal learning, loving and leading. Dammam. During the two hiring quotas to give jobs to hours of the match in women and minorities. Jeddah, tens of thousands Damore says many Google retweeted a hashtag mean- employees have thanked status. veteran or disability protected origin, sex, national age, color, race, the of basis on All reserved. rights discriminate BJU does not University. ©2017 Bob Jones ing “the people welcome him for speaking up. 20900 (11/17) 8 WORLD Magazine • February 3, 2018 Visit WORLD Digital: wng.org bju.edu THE BJU COMMITMENT commit to provide an outstanding ChristianWe liberal arts education purposely designed to inspire a lifelong pursuit of learning, loving and leading. ©2017 Bob Jones University. All rights reserved. BJU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, national origin, protected disability or veteran status. veteran or disability protected origin, sex, national age, color, race, the of basis on All reserved. rights discriminate BJU does not University. ©2017 Bob Jones

20900 (11/17) bju.edu DISPATCHES Quotables

‘The [Chinese] WWE.COM • TROXELL: DEVORAH/WENN.COM/NEWSCOM CARRIE • LIXIONG: TIMES-DISPATCH/AP BROWN/RICHMOND BOB • FARRIS: IMAGES GETTY VIA POST DENVER LEWIS/THE BRENT • HAMELIN: IMAGES SQUIRE/GETTY JAMIE KEENUM: government ‘The third removes the middle road so best moment of it leaves two extremes. You’re my life behind either their mortal enemy giving my life to or their slave.’ WANG LIXIONG, a Chinese dissident, on Jesus Christ and Uighurs in Xinjiang. China’s marrying my wife.’ relentless Minnesota Vikings quarterback CASE KEENUM crack- on throwing the winning touchdown pass in the down on closing seconds of the Vikings’ playoff even mild victory over the Saints. critics in the region has pushed some into embracing extremism.

‘I wasn’t ready for all the things that can go wrong.’ SANA HAMELIN, owner of a “cat café” in Denver, Colo. One cat became lost for two weeks in the café, and another cat bit a customer. One customer complained ‘Through security that he felt “ignored by the cats.” force assistance, by dropping bombs on them, shooting them in ‘Just once I would the face, or beating them to like to hear him say death with our that he was wrong and entrenching ask for forgiveness.’ tools.’ Army Command Sgt. Maj. Alliance Defending Freedom President MICHAEL JOHN WAYNE TROXELL, the FARRIS on President Donald Trump, after Trump senior enlisted adviser in the had reportedly spoken of some developing Pentagon, on killing members nations with vulgar and derogatory of ISIS who choose not to sur- language during a meeting with senators render. “Regardless,” he wrote, about immigration policy. “they cannot win, so they need to choose how it’s going to be.”

10 WORLD Magazine • February 3, 2018 Give the gift of clarity: wng.org/giftofclarity

BUTTER: PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE VIA AP • TURKEYS: FOX 2 ST. LOUIS • MAP: DK PHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES

- - - has allegedly eluded some TSA agents at Newark, N.J.’s Liberty International N.J.’s Newark, at agents TSA eluded some has allegedly com have residents D.C. where the country around venues and other Airport identifications. or foreign fake them of having accused agents plained that Capital confusion Capital employ a memo to sent Administration Security the Transportation 23, On Dec. States. is in the United really Columbia yes, the District of that, confirming ees Congressional D.C. by issued complaint a formal to in response The memo was had encoun of her constituents many who said Holmes Norton, Del. Eleanor The District of license. driver’s with a D.C. aircraft boarding problems tered however, fact, That capital, Washington. of the nation’s is the site Columbia Bird watchers to go to the post office to get their mail. to the post office to go to in the Cleveland suburb because wild turkeys wild turkeys because suburb in the Cleveland reportedly attack and peck at them when they them when they at attack and peck reportedly try. The city has asked residents to stop putting stop to residents The city has asked try. out bird feed, hoping that will cause the turkeys the turkeys will cause hoping that feed, out bird River, Ohio, but wild turkeys are another matter. matter. another are turkeys but wild Ohio, River, unable to deliver mail to about two dozen homes dozen about two mail to deliver unable to will keep mail carriers from their rounds in Rocky in Rocky their rounds from mail carriers will keep Postal carriers in the Cleveland suburb have been have suburb in the Cleveland carriers Postal to leave. In the meantime, affected residents have residents have affected In the meantime, leave. to Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night nor heat nor rain Neither snow What do you do with 1,000 pounds of waste scrap butter not fit for humans to eat? If you’re the American you’re If eat? to for humans fit not butter scrap of waste pounds do with 1,000 do you What Pennsylvania the 102nd industry for depicting the agricultural a sculpture create you East, North Association Dairy a milk an agronomist, a dairy farmer, depicts a dairy cow, The sculpture Pa. in Harrisburg, Show Farm 1991. since sculptures has included butter an annual event, show, The farm and a dairy consumer. processor, Churning out art out Churning Quick Takes

- February 3, 2018 •

Jeopardy! Jeopardy! quiz show. quiz show. A street street Paradise Lost.” Lost.” Paradise Responding to a to Responding during the Jan. 1 during the Jan. jargon? in second place.” in second What is What and 17th-century and 17th-century judges ruled that judges tion in the Coolio tion in the Coolio smarts to win the smarts to take $3,200 away away $3,200 take that it sometimesthat popular television popular television ‘gangsta’s’ on that ‘gangsta’s’ mash-up between mash-up between contestant contestant proved author John Milton John Milton author song title. “You said title. “You song Trebek told Spicher told Trebek However, However, from you,” host Alex host Alex you,” from 1990s rapper Coolio Coolio rapper 1990s testant Nick Spichertestant might be called, con might song by Coolio, so we we so Coolio, by song ‘gangster’s’ instead of instead ‘gangster’s’ prompt asking what a asking what prompt Spicher didn’t use the use Spicher didn’t takes more than book more takes correct mispronuncia correct answered, “Gangster’s “Gangster’s answered, telecast. “You are now now are “You telecast. DISPATCHES WORLD Magazine 12 ILLUSTRATION: KRIEG BARRIE • OREGON: DON RYAN/AP • DARTZ AND RUSSO-BALTIQUE VODKA: HANDOUT • DEER CROSSING SIGN: JOJOO64/ISTOCK • CACAO TREE: LOWERPHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES Manage your membership: wng.org/membership chance ofhittingadeer whiledriving. Farm reports that Pennsylvania drivers have a1-in-63 Commission spokesman Travis Lau told WESA. State [roadkill] are valuable food sources,” Game deal whenthey see onealongside theroad. “Those And Pennsylvanians seem to know agood deer hitandkilled onaroadway.a eat to dents to file for apermitifthey wish December. State law requires resi reported at theendof the state’s Game Commission the Keystone State in2017, applied for roadkill permitsin More than3,300 Pennsylvanians road for the One trash … man’s One took offin2018 andlandedin2017. After a 10-minute Thanks to ashortdelay, Hawaiian Airlinesflight 446 Dec. 31, 2017. Dec. Flights that begin inNew Zealand and delay, theflight from Auckland, New Zealand, lifted Honolulu whentheaircraft landedwas 10:16 a.m. end inHawaii cross theInternational Date Line, off at 12:05a.m. Jan. 1,justminutes after locals welcomed thenew year. But thelocaltimein resulting ina23-hour timedifference. Return trip Return the theft,inwhichamasked manon A security camera at Café 33 caught threw itaway like anemptybeer can. A thiefinCopenhagen, Denmark, than $1 million—andthenapparently successfully stole loot worth more Jan. 2broke into alocked area of the café where owner Brian 1,200 bottles. Thethiefthenstole Ingberg stores a gold and6poundsofsilver witha million andmadeof6pounds vodka bottle—a bottle worth $1.3 the Dartz andRusso-Baltique bottle, emptiedofvodka and and fled. Police later found the car— like the vintage front a of capshaped diamond-encrusted loaned itto Ingberg. Motorz owns thebottle andhad Latvian carmanufacturer Dartz dented, atsite. aconstruction - collection of residents oftheGarden State from pumpingtheirown gasoline. visiting my brother andalmostdieddoingit.” New Jersey law stillprohibits named Mike Perrone commented. “Ihadto doitonce inCalifornia while lived inthisstate allmy life andIREFUSE to pumpmy own gas,” auser change posted to aMedford, Ore., television station’s Facebook page. “I’ve panicked ordespondentinthecomment section ofastory aboutthe gasoline. Thechange hasunsettled some Oregonians, whoappeared beginning of2018, thestate required that gas attendants station dispense gasoline. Prior to astate law that passed inMay andtook effect at the residents ofseveral rural counties were finallyallowed to pumptheir own On Jan. 1,themodernworld finally reached partsofOregon, where pump at the Panic candy company Mars announced itwould fungal diseases andclimate change have to make thecacao plantlesssusceptible Chocolate science Chocolate to thewitch’s broom disease aswell as California have good news for worried moreplaces inthe world. InSeptember, makers whoare reinventing cacao the saving thecacao tree from extinction. through gene editing.Scientistshope For years, worries aboutdevastating spend $1 billionto make itsbusiness chocoholics: They might beclose to commitment isfunding Cho’s work. more partofthat sustainable—and alter itsgenome to make itgrow in eventual demise ofthecacao. Now, director Myeong-Je Choisleading led many scientists to predict the Scientists from theUniversity of a group ofscientists andcandy- UC Berkeley plantgenomics February 3, 2018 3, February Customers wait inlineto have their gaspumped inOregon. • WORLD Magazine WORLD 13 VOICES Janie B. Cheaney

testimony (Deuteronomy 19:19). These are deadly crimes, because they lead to the destruction of untold others. But how often did these stonings actually occur? The record shows only two: Achan, who hid the Lord’s dedicated spoils in his tent (Joshua 7), and the man who gathered firewood on the Sabbath (Numbers 15:32-36). But the Spare the stone sons of Eli, Samuel, and David were allowed to pursue their destructive ways until God CHRIST TOOK THE PENALTY THAT HIS Himself—rather than a hail of rocks from their STUBBORN CHILDREN DESERVE own countrymen—struck them down. The history of Israel might have OK, the skeptic says: You Christians who been different if those exe- R want to follow God’s guidelines and cutions had occurred earlier, “reclaim America” and all that—you Christians but that may be the lesson of who say homosexuality is a sin based on a few the law: We’re not very good verses in Leviticus—what about those other at purging the evil from our verses in Leviticus? Do you want laws against midst. We quail at drastic mixed fibers or mixed marriages, or (this is the measures because we don’t kicker) are you for stoning rebellious children? quite believe the drastic To them that settles it: The Word of God is a charge: Rebellious children creaky artifact that didn’t even work in its own undermine social order and day. But as Matthew Henry said, “The divine lead others astray while law cannot be reproached unless it is first destroying themselves. misrepresented.” The Word of God is living and Of course, throughout active, sharp and shrewd. It is animated by history pious Jewish parents God’s own breath, and when a man or woman as well as righteous is likewise animated (or born from above), that Christian parents have breath blows through every saved soul. And if hurled their contrary all of it is instructive, we don’t blow off tough children out of the house, passages like Deuteronomy 21:18-21. following up with a verbal Because rebellion is serious. Rebellious kids The Word of boulder: “You are dead to me!” It’s the equiva- drive youth culture, and some of them, like lent of stoning, perhaps, but the evil that must Frank Schaeffer and Bart Campolo, make head- God is living be purged remains in the heart of the parent as lines. A rebellious child stands as the greatest and active, well as the child. reproach to Christian parents, and often to sharp and For every puzzling Old Testament law we Christians in general. Our culture rewards should ask ourselves, “How does Christ fulfill them with press releases and interviews on shrewd. And this?” That’s what He came to do: not to abolish NPR, as proof that the Christian life doesn’t if all of it is the law, but to fulfill it.Every part of it. Put Him work—at least not for everybody. In an earlier instructive, in the place of the stubborn son who won’t be age, among “God’s people” (say the skeptics) corrected. Drag Him before the city elders (or they would have been stoned. we don’t blow Sanhedrin), formally charge Him (“He has Or would they? The law from Mount Sinai off tough made himself equal with God!”), pelt Him with says that if a stubborn son refuses to obey his passages like verbal stones (“Crucify!”), put Him to death. parents after repeated warnings, they are to The stunning revelation of 2 Corinthians 5:21: bring him before the elders and make a for- Deuteronomy Christ became the rebellious son, and the evil mal charge. If the charge proves true, the son 21:18-21. was purged. is to be stoned by all the men of the city, and What the law was powerless to do, God did. thus “you shall purge the evil from your Rebellious children today are just as guilty and midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear” dangerous as they were in Moses’ time. The (Deuteronomy 21:21). Purging the evil is the death penalty remains if they don’t repent. But purpose behind other capital crimes: false God holds the stone, even while pleading with KRIEG BARRIE prophecy (Deuteronomy 13:5), rank idolatry them to accept the righteousness of His obedi- (Deuteronomy 17:7), premeditated murder ent Son. His is the gospel of second, fifth, (Deuteronomy 19:13), and malicious false seventy-seventh chances. A

14 WORLD Magazine • February 3, 2018  [email protected]  @jbcheaney Daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.

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Movie military tone and became a is tasked with leading a surprise box-office hit. One battalion of CIA paramili- year later, the similarly tary and Green Berets into A special force themed Clint Eastwood Afghanistan to assist movie, American Sniper, Afghan tribal forces in 12 STRONG CARRIES ON A TRADITION went into wide release and recapturing a Taliban-held OF PATRIOTIC MILITARY MOVIES IN astonishingly became the city. The only way for JANUARY by Megan Basham highest-grossing war pic- Nelson and his team to ture of all time. navigate the terrain is by In the three years since, horseback, earning them A few short years ago, released the Mark Wahlberg every January has ushered the moniker “the horse R January was known in vehicle Lone Survivor and in a big-budget, reality- soldiers.” the entertainment industry changed the perception of based movie that centers on Things like the unex- as a “dump month”—that is, what January at the movies our fight to defeat terrorism. pected humor of the the deadest of dead periods could be. This year, that movie is 12 Americans’ quick education where studios routinely The film, recounting the Strong: The Declassified True in horsemanship is part of sloughed off schlocky hor- true story of Navy Seal Story of the Horse Soldiers. what makes the movie rors, schmaltzy romances, Marcus Luttrell’s mission In the immediate after- work overall, even when and other dogs. But then, to take out a Taliban leader, math of 9/11, Capt. Mitch other isolated elements are

DAVID JAMES/HS FILM/WARNER BROS. PICTURES on Jan. 10, 2014, Universal had a strong patriotic, pro- Nelson (Chris Hemsworth), weak. Moments that feel

 [email protected]  @megbasham February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 17 CULTURE Movies & TV

authentic, like the soldiers to gratuitous. Men swear in forming unlikely bonds war. I understand this. But with tribal leaders, help the F-bombs don’t feel as if balance out the canned they were included to cre- ones, like an early and ate a naturalistic sense of unnecessary recap of how wartime speech but rather Nelson’s team gets formed. to amp up the machismo Perhaps the best thing factor. Only slightly less about 12 Strong, however, is noticeable is Hemsworth’s that it carries on the tradi- barely disguised Aussie tion set by Lone Survivor of accent. Comparing his Rothe and Roe making January the one performance with Michael time of year conservatives Shannon’s as Nelson’s Movie can expect to see their ide- intensely intelligent second- ology reflected on the big in-command will have you Forever My Girl screen. Though by no means wishing Shannon would a political seminar, the have gotten the starring A mostly harmless brings Liam home, and he love story, Forever sets about winning Josie movie nevertheless seems role even if he isn’t as rug- R My Girl, based on the back and squaring with subtly to indict the Obama gedly handsome. Heidi McLaughlin novel, his father and former administration’s approach Yet there’s much to bespeaks the faith-film friends. Early in the film, to the terror conflict. After applaud in 12 Strong, par- industry’s transition from he learns he has another scoring a major victory, ticularly in the second half. preachy fare to more bridge to build—with a Nelson says to a subordinate, There, the serious history widely appealing produc- daughter, Billy (Abby “It feels good, doesn’t it?” of what we were (and are) tions. Churchgoing char- Ryder Fortson), now 7, “What does?” the soldier fighting in Afghanistan, not acters figure prominently conceived with Josie just asks. “Seeing one through,” to mention what we gave in this new film, and a before the ill-fated Nelson replies. The soldier away by withdrawing, pastor talks about for- wedding day. Will Liam agrees but points out, comes clear and makes it giveness. But there’s also choose fame or family? “Yeah, we won the battle, well worth viewing and a hunky guy in a couple of (Or can he get both?) but we still have to win the debating. If we can agree on brief underwear-only The film is ripe for a war.” The implication is left nothing else, we should all shots, as well as three dialogue on chastity and hanging—we didn’t win the be able to celebrate the violations of the Third crisis pregnancy, but Commandment. (Alcohol doesn’t tackle either— war, and the victories recapturing of dump month drinking and some other again, no preachiness. scored by these capable, territory for stories far wor- sensuality further warrant Still, for a story sewn courageous men and others thier than cheap horrors the PG rating.) That’s real together with a string of A like them were squandered and cheesy romances. life, right? Viewers won’t aw-shucks moments by American retreat. leave the theater where Liam and Josie Repeatedly the dialogue feeling they’ve sat reacquaint their gazes, gives voice to the belief that through a sermon. Forever My Girl has many half-measures won’t prevail BOX OFFICE TOP 10 Country music positives, such as a FOR THE WEEKEND OF JAN. 12-14 against Islamic extremism, according to Box Office Mojo star Liam Page quality soundtrack and and the plot illustrates the (Alex Roe) doesn’t solid acting. Roe deftly complexities of matters on CAUTIONS: Quantity of sexual (S), violent (V), show up on his delivers subtle nods and and foul-language (L) content on a 0-10 scale, wedding day. Not pensive looks. Young the ground. Not only do the with 10 high, from kids-in-mind.com only does he actress Fortson largely horse soldiers have to con- S V L abandon his succeeds in her pivotal tend with the Taliban, they `1 Jumanji: Welcome to bride-to-be, Josie role, which screenwriter JACOB YAKOB/ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS have to manage the warring the Jungle PG-13...... 4 5 4 (Jessica Rothe), and director Bethany factions of the Northern `2 The Post* PG-13...... 1 3 5 he jilts his entire Ashton Wolf counts on Alliance. `3 The Commuter PG-13...... 1 6 5 `4 small Louisiana for light humor. The film misses the mark The Greatest Showman* PG...... 3 3 2 hometown for the Apocalyptic alarms of greatness on a few scores. `5 Insidious: The Last big stage. But he might not sound for the Most obvious, the language Key PG-13...... 1 7 5 doesn’t forget film’s 30 seconds of that was likely more respon- `6 Star Wars: The Last about Josie. objectionable material, Jedi* PG-13...... 1 6 3 sible for the movie’s R rating Eight years but faith-film fans should `7 Paddington 2 PG...... 1 3 1 than the mostly-explosions- later, a funeral take note. —by BOB BROWN `8 Proud Mary R...... not rated and-gunfire violence runs `9 Pitch Perfect 3 PG-13...... 3 4 3 `10 Darkest Hour* PG-13...... 1 3 3

18 WORLD Magazine • February 3, 2018 *Reviewed by WORLD Movie Three Billboards

Outside Ebbing, Television Missouri This year’s Golden for a lot of cursing and The Good Doctor R Globe winner for for intense violence, and If a doctor’s bedside The central plotline of best motion picture in I’ll underline the violence. R manner is horrific, Shaun struggling to over- the drama category, One scene shows a sui- can he still help patients? come biases is compel- Three Billboards Outside cide by gun, a death that How does a genius ling viewing. Hospital Ebbing, Missouri, is now becomes a disturbingly surgeon overcome bias president Aaron also an Oscar contender. inspirational plot device against his autism? ABC’s Glassman (Richard The small-budget film to reconcile the The Good Doctor explores Schiff) gambles his own from Irish writer/director townspeople. these questions, and career that Shawn’s gifts Martin McDonagh tells In one scene the millions are following will make up for his idio- the fictional story of ven- owner of the billboard along. syncrasies. Other sur- geance-minded Mildred company is reading Shaun Murphy geons are eager to see (Frances McDormand), Flannery O’Connor’s A (Freddie Highmore), an Shaun fail, hoping they whose teenage daughter Good Man Is Hard to Find. intern with autism and will advance when the was raped and killed in Director McDonagh has savant syndrome, still has dominoes fall. the small Missouri town. professed love for flashbacks about his The local police force O’Connor and draws on troubled childhood: His hasn’t made any arrests her dark strangeness. father’s violent temper after seven months, so Here, as in O’Connor’s drove him and his brother Mildred rents space on stories, a moment can from their home. three billboards calling turn quickly from anger Two deaths impelled the police chief (Woody and vengeance to love Shaun toward the medi- Harrelson) to the mat. and reconciliation, even if cal profession. His father With the chief’s the story’s arc is not kills the family rabbit in a popularity, the billboards neatly redemptive. fit of rage, hurling the pet quickly turn most of the Dark elements aside, across the room. His town against Mildred. But the movie is somewhat younger brother dies after Mildred is not a woman culturally off, feeling more a fall while the two are at to threaten: Her pent-up Irish Gothic than Southern play: “He went to heaven maternal rage means Gothic. Early in the film in front of my eyes.” she’s not afraid of police the local Catholic priest, Shaun’s simple hope is officers, priests, or abu- on behalf of the towns- that as a doctor he can prevent deaths like these: sive ex-husbands. One people, comes to upbraid Highmore “They should have police officer in particular, Mildred for the bill- become adults. They Dixon (Sam Rockwell), an boards—a scenario that should have had children Special effects show- open racist who lives might happen in Ireland of their own and loved ing heart, lungs, veins, with his mother, seems but probably not rural those children … and I and arteries all working intent on taking Mildred Missouri. O’Connor knew want to make that possi- together testify to God’s and anyone on her side the strange Southern ble for other people.” amazing creative work, down a notch. world she wrote about, Shaun’s awkward but the surgeries are This heavy but comi- and it gave her stories communication style quite graphic. This show cal film is rated R, mainly more power. —by EMILY BELZ embarrasses fellow doc- is not for the squeamish. tors. He blurts out diag- Other storylines make noses without preamble troubling assumptions: or empathy, shocking his Extramarital sex is the patients. But his genius norm. “All guys watch of being able to visualize porn.” An unborn baby is a the inner workings of the “fetus,” and the child’s body—beautifully shown life is not important if it in intricate graphics—is will likely have an so quick and complete abnormality. that it uncovers the real The Good Doctor airs ailments of patients with weekly on ABC. Rockwell and McDormand precision and speed. —by MARTY VANDRIEL THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI: MERRICK MORTON/TWENTIETH CENTURY • THE FOX GOOD DOCTOR: BOB D’AMICO/ABC

See all our movie reviews at wng.org/movies February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 19 CULTURE Books Dueling faiths FINDING DIRECTION FROM THE CHURCH FATHERS by Marvin Olasky

Which is older, Judaism or port of Stott’s and Packer’s understand- doctrinal teaching at John Calvin R Christianity? The answer seems ing. Stewart’s book is timely because many evangelical speaking at obvious, but it’s not: In one sense even as the flow of former Catholics to churches leaves many the Council of Geneva, 1549 Christianity began in the Garden of evangelical churches far outnumbers millennials unaware of Eden when God told the serpent that movement in the other direction, some the crucial differences one of Adam and Eve’s descen- intellectuals have made highly between Reformation understanding dants “shall bruise your head,” publicized journeys from and Rome’s. and in one sense Judaism began evangelicalism to Roman Stewart’s book would be a perfect with the dominance of the Catholicism or Orthodoxy, gift for evangelicals irritated with cur- Pharisees and the destruction of and some millennials are also rent church politicization and tempted the Temple. hitting the road. to swim the Tiber, which includes Which is older, Catholicism Stewart points out accepting the dogma of papal or evangelicalism? The answer that early defenders infallibility proclaimed in 1870. might seem obvious, since of Protestantism like Christopher Hall’s Living Roman Catholics see Peter as John Jewel and John Wisely with the Church the first pope while evangelical Calvin contended that Fathers (IVP, 2017) is an excel- Protestantism began with the their understanding lent complement to Stewart’s Reformation 500 years ago. But British best corresponded to the faith work, and one that brings out pastor John Stott wrote in 1970: of the early church: Calvin important insights such as Evangelical theory is not “a modern wrote, “If the contest were to be Clement’s reminder that pov- brand of Christianity, but an ancient determined by patristic author- erty does not create virtue and form, indeed the original one. It is New ity, the tide of victory would John Chrysostom’s look at Testament Christianity.” J.I. Packer turn to our side.” Stewart argues that how God formed the spiritual character spoke similarly in 1978. many contemporary evangelicals have of poor Lazarus—and how childbirth Kenneth Stewart’s In Search of not studied works by the apostolic strengthens a young marriage: “The Ancient Roots: The Christian Past fathers of the second century or by child is a sort of bridge, so that the and the Evangelical Identity Crisis evangelical scholars over the centuries three become one flesh, the child (IVP, 2017) makes a strong case in sup- who mined those resources: A lack of connecting each other on either side.”

evangelical Christians. It would be an excellent gift for BOOKMARKS thoughtful Latter-day Saints who are questioning the faith Stephen Mansfield’sChoosing Donald Trump (Baker, in which they were brought up. Stewart Kelly and James 2017) is an examination of the gamble that Trump support- Dew’s Understanding Postmodernism (IVP, 2017) is a ers among Christian conservatives have taken: Mansfield good introduction to, and Christian perspective on, post- writes that Trump “channeled their anger. He cut into their modern thought. enemies. He promised to make their lives better. … They I enjoyed reading three tales of endurance, of different had never envisioned a man like him but kinds: Brett Archibald’s Alone: Lost Overboard in the

they would take him, flaws and all. … Indian Ocean (Thomas Dunne, 2017) is the remarkable HULTON ARCHIVE/STRINGER/GETTY Whatever the Trump administration story of how a 50-year-old who fell off a boat during a becomes, they will be required to rec- storm survived for 28 hours. Gibraltar (Viking, 2018) by oncile it with what they say they Roy and Lesley Adkins shows how soldiers and civilians in believe about God and his truth.” the tiny British territory withstood from 1779 to 1783 a Leaving Mormonism, edited by land and sea siege by the forces of Spain and France. Corey Miller and Lynn Wilder (Kregel, Frederick Buechner’s The Remarkable Ordinary 2017), includes essays by Miller, Wilder, (Zondervan, 2017) emphasizes the importance of day-to- and two other former Mormons turned day mindfulness. —M.O.

20 WORLD Magazine • February 3, 2018 RECENT NONFICTION BOOKS reviewed by Susan Olasky

BEING THERE: WHY PRIORITIZING MOTHERHOOD IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS MATTERS Erica Komisar Being There examines what maternal absence means for children. Erica Komisar says there’s really no argument about the importance of mothers, especially in the first three years of a child’s life. She notes that work demands and digital distractions keep mothers from bonding and being attentive to their children. That’s the helpful part of the book—and mothers who believe their presence isn’t necessary would benefit from reading it. Less helpful liberal policy prescriptions AFTERWORD and Buddhist/psychotherapeutic mindfulness exercises make up Jared Mellinger’s Think large parts of the book. Again: Relief from the Burden of Introspection CAPITAL GAINES: SMART THINGS I LEARNED (New Growth Press, 2017) DOING STUPID STUFF Chip Gaines delivers on the promise of its subtitle. Readers can Chip Gaines (from the popular Fixer Upper TV show) writes about glean the contents from his life, his failures, and the success of the popular home design business he built with his wife Joanna. The breezy writing style makes chapter titles like “Fighting readers feel they’re getting a peek behind the scenes of a business False Guilt” and “Self- built on gut instincts grounded in hard work and a willingness to fail: Forgetfulness.” Mellinger’s “For people with a winner mentality, there’s a positive waiting for writing is pithy and to the you no matter the outcome. For those with a loser mentality, if point: “Our Father in there’s a negative outcome anywhere along the way, you perceive heaven delights to give us that you’ve lost.” good things to enjoy, but we constantly second-guess our experience of his generosity. SISTERS FIRST: STORIES FROM OUR WILD Where he is lavish toward AND WONDERFUL LIFE Jenna Bush Hager & Barbara Pierce Bush us, we are stingy and The daughters of President George W. Bush made many smart overly scru- choices in writing this book. Most chapters focus on their relation- pulous. ships with their famous relatives, as they pull back the curtain to Where he show their parents and grandparents in unguarded, unscripted moments. The twins let their individual personalities show in the gives no laws, alternating chapters each pens. They describe their own growing we make up, their well-publicized foibles as young adults, and the lives they laws for now lead. Areas of policy disagreement with their parents merit ourselves.” brief mentions, but that’s not the book’s focus. The result is a Mellinger warm, often tender portrait of the Bush family. isn’t just an ace diagnos- tician. He THE STORY CURE: A BOOK DOCTOR’S offers many wise and PAIN-FREE GUIDE TO FINISHING YOUR NOVEL practical helps for turning OR MEMOIR Dinty W. Moore away from self-focus. A Publishing a novel or memoir has never been easier—but writing a clear Christ-focus underlies good novel or memoir is as difficult as ever. Dinty W. Moore provides the entire book: “However good, practical writing advice, starting with a useful metaphor—the deeply I am stuck in myself, “invisible magnetic river.” That refers to the deep, heart story that should underlie and connect a book’s events and scenes. His chapters the Lord will rescue me provide examples of common problems with characters, openings, from constant self-con- and settings. He then offers cures for them—and exercises to help sciousness and renegade writers work through their problems. The book has a friendly tone, self-reflection. And he avoids most crude language, and comes from the head of Ohio invites me to fix my eyes on

D.MARTIN PHOTOGRAPHY University’s creative writing program. him.” —S.O.

To see more book news and reviews, go to wng.org/books February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 21 CULTURE Children’s Books Paths and pictures FOUR PICTORIAL BIOGRAPHIES reviewed by Kristin Chapman

RIDE ON, WILL CODY! Caroline Starr Rose In an age of instantaneous communication, children may find it AFTERWORD hard to believe there once was a time in American history In her recent picture when the fastest way to send a message was by horse and rider. In Ride On, Will Cody!, Caroline Starr Rose uses rhyming book Over and Under the verse to tell the legendary tale of Will Cody and one of the Pond (Chronicle Books, longest rides in Pony Express history. Energetic lines (“Horses 2017), Kate Messner contin- nicker, heart beats quicker”) spur the story across the frontier ues her explora- wilderness as Cody spends 21 hours on the backs of 21 horses. tion of nature, The book’s endnotes offer more information about the Pony this time by div- Express and Cody, who later would gain acclaim as Wild West ing into a wet- showman Buffalo Bill.(Ages 4-7) land ecosystem. A mother and BIG MACHINES Sherri Duskey Rinker son skim their From Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site author Sherri boat across a Duskey Rinker comes a story about writer Virginia Lee Burton pond, watching and her beloved children’s books. Illustrator John Rocco cap- the busy world tures Burton’s style with his colorful sketches that imagine the above and below beginning of such characters as Choo Choo, Mike Mulligan, the water while day slowly Mary Anne, and Katy the snowplow. Aside from additional turns to night. The conclud- biographical information in the book’s endnotes, the storyline ing author’s note offers focuses on the inspiration behind Burton’s words and pictures more details about ecosys- rather than the historical details of her life. Despite this disap- tems and the types of ani- pointment, the book will hopefully serve to introduce the next generation of readers to a mals featured in the book. classic author and her timeless picture books. (Ages 4-7) In Round (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017) SERGEANT RECKLESS Patricia McCormick Joyce Sidman encour- During the Korean War, the U.S. Marine Corps gained an ages young children to unlikely recruit: a small red mare named Reckless. Drafted observe the world around to carry heavy loads of ammunition uphill, the former race- them for things that are horse went through special training to prepare her for the round. The hunt for round rigors of battle—and developed a reputation for eating things progresses from the everything from chocolate candy bars to scrambled eggs predictable with coffee. By war’s end, Sgt. Reckless proved herself wor- (oranges, thy of two Purple Hearts and retirement with full military seeds, and sun) honors. The author’s note features additional biographical to the less information about this unusual horse, who is commemo- obvious (rings rated in statue at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Virginia. (Ages 6-10) on a tree stump and VICTORIA Catherine Reef raindrops in a With the production of TV miniseries like Netflix’sThe Crown pond). Sidman and PBS’ Victoria has come a renewed interest in all things concludes the royal. Clarion Books capitalizes on this with the release of a book with reflections on

beautiful hardback biography, Victoria: Portrait of a Queen. In why so many things in CHRISTOPHER SILAS NEAL an easy-to-read style, author Catherine Reef offers a complete nature are round, offering picture of Victoria’s life and reign, shedding light on her shel- the opportunity to share an tered upbringing, complicated relationships, fiery stubbornness, age-appropriate science devoted marriage, awkward missteps, and heartbreaking losses. Although geared for middle-school students and older, the lesson. (Note: The story wealth of pictures, with one on nearly every spread, will likely mentions “billions of interest even younger readers. (Ages 12 & up) years.”) —K.C.

22 WORLD Magazine • February 3, 2018 To see more book news and reviews, go to wng.org/books

CULTURE Q&A

Mark Henshaw, a Virginia native R who grew up amid Civil War MARK HENSHAW battlefields, has fought a different kind of war for 15 years: He’s been a Central Intelligence Agency analyst. Since receiving the Director of National Red Cell insider Intelligence’s 2007 Galileo Award for A LOOK AT CIA REALITY AND NOVELTY innovation in intelligence analysis, he’s been innovating through four novels in by Marvin Olasky which CIA analysts are the heroes (and sometimes villains). His latest, The Last Man in Tehran, came out in late December. Here are edited excerpts of our interview before students at Patrick Henry College, followed by an excerpt from the new novel. How did you join the CIA? In graduate school I got both a master’s in international relations and an MBA. I did the international relations because I liked it and the MBA because that was how I would put food on the table. Then I got recruited and ended up working for the agency because of the international relations degree and some other things, and never put the MBA to much use. That sounds like deliberate usage of the passive: “I got recruited.” Who recruited you? The agency did. The agency recruits at various schools. Somebody got hold of my published master’s thesis on cybersecurity. Everybody now recognizes cybersecurity as a problem, but in 1998 the agency was just starting to look at it. What kind of basic training does the agency do for everyone? For everyone it’s surprisingly little, at least at that time. You go in and there’s your weeklong orientation, which is to set up your 401k and those things. Then the different offices have their own specialized courses. All analysts at that time took a monthlong “Basic Analytic Tradecraft” course: You learn how to write articles for the president’s daily brief, how to do research. Case officers have a very different kind of training that’s much longer, at a different location I can’t talk about. Those trained as case officers get training in small-arms use, personal defense, those things we like to see in movies? I can’t talk too much about it, HANDOUT but it would surprise people who think of case officers as James Bonds. The

24 WORLD Magazine • February 3, 2018 life of people in the field tends to be other analyst wants to walk into my about possibilities that fall outside of probably 95 percent boredom and 5 office and present. I want you to make our normal everyday experience—even percent sheer terror, but yes, they get the other analysts nervous. things that might be considered specific training in how to live overseas Did they do that? They did that outlandish. We should ask ourselves, and how to do certain things covertly and for about the next year looked “How could that actually happen? and clandestinely. People who go to exclusively at terrorism and presented What signs are there that this is war zones are the ones who get survival different ideas for how terrorists could becoming real?” If everybody would and weapons training. do bad things. After a year Director get into the practice of doing that, we You joined the CIA either at or near Tenet said, I want you to do this for would find ourselves surprised on the the beginning of cyberwarfare. When everything the agency looks at: nuclear world stage a whole lot less. I started in 1999, no one agency group proliferation, war in the Middle East, How many actually do that? Not was doing that. Little things were scat- terrorism, cyber whatever—do the nearly as many as I would like. A unit tered throughout. Now it’s become an whole thing. like a red cell becomes unpopular very enormous enterprise: The Directorate of You joined the Red Cell. Did a fast because you may spend 20 years Digital Innovation is one of the biggest three-year stint there. It was a studying a subject and becoming the organizations inside the agency. liberating analytical experience. I expert on it, then others present a scenario on your subject they didn’t clear with you. They ask, “What if this ‘On Sept. 10, 2001, if an analyst had come into happened?” and you say, “That’s a possibility I ruled out a long time ago.” CIA’s headquarters and said, “Terrorists are Suddenly they’re presenting to the policymaker or to your senior leader, going to seize multiple aircraft and fly them “Well, we didn’t rule it out, and here’s how we think it could happen.” into buildings,” you probably would have Sets up a clash. You need a senior been laughed out of the room.’ leader willing to defend, protect, and encourage the red cell. Otherwise the bureaucratic pressures inside the rest What can you tell us about the cur- thought if I’m going to write a novel of the organization will inevitably try to rent hacking controversies? Nothing. that’s where I want to have it set: It neuter it or squash it. That’s happened in The title of one of your novels: Red gives you a wide-open field. the CIA. It takes some real vision from Cell. What’s that? The Red Cell is a Should corporations and other the top to create and sustain that kind real unit inside the agency. It was set government agencies have red cells? of a unit, because if you end up with an up on Sept. 13, 2001. On Sept. 10, 2001, They could all benefit from some kind unsupportive leader, the unit will get if an analyst had come into CIA’s of unit like that, with people thinking marginalized, if not disbanded. A headquarters and said, “Terrorists are going to seize multiple aircraft and fly them into buildings,” you probably would have been laughed From The Last Man in Tehran: out of the room. It was so far outside “An eye for an eye would never give Israel the security of everybody’s experience that Salem wanted her country to have so much. It was too nobody would have believed it. On small a nation to just trade blows when it was outnumbered Sept. 12 you would have been treated so heavily, and to hit their enemies harder than their like a prophet. enemies hit them would just escalate the violence until CIA Director George Tenet Israel was destroyed or Tel Aviv used nuclear weapons, wanted more prophets? He called which likely would produce the same result. in senior leaders and said, I want to “What was left? Fear, only, Gavi Ronen said. Israel had get the loose cannons and the wild to make her enemies afraid to act, and that meant striking at the very people who gave the orders to attack thinkers in the building together in and those who carried them out. The people who would one room and order them to start pull the trigger must know for a certainty that to strike thinking way outside the box. It’s not Israel was to pronounce a death sentence upon their own hard to find who the loose cannons are heads. Is that terrorism? Salem wondered. Perhaps, but she thought there was in any organization and put them in one a difference. If Israel’s enemies buried their guns tomorrow, there would be room. Tenet said, I want you to tell me peace. If Israel put away her guns tomorrow, there would be slaughter in the things that no other analyst is telling streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and that was the difference.” me. Give me the possibilities that no

 [email protected]  @MarvinOlasky February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 25 CULTURE Music

says, “several instances that call for a slower, more in-depth reading,” instances such as Jesus’ conversations with the woman at the well, with the lame pessimist at the Bethesda pool, and with the man born blind “that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” These conversations play no direct role in Cross My Heat, but something of their spirit—of their willingness to engage honest truth seekers—permeates the album. There is one direct reference to an instance from John’s Gospel. It occurs in “The Altar at Isenheim,” a track that at 11½ minutes requires more slowing down than any other Cross My Heat cut. In it, Scott assumes the voice of a 16th-century monk at the Isenheim Monastery of St. Anthony, guiding sufferers from the disease commonly referred to as St. Anthony’s fire in an examination of the Matthias Grünewald masterpiece commonly referred to as the Isenheim Altarpiece. Conversation pieces The central panel depicts John STEVE SCOTT’S SPOKEN-WORD ALBUM CROSS MY comforting Jesus’ mother at the foot by Arsenio Orteza of the cross. HEAT IS BEST APPRECIATED SLOWLY John’s Gospel also plays an indirect role in “Lilias,” Scott’s tribute to the “Not that you’re asking,” says Pastoral Setting, and the toys and story- painter Lilias Trotter, who in 1888 at R Steve Scott, digressing from a books in a child’s bedroom. the age of 34 left her native England to discussion of his new album, Cross My What unifies the selections is their begin 40 years of missionary work Heat (Harding Street Assembly Lab), sharing in what Scott has called the among Algeria’s Sufi Muslims. “but if someone was to ask me, ‘What is “humanizing and socializing function” “She ended up writing a book, The the best book about Christian of all serious art—namely, Way of the Sevenfold Secret, on Jesus’ ‘I art?’ I would say, ‘Start with the requirement that any- am’ sayings in the Gospel of John that the Gospel of John.’” one intent on appreciating was very much nuanced towards the Scott knows whereof he it must “slow down.” Sufi inquirer,” says Scott. “So in the first speaks. A Christian since It would be difficult for half of the poem I imbed some images the late 1960s and a poet, anyone in a hurry to and metaphors of Sufi Muslim poets, essayist, lecturer, visual art- extract meaning from notably Rumi and Hafez. And in the ist, and singer-songwriter Scott’s meditative recita- second half, I draw more upon the to boot, he has long been tions of his poems, their things that Lilias herself put in her fascinated by the intersec- digitally doctored backing prayer letters and her books on the tions of art, faith, and culture, inter- tracks, or the levels on spiritual life.” sections that have in turn informed his which the two reinforce each other on Things, of course, best appreciated work. Cross My Heat, his fourth spoken- Cross My Heat. “Art that asks you to slowly. word-atop-looped-sounds album and slow down,” says Scott, “and to think “When I was in the Unterlinden 10th altogether, is no exception. about what you’re listening to or look- Museum with the Isenheim Altarpiece, Its nine tracks draw on sources as ing at is an important way of opening I spent hours each day in front of diverse as the Tuol Sleng Genocide up a conversation.” individual panels,” says Scott. Museum in Phnom Penh, Roger Conversations are one reason that “But I still feel as if I’ve barely HANDOUT Grainger’s book Watching for Wings: Scott considers the Fourth Gospel rele- scratched the surface of that tremen- Theology and Mental Illness in a vant to Christian art. “There are,” he dous piece of work.” A

26 WORLD Magazine • February 3, 2018  [email protected]  @ArsenioOrteza NEW OR RECENT RELEASES reviewed by Arsenio Orteza

BRAND NEW CAGE Wild Billy Childish & CTMF Under one guise or another, Billy Childish has been raising a punk ruckus for over 30 years. But he has seldom sounded more faithful to the Spirit of ’77 than he does on the 10 of these dozen grittily recorded songs atop which he rants (about his “conflicted mind,” about his having been “into ‘in’ before ‘in’ was ‘out,’” about the ENCORE short shrift given the doomed Rolling Stone Brian Seventeen years after their Jones). The other two feature his bassist and wife, Julie, last release, the Houston whose girl-group sweetness provides him an ideal foil. heavy-metal heroes Galactic Cowboys have returned with a vengeance. SERVE SOMEBODY Kevin Max Most of the songs on their The idea on this seven-song EP (eight if you count the hooky new album, Long bonus mix of “Gotta Serve Somebody”) is to bundle Way Back to the Moon together implicitly, explicitly, or incidentally Christian (Music Theories/Mascot), songs from the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s using a slick, eviscerate sacred cows, such as the power of posi- hard-pop sound to smooth over the originals’ stylistic tive thinking in “Next Joke,” differences. And for the most part the idea works. Max the power of negative think- doesn’t add anything to “Pride (In the Name of Love).” ing in “Drama,” and the But his marking of the 20th anniversary of Rich Mullins’ seductiveness of confor- death by recording “Creed”—and by recording it so mity, whether dystopian vibrantly—is perfect. (“Zombies,” “Hate Me,” “Agenda,” “Say Goodbye to VERSATILE Van Morrison Utopia”) or run of the mill (“Believing the Hype”). And Morrison’s previous album came out in September, and each song is he’s releasing a live DVD in February. Yet this collection undergirded by of Gershwin-bookended standards (with a few reworked Monty Colvin’s originals) from the days before rock ’n’ roll feels like more bass slabs, than a quickie. Or, rather, it feels like the best kind of buttressed by quickie. Unlike his pal Bob Dylan, Morrison swings and Dane Sonnier’s sways, whether vocally or on sax, as if to the necessary thunderous gui- mannerisms born. And, judging by the new original “Take tars, and over- laid with the band’s It Easy Baby,” he can write that way too. pop-tight vocal harmonies. But there’s another kind SONGS OF EXPERIENCE U2 of song as well—specifically, “It’s not a place,” sings Bono in “American Soul.” “This “Amisarewas,” a mash-up of country is to me a thought / that offers grace / for forms of the verb “to be” every welcome that is sought.” One can’t help wonder- that Bible scholars will recognize as an approximation ing whether he feels the same about his own property of the name of God. It and, if he does, why he hasn’t published his address and begins with lead singer Ben left his doors unlocked. At any rate, his version of Huggins wondering where Manifest Destiny is as sentimentally vainglorious as any to find “the treasury of other kind. It’s surely no coincidence that he’s at his knowledge [and] reason.” It catchiest (“The Showman [Little More Better]”) when ends with him repeating

STEPHANIE CARBRALSTEPHANIE not laboring under misapprehensions. “Thy will be done.” —A.O.

To see more music news and reviews, go to wng.org/music February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 27 VOICES Mindy Belz

UN session, declaring Iran “on notice” for its crackdown on street protesters, was the United States leaving in limbo 100 Iranian Christian refugees? These are not migrants, they are refugees who reportedly face persecution, were approved by the UN, vetted by the Department of Homeland Security, and invited to apply for asylum under the United States’ Lautenberg Not just noise Amendment. They gave up property and TRUMP BLURTS AND GOD WORKS, BUT WE possessions, and one year later are stuck in Vienna, where, reportedly, the United States is hosted by SHOULDN’T ASSUME IT WILL END WELL working to resettle them in other countries. WORLD State Department officials did not God works contrary to means, the answer my inquiries, and it’s a Journalism R Protestant Reformers liked to say. Of story we will continue to follow. course He can use means—the missionary In the meantime, people I talk Institute preaches and the pagan converts. He can work to in Washington, including without means—parting the Red Sea, shutting longtime experts on foreign the mouths of lions. But those of us who trust policy, human rights lawyers, Him fully depend on this: God works contrary people who have done the hard to means—raising Christ from the dead, turning work of seeking public justice Learn how to report on the front lines without hiding your beliefs sinners into saints. and crafting legislation, who have But it seems to me such contrariness should survived three, four, even five be left up to God, not deployed as a tool of administrations, sound now THE 20TH ANNUAL statecraft. when I talk to them … tight. Like SUMMER COURSE FOR COLLEGE REPORTERS AND RECENT GRADUATES Our president, with his tweeted and spoken someone has them by the neck. words, has embarrassed and diminished the Maybe things will turn out, but Dordt College, in Sioux Center, Iowa, will host the nation’s highest office. He has done so they’re constrained and unsure, WORLD Journalism Institute for college students and particularly on matters of foreign policy, Our president, almost fearful. They are hoping Trump works recent graduates. Accepted students will receive drawing international scorn high and low. with his contrary to means. Telling the truth in free tuition, housing, lunches, dinners, and (for Those who defend him in the midst of these Possibly when the dust has cleared and the those who ﬂ y in) transportation from and to the escapades seem to be counting on his tweeted volleys die down over which vulgarity Trump Christian and secular Sioux City or Sioux Falls airports. contrariness, or God’s, to triumph in the end. and spoken actually used to describe Africans and Haitians publications Who knows but that the juvenile tweet words, has (because he didn’t deny the sentiment, only the For two weeks WJI students hone writing and about the size of nuclear buttons didn’t force terms in which it was expressed), we will photography skills and learn the basics of video the juvenile Kim Jong Un to have someone embarrassed actually have immigration legislation. Columnist and sound. Professional journalists with Christian phone the South Koreans and ask for direct and Daniel Henninger noted of White House perspective and years of experience provide one-on- talks—something that hasn’t happened in diminished meetings with lawmakers, “They looked like one mentoring. Students create news and feature decades? That “taking names” at the UN will the nation’s politicians doing real work.” And truly if you APPLICATION DEADLINE IS MARCH 29 stories, slide shows, videos, and radio podcasts. bring a turnaround in its stance toward Israel? watched the footage, it was so surprising it was Almost all get clips, and the best get internships. Or that slams on would-be immigrants from the highest office. worth noting. But that was before the president To learn more and apply, go to: poorest nations will make a few real rapists and seemed to backtrack and before Trump’s “s--- Situated amid the beauty of the Great Plains, Dordt terrorists think twice before swimming the Rio hole” comment took center stage. worldji.com College is dedicated to preparing students for service Grande? Immigration lobbyist Dan Stein perhaps in Christ’s kingdom. The Wall Street Journal recently We shouldn’t kid ourselves that this will summed up best the feeling that’s forming named Dordt the nation’s top college for student end well. Possibly it might, but normal cause- around this White House: “There might be some engagement for the second year in a row. and-effect in life under the sun suggests it brilliance that transcends my understanding,” he won’t, even as stalwarts like evangelical adviser told The Weekly Standard. “It’d be fun to watch, Johnnie Moore claim, as he did recently, “For if you didn’t feel like you were getting screwed.” me, it’s all noise.” It’s part of an emerging pattern: a president Beneath the noise and the “wins” Trump’s who can’t be anything but center stage, the one it supporters like to tally to defend his record is a all hinges on. Call his policies right or wrong, he EVAN VUCCI/AP trembling and tottering ship of state and a seems simply not to accept the United States as a growing global resentment. nation ruled by laws, not by man. But that’s how Why, for instance, in the very moment we’ve survived thus far, and why with that and Ambassador Nikki Haley called for an emergency the contrary means of God we may again. A

28 WORLD Magazine • February 3, 2018  [email protected]  @mcbelz WORLD hosted by Journalism Institute

Learn how to report on the front lines without hiding your beliefs THE 20TH ANNUAL SUMMER COURSE FOR COLLEGE REPORTERS AND RECENT GRADUATES

Dordt College, in Sioux Center, Iowa, will host the WORLD Journalism Institute for college students and recent graduates. Accepted students will receive Telling the truth in free tuition, housing, lunches, dinners, and (for those who ﬂ y in) transportation from and to the Christian and secular Sioux City or Sioux Falls airports.

publications For two weeks WJI students hone writing and photography skills and learn the basics of video and sound. Professional journalists with Christian perspective and years of experience provide one-on- one mentoring. Students create news and feature APPLICATION DEADLINE IS MARCH 29 stories, slide shows, videos, and radio podcasts. Almost all get clips, and the best get internships. To learn more and apply, go to: Situated amid the beauty of the Great Plains, Dordt worldji.com College is dedicated to preparing students for service in Christ’s kingdom. The Wall Street Journal recently named Dordt the nation’s top college for student engagement for the second year in a row. FEATURES

MOODY BLUES Financial errors, insider dealings, and theological concerns force a change at an evangelical powerhouse

BY PAUL BUTLER & MARVIN OLASKY photos by Alex Garcia/Genesis

February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 31 HANDOUT - - - Moody differs from Moody other educational enterprises by having having enterprises by largest number—10. number—10. largest big publishing and group with the secondgroup broadcast divisions, but divisions, broadcast Christian college in thatChristian subtracting the three subtracting executives as Cedarville, the as Cedarville, executives executives in charge of those in charge executives listed almost twice as many almost listed Professors in music, sports min Professors decision to slash faculty Moody’s Professors are a college’s front front a college’s are Professors extent of the body count by saying of the body count by extent “10 percent” well. did not go over hit were and Bible/theology istry, That decision did not satisfy hard. and Andria alumni such as Todd of the both graduates Alexander, ago. 13 and 11 years music program trustee Moody Their letters to every to hear devastated were “We stated, Sacred of the about the evisceration the present Department by Music of the trustees Three administration.” to their letters but did responded and other not placate the Alexanders “the present alums who believed in the is making cuts administration places.” wrong untouched the number of but leave at the vice presidential executives did not sit or above—19—also level 15 leading examined WORLD well. Moody colleges and saw Christian dents we still give priority to,” said to,” priority give still dents we and vice president Spencer, James undergraduate dean of Moody’s young though, many school. Today, to secular careers look Christians informallyof ministering and speak within their professions. down enrollment the Facing line. last Nyquist turn, President of a layoff December announced Global of Moody 10 percent “about the But personnel.” Ministries hard- disproportionately faculty was 112 full-time faculty hit: 34 of MBI’s learned one-third, almost members, not be renewed. would their contracts ten professors (MBI does not give is certainly about “Education ure.) Spencer acknowledged, the faculty,” attempt to minimize the so Nyquist’s Nyquist ------olleges live or die on student olleges live From enrollment. the 2012 to 2017,

So, even though the saga is not even So, enter full-time vocational the stu “Those are ministry: findings to report. findings to apply number of students ing to MBI fell from 28 per to 947—a 1,316 MBI for cent drop. than a century more has emphasized theo logical education for to who desire students over, the Moody board’s action is board’s the Moody over, a man-bites-dogstill within story of world the usually slow-moving higher education. As the news leaders asked Christian spread, problems? MBI’s What are questions: the hand of the board, What forced go from does Moody and where to be likely the drama Is here? as at other institutions repeated financial and theological pressures had been investigat WORLD grow? the before ing MBI during the weeks some have decision, and we board C - - February 3, 2018 •

The next day, though, Moody’s though, Moody’s day, The next In 2017, a talk show host on the host a talk show In 2017, and retirement, but convinced that but convinced and retirement, changes at the are “unless there will be in the Institute level, board from years same place 5-10 the exact now.” ship.” President Paul Nyquist and Nyquist Paul President ship.” Provost resign. Mogck COO Steve And whis retires. Venugopal Junias the reports Roys Julie tleblower action. She tells WORLD board’s happened” what’s over “grieved she’s to MBI, glad about the resignations Moody within hours fires her and within hours fires Moody sends a man to her house to seize her laptop—but to she is on her way with the computer. Mexico, meets and decides of trustees board new season of leader time for “a it’s institutions, the Moody Bible the Moody institutions, she 2018, 9, (MBI). On Jan. Institute with a hard- escalates the pressure hitting headline on her blog: “A Loan to Questionable Suite, Luxury & Gambling: The Disturbing Officer, at MBI.” About Leadership Truth Moody Radio Network blows the blows Radio Network Moody on the leadership of one ofwhistle flagship American evangelicalism’s OUT OF A A OF OUT MOVIE. LIKE SOME LIKE THING SOUNDS THE STORY STORY THE WORLD Magazine 32 ALEX GARCIA/GENESIS 2017. another $5 millionfrom 2016 to million from 2015to2016 and Moody contributionsdeclinedby $9 made otherfundraising harder. but fundraising foracapitalproject debt tocompletethebuilding. True, get, andMoody hasnotgoneinto from MBI’s general operating bud construction hasn’t drawn any funds ing andbroadcasting.” He says the it’s ajointventure between publish building “isn’t aneducationproject, strategic communications, saidthe Brian Regnerus, Moody’s director of is still $8.2 millionunderfunded. started the project, but thebuilding would notsay how large itwas— counselor GaryChapman—Moody donation from author/marriage Center, aglobalmediacenter. A million pricetagfortheChapman unpopular inthecontext ofa$24 leaves Moody still lookingtop-heavy. Diminishing thefacultywas also - - ment numbers began notably ment numbersbegannotably years ago, though,Spokane enroll board butnottheirclasses. Five Chicago whopay fortheirroom and paid tuition,unlike students in maker, sincetheSpokane students It mighthave seemedlike amoney- into thedowntown Chicagocampus. flow students whocouldn’t make it became abranch campusforover in Washington state officially the present: In2006, MBISpokane through 2016. during thethree years from 2014 than $1 million incompensation principal. Nyquist received more 2017, hehadpaidbacknoneofthe Moody’s IRSreport filedon Nov. 1, according to Chicago condo—and $500,000 loantobuya$1.08 million Moody gave Nyquist in2009a college president attracted notice. financial arrangements forthe Another past decision also haunts Another past decision alsohaunts As 34professors lost theirjobs, - - plaint ledtoaninvestigation ofsuch business.” Afterananonymous com when notspecificallyon Moody we were allowed tousetheapartment of occasionswhen,withpermission, Jenkins toldWORLD of“a handful and otherguests alsostayed there. Moody business. Visiting speakers when Jenkins was inChicagoon Jerry Jenkins useofanapartment he offered novelist andmajordonor 1987 to2005, andduringthattime Stowell was Moody president from stewardship may notbevalid. Joseph missionary aviation program. the endofthisterm,except forits shut down itsSpokane satelliteasof Moody administration decidedto revenue producer. Latelast year, the became amoneypitrather thana decreasing, andtheSpokane campus Work continues ontheChapmanCenter. One charge ofpoorfinancial February 3, 2018 3, February • WORLD Magazine WORLD - 33 —Roys

GREG LEHMAN/GENESIS PHOTOS - - - Up for Up , played on 145 stations until stations on 145 , played Roys had long planned a January had long planned a January Roys The Julie referred to is Julie to is Julie referred The Julie personnel.” But others were cer others were But personnel.” tainly commenting: Firing a person who complained about an atmo intimidation, and of fear, sphere made many at Moody retaliation she had a point. believe with her in Cancún, Mexico, vacation sons and teenage daughter. grown two board’s decision WORLD made one decision WORLD board’s attempt to learn the identity of more this and received Twig Broken moment “This is Julie’s response: did we God’s, it’s Really not ours. asked were [than] we nothing more were Gideon we Him. Like of by us pressed until the Lord cowards and a had a torch We into service. the blew our horns to get horn, we attention, flashed our torches—God fought this fight. That is enough.” show, whose weekend Roys, Debate Asked Jan. 10. her on fired Moody spokesman about her firing, does not “Moody wrote, Regnerus on, or discuss pri comment disclose, matters pertaining to Institute vate - - BI tensions grew last year last BI tensions grew faculty members on as five Concerns a Faculty An anonymous individual or An anonymous drift, and alleged wrongdoing. Some drift, and alleged wrongdoing. the Following letters. alumni wrote mittee was out of line and Moody’s out of line and Moody’s mittee was department Resources Human handled the complaints. should have a special to have agreed Venugopal to somefaculty meeting to respond pre but he offered of the concerns, comments at the meeting andpared then closed it without answering new questions. Twig, under the name Broken group, about online concerns began posting theological ineffectual leadership, overcomeable, some are not, some some are overcomeable, in.” say any have don’t we and collated Committee investigated Provost specific complaints against the com who insisted Venugopal, The MBI campus in Spokane, Wash. in Spokane, The MBI campus all walk “that we to realize students and into situations with advantages and some of them are disadvantages, M ------February 3, 2018 • In one class, associate professor In one class, Complaints about political liber Alongside the financial

they were sitting. He then spoke then spoke He sitting. they were with stu about “white privilege,” those privileged over dents in front near the back of the classroom. he wants told WORLD Craigen tinue to receive funding. A recent funding. tinue to receive of attempts to shame wrote graduate or conservatives. white students having acknowledges Craigen Clive of paper into a wads throw students wherever from can at the front trash lean, and then that has to be exam ined and corrected.” Students also emerged. alism have that arguing speak of a professor abortion should be legal and should con Planned Parenthood always possible that an individual always does drift orwithin an institution any claims that MBI allows faculty that MBI allows claims any members to abandon Biblical our fac All of “false. are inerrancy annually when ulty affirm inerrancy It’s they sign their annual contract. is is no drift. It There explicit. … Weber, one of the 34 profes Weber, not was sors whose contract has documented renewed, some theological drift, but he his account avail did not make VP and Moody able to WORLD. said O’Neal Bryan theology professor concerns sit theological ones, ones, concerns sit theological to harder although those are charged Roys pin down. allowing were administrators the iner who deny professors to teach and of Scripture rancy write curriculum. Richard the amount charged other charged the amount when guestsdepartments using “stopped and there stayed to avoid the place at all, just impressions.” wrong any leaving usage, Jenkins, who chaired the who chaired Jenkins, usage, years, for several board Moody for that use. Moody reimbursed doubled” least he “at says He

WORLD Magazine 34 ‘There’s a hole in the ship. … I’d prefer you patch it, but if you’re not going to do it, I’ll warn the people to get their luggage off.’ luggage their get to people the warn it, I’ll do to going not you’re if it, but patch you prefer I’d ship. … the in a hole ‘There’s ‘There’s ahole in the ship. … I’d prefer you patch but it, if you’re not going to do I’ll it, warn the people to get their luggage off.’

HANDOUT  already “decided that the executive teamhas Spokesman Regnerus said transparency. communication and speak ofimproving donors. Theywill faculty, students, and comment from alumni, ers willhearmore public responsibility.” Moody lead charge. Theyneedtotake theoneswhowereboard. They’re in want: “There hastobechangeinthe are biggerthantheboard might patching, butRoys says thepatches at thetop, are evidently interested in people togettheirluggageoff.” you’re notgoingtodoit,I’llwarn the ship. … I’d prefer you patchit,butif her messageas, “There’s aholeinthe Mexico shecharacterized toWORLD action shewould gopublicwithit.In trustees thatiftheydidnottake disclosed, andshemadeitcleartothe has lotsofmaterialshenotyet comes backtoChicago. Roys says she undoubtedly wipedclean,whenshe She willreturn Moody’s computer, sons isbuyingheranewcomputer: external hard drive, andoneofher savedan herfilesonaflashdrive and read thatmessage. Shehadalready and Roys were inMexico whenshe between 2:30-3 pmatyour home.” property you have thisafternoon ID, fob, P-Card,andany otherMoody Dan Craig willpickupyour laptop, worked andreported through today. You willbepaidforany hours employment, effective immediately. leadership isterminatingyour dent—arrived inherinbox: “Moody Thornton—he isnow interimpresi Moody SeniorVice President Greg connection whenanemailfrom en route andwithoutaninternet to remain inbalmy Chicago.) Shewas (Work forced herhusband,ateacher, [email protected] The trustees, inpushing changes Craig didnotpickupthelaptop:It  @WORLD_mag - - Roys shrinking, andhasbeenforfive dent populationheadingtocollegeis Research Center, theavailable stu National Student Clearinghouse hard timescoming. According tothe experience? First, anawareness of to discussthefiringof Julie Roys. tively toit.” Thorntonwas unwilling at MBI:“We want torespond posi recent allegations ofa“liberal shift” helpful toargue pointby pointabout Provost John Jelinek saidit’s not the doctrinalcommitment.” Interim said, “There hasbeennowavering on and we’ve shedtearstogether.” He colleagues, and good andgodlymen, offices. These are dearfriendsand saying goodbye andseeingempty WORLD, “There isstill sorrow in know He’s incontrol.” that “God’s always beenfaithful,I the institute, intheunderstanding Many praying alumnisay for they’re thing abouttherecent accusations.” dumbfounded—not knowing any feeling justified, whilesomeare decision: “Some have beensad,others the day aftertheboard announcedits real surprise.” Shefieldedemailson “surprised actually, dazedmaybe, the Moody AlumniAssociation,was changes. Nancy Hastings, whoheads pay.” Moody’s officerswill have a in freeze W Interim President Thornton told Interim President Thorntontold Alumni are reflecting onthe straight more years—down ones now have three other than 80,000 just from 2016 than lessexpensive secular to 2017. Thestudy predicts Christian collegesrather the numberofhigh- away from Moody’s Christian collegestake hat shouldother would have attended school graduates over plummet. the next decadeto Students whoonce - - - spending onbuildings. toward addingexecutives andover During fatyears many collegesdrift as apercentage oftotalexpenses. concerning executive compensation presidents, Moody isnotatthetop Despite itslarge numberofvice financial challengeslike Moody’s. not anoutlier. Otherschoolsface colleges—and learnedthatMBIis with thoseof15otherChristian cial statements andIRS990forms free.challenge: They’re were cheapnow poseeven more ofa two. Somestate-funded collegesthat heading away tocollegeforthelast munity collegesfortwo years before ingly popular. Soisattendingcom choices. Onlineeducationisincreas you willalllikewise perish.” others, because“unlessyou repent, Siloam: Don’t thinkyou’re betterthan concerning thefatalfallofatower in may bewhatJesus offered in Luke 13 unique. Thelessonforothercolleges mistakes, butitsproblems are not cream ingleamingdininghalls. faculty officesas well assoft-serve ice should includehard questioning in ents have learnedthatcampusvisits are nothistorical. Some Christian par then concludethatBiblicalaccounts God-talk over Darwin’s theoriesand well-funded attempttosprinklesome have fallenfor“theistic evolution,” a For example, MBI doesnotappearto that atmany other Christian colleges. there, isnotmore pronounced than right direction. afloat buttohave itheadinginthe guarded, notjust tokeep aship words must befoughtforand other thingsright.Meanings of inerrancy are crucialtogettingmany lars ofthedefinitionBiblical things are important.” Theparticu O’Neal isrighttosay even “little On theologicaldrift,MBI’s WORLD compared Moody finan Moody apparently hasmade Theological driftatMBI,ifit’s February 3, 2018 3, February • WORLD Magazine WORLD A - - - -

- - —Roys 35 F E AT U R E S Signals of

changePROTESTS IN IRAN HAVE MET CENSORSHIP AND BRUTALITY, BUT CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS USE DAILY MEDIA TO SPARK LASTING REFORMATION BY MINDY BELZ

A student at a protest at Tehran University covers her face as anti-riot Iranian police throw a smoke grenade.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 37 DAVID LEESON/GENESIS - With communication for both insiders and communication With been buildings have church “Inside Iran are 24/7 programming Alive’s Alongside Iran on the economic situation have dramatically on the economic situation have and cheese, as prices for milk, bread, increased, said they had cut meat Many eggs skyrocketed. Oneconsumption to once a month, or not at all. she saying help, called to ask for financial viewer had they so desperate and her husband were selling their infant to human traffickers. considered demonstrations against the government in late government the against demonstrations into political country plunged the that December service via Persian America’s of Voice crisis. about 1 reaches for example, web, and television have though its numbers daily, million Iranians during the crisis. grown happen what’s to assessing key outsiders proving Shariat rights, individual ing and to preserving a unique have programmers and other Christian for affinity a long-standing and Iran on window and harassment those who face persecution their religion. whether for their politics or there, the and into trouble, get closed, house churches they no church have Christians majority of Iran’s their are said Shariat. “We attend,” can physically church.” chat spaces24/7 phone-in lines and website andrequests prayer receive members staff where viewers. Iranian mostly other information from said, calls focusing Shariat six months, In the past

Shariat, founder of satellite television’s Shariat,founder of satellite television’s the to steps Ministries, Alive Iran daily live station’s to begin the camera 62-year-old The satellite broadcast. wearing pastor, Iranian-American and a suit and tie, rimless glasses whether he a friendly posture strikes audience studio to a large is preaching chairs withor seated in comfortable one-hour the his co-hosts. he takes But t’s noon in Dallas and 8:30 in the and 8:30 Dallas noon in t’s Hormoz when in Tehran evening That’s nearly 8 percent of Iran’s population of of Iran’s nearly 8 percent That’s Iran in programming of Christian The reach 80 million, the overwhelming majority of whom majority 80 million, the overwhelming has 2 million Whether Iran Muslims. are is not believes Shariat estimate Christians—an experts as some inflated—or closer to 500,000, he us,” watching a lot of Muslims claim, “that’s the Christian Alive, In addition to Iran concedes. has Persian-language (CBN) Network Broadcasting and Cyprus- in the Middle East, programming also carries round-the-clock PARS based SAT-7 shows. Christian Persian-language on added and has taken other broadcasts dwarfs launched widespread importance after protesters live show very seriously: With a prime-time slot With seriously: very show live Iran republic, into the Islamic Texas beamed from estimated has an programming Christian Alive’s people. audience of 6 million I February 3, 2018 •

WORLD Magazine Shariat in the studios Alive Iran 38 BASIJ AND ROUHANI: EBRAHIM NOROOZI/AP I streets inmore than80 cities, includingTehran, week, tensofthousandsIranians clogged Dec. 28quicklyspread elsewhere. Inundera smartphone app, protests thatbeganinthecityon group messageviaTelegram, anencrypted and itsjihadist revolution, worldwide. and incharge ofexporting Iran’s Islamic ideology, Sinai andGaza,Hezbollah inLebanon andSyria— Iran’s primarylink toterrorist proxies—Hamas in At thesametime, theRevolutionary Guard is and Syrian militariesintheir fightsagainst ISIS. Force hasplayed astrategic role inpropping Iraqi cracked down on2009demonstrations. TheQuds essentially adomestic paramilitary force, brutally internal andexternal threats. Its Basij militia, Khamenei, istodefendtheIslamic regime from directly controlled by Supreme LeaderAli Iraq, Syria, Yemen, andelsewhere. country weary ofIran’s militaryincursions in Guard Corpsreceiving $8billion—ahugesumina showed thecountry’s Islamic Revolutionary subsidies tothepoorwere cut.Additionally, it foundations andclerics’offices, whilecash millions ofdollarsgoingtoIslamic religious country’s ruling ayatollahs. Thebudgetshowed moderate, possiblyhopedwould embarrass the unusual move somebelieve Rouhani, aso-called the publichisproposed government budget, an President Hassan Rouhani’s decisiontorelease to Journal one cares,” theaccountanttold went bankrupt.“We lost allourfortuneandno his savings disappeared whenaninvestment firm in thenortheastern cityofMashhad wholearned from anaccountant atasaffron importcompany by investment firms. Thefirst callto protest came mullahs.” the onesdrivingthemare children ofthecountry’s Tehran thaninBeverly Hills,” saidShariat,“and clergy class. items proliferated amongthe country’s ruling unemployment. Yet government jobsandluxury own costs oflivingcontinueto climb, alongwith lower-class Iranians watched inflationandtheir inspections. and makingthefacilitiessubjecttointernational at itstwo nuclearfacilitiestononmilitarypurposes in exchange forIran limitinguranium enrichment lifting ofeconomicsanctionsagainst theregime Comprehensive PlanofAction calledforthe After theaccountantfrom Mashhad senta The purposeoftheRevolutionary Guard, The gatheringdiscontentcoincidedwith A 2017spike inpricescoincidedwithdefaults “There are more Maseratis onthestreets of With theliftingofsanctions, and middle- including theUnited States. TheJoint between Iran andseveral world powers, following the2015nuclearagreement ranians expected theireconomicwoes toease . The Wall Street A Their shoutsof“DeathtoRouhani!” morphed and nearlyevery oneofthecountry’s 31provinces. outside ofprime times, whenjammers are down, were getting through. steady viewer feedbackconfirmedtheshows Tehran oftenbreaking upsatellite TVsignals. But risked censorship, too, withjammingtowers in broadcast at10:00eachnight.Theyknewthey placards andchanting. in somecitieslateintothenight,defiantly raising were posting clipsshowing wall-to-wall protesters after internationalcoverage subsided,Iranians city ofEsfahán,killingfive demonstrators. Long security forces firingdirectly onprotesters inthe uprisings alive. Onevideo, posted Jan. 1,showed Instagram orelsewhere, keeping word ofthe street reports viaTelegram, thenposted themon outside thecountryalsosolicitedman-on-the- Iranians usedVPNs toaccessthem.News portals Telegram andothermessagingappscutoff, accessed through Indiaandelsewhere. Even with online viaVPNs, orvirtualprivate networks, rawbypassing thecensorship—posting footage one anotherandtheoutsideworld (seesidebar). repression, theironemeansofconnectionwith Iranians ofthe oneplacewhere theycouldescape and socialmediasites, deprivingmillionsof one day. Theauthoritiesblocked internetaccess dedicated toKhameneiastheyshutdown streets. indignant, rippingdown andburningbanners cycles tobeatthem,buttheprotesters remained crowds, andBasij militiamenarrived onmotor Police hauledwater cannonstodispersethe criticizing theayatollahs canbe acapitalcrime. into “DeathtoKhamenei!”inacountrywhere Broadcasters have learnedtorerun programs Local residents madeacottageindustry outof In Tehran, policearrested 200protesters in programming, includinganotherlive Alive teamdecidedtoaddadditional years continued,inDallas theIran s Iran’s most widespread protests in February 3, 2018 3, February (below). Khomeini; Rouhani founder Ayatollah late revolutionary front of ashrineof military parade in militia march ina Members of theBasij • WORLD Magazine WORLD 39 KHAMENEI: SALAMPIX/ABACA/SIPA VIA AP • CHURCH: VAHID SALEMI/AP • BIBLES: HANDOUT 3 ` - With footage of those With Born in Tehran, in computer engineering of at the University “Arrest in Iran means no means in Iran “Arrest no is contacted, family no brought, are charges is made of report or alive are whether they said Shariat. not,” Evin outside protesting Prison, the notorious political detention center broadcasters in Tehran, for name by on-air prayed those who had been for families and arrested, ones had whose loved disappeared. a Muslim Shariat was as a research who trained to immigrated scientist, after the States the United Revolution, 1979 Iranian for his Ph.D. and studied 1 ` In 1987 Shariat started a church in San Jose, Jose, in San a church In 1987 Shariat started Southern California. Back under Iran’s new under Iran’s Southern California. Back his brother authorities arrested republic, Islamic and in 1983 exe on a political charge, Hamraz reading firing squad. Shariat began cuted him by for death, searching the Bible after his brother’s A Guatemalan janitor than Islam. another way his wife him and English invited spoke who barely became Christians. and the two to church, later began doing televangelism and 10 years Calif., His focus always with a 30-minute local cable show. only a matter he said, and it was Muslims, on was his attention again turned the pastor of time before seven-day-a-week to and the idea of a 24-hour, Iran The 9/11 in Farsi. satellite channel broadcasting and in late urgent, attacks made the idea more building to gradually Alive, 2001 he launched Iran beamed to Iran round-the-clock programming 2 ` The January programs emphasized suffering programs The January know their role because they are new Christians,” new Christians,” because they are their role know to to guide them in how want “We he explained. perspective.” God’s from look at these events with those who suffer and bringing Christian from away Christians They did not warn hope. but did counsel them not to participate protesting, The officials. government in calls of “Death to …” the showing from shied away haven’t shows people than 4,000 More brutality in the streets. reportedly were hundreds (though arrested were 20 were and at least in mid-January) released who died in prisons. killed, including three and they bypass filters for online streaming by streaming filters for online and they bypass The day. every sending out new links to programs to a way said Shariat, were late-night segments, and air lessons in Iran of the day the events review do not “Most could respond. Christians in how February 3, 2018 •

Persian Persian (3) Iranian Christians Christians Iranian Ayatollah Ali Ayatollah WORLD Magazine Tehran. Tehran. language Bibles Elam by published Ministries. (2) at the Saint worship Chaldean- Joseph in Church Assyrian States, Israel, and an Israel, States, opposition exiled planning of group anti-government demonstrations. (1) speaking Khamenei He in Tehran. the United accused 40 BEN CURTIS/AP S  Democracy, though,isfar from theobvious next and Khameneiappearsweakened aswell. helped bringonprotests, may beonhisway out, President Rouhani, widelybelieved tohave supreme leadersince1989, is78years old. as itsclericsage. Khamenei,whohasbeen the regime isthesame.” doesn’t matterifyou have amoderate inoffice; with Rouhani, doesn’t work. People are aware it doesn’t work anymore. Bringingmoderates in,as “We are learningthepoliticalgameinIran useless. “We are gaininginmaturity,” saidShariat. have goneanywhere doesn’t meantheyare war thathaskillednearlyhalfamillionresidents. launched inSyria helped tosparkaseven-year civil ernments andmore restrictions, andtheprotests Spring protests mostly have ledto harshergov is wary ofusing thestreet tobringchange:Arab about joiningprotest movements. Plus, theregion end inbrutalityandare perhapsmore cautious particularly inTehran, have seenprevious uprisings had littleroom tocontinueandexpand. Iranians, government crackdown andinternetshutdown, it truth andlookingforalternatives.” deeply disillusionedandare hungryforspiritual true faceoftheirreligion. Many have become regime fornearly 40years, andtheyhave seenthe “The peoplehave suffered underan Islamic people aboutJesus,” Yeghnazar said. risk ofsharingtheirfaith,evangelizing andtelling courageous church that’s beenwillingtotake the Iran 2millionNew Testaments. “Thisisavery are banned,Elamhasprintedanddistributed in Armenian andOrthodox sites. Even thoughBibles recognized by thegovernment, including underground churches butthoseofficially recent years hasmoved against notonlyunofficial Christian converts andchurch leadersandin despite theobstacles against it.Iran regularly jails Yeghnazar says continuestobe“dramatic” evangelism contributetogrowth that one-to-one by hisfather, Sam. U.K.-based outreach missiontoIranians started executive director ofElamMinistries, aU.S.- and population intheworld, saidDavid Yeghnazar, the fastest-growing evangelical Christian ways Iran inthelast decadehasbecomehost to the United States, Canada,andEurope. and theMiddleEast. Thechannelalsoreaches [email protected] The regime, many believe, may beweakening But just becausethedemonstrations may not Yeghnazar, whowas borninTehran, added: Besides television, Bibledistribution and Christian broadcasting isone ofthree leading prominent leadership. Andthankstoa movement hadnocleardemandsand demonstrations difficulttosustain. The everal factorsmadethisround of  @mcbelz - run by theRevolutionary Guards. step, andonelikely scenariowillbeapolicestate is sowideanddeep, anditisnotgoingaway.” The rejection ofIslamic ruleby thepeopleofIran strongly feelitwillnever beanIslamic nationagain. Shariat believes Islam inIran already isdefeated:“I are still hurting.” larger thanever, anditisnotgoingaway. People divide between thegovernment andthepeopleis in theheartsofpeople,” saidShariat.“The disappeared onlyonthesurface. “It willcontinue widespread movement ofthepast monthhas millions ofexiles isareality thatendures, andthe the costs ofthe regime’s policies.” accurate information to those insideIran aboutboth theprotests and provide platforms outsideIran for dissidents to speak outandsupply execs shouldtake theircue from Cohen butgo further, seeking to messaging appslike Signal. Iranian access to itsAppEngine, aservice needed to runencrypted According to aJan. 12report in Treasury Department hasn’t issued clear guidance insome cases. curtailed theirservices over fear ofviolating U.S. sanctions,and the more to aidprotest movements. InIran some U.S. companies have often located inother countries. intermittently, forcing Iranians to huntdown virtualprivate networks the photo-sharing app. They slowed internet service orcut itoff also moved quicklyto blockTelegram, amessaging app, andInstagram, are banned officially, butduringthe recent demonstrations authorities means ofshuttingthemdown. Already YouTube, Facebook, andTwitter and ways to access themhave proliferated, butso have authoritarians’ smartphone users outofapopulation of80 million.Socialmediaapps company to delay for thesake ofIranian protesters. planned to take itssite down for scheduled maintenance, heasked the activists carriedoutanuprising. WhenCohen learned that Twitter website was only3years oldbutwas revolutionizing theway democracy preserving Iranians’ rights: HeemailedTwitter. Thesocial networking Department officialnamed Jared Cohen tookabold step toward At theheight ofstreet protests inIran in2009,a27-year-old U.S. State A CALL TO SILICON VALLEY Despite 40years ofharshIslamic ruleinIran, Organized oppositioninIran andamongits Writing in Experts say U.S. technology companies andWashington could do With 2018 protests thebiggest since 2009,Iran has48 million The Washington Post Wired –M.B. , analyst Michael Singhsaid,“Tech magazine, Google hasblocked February 3, 2018 3, February A June 15, 2009. in Tehran, Iran, on election atarally the result of the Iranians protesting thousands of hundreds of in front of phone uses her mobile An Iranian woman • WORLD Magazine WORLD

41 FEATURES UNDER THE RADAR The Gladney Center for Adoption has—very quietly —accepted the application of a same-sex couple, betraying the trust of many Christian supporters

UNDER THE RADARby KATIE GAULTNEY in Fort Worth, Texas photo by ADAM COVINGTON/GENESIS

ne of America’s leading adoption institutions is violating the trust of its Christian supporters by hopping on the LGBT bandwagon. Officers of the Gladney Center for Adoption have told its Oboard of directors and staff that they are now accepting homosexual parents as clients but have held off making a public announcement. Gladney is changing even though it faces no legal pressure to do so. Last May the Texas Legislature passed conscience protection legislation that explicitly allows adoption agencies to choose not to provide services to clients whose lifestyles violate an agency’s beliefs. Troy Cumings, a Bethany Christian Services board member who helped author the new Texas law, says it protects all Texas child welfare services providers. Gladney President Frank Garrott informed the board on Oct. 16 that he and his staff would process the application of a homosexual couple, marking a first for the 130-year-old agency. Because Gladney did not have a policy stating that it would work only with heterosexual clients, a board vote was not necessary. The board could have overruled Garrott, but did not. David Simpson, an adoptive father, resigned from Gladney’s board of directors following Garrott’s announcement and the board’s acquiescence. “I believe in the work Gladney is doing,” he said, “but I can’t serve on the board of an organization that doesn’t reflect Biblical The Gladney Center for Adoption in values.” At least three Gladney employees—chief Fort Worth, Texas financial officer Scott Brown and legal assistants

February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 43 Sherri Davison and Karrie Keller—also disagreed but this goes against the Bible and against our with the decision and resigned. beliefs.” Simpson said Garrott and Board Chairman Kyleen Wright, president of Texans for Life, Christopher Dezzi had been pushing to open the says Gladney once relied on print advertisements agency’s doors to homosexuals for at least two to recruit birth mothers but has cultivated years, but he was still unsure as to the reason for relationships with PRCs over the past two the move: “A lot of Gladney’s budget comes from decades, encouraging the pregnancy centers to donations, on top of adoption expenses. I talked recommend Gladney for expectant mothers who to Frank and I said, ‘There are so many more cons choose adoption: “It’s been a critical partnership to this than pros, why are you doing it?’ and he Garrott for both Gladney and the [PRCs]—but these never gave me an answer beyond, ‘Well, we just pregnancy centers are faith-based and aligned feel like this is the right thing to do.’” with evangelical or traditional Catholic churches.” Garrott and Dezzi did not respond to Lifeline Children’s Services, an orphan care WORLD’s repeated inquiries. and adoption outlet with a strong presence in the Simpson said the decision was not necessary Southeast, was recently licensed to operate in to gain homes for babies who would otherwise Texas. Herbie Newell, Lifeline’s president and enter foster care: There is “no shortage of executive director, said he has received several adoptive parents” in the Gladney pipeline, and phone calls from North Texas agencies that have birth moms typically want mother-and-father gotten wind of the changes at Gladney and no homes for their unborn babies. longer can refer clients to Gladney in good The decision raises plenty of questions: Why conscience. would an adoption agency esteemed within Zac and Whitney Thompson, a Fort Worth Christian circles for its support of birth mothers couple, began their adoption through Gladney in voluntarily decide to place children with July 2017. Now, $35,000 into the process, they are homosexual parents? Was some outside group facing a crisis of conscience: “We’re actively applying pressure to the agency? Was the move mourning [Gladney’s decision] personally by ask- financially motivated? Former Gladney ing, ‘What do we do? Are we supposed to change board member adoption agencies? … Gladney currently holds the David Simpson and his wife at an key to the door that our baby is behind. And that ladney’s decision is likely to alienate orphanage in Ethiopia is the hardest thing. We are not willing to run agency stakeholders, including pregnancy Gresource centers (PRCs), donors, and adoptive parents. Mary Jayne Fogerty, executive director of Thrive Women’s Clinic in Dallas, recalls Garrott asking her several years ago how her group would respond if Gladney began serving same-sex couples: “I told him we wouldn’t be able to refer to Gladney. We don’t feel like that’s in the best interest of the child. To have a mother and father would be a better choice.” She’s troubled that Gladney did not tell her about the change, saying this is “information we need to know.” Thrive Women’s Clinic gives HANDOUT • SIMPSON: WIRE BUSINESS GARROTT: expectant mothers referrals to three agencies, and the mother chooses her course of action. Now, Fogerty says, Gladney referrals will be off the table at Thrive—and likely at other PRCs as well: “I can’t see Christian pregnancy centers—and that’s going to be most of them—making referrals to Gladney anymore, once they learn about this. Our world has become desensitized to same-sex marriage,

44 WORLD Magazine • February 3, 2018 Zac and organization that Whitney provides adop- Thompson tion resources to and their biological churches, said children the change goes with a flow of eroding values: “There’s a pervasive conflict in our culture that is playing out on many playing fields, and one of them is among fatherless children.” Personal connections apparently played a role. Garrott’s younger son, Sam, has been openly gay for several years and describes himself on social media as an “aspiring activist.” Two or more witnesses independently told me that Garrott told employees the change meant gay people—like his son—would be able to adopt from a leading agency and that the homosexual couple now in the away from that child or abandon the child that is ‘Are we Gladney pipeline came to Gladney as a referral behind those doors.” from Board Chairman Christopher Dezzi. Zeb Pent, a former Gladney donor and supposed Gladney has tried to keep its decision secret. spokesman for the conservative watchdog group to change An employee who resigned in October says Stand for Fort Worth, said, “For more than a Garrott first told her she could stay on through the century, Gladney has been known as a refuge of adoption end of the year. But after a co-worker overheard true compassion in our city. This needless agencies? … the woman talking to a colleague outside of attempt to redefine compassion violates the trust Gladney Gladney about the decision to serve same-sex of the community that built it and the vulnerable clientele, Gladney’s human resources department children entrusted to it.” currently became involved. Because she had told the agency’s Though started by a Methodist minister in holds the outside legal counsel about the change, she said 1887, Gladney is not a Christian agency. Still, key to the HR gave her two options: be escorted out of the much of its funding comes from Christian groups building that day or leave more than a month and individuals, due to the agency’s support of door that before her previously agreed-upon final workday. birth mothers both before and after the birth of a our baby is Garrott did not return calls asking about that child. Gladney may expect to receive more accusation of reneging. The ex-employee— financial support from gay interests, but behind.’ WORLD gave her anonymity since involvement Gladney’s core donor base of evangelical —Zac and Whitney in controversy would drastically affect her getting conservatives is likely to drop off. Thompson a job in Fort Worth’s tightly knit social services None of Gladney’s leaders returned multiple community—noted about Gladney’s leaders: WORLD phone calls, but Jennifer Lanter, “They had their own way they wanted to talk Gladney’s vice president of communications, did about this to the world. They said this first couple, send a written message citing the Supreme Court’s it’s two men, and it’s kind of like our charter case. 2015 Obergefell decision in defense of its move to They want to get through this one, figure out the serve same-sex couples: “Legal rulings involving loopholes, and see how it’s going to work.” same-sex marriages and adoptions are going to Garrott in December resigned from Gladney, improve the exhaustive and important matters that saying the decision was his and it was “time to affect the thousands of children in state foster care.” move on to the next chapter of my life.” Former Chief Operating Officer Mark Melson is stepping in as president and CEO: Several former insiders, o why did Gladney quietly adopt a new including board member Simpson, expect him to policy? Resigning board member continue the new policy. Simpson said most Gladney board Meanwhile, some birth moms, prospective Smembers do not profess to be Christians, so they adoptive parents, volunteers, PRC leaders, and are under the influence of a pro-gay culture. Paul donors continue to contribute to Gladney in Dezzi

THE THOMPSONS: HANDOUT • DEZZI: COURTESY OF THE PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC RECORD Pennington, president of Hope for Orphans, an various ways, unaware of its new course. A

 [email protected]  @WORLD_mag February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 45 FEATURES A tale of two feminists Anita Sarkeesian and Laci Green may seem similar, but interaction with cultural opponents has led them in very different directions by DAVID GREEN AHMANSON PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KRIEG BARRIE

EDITOR’S NOTE: Allies often share a common her focus to sex education, saying Mormons had worldview, but Francis Schaeffer wrote of the need for repressed her and she wanted toleration for Christians to gain “co-belligerents,” people of different promiscuity, homosexuality, and abortion. Her videos worldviews who will battle alongside us against gained patronage from Discovery News and Planned totalitarian forces. This article will introduce WORLD Parenthood. In 2014, MTV recruited her to host a readers to a world, unfamiliar to many, that contains YouTube channel, “Braless,” to discuss pop culture adversaries but also co-belligerents. from a Sarkeesian-like perspective. The channel gained over a million subscribers and ran for two Anita Sarkeesian and Laci Green: both left-wing years. In 2016, The New York Times declared her “the 1 feminists, both members of Time’s “30 Most sex-ed queen of YouTube.” Influential People on the Internet” (2015 and 2016), By 2016 both Sarkeesian and Green had firm repu- both with YouTube prominence. Similar at first glance, tations as social justice warriors (SJWs). Sarkeesian but one has chosen to continue in fierce partisanship declared, “Everything is sexist, everything is racist.” and the other has met with her critics and found some Green announced, “Everything is problematic!” common ground. Their contrasting routes show that in Gamers reacted angrily to Sarkeesian’s assault on their American culture we have an alternative to civil war. favorite characters and franchises. She and Green Anita Sarkeesian, now 34, is a Canadian-American became targets of a group of anti-SJW YouTubers of Iraqi Armenian descent. In 2009 she founded the known as the “Skeptic Community”: Sarkeesian website Feminist Frequency to “make feminist theory felt so harassed that she fled her home. more accessible.” She wrote articles and created Gamers who objected to how Sarkeesian and other YouTube videos in a series called “Tropes vs. Women” feminists treated them included Carl Benjamin (online that criticized media through “a feminist sociological name: Sargon of Akkad) and Chris Maldonado, who lens.” She gained notoriety in 2012 when she launched called himself Chris Ray Gun. (See sidebar, “Meet the a Kickstarter campaign with the goal of raising $6,000 anti-SJW ‘skeptics.’”) Most were not conservative, but to examine male dominance in video games: She they disparaged and mocked feminism, Black Lives received $160,000. Starting in 2013 she sat in front of a Matter, and the LGBT movement because they saw camera and explained that video games from Mario to them as a religion and “privilege” as a secular form of Bayonetta were implicitly misogynist and harmful to original sin. Some SJW YouTubers struck back and tried women everywhere. to silence them, but the Skeptics’ vid- Laci Green, now 28, first appeared on YouTube eos debunking or mocking the SJWs Green, Sarkeesian, around 2008 as a militant atheist from a Mormon received many more views and likes and members of the background, though still in her teens. She then shifted than the videos they targeted. “Skeptic Community”

46 WORLD Magazine • February 3, 2018 A tale of two feminists

February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 47 ANTI-SJW “SKEPTICS”: YOUTUBE • GUN & GREEN: TWITTER Chris Ray dating Chris Ray Gun and Green Chris Ray The next day, when Sarkeesian appeared on a appeared when Sarkeesian day, The next Green argued back that discourse and civility argued Green For a long time both Sarkeesian and Green both Sarkeesian a long time For with shock reacted the internet across SJWs Sargon shared on Twitter, to the shock and on Twitter, shared Sargon of millions. outrage Gun, Chris Ray Online” panel, Sargon, “Women planning— row, sat in the front and other skeptics her a give respectably—to behaved if Sarkeesian when she noticed Sargon But ovation. standing security, and texted she panicked and others, like him, “not even if you like them. [Obscenity] like if you him, “not even like making attacked Another tweet feelings.” your productive more “Far friends with antifeminists: who could to befriend someone at YouTube delete all their channels.” into (See “Swords society. vital to a free are some side, On the skeptic ploughshares.”) embraced but most motivations doubted Green’s an Anaheim, Calif., at VidCon, In June her. Green of all descriptions, gathering of YouTubers Carlcame face to face with her former nemesis, Benjamin: They hugged for a photo “Sargon” avoided and blocked their critics. Following the Following their critics. blocked and avoided videos both posted Donald Trump, election of In and anger at the event. their despair expressing a take announced she would Green 2017 February nothing on her She posted YouTube. from break on She appeared for a few months. channel own engaging notably in March most other channels, a White, with Blaire conversation in a livestream Gun Ray Chris April In conservative. transgender a smiling photo of himself with Green. posted a public face of could Green, How and horror: on the internet,feminism and social justice Hit pieces onconsort with their enemies? “betrayal”— Green’s internet outlets condemned word when became a firestorm and outrage actually was that Green spread folksGun. Critics said she should not date vile - A Benjamin

The child of Italian

conservative and conservative disorder, only two only two disorder, Dave Maldonado, : White transitioned to female as an female to transitioned White —D.G.A. BLAIRE WHITE: JUNE LAPINE (SHOE ON HEAD): JUNE LAPINE (SHOE T.J. KIRK (THE AMAZING ATHEIST): T.J. GREGORY FLUHRER (ARMOURED SKEPTIC): FLUHRER GREGORY CARL BENJAMIN (SARGON OF AKKAD): (SARGON BENJAMIN CARL

delivery pulls in more than 350,000 subscribers on subscribers than 350,000 pulls in more delivery YouTube. 0 SJW victim and embracing being a rape adult after identifies as a now politics. White is a mental transgenderism says to minors who encourage and those exist, genders blunt sassy, White’s of child abuse. guilty are transition 0 Barack for voted twice June Lapine parents, Catholic SJW and angry at frustrated but became Obama her She started and collectivism. fear-mongering a but takes her complaints voice channel to YouTube skeptics. other than many tone lighter 1 Kirk lives to in and professes Louisiana has more His channel with equal vigor. than 1 million subscribers. 0 with a liberal is a moderate Fluhrer Catholic, former but became leanings who has atheistic tone mellow when Plus movement disillusioned with the Atheism June ideology. a rigid into it turning atheism he saw is his girlfriend. Lapine following for his critiques of feminism and progressiv his critiques of feminism for following and of historical ism, along with his discussions of Islam. His as the spread such topics, cultural subscribers: than 700,000 more channel has YouTube in he lives religion, attacks who rarely An atheist child. and with his wife England 0 gained a and quickly in 2013 video first his uploaded CHRIS MALDONADO (CHRIS RAY GUN) RAY CHRIS MALDONADO (CHRIS DAVE CULLEN (COMPUTING FOREVER): (COMPUTING CULLEN DAVE

more than 400,000 subscribers, lives in Los Angeles, Angeles, in Los lives subscribers, than 400,000 more Green. Laci and dates professes never to have believed in God. A liberal who in God. A liberal believed have to never professes and he mocks SJWs in 2016, Bernie Sanders supported parody series of a and has issued campus “snowflakes” He has The Musical.” called “Social Justice: videos 1 Rican parents, Puerto Catholic to born in the Bronx have never been religious, evenreligious, in been hisnever traumatichave creationism he has attacked a decade childhood. For political correctness secular but opposed and religion, has served a good and important role in civilization. role and important a good has served fan of the New Atheists. Over time he commented more more time he commented Over Atheists. of the New fan and men’s progressivism justice on social and more Christianity says he now rights. still an atheist, Though 1 of reviews emphasized channel originally Cullen’s a was himself and smartphones, and Cullen computers uncouth, and aggressive. Yet, these skeptics fight for freedom from from freedom for fight skeptics these Yet, aggressive. and uncouth, of them: seven a quick look at Here’s insanity. progressive MEET THE ANTI-SJW ‘SKEPTICS’ ANTI-SJW THE MEET conservative or necessarily atheists) (most are religious not They’re vulgar, Some are issues). on economic the left even to lean (several GREEN: RICH FURY/INVISION/AP • SARKEESIAN: TAYLOR HILL/GETTY IMAGES  and reasoned. …It’s beneficial for me to anti-SJW channelsthat are well cited justice warrior. …I’ve recently found Green, amthevery pinnacle ofasocial really confused people. After all,I,Laci feminist YouTubers. Thishasapparently to andhangingoutwithsome anti may have noticed that I’ve been talking on herYouTube channel.Shesaid,“You over war—and ifshecan,others cantoo. prominent SJWLaci Green chose peace plicit inthat, theencouraging news isthat college administrators sometimes com warriors tryingto silence opponentsand With allthenews in2017 ofsocial justice SWORDS INTO PLOUGHSHARES [email protected] On May 11, Green posted anew video

 claiming she felt “unsafe” and “threatened” claiming shefelt“unsafe”and“threatened” by them.Whenaquestioner asked why they neededtokeep talkingabout Gregory Fluhrer andAndyWarski at harassment, Sarkeesian said“a wanted dialogue andmetwithSkeptics @WORLD_mag YouTube channel “Decoded,” saidshe Franchesca Ramsey, host ofthe attempts were unsuccessful. notorious harasser ofmine … agarbage VidCon—but thenmocked and human” was inthefront row. disparaged both onapodcast. They Green culture” andstill “keep fighting.” wanted totalk.Sarkeesian replied, “Whatever, dude.” Later, both sides. moderate feminists like Liana Some other peacemaking Some otherpeacemaking Kerzner: ShesaidSarkeesian’s criticized Sarkeesian, asdid Skeptics andotheranti-feminists woman ina“deeply misogynistic Sarkeesian claimedSargon and the other“Skeptics” hadcome Sargon shoutedthathejust conceive whatitwas like tobea there solely“toput[her]on edge.” Shesaidthey couldnot fans were guiltyofallthethings had received harassment from fans of, andthatsheherself she accusedSargon andhis and Green tweeted produced response videos, - it helpsmelearn. SoIdecided to reach listen andconsider another perspective; night heheldmeand most to my very human pain. …Last is theperson that hascontributed the story aboutforgiveness.” She said,“Carl Carl Benjamin(aka Sargon ofAkkad) “a to Twitter that calledher head-on, through opendialogue.” canceled. …We should address things banned, bookdeals canceled, talks “campaigns to get people’s Twitters to me.” Green saidshenow opposed surprised! People have been pretty kind out to some. …Iwas pleasantly On June24, Green posted two something vaguely resembling attitudes apersonwithout relation toSargon revealed discussion offorgiveness in movement. Green’s within themen’s rights more commonlysubjects orthodox feminists, are Those topics, tabooto even malesexual pleasure: male circumcision, and discussed malerape victims, Camille Paglia). Green personal empowerment (think tradition whileGreen emphasized revolution intheCatherineMacKinnon but Sarkeesian demandedasocial appeared tobelongthesamecamp, Green andSarkeesian until2017 sympathy toFluhrer. Inretrospect, still changethem. Godcan for atime—but become heartlessideologues, atleast interested indialogue, whileothers Some peopleactasreal humanbeings right, oreven religion vs. secularism. It seemsthatnotallbattlesare leftvs. friends andgainedanewboyfriend. perspectives, whileGreen madenew make newrelationships andlearnnew herself offfrom theopportunityto personal routes. Sarkeesian cut unlikely toformulate. a Christian upbringingwas apologized, told me Their ideologiesledtodifferent meeting with meeting with videos videos A needed to start doing that.” forgive him,andhefinally gaveI mewhat this world, andIneeded to beableto emotional health andmy happiness in live my life. It’s central to my mental and central to whoIam.It’s central to how I my life, forgiveness isvery important. It’s I canheal, forgive, move on.…For meand [I’m] such ababy. …Itmakes mefeel like makes mefeel like Ican…oh,God really happy!” also apologize onTwitter …makes me in such agenuine, authentic way, and doing that. …That hewas ableto dothat caused me,andawillingness to stop understanding ofthepain that hehad why hewas sorry, demonstrated areal February 3, 2018 3, February Sarkeesian She added,“But more thanhappy, it • WORLD Magazine WORLD —D.G.A.

49 FEATURES In their capital, universities, and media, Australians increasingly feel the impact of political pressure from China OUTSIDE INFLUENCE by June Cheng 3 ILLUSTRATION BY KRIEG BARRIE

WHILE AMERICANS worry about Russian meddling in Times Higher Education. To ensure these students aren’t led U.S. politics, on the other side of the Pacific, Australians are astray by Western values, China sponsors chapters of the Chinese worrying about Chinese meddling. Australian Prime Minister Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) on campuses in Malcolm Turnbull announced in December that his country Australia and elsewhere. would “stand up” against Chinese influence in Australian In the Australian capital of Canberra, the Chinese Consulate politics. helped the CSSA organize a large student rally welcoming Turnbull wasn’t merely grandstanding. The same week, his Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during his March visit. Arriving at administration introduced legislation banning foreign donations 5 a.m., students came in shifts to cheer on Li and drown out to political parties, strengthening espionage laws, and criminaliz- Tibetan protesters, according to Fairfax Media and Four ing deceptive influencing practices. The measures would give the Corners. Lupin Lu, the student president of the Canberra government more tools to resist what Australian media reports University Students and Scholars Association, told a reporter suggest is a Chinese effort to buy out Australian politicians. that if dissident students organized a human rights protest It’s a confluence of new realities in global politics: Under against the Chinese government, she would “definitely” tell the President Xi Jinping, China has grown more aggressive, propa- Chinese Embassy, “just to keep all the students safe, and to do it gating its brand of socialism outside its borders and punishing for China as well.” those who disagree. Meanwhile, Australia has grown increas- This type of student monitoring creates an environment ingly dependent on China, its top trading partner, and Chinese where Chinese students are less willing to speak up in class out wealth has flooded into its universities, real estate market, and of fear their contrarian thoughts could get back to Chinese agricultural sector. officials and impact their futures. Associate professor Sally In the past year, Australia’s media have exposed how Beijing is Sargeson of Australian National University in Canberra told influencing its democratic society by monitoring Chinese inter- Forbes that all the Chinese students she spoke with said they national students, donating large sums to Australian politicians, “know they are being monitored, and adjust their speech so and pressuring publishers and Chinese-language newspapers in they will not get into trouble.” Australia to follow the Communist Party line. Some Chinese students have also reported on professors who made statements in the classroom that didn’t align with the Communist Party line. Last year several such instances MANDARIN is a language commonly heard on Australian came to light: university campuses, where 140,000- Chinese students currently 0 In May, a lecturer at Monash University in Melbourne study, making up 30 percent of Australia’s international student used a test question that suggested Chinese officials only tell the population and bringing in $17.2 billion in revenue, according to truth when they are drunk. A student shared it online, leading

February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 51 SUPPORTERS: REUTERS/DAVID GRAY/NEWSCOM • DASTYARI: WILLIAM WEST/AFP/GETTY IMAGES - - - - “The only way to respond “The only way way to share their viewpoint: to share way Carrico replied that instead of that instead Carrico replied share backing out, she should her insights and alternative viewpoint. has a everybody is to ensure has also left its footprint on - investigation uncovered millions of uncovered investigation Four Corners Four To ensure that universities stop caving to Chinese pressure, Chinese pressure, to caving stop that universities ensure To a particular set of values, have concern is that we “The biggest Sen. is that of the Labor Party’s publicized case The most Sam Dastyari, who resigned from the Australian Senate in Senate the Australian from who resigned Dastyari, Sam Communist-linked revealed Media December after Fairfax a viola and legal bills, travel Chinese donors paid for Dastyari’s also accused of being influenced was Dastyari tion of party rules. the Labor Party’s against went Dastyari donors: In 2016, by the siding with China in its disputed claims over platform by South affairs,” own China Sea. “The South China Sea is China’s with Chinese-language conference said in a press Dastyari and neutral should remain Australia this issue, media. “On decision.” China’s respect That includes the person who thinks Taiwan is a part of China, is a That the person who thinks Taiwan includes is an inde who thinks Taiwan myself as someone like well as Carrico said. pendent country,” think an Australian Institute, of the Lowy Varrall Merriden so much on Chinese relying they need to stop tank, believes This money influ of revenue. as a source international students schools including the professors ences decisions at all levels, recommends Varrall what they teach in their classes. and hire less so they are universities to fund the ways finding other students. dependent on the tuition of foreign and these other views begin and national interests, worldviews, she said. and interests,” or challenge those perspectives to erode INFLUENCE CHINESE has been one of the few Australia now, Until politics. Australian A to donate to political parties. foreigners to allow democracies Media– Fairfax major political dollars in campaign donations to Australia’s Chinese businessmen with connections to wealthy parties from pro politicians seem to have In return, Party. the Communist and access to the most policies, Beijing-friendly vided favors, people in the country. powerful Pro-China supporters supporters Pro-China before Li Keqiang welcome at ceremony an official in House Parliament (above); Australia Canberra, right). (above Dastyari Sam - - - - February 3, 2018 • Also in August, a University of Newcastle professor posted professor of Newcastle a University Also in August, Again in August, as tensions rose between China and India China between as tensions rose in August, Again In August, a computer science professor at Australian at Australian a computer science professor In August, Carrico teaches a contemporary China class that discusses Carrico teaches a contemporary Kevin Carrico, an American professor teaching Chinese an American professor Carrico, Kevin 0 0 0 WORLD Magazine project because she felt it was constantly bad-mouthing China, constantly because she felt it was project 52 topics, although students are often more open to discussing often more are although students topics, topics one-on-onesensitive When one during office hours. events not to participate in a current asked Chinese student politically sensitive topics such as the 1989 Tiananmen Square topics such as the 1989 Tiananmen Square politically sensitive South China Sea. About and the of Taiwan, the status massacre, never mainland China, and he’s from are of his students a third on these to curb his discussions pressure any experienced China to intervene in the same way every time Chinese profes every in the same way China to intervene States. about the United sors said something negative students into thinking these territories are the property of India. the property territories are into thinking these students not a case of people being offended, but of peopleI think it was is a dou there He believes to be outraged.” way to find a wanting Consulate in be unimaginable for the U.S. would It standard: ble especially the last two—were disturbing. Regarding the contro Regarding disturbing. two—were especially the last provided it was troublingly, he noted: “Very the map, over versy to trick in Australia Indian conspiracy of an insidious as evidence to a Chinese outcry and complaints from the Chinese Consulate to a Chinese outcry and complaints from line. a red had crossed that the university said these cases— in Sydney, University at Macquarie studies Chinese students in the class. In a video of the exchange that a video of the exchange In in the class. Chinese students as a country to Taiwan claimed that referring students followed, led online, posted The video, uncomfortable.” made them “feel contested border regions as part of India. The lecturer apolo as part of India. The lecturer regions border contested caused.” have offense this may “any gized and said he regretted which upset the as a country, to Taiwan that referred a list over a border dispute in Doklam, students at the University of at the University in Doklam, students dispute a border over of Indian descent had, complained that an IT professor Sydney a map in class that labeled showed earlier, than a year more complained on the school’s Facebook page. The professor The professor page. Facebook complained on the school’s apologized. National University put up a slide that read, in English and put up a slide that read, University National Chinese cheat.” who students “I will not tolerate Chinese, office and to the dean’s it as discrimination reported students Chinese Consulate. The school, which has 4,400 Chinese which has 4,400 The school, Chinese Consulate. the and removed suspended the lecturer international students, that included the question. textbook to a strong backlash from Chinese nationals and a call from the Chinese nationals and a call from backlash from to a strong HANDOUT  out ofthenewspaper andthreatened toprevent Feng from Times pressure whenhecreated anindependentnewspaper, positive aspectsofCommunist policies. Feng himselffaced papers are similartothosepublishedinBeijing, toutingthe work papers. onlywithpro-Beijing they obedientlypulladvertising from independentpapersand need goodrelations withtheChinesegovernment to bulk ofthemediaoutlets’advertising. Becausethesebusinesses outlets by threatening Chinesebusinessesthatmake upthe Chinese government controls thecontentofoverseas media mediaoutlets. The seas branches ofstate media andpro-China Propaganda Program” spendsbillionsofdollarstocreate over the website TheConversation thattheparty’s “Grand External mediainAustralia.Chinese-language in He notedinanop-ed deems sensitive. send amessagetootheracademicsnottouchissuesChina finally lethimgo. Theprofessor believes he was heldinorder to As internationalcoverage ofFeng’s caseincreased, officials who was onatrip researching Chinesehuman rightslawyers. plane backtoAustralia. For 10days, officialsinterrogated Feng, Sydney associateprofessor ChongyiFeng from boarding his March, Chineseauthoritiesbarred University ofTechnology press conference onthematter.held thepro-China [email protected] As aresult, many ofthearticlesinAustralia’s Chinese news Feng oftenspoke outabouttheCommunist Party’s control of Australian academicsalsofacethreats from China.Last , in2006. Consularofficialsforced hisadvertisers topull South ChinaSea.Aday later, Dastyari andHuang the partyrevealed itopposedChina’s claimsinthe campaign, butangrilycalledoffthedonationonce according toFairfax– multiple timestofindoutthe status ofhisapplication, Dastyari calledimmigration officialsonhisbehalf was applyingforAustralian citizenshipin2016, donated $2 milliontothetwo parties. WhenHuang Altogether, Huang andhisbusinessassociates large donortoboththeLiberal andLaborparties. Huang paida$3,840 legalbillforDastyari andwas a which hasclosetiestotheChinesegovernment. Promotion ofthePeaceful Reunification ofChina, Xiangmo, president oftheAustralian Councilfor the Dastyari’s fall:ChinesebusinessmanHuang Huang hadpledged$307,000 toLabor’s 2016 Fairfax–  Four Corners @WORLD_mag —CHONGYI of liberal democracy.’ institutional arrangements taken advantage ofthese Chinese communist statehas ‘It isunfortunatethatthe Four Corners revealed themanbehind

FENG . survive, Sydney - - sites ofthe blocked Chineseaccesstoatleast 1,000 articlesfrom theweb that thescientificpublishingcompany Springer Nature recently ing toChinesepressure. InOctober, book andthecompany from possible actionby Beijing.” him by emailitwas concerned about“potentialthreats tothe until earlyNovember, whenHamilton saidAllen&Unwin told the publishinghousewas ready toproceed with had publishedeightprevious bookswithAllen&Unwin, and The author, CharlesSturt University professor Clive Hamilton, influence on Australia duetofearof retaliation from Beijing. halted publicationofabookontheChineseCommunist Party’s In November, leadingAustralian publisherAllen&Unwin BEIJING’S GRIP of liberal democratic values,” Feng wrote intheop-ed. democracy topromote itscommunist ideology … at theexpense taken advantage oftheseinstitutional arrangements ofliberal a lackoffunds. doing research inChina.Feng soonshutdown thepaperdueto quiet down. But itdoesn’t work inthiscontext.” in itstoolbox, tryingtoputpressure onpeopleandmake them said. “It’s amiscalculation,but … thisistheonlytoolBeijinghas to pushbackthantheyotherwise would have been,” Carrico “Beijing isunintentionallymaking peoplefarmore determined ment isbackfiring, hurting Western countries’viewofChina. promotes Tibetanindependencefrom China.) (The Chinesegovernment opposestheDalai Lamabecausehe measures toresolutely resist theschool’s unreasonable behavior.” commencement, theschool’s CSSA chapterthreatened “tough California, San Diego, invited theDalai Lamatospeakatits active indecryinguniversity actions. WhentheUniversity of politicians, butChinesestudent associationsinAmericaare also is notagoodfeeling. We have tolearnlive withit.” technologies orthrough humanagentsontheground, orboth, monitored by theChineseauthorities, eitherthrough cyber wasn’t surprised,hesays, “knowing thatwe are closely Chinese government knewallabouthiscenter. WhileYang Politics This cameontheheelsoftwo othercasesofpublishersbow “It isunfortunatethattheChinesecommunist state has Back inSydney, Carricobelieves thatChina’s micromanage The United States doesnotallow foreign donationsfor . Thearticlesallincludedtermslike “Taiwan,” “Tibet,” Journal ofChinese Political Science

hasreached academicbookpublishers: Religion andChineseSociety, thatthe Yang, thedirector oftheCenteron sources alerted professor Fenggang by China:At Purdue University, have theirown stories ofmonitoring reposted thearticles. ing housereversed itsdecisionand demning thecensorship, thepublish academics signedapetitioncon sensitive issues. Afterhundreds of China Quarterly China toarticlesfrom thejournal Press similarly blocked accessin and “Cultural Revolution.” - February 3, 2018 3, February Academics intheUnited States In August, CambridgeUniversity Financial Times that also touched on thatalsotouchedon • WORLD Magazine WORLD and A Silent Invasion International revealed - 53 - - -

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Lifestyle Once we’ve confessed HOW SHOULD CHURCHES HANDLE SEXUAL SINS FROM 20 YEARS AGO? by Russell St. John

All agree what Baptist Church (WPBC) in Oh my god, I’m so sorry. years ago.” He disclosed his R happened, but the Texas, says she complied You can’t tell anyone Jules, sin to the leaders of WPBC aftermath roils a cauldron reluctantly, believing “this please.” (now StoneBridge Church), of disagreement. must mean that Andy loved Fast-forward 20 years. to his wife before they Parked on a dark, empty me.” Both agree Savage Andy Savage is married, the married, and to the staff at road in 1998, college experienced immediate father of five sons, and a Highpoint before joining student and youth pastor conviction of sin, leaped pastor at Highpoint Church the ministry. Woodson Andy Savage asked from the vehicle, and in Memphis. Savage claims counters that WPBC hid 17-year-old Jules Woodson collapsed before Woodson. his sin against Woodson from the congregation the to perform oral sex on him. She recalls, “He was on his “was dealt with in Texas 20 specific sin Savage Woodson, a member of knees with his hands up on committed and then Savage’s youth group at his head, ‘Oh my god, oh Andy Savage preaching at allowed him to resign

HANDOUT Woodlands Parkway my god. What have I done? Highpoint Church in Memphis without public confession.

Visit WORLD Digital: wng.org February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 55 NOTEBOOK Lifestyle

Savage confessed his sin before the WPBC’s leaders. Without those details, of accountability over the course of Highpoint congregation in January Christians should shun uninformed years before making him a pastor. and apologized: He has now taken a judgment. Proverbs 13:16 cautions, Despite this cautious process, backlash leave of absence. Church members “Every prudent man acts with knowl- persists. gave him a standing ovation, which edge, but a fool flaunts his folly.” The Cultural backlash against the was not appropriate: news of sin, even congregation’s ignorance of Savage’s church may indeed indicate an error tempered by repentance, should particular sin may testify to a shameful or moral failure. It may also indicate prompt mourning rather than cover-up. It may also testify to the no such thing. Jesus never sinned, yet applause. Woodson recently said the church’s fidelity to the privacy of the the world hated Him. At best our cul- Texas church 20 years ago told Savage discipline process. The debate is now ture requires the church to support “he couldn’t talk to me and they told playing out publicly: An online petition Woodson by crucifying Savage. Christ me I couldn’t talk to him,” but Savage calls for Savage’s resignation, and commands us to love both. At worst stated, “Until now, I did not know Christian publisher Bethany House the culture deplores Savage as an there was unfinished business with has canceled the scheduled July irredeemable monster and the church Jules.” To what extent they did or did publication of Savage’s book, The as complicit in sexual predation. The not reconcile is unclear. Ridiculously Good Marriage. world cannot grasp the wonder of Christians differ over how churches None deny Andy Savage disquali- Hebrews 11. Men of great faith are also should address sins ministry leaders fied himself from ministry. He and men of great sin. Abraham, Moses, and commit. Matthew 18 describes church WPBC conceded as much when he David delved deep into sin, but Christ discipline as a private process that resigned. But later the leadership of delved deeper into mercy. To diminish involves the congregation only if the Highpoint Church declared him quali- the former diminishes the latter. fied. Some Christian backlash presents a Christians different challenge. Good Christians Savage confessing the “sexual incident” to his acknowledge are calling for Savage to resign. Were congregation on Jan. 7 Jesus restored the church to force his ouster it would Savage as a send a powerful message to the man but claim culture: We police our own and will him forever not tolerate abuse. The culture would disqualified applaud. But maybe the culture needs from office. a different message: Jesus restores not After all, the only the abused but also the abuser. Scriptures The culture is not rooting for the require an restoration of Harvey Weinstein. It elder to does not want a wicked predator to possess char- know the mercy of Jesus, but the acter “above church should want just that. Each reproach.” But Christian must acknowledge, “I am 1 Timothy 3 the abused and the abuser.” Blessedly and Titus 1 Jesus restores both. address a In all this the church must not offender refuses to repent. But James prospective elder as he is now, not as forget Jules Woodson’s wounds. Those 3:1 states church leaders “will be he was 20 years ago. Is the man now who have suffered at the hands of a judged with greater strictness.” Savage above reproach? Peter’s restoration wolflike shepherd deserve the believes WPBC handled his sin demonstrates that a man who commit- church’s utmost care. Jesus is tender Biblically: “I apologized and sought ted gross sin can resume public office with the wounded: “A bruised reed he forgiveness from [Woodson], her within the church. If Paul intended to will not break, and a faintly burning HIGHPOINT CHURCH YOUTUBE CHANNEL parents, her discipleship group, the disqualify any man who was ever wick he will not quench.” His church church staff, and the church leader- reproachable, then he disqualified must offer the same tenderness, ship, who informed the congregation.” himself and many Christian leaders binding up Woodson’s wounds with Woodson disagrees and charges since. the love of Christ. WPBC with a “big cover up.” Savage was not self-righteous: He Twenty years ago on a dark road Christians must love truth and confessed. If he were reinstated to Andy Savage abused Jules Woodson. hold church leaders accountable. office three weeks after sinning, the The only cure for Savage, Woodson, Unfortunately, the details of a story would be very different. But by the church, and the world is: Jesus. A 20-year-old disciplinary action now all accounts Highpoint Church —Russell St. John is a graduate of the World reside only in the memories of observed Savage carefully in a context Journalism Institute’s mid-career course

56 WORLD Magazine • February 3, 2018 Give the gift of clarity: wng.org/giftofclarity NOTEBOOK Technology

recount procedures often pick a fixed percentage of Election Day defense precincts to audit. But election experts believe the A NEW ELECTION SECURITY BILL TAKES AIM AT size of the audit sample PAPERLESS VOTING MACHINES by Michael Cochrane should vary based on the margin of victory. be dangerously inadequate. “An audit isn’t necessar- A paper ballot is scanned in “In every single case, ily a recount if an election New York City when a machine was result is not particularly in 2016. brought into the lab and close,” Halderman told Ars studied by qualified Technica. “You don’t have researchers, the result was to look at that many ballots the discovery of significant in order to audit it to high vulnerabilities,” Alex confidence. But if an elec- Halderman, a computer tion result turns on one scientist at the University vote, obviously you do need of Michigan, told tech to look at every ballot to website Ars Technica. know that for sure.” “[Those vulnerabilities] Congress would have to could allow the machines to move quickly in order to be compromised with mali- implement some of the leg- Time to bring back vote and its tedious recount cious software that could islation’s recommendations R paper ballots? A bipar- familiarized Americans potentially steal votes.” before the 2018 elections tisan group of senators led by with terms such as “hang- The proposed bill and to have new voting sys- James Lankford, R-Okla., is ing chad” and “butterfly would provide grants to tems in place by November sponsoring a bill that would ballot,” Congress set aside states willing to phase out 2020. encourage states to abandon billions of dollars to fix paperless voting machines The bill’s supporters paperless voting machines what it believed were and replace them with are also concerned about and adopt rigorous post- outdated voting systems. more secure systems, such foreign intervention. election audits—moves The solution seemed to be as optically scanned paper Democratic co-sponsor that could significantly paperless touchscreen ballot machines. Sen. Kamala Harris of strengthen the security of voting machines. But over The bill would encour- California said, “With the American elections. the last decade, computer age states to conduct 2018 elections just around After the extremely security experts have statistically rigorous post- the corner, Russia will be close 2000 presidential found such machines to election audits. Current back to interfere again.”

GET OUT OF JAIL FREE for weeks or Much of the nation’s jail population can’t afford it. months. consists of those who are awaiting On any Kortney trial but can’t scrape together given day, Ryan Ziegler, enough money for bail. A new about 450,000 Appolition’s smartphone app aims to release people are co-creator, many of these people by converting held in city or got inspira- spare change into bail money. county jails tion for the The app, called “Appolition,” links because they can’t afford bail, app after hearing about National to a user’s bank account. Whenever according to civil rights groups. This Bail Out’s efforts to raise funds for the user makes a purchase on a sets up what some see as a “two- jailed black mothers, according to credit or debit card, the purchase tiered” system of justice, in which Wired magazine. Ziegler launched price is rounded up to the nearest those who can afford bail, regardless Appolition in mid-November, and dollar and the difference is donated of the seriousness of their offense, after a month the app had raised to National Bail Out, a network of can walk free pending trial, while more than $8,000 in spare change groups that post bail for those who those who can’t remain incarcerated from 6,000 users. —M.C. VOTING MACHINE: DREW ANGERER/GETTY IMAGES • APPOLITION: WEBSITE

February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 57 NOTEBOOK Medicine

should be examined? Who chooses the right answers where there is disagreement? How often should doctors face these checks? What allowance should they receive for focusing on specific areas of practice—areas that may be only a small portion of a modern MOC exam? Will MOCs allow politicized credentialing bodies to insist on con- formity with their agendas? Many state departments of motor vehicles have started to require eye exams as drivers age, and some have introduced a system where people can report potentially impaired older drivers for a closer check. It’s not every day that I think DMVs do a better job than my own credentialing body, but their system works better than MOC. Like drivers, physicians often respond to their advancing years by setting limits for themselves: Where an elderly driver might avoid the roads at night or in inclement weather, older doctors often stop taking night calls, limit their practices, and gradually restrict how many patients they see in a day. MOC Physicians in white doesn’t account for those adaptations. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN OLD DOCTORS’ SKILLS Some medical authorities now by Charles Horton follow DMV practice. The University FADE, FADE AWAY? of California, San Diego, offers an Aging Physician Assessment, and A new law will allow Japan’s mobility was failing him: He could no Baltimore’s Sinai Hospital has a simi- R Emperor Akihito, who would longer respond quickly to emergencies, lar program focusing on surgeons. otherwise have had to serve for life, to but his memory and intelligence Both are voluntary, but Stanford abdicate; he plans to step down in remained intact. went even further in 2013, requiring 2019 at the age of 85. This extreme This isn’t always the case, and a all doctors over 75 to undergo bien- approach to tenure contrasts with 2012 Washington Post article on the nial evaluations. In each case, the America’s federal judges: Firing one subject quoted geriatrician William programs focused on mental and would take a (literal) act of Congress, Norcross as estimating that 8,000 prac- physical health—as opposed to test but they’re free to leave whenever ticing doctors suffered from dementia. scores and quizzes about guidelines. they choose. Concerns of that sort have given rise The Stanford policy met with Some lines of work take the oppo- to a controversial idea called MOC, or considerable debate about whether it site approach, setting a mandatory Maintenance of Certification. Under constituted age discrimination, but retirement age. Commercial pilots MOC, medical board certification has even a rebuke from the faculty senate have to retire at 65—it had been 60, moved from a once-for-life pair of failed to stop it. It makes sense, and I until a 2007 law added five years—and exams to an increasingly complicated agree with its emphasis on health air traffic controllers normally retire at series of steps that repeats every 10 instead of attitudes: I don’t want my 56. In the Old Testament, the Levites years. MOC proponents say the doctor’s decisions to be microman-

had to step down from Tabernacle program ensures doctors keep their aged, but evaluating whether his skills BUERO MONACO/GETTY service at 50. knowledge current. Detractors call it are still equal to his job description Where do doctors fit in? Pioneering an expensive distraction from clinical seems fair. Dr. DeBakey commented— heart surgeon Michael DeBakey prac- practice. at 91—that he would not mind being ticed until his death at 99, and one of Some hospitals and practices now operated on by a 91-year-old surgeon. my own mentors practiced into his require doctors to have MOCs, but If the surgeon were as skilled and late 70s and stopped only because his critics ask: Who sets the topics that robust as he was at 91, I’d agree. A

58 WORLD Magazine • February 3, 2018 Manage your membership: wng.org/membership NOTEBOOK Sports

book Under Our Skin, has not knelt during the anthem, but he has used A $14 billion problem the debate to encourage a dialogue MIXED RESPONSES TO NATIONAL ANTHEM PROTESTS about racial injustice and ways players can influence the conversation. THREATEN THE NFL’S PURSE by Evan Wilt Several players attacked the NFL’s pledged $89 million earmark over NFL politics reached a fever to continue. But pressure is rising. seven years when it was announced, R pitch in 2017 with divided Former San Francisco 49ers arguing it was too small to address the responses to player protests over quarterback Colin Kaepernick first concerns raised by protesting players. racial injustice, but don’t expect the protested during the national anthem San Francisco 49ers safety Eric dispute to disappear anytime soon. to spotlight racism and social justice Reid, an early Kaepernick ally, left the At the end of November, after issues in August 2016. Other players NFL Players Coalition after the group months of quarreling, the NFL pledged soon joined, angering fans that found accepted the league’s proposal. Reid $89 million over the next seven years the display unpatriotic. told Slate he believed the NFL would to address the social justice issues that On Sept. 22, 2017, President Trump redirect funds previously scheduled started the kneeling protests. But said the protests disrespect the for other causes. some players called the donation— American flag and argued NFL owners The NFL denied this. Tod Leiweke, which did not require players to stop should fire players who kneel. the NFL’s chief operating officer, kneeling—a “charade,” and protests That weekend, players from all 32 assured teams in a memo the funds continued through the end of the NFL teams participated in protests, would “supplement, and not replace, season. Team owners plan to meet in and some went on to kneel the our other key social responsibility March to discuss next steps for the remainder of the season. NFL reve- efforts.” NFL, a $14 billion per year industry nues, which have doubled over the last Some conservatives feared the $89 plagued with an intractable dispute. decade, began to decline amid the million would end up in the hands of “Collectively, the NFL does not furor. liberal groups. According to Watson, want guys to kneel during the national Team owners plan to meet in the league plans to work with players anthem,” Baltimore Ravens tight end March and could consider a rule to choose which causes deserve the Benjamin Watson told me. “I would change to force players to stand dur- money. suspect the NFL, in some way, would ing the national anthem—a decision For Watson, the $89 million is a not allow players to take a knee or to likely to further polarize the league. good start, not because of the amount, protest next year or in the near future The average audience across the but because it has the potential to kick if it continues,” he added, citing con- league’s network partners, including off an important conversation. “We cerns over fan backlash and skittish CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, and NFL don’t agree all the time, and that’s advertisers. Network, dropped 10 percent in 2017. fine,” he said, “but at least be willing to Watson noted the NFL has no rules NFL game attendance is also down, hear why someone feels the way that on player behavior during the playing and the league’s partners are feeling they feel.” A of the national anthem prior to kickoff. the impact. NFL executives met in October and The protests divided NFL locker Members of the Houston Texans kneel chose not to punish protesting play- rooms, too. Watson, who wrote during the national anthem during an NFL ers and allowed the kneeling about race relations in his 2015 game against the Seattle Seahawks. RYAN KANGRYAN VIA AP

February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 59

VOICES Mailbag

‘Fragile philosophy’ DEC. 9 Your selections for “2017 Books of the Year: Origins” show that Biblical and scientific evidence is fast refuting evolution (theistic included). Many still don’t see that and cling to the crumbling foundations of a structure that leads people away from God’s clear revelation. —MICHAEL DuMEZ / Oostburg, Wis.

Great selections. My preference is establish his guilt or innocence but to Four Views on Creation, Evolution, explain a Christian response if he is and Intelligent Design because of the guilty of abusing those young women. stand up for Biblical values. His loss is intelligent back-and-forth interaction. When we decide that the bad behavior our loss and the country’s loss. Please It’s a must-read for the thoughtful of people we support is better than the cancel my subscription. Christian. bad behavior of opponents, we are on —IGOR SHPUDEJKO / Goodyear, Ariz. —JOHN WIESTER / Buellton, Calif. a slippery slope. —SUSAN JARVIS / Ocean Springs, Miss. I had considered Moore the lesser of I am the director of our rural public two evils, but his postelection actions library. We must, of course, have books I don’t know the truth about Moore, make me think we are probably better promoting and explaining Darwinism, but don’t you smell a rat in the pattern off without him in the Senate. He may but it is also my duty to buy books on of liberal accusations of sexual wrong- stand up for “Christian values,” but he varying theories of origins. I think I’ll doing in attempts to take down con- does so in an angry, defiant, and grand- buy some items reviewed in this servatives? Is no one willing to say that standing way. On the bright side, Jones’ article. he has the right to forge ahead because term will be short, and Republicans —DAN LaRUE / Lebanon, Pa. people should be assumed innocent can soon reclaim that seat. until proven guilty? —JAY WALKER / Anniston, Ala. ‘Two views of Adam’ —SAM LOCHINGER / Redgranite, Wis. DEC. 9 Actual scientific evidence for We’re always told we have to choose Darwinism has just about vanished. Voting for pro-abortion Democrats is the “lesser of two evils,” but there Darwinians are well aware that they an evil much greater than voting for a must be a point at which the lesser is can’t explain how life originated or flawed character. I have been greatly not less enough. We don’t believe in new species developed, but most encouraged by Trump’s stands on comparative morality, and the ultimate educational and political folks are not. moral issues. You are supporting evil goal is not to win earthly power. It sounds like BioLogos is not aware in questioning the flawed character of —JOHN KLOOSTERMAN on wng.org either. Republicans when the choice on the —TERRY CHAPPELL / Reedley, Calif. other side is clearly evil. ‘The new rules’ —ROBERT L. DOSEE / Garden Ridge, Texas DEC. 9 My church does background ‘Backward advantage’ checks not out of fear of potential trag- DEC. 9 Every time I tried to read I am appalled at the way evangelicals edy but because of past tragedies. Ecclesiastes I got too depressed to are defending Moore. This is the fruit Parents whose child experienced an continue, so I appreciated Susan of the tree we planted by electing actual loss of innocence in church Olasky’s review of David Gibson’s Trump. Our moral authority is almost wish they were dealing merely with Living Life Backward. I plan to get a completely gone. skepticism and suspicion. copy of the book. —ELIZABETH COLE / Bluff City, Tenn. —JESSICA MAUER / Kalamazoo, Mich. —BOB CREMER on wng.org WORLD must be pleased at the out- A free society only works in a Christian ‘The Roy Moore moment’ come of the Alabama Senate race. environment where godly intent and DEC. 9 Your take on Roy Moore and the Comparing Moore to Bill Clinton was behavior are the norm. Often after Alabama election is why I am such a outrageous. Moore is an amazing some evil act a victim or activist wants fan of WORLD. You did not try to Christian man who is not afraid to some guarantee that this “will never

Visit WORLD Digital: wng.org February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 61 VOICES Mailbag

happen again,” but there is no guaran- defending the immoral movements ‘Designated haters’ tee. Evil will continue to propagate in a destroying America’s Judeo-Christian DEC. 9 Thank you for the photograph of society that rejects God, resulting in standards. the Southern Poverty Law Center’s tighter rules and less freedom. —DWIGHT HUTCHINSON / Middletown, Md. building; it is not only divided, it —TRIA McCRACKEN on wng.org appears to be pulling apart. I have ‘Tumultuous times’ seldom seen a structure that speaks so ‘Not invisible’ DEC. 9 I look forward to The Sift each clearly of its occupant’s mission in DEC. 9 I appreciated Emily Belz’s cover- day on wng.org, and it provides a good society. age of the unintended consequences of balance to CNN’s similar update. I —FRANCES SEEL / Clemson, S.C. Medicaid cuts on the disabled popula- realized reading Marvin Olasky’s tion. Tackling healthcare reform is a column that it’s a recent addition to Read more Mailbag letters at wng.org complex problem, but as I love my WORLD’s services. neighbor, I must be concerned for those —BRIAN HOWARD / Greensboro, N.C. who rely so heavily on the program for essential services. ‘Dreamland faces reality’ LETTERS and COMMENTS —KRISTY LYNN / Radford, Va. DEC. 9 This is an excellent column on Email: [email protected] the state of affairs in Hollywood and Mail: WORLD Mailbag, PO Box 20002, ‘Showdown over Lebanon’ our nation. It blends well with Asheville, NC 28802-9998 DEC. 9 Mindy Belz’s insights on the con- Olasky’s and Joel Belz’s columns: We Website: wng.org stant changes in the Middle East are must remain vigilant and keep our eye Facebook: facebook.com/WORLD.magazine most informative. The mainstream on the “prize,” the “upward call” of Twitter: @WORLD_mag media usually ignore these important our Lord Jesus Christ. Please include full name and address. Letters events to concentrate instead on —BILL BUCHALTER / Stuart, Fla. may be edited to yield brevity and clarity. VOICES Andrée Seu Peterson

is not a little chilling to read, in the very next verse, the names of the new guys in town, the ominously non-Jewish-sounding spellings of the princes who have replaced the Jewish courtiers in Jerusalem: “Nergal-Sharezer, Samgar-Nebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, ... Rabmag.” Individuals: Consider Judas’ destruction. The target has been softened: “During supper, This time next year when the devil had already put it into the heart FOR BETTER OR WORSE, EVERYTHING of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus … rose from supper” (John 13:2-4). Fatal AND EVERYBODY WILL CHANGE penetration follows: “Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered As we begin a new year, it is well to into him. Jesus said to R remember that you won’t be the same him, ‘What you are going person next year as you are this year. You will to do, do quickly’” (v. 27). be a better person or a worse one, but you will Judas has been flirting not be the you who now reads these words. with the dark side, and by Things will happen (that you can’t help), and the dark side he is finally you will make choices (that you can help). devoured. Robert Frost, because poets are not statisticians, Churches: Mark Steyn spoke of two roads diverging in a yellow wood writes in America Alone: that “has made all the difference.” But it would “Most mainline Protestant be more accurate to describe an ever-branching churches are, to one outcropping of paths beneath your feet that degree or another, post- lead to Christ-likeness or its opposite. Christian. If they no The rest of the world won’t be the same next longer seem disposed to January as this January either. I heard a finance An ever- converting the unbeliever to Christ, they can at counselor on the radio tell a caller that he least convert them to the boggiest of soft-left should pay off his debts first and then think branching political clichés, on the grounds that if Jesus about going on vacation. “Europe will always outcropping were alive today he’d most likely be a gay be there,” he said. The advice was sound but of paths Anglican bishop in a committed relationship not so much the travel tip. Europe—as you driving around in an environmentally friendly know—will not be the same in one year’s time beneath your car with an ‘Arms are for Hugging’ sticker on as it is now. Seventeen of its countries have feet leads to the way to an interfaith dialogue with a Wiccan slipped to a birthrate too low to replace itself Christ- and a couple of Wahhabi imams.” and are embarked on a historically unprece- Cells: Science cannot help but employ the dented course of self-extinction. It’s not that likeness or language of personality to biology: “To enter a the banlieues and boulevards will be deserted, its opposite. cell, viruses must recognize certain proteins but pedestrians you stop to ask directions will encoded by host genes.” “A virus will bind to more likely be named Mohammed than Hans. these receptors, employing them as entryways There is a process by which a thing into a cell.” “The virus tricks the cell into thinking becomes, over time, transformed into another that the virus knocking at the door is nothing thing. Uncannily, the stages in that process can more than nutrition or harmless goods.” “Once be traced throughout the manifold strata of inside a cell, retroviruses insert their gene into reality under the sun—individuals, nations, a host’s chromosome.” “It finds a safe haven in churches, cultures, and biological cells. them while it continues to replicate.” Nations: “In the ninth year of Zedekiah king Satan’s “designs” (2 Corinthians 2:11) of of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar penetration, infiltration, and death are manifold. king of Babylon and all his army came against God’s grace reaches far as the curse is found. Jerusalem, and besieged it. In the eleventh year You and I can be a better individual by this time of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth next year. Our weapons are clinging to Christ, day of the month, the city was penetrated” keeping His word, wielding the sword of faith, (Jeremiah 39:1-2). and praying every day. Thus do once-healthy entities fall: first the And as for Europe, I would recommend you

RASICA/ISTOCK siege works; two years later, the penetration. It visit earlier rather than later. A

 [email protected] February 3, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 63 VOICES Marvin Olasky

Pelagians. They assume society is to blame if people aren’t working. They are partly right, in that urban schools are often terrible and many in rural areas aren’t better, but they romanticize our natures, as did Jean Jacques Rousseau when he wrote about “noble savages.” The Bible, though, shows that we are all naturally savage and selfish, not noble. Political Pelagianism Many Republicans are also Political Pelagians, THE THEOLOGY BEHIND BOTH DEMOCRATIC but since their prime backers come from the other end of the economic spectrum, they tend to AND REPUBLICAN LAWMAKING glamorize the Noble CEO. GOP leaders last year proselytized for corporate tax cuts rather than Pelagius (A.D. 360-418) denied Biblical individual ones on the grounds that executives Get connected, equipped, and inspired! R teaching about original sin. He thought would use those corporate windfalls to create people could do good without being born again. more jobs and boom the economy to 4 percent Hear from these and many other dynamic speakers and musical artists Allies and opponents described him as highly growth next year, or more. educated, fluent in Latin and Greek, and portly. That’s a Pelagian assumption. Augustinians (The theologian Jerome, an ascetic, described expect executives and shareholders to maxi- Pelagius as “stuffed with Irish porridge.”) mize their own income, with only a small In Christian history he’s best-known for his amount trickling down, and the national debt takedown by Jerome and by Augustine, who soaring. Many economists project 2 percent followed the Bible in arguing that we are help- growth over the next two years, and Goldman MIKE LINDELL ERIC METAXAS KELLY WRIGHT JERRY A. JOHNSON JOEL ROSENBERG MEGAN ALEXANDER DAVID & JASON BENHAM less sinners from birth and desperately in need Sachs says the effect of the GOP initiative in of Christ’s grace. Church assemblies—the 15th 2020 “looks minimal and could actually be Council of Carthage in 411, the First Council of slightly negative.” Some Republicans who sup- Ephesus in 431, etc.—condemned Pelagianism, Some ported their party’s bill, like Sen. Marco Rubio, but century after century it keeps popping up. are having second thoughts. He said we’ll “see a I won’t go deeper into the theology here, Democrats lot of these multinationals buy back shares to because my goal is to follow the contemporary love to claim drive up the price. … That isn’t going to create thread that I’d call Political Pelagianism. Some the poor are dramatic economic growth.” LUIS PALAU RICK WARREN MARSHA BLACKBURN ALEX KENDRICK LARRY ELDER MERCYME FERNANDO ORTEGA Democrats love to claim the poor are virtually If Republicans really wanted to push job sinless. Some Republicans say the same things virtually creation and were Augustinian (understanding about the rich. sinless. Some human selfishness) rather than Pelagian, they This political theology emerges in legislation. Republicans would have emphasized job creation tax credits For example, the “Housing First” doctrine that and fixed glitches in the earned income tax became dogma during Barack Obama’s White say the same credit. Payroll taxes are the major tax expense House years states that homeless individuals things about for many people earning less than $50,000 per BILLY KIM STEVE GREEN JACKIE GREEN KIRSTEN HAGLUND DAVID LIMBAUGH ED STETZER GABE LYONS should be given homes, “regardless of their the rich. year: No reform there. sobriety, any past or current use of substances, Pelagian tax changers in essence got rid of any completion of rehabilitation or treatment, or charitable deductions for middle-class donors, Convention Highlights participation in any other supportive services.” arguing that if the economy does well people will Other Applicants with poor credit or criminal histories naturally contribute more money to poverty- are “seldom rejected.” fighting programs and other worthy charities. Highlights: The Political Pelagian assumption is that Maybe, but that’s not what the historical record · Industry Sessions homeless individuals are naturally good, and if reveals: The natural tendency of most people, rich · The Exposition they have their own home, they will refrain or poor, is to spend more money on themselves. · Film Pitch-a-thon

from drug and alcohol abuse. Pelagian faith For several years I wrote speeches for HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES makes sense at suite level if we assume people DuPont’s top executives. For several years I Online Censorship: NRB’s new Film Screenings: Watch God’s Not Dead 3, One Nation Israel Session: In anticipation of the 70th anniversary · National Bible Bee are naturally good, but WORLD reporters at interviewed homeless individuals and others initiative, Internet Freedom Watch, counters Under God, I Can Only Imagine, Staines, and Paul, Apostle of of the modern state of Israel, join us for a special session Champions censorship, as with PragerU on YouTube. Christ. Also hear from Dennis Quaid (I Can Only Imagine), Jim featuring David Jeremiah, Kay Arthur, Michael W. Smith, street level saw Housing First often doing among the very poor. Both experiences helped Dennis Prager will speak. Caviezel (Paul, Apostle of Christ), and Stephen Baldwin (Staines). and others. harm: Addicts and alcoholics had more me to grasp the Biblical doctrine that is most resources to fund their self-destructive habits. empirically verifiable: original sin. Both Democrats who want more money going to Democrats and Republicans politically deny For the full list of speakers and musical artists, visit nrbconvention.org | Day passes and special first-timers rates available! welfare recipients, regardless of whether they British monk and that doctrine, in different ways. We need more TITANIUM SPONSOR PLATINUM SPONSOR GOLD SPONSOR SILVER SPONSOR HOSTED BY work or take care of children, are also Political theologian Pelagius political Augustinians. A February 27-March 2, 2018 Nashville, TN

64 WORLD Magazine • February 3, 2018  [email protected]  @MarvinOlasky nrbconvention.org Get connected, equipped, and inspired! Hear from these and many other dynamic speakers and musical artists

MIKE LINDELL ERIC METAXAS KELLY WRIGHT JERRY A. JOHNSON JOEL ROSENBERG MEGAN ALEXANDER DAVID & JASON BENHAM

LUIS PALAU RICK WARREN MARSHA BLACKBURN ALEX KENDRICK LARRY ELDER MERCYME FERNANDO ORTEGA

BILLY KIM STEVE GREEN JACKIE GREEN KIRSTEN HAGLUND DAVID LIMBAUGH ED STETZER GABE LYONS

Convention Highlights Other Highlights: · Industry Sessions · The Exposition · Film Pitch-a-thon Online Censorship: NRB’s new Film Screenings: Watch God’s Not Dead 3, One Nation Israel Session: In anticipation of the 70th anniversary · National Bible Bee initiative, Internet Freedom Watch, counters Under God, I Can Only Imagine, Staines, and Paul, Apostle of of the modern state of Israel, join us for a special session Champions censorship, as with PragerU on YouTube. Christ. Also hear from Dennis Quaid (I Can Only Imagine), Jim featuring David Jeremiah, Kay Arthur, Michael W. Smith, Dennis Prager will speak. Caviezel (Paul, Apostle of Christ), and Stephen Baldwin (Staines). and others.

For the full list of speakers and musical artists, visit nrbconvention.org | Day passes and special first-timers rates available!

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