A review of How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read. Of course, the reviewer hasn't read it. (A&LD)

Here's an interesting article probing America's convoluted religious-political self-identity with the question: What is Political Theology? (A&LD)

Victor Davis Hanson on 1) Congress's decision to formally recognize the Turkish Holocaust/Armenian Genocide, 2) the current situation in Iraq, and 3) the ideological erosion of the Democratic party.

MercatorNet on the new atheism.

The irony of this new desire to further the spread of atheism is that, unlike the cool and laid-back atheists of an earlier age, these new atheists write like true believers...

Here's a really good post from Owen Strachan on American history and Church and State.

Sometimes it is as if we evangelicals have applied our sense of individual conversion on a national scale. It is as if we seek to convert America. We cannot do this. We are not a divinely led nation in the sense that Israel was, and thus we do not possess a spiritual identity in the same way that Israel did. Our country is a complex mix of good and bad, right and wrong, and a political theology that leads us to in some way "save" our country on a mass scale is bound to fail. Better for us to push ahead in our kingdom work, to labor with enthusiasm and energy to advance the kingdom and spread the gospel, and work for the application of truth and justice in our society. America is not saved yet--and in fact, she never will be. But there are millions--no, billions--out there who can be saved, and we need to focus our efforts on them.

Read the whole thing.

From Dan Edelen (Cerulean Sanctum): 100 truths learned in 30 years of following Christ.

Tim Challies and Michael Spencer weigh in on Joel Osteen's new book and recent spot on 60 Minutes.

Osteen is a Gospel preacher like Col. Sanders is an army officer.

UPDATE: A podcast from Spencer.

MercatorNet reviews a new book about John Henry Newman, someone James Sire draws heavily from.

Though I may not completely agree with Victor Davis Hanson, I always get the undeniable impression that he knows what he's talking about. This final post about his recent trip to Iraq is pretty good.

HT: Beliefnet

Ron Paul clarifies the difference between an isolationist and non-interventionist foreign policy:

It is not we non-interventionists who are isolationsists. The real isolationists are those who impose sanctions and embargoes on countries and peoples across the globe because they disagree with the internal and foreign policies of their leaders. The real isolationists are those who choose to use force overseas to promote democracy, rather than seek change through diplomacy, engagement, and by setting a positive example.

I do not believe that ideas have an expiration date, or that their value can be gauged by their novelty. The test for new and old is that of wisdom and experience, or as the editors wrote "historical reality," which argues passionately now against the course of anti-Constitutional interventionism.

Michael Spencer is excited about the new ESV Literary Study Bible. [amazon] My thinline has even fewer frills, dispensing with the book and chapter introductions.

Here's a challenging red letters quiz at Kingdom People. Head on over and see how you do.