The provision in President Obama?s health care law requiring Americans to purchase health insurance or face tax penalties was ruled unconstitutional on 12 August 2011 by the US Court of Appeals of the 11th Circuit in Atlanta. For the first time since it was passed, this provision of the health care legislation is in real jeopardy.

In the July 2011 edition of Christianity Today there is an interview with Bishop Kallistos Ware, formerly known as Timothy Ware, who had converted to Orthodox Christianity as a young man and who wrote a rather definitive book entitled The Orthodox Church.

The division of the church between East and West is rooted deep in church history. First of all, early on leaders noticed the difference and discrepancies that language brought.

For the Protestant, Scripture is the final authority. For the Roman Catholic, it is both Scripture and tradition. However, for the Eastern Orthodox, theological authority is internal, coming from the Spirit, Who speaks to believers through tradition.

One of my personal heroes went to be with the Lord in July?the British scholar and Christian leader, John R.W. Stott. He was 90 years old. I will miss his pithy, succinct writing, his gracious style and his deep-seated commitment to genuine, biblical Christianity.

The city of San Francisco has declared war on crisis pregnancy centers in the Bay Area. The first element of attack is a bill introduced to the city?s Board of Supervisors that would make it illegal for such centers to advertise falsely about their pregnancy-related services.

The downgrading of the US credit rating from AAA to AA+ is significant, yet troubling. That different political groups within the US are trying to make ?political hay? out of this is obvious. But this nation cannot permit politics to determine our response.

As I am writing this, congressional leaders and the president have presumably reached a last-minute agreement on raising the debt ceiling of the United States in exchange, among other things, for a reduction in future spending of the US. In this Perspective, I hope to provide some important background and analysis to the crisis.

As is so often the case, history gives us increased understanding about events of our day. For that reason, I think it helpful to explore how the generation of Arab dictators came to power into the Middle East. To have that background brings an understanding to the current ?Arab Spring? unfolding before our eyes in 2011.

Broadly speaking, our evangelical culture in America is dumbing down doctrine and theology. Rarely in the typical evangelical church in America will you hear sermons or teaching sessions on God as Trinity or the importance of the deity and humanity of Jesus Christ. In this Perspective, I want to illustrate the importance of sound doctrine to our lives.