First Things articles archived and reposted

The journal First Things recently revamped its website and in the process deleted virtually everything I wrote for them as an occasional blogger between 2009 and 2023. Although many of these posts were already crosslisted with this blog, others were not. I have thus created a page with links to nearly 40 of the more significant of these: First Things posts. An archived list of links to the original posts can also be found here. (Oddly enough, even the temporally-specific pop-ups have been archived too!)

I assume that items written by other past bloggers have been deleted as well and that my 21 January post, FT's evolution: 'populism' overtakes 'highbrow', didn't play a role. But who knows?

How To Wisely Engage Politically

Here is the conversation that I had with the incomparable Jason Scott Montoya two days ago. Although our discussion was about my new book, Citizenship Without Illusions, it ended up being more wide-ranging, covering several related topics, particularly the new administration in the United States.

How Modern Ideologies Replaced Divine Authority

Here is another snippet of a past conversation with Jason Scott Montoya. Jason interviewed me again yesterday about my new book, Citizenship Without Illusions. I will link to that interview once he has posted it.

Word 101.5 FM interview

On monday of this week, I was interviewed by John Hall and Kathy Emmons over Word 101.5 FM, a Pittsburgh radio station. They are the hosts of The Ride Home with John and Kathy. I believe this is the second or third time they have interviewed me. Click here to listen to the programme: The Ride Home - Monday, February 17, 2025. Our conversation begins approximately 30 minutes in. 

Incidentally, near the end, they mentioned that I would be speaking at the annual Jubilee Conference in Pittsburgh, sponsored by the Coalition for Christian Outreach. Unfortunately, I suffered an attack of "benign" vertigo this week and was unable to go after all. Perhaps next year.

God's Story Podcast interview

Last November, shortly after my book, Citizenship Without Illusions, was published, Brent Siddall interviewed me for the God's Story Podcast, located in New Zealand. The interview has now been posted and can be heard here: David Koyzis — Citizenship Without Illusions. Siddall interviewed me again on my first book, Political Visions and Illusions, a few weeks ago. I will post the link to that interview when it comes out.

Global Scholars Canada 30th anniversary celebration

On thursday, 6 February 2025, Global Scholars Canada celebrated its 30th anniversary with a book launch for four affiliated scholars who have published recently, including Andrew Barron's Human Difference and Disability, Peter Schuurman and Angela Bick's Blessed Are the Undone, Michael Wagenman's The Power of the Church, and my own Citizenship Without Illusions. The event took place at Faith Baptist Church in nearby Oakville, one of the larger suburbs located between Hamilton and Toronto. There was a modest turnout for the event, and I was pleased to see some people I've known for nearly 50 years show up.

You can see my comments introducing my new book below: 

By Schisms Rent Asunder: The Four Seasons of Church Splits

Cateclesia Forum has published my essay: By Schisms Rent Asunder: The Four Seasons of Church Splits, occasioned by this year's 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, styled the First Ecumenical Council. An excerpt:

Although some may think that controversies within the church are a recent phenomenon, a reading of both the New Testament and subsequent church history will quickly reveal that church splits have been with us since the beginning. The major themes of these controversies have come at approximately semi-millennial intervals, revolving first around Christology, then ecclesiology, then soteriology, and finally anthropology.

Read the entire piece here.

Recent activities for February 2025

I have now posted my Global Scholars Canada newsletter for February 2025. Included are four more reviews of my new book along with my response to one of them, three radio interviews, one podcast interview, and a trip to the Big Apple.

Jimmy Carter's exemplary life

My regular monthly column in Christian Courier is titled, Jimmy Carter's exemplary life. An excerpt:

As a young adult citizen of the United States, I cast my first presidential vote in 1976 for Jimmy Carter, who had risen quickly from relative obscurity to become the Democratic Party’s nominee for the White House. A Washington outsider, he became the first in a series of presidents lacking previous experience at the federal level. As such, Carter’s presidency was less than successful, but in the long aftermath he would become the best ex-president Americans have ever had, with the possible exception of Herbert Hoover, another one-term president who devoted his life to humanitarian causes.

Read the entire article here.

Executive orders versus genuine leadership

Most presidents of the United States have used—and abused—their executive powers upon attaining office. In a balanced constitutional framework, the monarchical powers of the chief executive can be used legitimately to address issues that need immediate attention and cannot wait for the slow deliberative process characteristic of the legislative branch. During the 20th century the presidency grew in its power during the back-to-back emergencies of the Great War, the Great Depression, the Second World War, and the ensuing Cold War. Both political parties were complicit in this accumulation of power at the expense of Congress. Indeed, national crises prompt virtually all governments to assume emergency powers, as we saw during the global COVID pandemic. Whether these powers are used properly is up for debate and the subsequent decisions of the courts, which function, sometimes only in retrospect, as the guarantors of the rule of law.

Montoya interview snippet

In recent weeks, Jason Scott Montoya has been posting snippets of longer conversations we have had in the past. Jason has a gift for bringing out the best in the people he interviews and deserves to get more subscribers to his YouTube channel. Here is one such snippet below on the subject of sovereignty:

INCHE proceedings published

In November 2023 I delivered a remote address to the Eighth Latin American INCHE Consultation. INCHE stands for International Network for Christian Higher Education, which began in 1975 in South Africa and now stretches around the globe. My topic was "The Christian university and public policy in North America." The proceedings of this event have now been published in Spanish, and my address is included.

 

'Amplify' interview

On sunday, 9 February 2025, I was interviewed by Fr. Ron Lengwin for his "Amplify" programme over Pittsburgh radio station KDKA. The topic was, of course, my new book, Citizenship Without Illusions. This was almost certainly the longest interview I have given, lasting from 9 pm until 11 pm with three breaks at the hour and half hour marks. Fr. Ron has been on the air for 50 years, and "Amplify" has run for 52 years. You may be able to listen to the interview here if you live inside the United States, although I don't know whether this link will remain active indefinitely.

As a boy I was fascinated with radio broadcasting, especially after my father gave me a shortwave radio enabling me to tune in the world. Thus I found it a minor thrill to be on what may be the oldest commercial radio station in the US, whose call letters antedate the assignment of initial "W" call letters to stations east of the Mississippi. KDKA went on the air in November 1920, only two years after the end of the Great War and before radio began to make its way into the homes of North Americans

Ordering our loyalties

Christian Courier carries a review of my new book, Citizenship Without Illusions, written by Ian DeJong: Ordering our loyalties. An excerpt:

In this book I see three takeaways on what it means to set our loyalties in order as Christian citizens. First, ultimate loyalty to God and loyalty to governments often go hand-in-hand . . . . However, this is not to say that we should politicize the church, nor does it mean that obeying the government always aligns with obeying God . . . . Second, ultimate loyalty to God should make us both appreciative and suspicious of partisan politics. “If we find ourselves always parroting one party’s agenda and vilifying the other party’s,” Koyzis writes, “I suggest that something is amiss.” . . . Third, ultimate loyalty to God requires political humility.

 Read the entire review here.

Carmen LaBerge interview

On 23 January Carmen LaBerge interviewed me for The Reconnect with Carmen LaBerge over Faith Radio. The interview can be heard here or immediately below:

 

CRCD review

The Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy has posted an online review of Citizenship Without Illusions: Local Politics and Concrete Communities, by Stephen O. Presley. An excerpt:

The book is a wonderful complement to his earlier volume and both books should be read together. Christians today need to have some hard conversations about the notion of citizenship in the worlds where alternative political ideologies are proliferating. Christian citizenship and political loyalty are significant because Christians claim that ultimate citizenship is in the kingdom of God, but at the same time Christians “have responsibilities to the communities of which we are part.” For this reason, I pray that Koyzis’s work is read widely [and] motivates Christians to seek the welfare of the city.

New York sojourn

I was privileged to spend the weekend of 25-27 January in New York City. This was in response to an invitation I received at the beginning of the month to come and speak to an assembled evening church service on the subject of citizenship, based, of course, on my new book. On saturday the 25th I flew from Toronto's Pearson Airport to LaGuardia Airport in New York's borough of Queens. I was picked up by Jay Harvey, one of my principal hosts for the occasion. I stayed at the Hilton Doubletree Hotel in midtown Manhattan, right across from Radio City Music Hall and within walking distance of St. Patrick's Cathedral and Rockefeller Center. This was the second time I had been to New York, as our family had taken a holiday there ten years ago.

YouTube channel organized

Over the past two months I have uploaded quite a large number of videos to my @ByzantineCalvinist YouTube channel, mostly guitar performances of the Genevan Psalm tunes and a very few hymns and canticles. But I have also posted videos relevant to my new book, Citizenship Without Illusions. Last week I reorganized the material in my channel, grouping them into playlists devoted to 

• Political Visions and Illusions
• Interviews and conversations
• Commentaries and lectures
• Citizenship Without Illusions
• Hymns for guitar
• The Niagara Psalter, and
  
• The Genevan Psalter

Some of these playlists include videos from other channels relevant to my work, including reviews of my books and personal interviews. I will be adding more to these lists over time. In the meantime, take a moment to click on some of the links immediately above and see what's on offer.

Citizenship Without Illusions: review 6

Another review of my new book appears at Sensus Divinitatis, the blog of Peter Schuurman, Executive Director of Global Scholars Canada: Christian Citizenship in an Age of Trump: Participation without Illusions, by Callum MacLeod. MacLeod is a fourth-year undergraduate student in political science at McMaster University here in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. An excerpt:

As someone who has benefited from [Koyzis'] mentorship, I can attest to his love for teaching and his desire to help the body of Christ think through complex problems surrounding faith and politics. This pastoral motivation is the undoubted impetus for this book, and his passion for empowering lay people shines through in his writing style. Instead of the pithy statements that so often characterize political commentary today, Koyzis articulates complex ideas in a winsome and engaging manner. He skillfully blends personal experiences with historical rigour, making his work accessible and thought-provoking. His ability to blend these elements and bring lofty principles to bear on everyday events results in a short and practical book that appeals to laypeople and political enthusiasts alike.

Once again the full interview can be found here.

Disarming Leviathan interview: citizenship and nationalism

Late last year I was again interviewed by Caleb Campbell, pastor of Desert Springs Bible Church and author of Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor, for his Disarming Leviathan podcast. The interview has now been posted and can be viewed here or immediately below:

Campbell, incidentally, is a native Phoenician, but not of the Sidonian or Carthaginian variety.

A more nuanced ecclesiology: a response to Wood

A fifth review of my new book, Citizenship Without Illusions, has appeared in World magazine: Faithfully political. It is written by James R. Wood, who teaches religion and theology at Redeemer University. Before proceeding to look at his review, I should indicate that I know Wood slightly. Some years ago, he came to our house to discuss my first book, Political Visions and Illusions, possibly after the publication of the second edition in 2019, although my memory of the exact timing is a little foggy. We subsequently crossed paths at a downtown church plant here in Hamilton.

FT's evolution: 'populism' overtakes 'highbrow'

I am a longtime reader of the journal First Things, to which I began subscribing in 1992, only two years after it published its first issue. Here is what I wrote about it over two decades ago in this space:

On friday I received in my campus mail box the latest issue of my favourite periodical, First Things, which is published by the Institute on Religion and Public Life in New York and edited by the redoubtable Fr. Richard John Neuhaus. I suppose one might describe it as a largely Catholic journal, with significant confessional protestant and observant Jewish contributions as well. Its tone is probably best described as neoconservative. While I myself cannot in good conscience call myself a neoconservative as such, I am quite happy to admit that thoughtful articles of substance appear in every issue making it well worth reading.

Fixing what's broken

So soon after The New York Times alerted us to the need for electoral reform, Christian Courier has published my own take on the issue: Fixing what's broken. A brief excerpt:

If the United States were to adopt PR [proportional representation], the party system would become less rigid and more flexible. New parties could rise and take their place in Congress, and the old parties would disappear if they no longer served their original purposes.

Read the entire article here.

NYT gets on board with PR

This is good news indeed. The New York Times has published an extended discussion of proportional representation written by Jesse Wegman and Lee Drutman: How to Fix America's Two-Party Problem. An excerpt:

In less polarized political times, winner-take-all systems can do a decent job of reflecting public opinion and maintaining democratic stability, but when a nation is deeply divided and large numbers of people fear that they will not be represented at all, the result is an erosion of trust in government and rising extremism and political violence. As the political scientist Barbara F. Walter has observed, a majority of civil wars over the last century appear to have broken out in countries with winner-take-all systems.

Recent activities for January 2025

My Global Scholars newsletter for January is now posted. Included are four positive reviews of Citizenship Without Illusions, a podcast interview, and a 30th-anniversary celebration and book launch organized by Global Scholars Canada.

Citizenship Without Illusions: review 4

Joel Wentz reviews my new book immediately below. I am, of course, grateful for such a positive assessment of my work.

Citizenship Without Illusions: review 3

This review of my new book is posted at Faithful Intellect: Citizenship Without Illusions by David T. Koyzis. The author calls himself David without listing a surname. He presents a rather full outline of the book's contents along with several takeaways from each chapter. Here is an excerpt:

Writing about politics and religion requires navigating a mine field and Koyzis does it splendidly. He does a good job of presenting both sides while maintaining a nonpartisan perspective throughout the book. I also appreciate that the book is not too US centric. Koyzis is an American who lives in Canada and had family in Europe. This global perspective adds insightful comparisons that highlight what is common across countries and what makes the US unique.

Here is another excerpt on an issue that I am pleased to see highlighted:

Year-end appeal

We are now in the final stretch with respect to 2024. If you have not yet made all your charitable contributions for the year, please consider giving to support my academic ministry with Global Scholars Canada.

A reminder that those of you who contribute an extra $100 before the end of the year will receive a copy of my new book, Citizenship Without Illusions, from the publisher. 

GSC's page for giving can be found here. Once you are in the page, scroll down to the heading marked DONATION DETAILS, and then choose one of the options under FUND. Americans may donate through our sister organization in the US.

Or, if you prefer, Canadian donors can donate publicly traded securities (shares or mutual funds) directly to charities without having to pay the capital gains tax. This is a cost-effective and painless way to make a donation that comes with a substantial tax incentive. By donating securities, donors pay no tax on capital gains, receive a tax receipt for the fair market value of the securities, as well as reduce their taxes. Watch this video for more information about this option: Link Charity Canada: Donation of Securities. If interested, please visit the Link Charity Canada Inc. website, and call for details at 1-800-387-8146. Link Charity Canada is a partner organization of Global Scholars Canada, so Link Charity can easily direct funds for my work.

Thank you once again! Happy reading!

Yours,

David Koyzis, Global Scholar

 

Citizenship Without Illusions: review 2

As I indicated recently, three reviews of my new book have already appeared online. Here is the second: Citizenship Without Illusions [a review], by Ben Makuh. Here are a couple of excerpts:

I'm not going to bury the lede: this is a phenomenal little book about Christian political engagement. . . .

Koyzis writes from a Reformed perspective, but without the grating tone of self-assured cockiness that can often take. Instead, it strikes me as the best of what the Reformed perspective can be: rooted in Scripture with an eye toward engagement in the world while recognizing that there are other traditions that think about things in different ways. Koyzis demonstrates an admirable posture of speaking his own convictions but with charity and a willingness to understand those who disagree with him.

It is the rare review that elicits from the author both appreciation and amusement. This one does the job rather well.

Citizenship Without Illusions: review 1

Although Citizenship Without Illusions has been out for only just over a month, three reviews have already appeared. The first of these, by Trey Dimsdale, actually appeared in July in the journal Providence: Taking the Long View of Politics in “Citizenship Without Illusions”. Here is Dimsdale:

Citizenship Without Illusions is easily one of the best books on this subject due out in 2024. Koyzis’s systematic, historically and philosophically grounded approach to exploring the duties of citizenship rather than more transitory and immediate aspects of our current political climate sets it apart from many other works engaging similar themes. Unfortunately, it is due out so late in the year that almost every Christian going to the polls around the world this year will do so without the wisdom of this book. Hopefully Koyzis’s measured, thoughtful, and thoroughly Christian approach will be the catalyst for serious reflection about the vocation of Christian citizenship.

Dimsdale also provided an endorsement for the inside of the book itself. I will link to the other reviews after Christmas.

Reintegrate interview: Dual citizens

I've known Bob Robinson for several years now, and I've lost count of the number of times he's interviewed me in that time. Last month I was privileged to talk with him again on the subject of my new book, Citizenship Without Illusions, which was released that same day. The interview has now been posted online: Dual citizens: In the kingdom of God AND in our nation, with David Koyzis. The interview lasts for about an hour. Robinson is a great supporter of my work with Global Scholars Canada.

Recent activities for December 2024

I have now posted my Global Scholars newsletter for December. Recent activities include the publication (at last!) of Citizenship Without Illusions, a conversation with a group of politically-minded young people in the United Kingdom, several interviews, and good news related to my ongoing work with the Genevan Psalter.

RAPT interview

In recent years I've been interviewed on subjects related to my books and other writings, but I recently submitted to a different kind of interview that required me to bare my soul in a more personal way. RAPT conducts interviews with a variety of people and poses to every one of them the same questions. My RAPT interview can be found here. An excerpt:

I really believe Christians need to think more deeply about their status as citizens of their respective political communities. We too easily fall for ideologically charged rhetoric or, as some express it, simply vote our pocketbooks. I hope my new book, along with the first, will help people reflect on their God-given responsibilities to manifest their love for God and their neighbor politically.

That new book is, of course, Citizenship Without Illusions.

Subject or citizen?

My monthly Christian Courier column is titled Subject or citizen? Byline: "Citizenship is a gift from God that we can use to improve our communities." An excerpt:

The notion of being a subject sounds archaic to our ears. If I am the subject of a particular monarch, I am bound by personal – almost feudal – ties to him or her. And if that’s the case, my responsibilities would seem to begin and end with obedience to the ruler’s will. Prior to 1947, Canadians were not even citizens of their own country; they were merely British subjects, a status shared with those born not only in the United Kingdom, but in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and many other territories of the former Empire.

But one by one, beginning with Canada, each of these Commonwealth realms established its own citizenship. The UK enacted its citizenship law in 1949, setting up several categories of citizens, each of which had varying rights of residence within the country. Canadians remained British subjects until 1977 when Ottawa decided to end this ambiguous dual status.

Read the entire article here.

Common Good interview

On the occasion of the release of Citizenship Without Illusions, Common Good has published an online interview with the author: Being a Good Citizen Doesn’t Stop After the Election. Here is an excerpt:

Sometimes we are tempted to think that we owe allegiance only to those communities we have freely chosen to enter. It’s an attractive proposition, and it appeals especially to North Americans whose constitutional documents include a Bill of Rights (U.S.) and a Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Canada). However, this is not a recipe for a healthy society, but for a mere amalgamation of supposedly autonomous egos out to advance their own individual interests. 

As Christians, by contrast, we recognize that we must approach life from a posture of gratitude, especially for those things that we haven’t chosen and which come to us as a gift. I firmly believe citizenship is one of these gifts. If you don’t believe it, just imagine the plight of the millions of refugees and stateless persons who lack legal standing in a functioning political community. They would dearly love to possess the citizenship that others take for granted.

Read the entire article here.

Launch day is here!

Today's the day! Citizenship Without Illusions is now officially published and available from IVP Academic. A huge thank you to everyone of you who has supported my work with your prayers and your financial contributions. Those of you who have funded this effort prior to this year are mentioned in the acknowledgements on pages ix and x.

This time of year I usually mail out cards to people who have donated in the past to express my gratitude for their support. Unfortunately, I will be unable to do so this year due to the postal strike here in Canada. However, I will be sending each of you a personal email message as an admittedly poor substitute. But I hope you will consider it a small token of my thankfulness.

A reminder that those of you who contribute an extra $100 before the end of the year will receive a copy of my book from the publisher. 

GSC's page for giving can be found here. Once you are in the page, scroll down to the heading marked DONATION DETAILS, and then choose one of the options under FUND. Americans may donate through our sister organization in the US.

Or, if you prefer, Canadian donors can donate publicly traded securities (shares or mutual funds) directly to charities without having to pay the capital gains tax. This is a cost-effective and painless way to make a donation that comes with a substantial tax incentive. By donating securities, donors pay no tax on capital gains, receive a tax receipt for the fair market value of the securities, as well as reduce their taxes. Watch this video for more information about this option: Link Charity Canada: Donation of Securities. If interested, please visit the Link Charity Canada Inc. website, and call for details at 1-800-387-8146. Link Charity Canada is a partner organization of Global Scholars Canada, so Link Charity can easily direct funds for my work.

Thank you once again! Happy reading!

Yours,

David Koyzis, Global Scholar

 

 

'Faithful Politics' podcast interview

A few weeks ago I was privileged to have a great conversation with Pastor Josh Burtram and Will Wright on their Faithful Politics podcast. Listen to it here:

Recent activities for November 2024

My Global Scholars newsletter for November is now posted. Recent activities include the five-year anniversary of my time with Global Scholars Canada, the official publication of my new book, two podcast interviews, and joining the board of trustees of the Center for Public Justice. Thank you once again for your support for my work!

What a Trump win means for Canada

The recent US election has returned Donald J. Trump to the White House. Here are my thoughts: What a Trump win means for Canada. An excerpt:

What are the implications of all this for Canadians? Although our two countries have been good neighbours for nearly two centuries, changes in administrations have sometimes led to tensions. John Diefenbaker and John Kennedy endured a somewhat prickly relationship, as did Pierre Trudeau and Richard Nixon. With Trump governing the United States, it is safe to assume that we are in for a rocky ride for the foreseeable future. The U.S. is highly unlikely to give Canada the benefit of the doubt when and if disputes arise between us. The two major issues likely to divide us are trade and defence.

Click here to read more.

Between the testaments

My November column for Christian Courier is on a topic that has likely puzzled Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox alike: Between the testaments. Indeed, "Why is the Apocrypha not included in Protestant Bibles?" Here is an excerpt:

In my personal library, I have an early King James Bible, printed in sections between 1637 and 1642, and presumably bound together in the latter year. Published by Robert Barker – “Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majestie” – it places the Apocrypha after the New Testament. The owners of this volume over the centuries underscored some verses and made notes in the margins. But not in the Apocryphal books, which suggests that they may not have read them.

What is this Apocrypha? Read the entire article to find out. 

Recent activities for October 2024

I have now posted my Global Scholars newsletter for October. Recent activities include one more endorsement for my Citizenship Without Illusions, which is now available for purchase, two interviews on the subject of the book, signing a Barmen-like confession of evangelical conviction, and the current housing crisis in Canada. Thank you for your continued support for my work.

CPJ interview

Some weeks ago, I was interviewed by the Center for Public Justice's Emily Crouch on the subject of my new book, Citizenship Without Illusions. A transcript of the interview has now been posted at the CPJ website: How Do We Honor Christ in Our Citizenship? A Conversation with David Koyzis. An excerpt:

To be created in God’s image means that we have multiple tasks and responsibilities for the communities we are a part of, and not all of those communities are the ones that we choose. I did not choose my parents . . . . But we still have an obligation to communities that we have not chosen, and we do so out of gratitude. Likewise, citizenship is something that for the most part we do not choose. We are born into citizenship, and it is not something we should take for granted. We should be grateful for it, and that means that we should willingly fulfill our responsibilities towards these communities that have nurtured us.

I have been associated with the Center for Public Justice since its establishment in the late 1970s. It has done exemplary work over the decades, some of which is featured in my new book, now available from InterVarsity Press and the many online vendors.

Housing Canadians

My monthly Christian Courier column tackles an important issue affecting millions of people: Housing Canadians, with this introductory sentence: "As the cost of living leaves many homeless, should the government declare a national housing emergency?" An excerpt:

Unfortunately, the structures of our political system discourage a coordinated approach to the [homelessness] issue. Try calling the office of a local MP or MPP, and you will likely be told that the problem is not in their riding and you should seek help elsewhere. Our federal division of powers further aggravates the issue. The territorial fragmentation of political representation inadvertently facilitates buck-passing, with no one willing to assume responsibility for finding a solution to a problem that transcends boundaries.

Read the entire article here.

Our Confession of Evangelical Conviction

I have recently read Tim Alberta's The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism. This was on the recommendation of a friend and was further inspired by an online interview with the author which I saw in February. I had thought to review the book here, but I think it is sufficient to indicate that I found it a difficult read because it treats disturbing developments within American evangelicalism over the past few decades.

Recent activities for September 2024

My Global Scholars newsletter for September is now posted. Recent activities include another endorsement for my forthcoming Citizenship Without Illusions, a retrospective on the Cyprus crisis of 1974, another online interview, and a recently published article on Christian nationalism.

What is Christian nationalism?

The September-October issue of Faith Today carries my article, What is Christian Nationalism? Here is my own description of the article's purpose: "We must take seriously the phenomenon of Christian nationalism as a syncretistic religion combining traditional faith with excessive reverence for the nation and its symbols. Like other ideological frameworks it can distort and has distorted the lived faith of many believers." Here is a brief excerpt from the article:

There are four basic flaws in Christian nationalism. First, it inappropriately applies biblical texts meant for God's people of the old and new covenants to a particular earthly nation. This reflects an unsound biblical hermeneutic that not only ignores the original context in which the text was written, but applies it in a way that ignores two millennia of biblical interpretation. The frequent application of 2 Chronicles 7:14 to America is notorious in this respect. "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

For the remaining three flaws and much else, including its relevance to Canada, read the entire article.

'Honestly, Though' interview

A few weeks ago, Rebecca Carrell and Liz Rodriguez interviewed me for their Honestly, Though podcast on the subject of my next book, Citizenship Without Illusions. The recording has now been posted and can be heard here: Episode 138 | Let's Talk Politics | Guest: Dr. David Koyzis. Although I had to develop quickly my skills at small talk at the outset, the substance of the interview begins at about 9 minutes into our conversation if you prefer to skip ahead.

Cyprus plus 50

This month marks exactly half a century since my father's native island of Cyprus was divided. Read about it here: Cyprus plus 50. An excerpt:

After half a century of division, ordinary Cypriots have grown accustomed to what has hardened into a protracted stalemate. When I first wrote about the issue in graduate school, only a few years had passed since Turkey’s military had forcibly partitioned the island. It still seemed reversible. Most of the city of Famagusta, where our family had lived, had become a UN-patrolled buffer zone. Its Greek-speaking inhabitants could still return home if Turkey would only permit it.

Today, that seems decreasingly likely. Famagusta’s once thriving streets and buildings have fallen into decay, and billions of dollars would be required to restore it to habitable condition. Ankara still controls 37 percent of Cyprus through its proxy regime, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Read the entire article here.

Recent activities for August 2024

I have now posted my Global Scholars newsletter for August. Recent activities include an interview on my work with the Psalms, a Society of Christian Scholars webinar, and a conversation with young people sponsored by a local think tank. Also, as of today, 99 more days remain until the publication of Citizenship Without Illusions. Pre-order your copy now.

Society of Christian Scholars webinar: Citizenship Without Illusions

Yesterday I presented a webinar for the Society of Christian Scholars on the subject of my forthcoming Citizenship Without Illusions. Click on the video below to view the event.

Thinking Christian podcast interview on the Psalms

Some weeks ago I was interviewed by James Spencer on What does it mean to be a Christian citizen?, covering topics in my three books. Not long after that, Spencer and I had a conversation about my work with the Psalms, and this has now been posted on the various media hosting the Thinking Christian podcast episodes: How Can the Psalms Help Christians Worship? A Conversation with David Koyzis. Spencer has a PhD in theological studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and has hosted this podcast for about a year. Topics covered here include the Genevan and Scottish Psalters, my own Genevan Psalter project, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Lutheran use of the daily office.

When voting makes things worse

My American contacts on social media divide into roughly two groups during this presidential election cycle. The two appear not to communicate directly with each other or to engage each other in conversation. Each posts its own memes, extolling its favoured candidate and pointing to the flaws in his or her opponent through some clever turn of phrase expected to persuade the sceptical but more likely to inflame outrage due to its obvious one sidedness. In our present age of social media, there have been such elections before, but the current cycle sees two extremely flawed candidates whom right-thinking people have reason to dread contesting for the highest office in the land. Voting for one against the other will presumably solve the country's problems and get it back on track. Or at least that appears to be the assumption of the meme-sters.

July newsletter online

I have just posted my Global Scholars Canada newsletter for July. This month it features an endorsement for my forthcoming Citizenship Without Illusions, material related to the current Gaza war, and an interview for the Thinking Christian podcast.

Thinking Christian podcast interview

Last month, James Spencer interviewed me for the Thinking Christian podcast. Listen to it here: What Does It Mean to Be a Christian Citizen? A Conversation with David Koyzis. I quite enjoyed our conversation and appreciated the opportunity to talk about my work, and especially my forthcoming Citizenship Without Illusions. Spencer has a PhD in theological studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and has hosted this podcast for just under a year. This is the first interview I had with Spencer. A few weeks later he interviewed me again on my work with the Psalms, and this should be posted sometime next month. I will link to that from my Genevan Psalter blog.

Gaza horrors

I have written a monthly column for Christian Courier for the past 34 years. This month's column is titled, Gaza horrors. Here is an excerpt:

Israel’s war against Hamas has sparked protests around the world, especially on university campuses, as students have set up tent encampments to indicate their disapproval of their governments’ support for Israel. In so doing, they are replicating an earlier generation of student activists pushing for their institutions to boycott South Africa’s apartheid regime.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has thus far ignored such criticisms, although he himself had already succeeded in dividing Israeli public opinion in the months leading up to the Hamas attack. Israel appears to be severely botching its response under incompetent and uncompassionate leadership. Small wonder so many are protesting.

Read the entire article here.

ANAJURE lecture 2024

On monday, 8 July, I was privileged to address the seventh annual meeting of the Associação Nacional de Juristas Evangélicos (ANAJURE), or the National Association of Evangelical Jurists in Brazil. This was at the invitation of the organization's president, Edna V. Zilli. ANAJURE is made up of legal professionals and students committed to the cause of Jesus Christ in the world. The subject of my address was "Citizenship Without Illusions: hearing the Word, confessing the faith," taken from the eighth and final chapter of my next book. As always, I was heartened by the participants' expressions of gratitude for my work and for my ongoing interest in their beautiful country and its people.

I hope that a Brazilian publisher will see fit to translate Citizenship Without Illusions into Portuguese in the near future. As I do touch on Brazil's political experience in that book, it would be appropriate for its people to have access to Cidadania sem Ilusões in their own language.

Israel and Gaza: nine months later

The war between Israel and Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007, has lasted for nearly nine months with no signs of ending. In the meantime, innocent Palestinian civilians are caught in the crossfire. Until now I have not commented on the conduct of the war, because I am not sure I have any additional wisdom to offer beyond what others have. However, I will call readers' attention to a four-part series I wrote last year on Israel's precarious democracy. I wrote it a few months before the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel.

The ex-vangelicals' idiosyncratic faith

Christian Courier has published my monthly column under the title, Draw near. An excerpt:

In North America today there is a certain first-person narrative that frequently grabs the attention of the secular media . . . . Those telling such stories are often called “ex-vangelicals,” distancing themselves from their conservative religious past. However, not all such people become atheists or agnostics. Many retain belief in God and perhaps even in Jesus Christ, but their faith has become more idiosyncratic – a matter of adjusting what they were taught as children to who they feel themselves to be today. They have made themselves the arbiters of what is and is not acceptable in the faith.

Read the rest of the article here.

June newsletter online

My Global Scholars newsletter for June is now online, featuring news about my forthcoming Citizenship Without Illusions, podcast interviews, and a talk with seminary students about politics and the pulpit.

Seven essential qualities of a political leader

Last week Jason Scott Montoya interviewed me on the subject of seven essential qualities of a political leader, which he had gleaned from a previous post of mine. You can access the interview, along with ancillary material, by clicking on the link in the previous sentence. Or you can watch it here:

This is the third interview that Montoya has had with me. The others concerned my Political Visions and Illusions and the Russo-Ukrainian War.