Sistine Chapel (1508 – 1512) by Michelangelo, Author Burkhard Mucke, (CC BY-SA 4.0 International)
“God…has in these last days spoken to us by His Son…who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person…when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb. 1: 1-3).
Sacred art raises the mind and heart to God; draws people to prayer and adoration; and attempts to express the mystery of God through artistic media [1]. Christians who approve such art consider it justified by the Incarnation, through which Christ took on human nature (along with His divine) and was seen in the flesh.
Famous examples of sacred art from the Renaissance and Baroque Periods include the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo Buonarroti; “The “Annunciation” by Fra Angelico; the “Transfiguration” by Raffaello (“Raphael”) Sanzio da Urbino; “The Taking of Christ” by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio; and “Christ Crucified” by Diego Velazquez.
But artistic styles have varied greatly across the centuries.
During the early Middle Ages, perspective was largely unknown. However, painting played a vital role in educating the faithful [2]. Medieval art was rich in symbolism. Doves symbolized the Holy Spirit; lambs symbolized innocence and purity. Christ was represented by a lion, or by a lamb with an exposed heart, holding a cross. In Byzantine art, in particular, a gold background signified the glory of God and the heavenly realm [3].
Ornate altar screens a/k/a rood screens separated the domain of the clergy (chancel) from the area at church where lay people gathered to worship (nave), and were decorated with pictures of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the saints [4].
Sacra Conversazione (“sacred conversation”) paintings featuring the Virgin Mary and Child surrounded by saints became popular in 16th century Italy. These were private devotional images, scenes which had no express basis in scripture or doctrine [5][6].
Fearing that such depictions could lead to idolatry, Protestants destroyed much sacred art during the Reformation [7]. Read more…
“The Good Samaritan tending the wounds of the traveler (Luke 10: 25-37)” (1665) by Nicolaes Roosendael, Frans Hal Museum (Accession No. os I-297), Source/Photographer Geheugen van Nederland, (PD)
“‘And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12: 30-31).
When questioned about the Trump Administration’s aggressive deportation of illegal immigrants and sudden cancellation of almost all foreign aid programs, VP JD Vance referred in a recent interview to the biblical principles known to Catholics as ordo amoris (rightly ordered love) [1].
This raised a firestorm. It seemed to some that the Vice President was using religion to justify the “America First” policy long put forward by Pres. Donald Trump [2][3]. While not necessarily endorsing Trump Administration policies, others explained the concept of ordo amoris as a series of concentric circles of love [4]. Even Pope Francis weighed in, expressing concern in a letter to Catholic bishops [5].
Since we are daily bombarded by conflicting obligations, the Bible does provide us guidance in formulating our priorities – both on an individual and a societal basis. Setting both personal agendas and public policy involves confronting the limitation on available resources. Therein lies the challenge.
Family Dysfunction
One might suppose that few need to be reminded to care for their families (1 Tim. 5: 4, 8). Yet there are numerous dysfunctional families where such care is lacking. Does society have an obligation to care for the children whose parents do not do so? The Bible confirms that it does. We are to care for the widow and orphan (Isa. 1: 17; Matt. 25: 34-40; James 1: 27). What form that care takes and how far it extends is the issue at the heart of public assistance of all kinds.
Poverty
Does society have an obligation to care for the poor? Again, the Bible supports this with countless passages about God’s love for the poor. What we grapple with as a nation is how to distinguishes between those truly unable to care for themselves and those malingering – how to care for the former, and incentivize the latter to care for themselves (1 Tim. 5: 5-6).
Included in this calculation must be a determination of whether the poverty in our own nation should be addressed before the poverty in other nations, and where the correct balance lies. This is just one issue over which the political Right and Left clash [6].
Immigration
Are we to welcome the stranger and treat him fairly? This is unquestionably a biblical mandate (Lev. 19: 34; Deut. 27: 19; Ex. 23: 9). It does not mean we cannot place limits on immigration, or requirements on citizenship. However, what those limits and requirements should be is not spelled out in the Bible. This, too, is an issue over which the Right and Left clash.
There is no algorithm, no formula that will answer these questions for us. Though practicalities will inevitably play a role, we must be guided by conscience. But biblical principles are not to be taken out of context, and appropriated for political ends [7]. It is all too easy to mistake our own priorities for God’s…and label them accordingly.
The Good Samaritan
In large part, the outcome of all this will depend on who we define as our “neighbor”.
The lesson of the Good Samaritan is not to be forgotten: “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (1 John 4: 20).
We are a nation richly blessed by God. Our great resources come with a correspondingly great obligation to use them generously, not for our benefit alone [8]. That, as Christians, we are first to do good to the faithful (Gal. 6: 10) does not translate into “America First”.
Whether the Trump Administration will choose to apply these biblical principles remains to be seen. But there are troubling signs.
—
[1] Catholic News Agency (CAN), “What is the ‘ordo amoris’? JD Vance’s comments on Christian love spark debate” by Jonah McKeown, 2/4/25, https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/261989/what-is-the-ordo-amoris-jd-vances-comments-on-christian-love-spark-debate#:~:text=Though%20you%20won%27t%20find%20the%20term%20%E2%80%9Cordo,love%E2%80%9D%20in%20his%20work%20%E2%80%9COn%20Christian%20Doctrine.%E2%80%9D.
[2] Time, “What Is ‘Ordo Amoris’? JD Vance Invokes Catholic Concept When Justifying Immigration Crackdown” by Associated Press, 2/6/15, https://time.com/7213348/what-is-ordo-amoris-vice-president-jd-vance-invokes-catholic-concept-immigration/
[3] Patheos, “What Vance Got Wrong on Ordo Amoris” by Julia Smucker, 2/10/25, https://www.patheos.com/blogs/voxnova/2025/02/09/what-vance-got-wrong-on-ordo-amoris/.
[4] Word on Fire, “First, Love Locally: JD Vance and ‘Ordo Amoris’” by Dr. Richard Clements, https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/first-love-locally-jd-vance-and-ordo-amoris/.
[5] Church Leaders, “Pope Appears to Correct JD Vance on the ‘Ordo Amoris’ in Letter to Bishops on Immigration” by Jessica Lea, 2/14/25, https://churchleaders.com/news/505831-pope-francis-jd-vance-ordo-amoris-bishops-immigration.html.
[6] Ironically enough, it is the Left (often characterized as “godless”) which advocates for more foreign aid to impoverished nations.
[7] David Cassidy, “Augustine, Aquinas, the Veep, and Ordo Amoris” by David Cassidy, 2/10/25, https://www.davidpcassidy.com/blog/thomas-aquinas-and-the-ordo-amoris-a-response-to-jd-vances-interpretation#:~:text=The%20Ordo%20Amoris%E2%80%94the%20%E2%80%9Corder,family%20and%20grow%20in%20grace.
[8] America Magazine, “The problem with JD Vance’s theology of ‘ordo amoris’ – and its impact on policy” by Stephen Pope, 2/13/15, https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2025/02/13/ordo-amoris-stephen-pope-vance-249926.
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Gutenberg Bible, Latin Vulgate (1455), Image originally posted to Flickr, Author NYC Wanderer (Kevin Eng), (CC BY-SA 2.0 Generic)
“The ends justify the means.”
–Niccolo Machiavelli, as frequently misquoted from Chapter XVIII of “The Prince” [1]
“Attempting to legislate faith does not create disciples; it creates resentment.”
–Bruce Cooper, Christian blogger [2]
It may be a relief to Christians that the Trump Administration has shifted the direction of government toward Christian values, and away from the Woke values of the Biden Administration, along with expressing strong support for Israel. But we must not applaud too readily.
Among other things, Pres. Donald Trump has already in the first few weeks of his second term:
- Created a Dept. of Justice Task force to root out anti-Christian bias in the federal government;
- Established a White House Faith Office to defend religious liberty and promote faith based adoption and foster care programs;
- Declared that the US will recognize only two sexes (male and female), excluding transgender individuals from the military;
- Signed an executive order titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation” to restrict sex change operations for minors;
- Eliminated Diversity/Equity/Inclusion (DEI) programs in the federal government;
- Pardoned a number of anti-abortion activists;
- Withdrawn the US from the World Health Organization; and
- Rescinded sanctions the former Administration imposed on West Bank settlers [3][4][5][6].
While these actions may be well intentioned, they are not necessarily all wise.
True, anti-Christian bias is a reality, inside government and out. There are only two sexes in God’s eyes, and life is precious to Him. So called “Diversity/Equity/Inclusion” (DEI) programs, while arguably well-meaning, focus on identity politics with the ultimate goal of creating a strict standard against which organizations can be evaluated (and severely penalized for non-compliance). The World Health Organization is unabashedly globalist, as its first Director General, Brock Chisholm made terrifyingly clear [7][8].
However, the goal of Christianity was NEVER political power. If it had been, Christ would have overthrown the Roman Empire, and established an earthly kingdom when He walked this earth.
Salvation
The goal of Christianity is eternal Salvation. And Salvation cannot be legislated. It is a personal decision between an individual and his/her God which involves repentance, faith, and a conscious decision to follow Christ (Rev. 3: 20) [9].
Indeed, those forced to adopt Christianity outwardly are all the more likely to develop a hidden resentment toward it [10]. Read more…
“Massacre of the Innocents” by Leon Cogniet (1824), Source Museum of Fine Arts of Rennes (Accession No. 88.6.1), (PD-Art, PD-Age)
Mala Cumana were apples from the Greek colony of Cumae in Southern Italy picked only at midnight under a full moon, supposedly to imbue them with magical properties [1A][2]. Considered a rare delicacy during the Roman Empire, the apples were preserved in wine, with honey and spices.
King Herod the Great (infamous for the murders of his wife Mariamne and sons, as well as the Massacre of the Innocents recorded in the Bible) is known to have had Mala Cumana packed and shipped 1500 miles to his palace fortress at Masada [1B][3][4].
Luxury Fruit
PlazaFresh, based in the Netherlands, sells apples picked at midnight under a full moon today [5]. In fact, their popularity has continuously increased, since they again became available. Though apples have been associated with magic in many cultures, this seems to have less to do with magic, than with the growing trend of luxury fruit [6A][7].
Noble Fresh Cart sells a single Crown melon – grown on a vine from which every other fruit was pruned, to increase its sweetness – for around $150 [8]. Del Monte offers a Ruby Glow pineapple, packaged as if it were a work of art, for $400 [9A]. Oishii offers a solitary strawberry, grown indoors under special lights, without the use of chemicals, for $2 [9B].
There are legitimate reasons for these prices: selective breeding, intensive farming practices (individual vine tending, and the like), and strict quality controls (implying a high discard rate of less than perfect product) [6B]. Certainly, this amount of care can improve taste. But the attraction of such produce is less about quality, and more about prestige.
Poverty and Malnutrition
According to the US Census Bureau, 37.9 million people were living in poverty in the United States in 2024, over 9 million of these children [10][11]. Malnutrition is closely intertwined with poverty [12]. Children living in poverty rarely have access to fresh fruit and vegetables…let alone luxury fruit. Read more…
Nigerian women carrying water, Author Shamus08 (CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication)
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction…” (James 1: 27 ESV).
- The Fulani Militia are from a nomadic Muslim tribe, based in central Nigeria. As of 2014 the militia were named the fourth deadliest terrorist group in the world by the Global Terrorism Index (the others being Boko Haram, the Taliban, and ISIS-West Africa) [1A]. Fulani Militia target non-Muslim communities, particularly Christians. They attack isolated communities and individuals at their most vulnerable, including men and women working in the fields [1B].
- Boko Haram is a self-proclaimed jihadist terrorist organization based in Nigeria but, also, active in Chad, Niger, Cameroon, and Mali [2][3]. Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa carry out hundreds of kidnappings and ambushes in Nigeria annually using small arms, captured military equipment, and improvised explosive devices [4].
Islamist attacks have widowed over 10,000 Christian women in Nigeria in the past 20 years [5A]. Many women have young children now left fatherless. Widows may be forced into prostitution, in an effort to feed their children.
Meanwhile, Sudan has the world’s largest hunger crisis and world’s largest displaced population, with nearly nine million people having fled their homes [6]. Neither side in the conflict there – the Sudanese Armed Forces supplied by Iran or the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces – is sympathetic to Christians, giving Islamist extremists greater opportunity to target them [7][8]. Sudanese Christians from a Muslim background are at particular risk. Read more…
Image courtesy of Pixabay, Author TyliJura
“Apart from Christ there is no art, no science, no technology, no agriculture, no microprocessor, and no medical innovation. If God is the center of our life, technology is a great gift. If technology is our savior, we are lost.”
–John Piper, author of “Desiring God“
Technology is neither a threat to God, nor inherently adverse to Him. How we view and apply technology is what matters. Both David and Goliath employed the technology of their day. So, of course, did Hitler.
Surveillance cameras, smart phones, and electronic vehicles all reflect recent rapid advances in technology. The pace of change can at times feel overwhelming.
And technology can alter the way we see ourselves, dehumanizing us if we allow it to do that. Despite artificial intelligence’s potential benefits for productivity, medicine, and national defense, AI can diminish the importance we place on human beings.
Technology can, also, inflate our egos. We may begin to believe that science is superior to religion, even that we have become gods.
Both these extremes feed into today’s Transhumanist Movement. Transhumanism is a philosophic and scientific movement aiming to utilize technology to exceed normal biological limitations and extend human lifespan [1]. Julian Huxley originated the concept in 1957. Read more…
Practitioner of Falun Gong in meditation, Author Joffers951 (CC BY-SA 4.0 International)
Falun Gong is a religious cult founded in the 1990s by Li Hongzhi [1]. An autocratic leader, Hongzhi is viewed by his followers as a godlike figure who can levitate, pass through solid objects supernaturally, and foresee the future.
Falun Gong teachings are ultra-conservative. Medicine, science (which Hongzhi has attributed to aliens), and art are rejected. The unchanging cosmos is said to be the determinant of good and evil. Different ethnicities are each thought to have a corresponding heaven.
Reincarnation is an accepted tenet. Human beings are described as originally good by nature – even divine – but having descended into delusion and suffering through selfishness and the accumulation of negative karma.
Falun Gong followers are to do good deeds, and bear patiently with opposition. Devotees are told they “progress” spiritually by means of virtue, meditation, and the practice of a set of exercises. But homosexuals are seen as “unworthy of being human”.
Falun Gong followers are instructed to downplay the controversial aspects of Hongzhi’s teachings and emphasize the values of truth, compassion, and tolerance, when speaking with outsiders. They have been persecuted by the Communist Chinese government, which sees Falun Gong as a threat. Read more…
Poster encouraging participation in civilian defense during World War II, Source http://digital.wolfsonian.org/WOLF000142/00001, Author Herbert Matter (PD as work product of US Federal Govt.)
“But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent” (Rev. 12: 14).
Some of us can no longer watch films about this nation’s history – the American Revolution, the Civil War, the Great Depression, World War II.
Watching such films used to bring tears to our eyes at the sacrifices made by earlier generations, and the achievements in the name of freedom and equality. Loving America as we do and seeing her so divided, watching those films now is simply too painful. We recognize all too clearly what has been lost.
Christians may console themselves with thoughts of the Rapture, the promise that Christ will collect all believers, living and dead, and take them to be with Him in heaven (Mark 13: 26; 1 Thess. 4: 13-17). And there is consolation in that. But the sense of loss remains.
Interestingly, Christian do not all agree on when the Rapture will take place: Pre-Tribulation [1], Mid-Tribulation, or Post-Tribulation. Protestant denominations tend to hold to a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Catholics hold to a Post-Tribulation Rapture.
There is disagreement, too, over whether America appears in the Bible. The majority of eschatologists feel it does not. A small number differ. Read more…
Fruits on display at market, Author Dungodung (PD)
“…’You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22: 39).
Often, those of us not raised in dire poverty fail to understand the chaos of that environment.
The electricity is turned off, and homework is not done. The ceiling falls in, literally. The grocery bag rips, the eggs smash, and there is no dinner.
Children sleep in the bathtub as their only defense against drive-by shootings.
An intoxicated neighbor sets the house on fire. An argument over sneakers escalates into a shooting. Police arrest a parent, and the children go into foster care.
There are no safety nets. There are no margins for error. What to the rest of us might be an inconvenience, at worst a minor hardship, can be devastating to the poor. Progress is impossible. A youthful indiscretion may cost a life.
Is there any wonder that long range consequences are imperfectly understood? These children have not been in a position to predict from one hour to the next what may befall them.
Poverty and PTSD
Children in poverty face constant disappointment, and daily discouragement from the adults around them. Promises must be broken again and again.
Some of the criticism may actually be an attempt by adults to protect their children against the bias they are expected to face. Underachievement is perceived as “safer” than success.
Not all such criticism is intended, however, to be benign. Many adults – themselves defeated by poverty – view the potential achievements of others as an indictment, a reflection on their own efforts.
This repeated exposure to unexpected trauma, this constant barrage of negative feedback, results not only in insecurity, but Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and depression. There is no one to rely on, and no escape.
Poverty and Families
Poverty places enormous stress on families which are already vulnerable. This is not meant to imply that the poor are incapable of feeling.
Parents living in poverty desire the same advantages for their children they see enjoyed by others. This can, itself, lead to bad decisions. What little money there is available may be expended on a large screen TV, computer equipment, or other electronics, while the family struggles to keep food on the table.
Moreover, the problems of parents are passed onto and replicated by their children. A mother, whose own credit has been exhausted, may take out credit cards in the names of her minor children, thereby saddling the children with a marred credit history before they are old enough to read.
The future is sacrificed to the present. Read more…
Emerald and Diamond Necklace by Cartier, Source https://www.flickr.com, Author thisisbossi, (CC BY-SA 2.0 Generic)
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).
There are few happy endings.
Nearing forty, Aretha is today the mother of two sons, the younger boy autistic. Neither son is in contact with his father. Jonathan’s father is incarcerated. The younger boy’s father is disinterested, though he does pay court ordered child support.
A psychiatric aide throughout her working life, Aretha has faithfully served those suffering from mental health issues of every kind.
For little more than minimum wage, she has sat with the friendless, comforted the despairing, and fed the elderly no longer able to care for themselves. She has changed soiled bed linens, and wiped up vomit — bringing her own cleaning supplies from home to disinfect patient rooms during the Covid-19 crisis.
Ironically, obtaining access to the special education supposedly guaranteed Aretha’s younger son by the state has been nearly impossible for her.
Because of cancer, Aretha, herself, now lives on Social Security Disability. Keeping the wolf from the door is a constant challenge, as is the battle with government bureaucracy and insurance company red tape.
Again in Philadelphia after a brief foray into the suburbs, Aretha cannot always manage to cover the mortgage on the row house she purchased here. This places her at continual risk of foreclosure. Because of a meager cost of living increase to her disability benefit, her household food stamp (SNAP) allotment was recently reduced from a ludicrous $11/month to zero. She had to go months without her cancer medication.
Despite all this (and innumerable other obstacles), Aretha has for the past 20 years continued to pursue a biology degree. She remains short of her goal.
Some classes Aretha failed or abandoned in favor of work. Those had to be taken again (at additional cost). At least one school she attended went under. More than once credits could not be transferred, when she changed schools. Due to the passage of time and changes in curriculum over which she had no control, some credits Aretha originally earned are no longer eligible toward a degree.
The effort has left Aretha with more than $50,000 in student loan debt.
Having seen his mother’s struggles, Jonathan is pursuing a career in the military.
Tyrell died after years spent as an addict on the streets.
Poverty in America
In cities across this country, there are children like Jonathan and Tyrell. Each day that passes, they spend another day of their lives in poverty. Each day another generation is being lost.
According to the US Census Bureau, 35.9 million people in America live below the poverty level [1]. Of those 11.9 million are children [2]. The figures do not take into account children in foster care, prisoners, the elderly in nursing homes, those living in military housing, or the homeless not in shelters.
Hunger in America
I could cite other statistics.
- According to a 38-city study by the US Conference of Mayors in 2016, emergency kitchens and food pantries in 47% of the cities surveyed had to reduce the quantity of food persons could receive at each visit and/or the amount of food offered per meal [3A]. That was before the Covid-19 pandemic which placed additional strain on such facilities.
- In 29% of the cities surveyed, emergency kitchens and food pantries had to reduce the number of times a person or family could visit each month [3B].
- About 13.8% of emergency food requests went unmet because of a lack of resources, and people were turned away [3C].
According to the Bread for the World Institute, the nation’s largest network of food banks, more than 40 million Americans (including 12 million children) live with hunger on a daily basis [4][5].
Feeding America, the nation’s largest network of food banks, reports that over 23 million men, women, and children rely on its services [6A]. Some 36% have to choose between buying food and paying for housing [6B].
Unwed Mothers/Absent Fathers
By 2015, 77.3% of African American women giving birth were unmarried (as compared with a national rate of 39.8% across all racial and ethnic lines in 2022) [7][8].
The studies on father absence are too numerous to discuss here [9].
Suffice it to say that absence has been linked to earlier sex, higher rates of pregnancy, and higher divorce rates among the children of absent fathers. It has been shown a driving factor behind poverty, drugs, crime, illiteracy, Welfare reliance, and homelessness.
A Personal Stake
I heard a woman from one of our more affluent suburbs comment about the survival of Philadelphia, “I don’t feel I have a personal stake.” She could not have been more wrong.
We all of us have a personal stake. These are our children. White, black, brown, red, yellow or any combination, these are our children. We cannot relegate them to the ash heap.
Not only do they have inherent value, there is an associated cost — a cost in lost earnings and productivity; in lost talent and ideas; in increased burden on public assistance; and in increased burden on law enforcement, state and federal judicial systems, and penal systems nationwide. Read more…
A Lawyer's Prayers 