“Come down, come down from your ivory tower Let love come into your heart Don’t lock yourself in an ivory tower Don’t keep us so far apart. . .It’s cold, so cold, in your ivory tower” Ivory Tower is a love song written by Jack Fulton and Lois Steele popularized in 1956.  Many of its lyrics remind me of the battle that some of us are engaged at Vanderbilt University where we confront what… [Continue Reading]

Jeremiah 29:11 ”For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. When I share my Christian testimony I often call myself the accidental professor because academia was not a career choice that I consciously sought. In the early years, when I earned my GED and started my education at a… [Continue Reading]

(Published in The Tennessean 9/15/2011) Evangelical Christians are increasingly under attack for their biblically-based worldviews. Shortly after graduation last spring, Vanderbilt University’s Office of Religious Life quietly deferred its annual approval of several mostly conservative Christian organizations. Groups affected included the Christian Legal Society, InterVarsity and the graduate chapter of Campus Crusade. These organizations face an uncertain future because of a new policy that prohibits religious organizations from requiring that… [Continue Reading]

What I remember most about September 11, 2001, was the patriotism, the camaraderie and the brief period when churches were packed and newscasters unashamedly made references to God.  But what could have been a national revival ended all too quickly. Much of what we experienced seems to have been a momentary blip. Instead of revival, we have suffered the loss of commonsense at the highest levels of government.  Instead of… [Continue Reading]

A few days ago, 400 foreign students walked off their $8.25 Hersey factory jobs in protest of working conditions.  Clearly, we have an unacceptable situation.  Mr. President, the Swain plan would create jobs and end the legal exploitation of foreign workers.  Here are its key components: (1) end the H2B & J-1 Visa Programs; (2) Ostracize employers who refuse to hire  American workers; (3) Send out Social Security no-match letters; (4) Make E-Verify mandatory; Lastly, (5) Turn the… [Continue Reading]

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) officials are taking heat for turning off electricity on cellular towers in four of its stations during rush hour on Friday (8/12).  Apparently, the move was necessary to prevent a group calling itself No Justice, No BART from using mobile devices to coordinate platform demonstrations against transit police over the killings of black men. Although some critics have accused BART of using Hosni Mubarak tactics to… [Continue Reading]