Opinion

Topic: The Battle Over U.S. History. Does U.S. history matter? My good friend Bill Federer once said that a nation that does not remember its history is like an adult that has lost his memory—like an Alzheimer’s patient. A lot of people treat the teaching of history as if it’s just a bunch of boring […]

When it comes to prophesies and predictions, have you ever noticed how often the “experts” get it wrong? Winston Churchill quipped, “I always avoid prophesying beforehand, because it is much better policy to prophesy after the event has already taken place.” Predictions are dangerous. Consider these “prophecies” made by various people: “There is not the […]

“We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessings…” So opens a great hymn of thanksgiving that is often sung at Thanksgiving, the 400th anniversary of which is this year. The Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving in 1621. We have had 400 years of Thanksgiving in America, and thanks to Presidents Washington (who declared the first […]

In eight years, America will celebrate a major milestone—the 400th anniversary of Boston. I passed through Boston’s airport in 2021 and noticed that they seem to be gearing up for this milestone with lots of signs and images celebrating major events in Boston’s history. Alas, they grossly underplayed the role of the Puritans in this […]

In 1629, the first American balloting for an election occurred in Salem, Massachusetts. The issue? Choosing a minister and choosing a Christian teacher for the colony. “Such is the origin of the use of the ballot on this continent; [Samuel] Skelton was chosen pastor and [Francis] Higginson teacher.”  So writes George Bancroft, an early American […]