In Part 5 of IFI’s interview with theologian Dr. Peter Leithart, Pastor Derek Buikema asks him to explain what the Theopolis Institute, which Dr. Leithart co-founded, is. In this brief segment, Dr. Leithart shares the ultimate goal of the Theopolis Institute and what is needed by the church to attain it.

In Part 4 of Illinois Family Institute’s interview with theologian Dr. Peter Leithart, Pastor Derek Buikema asks what God is revealing to us in this “apocalyptic time.” Dr. Leithart briefly discusses contemporary ideas about the self and self-actualization that have the appearance of liberation but have led to diverse pathologies. And Dr. Leithart shares the problems long “percolating” under the surface in churches that are now being revealed.

A harmonious and happy marriage requires many ingredients, not the least of which is the number of things which the husband and wife have in common.  Wise couples understand that each of them will need to let some things go, and also learn to appreciate the things their spouse appreciates.  They understand that change will be essential for harmony.

Anyone not on life-support realizes we are in a dangerous place as a state despite the glowing ads about how Pritzker has solved all our problems. Violence is out of control in Chicago and other urban centers. Abortion enjoys the highest level of protection and promotion throughout our state. In November of 2021, it was reported that the total pension shortfall in Illinois passed $500 billion. That is a debt burden on average of $110,000 per Illinois household.

In this third excerpt from an interview with theologian Dr. Peter Leithart, Pastor Derek Buikema begins by acknowledging that not only are there no secular institutions that support Christians but also that increasing numbers of Christian institutions are failing to support Christians. Dr. Leithart explains the reasons for these failures of the contemporary church, which include cowardice in the face of public pressure and the exaltation of “toleration” as an unalloyed good within Western churches, which is turning churches into “allies of the persecutors.”

In this second segment from IFI’s interview with theologian Dr. Peter Leithart, Pastor Derek Buikema asks Dr. Leithart to share the ways Dr. Leithart sees unfaithfulness in the church today. Dr. Leithart specifically mentions unfaithfulness as manifest in the church’s willingness to “accommodate” homosexuality, transgender issues, and abortion. He views accommodation to those issues as symptoms of unfaithfulness rather than root causes.

IFI is pleased to offer these interviews in short savory segments for your edification beginning with Peter Leithart, president of Theopolis Institute and teacher at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Leithart is a prolific writer who has authored many books and writes a regular column for First Things Magazine.

Many of us were deeply troubled and/or surprised by the news that Russia started a more active invasion of Ukraine a couple of weeks ago. With this tragic news came the call to prayer. If you are honest, it seems...

One of the most astonishing and disturbing trends in evangelicalism over the last few years is the significant number of leaders and organizations that have succumbed to the pressure of the “Woke” mob to join them in their attacks upon...

Have you ever read a book that was so good, you knew before you reached the end that you wanted to read it again? Or maybe you have a favorite movie that you’ve watched many times over, yet, with each viewing there seems to be a line of dialogue or a particular scene that impacts you in a new way.

If you do an internet search on the phrase “finding your purpose,” Google identifies approximately 1,140,000,000 websites, books, blogs, op-ed pieces, podcasts, academic papers, etc. that might help in the quest to determine what one’s purpose is in life. Without...

As we reflect on 2021 and the various ways we were challenged, it is impossible not to be grateful for God's daily mercy and loving kindnesses that helped us get through the difficulties of life in this fallen world. At the same time, we have to wonder: Does praying for the state of Illinois accomplish anything? Why, even though there are many concerned Christians in prayer, is our state only progressing further down the path of rebellion and judgment? Does it matter?

Christmas is a time of reflection on the gift of Christ and the salvation that He provides through the cross. For generations, Americans have displayed nativity scenes in front of churches and in public settings. Yet, these displays have not gone without opposition. In Illinois, the Satanic Temple of Illinois constructed a display in the Capitol rotunda, near the nativity display. Despite their dark representation, the light of Christ remains on full display and the gospel is proclaimed.

Like nearly every other aspect of Scripture, the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, has been questioned by theologians and supposed scholars. One famous scholar, Raymond Brown, states that Luke’s information is dubious on almost every score. This means that God was not able to communicate the basic historical facts regarding the birth of the Son of God. Is this how we want to start the story of Jesus – as if we are just trying to make things up, like a Joe Biden press conference? We certainly can have confidence in God’s Word even when we cannot line everything up with “secular” histories or the opinions of men.