William Bowmer

Are you suffering from paraskavedekatriaphobia? Or maybe triskaidekaphobia? What does Friday the 13th mean to you?

Is Friday the 13th a day when you expect “bad luck”? Is it a time to indulge in superstitious behavior “just in case” it might protect you from bad things that could happen? Is it an excuse to turn your mind toward unhealthy themes that run through our popular culture? Or can it be an occasion to reflect on the true facts behind man-made myths and legends?

February 12, 2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of naturalist Charles Darwin, author of The Origin of Species. It is also the 200th anniversary of the birth of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. Each man is known for powerful words that changed our world. But one is still widely embraced as a hero, while the legacy of the other is increasingly being rebuffed.

A historic election season in the United States has come to a close, and the nation has selected a new leader who energized the hopes and dreams of millions with his vision for America, epitomized in his slogan: "Change We Can Believe In."

President-elect Barack Obama will soon take office as the chief executive of a country that, despite its severe economic and social troubles, is still widely considered the world's only "superpower." How should Christians react to his election?