William Williams

…is still a natural disaster for the tens, if not hundreds, of thousands whose lives have been affected by it. If you’ve been watching the news, over the past few weeks, this is what you have seen unfold in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and its surrounding areas in the southern United States: thousands without power, entire towns flooded, and droves of homeless people facing uncertain futures—or have you?

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal caught my eye as I perused the daily news. It was a detailed account of the exodus from Turkey of numerous intellectuals—and the fears of those who remain behind—in the wake of Recep Erdogan’s recent national purges. As I read the article, I wondered about how history repeats itself—and will again very soon, in a big way.

Can a Christian be a “warrior for God”—that is, in the literal sense of fighting in the militaries of this world—and still obey Jesus Christ? Is there such a thing as a militant soldier for Christ, or an entire army of such soldiers? Or, are true Christians in this age called to fight in a different way?

When we think of Jews returning to Israel, what comes to mind? Holocaust survivors seeking a fresh start in a nation that seeks to support rather than exterminate them? Impoverished Russian immigrants fleeing an oppressive Soviet Union to practice a faith they barely know? Zealous Orthodox faithful emigrating to Israel (Aliyah) to immerse themselves in their religious practice? Twenty-five years ago, one small community of Jews fled to Israel, in the process challenging some observers’ assumptions and expectations about the worldwide Jewish community.