Pearcey is a scholar, an intellectual, a brilliant writer, and she has an uncanny ability to explain profound ideas in a way that is accessible – and helpful -- to regular people. She appeared recently at the Heritage Foundation to talk about her book to a standing-room-only crowd.

Among its primary criticisms is the claim that Mr. Bush's use of biblical
references has created a grave moral crisis in this country. Especially
discomfiting to these professors is the president's use of the imagery of
light and darkness in describing the U.S. and Iraq, respectively. They
object to his axis-of-evil theme as well as to any talk of an American
mission or divine appointment to rid the world of evil.

If the reader digests the material below, including the references, he will have a serious theological education which will stand up straight and tall in the world today. This is theology in the trenches.

(For those who are reading this as a downloaded copy of the original web edition, the references scattered below are links to other resources. You can access those in the original located at

Archbishop Robin Eames has said more than once that leading this commission was the hardest work he's ever done. How difficult was it for you as a member of the commission?