Editor’s note: This article first appeared at The American Spectator. The Dobbs decision striking down Roe v. Wade has led to shrill outcries by providers of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and surrogacy. Both are lucrative, high-growth commercial industries enjoying increasing demand, thanks in part to rising infertility and … Continue reading
David J. Ayers
Abortion and Contraception Equals Birth Dearth
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at The American Spectator. The latest abysmally low birth rates from North America, Europe, and Asia continue to alarm business leaders and policy makers, as well they should. In Europe, only France is within … Continue reading
The Pope, the Prime Minister, and the Elephant in the Room
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Crisis Magazine. “More children, less pets” was the catchy takeaway in worldwide coverage of Pope Francis’ joining Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on stage May 12, during a conference on Italy’s collapsing birthrates held near … Continue reading
Jesus Revolution Presents a Relevant Revival
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at The American Spectator. On Thursday, February 23, the two-week-long, nonstop religious revival at tiny Asbury University in rural Wilmore, Kentucky saw its official end. Starting with about 20 students who stayed after a … Continue reading
A Wonderful Life — Visiting Jimmy Stewart’s Life and Museum
Once again this Christmas season, countless Americans sat down to watch Frank Capra’s Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, starring the great Jimmy Stewart. I’ve seen the movie plenty of times. So why did it leave me crying again this year? … Continue reading
Trends in Sexual Activity Among Religious Teens
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at the Institute for Family Studies. “I’ve read that sexual activity has been declining among teenagers. Is this still going on? If so, does this apply to teens who are part of my religious … Continue reading
Which is more extreme? The evolution of abortion positions
In the land of the mainstream media, conservative and Republican positions on so-called “culture war” issues are always “extreme,” while they rarely raise such concerns about liberal and Democrat positions. They then “helpfully” suggest ways that Republicans could attract more … Continue reading
A Call to the Church: Teaching post-Dobbs
So now it is official. The Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization has overturned Roe v. Wade, and the legal issue of whether and how to restrict abortion has been returned to the states. I cannot … Continue reading
An Incredible Life and Legacy: Remembering Charles Wiley
My old and dear friend and mentor, Charlie Wiley, passed away in his sleep this week. He was 95 years old. If living a long life with your mind intact, your interest in life and its affairs still intense, your … Continue reading
Why is America so sad? And where do we find joy?
A study by the Harvard Graduate School of Education—based on an October 2020 poll released in February 2021—deserved widespread media coverage. It got almost none. Given what was going on this past February, that is not surprising. But it is … Continue reading
Doomed to Marry Beneath Them? Marriage and the Gender Gap in College Education
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Crisis Magazine. The Wall Street Journal recently published a powerful article on the large and growing gap between the numbers of men and women enrolled in American colleges and universities. Enrollments have declined steeply in recent years, … Continue reading
The Vital Signs of American Christianity: Critical but not Terminal?
When I visit my family physician, he starts by checking my vitals. It’s amazing how critical are simple things like blood pressure, temperature, and pulse. We social scientists know that vital signs matter in organized religion, too. There are a … Continue reading
The Cohabitation Dilemma Comes for America’s Pastors
Below is the beginning of the article. Please click HERE or below to visit Christianity Today to read the full article. In early 2019, the internet was aglow with news about Chris Pratt and his fiancée, Katherine Schwarzenegger, moving in together. … Continue reading
Why Did They Steal Our Flag?
For 20 years we have lived in our current home in humble Grove City, Pennsylvania. It came with a nice flagpole mounted on the front. We change the flag a lot. Sometimes we display flags with various types of art … Continue reading
Marriage and the Gender Gap in Higher Ed: Fact vs. Fiction
A significantly lower percentage of young men are now obtaining college degrees compared to women. We have known this for some time now. As Jon Birger pointed out in his 2015 Date-onomics, and as the mass media trumpeted widely, among … Continue reading
Misery or Divorce
The way that declining divorce rates are being discussed these days, Americans could easily conclude that marital breakdown is no longer a serious problem. That’s hokum. Whether the percentage of marriages that will eventually dissolve is still 45% or higher, … Continue reading
Christian Marriage: What is it and Why is it Important
On Thursday, April 25, 2019, Dr. David Ayers spoke at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Lancaster, PA. Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Family Institute and the Institute for Faith & Freedom, Ayers draws on the Scriptures, historical Christian doctrine, social history, … Continue reading
My Brother’s Pregnancy?
I am a Baby Boomer who grew up with Time magazine. From before I was born it arrived at our home every week. We were subscribers, and I devoured every issue. Time was solid—carefully researched and cogently written. When I … Continue reading
Tethered to Technology—Escaping the IT Trap
Increasingly, we often expect each other to be smartphone-available nearly 24/7. Or we act as if this is the case. Over time, this can lead to feelings of exhaustion and a sense of entrapment. Time to just focus on our … Continue reading
Abortion’s Slippery Slope: The “Two-Minus-One Pregnancy”
Ever heard of a “two-minus-one pregnancy?” Chances are you have not, unless you have read the recent article by that title in the New York Times Magazine. This expression, which we may have to get used to, is one more … Continue reading