About Gary Scott Smith

Dr. Gary Scott Smith is a Professor of History Emeritus at Grove City College and is a fellow for faith and politics with the Institute for Faith and Freedom. He is the author of "Strength for the Fight: The Life and Faith of Jackie Robinson" (2022), "Duty and Destiny: The Life and Faith of Winston Churchill” (January 2021), "A History of Christianity in Pittsburgh" (2019), "Suffer the Children" (2017), "Religion in the Oval Office" (Oxford University Press, 2015), “Faith and the Presidency From George Washington to George W. Bush” (Oxford University Press, 2009), "Religion in the Oval Office" and “Heaven in the American Imagination” (Oxford University Press, 2011).

I Like Ike

As other statues and monuments are being removed or criticized throughout our nation, a new $150 million memorial located near the U.S. Capitol will be dedicated Thursday honoring the general who helped defeat the Axis Powers in World War II … Continue reading

Bringing Down Churchill

The current worldwide protests against racial injustice and inequality spurred by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 have prompted attacks on individuals who sold and owned slaves and defended the abominable practice of slavery. It has … Continue reading

Ravi Zacharias: A Tribute

The apostle Peter instructs Christians: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). Beginning with the disciples and the apostle Paul, countless Christians … Continue reading

The Faith of Troy Polamalu

Troy Polamalu, who played safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2003 to 2014, has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He will enter the hall with Bill Cowher, who coached the … Continue reading

To Go or Not to Go

I recently returned from a mission trip to Brazil with eleven members of my Presbyterian church in Wilmington, North Carolina.  Partnering with a Presbyterian congregation in Manaus, our team, which included three physicians and two nurses, furnished medical assistance, dental … Continue reading

The Power of Water

They danced. They sang. They shouted and cried for joy. Had their team won the Super Bowl or the Stanley Cup? Had they won a giant Powerball lottery? No, but their lives had been transformed. A well had been dug … Continue reading

Helping America’s Children

Countless Americans are expressing outrage at the separation of almost 2,000 children from their parents who illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in a recent six-week period. Leading Republicans have joined the chorus of Democrats who are denouncing this policy. Columnist … Continue reading

Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.

Fifty years ago, on April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed when he stepped from his second-floor hotel room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, to speak to Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) colleagues standing in the parking … Continue reading

A Tribute to Billy Graham

Overstating the significance of Billy Graham is difficult. Arguably the most important religious leader of the 20th century, Graham presented the gospel to an estimated 215 million people through his many evangelistic campaigns around the world and to hundreds of … Continue reading

Faith and the NFL

After the Philadelphia Eagles’ thrilling victory over the New England Patriots in the 2018 Super Bowl, faith was front and center. In response to being awarded the Lombardi Trophy at the post-game ceremony, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson thanked “my … Continue reading

A Haven in the Opioid Crisis

Our nation is experiencing an opioid crisis. Currently more than 2.5 million Americans are addicted to either opioid pain relievers or heroin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opioid-related deaths have more than quadrupled since 1999. All … Continue reading

The Faith of George H. W. Bush

George H. W. Bush recently celebrated his 93rd birthday. In four and half months, he is on course to surpass Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford as the former president who lived the longest. His son George W. is much better known … Continue reading