'Education Crisis'

'Education Crisis'

Rahm Emanuel, former chief of staff to President Barack Obama and former mayor of Chicago, wrote an op-ed in ‘The Wall Street’ Journal last fall titled “Democrats Need an Education Reset.” Emanuel, who is expected to run for president in 2028, argues that the United States faces an education crisis. He wrote the piece in response to a government report on results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which found troubling levels of student achievement. According to the report, only 31% of eighth-grade students are proficient in science, 22% of high school seniors are proficient in math, and 35% are proficient in reading. In the op-ed, Emanuel writes, “We’ve spent the past five years debating pronouns without noticing that too many students can’t tell you what a pronoun is.” What is the source of the education crisis? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #416. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Election Crisis'

The recent California primary election took nearly a week to certify the winners. In an age of modern technology and rapid transportation, that is a considerable amount of time. Many jurisdictions with fewer resources than California, and with similar or even larger numbers of voters, are able to certify their election results within 24 hours of the polls closing. This has caused some people to have argued that California’s election process increases the potential for fraud or other irregularities because of the length of time required to certify the results. President Trump has been among the most prominent voices expressing this concern, but many other California residents have also voiced distrust in the election process. How does California’s mail-in voting system contribute to the time required to certify election results, and is mail-in voting trustworthy? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #415. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Heresies'

Over the weekend, a controversy erupted when Utah Senator Mike Lee posted a photo of the Pentagon’s revised list of religions it recognizes for observance. Lee wrote, “Can anyone tell me why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was left out of the list of Christian churches?” The Pentagon had added the word “Christian” to the names of several denominations but listed only The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints without a Christian designation. He argued that the LDS Church should have received the same label. His post sparked widespread discussion and debate over whether the LDS Church should’ve been included with other Christians. What did Joseph Smith teach about other Christian denominations? Did he view the LDS Church as simply another Christian denomination, or did he see it as a distinct, unique, church? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #414. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Simon Magus'

Simon Magus, also known as Simon the Sorcerer, is a figure mentioned in the Book of Acts. He was a Samaritan who, according to Acts, amazed the people of Samaria with his sorcery and claimed to be someone great. The passage states: “All the people, both high and low, gave him their attention..." When the Apostle Philip came to Samaria and performed signs and miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit, Simon was astonished and professed belief. Later, he offered the Apostle Peter money in exchange for the ability to confer the Holy Spirit on others. Peter sharply rebuked him for this attempt to purchase the Holy Spirit. According to early Christian tradition, what became of Simon Magus after these events, and which early Christian heresy is he believed to have founded? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #413. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Against Heresies'

From the 2nd through the 4th centuries, many different Christian movements, or denominations, emerged throughout the Roman Empire. These included the Gnostics, Marcionists, Modalists, Arians, and many others. Most of these groups were considered heretical by the broader Christian community, but some began to attract increasing numbers of converts and grew in influence. As these movements spread, there arose a need to distinguish their teachings from the doctrine handed down by the Apostles. This concern motivated Irenaeus, Bishop of Lugdunum, when he wrote ‘Against Heresies’ around AD 180. How did Irenaeus develop the concept of apostolic succession, and how did he use it to argue for the authority of the Christian Church to be in Rome? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #412. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]