Welcome to The Light, your quiet-hour reflection.
Jonathan Cain of Journey has released a new patriotic anthem called The Winds of Freedom, framing it as a companion to the enduring spirit of Don't Stop Believin' — a song he now says was always rooted in faith, hope, and the founding ideals of a nation approaching its two hundred fiftieth year.
That conversation about American identity deepens with theologian Carl Trueman, who argues that the political left too readily collapses the distinction between patriotism and nationalism. For Trueman, loving one's country and demanding its absolute loyalty are not the same impulse — and confusing them, he suggests, is part of how the West has lost its footing.
Closer to the ground, South Carolina has moved to protect its citizens from what lawmakers are calling debanking — the practice of large financial institutions severing ties with individuals based on their religious or political beliefs. The new law raises quiet but urgent questions about where economic power ends and the freedom of conscience begins.
That's this hour's reflection. Carry the light gently.
