‘If We Will Only Return to God, Our Nation Will Be Blessed and the Original Order of Creation and the Stability That It Holds Will Begin to Return’
July 6, 2021
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As the nation celebrates its 245th birthday, a new Fox News poll has found that 26 percent of registered voters believe America is no longer the best country to live in—representing a 12-point increase over the number of those who felt that way in 2015. The drop in positive views of our country is most pronounced among voters under age 45 (75 percent said the U.S. was the best in 2015 vs. 54 percent now, a 21-point drop), Democrats (a 20-point drop), women (a 19-point drop), and Black voters (a 17-point drop).
While nearly 7 out of 10 voters (or 69 percent) do believe America is the greatest country to reside in, that is down from the 83 percent who said so in 2015.
Judge Phil Ginn—President of Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES, www.ses.edu)—commented on the survey results and today’s cultural environment from a Christian apologetics perspective.
“I am reminded of the old Merle Haggard classic, ‘Are the Good Times Really Over (I Wish a Buck Was Still Silver),’” said Judge Ginn. “The whole song was a mournful lesson on the demise of America. There can be little doubt that there is currently an almost surreal cloud of confusion enshrouding our nation.
“We at Southern Evangelical Seminary understand and feel the angst of our fellow Americans as we see the rapid eroding of the foundations of a nation we so dearly love,” he continued. “We know, however, that Natural Law not only gives an answer for the cause of our dilemma, as set out in Romans 1:18-31—but also its cure. When we look at the world of our Creator, we can see and know that He is a God of order.
“As we’ve seen God removed from our schools, our government, our families, and our hearts, is it any wonder that chaos has quickly followed? Yet the answer is simple. If we as a people of God will only return to Him, our nation will be blessed and the original order of creation and the stability that it holds will begin to return.
“Merle Haggard ended his ballad with a paraphrase of the earlier chorus,” added Judge Ginn. “It says, ‘The best of the free life is still yet to come, the good times ain’t over for good.’ SES is firmly in the camp of those who would proclaim that the math is quite simple. When the people of America have had enough and decide to turn to our Creator God, the answers will come.
“Why not allow the Good News of the Gospel message and clear rational thinking to become the order of the day,” said Judge Ginn. “It is not too late. May God Bless America, again!”
SES is hosting an important event, “Awaken: Thinking Well about Wokism, Social Justice, and Racial Reconciliation,” on Saturday, August 7, beginning at 1 p.m. It will be livestreamed. Registration for this significant SES event is open at this link.
Earlier in 2021, SES released a new video revealing inconsistencies with today’s “woke” ideology—and noting the importance for Christians to proclaim and defend the true and the good.The SES video, titled “Are You Woke or Awake?,” has been well received on social media.
Judge Charles Philip Ginn assumed the role of SES President on April 1, 2021, having recently served as the seminary’s Chairman of the Board of Trustees. His appointment came on the heels of Dr. Richard Land’s retirement announcement earlier this spring. Judge Ginn has been active with Southern Evangelical Seminary not only because of his admiration for his mentor, Dr. Norm Geisler—who personally recruited Judge Ginn for the SES doctoral program—but also because of his strong belief in the mission of SES to evangelize the culture through apologetics. He is the first graduate of SES to become seminary president.
After a distinguished career as a lawyer and a judge, Judge Ginn retired as the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge for the 24th Judicial District in North Carolina. Judge Ginn holds a B.A. from Appalachian State University, a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Doctor of Ministry from SES. He has been married to his wife, Lynn, for almost 42 years. They have four daughters, three sons-in-law and five grandchildren.
The mission of SES is to train men and women, based on the inerrant and infallible written Word of God, for the evangelization of the world and defense of the historic Christian faith. SES offers the 15-hour Certificate in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE).SES believes that one must minister to the present generation according to its needs—and to do so with truth and power. Students need training in the ethical, political and economic implications of the unchanging Faith “once delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). The PPE can also be used as a concentration within most master’s degrees (excluding Master of Arts in Religion).The combination of PPE training and classical seminary education can be a potent one in combating the new heresies and false doctrines rooted in a secularist, progressivist worldview.
For more information on SES, visit its website at www.ses.edu or its Facebook page, follow the SES Twitter feed, @sesapologetics, or call (704) 847-5600.
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To interview Judge Phil Ginn of Southern Evangelical Seminary, contact Hamilton Strategies, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Jeff Tolson, 610.584.1096, ext. 108, or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102.
