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Waypoint
THE JOURNAL OF THE WAGNER FAITH & FREEDOM CENTER
SCHOLARSHIP · FIRST PRINCIPLES · CULTURE · PUBLIC AFFAIRS
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Prayers for the Building of the Wall
Nehemiah 1:4-11; 2:4-8; 4:1-9; 6:9; 9:5,31 By Wallis Metts, Ph.D.* At Spring Arbor University, we now have a strategic plan and several new initiatives. And, of course, we still have the work we normally do, as well as new challenges—enrollment goals to reach, accreditation challenges, students to retain, a capital campaign to complete. It makes me think of Nehemiah, who had to run a city and rebuild its wall at the same time. Nehemiah is not a priest, not a prophet, not even
Wallis Metts, PhD
10 hours ago
Prayers for the Building of the Wall
Nehemiah 1:4-11; 2:4-8; 4:1-9; 6:9; 9:5,31 By Wallis Metts, Ph.D.* At Spring Arbor University, we now have a strategic plan and several new initiatives. And, of course, we still have the work we normally do, as well as new challenges—enrollment goals to reach, accreditation challenges, students to retain, a capital campaign to complete. It makes me think of Nehemiah, who had to run a city and rebuild its wall at the same time. Nehemiah is not a priest, not a prophet, not even
Wallis Metts, PhD
10 hours ago
Natural Law, the Judicial Role, and the Preservation of Constitutional Government
The American constitutional order rests upon a profound assumption. Law possesses an objective meaning that exists independently of the preferences of judges.[1] The Constitution was not written as a collection of vague aspirations to be reshaped by each generation of political elites. Rather, it was framed as a governing charter with words intended to communicate definite meaning, preserve liberty, and structure representative government. When judges faithfully interpret tho
Hon. William Wagner (Ret)
6 days ago
American Humanitarian Aid Must Serve American Interests—and Remain Under American Control
The State Department’s $3.8 billion commitment to U.N.-administered relief tests whether American compassion abroad remains accountable to American law, policy, and national interests. The State Department’s decision to commit $3.8 billion in American humanitarian assistance to United Nations–administered funds raises a serious question of constitutional stewardship. Who ultimately controls how the U.N. system allocates and conditions those taxpayer dollars? In a recent Herit
Washington Does Not Educate Children—Families Do
Why Moving Power out of Washington Must Mean More Than Rearranging the Bureaucracy DETROIT NEWS| Opinion (Hon. Wm Wagner) - Updated July 31, 2026, 9:57 p.m. ET The House Education and Workforce Committee’s Less Bureaucracy, Better Education package challenges Washington to acknowledge that federal bureaucracy is not necessary for educational excellence. Recognizing that truth does not diminish the real needs these programs address. A principled case for reform must protect st
DOJ's New Guidance on Religious Liberty
The Department of Justice’s newly issued guidance on religious liberty, and the legal basis for it, deserves our attention. Although it lacks the drama of a Supreme Court opinion, its practical effect may prove equally significant. The Guidance directs every federal agency to interpret and administer federal law in light of nearly a decade of Supreme Court decisions reaffirming America’s first freedom. That development reflects an abiding constitutional truth. Religious liber
Prisoners Without Walls
A government need not build prison walls to deprive a person of liberty. It may simply prohibit that person from leaving its territory. Governments around the world increasingly employ coercive exit bans against citizens and foreign nationals who are already lawfully present within their territory. Rather than placing an individual under formal arrest, authorities simply forbid departure. The individual remains free to travel within the country, yet cannot return home, reuni
The Meaning of American Citizenship
A Commentary on the Citizenship Clause Few constitutional questions are more fundamental than this: Who does the Constitution recognize as a member of the American political community? That question lies at the heart of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Trump v. Barbara. Although much of the public discussion focused on immigration policy and border security, the Court confronted a far more lasting constitutional question. Beyond whether current immigration laws are wise
Restoring the Constitutional Presidency
Commentary on the Executive Vesting Clause The Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. Slaughter may prove to be one of the most consequential separation-of-powers decisions in a generation. While many will understandably view the case through the lens of current politics, the constitutional question before the Court was far more enduring: May Congress insulate principal executive officers from presidential removal, or does Article II require that those who exercise executive po
Religious Liberty Begins with First Principles
Commentary on the Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty Draft Report The Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty has released for public comment one of the most significant governmental studies of religious liberty in a generation. At a time when public debate often reduces religious freedom to a political slogan or a cultural grievance, the Commission’s draft report returns the discussion to something far more enduring, first principles. That alone deserves comme
The views and opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the Spring Arbor University Foundation, Wagner Faith & Freedom Center, or Spring Arbor University. The use of artificial intelligence may play a role in assisting editors and contributors in their published works.
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