The hosts of “Collars & Calluses” introduce a Q&A backlog and address whether the U.S. war with Iran is just and whether CREC pastors should rebuke Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, noting he is in the CREC and that critics want public denunciations. They argue Christians should avoid dogmatism because citizens lack full information, the history is messy, and this issue shouldn’t divide friendships or churches; they express skepticism based on prior Middle East wars, unclear public justification, questions about Israel, and concerns about escalation, urging prayer for leaders. They then define patriarchy as “father rule” rooted in creation and applicable across life, versus complementarianism as a 1970s–80s adaptation focused mainly on roles in marriage and church, often lacking rationale, diluting male authority, and tending toward egalitarianism; they describe marital implications of headship/submission and warn against cultural rebellion against created order.

Contact us: collarsandcalluses@gmail.com

X handles: Bill: @wrs2_ Rich: @Vicar1973

Bill and Rich return to their Proverbs theme of wealth, focusing on how Solomon teaches that generosity—especially toward the legitimately poor—can lead to true riches, connecting giving to the biblical pattern of death and resurrection and to Paul’s “sowing and reaping” in 2 Corinthians 9. They warn against prosperity-gospel manipulation and stress discriminating charity that avoids enabling idleness or vice, emphasizing relationship-based help, the gleaning principle, and Paul’s rule that those unwilling to work should not eat, critiquing indiscriminate welfare systems. They argue Scripture is not anti-wealth, citing Abraham, Job, and the parable of the talents, and distinguish Jesus’ warnings about wealth as aimed at elites who extract wealth from others. They present wealth as power for dominion and encourage disciplined tithing, benevolence, and seeking God’s kingdom first; show notes: collarsandcalluses@gmail.com, @wrs2_, @Vicar1973.

Taken from Bill's series on Proverbs: https://www.cornerstonereformedcrec.org/proverbs