Further Reflections of Faith and Love

June 18, 2013 By

I hoped she loved me, but I did not know. She turned me down cold in tenth grade and so there was reason to doubt that she found me attractive, but tenth grade was a long time ago. And yet her note that year had been very spiritual and very final: she would only date me if God made her or at least that is how I read it. Still hope springs eternal in the heart of a senior’s breast. I talked to her mother about her coming home from college and my father said he thought she was not dating … [Read More...]

So Happy I Could Shout

June 13, 2013 By

Let's get this out of the way: Lee Strobel is coming onto the Apologetics team at HBU. But this is not the press release, that is here. This is a personal reflection on education: what American Christians should want, what we too often get, and what we can do about. What is the bottom line? Educational things  have been alright, though not as alright as we thought, mostly the situation is  going to feel worse, but it is really getting better. We are lucky to live today. The chance … [Read More...]

In Which Jesus Is Shown To Be Better than a Facebook Friend

June 3, 2013 By

Friendship is a great good and Facebook friendship is a lesser good, but that does not mean it isn't a good.  Facebook is enjoyable and a great improvement over once a year Christmas newsletters. Conversations take place and information is exchanged. Just because a good is the greatest good … [Read More...]

A Sad Little Film: Star Trek II Again

May 24, 2013 By

Star Wars fans beware. By the time J.J. Abrams is done with your childhood, it will be even smaller and less impressive than reality always makes going home again. If the tree you built a house in was not nearly as high as you recall, in the hands of Abrams that tree would be torn down, … [Read More...]

If Left Alone: What My Grandchildren Will See

May 23, 2013 By

Christians are a minority when it comes to sex outside of marriage. The Christian church teaches that sexual activity outside of marriage is a sin, but most Americans think it is morally acceptable. The good news is that if the immoral majority will leave us alone, the Christian minority is … [Read More...]

Out of Many One

May 22, 2013 By

States and the federal government should abandon any mandated common educational core: even common cores I like. I am the sort of person who might be expected to support federal or statewide "common core" standards: I am the founder of a "great works" program and the chief academic officer of … [Read More...]

Dear God: Facing Tragedy

May 20, 2013 By

Somebody someplace will use the tragedy in Oklahoma to make a philosophical point. Somebody someplace will repeat slogans. Those of us who love God will cry out to Him in our pain for friends and hurting people. We know God exists. We know He is good and we know everyone will die. But we … [Read More...]

Hope: Ten Things To Hope

May 16, 2013 By

The President is in trouble. How do we know? International news organizations, disposed to like the President, are beginning to worry about him. And yet what American would wish for another failed President? By a failed presidency, I do not mean policy or decisions. I never voted for … [Read More...]

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Primary Mark Sanford

May 10, 2013 By

If you love Mark Sanford, primary him. Mark Sanford is unfit to serve in Congress and it is shame that the voters of South Carolina were faced with such dismal choices in the last election: a vacuous leftist versus a verminous righty. Of course, Republican primary voters brought it on … [Read More...]

Jesus: On Pascha

May 5, 2013 By

Forty-two years ago, almost exactly, I went to my Dad and asked to be introduced to you. I was a boy, but I knew the difference between my thoughts and your Voice. Your voice in my heart cannot be confused with my own, because that sweet voice is nobler, purer, more charitable than any thought I … [Read More...]

“Think for yourself!” And other bad ideas.

May 3, 2013 By

Al Geier, the closest person to Socrates I know, was leading class at HBU a few weekends ago and someone (it could have been me) said, "We need to think for ourselves and encourage others to do the same." He looked at someone (it could have been me) and said, "No. We need to think well and … [Read More...]

The Bell of Saint Linda

May 2, 2013 By

My daughters are particularly insightful. When they met met the person who runs the Provost's office at HBU, they knew that they had met a most excellent person and began to refer to her as Saint Linda. Really, since she is very much alive, she should be called Saint-In-the-Making Linda, but … [Read More...]

“Cheer Up!” And Other Obnoxious Advice

May 1, 2013 By

Tenth grade was bad enough without adding forced cheerfulness. She arrived when I was in tenth grade and was very, very smart, virtuous, and lovely. I sent her a note, because that was what I did in tenth grade when overwhelmed by holiness or hormones. She turned me down for some very good … [Read More...]

Adam, Where are you?

April 29, 2013 By

One advantage of aging is knowing good music that the trendy have forgotten, while the joy of this age is the iTunes store and Spotify preserving it for you. His name was Don Francisco and his music is a folk without a touch of over instrumentation, autotune, or irony. His voice is clean, if … [Read More...]