Behold the Mt. Sinai Monastery Library, which holds 4,500 partial or whole ancient manuscripts including a copy of Codex Sinaiticus and an ancient Syriac translation of the Gospels. (These pictures used under the fair use law. I was unable to take my own pictures while I was there). Finally, finally through the auspices of EMEL (the Early Manuscripts Electronic Library) folks, and the library at UCLA, the vast holdings of the Sinai monastery are being digitized. The project could take... Read more

C.J. Sansom is an an accomplished historical novelist, and his latest volume has been nominated for the Sir Walter Scott Prize. It might be better dubbed ‘Tomeland’ as it is a whopping 854 pages long. No quick Ellis Peters or Paulm Doherty medieval read this volume! The volume came out in the States in January of this year, and I have been reading and reading it for weeks. It recounts the events of 1549 in England, specifically the abolition of... Read more

Here’s a helpful article on recent research on sarcophagus paintings of persons who were mummified between about A.D. 100 and 250. See what you think. BW3 https://www.cnn.com/style/article/egyptian-mummy-portraits/index.html Read more

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“The NT is never interested in conduct and behavior in itself. I can go further and say that the NT does not make an appeal for good behavior to anyone but to Christian people. The NT is not interested, as such, in the morality of the world. It tells us quite plainly that you can expect nothing from the world but sin, and that in its fallen condition it is incapable of anything else. In Titus 3.3 Paul tells us... Read more

Here’s a fine article about the sad state of classic rock these days (mostly) characterized by replacement players and replacement body parts. BW3 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/22/arts/music/band-name-reunions.html?action=click&module=Editors%20Picks&pgtype=Homepage Read more

I must first say that this movie is a joy to watch. It’s very well done. Even the flashbacks are not off-putting. And the two main actors in the story are truly excellent, as is the supporting cast. Nicholas Holt as J.R.R. in his high school and college and war years, and beyond, is excellent, as is Lily Collins as Edith Bratt, his true love. Further, Professor Wright the philologist at Oxford, with whom Tolkien studied, is beautifully played by... Read more

Went to see Chicago at the EKU Arts Center in Richmond Ky. It was a terrific show including a terrific light show (see below). Went with the Tune Dude Jeff James, and my wife Ann and her colleague Marvin Ruffner. They played from 7.30 until just after 10 with a 20 minute break. They played tons of their hits from the first lp all the way up to the 21rst century. They’ve been together since 1967— 52 years!! There are... Read more

Here’s a fascinating article about the divisive nature of the digs at the City of David in Jerusalem. See what you think. BW3 https://nyti.ms/2CMYifB Read more

Q. Towards the end of the book you touch on one of the major problems in the church— the failure to affirm the goodness of being single for the sake of the Lord and his kingdom, and the failure to embrace and be friend such folks. In fact, one church I was once in had a Sunday school class for older adults called ‘Pairs and Spares’! As if a single person was like a spare tire— just atrocious thinking! I... Read more