Gerald Bray’s Athens and Jerusalem— Part Two

Last updated on: April 3, 2025 at 2:36 pm By Ben Witherington

As I have already alluded to, I know of no better survey of the development and interaction of philosophy and Christian theology than this one, and it is written in a clear way that divinity students can understand, though it would help if they had had some prior courses in philosophy. It is interesting that the first major Christian theologian, Tertullian, had something of an allergic reaction to the suggestion that Greek philosophy and Christian theology could be dialogue partners.... Read more

Gerald Bray’s Athens andJerusalem-Part One

Last updated on: April 3, 2025 at 12:26 pm By Ben Witherington

Sometimes a book comes along, and this one just showed up last month, that is so comprehensive and profound that it can be called an instant classic. Gerald Bray’s new book is just such a book. Long ago I took a course in the Intellectual History of the West at Carolina which covered much the same ground as this book, but without a Christian perspective on the development of philosophy and theology. It is perfectly clear that Bray has read... Read more

Bookaholics Unite!

Last updated on: March 28, 2025 at 10:58 am By Ben Witherington

I can relate to that cartoon above. And I resonate with Erasmus when he famously said ‘when I get money I buy books. If anything is leftover, I buy food.’ One trend that has alarmed me somewhat is that libraries are increasingly going away from print books, and moving to digital books, like on Kindle for example. Why is this alarming? Because for research purposes especially you cannot compare and take notes on multiple pages of the same book, and... Read more

Gentle Jesus Meek and Mild? Not Exactly

Last updated on: March 25, 2025 at 9:43 pm By Ben Witherington

This is of course only one side of Jesus’ personality, but it is an authentic side of who he was. Read more

Jonathan Roumie Ruminates on the Task of Playing Jesus

Last updated on: March 25, 2025 at 9:39 pm By Ben Witherington

I would recommend you just watch the first the first five minutes of this interview with Tucker. It’s well worth seeing how a Christian actor fully realizes the heavy thing it is to play the role of Jesus in an authentic and accurate way. Read more

How the Portal and NIL Have Messed up March Madness

Last updated on: March 25, 2025 at 8:21 am By Ben Witherington

By now, now that we are down to the Sweet 16, it should be clear that the portal and NIL have not only messed up genuine amateur athletes, they have also messed up the BIG Dance. This year the Sweet 16 should be called the SEC invitational tournament, because 7 (yes lucky 7) of the teams in the 16 are from one conference, a conference that in the past might have one or two teams in the final 16. How... Read more

Pentecostal Professor—With a New Do

Last updated on: March 24, 2025 at 8:39 pm By Ben Witherington

Alas, my colleague Craig has found AI in a vain attempt to have hair again. And so he is depicted as a Pentecostal with his hair on fire! But wait,didn’t Mr. Wesley say ‘thou shalt have your heart strangely warmed, not your hair on fire’! Just sayin. Read more

All that Jazz– the Guides

Last updated on: March 18, 2025 at 9:28 am By Ben Witherington

There are several excellent compendiums that survey the history of jazz in one way or another. The latest of these three major contributions is Ted Gioia’s The History of Jazz (OUP, 2021). Before that is Keith Shadwick’s, The Encyclopedia of Jazz and Blues (New Burlington Books, 2001), and before that G.C. Ward and Ken Burns’ Jazz, A History of American Music, Knopf, 2000). The latter of course accompanied Burn’s series on PBS, which was excellent as usual (though on the... Read more

The Real March Madness

Last updated on: March 16, 2025 at 11:01 pm By Ben Witherington

So the internet is all abuzz with phony outrage that UNC got into the Big Dance— barely, as one of the First Four. And here is why that is beyond stupid. UNC played one of the toughest schedules in the country. One estimate is that it was the second or third most difficult schedule, and other than Duke, the only quad one team they played at home was Alabama, and they played well against them. Their so-called NET was better... Read more

A Good Read on St. Patrick— on St. Patrick’s Day

Last updated on: March 16, 2025 at 1:07 pm By Ben Witherington

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Splendour of Fire, Speed of Lightning A meander around St Patrick Paul Kingsnorth Mar 16 READ IN APP Saint Patrick of Ireland, by Aidan Hart. I am away this week, and have not had the time to put together a Sunday Pilgrimage entry for you. Apologies: I promise that we will return to our wanderings through Christian England next week. Instead, since tomorrow is St Patrick’s Day, here is an article I wrote here three years... Read more