What we saw on January 6, 2021 lumbering from the President’s Park South toward the Capitol Building was a Frankenstein Monster finally put together after decades in the making. Just like the fictional creature, this monster will probably end up destroying its makers, and there are many. Just like it is hard to fault the fictional creature, who is, after all, brought into this world through unnatural and unethical means, I don’t place most of the blame on those who... Read more
Consider Luke 13: 22-30 22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying,... Read more
I remember at least one pastor telling me the reason he practiced expository preaching was to avoid bias/subjectivity. His theory was that topical preaching was inherently biased because the topic was chosen for personal reasons (perhaps a pet peeve of the pastor/priest) and the Bible was brought into service to make the point of the topic (the speaker’s views on the topic, really), rather than allowing the topic to arise organically from the Bible passage. I remember attending a Calvary... Read more
Doug Wilson is an odd duck. He’s sort of a cross between Hillbilly Elegy and A Beautiful Mind. In many ways, he’s a fundamentalist, but with a classical education and bent. A man of letters, but in a William Jennings Bryan sort of way. He’s a man out of time and yet thoroughly modern in many ways. He seems brighter than most fundamentalists, and yet, as obtuse as the worst. Anyway, the Trump virus, which turns apparently reasonable and intelligent... Read more
I do believe in hell. I just don’t believe in hell, the way most Christians, or the general public for that matter, does. I haven’t arrived at this understanding on my own. I didn’t imagine it or think it up myself. It’s not a belief I plotted and reasoned out myself. It was a view introduced to me by Christians in history and in the present. In other words, it’s not just wishful thinking or me picking and choosing which... Read more
Well, that was interesting. I realized when listening to passionate Trump supporters and Biden supporters, when both spoke of “landslides” and “blowouts” for their side, that it was probably going to be close. Even with the polls showing Biden to be doing well, I thought Trump could still win. Thus, I slowly exhale and breath. I relax, for now anyway. For me, it’s still a bittersweet moment. Am I happy Biden won? Of course. Still, how could it be this... Read more
I write this knowing every group, every segment of any religious, cultural, socio-political part of a national body has sown the wind, in their own peculiar ways. And the same for individuals, myself included. I don’t put myself outside the natural and spiritual laws of sowing and reaping. We all have debts coming due. We have all planted; a reaping and harvest await us all. I know that. Still. Please read Amos 5. Here is something that God communicates to... Read more
Disgraced evangelical leader, Jerry Falwell Jr., infamously noted in 2016 that we were not electing a “pastor” to the presidency, but a “commander” in chief. And many evangelical leaders have echoed that sentiment. Of course, they never did before Trump, but whatever. That’s just one aspect of the abject hypocrisy of 2016 on their part, so add it to the growing pot. Of course, the idea is we don’t want political leaders who would operate under the constraints of Christian... Read more
With the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court the topic of originalism is once again in the public conversation. It’s interesting to me that some in the Catholic academic legal community want to put some distance between themselves and Protestant fundamentalists when it comes to originalism. They try and do that here. And yet, it may prove difficult. There may, in fact, not be much distance between them and fundamentalists when it comes to this issue. See... Read more
I hear this all the time: “I’m tired of politicians. I want someone real, someone like me, someone from outside that world—I’m not voting for a politician.” I can understand, to an extent, those who are tired of “career politicians.” They’re tired of those who sound too polished, too smooth, and coached. They’re tired of people who don’t just “tell it like it is,” who are so balanced and cautious in their words, they offend no one and try to... Read more
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