Obviously, during a time like this, we need to be listening to the best medical, scientific, and governing voices out there. As any rational person can now attest, those voices do not include Fox News or the president. Do not listen to either. At this point, not listening to those voices will probably save lives. Consider this a public service announcement. We should also consider spiritual voices. After listening to all these however, beyond the requirements of simply being good... Read more
I’ve started a fascinating book written by Eugene McCarraher, which asserts, among other things, that capitalism is the religion of modernity. Rather than a neutral or scientific economic system or understanding that simply corresponds to “natural” laws of human behavior, it is a metaphysical and theological view of exchange—or the relation of beings. Further, whereas the common view of modern times is one of disenchantment (Weber), our writer asserts, no, an enchanted or a sacramental world is always the case, but... Read more
I was reading a review of David B. Hart’s new book on universalism, which I’ve addressed in other contexts, here and here, when I came across these words: “Hell has always been a psychic method to obscure the subversive import of Christ’s command that we should love everyone as we love ourselves. Without the crutch of hell, we must contend with what that revolutionary egalitarianism means. It is to believe that every human being is so divine, every spirit so... Read more
I’ve focused several times on the fact that evangelicals, in my opinion, get upset over the wrong things. This came into focus again this past Sunday with the reaction of some evangelicals to the Super Bowl half-time show. I didn’t see the half-time show as I was busy stuffing my face with great food and soothing adult beverages. However, I have now watched parts of it and read some of the complaints, notably addressed here. This one takes the cake... Read more
Albert Mohler is upset. He came across a New York Times essay he didn’t agree with. Further, he was offended. He felt the essay was condescending. And he felt many other things too, no doubt, and he spends most of his writing telling us about those other things. All good and well, but it’s hardly a reasoned response to the essay. The entire thing is a rant full of question-begging, non-sequiturs, and appeals to authority (sort of…). Those are all... Read more
One of the heresies of modern times is that we live in a two-story universe. Here below is the “natural” the material, the physical, and the “supernatural” belongs to the upper story, the heavens, the spiritual, that world we can’t touch or see. Of course, if one is an atheist, then it’s all a one-story universe, pure material/physical, pure matter-in-motion, whether up or down. Christian orthodoxy however believes the entire universe, existence, is, like the Incarnation, both. Like the atheist,... Read more
I respect Peter Leithart a great deal and have read several of his books. His writings were actually a helpful part of my journey out of funda-gelicalism. Unfortunately, one can still detect the right-wing, culture-war-training, he no doubt received at Hillsdale as an undergrad. From this response, it doesn’t appear his political views have caught up to his education. Regardless, he is a true scholar, a man for all seasons as they say. And this makes his rebuttal to Mark... Read more
Only those in darkness can see a great light. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined. (Isaiah 9:2-) Only those who are burdened, who have felt the bar and the rod, who have been oppressed, can rejoice. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken... Read more
In Deuteronomy 14:2 we read: “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” And in Ephesians 1:4 we read: “He [God] chose us [elected us] in Him before the foundation of the world.” Two significant themes, or assertions, in both Testaments is the idea of being chosen or elected, out... Read more
Periodically I plan to post reflections from my Patreon blog here at Patheos. These are more contemplative, reflective, and meditative in orientation. If these are helpful or interesting to you, please see my other Patreon posts. Here is a revised post: If we were to put aside the idea that hell is a geographical/physical or even metaphysical/spiritual realm, but rather a state of relative being, something we carry around in our hearts, the story of the Prodigal Son (St. Luke... Read more
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