In a comment on last Thursday’s blog post—“God is Not a Vending Machine”—a Facebook friend commented I admit I wish it were a vending machine. Or a merit-based reward system. Where there would be clear prices and instructions. You do enough of this, you will get that in exchange. Sadly, it does not work like that. God is Not a Vending Machine No, it doesn’t, and in the long run I think that a good thing. But in the short... Read more
My most recent blog post included some reflections from a recent student on what she had learned during out class. One of the things she listed as having learned is that “God is not a vending machine.” In the comments, a reader indicated that he found this to be a memorable phrase–which made me think that perhaps I should expand on the claim. I was reminded of when, a few years ago, I had the opportunity to reflect in a... Read more
Regular classes for the spring semester ended last Friday–semesters seem to go by more quickly every year. At the end of each academic year, I often reflect back on the past few months for permanent takeaways, experiences and students that will remain with me long after the classes are forgotten and the students have graduated. Being a college professor (and, I suspect, being a teacher of any sort) is a lot like the parable of the sower in Matthew’s gospel.... Read more
One of my prized possessions, purchased when Jeanne and I were on vacation during Summer 2018 in Scotland, is a Harris Tweed wool cap. I bought it in a small shop in Oban, a beautiful port on the west coast of Scotland that is the gateway to the Hebrides islands (where they make Islay scotch whisky, the real reason we went to Scotland in the first place). I wear this cap to work frequently, and am pleased to report that... Read more
I seldom jump into current events in this blog, simply because I don’t want to participate in the knee-jerk, “who can crank out an unthinking response the most quickly” activity that infects the blogosphere. But given the close-to-certainty that the Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade within the next few weeks, I’m making an exception today. Actually, what I have to say is something that I wrote concerning the abortion issue a bit over two years ago. “Idolatry and Abortion”... Read more
Alas, and did my Savior bleed, and did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I? Isaac Watts When I recall the words to some of the hymns we regularly sang in church during my youth, I’m amazed that anyone survived intact psychologically. I am told that in recent hymnbooks the question in the last line has been changed to “for sinners such as I?” but the sentiment remains the same. And it’s... Read more
In my “Faith and Doubt” colloquium this semester, we have encountered many authors who write about the “hiddenness” of God, the challenge of seeking to be in relationship or contact with a God who (1) created out of love so that we might freely respond in love to the invitation to relationship and (2) who is silent, absent, or both. I started seminar last week with a PowerPoint screen containing these three quotations: The trouble about God is that he... Read more
Last weekend, Jeanne and I took a quick trip to Greenville, South Carolina to attend a wedding. Other than driving through the state on I-95 headed north or south at various times over the years, the only time either of us had ever spent any time in the state was in Charleston. We spent a couple days there a few years ago vacationing with some Florida friends (we also hit Savannah, GA on that vacation); I also was in Charleston... Read more
A Facebook friend who knows that I am a philosophy professor sent me a thought-provoking picture a short time ago. I thought I knew a good deal about the ancient world, particularly ancient philosophy, but Mediocrates was a new one for me. So I did some research. Mediocrates (around 450-370ish BCE) was the (much) younger sibling of his slightly more famous brother, Socrates. Like Socrates, everything we know about Mediocrates comes through the testimony of those who knew and appreciated... Read more
Two decades ago, as my mother-in-law was steadily descending into the hell of Alzheimer’s, an acquaintance described Jeanne’s most recent difficult interaction with her mother this way: “Rose is a spiritual being having a human experience.” This was a helpful reminder that there is more to a human being than her body, a something more that is not necessarily subject to the vicissitudes of our physical existence. Since we know our physical selves are temporary and have a very short... Read more
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