Many years ago, I read The Idea of the Holy by the Lutheran phenomenologist Rudolph Otto. This book profoundly influenced C. S. Lewis, who writes about it in Surprised by Joy, and I have to say that it also influenced me. Touchstone Magazine has published
It takes a warrant for the police to search your house or tap your phone. But not to record and keep track of your DNA. So ruled the Supreme Court yesterday. The Constitution’s protections against “unreasonable search and seizure” do not apply to your genetic
In the United Kingdom, gay marriage has passed the House of Commons and is now being considered by the House of Lords. The Church of England, despite its reputation for theological liberalism, is opposing the measure. I was struck by what the new Archbishop of
Southern Baptists are currently embroiled in a controversy over “Calvinist Baptists.” David Koyzis and Collin Garbarino over at the First Things blog are asking if there can be Calvinist Baptists, why can’t there be “Lutheran Baptists”? After all, Lutherans were flexible about allowing different kinds
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (not to be confused with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations, or other more conservative Lutheran bodies) has elected its first openly gay bishop, the
Oklahoma City and surrounding communities were struck by multiple tornadoes Friday night, killing nine people. This was only 11 days after an EF-5 tornado hit Moore (a southern suburb of OKC). We were in northeast Oklahoma, a long way from the tornadoes that made the
How I dreaded the “visitation.” Having to see my father’s dead body. Having to meet and greet well-wishers while being in a highly emotional state. What a horrible ordeal this is going to be, I thought. And yet, the visitation on Thursday night was strangely
If a dog is killed through someone’s negligence, is the owner entitled to compensation for just the monetary value of the animal (usually not much) or also for the “sentimental value” that come from the owner’s emotional attachment to the pet? After all, family heirlooms–such
Stephen King is the living master of horror fiction and a pretty darned good writer by any standard. NPR has an interesting interview with him on the occasion of his new novel, Joyland (which sounds like a good one), in which he affirms his belief
Funerals being on my mind lately, I offer you an essay I wrote that was published in Table Talk. It is entitled “A Tale of Two Funerals.” (more…)
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