In our series on the patristic writings, we return to 2 Clement 10-11. Our series uses for its text Michael Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers. This series began because of the challenge given by Kenneth Stewart’s wonderful book, In Search of Ancient Roots. We need to read the patristics, and that is what I’m doing with you on this blog — inch by inch! What’s 2 Clement about? It’s an exhortation to faithfulness to the way of Christ in the face of… Read more

Luke Timothy Johnson, in Miracles: God’s Presence and Power in Creation, contends miracles in an age of secularity present enormous challenges that can only be countered with a concerted counter-challenge. I agree. The challenge facing contemporary Christians in the matter of miracles is daunting. The condition of double-mindedness is pervasive and entrenched. Christians wishing to profess the central tenets of the faith—the convictions by which they live and for which, often enough, they die—cannot avoid mythic language. Incarnation and resurrection alike… Read more

What about those trumpets of terror that unfold in Revelation 8-11?  For our posts on Revelation we are reading Craig Koester Revelation and the End of All Things and Ian Paul, Revelation. I have reformatted Koester’s wonderful summary into separable points: First, Context: Seven trumpets are blown in succession, creating the third cycle of visions in Revelation. At the conclusion of the previous cycle, a graceful silence lingered in heavens chambers after the voices in the celestial chorus had sounded the… Read more

I always read John Hawthorne’s posts, this one about the CT article and its graphics: This week Christianity Today reported on research sponsored by the Billy Graham Center and conducted by LifeWay Research. Titled “Why Evangelicals Voted Trump: Debunking the 81%,” it reported on data from 3,000 respondents.  These respondents were analyzed in three groups: evangelicals by belief (EBB), self-identified evangelicals (SIE), and non-evangelicals. … One thing that stands out immediately is that 77% of white evangelicals voted for Trump. While it’s true… Read more

By Emily McFarlan Miller: (RNS) — Eugene Peterson, the bestselling author of “The Message” and longtime pastor praised as a “shepherd’s shepherd,” passed away Monday morning (Oct. 22) at age 85. Among Peterson’s last words were, “Let’s go,” according to a statement from his family. “During the previous days, it was apparent that he was navigating the thin and sacred space between earth and heaven,” according to his family. “We overheard him speaking to people we can only presume were welcoming him into paradise…. Read more

I love the series from Princeton called Lives of Great Religious Books. So far I have enjoyed the following: Alan Jacobs, The Book of Common Prayer Ronald Hendel, The Book of Genesis Bruce Gordon, John Calvin’s “Institutes of the Christian Religion” But this new one is beyond tempting to drop everything to read: Timothy Beal, The Book of Revelation Beal’s teenage world was mine: I had tried and failed to read the actual text of the biblical book of Revelation…. Read more

Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen. BCP Read more

On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life Through Great Books Professor Karen Swallow Prior’s terrific new book, frames this conversation: On Reading Well. David George Moore’s other interviews with Professor Prior can be found at http://www.twocities.org/?p=2360 and here: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed/2015/02/07/saturday-book-interview-with-karen-swallow-prior/ Some of Dave’s videos can be accessed at www.mooreengaging.com Moore: You have written another book about reading (see interview above). How is On Reading Well different? Prior: The framework of my first book about books, Booked: Literature in the Soul of… Read more