David Brooks: What should we do during the next two years of divided government? We could spend them as we’ve spent the last two: React to every Trump outrage. Keep Trump’s narcissistic provocations at center stage. Express daily contempt from within the safety of our political silos. This seems to be the business model for cable news and online media. There’s a big, reliable audience of people who will tune in to feel appalled by and superior to Trump, and... Read more
We turn in our reading of the patristics to Ignatius, who evidently wrote these letters on his march to Rome to be martyred — sometime during Trajan’s reign. We don’t know much about Ignatius until these letters and in the middle of his trip — somewhere around Philippi — the story of his life is lost. The tradition is that he died in Rome. In our series on the patristic writings, we use the text Michael Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers.... Read more
The Book of Proverbs has had its ups and downs in church history, and one of its ups was the common wisdom — I heard it from Billy Graham — of reading one chapter from Proverbs a day. I have found one chapter in Proverbs to be a long read since each proverb/riddle takes time to process. Before we get to the proverbs of Proverbs, a word about the introduction, as sketched by Glenn Pemberton in his excellent new book, A... Read more
Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Read more
Looking for a free home? (Might involve a move or at least a very long commute!) Wannabe homeowners in Japan are about to get the deal of a lifetime. The Japanese government is launching a program to reduce the number of abandoned homes across the country by offering them for sale for nearly nothing, or actually nothing, according to Insider. According to a 2013 report, there are about eight million houses that have been left abandoned all over Japan. Natural disasters and... Read more
Source: In a project that is drawing national attention, New Jersey art teacher Julia Mooney is wearing the same dress every day she teaches for the first 100 days of the school year. She hopes to raise awareness of the growing “culture of excess” in America that has filled our closets to overflowing with throwaway garments. (Photo: Gene Sloan, USA TODAY) MOORESTOWN, New Jersey – Julia Mooney stands in front of a classroom of eighth graders wearing her simple gray, button-down dress. It’s the same... Read more
An amazingly helpful new resource has just been published by Hendrickson, and I’ll jump the gun on my annual selection of books — planned for December 3! But today, a fantastic resource for Bible students. Gregory R. Lanier and William A. Ross have published something for any pastor or student who wants to do more than “check” a translation in the LXX: it’s called Septuagint: A Reader’s Edition. Here’s what it does: The entire text of the LXX is printed.... Read more
Source: A photograph of two strangers sharing a meal at an Indiana area fast food restaurant has hearts melting across the Internet. While having lunch with coworkers at a McDonald’s in Noblesville on November 8, Amanda Craft noticed an elderly woman eating alone after ordering her food. But she wouldn’t be lonely for long. Craft watched as the woman walked over to a young man who was also eating by himself, and asked if she could join him. The man... Read more
Kris and I say to one and all, Happy Thanksgiving! Almighty and gracious Father, We give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the... Read more
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