William Johnstone observes in his study of Exodus and Chronicles that the Chronicler blames the death of Saul on the ma’al by which he ma’aled against the Lord (95; 1 Chronicles 10:13-14). It’s the same term used earlier in Chronicles, and in each case it “punctuates the decisive periods of Israel’s history; from first to last, on West Bank and on East, in North and in South. Israel in its occupation of the land has been characterized by ma’al” (96).... Read more
1 Chronicles 9:1 sounds like closure. Israel’s genealogies are enrolled, and the Chronicler cites the source of his information, the book of the Kings of Israel. Judah is off in Babylonian exile because of her unfaithfulness. Yet the text moves on, and the genealogy isn’t yet done. After the end, there is more; after exile, there is new life. And the theological depth of this new life is highlighted by verse 2. Commentators debate whether or not the phrase “the... Read more
1 Chronicles 9:1 sounds like closure. Israel’s genealogies are enrolled, and the Chronicler cites the source of his information, the book of the Kings of Israel. Judah is off in Babylonian exile because of her unfaithfulness. Yet the text moves on, and the genealogy isn’t yet done. After the end, there is more; after exile, there is new life. And the theological depth of this new life is highlighted by verse 2. Commentators debate whether or not the phrase “the... Read more
Anthony Vidler (The Architectural Uncanny), homelessness has been a leading trope for characterizing the modern world. Here’s Marx in 1844: “We have said . . . that man is regressing to the cave dwelling, etc.—but he is regressing to it in an estranged, malignant form. The savage in his cave—a natural element which freely offers itself for his use and protection—feels himself no more than a stranger, or rather feels as much at home as a fish in water. But... Read more
Forced to choose between Nestorianism and Monophysitism, Karl Rahner once wrote, “I would prefer to be an orthodox Nestorian.” Aaron Riches, who quotes this comment (Ecce Homo, 9), thinks it a revealing admission. But not surprising: “On the one hand, it is a sign of the historical resilience of the Nestorian temptation. On the other hand, it signals a deep correspondence between Nestorian logic and some of the constitutive false dualisms of modernity” (11). On the latter, he elaborates: “without... Read more
Forced to choose between Nestorianism and Monophysitism, Karl Rahner once wrote, “I would prefer to be an orthodox Nestorian.” Aaron Riches, who quotes this comment (Ecce Homo, 9), thinks it a revealing admission. But not surprising: “On the one hand, it is a sign of the historical resilience of the Nestorian temptation. On the other hand, it signals a deep correspondence between Nestorian logic and some of the constitutive false dualisms of modernity” (11). On the latter, he elaborates: “without... Read more
William Johnstone (1 & 2 Chronicles, 1.126-7) notes that the gatekeepers listed in 1 Chronicles 9 are “first and foremost . . . security guards,” responsible for “locking up at night and opening first thing in the morning (v. 27). Their settlements surrounded the sacred precincts for security.” The problem was not so much enemies from outside Israel as “those within the sacred community who were suffering from some ritual impurity that ought to have debarred them from entry.” Gatekeepers... Read more
William Johnstone (1 & 2 Chronicles, 1.126-7) notes that the gatekeepers listed in 1 Chronicles 9 are “first and foremost . . . security guards,” responsible for “locking up at night and opening first thing in the morning (v. 27). Their settlements surrounded the sacred precincts for security.” The problem was not so much enemies from outside Israel as “those within the sacred community who were suffering from some ritual impurity that ought to have debarred them from entry.” Gatekeepers... Read more
Walter Russell Mead writes that Hillary Clinton’s candidacy is the climax of a long progress, the march of the Boomers through the institutions. Unfortunately, she’s the triumphant defender of a status quo that many believe to be broken, perhaps beyond repair. Mead is explaining the Trump phenomenon, but his observations about our political moment have a wider significance: “With the PC crowd and the Obama administration hammering away at transgender bathroom rights as if this was the great moral cause... Read more
SCOTUS has spoken. Same-sex marriage is the law of the land. Time to move on. This insistent message comes from leaders in both parties, but Michael Needham, writing at The American Interest, says that “moving on is not so easy for some Americans. Moving on wasn’t an option for the Catholic Church a decade ago, when the Massachusetts Supreme Court imposed a new definition of marriage equating same-sex unions with those between husband and wife. After that decision, the Church... Read more
Select your answer to see how you score.
Leithart
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In