Religion of Fullness

Last updated on: July 14, 2017 at 12:00 am By Peter Leithart

In his contribution to Joy and Human Flourishing, Jurgen Moltmann observes that modern theories of religion trace it to “misfortune.” Marx is representative: “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature.” Religion must be useful, must meet a need, “because everything in the modern world must be necessary; otherwise it is superfluous and useless.” Moltmann doesn’t buy it: “this view is wrong. In truth, religion is the feast of life, useless but joyful, and prayer is praise for the fortune... Read more

Joshing With God

Last updated on: July 14, 2017 at 12:00 am By Peter Leithart

The TLS “Poem of the Week” was James Fenton’s “God, a Poem.” It opens with this complaint to God: A nasty surprise in a sandwich, A drawing-pin caught in your sock, The limpest of shakes from a hand which You’d thought would be firm as a rock, A serious mistake in a nightie, A grave disappointment all round Is all that you’ll get from th’Almighty, Is all that you’ll get underground. The TLS can’t decide whether it’s “a fine blasphemy” (Peter Porter) or something more jocular—“a... Read more

Infant Mortality

Last updated on: July 14, 2017 at 12:00 am By Peter Leithart

The Economist reports on the racial gap in American infant mortality rates: “Black babies born in America are more than twice as likely as white ones to die before their first birthdays.” For some time, “infant mortality has generally declined at a faster rate for blacks than whites, leading to hope that the disparity might eventually disappear.” Recently, that downward trend has stopped: “According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, black infant mortality... Read more

Crown of Hair

Last updated on: July 14, 2017 at 12:00 am By Peter Leithart

According to 2 Chronicles 23:11, the people put a “crown” on the head of seven-year-old Joash, the Davidic scion who represents the restoration of the Davidic kingdom after an interregnum. The noun for “crown” (nezer) is an unusual one. As William Johnstone points out (1 & 2 Chronicles, 2.128), “The word for ‘crown’ is related to ‘Nazirite,’ the individual who is separated from ordinary life by an oath of abstinence and dedication (Num. 6.1-21). The crown is thus the symbol of... Read more

Sign of Victory

Last updated on: July 14, 2017 at 12:00 am By Peter Leithart

Bach’s Cantata 80 is an elaboration of Luther’s “Ein Feste Burg.” The second movement of the Cantata is a duet of soprano and bass, the former singing the second verse of Luther’s hymn while the bass sings an embellishment promising the victory of God. The bass part begins and ends with lines from librettist Salomon Franck: “Alles, was von Gott geboren / Ist zum Siegen auserkoren” (All who are born of God / are chosen for victory). The lines are... Read more

Shakespeare the Christian?

Last updated on: July 13, 2017 at 12:00 am By Peter Leithart

William Shakespeare was baptized on April 26, 1564. Baptized, but was he a Christian? The answer partly depends on what we think happens when someone is baptized. Many Christians believe that baptism marks the beginning of life as a Christian. I am one of those Christians. My short answer is, Will Shakespeare was a Christian because he was christened. Some will think that an evasion. When people ask, Was Shakespeare a Christian, they usually have something more specific in mind.... Read more

Man of Blood

Last updated on: July 13, 2017 at 12:00 am By Peter Leithart

Twice in 1 Chronicles, David says he was prevented from building the temple because he shed “copious” blood (22:6–11; 28:2–7). The passages frame his final arrangements for the temple and his succession exhortations to Solomon. After analyzing the texts, Donald Murray concludes that “the core of [Yahweh’s] objection to David’s building the temple is the fact that he has shed much blood.” War is mentioned, but only to explain the specific occasions for bloodshed: The references to war are “each... Read more

David’s Census

Last updated on: July 12, 2017 at 12:00 am By Peter Leithart

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The thesis of John Wright’s 1993 essay on the Chronicler’s account of David’s census (1 Chronicles 21) is implausible. Commentators, he says, have read the Chronicler’s narrative through the lens of 2 Samuel 24, which recounts the same event. Wright argues that the Chronicler doesn’t retell the story of Samuel, but subverts it. For the Chronicler, the problem isn’t the census but Joab’s failure to complete the census. Joab should carry out the commands of the king, but he stops... Read more

Butterfly Center

Last updated on: July 11, 2017 at 12:00 am By Peter Leithart

My grandson screams and runs away from a butterfly, flutterflower, wings fine as petals. The butterfly, gentlest creature, flies on, perhaps abashed, perhaps, feeling manly for having made a child cry, to pick a fight with a Monarch. Read more

Justified in the Spirit

Last updated on: July 11, 2017 at 12:00 am By Peter Leithart

What is the Spirit’s role in justification—the justification of Jesus and of sinners? In Protestant theology, the Spirit is typically on the “subjective” side of justification. By awakening faith, the Spirit enables sinners to receive the justifying verdict of the Father who imputes the righteousness of the Son to the ungodly. But 1 Timothy 3:16 suggests a different role for the Spirit. Paul says that Jesus was “justified in the Spirit,” a reference to the resurrection. The Spirit’s role in justification is... Read more