From The Screwtape Letters, number VI: Your patient will, of course, have picked up the notion that he must submit with patience to the Enemy’s will. What the Enemy means by this is primarily that he should accept with patience the tribulation which has actually been dealt out to him—the present anxiety and suspense. It is about this that he is to say “Thy will be done”, and for the daily task of bearing this that the daily bread will... Read more
According to Michael McClymond and Gerald McDermott, for Jonathan Edwards, Trinitarian roles were important. More than most early modern Christian thinkers, Edwards delineated distinct roles for each of the three divine Persons. The Father is “the fountain,” “the Deity without distinction.” He is the great “author” of the plan of redemption who provided a redeemer or purchaser. Although the Father and the Son are equal in divine nature, the Father is the “head” of the persons in the Trinity and... Read more
As it has done before, the New York Times just covered Mixed Martial Arts. The article, “The Fight Club Generation,” is well worth reading. Here’s a snatch: Evidence that cage fighting has replaced boxing as the combat sport of choice, at least to some men of a certain age, has been quietly mounting for years. The annual pay-per-view audience for Ultimate Fighting Championship matches first surpassed boxing and professional wrestling in 2006, and has continued to rise almost every year... Read more
Happy March Madness season, everyone. Let there be compulsive score-checking for all. I have Baylor losing to UNC in the final (What can I say? I’m partial to Baptists). In the recent issue of ESPN the Magazine, Henry Abbott wrote a devastating critique of Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, and what Abbott called “hero ball.” Hero ball is essentially the basketball tactic of giving the ball repeatedly to your superstar, having them go one-on-one like a bull after a toreador, and... Read more
Charles Murray recently authored a noteworthy piece in the Wall Street Journal that called attention to cultural divergence in America between the upper middle class (represented by Belmont, MA) and the lower class (represented by Fishtown, PA). There’s much to think about here, including whether it’s a good thing that cultural creators group themselves together in so-called “SuperZips.” Here’s a bit: Taken separately, the differences in lifestyle that now separate Belmont from Fishtown are not sinister, but those quirks of... Read more
It’s time for a good ole’ fashioned literature roundup. Here are several books I’ve gotten recently that I think are worth my, and perhaps your, attention, if I may be so bold as to suggest possible entertainers of your attention. All of these books will build your faith and confidence in our great God. Lit!: A Christian Guide to Reading Books by Tony Reinke. Crossway, 2011. This slim, readable and fun book is a paean to reading. It approaches the... Read more
In the just-published 9Marks journal, I published an essay on the trajectory of conversion in America over the last 250 years. It is my argument that in the evangelical scene writ large, conversion came to be seen more as a process to be engineered than as a miracle to be prayed down. Here’s a bit from the piece, entitled “His Arm Is Strong to Save:” Finney avowed that in the sinner’s “inward being,” he or she is “conscious of ability... Read more
Howard Wolfson of CBS Sports breaks down the recent struggles of the New York Knicks, led by Jeremy Lin and Carmelo Anthony. Here’s a snatch: The idea that gets pushed around is that he’s selfish, which is hyper-simplistic and off-base. Anthony is not out there lustily chasing after field-goal attempts. He wants to win, but he also has a very specific skill set he feels helps his teams win. Operating in isolation, taking his man and scoring, is part of... Read more
Al Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, just preached a gripping sermon on what he called “gospel shrewdness” from Luke 16:1-13. I heard Dr. Mohler speak on this subject in the White House when I worked for the same some years back; his brief remarks then stuck with me. I had not heard them developed in a full-blown sermon until last week. Listen to this sermon–it is inspiring and fun. Speaking of being shrewd in a distinctly Christian... Read more
Along with the brand-new 9Marks eJournal, Credo magazine’s March 2012 issue just released online. It’s on missions, and it looks terrific. Here’s the blurb: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) These words, spoken by Jesus after... Read more
Select your answer to see how you score.
Thought Life
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In