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Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.

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Abortion

To Kill or Not to Kill

It seems to be old news, but I was unaware of it until recently. Australian academics argued that mothers should be allowed to terminate the life of a newborn child. [i] Why would they promote such an idea? Because before the child is born it is not always possible to…

by Ralph Allan SmithSeptember 12, 2019
pascal
Philosophy

Is the Betting Rigged in Pascal's Wager?

This is the second of two essays introducing Pascal’s Wager. Click HERE for Part 1. In “The Pop Star and the Mathematician” I gave an overview of the apologetic approach commonly called Pascal’s Wager. In that Wager, 17 th -century French mathematician Blaise Pascal argued that the choice between Christian…

by Alexander WhitakerSeptember 10, 2019
pascal
Philosophy

The Mathematician and the Pop Star: A Pascal's Wager Primer

This is the first of two essays aiming to introduce the reader to Pascal’s Wager. The second will address criticisms of the Wager. In the early 1990s, a perennially popular British pop star was interviewed on British television about his very public evangelical Christian faith. “What if,” the reporter asked…

by Alexander WhitakerSeptember 5, 2019
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Matthew

The Secret of the Middle of Matthew

Matthew 13 is about secrets. In this chapter, Jesus teaches eight parables and tells the disciples that they reveal the secrets of the kingdom (13:11). And much like Samson who both tells riddles and is himself a riddle that the reader must solve, so Jesus not only tells secrets but…

by John HigginsSeptember 3, 2019
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Biblical Theology

David, Goliath, and the Body of Moses, (Part 2)

Click HERE for part One. THE TEXT AS TABERNACLE Creation – Initiation – Genesis (1 Samuel 17:1-11) The gathered armies not only remind the reader of Ebal and Gerizim, but also of the very reason that Israel was established (Creation) , set apart from the other nations by the circumcision…

by Mike BullAugust 29, 2019
job
Job

The Man in the Middle

What to do with Job’s Final “Friend,” Elihu Elihu is a strange character, at least in the sense of how and where he appears in the book of Job. Why does he not appear with the other three “friends?” Does his argument differ from any of the first three who…

by Eric RobinsonAugust 27, 2019

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Jacob and the Stone

Jesus is the greater Jacob who rolls away a great stone to offer water to the world. Further reflections at the Trinity House site .

April 16, 2014

Buddhism’s Consistency

Jesus relished a good argument, and so did the Buddha. That is the premise of Michael Collender’s To End All Suffering . Collender relishes a good argument too, and he mounts one. He thinks that Buddhist-Christian dialogues ought to give way to something their founders’ would have recognized: Buddhist-Christian knock-downs.…

April 16, 2014

Tragedy of Sin

I reflect on Shakespeare and the Christian notion of tragedy over at the Colson Center site .

April 16, 2014

Hierarchy of Victimhood

Discussing his book Christianophobia at the fathom journal, TLS religion editor Rupert Shortt suggests that there is a “hierarchy of victimhood” according to which “it’s just not very fashionable to be a persecuted Christian.” Shortt suggests that the reason is partly that Christians follow Jesus’ commandments: “a few years ago…

April 16, 2014

Lincoln’s Shakespeare

In 1863, James H. Hackett sent a copy of his Notes and Comments upon Certain Plays and Actors of Shakespeare to the White House . Abraham Lincoln wrote a note of thanks and revealed his Shakespearean reading habits. He had read some “as frequently as any unprofessional reader,” listed several…

April 16, 2014

Plundering the House

No sooner is David anointed to be Saul’s successor than he starts plundering the king’s house. His victory over Goliath wins the admiration of the women of Israel, who praise him more highly than they praise Saul. Jonathan recognizes that David will be the next king, and he strips off…

April 16, 2014

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