Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
Who were the company of singers who sang in the Temple built by Solomon? I think many people might answer “the Levitical singers.” That is not correct, because the Levites were not allowed inside the Temple; only the priests were. The Levitical choir and orchestra performed for Yahweh outside the…
Dear Congregation, Social media is awash with rants for and against the ruling from the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) yesterday regarding homosexual marriage ( Obergefell v. Hodges ). My contribution on Facebook was simply to quote relevant sections of the dissents written by the four judges in the minority. Even though…
After the Civil War, the hobbled nation and fractured races looked about for leadership; animosity was high and envy was crouching at the door. Booker Taliaferro Washington, up from slavery, surveyed the rising tension and injustice, foreseeing civil unrest and chafing inequalities, eschewed, remarkably, a legislative remedy and advised a…
The ruling on Obergefell v. Hodges “came down” on Friday morning, June 26, 2015, like a bolt from Zeus. Many who refuse to bow to the dictates of our Olympians will write trenchant legal, theological, and cultural/political analyses of the court’s ruling. What I’m comfortable contributing to the historical record,…
Orthodox Christianity has lost all cultural potency in the U.S. No one defending traditional marriage before the court dared raise the fundamental question: Who creates marriage, God or the state? Theology has no public standing, no persuasive force in the culture at large. Obergefell is another nail in the coffin…
One will rarely come upon a classical allusion in a Robert Frost poem. His poetic scheme was to follow the speaking patterns of common folk, to use their words and images to achieve his point. Despite this simplicity, there is a depth and richness to his poetry that can be…
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Call me Malvolio. I was lately the steward of the house of the great and famed Countess Olivia of Illyria. You may have heard of her. I had charge of my Lady’s household retinue, the maids and men who clean, cook, and care for the house. I do my work…
Exodus 26 describes the formation of the tabernacle - the layered curtains, the boards and bases, the bars that secure the boards. The chapter ends with a description of the paroket , the veil that separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy (Exodus 26:31-37; v. 33). The screen is…
We're forcibly separated from each other. Residents of many cities around the world are sheltered in place, permitted to leave home only for basic necessities. It's tempting to hunker down in our personal bunkers, avoid contact with others, and wait out the storm. The opposite is true. More than usual,…
The tabernacle has walls of gold-plated wood (Exodus 26:15-25). Those walls are held together by gold-plated bars (26:26-30). There are five bars on each of the long sides of the tabernacle (vv. 26-27), and five bars across the back wall (Exodus 26:27). The bars are held in place by gold…
In my First Things column last week, I examined the “apocalyptic” character of the coronavirus epidemic. “Apocalypse” doesn’t mean “end of the world,” but “uncovering” or “unveiling.” In the column, I focused on how the epidemic can unveil our sins, our decadence, our distorted values and desires. Plagues unveil what…
Virtually all the characters in Muriel Spark’s 1959 novel, Memento Mori , are over 70. They suffer the physical humiliations of aging and the pains of regret. Unexpectedly, hilariously, they’re as competitive and petty as schoolchildren. Well into his 80s, Godfrey Colston scorns the crippled critic Guy Leets for the…
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