Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
Why there is more to Jephthah than meets than eye It was not that long ago that I realized the Jephthah-story and the Jesus-story were basically the same story. Sounds crazy, I know. But here is a one-paragraph synopsis of both: The people of God have gone their own way,…
G.K. Chesterton famously said that the Gospels don’t reveal Jesus’ mirth. It’s true we never catch Jesus laughing. But can we believe He never did? I don’t think so. Laughter is human, and Jesus was fully human. Jesus promised that those who mourned would laugh. He mourned; would He not…
Matthew 2 has all the elements of an exodus story. There’s a murderous king, who slaughters Jewish babies. There’s a infant who will be Israel’s future deliverer, saved from the murderous king so He can later return to save His people and lead them to the Promised land. There’s an…
The calendar of Israel was primarily theological, centered on commemorating the salvific acts of God, but also agricultural, celebrating the creation-restoring effects of those salvific acts. The feasts of the first month celebrated the reviving of the world in the Spring, and typified the cutting off of the Savior in…
The chiastic shape corresponds to the shape of human life. This should not surprise us, because we are made in the image of God, and God is manifest in Word and Spirit. If we are living epistles, our lives will look a bit like the literary shape of the books…
Back in January, Venkatesh Rao wrote a fascinating post on the Ribbonfarm blog, discussing different forms of models of narrative. Engaging with Ursula LeGuin’s talk ‘The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction’ , Rao explores her contrast between the (male) ‘hero narrative’ and the (female) ‘carrier-bag story’, and suggests a third…
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Putin had a shrewd comment about the outcome of the election: “If Bush wins, then I can only feel joy that the American people did not allow itself to be intimidated, and made the most sensible decision.” What message would have been sent if the US had pulled a Spain…
Now the queen of Sheba heard the hearing of Shlomoh to the name of Yahweh And she entered to test him in riddles. And she entered Jerusalem with a retinue of very great glory Camels carrying Balsam-oil And gold, a very great amount And stone rare And she entered to…
INTRODUCTION 1 Kings 10 continues to show the ambiguous character of Solomon?s reign. On the one hand, Solomon attracts the notice of Gentile rulers who seek to learn wisdom. On the other hand, Solomon continues to violate the laws of kingship by multiplying gold and guns. Corruption is spreading in…
The proposition: We tell stories only because God is Triune. The argument: 1) A story depends on an initial breach. There must be something to separate from, and something separating. There must be some move that takes hero from the father?s house and into his own adventures. 2) Otherwise, what…
Merold Westphal is a remarkable philosopher. Extremely well-informed and careful, he is also remarkably lucid, even when he writes about philosophers that, to put it delicately, are far less so. In his dauntingly titled 1979 History and Truth in Hegel?s Phenomenology , a commentary on Hegel?s Phenomenology of the Spirit…
Merold Westphal is a remarkable philosopher. Extremely well-informed and careful, he is also remarkably lucid, even when he writes about philosophers that, to put it delicately, are far less so. In his dauntingly titled 1979 History and Truth in Hegel?s Phenomenology , a commentary on Hegel?s Phenomenology of the Spirit…
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