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Writing

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

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Culture

On Foul Language

The Stranger: Do you have to use so many cuss words? The Dude: What the f*ck you talking about? - The Big Lebowski There was a man I knew, an elder at his church, who, whenever he was called upon to announce a pregnancy, preferred the euphemism “with child” because…

by Remy WilkinsJanuary 12, 2016
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How to Worship

Pipes Worth Playing

I know what you’re thinking. Organ: funeral, ball game, grand dusty cathedral. Why should modern Christians of such a technological age revisit a thousand year-old instrument? Don’t worry, I will not be trying to punch another hole in my Weird Music Preferences and Opinions card here. The truth is, our…

by Jarrod RicheyJanuary 7, 2016
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James

Do Things Have Natures?

Do things have natures? As I am posing the question, it is not simply a question of whether there are particular kinds of things in the world that have characteristic features, patterns of behavior, trajectories of growth and development. If that is what the word means, then the answer is…

by Peter LeithartJanuary 5, 2016
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Theopolis News

2016 Nevin Lectures with Father John Behr

We are excited to announce our 2016 Nevin Lectures featuring Father John Behr. Fr. John is the Dean of St. Vladimir's Seminary and Professor of Patristics, as well as the author of multiple works. He will be delivering three lectures over the course of two days dealing with "What Protestants…

by Brian MoatsJanuary 4, 2016
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Creation

Time, Curse or Gift?

New Year's Day makes one reflective, at least about the past year, perhaps about life, perhaps, more broadly, about time itself. Many view time as a curse. Some see it as a curse because of missed chances. As one day or year moves on to the next, all we can…

by Peter LeithartDecember 31, 2015
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Advent

The Manger

It seems a truism to say that we live in the world: that the world is outside of us. In reality the world is very much inside of us too. In fact the world passes through us as much as we pass through it. We breathe in its air, using…

by Arthur KayDecember 29, 2015

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birds

Ornitheology

Basics of the biblical symbolism of birds 1)Birds were created on Day 5 of the creation week, along with swarmers of the sea, i.e., fish. Earlier, Elohim had formed earth into a three-decker house, firmament above, earth beneath, waters under the earth. He fills the firmament on Day 4 (with…

February 27, 2019
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Metaphysics

Act & Potency

A highlight from the latest edition of Mars Hill Audio . If you're not a subscriber, shame on you.D.C. Schindler explains the significance of the classical claim that actuality is prior to potentiality. It means that potential is limited (and also unleashed) by the particular thing that a thing is.…

February 25, 2019
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Thomas on the Ten

Thomas Aquinas ( ST I-II, q. 100, art. 5) compares the role of law in human communities with the role of divine law in the commonwealth of men under God: “just as the precepts of human law direct man in his relations to the human community, so the precepts of…

February 20, 2019
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Counting to Ten

In an essay in a Festschrift for Daniel Block (available here ), Jason DeRouchie wants to teach us to count to ten, as in Ten Commandments. He examines the Hebrew cantillation signs, discourse features, stylistic elements of the Ten to settle which of the various numbering systems is preferable. One…

February 18, 2019
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Metaphysics

Mythic Metaphysics

The "shadow" of sacrificial, tragic mythos, writes David Bentley Hart (in an essay on the First Word in I Am the Lord Your God ), "falls across the philosophical schools of antiquity" (63). Ancient philosophy wasn't, in short, a systematization of obvious common sense, but of ancient common sense. Which…

February 13, 2019
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Sexuality

Sexual Anarchy, Political Tyranny

In the second volume of Robert Jenson’s Systematic Theology (2001), he discusses the Ten Words. His treatment of “Thou shalt not commit adultery” is profoundly important. Sexuality is the intersection of sensuality and reproduction. Sensuality is “the sheer fact that the subject is drawn to an object; it is captivation…

February 12, 2019

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