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Writing

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

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Epistemology

A Cheer for the Mystics

Mystical theologians are often unguarded, extreme, un-nuanced, pressing to the edges of heresy, sometimes beyond. Still, the mystics are worthy of study. Why? Many reasons. Unlike some late medieval and post-Reformation dogmaticians, mystical theologians are often instinctively and richly Trinitarian. Historical-critical approaches to Scripture left mystical theologians virtually untouched; mystics…

by Peter LeithartSeptember 2, 2013
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Literature

Shadow and Substance in Shakespeare's Venice

Portia of Belmont is a “lady richly left,” as Bassanio says of her in the first Act of The Merchant of Venice . Plus, she’s beautiful and wise. Suitors clamber to Belmont in hope. Her father knew it would be so, and in his will set up a fairy-tale test…

by Peter LeithartAugust 28, 2013
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Liturgy

Liturgy Traps

[fve]http://vimeo.com/72195198[/fve]

by James B. JordanAugust 26, 2013
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Deuteronomy

Victory Food

In the nature of the case, “the” Christian meditation on Deuteronomy 14:1-21 cannot be written. Meditation offers too many possibilities, opens too many doors. There is not one and only one correct set of associations for a Christian to consider when thinking of Deuteronomy 14:1-21. We could, for example, consider…

by Ralph Allan SmithAugust 21, 2013
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Romans

David's Sin and Israel's Salvation, Part I

Having retold the story of the cumulative sin of Israel leading to the great atonement on the cross, Paul then reemphasizes that, just as both Jew and Gentiles were locked into sin and judgment, now they are both justified by faith: Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded.…

by Mark HorneAugust 20, 2013
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Deuteronomy

You are what you eat

Deuteronomy 14 is full of allusions to events of Israel’s history and other portions of Scripture. What would an Israelite learn by mediation on these allusions? The answer, I believe, is at least fourfold. Faith, Worship, War For the ancient Israelite first hearing Moses’ sermon, or perhaps hearing it read…

by Ralph Allan SmithAugust 15, 2013

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Theology

All Is Vapor

Ecclesiastes teaches that all is vapor, nothing but vapor. Trying to shape and control the world is, Solomon teaches us, like trying to scupt the mist (the image comes from Jim Jordan). Every ancient sage came to the same conclusion as Solomon. But for most ancient sages this realization led…

March 3, 2004
Literature

Shakespeare’s Malvolio

Malvolio, the steward of Olivia’s house in Twelfth Night , has been a problematic figure for many readers and critics. Charles Lamb, who with his wife wrote a book of narrative versions of the plays, saw Malvolio as a tragic figure: “Malvolio is not essentially ludicrous. He becomes comic by…

March 2, 2004
Literature

Shakespeare’s Malvolio

Malvolio, the steward of Olivia’s house in Twelfth Night , has been a problematic figure for many readers and critics. Charles Lamb, who with his wife wrote a book of narrative versions of the plays, saw Malvolio as a tragic figure: “Malvolio is not essentially ludicrous. He becomes comic by…

March 2, 2004

Tragedy of Finitude

Jos de Mul , professor of Philosophical Anthropology at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam , has produced a fascinating book on Wilhelm Dilthey , just released from Yale. The title The Tragedy of Finitude captures the essence of the work. He traces Dilthey’s work back to the transcendentalism of Kant,…

March 2, 2004

Eucharistic Meditation, February 29

Luke 21:10-11 According to John?s gospel, Jesus said at the outset of His ministry, ?destroy this temple and in three days I will rebuild it.?E As John tells us, Jesus was talking about the temple of His body, which would be destroyed on the cross and ?rebuilt?Ein the resurrection. Though…

February 29, 2004

Exhortation, Feburary 29

The reaction to the release of Mel Gibson?s film The Passion of the Christ this past week proves that Americans are still very interested in and curious about Jesus. In just a few days, the film made tens of millions of dollars in what was one of the biggest openings…

February 29, 2004

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