Theopolis Logo

Writing

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

See all
markus-winkler-aid-xyrtlec-unsplash
Theopolis News

Constantine the Pious

Trinity House President Peter Leithart will deliver a lecture on "Constantine the Pious" at Oregon State University, Wednesday, October 30, at 7:00 PM.

by Peter LeithartOctober 29, 2013
hannah-busing-0v6dmtujaik-unsplash
Modernity

We Have Never Been Modern

In his rich study, We Have Never Been Modern (Harvard 1993), Bruno Latour describes modernity in terms of a dual process of “purification” and “hybridization.” Purification involves the clean construction of a nature (and science) separated off from society and the self, while hybridization involves mixtures of nature and culture.…

by Peter LeithartOctober 28, 2013
giammarco-zeh-ljawhtg-unsplash
Books

Conservatives on the Cutting Edge

In James K.A. Smith’s excellent book, Introducing Radical Orthodoxy: Mapping a Post-secular Theology , he explains recent developments in theology and philosophy among mostly post-liberal (some Catholic) theologians. As with everything Dr. Smith writes, his prose is accessible, and written with clarity and precision as he describes the contribution made…

by Troy GreeneOctober 23, 2013
actionvance-t7el2ig3jmc-unsplash
Biblical Theology

The Creator in Creation, (Part 3)

This is the last of a three-part series. 1:14-19 – The Lights in the Firmament The fourth day is the first day where God sets out His mediators and rulers. In the celestial bodies, God sets out His mediators and rulers in the same single class of created beings. We…

by Andrew BittnerOctober 22, 2013
markus-winkler-aid-xyrtlec-unsplash
Theopolis News

Revealing Revelation

Trinity House President Peter Leithart will be in Chicago this weekend lecturing on Revelation. Sign up here .

by Peter LeithartOctober 17, 2013
markus-winkler-aid-xyrtlec-unsplash
Theopolis News

In the Beginning

Only two more weeks to register for the Trinity House Advent class on the book of Genesis. Register before the late fees kick in!

by Peter LeithartOctober 17, 2013

Showing page 185 of 309

See all
See all

Idolatry After Idols

During the Second Temple period, the Talmud says, "the temptation for idolatry was slaughtered" (quoted in Haberthal and Margalit, Idolatry , 2). Then the fight returned, with Maimonides. Now, though, idolatry was a contrast-concept to a new conception of God. Halberthal and Margalit summarize: "The central effort of philosophical religion…

May 9, 2018
sixteen-miles-out-al48tflf4e8-unsplash
Exodus

No Graven Images

The First of the Ten Words speaks to the question of whom we worship: We are to have no other gods before the face of Yahweh. The Second Word had to do with how we worship: We are to approach God as He commands us to approach Him. The Second…

May 9, 2018

Text Patterns in Exodus 20

There are Ten Words, but they are grouped in several different ways. The first two commandments stand out from the rest. Only in the first three commandments does the Lord speak in the first person (FW Farrar): “I am Yahweh your God . . . thou shalt have no other…

May 8, 2018

Patterned by Idols

A little over a year ago, I wrote the following in a post reflecting on the Hebrew term tabnit, used in Exodus and Chronicles to describe the heavenly "pattern" of the sanctuary: "Deuteronomy 4:16-18 uses the word five times, not of a 'model' or 'plan' but of likenesses made according…

May 7, 2018

Rosenzweig on Anthropomorphism

Franz Rosenzweig didn't buy Maimonides philosophical critique of the Bible's anthropomorphism. In 1928, he wrote a short essay on the topic and, in the summary of Leora Batnitzky ( Idolatry and Representation ) he "argues that the tendency to rationalize away biblical anthropomorphisms . . . is both dishonest and…

May 4, 2018

Secularizing Sacrifice

In Theology and the First Theory of Sacrifice , Ivan Strenski recounts an epochal shift in the study of religion, and of sacrifice in particular, that took place in the France of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. At the time, the "lions" of the field of religion were…

May 4, 2018

Showing page 71 of 2212

Browse by Category

In Medias Res

Your weekly digest for all things Theopolis.

Donate

Theopolis is nearly 100% donor-supported. Consider joining us on our mission.