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

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Romans

Notes on Scary Stuff in Romans 9

What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on…

by Mark HorneFebruary 5, 2015
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American Politics

Covenants of Exclusion

A hundred years ago, William Warley signed a contract to buy a house in Louisville, Kentucky from Charles Buchanan, a white man. Before closing the sale, Warley, who was black, learned that the lot was subject to a city ordinance barring blacks from occupying the premises if most of the…

by Brendan O'DonnellFebruary 3, 2015
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Literature

The Bard and the Book

I concluded the first essay on this topic by saying that I would introduce three books about Shakespeare and the Bible, but I decided to introduce four instead. The three books become four are: Naseeb Shaheen, Biblical References in Shakespeare’s Plays (London: Associated University Presses, 1999) ; Hannibal Hamlin, The…

by Ralph Allan SmithJanuary 29, 2015
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Augustine

Augustine on Pagan Virtue

My children attend a classical Christian school, situated in the independent “free church” evangelical tradition. Over the past few years they have been growing in their acquaintance with the world of Homer, Plato, Virgil, and Livy. They enjoy it, and I envy it. The school is a great school. My…

by Gerald HiestandJanuary 27, 2015
prodigal-son
Atonement

The Prodigal and the Cross

The Prodigal Son parable (Luke 15) has been a favorite of liberal theologians for a couple of centuries. It seems to be a parable designed for liberal sensibilities: An indulgent, accepting Father; forgiveness extended without a cross; a surly older brother who might represent the "conservative" face of religion who…

by Peter LeithartJanuary 22, 2015
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Ascension

Underground Man, Ascended Man

“I want now to tell you, gentlemen, whether you care to hear it or not, why I could not even become an insect. I tell you solemnly, that I have many times tried to become an insect. But I was not equal even to that. I swear, gentlemen, that to…

by Richard BledsoeJanuary 20, 2015

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Tale of Three Cities

In his book on the gospel in Genesis, Warren Gage notes that the book tell a tale of three cities: “Cain set out to found and build an earthly city, his descendants developing a technology suited to creating an earthly paradise. Cain’s city was located in the east (4:16), which…

October 19, 2005

Eucharistic meditation, October 16

2 Kings 6:22-23: Elisha answered, You shall not kill them . . . . set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master. So he prepared a great feast for them; and when they had eaten and drunk he sent them away,…

October 16, 2005

Baptismal meditation, October 16

2 Kings 6:6-7: Then the man of God said, Where did it fall? And when he showed him the place, he cut off a stick, and threw it in there, and made the iron float. And he said, Take it up for yourself. So he put out his hand and…

October 16, 2005

Exhortation, October 16

Unlike pre-modern Christians, we think and talk little about angels. We are often functional empiricists, who instinctively believe that only visible things are real. Of course, there’s God up there somewhere, but we don’t think we have to press through a crowd of angels every time we move; we don’t…

October 16, 2005

Structure of Elijah narratives

A possible chiastic ouline for the stories of Elijah: A. Elijah appears suddenly, and leaves the land, 1 Kings 17 B. Fire from heaven in a contest of gods, 1 Kings 18 C. Elijah complains to Yahweh on Horeb, and is assured that Ahab’s house will perish, 1 Kings 19…

October 10, 2005

Sermon Outline, October 16

INTRODUCTION Since the early church, Christians have struggled against “Marcionism,” the heretical idea that the Creator-God of the Old Testament is different from the Redeemer-God of the New. The Old Testament reveals a God of wrath and law, the New a God of love and gospel. Frequently, this takes the…

October 10, 2005

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