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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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Philosophy

Derrida on Plato on Writing

Derrida on Plato on writing says “In order for these contrary values (good/evil, true/false, essence/appearance, inside/outside, etc.) to be in opposition, each of the terms must be simply EXTERNAL to the other, which means that one of these oppositions (the opposition between inside and outside) must already be accredited as…

October 13, 2003

Baal is Antichrist

Baal is AntiChrist. Like Nabu, who usurps the place of his father Marduk in Babylonian mythology; like Thoth in Egyptian mythology, who substitutes and replaces Ra; like Zeus, who rebels against his father Chronos and takes his place as chief of the pantheon ?Eso Baal attacks and replaces his father…

October 13, 2003
Media

Archbishop Akinola

There’s a very moving piece on the Nigerian Anglican, Archbishop Peter Jasper Akinola in the current issue of the Atlantic Monthly , written by Philip Jenkins. It’s wonderful to see how the Lord is raising up sturdy Christian leaders from the Southern Hemisphere to challenge the decadent churches of the…

October 13, 2003

Eucharistic Meditation, October 12

Communion meditation for October 12: We all know that Paul teaches that the Supper tests and manifests what is on the heart. Some the Corinthians were weak and sick, Paul said, and some had fallen asleep because they took the Supper wrongly. But this idea did not originate with Paul.…

October 12, 2003
Philosophy

Babel

Babel has become a key image for postmodern Western thought. A number of years ago, Princeton’s Jeffrey Stout wrote Ethics After Babel , reacting to the Babelic move of some moral philosophers (such as MacIntyre and Hauerwas), who pointed to the difficulties of translation and even conversation across the boundaries…

October 12, 2003

Exhortation, October 12

Exhortation for October 12: In the section of Luke’s gospel that we are examining this morning, hospitality serves as a symbol for receiving Christ. To receive one of the messengers of Jesus is to receive Jesus and to receive Jesus is to receive the One who sent Jesus. Hospitality is…

October 12, 2003

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