Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.
I mentioned last month ( BH 82) in my essay "Like a Dove" that Genesis 8 is a recapitulation of Genesis 1. Let me explicate that assertion here. Of course, the world after the Flood is a new creation, so we may expect a recapitulation of the first creation. It…
The book of Esther is one of the most neglected of the books of the Bible. To be sure, sermons are preached on it, and commentaries have occasionally been written on it, but almost without exception Esther has been interpreted in isolation from the rest of Biblical history, chronology, and…
Dear Mr. ______, . . . Here is how I look at the geocentricity question. Since I don’t recall what I wrote you before, I may be repeating some things. 1. The Bible does not teach it. Biblical passages used to support the idea are being misinterpreted. My original paper…
Answer 4 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism is often taken as a magnificent answer to the question, "What is God?" It reads: "God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth." Presbyterians are fond of praising this statement, preaching on it,…
The gospels tell us that at Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him "in bodily form like a dove" (Luke 3:22 & parallels). Biblically sensitive commentators have associated this event with three Old Testament parallels: (1) the hovering of the Spirit over the creation in Genesis 1:2; (2) the…
This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. (John 8:6) The story of the woman taken in adultery (John 7:53-8:11) has been part of the canonical Christian Bible from its earliest…
Showing page 267 of 309
Showing page 9 of 43
I n her study of digital memory ( When We Are No More ), Abby Smith Rumsey distinguishes between data storage and memory. What makes memory important is not simply its capacity to store fact: Rather, “it is the ability for information to be useful both now and in the…
T he late 10th century was a period or feuding, pillaging, and general disorder. In their editorial introduction to The Peace of God , Thomas Head and Richard Landes cite the Peace of God as an effort to reign in in the chaos: “Leading regional bishops convoked councils of their…
P eter King is an avowed Antimodern, a reactionary with a sensitivity to the unintended consequences of any effort at reform (much less revolution) and skepticism about progress. Reactionaries don't necessarily have to move to be reactionaries. When progress is the reigning creed “anyone can be a reactionary, including trade…
D ouglas Wilson frequently uses the powerful phrase “fellowship of the grievance” to describe communities formed by disgruntled people. Resentment is a powerful force for joining people together - at least for a time, until they discover they also have grievances with one another. Complaint is one of the most…
L. Michael Morales's 2015 Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord? is a “biblical theology of the book of Leviticus,” but Morales doesn't turn his full attention to Leviticus until he is one-third of the way through the book. That's as it should be. Building on his earlier The…
I Chronicles 12:23-40 describes David's king-making at Hebron. The Chronicler lists the number of mighty men from each tribe, those who constitute a host, a set of constellations, around the king as Yahweh's angels are a host around his throne (vv. 23-38). There's nothing about an anointing or crowning ceremony.…
Showing page 266 of 2212
Your weekly digest for all things Theopolis.
