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Writing

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

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Ascension

The Son of Man in the Clouds | Part 1

References to the Son of Man coming on the clouds occur five times in the Synoptic Gospels. Three times such expressions appear in the parallel accounts of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:36; Luke 21:27). Then, in parallel accounts of Jesus’ trial before the leaders of Israel, such expressions…

by Ralph Allan SmithMarch 3, 2020
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Biblical Studies

The New Torahs

Just what the difference is in the work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament and the New Testament is a question not so easily answered. The distinction is often said to be that in the Old Testament the Holy Spirit is on the believer, but in the New…

by Richard BledsoeFebruary 25, 2020
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Movies

1917: A Visible Word

1. Introduction You should think of 1917 at church on Sunday. Why? Let me explain. There's one film every Oscar season which everyone seems to have watched—your parents, your colleagues, even your pastor. This year, it's 1917— Sam Mendes' WW1 epic following two British Tommies on a seemingly impossible quest…

by Rhys LavertyFebruary 18, 2020
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Immigration

Greater Israel

This piece was originally part of the Bowyer response to the Theopolis series surrounding Professor McDermott’s essay, “Rethinking Israel.” For the sake of brevity, it was removed from the initial response, to be published as a standalone piece. As we’ve argued previously , we are strongly supportive of the right…

by Jerry and Charles BowyerFebruary 11, 2020
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Matthew

Matthew the Tax Collector

Richard Bauckham’s groundbreaking work, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony , is profoundly insightful, but the message of the book is hampered by the presupposition of Marcan priority. Ironically the place where this assumption perhaps does its most damage is in Bauckham’s discussion of the apostle Matthew…

by Ralph Allan SmithFebruary 4, 2020
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Good Works

Faith as the Highest Work

The Protestant Reformation was defined by certain clarifying disagreements between the medieval Church and those who came to be known as Protestant Reformers. Chief among these was the nature of justification: whether one was justified by works, or by faith and works, or—as Martin Luther contended—by faith alone. Now over…

by Alexander WhitakerJanuary 28, 2020

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Politics

Socialists against Collectivism

John W. De Gruchy points out in his Christianity and Democracy that nineteenth-century Anglican socialists were concerned equally for the possessive individualism of capitalism and liberal democracy, and the deletion of the individual in collectivism. De Gruchy summarizes the views of William Temple: “respect for individual personality is the root…

June 22, 2009
Politics

Bailout State

In the same issue of the Weekly Standard , Matthew Continetti analyzes the “bailout state.” The point of government management of the auto, banking, and other industries is not merely to save jobs (and votes) and support organized labor. More, in the bailout state, the government can “transform once-private companies…

June 22, 2009
Literature

George Steiner

James Gardner captures the eccentricity, flaws, and brilliance of George Steiner in a short piece in the June 15 issue of the Weekly Standard . His weaknesses are manifest - Steiner is “an unapologetic know-it-all and acrobatic show-off” given to “incessant posturings in print.” Gardner describes his usual modus as…

June 22, 2009

Sermon notes

INTRODUCTION God is a God of music. The Spirit-breath glorifies the Word of the Father, and is the music of the Triune life. Made in the image of this God, we are musical instruments, created for praise. Jesus speaks with a voice like the sound of many waters (Revelation 1:16…

June 22, 2009

Eucharistic meditation

Job 19:25-26: I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth, even after my skin which they have cut off, yet from my flesh I shall see God; whom I myself shall behold, and whom my eyes shall see and not…

June 21, 2009

Exhortation

At one point in his debate with Job, Eliphaz says that “the heavens are not pure in God’s sight.” That may have been true when he spoke it. Blood from bulls, goats, and sheep never cleansed the heavens. But it’s not true anymore. Jesus purified heaven with better blood, His…

June 21, 2009

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