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Writing

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

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Angels

Michael’s Dispute with the Devil

But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you" (Jude 9). Jude 9 raises several difficulties (though not insuperable difficulties) for conservative commentators. The event that Jude…

by Peter LeithartFebruary 22, 1989
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Angels

Who Were the Angels of Jude 6?

The prophecy of Jude concerns apostasy. An illustration of apostasy and its consequences is found in verse 6, which the New American Standard Bible translates this way: "And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for…

by James B. JordanJanuary 12, 1989
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Biblical Studies

The Mosaic Law and Social Issues

One of the most pressing problems facing Christians today is how the faith relates to the crises of our civilization. On all sides, Christian spokesmen are trying to offer solutions and perspectives on social issues, in order to try and reform our degenerating society. Abortion, pornography, homosexuality, immigration, war, criminal…

by James B. JordanJanuary 12, 1989
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Uncategorized

ZIKLAG BIVOUAC

In the last several months, a number of people have written or phoned to ask me why I and the other men of Geneva Ministries are remaining in a tiny Presbyterian denomination, rather than joining a large, historic, liturgical body. The question arises, it seems, because in my writings and…

by James B. JordanOctober 23, 1985
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Advent

The Menace of Chinese Food

One of the unrecognized and most deadly evils of modern life’s facets is Chinese food. Most people are wholly unaware of the critical nature of the Chinese food question, and blithely continue to participate in this wicked and dangerous activity: eating Chinese food. Of course, to speak against such a…

by James B. JordanDecember 12, 1984
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Creation’s desire

Cryptic as always, Hamann writes ( Aesthetica in Nuce ): “Speak, that I might see you! — This desire was fulfilled in creation, which is an address to the creature through the creature.” Dickson notes that this suggests that creation pre-exists itself such that its desire is answered by the…

October 10, 2008

Il n’y a pas de hors-texte

Hamann can repeat this Derridean scandal, quite literally. As Gwen Dickson puts it, “Hamann’s conception of language as speech as a ‘translation’ reveals that at the basis of his thinking there is no language-world dichotomy; language, after all, is part of the world, and moreover the ‘world’ or ‘reality’ or…

October 10, 2008

The Body of the Universe

Athanasius insists that the Word is one, while creatures are many. He anticipates the Arian objection that there is also oneness in creation - one earth and one son. But the oneness of the creation is different from the oneness of the Word. Creatures are one “with respect to its…

October 10, 2008
Theology

Humble God

When the Arians claim that the Father made the Son to make the world, they imply that it is unworthy of God to be so directly involved in the details of the created world. Athanasius ( Orations Against the Arians ) sees that the Arian God is prissy, disdainful of…

October 10, 2008
Philosophy

System v. edification

Rorty: “Great systematic philosophers are constructive and offer arguments. Great edifying philosophers are reactive and offer satires, parodies, aphorisms. They know their work loses its point when they period they were reacting against is over. They are intentionally peripheral. Great systematic philosophers, like great scientists, build for eternity. Great edifying…

October 9, 2008

Isaiah 33

Some scattered notes on Isaiah 33, the product of listening to students comment on the passage in exams throughout the week. 1) Verse 1 includes an interesting variation on the lex talionis. Destroyers will be destroyed, and the treacherous will be dealt with treacherously. But the justice that the Lord…

October 8, 2008

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