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Writing

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

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Beer

The Wisdom of Drinking Beer with Others

When I wrote my commentary on Ecclesiastes A Table in the Mist I took Eccl. 11:1-2 as a reference to the risk of international trade. It sure did seem to me like a reference to Solomon’s risky trade with other nations. Israel exported grain (bread) and Solomon’s ships returned to…

by Jeff MeyersAugust 14, 2011
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Biblical Horizons

An Alphabetical Psalm

When we read an alphabetical psalm in English, we miss the fact that each verse begins with a new letter of the Hebrew alphabet. I have found one way to get around this, which is for the leader to announce something relevant about each letter before reading his half of…

by James B. JordanAugust 5, 2011
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Biblical Horizons

Showing the Lord’s Death

How does the Lord’s Supper proclaim the death of Jesus until He comes? (1 Corinthians 11:26). Historically, liturgists have attempted to locate some act in the rite of the Supper that corresponds to the death of Jesus: the fraction (breaking of bread), or the fact that bread and wine are…

by Peter LeithartAugust 5, 2011
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Biblical Horizons

Some Notes on Liturgical Etiquette

These notes are posted here by request. We all now live in the age of slob worship thanks to the “sixties.” I never experienced sitting for prayer until 20 years ago. Jesus was unhappy when His disciples could not watch and pray for one hour. Today’s slob Christians complain if…

by James B. JordanMay 27, 2011
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Biblical Horizons

Thoughts on the Death of bin Laden

On September 11, 2001, Jesus brought judgment upon the United States of America. Following His normal procedure, He used an even more evil force to do it (Habakkuk 1-3). The warning Jesus gives throughout the Bible to those He uses to punish others is that they need to repent, or…

by James B. JordanMay 2, 2011
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American Politics

Hypocrisy, Phariseeism, the Left, and Obama

Because of Donald Trump, the “Birther” issue is heating up. It is not going away, and is only part of a larger cluster of issues in regard to the President. Virtually all of the relevant documents concerning who he is and where he has been, have been suppressed, at great…

by Richard BledsoeApril 3, 2011

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The Weeping Animal

D espite efforts to show that animals cry, Robert Provine ( Curious Behavior ) argues that “dispassionate evaluation of evidence indicates that neither elephants nor chimpanzees, our primate cousins, shed an emotional tear. The exclusivity of humankind’s crown jewels— language, laughter, and tool use— has been challenged, but emotional tearing…

March 17, 2017
Authority

Goodness of Authority

W ithout authority, Yves Simon argues ( A General Theory of Authority ), our efforts at collective action would be stymied: “decisions concerning the common action of a multitude could be taken unanimously, at least under the ideal conditions of a community made up of intelligent and virtuous persons alone.…

March 17, 2017

Non-Americans in American Policy

N ext door at First Things , James Rogers asks , “Does the welfare of non-Americans count in the creation of U.S. economic policy? Secondly, to what extent, if at all, should it count?” Or, more fully: “Responding to the impact of globalization on U.S. workers by increasing tariffs and/or…

March 17, 2017

God the Underwriter

David's ecstatic prayer in 1 Chronicles 29 - the last words he speaks in Chronicles - includes this notable verse: “Who am I and who are my people we we should have strength to volunteer offerings like this? For from you comes all, and from your hand we give to…

March 16, 2017
Architecture

Political Theology in Stone

L istening to architect Daniel Lee teach a Theopolis course this week, I had many moments of insight. Here are a couple of them. Daniel offered a brief but penetrating analysis of the structure and message of the Pantheon of Rome. A house for all the gods, it was church-in-the-round,…

March 16, 2017

Chiasm of Joy

D avid's speech to the assembly of princes (1 Chronicles 29:1-9) has a roughly chiastic form. It begins with David's review of his contributions to the temple and his declaration of his delight in God's house. He sets an example by donating additional gold and silver and calls on the…

March 15, 2017

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