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

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Biblical Theology

Feasting with Elisha

After Elijah’s battered and depressed howling in the wilderness it must have seemed like the new prophet came eating and drinking. Which is a pattern we see again in the New Testament—John is explicitly identified with Elijah (Luke 1.17, Matthew 11.14), howling the truth in the wilderness that the people…

by Tim SuffieldJuly 19, 2022
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Colossians

Lie Not To One Another

Reading Robert Conquest’s biography of Stalin 1 has opened new lines of meditation on Paul’s command in Colossians 3:9. But before turning to that, let me briefly indicate what Paul is not saying. He is not saying that there is no such thing as righteous deception, such as Jael practiced…

by Ralph Allan SmithJuly 14, 2022
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Amos

Book of the Lion

You won’t find wild lions today in Israel. But lions used to range much more widely than they do now, and in biblical times they were a menace that shepherds in Israel had to contend with. David did as a shepherd boy, and Amos—who “ was among the sheepbreeders of…

by Daniel HoffmanJuly 12, 2022
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Ezekiel

An Uncool Day

I would like to remedy a flaw for English speakers in the book of Genesis. A flaw that may seem innocuous, but we must remember where the devil lives...in the details. If we are to fear the Lord, it behooves our translation committees to ensure that the fearfulness of God…

by Matthew CoreyJuly 7, 2022
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Literature

You Become What You Behold

While reading at my son’s baseball game this week, a mom from our school approached me and asked if I was reading Dante. I wasn’t, but our sons are both reading Divine Comedy in their sophomore literature class, so it was a reasonable question. What unfolded was a quick conversation…

by Mandi GerthJuly 5, 2022
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Deuteronomy

Torah as Testimony (Part 3)

In the first two essays in this series, I addressed the question of how the nations would learn about Israel’s Torah, in the second essay especially emphasizing the aesthetic aspects of Israel’s testimony. For we naturally wonder: How would people in Mesopotamia or Egypt, not to mention the rest of…

by Ralph Allan SmithJune 28, 2022

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Move On?

S COTUS has spoken. Same-sex marriage is the law of the land. Time to move on. This insistent message comes from leaders in both parties, but Michael Needham, writing at The American Interest , says that “moving on is not so easy for some Americans. Moving on wasn’t an option…

June 15, 2016
American Politics

Boomer Bust

W alter Russell Mead writes that Hillary Clinton's candidacy is the climax of a long progress, the march of the Boomers through the institutions. Unfortunately, she's the triumphant defender of a status quo that many believe to be broken, perhaps beyond repair. Mead is explaining the Trump phenomenon, but his…

June 15, 2016

Structure in 1 Chronicles 8

T he first portion of 1 Chronicles 8 is structured roughly by two sets of five lists of the descendants of Benjamin. The first group lists the names of sons for Benjamin, and then for succeeding generations of Benjamites: 1. Sons of Benjamin, vv. 1-2 2. Sons of Bela, vv.…

June 14, 2016

Bridge to Nowhere

A ndrew Bacevich argues that we are building a “multi-trillion dollar bridge to nowhere” in the Middle East. Coming to the Presidency as the anti-Bush, Obama will end his Presidency with America in Bushian shape throughout the world: “Like Bush, Obama will bequeath to his successor wars he failed to…

June 14, 2016

Redeeming Benjamin

P aul the apostle was a Hebrew of the Hebrews from the tribe of Benjamin. That tribal association is significant, introducing a multi-layered typology of apostolic ministry. Paul was originally Saul, the namesake of the first and fallen king of Israel. That a Benjamin Saul would become the leader of…

June 13, 2016

Islamicization of Europe, or Christianization of Islam?

R od Dreher summarized several reports that many Muslim refugees have converted to Christianity when they arrived in Europe. Harriet Sherwood at The Guardian reports: “At Trinity church in the Berlin suburb of Steglitz, the congregation has grown from 150 two years ago to almost 700, swollen by Muslim converts,…

June 13, 2016

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