A Primer on Religious Existentialism, Pt. 5: Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal initially seems a rather odd figure to label as a Christian existentialist–or even as a forerunner to the movement. Other than his famous “wager” (about which I will…
More Hopeful than a Manifesto: A Review of Mere Churchianity
Mere Churchianity: Finding Your Way Back to Jesus-Shaped Spirituality By Michael Spencer 229 pp. Cascade Books. $13.99 Two influences obviously shaped my experience of reading this book: for one, as…
Suffering that Means Something: A Reflection on the Lectionary Readings for 18 July 2010
Revised Common Lectionary Page for 18 July 2010 (8th Sunday after Pentecost, Year C) Amos 8:1-12 and Psalm 52 • Genesis 18:1-10a and Psalm 15 • Colossians 1:15-28 • Luke…
Motives in the Bible: A Reflection on the Lectionary Readings for 11 July 2010
Revised Common Lectionary Page for 11 July 2010 (Year C, 7th Sunday after Pentecost) Amos 7:7-17 and Psalm 82 • Deuteronomy 30:9-14 and Psalm 25:1-10 • Colossians 1:1-14 • Luke…
A Primer on Religious Existentialism, Pt. 3: Hellenism and Hebraism
There’s a degree to which it’s legitimate to claim Judeo-Christian roots for almost all Western philosophies (including the scientism that seeks, in its more recent and ugly manifestations, to destroy…
Kings and Prophets: A Reflection on the Lectionary Readings for 4 July 2010
Revised Common Lectionary Page for 4 July 2010 (Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, Year C) 2 Kings 5:1-14 and Psalm 30 • Isaiah 66:10-14 and Psalm 66:1-9 • Galatians 6:(1-6), 7-16…
Three-Dimensional Responses to One-Dimensional Challenges: A Review of “God Is Dead” and I Don’t Feel So Good Myself
“God Is Dead” and I Don’t Feel So Good Myself”: Theological Engagements with the New Atheism Edited by Andrew David, Christopher J. Keller, and Jon Stanley 185 pp. Cascade Books.…
On Burying Fathers: A Reflection on the Lectionary Readings for 28 June 2010
Revised Common Lectionary Page for 28 June 2010 (Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, Year C) 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 and Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 • 1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21 and Psalm 16…
No Better than My Ancestors: A Reflection on the Lectionary Readings for 20 June 2010
Vanderbilt Divinity School’s Revised Common Lectionary Page for 20 June 2010 (Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Year C) 1 Kings 19:1-4, (5-7), 8-15a and Psalm 42 and 43 • Isaiah 65:1-9…
Theology is Difficult Work: A Review of Jesus Manifesto
Jesus Manifesto: Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ By Len Sweet and Frank Viola 201 pp. Thomas Nelson. $14.99 I sometimes wish that I’d gone into theology for…
Short Takes: Are You a Hipster Christian?
Our blog and podcast seem to attract readers and listeners from all over the theological and political spectrum, so I’m very interested in the results of this survey, from Brett…
A Proper Icon
Hello, all! I’m back from an epic four-week gallivant, during which I was blog incommunicado. Oh, the places I’ve been, and the things I’ve seen: the highest mountain in Alabama,…
Lawyers and Poets: A Review of The Gospel You've Never Heard for the Ooze Viral Bloggers
Who Really Goes to Hell?: The Gospel You’ve Never Heard: What a Protestant Bible written by Jews says about God’s work through Christ: A book for those in the church…
Wisdom of God, Spirit of God: A Reflection on the Lectionary Readings for 30 May 2010
Revised Common Lectionary Readings for 30 May 2010 (Trinity Sunday, Year C) Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 and Psalm 8 • Romans 5:1-5 • John 16:12-15 The Trinity still makes me nervous. I have no…
Loving Valid Questions
Embracing Our Questioners by John Castelein I do like to toot my own tradition’s horn when I can, and The Christian Standard, our weekly publication, last Sunday had this nice…