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Reductionism and the narrowing of minds

From First Thoughts

In 1932 a 26-year-old Philip E. Wentworth published an article in the Atlantic Monthly titled: “What College Did to My Religion,” which the magazine has seen fit to post in its web archives. The author tells the tragic tale of how, as a young man, he was moved by an undergraduate Harvard . . . . Continue Reading »

Building our vocabulary

From First Thoughts

The following definitions are not from Webster’s or the OED:vegetarian, n. a person who avoids meat and eats only vegetables.seminarian, n. a person who eats only seeds.Schwarzeneggerländer, n. An inhabitant of California.Leningrad, prop. n. former name of St. Petersburg, Russia, from . . . . Continue Reading »

The fall of the wall, plus 20

From First Thoughts

The autumn of 1989 was an exciting time to be teaching political science, due to the extraordinary events occurring in the former east European Soviet bloc. The culmination was, of course, the dramatic opening of the Berlin Wall on 9 November. A political illusion that had seemed so immovable for . . . . Continue Reading »

Mercersburg

From First Thoughts

While in graduate school many years ago I subscribed briefly to the journal of the Mercersburg Society, which claims to carry on the legacy of the 19th-century Mercersburg movement. This movement was named for the city in Pennsylvania where the German Reformed Church in the United States had its . . . . Continue Reading »

Higher education: Canada versus the US

From First Thoughts

The differences between the United States and Canada are not always easy to discern on the surface, but they’re there. One of these concerns post-secondary education. Here in Ontario this field is dominated by a very few provincial universities, some of which may have had Christian origins but . . . . Continue Reading »

Is the end near?

From First Thoughts

Christians have been engaging sporadically in eschatological speculation for most of the last two millennia, but a lot of people these days seem to be focussing on 21 May 2011 as the predicted Day of Judgement. Could this be part of an effort to preempt the Mayan . . . . Continue Reading »

The comfort of belonging

From First Thoughts

Easily the jewel of the 16th-century Reformed confessions is the Heidelberg Catechism, which begins in so memorable and moving a fashion as to work its way into the hearts of believers everywhere:Q & A 1Q. What is your only comfortin life and in death?A. That I am not my own,but belong—body . . . . Continue Reading »

Another floral acronym?

From First Thoughts

English-speaking Calvinists are generally familiar with the acronym TULIP, which is a handy way of remembering the principal doctrines of Reformed Christianity:Total depravityUnconditional electionLimited atonementIrresistible gracePerseverance of the saintsHowever, given that some might see TULIP . . . . Continue Reading »

The rhythm of Reformation

From First Thoughts

As tomorrow marks the 492nd anniversary of the event that traditionally marks the beginning of the Reformation, I thought it appropriate to post the following choral rendition of Luther’s Ein’ feste Burg ist unser Gott, sung in its original syncopated rhythm.This hymn is, of course, a . . . . Continue Reading »

Liturgy and archaic language

From First Thoughts

One of my esteemed colleagues, whenever he is responsible for leading faculty in prayer, almost invariably goes to the Book of Common Prayer as his primary resource. This is not at all a bad thing to do, as the BCP is filled with the vast liturgical riches of western Christendom, as well as with a . . . . Continue Reading »