So I’m continuing my project of reading the books on which the still lingering Holiday movies are based. Walter Kirn’s UP IN THE AIR is very different from and much funnier than the movie. The book’s narrator (the Clooney character in the movie) gives a rather urbane and quite . . . . Continue Reading »
[caption id=”attachment_4980” align=”alignleft” width=”489” caption=”Sitting in Midst of the Doctors. James Tissot, c. 1895”][/caption]Today is the first Sunday after Epiphany, an observance of our Lord’s visit to His Temple as a boy.The Glory of . . . . Continue Reading »
Today many liturgical congregations observe and celebrate the Baptism of our Lord. Our Lord Jesus is baptized “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:13–17). He partakes of a baptism for sinners in order that He might be our substitute and bear the judgment we deserve. In the water, . . . . Continue Reading »
Basil and the two Gregorys, collectively known as the Cappadocian Fathers, were leaders of Christian orthodoxy in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) in the later fourth century. Basil and Gregory of Nyssa were brothers; Gregory of Nazianzus was their friend. All three were influential in shaping the . . . . Continue Reading »
While I’m hesitant to jump into the ongoing debate here (I’ve already got my hands full discussing the issue on the First Thoughts blog) I wanted to add a clarification and a question:Clarification: John Mark defines torture as “intending to inflict permanent psychological or . . . . Continue Reading »
I have two friends—yes, it’s true, I have friends—who recently experienced disturbing neurological symptoms that suggested possible stroke or brain tumor. One lives in Canada. This friend reported the symptoms immediately, and the physician ordered an MRI—which was . . . . Continue Reading »
Frank Turk is not (to say the least) persuaded by my arguments against torture. Generally he thinks I am not Christian in my reasoning.He gives us two reasons for this.He thinks I am being cagey about what Paul is saying in Romans 13 about the state. Turk says:Paul is endorsing the function of . . . . Continue Reading »
We’re only nine days into 2010 but I think we’ve already found the unbeatable candidate for “political apology of the year”: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) apologized today for referring to President Barack Obama as “light skinned” and “with no . . . . Continue Reading »
My dear colleague JMR —I think you are being a little more than a little cagey in your angling here to condemn torture outright. You say you are trying to narrow down what Paul means by endorsing the Roman “ministry of the sword”, but I think you’re simply trying to avoid the . . . . Continue Reading »
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