“One of the chief benefits of historical preaching is derived from the analysis of character and motive” (Broadus, Preparation and Delivery, p. 108).
The Right Kind of Bright in Their Eyes
Many conservative Christians know that the culture war we are fighting is a desperate battle for our children. Now fighting for your children and grandchildren is a noble enterprise. It is what we are called to do. When such fighting is necessary, as in a fallen world it constantly is, it is something we are …
Which Rarely Happens in Nature
“His long fingers were splayed, hands together, fingertip to fingertip, as though a spider were sideways on a mirror, doing push-ups in an agitated manner” (Evangellyfish, p. 157).
Two Kinds of Equality
“Christian equality can be described as equity, or even-handedness. Egalitarianism, in contrast, demands sameness, or equality of outcome. These two visions of equality are about as comparable as dry and wet. Think of it in terms of ten teenage boys trying to dunk a basketball: equity means that they all face the same ten-foot standard, …
A True Template
“Thus the Bible histories act like the problems worked out in a treatise of Algebra, teaching us how to approach the other problem presented by the general history of the world” (Broadus, Preparation and Delivery, p. 106).
On the Rounded Upper Part
Alan Jacobs asks a question here that he does not answer. That question concerns whether he is a conservative or not. “So is there any sense in which I might plausibly be called a conservative? I don’t really know; I’ll leave that to others to decide.” With such a kind invitation, how could I turn …
Wrenching at My Head
If you don’t want somebody driving, then don’t give him the keys. If you gave somebody the keys, don’t complain about why and where they are driving. So Roy Hibbert of the Indiana Pacers was fined 75K for his use of a “homophobic” slur. What are we to make of this? The issue is not …
What Plato’s Cousin Knew
Theological disputes are often matters of great moment, even when those outside the dispute cannot track with what is going on. I think it was Gibbon who once displayed his ignorance by saying that the debate over homousia and homoiousia was somehow over the letter i — which is pretty similar to saying the debate …
But You Must Listen . . .
In the book of Deuteronomy, in the passage where Moses promises the people a prophet greater than he (Deut. 18:15ff), there is a very interesting aside that the Lord makes. The people had been afraid at Horeb, when the Lord spoke to them directly, when they heard the voice and saw the great fire. First, …
Book of the Month: June 2013
This was a very good book on one level, and a very important book to me on another. First, Meaning at the Movies was a good book because it managed something that a lot of Christian books about movies do not manage. If there is a ditch on both sides of the road, as there …