Now that my schedule has recovered some of its equilibrium, perhaps I can catch up on answering some of Greenbaggins’ questions. On the law/gospel distinction, Lane says of me that “if there is any distinction, it is in the person, and not in the text, whereas I hold that there is a distinction in the …
Flannery Fanboys
Just a random Flannery O’Connor thought. I am currently enjoying Wise Blood very much, and it struck me how seriously O’Connor took her fundamentalist misfits. She was a Roman Catholic, and yet we find that her literary (and very Southern) genius really sees Jesus in the angular, raw Tishbite street preachers. She expects us to …
St. Alphonse the Lesser
This is Trinity Sunday, the beginning of the backstretch of the church year. From Advent through Pentecost, we commemorate the life of Christ our Lord, marking His arrival in our midst, His life, His death and resurrection, His ascension into heaven, and His outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon His people. Our observance of these …
Greater Matters
Last week we considered why it is important for us to be seated as we partake of the Lord’s kindness at this Table. This is the time when we, His people, sit with the Lord at Table, and when we discuss with Him the affairs of the world. He has invited us to His Table—He …
Even Interestinger
Over the few years this blog has been up and going, I have periodically given a report on the web traffic doings here. The natural time for doing this is birthdays, but I was so busy that this blog’s third birthday passed by a few weeks ago without me noticing it. Oops and sorry. But …
More Leepikey Stuff
The good folks at Veritas Press asked me if I would write an open letter to Nate about Leepike Ridge for their monthly electronic newsletter. I was happy to do that, and you can read what I wrote at this web site. Be sure to check out Laurie Detweiler’s review of the book after my …
Last Installment of Hitchens/Wilson Debate
I want to offer my public thanks to Christianity Today for hosting this debate. I would also like to thank Christopher Hitchens for participating in it. The last installment can be found here.
Are You a Republican or a Republicant?
Okay, so the presidential thingy is warming up again, and quite a few middle-aged men are grinning at the camera, glad-handing the public, stiff-arming the republic, and generally doing their part to snooker us yet again. I used to be a Republican, but have been an conservative independent for lo these many years now. Nevertheless, …
Better Than We Deserve
I am posting old articles here that ran in Table Talk, and this one was part of the run up to Y2K. Hence the situation is somewhat dated, but the principles involved certainly are not. The message at that time was that repentance is good preparation if disaster happens, and good preparation if it doesn’t. …
Heart Lusts
The tenth commandment excludes covetousness—of anything. In this portion of Deuteronomy, we see many different ways in which covetousness will work its way out if the command is not heeded. The eighth commandment prohibited stealing. The ninth commandment prohibited “legalized” stealing through false witness. The tenth commandment prohibits “legalized” stealing through false motives. “Thou shalt …