One of the things I have learned as a pastor is that as a church grows and matures, the minister cannot assume that everybody is up to speed on something just because he “preached a sermon series” on that a little while before. It was probably more like five years before, and half the people …
Neck Deep in Shoes
The last chapter of Cavanaugh’s book deals with scarcity and abundance. The juxtaposition of the two is set up (as he discusses it) in the contrast between scarcity as the driving force of free market economics, and the abundance of Christ as displayed in the Lord’s Supper. “The idea of scarcity assures that the normal …
Vanity Fair and Globalization
Cavanaugh’s third chapter, on the global and the local, contains a lot of good discussion of the problem of the one and the many. Keying off the work of Roman Catholic Hans Urs von Balthasar, Cavanaugh offers the kind of insights that I am more accustomed to hear from Cornelius Van Til and Rousas Rushdoony. …
Justice Java
William Cavanaugh’s second chapter of Being Consumed, on attachment and detachment, was — with the exception of a page or two — simply outstanding. His critique of consumerism contained some standard elements (but still driven home effectively), as well as some unique insights. For an example of the former, he points out how much contemporary …
I Don’t Usually Link to Blogs Like This. Humor Me.
One of the more influential design blogs out there is called Design Mom, and she has just featured my daughter’s Amoretti line of skirties. Take a look here.
This Atheist Crew
The title is taken from Paradise Lost, which I am currently listening to (piecemeal) in my truck. Moscow is not very big, and so I usually only get three or four minutes at a time. That said, listening to that glorious poem read is far more compelling than simply reading it quietly to yourself. At …
Fifth Decade of Psalms/Psalm 47
INTRODUCTION: Throughout the Old Testament, we are frequently given glorious visions of God’s glorious plan for our fallen world. It is tempting to say that we are given glimpses of this, but when we finally understand what God has promised us, we start to see His promises everywhere. This psalm is one of many examples. …
The Single File Column to Nowhere
Every politician hungry for his slice of glory likes to talk about “leadership.” Leadership is always one of the talking points, and there will always be a reference to it in the printed material. You could write one of those brochures in your sleep, right? “Experience. Integrity. Leadership.” At which point we all get out …
Babe-raham Lincoln
As one wit put it, if the Democrats wanted to burn down the Capitol building, the Republicans would counter with a proposal to do it over the course of three years. Or, to use my own illustration, the Democrats are driving us toward the cliff at 80 miles an hour. The Republicans want to go …
Fifth Decade of Psalms/Psalm 44
INTRODUCTION: The next psalm is a desperate plea for help from God. He is the God of their salvation, and yet He appears not to care. The citation of this psalm in the New Testament shows it to be the plea of righteous martyrs. THE TEXT: “We have heard with our ears, O God, our …