“The first thing we must do is get the smoke out of our eyes. Which is to say that we must start afresh, and concede publicly what most earnest men and women have always conceded privately, that the ancient apology for bad art-“the work is shoddy and disjointed because The Times are shoddy and disjointed”-is …
Brown Theonomy
I almost titled this post “Green Theonomy,” but when Ahab brought in the worship of the green god Baal to help out the fertility of Israel, one of the first things that happened was that it did not rain for three years, and Israel turned crispy brown. What is printed up in the prospectus is …
Cafeteria Catholicism
When C.S. Lewis undertook to describe “mere” Christianity, he stated that he had no intention of discussing, for example, the subject of Mary. Few subjects had, in his view, the capacity for derailing the train of Charity than this one did. But he did not just sidestep the question. He noted that for devout Roman …
That Good Old Narrative Trajectory
On the first page of the next chapter (“Why I Am Biblical”), Brian McLaren states this: “My regard for the Bible is higher than ever” (p. 159). And this about sums the whole problem up. Regard? After having read through the chapter, this is like hearing a divorced couple say they are still the “best …
Trying to Freeze the Linebackers
McLaren goes on to explain in his next chapter why he is a liberal/conservative. In this chapter, his use of these terms is primarily in a theological context, as opposed to the political one. This chapter is an attempt to get beyond “the confining boxes of liberal and conservative” (p. 131). Of course, since conservatives …
The Song of Mary
The Bible teaches us a great deal about our Lord’s mother, and about her great and astonishing faith. But unfortunately, Roman Catholic errors, idolatries and excesses have all created or contributed to a great over-reaction from Protestants, and hence a great loss for us. Often we do not even want to talk about Mary at …
Ten Reasons For Not Taking Postmodernism Seriously
1. Postmodernists take themselves seriously enough already. 2. It might make some sense to speak of the “post-colonial” era if a hundred years or two have gone by since the era in question has assumed room temperature. But until then, you can’t really see it, and ought not pretend as though you can. For all …
Retaining Wealth
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) Growing Dominion, Part 68 “A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches” (Prov. 11:16). One of the strengths of Hebraic parallelism is that it enables us to compare things that we would not ordinarily think to compare. In a kind of …
Ezra Nehemiah 3
Introduction We sometimes take the wrong lesson from St. Paul’s warning about endless genealogies. “Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do” (1 Tim. 1:4). “But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable …
Sugar Levels
“When God rebukes Job our of the whirlwind, Job has the humility and sense to cover his mouth with his hand, thoroughly abashed. But modern evangelicals chatter on. They have embraced the theology of the foolish women Job mentioned at the beginning of the book, and, judging by the posters in their Bible and bauble …