“Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done–on earth, as in Heaven.” (Matthew 6:10.) My mother wasn’t in the best of moods that evening. As I prepared to leave her and my wife in the car and run in the grocery store, she gave me her orders: “I want the greenest bananas in the place!” That …
Civil Marriage: When the State Becomes God
Last week I posted a piece on why it's important not to get too trimphalistic on the French rejection of same sex civil marriage. That brought a long series of comments from "MichaelPS" who is obviously very familiar with French jurisprudence on this subject. One of his observations was as follows: It is significant that, …
Continue reading "Civil Marriage: When the State Becomes God"
Month of Sundays: Introduction and Dedication
This coming Sunday I will begin featuring my devotional book, Month of Sundays. I've already posted the first devotional on happiness; the rest will follow in sequence. This post is a dedication and the introduction to the book. Dedication This work is associated with several "lasts" and yet another one is the object of this …
Continue reading "Month of Sundays: Introduction and Dedication"
Some Thoughts on Happiness
From my Month of Sundays devotional booklet: …as is taught in the glorious Good News of the ever-blessed God, with which I was entrusted. — 1 Timothy 1:11 Blessed…we hear that expression so many times. We tell people to “Be blessed…” and hopefully people tell us that too. (The Wiccans turn that around and greet …
China Brings Confucius Back Into the Pantheon
The significance of this isn't lost to those of us who have visited the Tian An Men Square: In a ritual equal only to that of the church, last week China placed a statue of Confucius in its political heart, Tiananmen Square, before Mao Zedong's portrait and near the modern obelisk to the People's Heroes, …
Continue reading "China Brings Confucius Back Into the Pantheon"
Should Christians Drink?
I’ve been putting off writing and posting this, but Sanctus’ post on the Southern Baptists debating this issue has forced my hand, if you please. So it’s time for this blog to broach a subject that not so long ago wouldn’t merit discussion in Evangelical circles. Should Christians drink? (I obviously mean alcoholic beverages.) In …
Pat Robertson States the Obvious on Marijuana Penalties
But the Washington Post and others had to get out the brown pants after seeing it: Television evangelist Pat Robertson has made inflammatory remarks in recent years that offend gays, Muslims and others, but a recent comment he made on his Christian Broadcasting Network was more notable for whom it pleased: people who want to …
Continue reading "Pat Robertson States the Obvious on Marijuana Penalties"
The Christmas Story: William Tyndale's New Testament
From here: And it chanced in those days that there went out a commandment from Augustus the emperor, that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was the first, and executed when Cyrenius was lieutenant in Syria. And every man went unto his own city to be taxed. And Joseph also ascended from …
Continue reading "The Christmas Story: William Tyndale's New Testament"
Who Would Be the Real Loser if We Pitched the Charitable Deduction?
I'm seeing more and more calls for the abolition of the charitable deduction, like this one from Martin Hutchinson at Asia Times Online: At this season of goodwill, my thoughts immediately turn to that unsung hero Ebenezer Scrooge, and this year, in view of the subject's topicality, to his possible thoughts on today's major economic …
Continue reading "Who Would Be the Real Loser if We Pitched the Charitable Deduction?"
More on the Image and Likeness in Moses Maimonides
Back in September I posted The Difference Between Image and Likeness in Genesis, which discussed both Orthodox and Jewish concepts of Genesis 1:26. Recently I received a series of Twitter messages from Y Sher as follows: You understood Maimonides distinction between Image (Tzelem) and Likeness (Dmuth), he seems to equate both to man's divine capacity …
Continue reading "More on the Image and Likeness in Moses Maimonides"
