First, this: It is within the marriage covenant that our hearts deepest desires find their rest and peace: “At last,” says Adam, and when we reach that state, so too can we. It is our natural home, our resting place. And as poet T.S. Eliot says, “The end is where we start from.” If we [...]
Archive for January, 2009
January 26, 2009
1
Thoughts on Marriage and Dating…
By Matthew Lee Anderson in Outside Articles of Interest
January 25, 2009
0
Leisure
By Keith E. D. Buhler in Christianity and Culture“Our culture does not suffer from the overabundance of leisure but, rather, its scarcity.” Thus begins Mathew Anger’s nice review of Joseph Pieper’s modern classic, Leisure: The Basis of Culture. “Drawing on the Western sages, both pagan and Christian, Pieper is careful to make a clear distinction between leisure and idleness. The former refers to [...]
January 23, 2009
0
Can’t Win ‘Em All: Defending the New Media Frontier
By Matthew Lee Anderson in UncategorizedIn case you missed it, Church Relevance released their list of the top 60 Christian blogs. Mere-O did not make the list (alas), but friends Justin Taylor, Joe Carter, and the guys over at Think Christian did (of course!). Pyromaniacs made the list too, which prompted this from contributor Frank Turk: Then last year, Crossway [...]
January 21, 2009
2
The God Who we Know is the God who is For Us
By Matthew Lee Anderson in Theology (Revelation)According to John Calvin, the knowledge of God “is that by which we not only conceive that there is a God but also grasp what befits us and is proper to his glory, in fine, what is to our advantage to know of Him.” Calvin’s definition is masterful. Allow me to tease out two [...]
January 20, 2009
1
The Shibboleth of Culture
By Matthew Lee Anderson in UncategorizedIt’s hard to disagree with Carl Trueman on this point: Second, I am also struck by how Christian talk of cultural engagement has coincided with a watering-down of Christian standards of behavior and, ironically, thought. I have lost count of how many times I have been told in recent years that Christians should [...]
January 19, 2009
1
Reflections and Responses to “The New Evangelical Scandal”
By Matthew Lee Anderson in EvangelicalismThis past week, The City published my article, “The New Evangelical Scandal,” which they had graciously allowed me to write. The piece has prompted a number of responses, primarily at InternetMonk, who graciously called it a “must read.” And then there’s “Wenatchee the Hatchet,” who has been prompted to take his tool to the piece. [...]
January 18, 2009
0
Funny Swithfoot Video: Awakening
By Keith E. D. Buhler in Evangelicalism, MusicRock n’ roll, Virtual reality, on screen and cardboard diorama, Refreshing self-deprecation, 80′s retro, Buster from Arrested Development, Longing fulfilled, and childhood dreams, Ironic reversals, John Foreman singing his God-lovin’ guts out, The secret solidarity and sudden revelation of friendship… Just a few of the inspired elements of this stylishly simple Switchfoot music video. Switchfoot [...]
January 15, 2009
23
The New Evangelical Scandal
By Matthew Lee Anderson in Outside Articles of InterestMy second publication is now available online at The City, the new (and free!) journal from the up-and-coming Houston Baptist University. I have much more to say about the piece later–including commenting on related events that have occurred since I wrote it–but for now I thought Mere-O readers would be interested in reading the piece [...]
January 12, 2009
3
Clint Eastwood’s Theological Vision
By Keith E. D. Buhler in Outside Articles of Interest, Reviews (Films)From the beginning of his career as a movie director, Eastwood has addressed fundamental questions… placing his iconic identity of ruthless masculinity in tension with a broader vision of individual and social wholeness. How should we live together? How do we define the good?” Since Gran Torino is out and is doing rather well at [...]
January 10, 2009
0
At least the Catholics can say, “You’re wrong.”
By Keith E. D. Buhler in Outside Articles of InterestVatican City, Feb 29, 2008 / 11:19 am (CNA).- The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) issued a correction to those who use feminist-inspired non-Trinitarian formulas for baptizing children, declaring that those baptized in this way are, in fact, not baptized.
January 5, 2009
4
Piety as a Pre-Requisite to the Knowledge of God? (updated)
By Matthew Lee Anderson in TheologyUpdate: Per Andrew’s comment, I amended the below to include the footnote and clarify the editors’ position. For John Calvin, the knowledge of God is necessarily tied to the experience of piety, by which Calvin means “that reverence joined with love of God which the knowledge of his benefits induces.” The relationship, however, between our [...]