tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30863882012-01-18T08:14:08.986-05:00philosophy, theology, etcJoelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.comBlogger12661100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-73159513200330677032010-07-24T07:13:00.002-04:002010-07-24T09:20:59.823-04:00

As much as I try to keep blogging, other things seem to keep getting in the way.This past week brought cavalcade of distractions:An auto accident that crumpled the front end of our Pontiac Vibe to the tune of $5600 in damages when I rear-ended a Ford F150 that was sporting a nice big heavy-duty trailer hitch.A day at the body shop having the car looked at and talking to our insurance company,

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-8327188323993639402010-07-15T20:30:00.007-04:002010-07-24T09:23:12.693-04:00

Each year Villanova University hosts a Patristics, Medieval, and Renaissance conference, where "Renaissance" also (happily) includes Reformation.Over the past several years I've given presentations and chaired sessions. Most recently (two years ago, I believe), I presentied on the topic of prophecy and revelation in Augustine, Aquinas, and Bonaventure, leading to some reflections upon our

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-7962426557116098082010-07-13T19:20:00.004-04:002010-07-15T22:36:16.188-04:00

My summer course ended a couple of weeks ago. Shortly after I turned in grades, my mother-in-law came for a 10 day visit. We had a fun time going to fireworks, as well as visiting Franklin Square, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Franklin Institute, various other sites, and several restaurants. Unfortunately, it was the hottest week in Philly in a quite a while, with several days over 100F.

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-53976494441786025082010-05-18T18:37:00.003-04:002010-05-18T18:59:20.210-04:00

That last post was something more, I hope, than an annual mini-celebration at the end of grading. The end of grading, however, was well worth celebrating this year, as I was teaching five sections this past semester that added up to more than 140 students. In the end, between final papers and some stray homework assignments, that came to around 1400 pages of reading and grading.I'm already busy

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-24025556378747054412010-05-17T08:54:00.000-04:002010-05-17T08:55:25.248-04:00

What? Huh? Could this be a sign a life?The blog stirs itself, stretches, and yawns.

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-25925264682911324432009-05-18T19:16:00.001-04:002009-05-19T21:11:28.368-04:00

I've blogged before about Michael Pollan's wonderfully written and fascinating book, The Omnivore's Dilemma (see here and here).In the third part of the book, Pollan describes his quest to create a meal entirely from ingredients that he hunted, foraged, or grew: morel mushrooms he picked growing from the ashes of a forest fire, a wild boar he shot among oak trees, natural salt collected from the

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-53517236394541807712009-05-14T17:32:00.000-04:002009-05-14T17:41:05.409-04:00

Beginning at the end of June, during Summer Session II, I'll be teaching "American Philosophy." This is the first time I'll be teaching this course. Some of our philosophy majors take the class, though I get the sense most of the students who take it are enrolled in the American Studies major (or minor) where it fulfills one of the requirements.The text I'll be using is the two volume The

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-18161837425799308182009-05-14T09:21:00.004-04:002009-05-19T20:38:19.011-04:00

Another school year has passed.My university responsibilities were a large part of why I haven't blogged since September, though family and church have also occupied my time. On the whole, it was a good year, but tremendously busy.In terms of university, I always enjoy teaching my classes, getting to know students, and trying to draw them into the kinds of issues that philosophers think and

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-16939714334544089672009-05-12T19:11:00.000-04:002009-05-12T19:12:17.312-04:00

This appears to be me, blogging. Surprise, surprise. More to follow.

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-49250079211260647512008-09-14T21:38:00.008-04:002008-09-15T06:52:42.507-04:00

Back in February a group of PCA pastors organized a Conversation on Denominational Renewal. As an outgrowth of that conversation, Common Grounds Online is hosting a forum to discuss the talks that were presented there.Each of the next five weeks will discuss one of five talks, providing four perspective on the talks: sympathetic interaction, critical response, a minority or female perspective,

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-84271118489003620242008-08-26T18:19:00.004-04:002008-08-26T20:01:47.795-04:00

In the "better late than never" category, over at Cynthia Nielsen's blog Per Caritatem, she's just recently finished up hosting a terrific Augustine Blog Conference.The conference featured eight excellent essays, followed by commentary and stimulating conversation. Topics included the relationship of Augustine's thought to a variety of figures: Henry of Ghent, John Duns Scotus, Martin Luther,

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-91167292754608444832008-08-25T20:14:00.002-04:002008-08-25T20:21:48.498-04:00

Well, classes started back up again today.Summer was pretty crazy with teaching two overlapping summer courses, writing an article (which isn't quite finished yet), speaking at a conference, reviewing a book, submitting a conference proposal, attending a couple of conferences, along with the various family stuff and church stuff, Laurel starting a new job, and getting ready for the school year.At

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-21832795035042534082008-07-01T18:21:00.004-04:002008-07-01T20:03:14.593-04:00

After I had attended the Barth conference last week, we promptly left Philly to head to north central Pennsylvania to celebrate Laurel's mother's 80th birthday in Williamsport, where she and my father-in-law (now deceased) had lived for many years. The Williamsport locale enabled various friends of hers from church and elsewhere to attend the party, which was held in the parish hall of a

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-5504009402863137222008-06-27T08:05:00.001-04:002008-06-27T08:14:50.613-04:00

The Centre of Theology and Philosophy at the University of Nottingham in the UK is introducing two new book series.Together with SCM Press, the Centre is introducing the Veritas series, which is designed to offer "incisive and original current scholarly work that inhabits 'the between' and 'the beyond' of theology and philosophy," both through monographs and through collections of essays from the

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-37305856905730808342008-06-27T07:22:00.005-04:002008-06-27T07:55:57.903-04:00

Several reports online note that members of Westminster Theological Seminary's Board of Trustees have resigned in the wake of recent turmoil.A comparison of the names attached to the 26 March 2008 "Statement" by the minority of the Board with the current list of Board members indicates that 8 out of 9 of the Board members who endorsed the minority statement have resigned, including the Vice

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-76904231443593536822008-06-26T16:36:00.003-04:002008-06-26T19:26:17.804-04:00

First I create a Facebook blog network and then I promptly stop blogging. Alas.This summer, far from offering time off, has actually proven rather busy thus far: writing projects, teaching, conferences, family.With regard to writing, my main summer project is to work on an essay concerning Harry Potter and epistemology. This is for a forthcoming collection of philosophical essays on Harry

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-61887012138531501692008-06-17T19:54:00.002-04:002008-06-17T19:56:22.647-04:00

If you have Facebook, I've set up a blog network there for this blog. Feel free to join, rate my blog, leave general comments on the wall, find out who your fellow blog readers are, and so on.

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-75573728151940072072008-06-13T13:36:00.009-04:002008-06-14T09:03:40.988-04:00

Over on the Frame-Poythress website, John Frame of Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando offers an irenic review of Peter Enns's Inspiration & Incarnation, a book that has seen some share of controversy over the past couple of years.Frame's view is fairly detailed, moving through Enns's book section-by-section, delving more into the nitty-gritty of the text than my own more general and

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-45853493156339310862008-06-12T11:29:00.009-04:002008-06-17T20:09:16.698-04:00

Several years ago, at the annual meeting of the American Catholic Philosophical Association, I commented on a paper that concerned the movement known as "radical orthodoxy" and which offered a critique of radical orthodoxy from the standpoint of Catholic liberation theology. It was a good, solid paper by a great guy, Don Musacchio, who is the director of pastoral ministries (think: "small group

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-30844609962062869462008-06-10T07:45:00.004-04:002008-06-12T11:29:45.537-04:00

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is meeting today through Friday in Dallas, Texas. The General Assembly receives reports from various ministries of the denomination and makes decisions about various issues, ranging from re-drawing Presbytery boundaries to taking positions in areas of doctrine and practice.The way in which these issues are introduced is ordinarily

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-72498699402075859002008-05-22T10:04:00.003-04:002008-05-22T10:06:37.038-04:00

Since Tuesday I've been in a three day faculty development workshop (in which I'm sitting right now). So I'll get back to blogging perhaps over the weekend. Yesterday's workshop session concerned cooperative learning (that is, using small groups in the class room) and was, I think, very helpful.

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-62780753103083190922008-05-16T18:53:00.002-04:002008-05-16T19:24:27.215-04:00

Jayson Byassee of The Christian Century reviews a number of books on biblical interpretation for Books & Culture: "Reading with the Saints." The review touches upon seven different books on scripture, covering patristic hermeneutics, Anglican approaches from the Reformation to the present, and contemporary issues in and instances of biblical interpretation.

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-35831003038814155802008-05-15T12:44:00.011-04:002008-05-15T22:08:27.376-04:00

Over the past few weeks my daughter Claire, who's five, has really been enjoying The Jesus Storybook Bible written by Sally Lloyd-Jones and illustrated by Jago.Lloyd-Jones presents the sweep of the entire scriptures, from creation and Adam and Eve to heaven's descent into our world at the consummation, all within the overarching framework of the biblical narrative as a single Story. Moreover,

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-28109050505687825752008-05-14T15:24:00.004-04:002008-05-15T22:06:19.987-04:00

In comments elsewhere I offered a few thoughts regarding aspects of the doctrine of scripture as that appears in the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (CSBI; 1978) and in the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF; 1646).The documents in question include statements concerning the text of scripture. First, in the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy we read, “Since God has nowhere promised

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-79075045702755169622008-05-12T19:27:00.001-04:002008-05-12T20:07:42.930-04:00

I haven't done one of these in ages. So here goes. Answers are limited to two words per question.1. Where is your cell phone? no idea2. Where is your significant other? in kitchen3. Your hair? wavy brown4. Your mother? has cold5. Your father? presumably relaxing6. Your favorite thing? good Stilton7. Your dream last night? humorously weird8. Your favorite drink? gin, tonic9. Your dream/goal?

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-50339728220632525622008-05-11T23:19:00.003-04:002008-05-12T19:52:11.622-04:00

Today we celebrated Pentecost at church, with red paraments on the communion table and strings of paper doves among the rafters above. And we should rightly celebrate.In one sense Pentecost is what it's all about - the biblical story in its entirety - for the sending of the Spirit from heaven is the inception of that great eschatological transformation for which the world was created. As Peter

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-33781201248671326182008-05-08T09:49:00.018-04:002008-05-09T09:04:04.714-04:00

Yesterday marked the release of a document signed by nearly 80 prominent evangelicals: "An Evangelical Manifesto." It's subtitled, "A Declaration of Evangelical Identity and Public Commitment," drawing attention to its attempt to define what it is to be evangelical and to take a stand on how evangelicals might best engage with the public sphere. (And forgive the following if it's a bit murky -

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-50488823872388592812008-05-06T22:22:00.002-04:002008-05-08T17:40:47.899-04:00

I'm sure you all are aware of the horrific storm that struck Burma/Myanmar recently, with a huge loss of life and many thousands left without shelter, running water, food, or medical care. If you're wondering where you might donate money in order to help with disaster relief efforts in Burma, one organization that has been already active there for more than two decades is World Vision. You can

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-68814326157950663892008-05-01T11:19:00.013-04:002008-05-03T16:50:05.657-04:00

In transit yesterday while running some errands, I passed a parish grammar school where students were practicing their dance around the Maypole, making sure the boy and girls were alternating rightly in order to weave the ribbons down around the pole itself. Seeing the children reminded me that today is May Day, an intriguing holiday since it marks both the beginning of summer in ancient

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-80024623394932858972008-04-30T19:20:00.001-04:002008-04-30T20:12:17.107-04:00

Each semester seems to pass more quickly than the one before.Looking back over the semester, it seemed like an especially difficult one. Every semester I teach four sections that are part of our "Doubles" program, which all freshmen are required to take - course sections that are thematically linked and share the same students with course sections in another department. Thus, my two sections of

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-72442449821843654322008-04-27T20:15:00.009-04:002008-04-28T12:07:30.538-04:00

Following up from earlier posts, I wanted to provide an update concerning Westminster Theological Seminary (WTS).Responding to a request from the Chairman of its Board, WTS has made a collection of documents available on its website, pertaining to the recent controversy surrounding Old Testament professor Peter Enns and giving background to his impending suspension.According to a statement from

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-30708381000539936762008-04-22T13:15:00.003-04:002008-04-22T13:22:58.893-04:00

O gracious Father,you open your handand fill all things living with plenitude:Bless the lands and waters,and multiply the harvests of the world;let your Spirit go forth,that he may renew the face of the earth;show your loving-kindness,that our land may give her increase;and save us from selfish use of what you give,that people everywhere may give you thanks;through Christ our Lord.Amen.

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-48405508755932541002008-04-19T22:46:00.004-04:002008-04-20T10:48:41.649-04:00

Unless you grew up in the Philly area during the 60s and 70s, this will probably mean nothing to you, but Ideal Clothing in Hammonton, New Jersey will soon be closing the doors of its famous Quonset hut along the White Horse Pike partway to Atlantic City.For those of us who grew up around Philly, the most memorable part of Ideal will most likely remain it's catchy, yet oh-so-annoying advertising

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-12663080259443590662008-04-19T08:14:00.007-04:002008-04-19T09:26:36.584-04:00

I'm definitely a very visual thinker.I know this is the case partly by contrast with Laurel who is much more able to follow verbal directions and written instructions. Those assembly instructions from IKEA with only pictures drive her up the wall, while I think they're perfect. On the other hand, when I'm given multi-step verbal directions, I'll get to about the second step and need them

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-35355495703479196232008-04-18T12:03:00.002-04:002008-04-18T12:21:31.737-04:00

As some of you may recall, around two years ago a bunch of us got together to commit ourselves in our own theological conversation to maintaining a sense of broad charity, ongoing patience, and careful listening, recognizing the complexities and diversity of our ecclesial tradition, even as bounded by the great confessional statements we share.The result of this effort was a document we called (

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-31775171299853307912008-04-16T10:10:00.005-04:002008-04-16T18:02:10.614-04:00

One might raise a variety of objections to using an incarnational analogy to explain the phenomenon of holy scripture - that is, seeing the incarnation of the divine Logos as human as a paradigm for understanding the relation between the human and divine within the inscripturated Word.Various theologians have raised cogent objections, many of which have some traction (see, e.g., John Webster,

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-31848365081926279302008-04-15T21:37:00.019-04:002008-04-19T20:35:35.063-04:00

For April 15, it was really a very lovely day today - with warming weather, though not quite "hot" yet, accompanied by a gentle breeze. Thus I took a nice long walk this afternoon with our dog, camera in hand. My intention was to capture some images of the flowering trees and springtime bulbs, and I did end up with a number of really nice pictures of that sort.But today isn't only "tax day" -

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-90485155452410211272008-04-09T15:30:00.003-04:002008-04-09T15:55:42.036-04:00

As you may recall, this term I'm teaching a course entitled "Harry Potter & Philosophy" - and it seems to be going well. The students have engaged in several lively and thoughtful debates and their first set papers were really very good and insightful. I look forward to seeing their final papers in a few weeks.For tonight's class we have a guest: Travis Prinzi of the Hogshead blog and pubcast

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-76550581643795527082008-04-08T13:02:00.006-04:002008-04-08T13:49:44.838-04:00

I returned Sunday night from a conference in DC on the analogy of being, sponsored by the Dominican House of Studies and the John Paul II Cultural Center, both on the campus of Catholic University.In addition to a couple occasions of wonderful worship with the Dominican community and their gracious hospitality, the symposium was really very stimulating and helpful intellectually and

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-59515750487936024552008-04-04T09:54:00.003-04:002008-04-04T11:34:47.470-04:00

Forty years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was fatally shot on his balcony at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, bringing to a close his labors for equal civil rights for all Americans.I'm sure that, as with many great leaders, Dr. King was an earthen vessel, with his own share of flaws, both personal and public. Yet, his tireless labors and effective rhetorical gifts were

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-55359874068916810882008-04-01T18:12:00.006-04:002008-04-02T20:59:29.275-04:00

I wish I could say this was all a cruel April Fools joke but...Christianity Today follows up its initial blurb with a fuller account of the goings-on at Westminster Theological Seminary, including mention of today's standing-room-only meeting where students and others could ask questions of the Board and President: Westminster Theological Suspension

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-26151152101339030372008-04-01T15:42:00.007-04:002008-04-02T12:09:35.720-04:00

...ethos, theology, worship, ecclesiology, and mission - that is, renewing our denomination and tradition within the wider life of God's work of renewal in the church catholic and God's mission to renew the entire world in Christ.Just a heads up for those who are interested. Talks from the 2008 "Conversation on Denominational Renewal" (which I blogged about below) are now available for download

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-70859806815544249892008-03-29T20:50:00.007-04:002008-03-29T21:33:30.077-04:00

I haven't posted a story about Claire in some time. As she continues to grow up - she's now 5 and a half - she continues to become increasingly complex, in her vocabulary, emotions, and ability to think. Consequently, crafting an account of remembered conversations is now a daunting task.Instead of providing a story tonight, I'll just post a few pics. This afternoon she and I took an outing

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-87175658172909200752008-03-28T07:27:00.012-04:002008-03-31T16:38:52.771-04:00

Christianity Today's blog provides the following report about Westminster Theological Seminary, here in Philadelphia:Westminster Theological Seminary Suspends Peter EnnsEnns is Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Hermeneutics and has taught at Westminster since 1994. Enns is the author of Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament (Baker 2005).This Board

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-26448216098315562312008-03-23T08:52:00.003-04:002008-03-23T09:15:49.347-04:00

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-12425669685419137212008-03-22T09:49:00.004-04:002008-03-22T14:55:29.000-04:00

When the Word through whom the entire cosmos was uttered into existence at last fell silent upon the cross, his body was taken down, wrapped in cloth (as at his birth), and laid in a tomb. And in the utter silence of death, God spoke his saving Word into the Grave itself.Hans Urs von Balthasar writes (from Mysterium Paschale, my translation):Now for the first time, the Redeemer is a co-partner

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-71237141788038992142008-03-17T08:12:00.000-04:002008-03-17T20:19:29.785-04:00

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-27865273604004417612008-03-16T10:45:00.003-04:002008-03-16T10:53:26.596-04:00

After the controversy that swirled around Archbishop Rowan William's remarks concerning Islamic shariah, Noah Feldman's NYT article "Why Shariah?" might prove illuminating.Feldman is a professor of law at Harvard University and his article tries to move our understanding beyond modern Western stereotypes to a more historically informed consideration of Islamic notions and practices of law. I

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-20768472003952079232008-03-14T12:23:00.000-04:002008-03-14T18:53:27.692-04:00

For those of you interested in Hans Urs von Balthasar, next week will bring a Balthasar Blog Conference. The topic of the conference is Balthasar's theological interpretation of scripture.It looks like there is a great line-up of papers covering a variety of topics in relation to Balthasar: biblical hermeneutics, the influence of von Speyr, aesthetics and revelation, interpretation of

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-28567497987619235192008-03-10T22:20:00.002-04:002008-03-10T22:24:35.319-04:00

Just a heads up for those of you in the Philadelphia area: we're in the midst of Philly Beer Week. Philly's been brewing beer for over 300 years, so there's good reason to think that we might just be America's best city for beer. Cheers!

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-81316900703326404482008-03-04T17:09:00.008-05:002008-03-04T18:16:27.056-05:00

The disturbing and graphic photograph to the left is from the 1973 Sears Fall and Winter catalogue. A so-called "friend" was cruel enough to point it out to me.This page, along with a number of others, appears online at Lileks.com as part of an ongoing series and commentary concerning the important and historic 1973 Sears publication.When Laurel got home tonight I pointed the page out to her,

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-76679058737808875062008-03-04T13:46:00.002-05:002008-03-04T13:50:25.301-05:00

Whichever candidate one might prefer, this year's drawn out primary season is certainly more entertaining political theater than we've seen for some time. As for the race between Senators Clinton and Obama, The New Republic provides some of the numbers that Hillary needs in order to truly begin a comeback. I suppose we'll see later tonight.

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-81661467929266463692008-02-26T10:52:00.008-05:002008-02-27T12:27:09.146-05:00

Today begins "A Conversation on Denominational Renewal," a conference in St. Louis, which runs through Thursday. Though not denominationally sponsored, this event comes from within the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and is directed towards the health and renewal of the PCA.The conversation is designed to provide a lot of room for discussion and interaction among participants - of which I

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-10522066985059713702008-02-25T23:57:00.000-05:002008-02-26T10:52:43.974-05:00

John Davenant, an English delegate to the Synod of Dort, writes the following in his An Exhortation to Brotherly Communion betwixt the Protestant Churches (1641):With those Churches it is fitting to retain brotherly communion, which we will not deny but that they retain conjunction and communion with Christ, the Head and Foundation of the holy catholic Church. Yea, except we will yield and

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-2363343360595594372008-02-24T08:22:00.006-05:002008-02-26T19:52:07.304-05:00

In a prior post I mentioned our process of discernment regarding where to send our daughter Claire for Kindergarten in the autumn. After prayers for wisdom, talking through the options with friends and family, doing some research, and considering our finances and the kinds of aid available, we decided upon the Miquon School for Claire.It seems like a really great school that is pedagogically

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-46802162722536814562008-02-11T20:23:00.000-05:002008-02-11T20:54:52.321-05:00

There was an interesting article I chanced across in this morning's USA Today: "A Gated Community in the Evangelical World." It points out how a number of prominent, wealthy, and celebrity evangelicals find themselves disconnected from the life of any local parish community.In some cases, where church attendance might draw paparazzi or require a significant bevy of bodyguards, I can understand

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-37067556876544703992008-02-11T14:33:00.001-05:002008-02-16T20:26:34.893-05:00

Among the activities that have occupied our time and kept me from blogging is our school search for our daughter Claire for next year. This year she is in a three-day per week (pre-)Kindergarten we really like, but next fall she will begin a five-day, full-day Kindergarten. Since her current school is only a nursery through Kindergarten program, we're searching for a grammar school where she'll

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-26774652664410880022008-02-09T18:48:00.000-05:002008-02-12T12:17:00.314-05:00

Evidently my attempt to start blogging regularly again is floundering. Some other years I've given up blogging during Lent. This year I've grown so detached from blogging that perhaps finding the leisure to blog a couple times a week should be a positive discipline I take up during the Lenten season.This past Shrove Tuesday I found myself craving fastnachts, those wonderful, often square

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-12576697002219730202008-01-27T23:13:00.000-05:002008-01-28T10:08:09.571-05:00

The issue of divine sovereignty and human responsibility - of grace and freedom - remains one of mysteries of the Christian faith. Whatever position one takes on these issues (and I mostly side with the stream of thought moving from Augustine, through Aquinas, to Calvin and Edwards), there always remains a significant degree of mystery.I was thinking recently about how the way we speak reflects

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-310445677974839762008-01-24T08:08:00.001-05:002008-01-24T12:40:23.008-05:00

...have been greatly exaggerated. Sorry for the month-long delay in posting anything new. After Christmas we had a variety of house guests and dinner parties, followed by an ongoing search for a school for Claire for next fall (at least five open houses and counting at this point) and by class preparation for the courses I'm teaching, including designing a new course from scratch. And that was

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-30891198923444496672007-12-24T11:35:00.000-05:002007-12-24T15:53:10.802-05:00

As we celebrate the feast of our Lord's nativity, I want to wish everyone a blessed season and a happy new year. I will return to blogging when the holidays are past.In the meantime, may God's Spirit lead us to wonder anew at the strangeness of the event we celebrate: of the Creator of all things born of a virgin's womb, the One whom all the universe could not contain held in an animal's feeding

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-56184320782849560322007-12-08T16:10:00.000-05:002007-12-08T17:58:37.415-05:00

From an Advent message by Hans Urs von Balthasar (1905-1988) in "You Crown the Year with Your Goodness": Sermons throughout the Liturgical Year (Ignatius 1987):At this point we must remember that it is not the Judgment, with its measuring rod, that is ultimate; what is ultimate is the opening of the door to eternal life: "Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-27641390591670633592007-12-06T11:04:00.000-05:002007-12-06T17:47:28.756-05:00

This morning my five year old daughter Claire awoke wanting to run downstairs and check her shoes. Last night she'd left them, along with her stocking, by the main ductwork of our heating system, which in our home is marked out by a pretty, though faux chimneypiece, a dark green tile "firebox," and an antique heat vent of ironwork in a vine pattern.Fortunately, the secret emissary (otherwise

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-38916974047423708122007-12-04T23:04:00.000-05:002007-12-08T17:46:51.346-05:00

From a sermon by Augustine of Hippo (354-430), concerning the final advent of Jesus Christ to judge the living and the dead:The first coming of Christ the Lord, God's Son and our God, was in obscurity; the second will be in sight of the whole world. When he came in obscurity no one recognized him but his own servants; when he comes openly he will be known by both good people and bad. When he

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-65462793351971810752007-12-02T07:16:00.000-05:002007-12-02T10:30:33.927-05:00

This morning we awoke to a light dusting of snow, marking a definite change in season. Autumn lingered late this year, with leaves on many of the trees even just a few days ago, brilliant with gold and red. But now, looking out the window, a dull gray blankets the landscape, brightened only by patches of white snow and the warm lights of neighbor's windows.Laurel and Claire (with some help from

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-6033636330675383812007-12-01T20:08:00.000-05:002007-12-02T10:38:54.919-05:00

No, that's not an oxymoron. In fact, Britain boasts some wonderful traditional recipes, including several of my favorite dishes.Of course, classic British cuisine isn't known for high levels of complexity or ostentatious presentation or snobbish refinement. And that is precisely why it is so attractive - British cuisine provides good, solid comfort food, ideally suited for a chilly evening,

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-89751875769605083602007-12-01T08:16:00.000-05:002007-12-01T08:46:17.294-05:00

Each day 6000 children lose a parent to AIDS somewhere in the world, creating a humanitarian crisis. Africa stands to lose an entire generation to AIDS where, in some pockets of sub-Saharan Africa, up to 20 percent of the population is infected with the virus that causes the disease.On this December 1 - World AIDS Day - there are many sources online to raise your awareness about the global

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-85988728603632740332007-11-25T07:57:00.000-05:002007-11-26T06:47:19.682-05:00

I've added two new items to my writings on my website that may interest some folks.The first item is a lecture that I gave at the Patristics, Medieval, and Renaissance Conference at Villanova University several weeks ago, where it seemed well-received both at the time and in some subsequent discussion. I've retitled it (somewhat provocatively) as "Inventing 'the Bible': Revelation, Theology,

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-65712990118929089952007-11-22T14:52:00.000-05:002007-11-22T21:25:55.910-05:00

I spent all last evening and all morning today cooking, though not for the ordinary reasons.Back on Sunday we decided to weatherize our utility room for winter. The space that houses our pantry, washer, dryer, pet supplies, and so forth, is at the very back of our house, behind the kitchen, with a window opening between it and the kitchen itself. But the utility room is basically unheated.

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-68934809596120766382007-11-21T10:04:00.000-05:002007-11-22T15:54:02.816-05:00

It's that busy time of semester as the end of term is in sight and a final push of papers, grading, teaching, committee work, and so on needs to be completed in a matter of several weeks. My brief Thanksgiving break is already overwhelmed. So I'm not sure how much I'll be blogging.Nevertheless, here I am, sitting in a Panera with some coffee and a bagel, killing time until a midday Thanksgiving

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-48555603609149349312007-11-18T23:16:00.000-05:002007-11-19T14:44:22.311-05:00

This past week French philosopher Alain Badiou spoke in Philadelphia, interacting with the British philosopher Simon Critchley. I have little expertise in either philosopher, who have risen to some prominence in American academics only in the past decade or so. Nor was I able to attend their interaction. So I post this mostly as a reminder to myself to try to catch up on their thought a

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-39367780531630126282007-11-14T10:41:00.000-05:002007-11-14T10:57:38.717-05:00

For those of you in the Philadelphia area, especially college students and faculty, the Veritas Forum is occurring at University of Pennsylvania tonight through Friday evening. The overarching topic is "Reconciliation in a Divided World."In a world marked by conflict, division and violence, is lasting reconciliation a possibility, or a romantic ideal? The Veritas Forum at Penn exists to engage

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-78975040947792273502007-11-13T15:14:00.001-05:002007-11-14T07:28:44.342-05:00

As I think I mentioned awhile ago, the Dean of Arts and Sciences asked me to coordinate a new program for our University that would bring first year students and full-time faculty into closer contact. He had given me some general parameters within which to develop the program.After gathering a small advisory group, we came up with something we are calling discourse. The idea is that pairs of

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-28796894743446195622007-11-11T23:06:00.000-05:002007-11-12T10:26:42.426-05:00

Back in the spring, the CBC radio show Ideas, hosted by Paul Kennedy, introduced the overarching theological perspective provided by Radical Orthodoxy. Here's the description for the Ideas website:The modern world seems bent on its own destruction. A theological movement called "Radical Orthodoxy" believes it has uncovered the roots of the modern mistake. David Cayley talks to the movement's

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-38688896506956359922007-11-08T09:19:00.000-05:002007-11-08T13:36:58.333-05:00

A few weeks ago over at "Thoughts & Adventures," Scott Lamb (a pastor at Providence Baptist Church in St. Louis, Missouri) posted some helpful and challenging thoughts on Calvinism, conversion, and evangelism in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).Scott's primary point was to rouse slumbering churches in which there are, say, a half dozen adult

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-56969830460355680532007-11-07T22:56:00.000-05:002007-11-08T14:08:31.754-05:00

On this Sunday, 11 November, from 12:30 to 4:45pm, the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is sponsoring an event they're calling "Harry Potter and the Magical Muggle Museum."Here's the description from the website:"Designed for Harry Potter aficionados and novices of all ages, the afternoon, free with Museum admission donation, includes a potions class, a sorting

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-77145953129962506612007-11-06T09:19:00.000-05:002007-11-07T07:15:44.103-05:00

Today - Tuesday, 6 November - is election day and today Philadelphians will almost certainly be choosing Michael Nutter as the next mayor of our great city.Nutter is a 50 year old Democratic former Councilman for the 4th District, where he served well, keeping in close communication with his constituency and taking the time and effort to explain in detail the kinds of policies he was pursuing and

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-69605610074411240922007-11-04T10:40:00.000-05:002007-11-04T14:53:35.375-05:00

Michael Pollan applies his deft and engaging skills as a literary journalist to the complexities of the American and global food chain. A former editor of Harper's Magazine and professor of journalism at UC Berkeley, Pollan earned praise for his most recent book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, named one of the ten best books of 2006 by the New York Times and the

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-12837523129707131192007-11-02T22:36:00.000-04:002007-11-05T13:36:18.131-05:00

Today marks the commemoration of All Souls on the church calendar, remembering all of the faithful departed in Christ. Following on the heels of All Saints, the celebration of All Souls presupposes a distinction between those whom the church has traditionally deemed "saints" - whose lives are commended to us as worthy examples for which all Christians should give thanks - and the rest of those

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-2114275468048272612007-11-01T11:59:00.000-04:002007-11-06T14:02:07.955-05:00

In his talks a year ago at Westminster Theological Seminary, Scot McKnight provided a four-fold description of the emerging church movement. I've given an overview of that talk and a more detailed analysis of the first part of it, concerning postmodernity.Now, after many months, I'd like to pick up where I left off and muse a bit about another part of McKnight's talk.Recall, in general, that "

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-61014412412006526022007-10-31T13:03:00.000-04:002007-11-06T13:56:47.249-05:00

Around 10:30 this morning, about 15 blocks away from campus, a police officer walked in on a hold-up of a Dunkin Donuts and was shot in the forehead by the robber. This was the third police officer shot within four days in Philadelphia.The shooter is still at large and, according to the news, we are facing "one of the largest manhunts in Philadelphia history, involving officers from 'every

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-62160617302568255202007-10-31T10:53:00.000-04:002007-10-31T12:38:29.325-04:00

The 1992 volume Right with God: Justification in the Bible and World, edited by D.A. Carson (Baker Press), contains an interesting and helpful essay by Richard B. Gaffin of Westminster Theological Seminary, entitled "Justification in Luke-Acts" (106-125).Given the importance of justification for several of Paul's epistles, the fact that Luke-Acts takes up about one quarter of the New Testament,

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-54479925933304405212007-10-30T12:19:00.000-04:002007-10-30T19:41:03.112-04:00

In his The Sum of Sacred Divinity (1630), John Downame provides an extended treatment of the Word of God as that is given to us in Christ, entrusted to the church in the Scriptures, and proclaimed for humanity's salvation (for a brief biography of Downame, see my introduction to "Downame on the Visible Church").The following are some excerpts from Downame's discussion (spelling and usage updated)

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-88803175717823589452007-10-29T08:57:00.000-04:002007-10-29T12:15:50.471-04:00

Reporter David D. Kirkpatrick writes about "The Evangelical Crackup" in yesterday's New York Times. The "crackup" here refers to the waning hegemony of right-wing conservative politics among evangelicals, particularly among younger voters, so that evangelicalism no longer represents, in the words of Marvin Olasky, "the Republican Party at prayer".One of the more disturbing elements of the

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-40736215040264565392007-10-25T14:52:00.001-04:002008-05-15T14:23:49.017-04:00

Lesslie Newbigin was probably one of the foremost Reformed churchmen of the 20th century: a courageous missionary, a thoughtful pastor-scholar, a successful ecumenist, and an insightful and prescient commenter upon the contemporary world. Everything Newbigin has written - at least that I've read and studied - is certainly worth the attention. If you've not read anything penned by Newbigin yet (

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-63001908826637775612007-10-24T09:55:00.000-04:002007-10-24T12:13:21.570-04:00

Recently a friend drew my attention to a bevy of Particular Baptists who have launched a new website called "Humble Orthodoxy," complete with a blog and a conference. If these leaders are serious about "representing biblical truth with humility," then I can only support them heartily, given the polemical pyrotechnics that often seem to radiate from their compatriots, particularly online.Yet, I

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-12718364788613233502007-10-23T07:33:00.000-04:002007-10-24T12:11:07.918-04:00

The text of the Euchologion comes down to us from the early centuries of the church in a version dating from the 8th century, though bearing witness to earlier practice. The Euchologion includes a variety of rites for setting apart individuals to service.The following are prayers prescribed as a bishop sets apart a woman for the diaconate, with prayer and the laying on of hands:Holy and

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-59047414971015331942007-10-21T20:38:00.000-04:002007-10-21T20:41:20.666-04:00

Just a reminder that Tuesday is the Philadelphia "Not For Sale" event sponsored by my parish, City Church along with a group of other local churches and ministries. It's designed to raise awareness about local and global human trafficking.Here are the details:Date: Tuesday, October 23, 2007Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pmLocation: Woodland Presbyterian Church42nd St. and Pine St.Philadelphia, PAFor further

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-68872418034652370792007-10-21T07:16:00.001-04:002008-05-15T14:25:08.167-04:00

The World Reformed Fellowship (WRF) was formed in the year 2000 by a merger of the World Fellowship of Reformed Churches and the International Reformed Fellowship, both of which had been founded in 1994, the former serving the Americas (along with India and east Africa) and the latter serving mostly the Pacific rim nations of Asia.Today the WRF has grown to include Reformed bodies, institutions,

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-86430463187328328912007-10-18T07:53:00.001-04:002007-10-18T12:06:56.106-04:00

I was in a Johnny Cash mood early this morning and was looking around online for videos of Cash while eating my breakfast. While browsing around, I ran across a video of group of teens at an acoustic music camp doing a terrific cover of "Folsom Prison Blues":I wish the sound quality was a bit better, but the kids are really talented and the lead guy has the perfect voice for a Cash cover.Enjoy!

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-83683810812137299842007-10-17T21:54:00.000-04:002007-10-21T12:24:47.637-04:00

Yesterday I went to my campus mailbox to find a hefty, more than 2000 page tome entitled The Apologetics Study Bible - which claims to provide "Laser Surgery for Blind Faith" - "Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith."The book was accompanied by a letter singing the praises of the publication as a "thinking edition of God's Word" that "will become an important tool," helping us "by

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-89129851815061437682007-10-16T21:27:00.000-04:002007-10-16T21:48:36.753-04:00

I ended up serving as pulpit supply for a church this past Sunday. Since they use the Revised Common Lectionary, my homily was based upon the Old Testament and Epistle readings.Apparently, so I'm told, I preach like an Anglican. I'll take that as a compliment.Here in chapter 29, the prophet Jeremiah sends a letter from Jerusalem to the Jewish community in Babylon, delivering a word from the

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-49623428820729552112007-10-16T20:40:00.000-04:002007-10-16T20:52:08.914-04:00

A blog reader alerts me to a conference, to be held 4-6 April 2008 at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, DC: The Analogy of Being: A Theological Symposium, co-sponsored by the Dominican House of Studies. The conference subtitle is "Invention of the Anti-Christ or the Wisdom of God?" alluding to Barth's description of the analogia entis as "anti-Christ."On this matter I'm far

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-64901557610705420942007-10-11T07:14:00.000-04:002007-10-12T10:49:26.572-04:00

Sorry once again for the sporadic blogging, but various obligations are taking up what little time I have. While cleaning out computer file folders, however, I did run across some notes for a Sunday School I taught several years ago. An extended excerpt follows:According to the Westminster Standards and wider Reformed understandings of Scripture, sacraments are “signs and seals” of the covenant

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-34978205850916249482007-10-05T21:42:00.000-04:002007-10-05T22:18:52.954-04:00

I guess I'm not exactly an eco-warrior. But I am convinced that, as Christians with an eschatological vision for the whole created order, we have weighty kingdom-reasons for making "creation care" a priority in our lives, as stewards of the good gifts God has given to us.And so, as a family living in and committed to the Wissahickon section of Philadelphia for nearly 8 years, we've been somewhat

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-65759566881219705512007-10-05T09:05:00.000-04:002007-10-05T10:03:10.661-04:00

In some recent theological conversations in the blogosphere, there's been a great deal of discussion concerning how one negotiates the seeming tension between inhabiting a localized, particular tradition and being part of a larger visible church catholic. Must the universal swallow up the particular? Does the local inevitably succumb to the pressures of the global?Or, to look at matters from

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-67564487659023917742007-10-04T07:13:00.000-04:002007-10-04T07:16:56.898-04:00

Recent news, from Germany's Spiegel online: "Burma's Brutal Crackdown Continues: 'They Come at Night and Murder the Monks'."

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-30079170707054187702007-10-02T10:57:00.000-04:002007-10-02T11:26:04.636-04:00

In the previous post I mentioned that our parish leadership had all read a book together. The book was Tod E. Bolsinger's It Takes a Church to Raise a Christian: How the Community of God Transforms Lives (Brazos 2004).Bolsinger's thesis is that if salvation involves the restoration and renewal of humanity in the image of the Triune God, then salvation must involve the communal life of the people

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-64967353458949512692007-10-01T18:38:00.000-04:002007-10-01T19:28:34.667-04:00

Golly, it's October already and I've not blogged in more than a week. It seems as if each week is busier and crazier than the one before.Last week was taken up with all the ordinary school stuff - including catching up on lots of grading (80 quizzes, 200 homeworks) after having been sick and falling behind. Wednesday included a Core Advisory Board meeting. On Thursday we had a tenure review

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086388.post-46325744267033178872007-09-24T09:54:00.000-04:002007-09-24T10:02:12.220-04:00

One of the members of our neighborhood environmental group sent us a link to Farm to City, a Philadelphia- based program whose goal is to unite communities, families, and farmers year-round through good locally grown food. It's supported, in part, by the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture and the Small Farm Success Project.While we probably won't join any of the local "buying

Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00892252858943436754noreply@blogger.com1