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The Bible and Culture

John Updike’s riveting new novel entitled “Terrorist’, which I will be reviewing once I finish it, reveals a Christian writer trying to think into the mindset of Moslems angry with the West and its culture which is perceived to be decadent, decaying, and in various ways indecent and unclean. The central figure of the novel…

In my current work on a commentary on Hebrews, I have been struck by how forcefully the book of Hebrews completely undercuts a Dispensational approach to the reading of Scripture, and while we are at it, to a blind and unconditional support of the present secular nation-state of Israel regardless of its military practices and…

“Mary” said the teacher, “I’d like you to come up to the map and point out the Falklands.” Mary dutifully came forward and did so. Then the teacher said “Very good, now Alexander, can you tell us who discovered the Falklands?” Alexander quickly responded: “Mary did sir!” A father lamented the fact that all three…

When idol becomes iconThe image turns graveWith darkest deceptionConvex turns concave. Windows on heavenThe icon’s true aimIf means becomes endIt’s not quite the same. But breaking the makingIconoclasm’s wrathIs equally misguidedA mischosen path. See through the iconThe larger designWineskins best functionTo convey wine. Sacred cows gildedBecome golden calvesWe worship the imageOf things that we have.…

It was a warm June evening, and shabbat had just begun. I was leading some of my tour group through the Damascus Gate, down the Cardo Maximus, and to the Wailing Wall so they could see what was happening. The Cardo was packed with both Jews and Moslems and tourists milling around. The Orthodox and…

We seem to like our myths about the battle between good and evil relatively clear cut, but we also like our heroes vulnerable, sometimes even indulging in various sorts of guilty pleasures, while supposedly being ‘at heart good persons’. ‘Superman Returns’ is a quite interesting and lovingly crafted update of the Superman saga. Superman in…

The Conquest of Faith and the Climax of History– Heb. 12. 1-4, 18-29Delivered at St. Salvator’s Church St. Andrews Scotland July 21 2006 for the Hebrews Conference In 1993 I managed to run the Boston Marathon— yes all 26 miles of it. I had trained for it, but nothing could ever prepare you for that…

The third oldest university in the United Kingdom is St. Andrews University, with 5,000 undergrads today and numerous grad students. The town itself is a little seaside village on the west coast of Scotland, and let me tell you— the water is very cold in the North Sea. I went swimming yesterday and it was…

The life of the mind is fragile. I have been constantly reminded of this from my time in academia. I have seen one academic after another fall prey to chronic fatique, and I learned only the other day from a brain expert that for academics, one can spend up to 75% of ones latent energy…

From 1977-80 my wife and I lived in Durham and our daughter Christy was born here. It is nice to be back in beautiful Durham (google Durham Cathedral and oggle the pictures). I have had a glorious day with members of the Divinity Department (Loren Stukenbroeck, John Barclay) and spent some good time with my…
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