When Even Our Heroes Are Flawed
Few things are more discouraging than learning that one of your heroes had significant flaws, erred theologically, or committed grievous sin. Even when your heroes are historical figures, making such a discovery can leave you feeling disoriented and potentially unsure about the otherwise valuable contributions that person made. “If my hero did this or thought that,” we might ask, “then does it discredit all of the other things I love...
Theological Retrieval for Evangelicals: A Review
My first significant exposure to historical theology occurred during college in a course that covered the creeds and councils of the early Church. I was astonished by the brilliance of these early Christian pastors, theologians, and philosophers as they wrestled with important theological truths. They often did so in response to various heretical teachings from influential teachers such as Arius and Marcion. Reading primary and...
Recommended Books (Spring 2019)
Whew! The school year is over, and everyone is ready to unwind. However, we shouldn’t allow ourselves to become complacent during down times. Our less constrained schedules allow us to focus on other areas of our lives. Students and teachers especially should take this opportunity to develop their minds and spirits at a more even pace. But regardless of your vocation, we have a few reading recommendations for you. We have found these...
Recommended Books (Winter 2019)
The old PBS program Reading Rainbow opened with a song that argued that reading allows us to go anywhere and be anything, even if only for a moment. While PBS has aired more than its share of silliness, that point is important. Reading really does open whole new vistas for the reader and makes it possible for us to travel to distant lands and learn new ideas from the comfort of a favorite sitting chair. Words, in themselves, are...
The End of History
Christianity is inherently concerned with history. Early twentieth-century historian Marc Bloch went so far as to say, “Christianity is a religion of historians.”[1] He could make this claim because, unlike other religions, Christianity doesn’t derive its doctrines or rituals from mythology that is inherently outside time. Rather, “for sacred books, the Christians have books of history.”[2] The Bible is filled with history and...
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