Truth and beauty in the Bible and theology, truth and beauty in literature, truth and beauty in history and culture (and movies are a crucial part of our culture) these will be the themes to which this blog will return time and again.  My plan is to write posts and even series of posts on the Psalms, spirituality, interpretation of biblical passages and favorite authors such as Athanasius, Anselm of Canterbury, C. S. Lewis, Chesterton, Charles Williams, and Russell Kirk, theological perspectives on contemporary culture, and help for skeptics (Doubting Thomas is my favorite apostle).  I invite you to join with me.

While eating at a church social, George, with a gleam of joy in his eyes and pleasure in his voice, said that he loved sandwiches above all other entrees.  Although I did not and do not agree with my brother in Christ concerning the gustatory delights of sandwiches, last weekend I experienced the spiritual and symbolic value of the humble sandwich. Read the rest of this entry »

            Have you ever been troubled by the fact that Christians fervently pray for a parking spot at a crowded mall on December 24^th but don’t pray for those suffering under oppression in North Korea?  Worse yet, maybe that describes your prayer life.  If so, Psalm 2 is for you. Read the rest of this entry »

            For a long time I have been thinking that we Christians have it wrong about God.  Read the rest of this entry »

            Psalm 1 introduces the Psalter, the Hebrew book of worship.  It is a wisdom psalm and describes the nature and consequences of two different lifestyles—the choice between wisdom and folly.   Therefore Psalm 1 asks us as we enter into worship what kind of person we are.  There is no more important question that we can ask, and it deserves to be pondered deeply and at length. Read the rest of this entry »

            Off and on for over two years I had my morning devotions in the Psalms.  I would read a psalm or a portion of one out loud, study it, and write notes on it.  I want to share with you some of what God taught me, and the first lesson is this:  There is a general overall structure to the entire Book of the Psalms and that structure says something crucial to us about our walk with God. Read the rest of this entry »

            For Christmas our sons gave us the DVD of the first season of Desperate Housewives (or was it just for my wife?).  Last week my wife and I went to see the movie Courageous, and, although I was deeply moved by the film, I think that Desperate Housewives also has something important for Christians to consider.  Read the rest of this entry »

             Even though I am happily married to a wonderful British West Indian, we still experience cross-cultural differences.  Obviously July 4^th, when we Americans celebrate our independence from the tyrant King George III, is a bit dicey.  Strangely, December 31^st presents another challenge.  Is it New Year’s Eve or, as my wife calls it, Old Year’s Night?  Read the rest of this entry »

             I ministered for over a decade in a Christian subculture which emphasized that the greatest faith was the one that could work miracles here and now. Although I do not want to deny the kind of faith like Elijah’s whose fervent prayer stopped the rain for over three years (James 5:17-18), I saw a more powerful faith in church last Sunday. Read the rest of this entry »

            I once read an article in a traditional conservative magazine that argued that in the long run capitalism was more damaging to Christianity and the family than communism.  After Black Friday, I’m inclined to agree. Read the rest of this entry »

            After finishing his prayers, Father Tomás stepped out of the small old chapel that he loved so much to see the rising sun pour down its life-giving light and heat on the small village of San Luis.  In a kind of harmonious relationship of giving and receiving, the sun’s rays were reflected back by the dew on the crops.  It was harvest time, and San Luis had enjoyed an unparalleled seventy-five years of bounteous harvests and a prosperity that had spread to all the villagers. 

            It had not always been so, and the old padre remembered those terrible days and his complicity in them.   Read the rest of this entry »