All our early American leaders had read Montesquieu, who differentiated despotism from monarchy from democracy. In each of these forms of society he found a governing principle: for despotism it was fear, for monarchy it was honor, and for democracy it was virtue. Because freedom was practically synonymous with virtue,… Continue reading
We are in the season of ghosts, goblins, jack-o-lanterns, and trick-or-treaters. For all practical purposes, Halloween has become for us a secular holiday of spooky fun and kids gorging on candy. The name Halloween comes from the phrase “All Hallows Even” or “All Hallow (Saints) Eve.” Halloween is the evening… Continue reading
My fellow liberal Christians are puzzled by one aspect of my approach to theology. I have always had an interest in eschatology and believe that it is a vital and indispensable part of our faith. Liberals on the whole see little need to speculate about “the Last Things.” In fact,… Continue reading
On the whole the disciple John does not come off very well in the Gospels. Along with James his brother, John sought the top positions in Jesus’ coming Kingdom: “Lord, give us first and second places in the Kingdom to come”–a crass, vulgar request without a hint of reluctance or… Continue reading
I have heard it said, “You do not judge great art—great art judges you.” Now and then great men and women come our way. Perhaps God sends them. The ways we compromised humans evaluate the lives, deeds, and integrity of such individuals judges us, not them. The United States has… Continue reading
I was born in 1948, so I spent my childhood in the Deep South during the 1950s and the early 1960s. In many ways I had a happy childhood. I never doubted for even one second that I was loved and cherished by both of my parents. As with most… Continue reading
*Throughout Revelation there is a cosmic focus. The world in terms of nature and cultural achievements is never forgotten. And the cosmos is understood to be participating in the painful and destructive consequences of sin as well as being promised inclusion in the ultimate redemption and transformation. John is not… Continue reading
(Before reading this blog article I would advise readers to read an earlier article entitled “Some Thoughts about the Book of Revelation.” A knowledge of that earlier blog entry will help in appreciating the two articles I am now ready to present regarding the relevance of Revelation for our time.)… Continue reading
Not long ago I overheard a conversation while waiting for my car to be serviced. Fox News was on the screen. There was a mention of Roy Moore, the former chief justice of the Alabama Supreme court who was removed from office twice for not following the law as decided… Continue reading
Many people throughout church history have believed that this chapter in the Bible is the decisive text for all the rest—that it states the premise for everything that follows. But as Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann points out, this is at best a marginal passage in Scripture. It is never… Continue reading
