In the Phaedo, Socrates’ friends gather round him on his last day. He is about to drink hemlock, but they wish to be reassured once again that the soul does indeed live on. They are full of fear that in death the soul meets its end. What would such a proof look like? How can one demonstrate the immortality … Continue reading Experimental Hope
In Brothers Karamazov, Father Zosima recounts being moved in his youth by the story of Job. I have entered in italics some commentary of my own: In the land of Uz, there lived a man, righteous and God-fearing, and he had great wealth, so many camels, so many sheep and asses, and his children feasted, … Continue reading Hast thou Seen my Servant? On the Lost Children of Job
As we begin to mature in Christ, we find that we have begun to relate to others in new ways. We begin to live with others, rather than merely at them. We begin to even exist for rather than continually taking from. This is a result of being restored into the prepositional life of the Trinity, in which God is to, for, … Continue reading In the Newness of Prepositions
There was a gardener who filled his garden with plants of all kinds that he might have good food to eat throughout the long year. In that garden were fruits and vegetables, nuts, herbs, spices, and vines. He hedged his garden about with strong walls to protect it, and to each plant he gave water … Continue reading Two Fruit Trees
When Nathan confronts David concerning his sin with Bathsheba, the Scriptures present us with a model of divine restoration. God mercifully restores the fallen king through His prophet, Nathan. Nathan does this by re-contextualizing the law within a framework of affections and relationships. He does this in order to help David reestablish himself within such a framework. In this scriptural … Continue reading Logocentric Restoration: The Cosmic Gift of Repentance
In a post on sexuality, I tried to describe reproduction in light of the double bond of love which it uses to weave the human family together. But it must be noted that the tapestry of history and of humanity is tangled and ravaged by death, resentment, violence, and rejection. One need only think of the difficulties of a … Continue reading Platted and Woven, Part 2: A New Sort of Enmity
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5:7 Continue reading Blessed are the Merciful, For They Will be Shown Mercy
