A Living Text.

Blaise Pascal and the Baptism of the Spirit (have any of us ever had anything like this happen?: When he was 31 years old, less than eight years before his death, Pascal had an overwhelming experience of the presence of God.He apparently made hasty notes, during the vision or immediately afterwards, so that he might…

Benedict XVI says that the loss of the sense of sin in modern society has been followed by an increase in guilt complexes.The Pope explained that this link shows the human being’s need for God’s forgiveness, which takes place through the sacrament of confession.The Holy Father said this today when in an audience with recently…

Be at peace with each other – Mark 9.50Love one another – John 13.34Be joined to one another – Romans 12.5Be devoted to one another – Romans 12.10Honor one another – Romans 12.15Rejoice with one another – Romans 12.15Weep with one another – Romans 12.15Live in harmony with one another – Romans 12.16Accept one another…

Scott Hahn is a Roman Catholic who converted from Presbyterianism. To Reformed folks, he is an infamous defector. He was a devout and zealous Calvinist, who gradually lost his faith in the system. One of the final blows to his tottering Protestantism came in the form of a question that one of his students asked…

I believe that the message of the Qu’ran to the believer is at its core one of the fear of hell. The Qu’ran is full of exhortations warning of hell fire for a range of sins. The Muslim can have no confidence that when he comes before the throne of God and has his deeds…

Many Biblical interpreters in the Calvinist tradition were influenced by Jewish Kabbalistic methods of interpretation. Among these was Petrus Cunaeus of Leiden whose De Republica Hebraeorum was first published in 1617 defined as “true Cabala” the “mystical sense of those things that are concealed in the sacred books.” John Sailhamer has an extended treatment of…

I have been reading Plutarch’s *Lives* this week. A few observations: Plutarch interprets Pompey’s actions with regard to Metellus (then praetor of Crete) in terms of Achilles. Plutarch also remarks of the pirates whom Pompey cleaned out of the Mediterranean that they “.knew neither god nor law.” Plutarch is interpreting events in Rome in light…

If Tom Wright is right about justification (I think he is) than that doctrine no longer stands in the way of Catholic/Protestant relations. But to me, that seems to be one of the least important issues. What still divides us, as I see it are issues like: The notion of a priesthood apart from the…

The Prophets (Hebrew, nebi’ im) are the second section or “book” in the three sections of the Old Testament canon. Though we may be unfamiliar with the shape of the OT canon, a quick look at the NT will show us that this division was well known to the later authors of the NT. The…