Epiphanytide

It is appropriate on this first Sunday after Epiphany to join with the congregation of St. Peter’s Church in Bremerhaven, Germany, in singing Philipp Nicolai’s immortal chorale, How Brightly Shines the Morning Star, or in the Plattdeutsch native to this particular community, Wo hell . . . . Continue Reading »

UP the book

So I’m continuing my project of reading the books on which the still lingering Holiday movies are based. Walter Kirn’s UP IN THE AIR is very different from and much funnier than the movie. The book’s narrator (the Clooney character in the movie) gives a rather urbane and quite . . . . Continue Reading »

The Lord Visits His Temple

[caption id=”attachment_4980” align=”alignleft” width=”489” caption=”Sitting in Midst of the Doctors. James Tissot, c. 1895”][/caption]Today is the first Sunday after Epiphany, an observance of our Lord’s visit to His Temple as a boy.The Glory of . . . . Continue Reading »

Commemoration of the Cappadocian Fathers

Basil and the two Gregorys, collectively known as the Cappadocian Fathers, were leaders of Christian orthodoxy in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) in the later fourth century. Basil and Gregory of Nyssa were brothers; Gregory of Nazianzus was their friend. All three were influential in shaping the . . . . Continue Reading »

A Question and Clarification on Torture

While I’m hesitant to jump into the ongoing debate here (I’ve already got my hands full discussing the issue on the First Thoughts blog) I wanted to add a clarification and a question:Clarification: John Mark defines torture as “intending to inflict permanent psychological or . . . . Continue Reading »

Obamacare: A Tale of Two MRIs

I have two friends—yes, it’s true, I have friends—who recently experienced disturbing neurological symptoms that suggested possible stroke or brain tumor. One lives in Canada.  This friend reported the symptoms immediately, and the physician ordered an MRI—which was . . . . Continue Reading »