Averil Cameron’s Byzantine Matters is not the popular introduction to Byzantium that it’s small page count (115 text) and pocket size might lead one to expect. It’s more a review of the literature on Byzantium, particularly from English-writing scholars, among whom Byzantium . . . . Continue Reading »
I’m always behind the trends, so I probably don’t have to worry. But if you are among the dozen or so people who haven’t yet seen HBO’s atmospheric True Detective, spoilers follow.The climactic struggle with the serial murderer takes place in a cavernous, horrifying . . . . Continue Reading »
Jesus describes His death as His glorification/exaltation. Elevated on the cross, it’s as if Jesus had taken the throne to pass judgment on this world and to cast out the ruler of this world (John 12:31).John’s narrative prepares the way for this declaration. In chapter 11, Jesus raises . . . . Continue Reading »
Two recent pieces highlight neglected dimensions of corporate and upscale welfare, already wealthy people making large amounts of money from the tax dollars of ordinary people.At Slate , Krissy Clark asks the obvious question of who ultimately benefits from food stamp programs. The program . . . . Continue Reading »
Mummies don’t go to waste, Ana Ruiz tells us in The Spirit of Ancient Egypt :“By the 11th century, Egyptian mummies were being ground into powder and sold as Mummia Vera; this was marketed as an aphrodisiac and a medicine. The great Persian physician Avicenna prescribed Mummia for . . . . Continue Reading »
Ana Ruiz gives a detailed summary of the variety of sevens in ancient Egyptian religion and culture (The Spirit of Ancient Egypt ).There were seven major deities, seven astral powers, seven planets, seven metals (gold, silver, mercury, copper, iron, tin, lead) ruled by the planets. Spells used the . . . . Continue Reading »
John records Jesus saying “Amen, Amen” some twenty-five times. It’s typically understood as an oath formula, a “double witness” that stresses the truth of what Jesus says.But there’s an additional dimension. The double Amen appears in the Old Testament only a few . . . . Continue Reading »
Jesus has “life in Myself” (John 5:26). That appears to be an inherent quality. But Jesus doesn’t set inherent and received in opposition: The life that He has in Himself is a gift from His Father. His quality of having-life-in-Himself is given to Him from Another.And when He gives . . . . Continue Reading »
Why are the seven letters of Revelation addressed to churches in Asia Minor? Asia Minor isn’t a focus of interest at all in the Old Testament, though much of Paul’s ministry is carried out among diaspora communities and churches there. That only shifts the question: Why is Paul . . . . Continue Reading »
Derek Thompson analyzes the “savior fallacy” that drives many NBA teams in the Atlantic . It has several components: Mediocrity is the worst, and mediocre teams stay mediocre, so “tanking” becomes a deliberate strategy; one top draft choice can change a loser into a . . . . Continue Reading »
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