Wilfred McClay reviews two recent biographies of Nathaniel Hawthorne in the August 23 Weekly Standard , and argues for a rehabilitation of Hawthorne’s reputation. He gives a superb short summary of Hawthorne’s characteristic tone in a brief discussion of the 1837 short story collection, . . . . Continue Reading »
Paul Rahe has a fascinating article in the Summer 2004 issue of the Wilson Quarterly , in which he discusses the assessments of 18th-century world order that were offered by Voltaire and Montesquieu. Along the way, he suggests a connection between French interest in the English constitution and the . . . . Continue Reading »
1 Kings 1:25 This morning?s sermon text contrasts two rival princes, both vying for the throne of David. Adonijah attempts to lift himself up, and ends up abased; Solomon does nothing, relying on the intercession of his mother, and yet he inherits the kingdom. Part of the contrast is a contrast of . . . . Continue Reading »
Slavery is back in the local news, and it?s a good time once again to reflect on how we should deal with this subject. First and foremost, we must examine what the Scriptures say about slavery, since the Bible is our ultimate authority of faith and practice. A central theme of the Bible in this . . . . Continue Reading »
In most Reformation theology, imputation is a distinct act from justification. God Christ’s righteousness to us, and in a distinct act declares that we are righteous because Christ’s righteousness clothes and covers us. Is this what Paul means by LOGIZOMAI (“reckon, . . . . Continue Reading »
Many Protestants today, perhaps most in the Reformed churches, believe that justification by faith is threatened by a high sacramental theology. The more efficacy you attribute to baptism, the less prominence you give to faith. While it is true that certain kinds of sacramental theology might be a . . . . Continue Reading »
We tend to think of desire as the antithesis of submission to authority. Saying “I ate that chocolate pie because I wanted to” is the opposite of saying “I ate my broccoli because Moma told me to.” Paul, however, recognizes the imperative force of desire. Urging the Romans . . . . Continue Reading »
Here is a very rough, very wooden and literal, translation of 1 Kings 1. Now the king David was old, entering in days. And they covered him in clothes And it was not warm to him. And his servants said to him, ?Let them seek for my lord the king a young woman, a virgin And let her stand before the . . . . Continue Reading »
Descartes is often credited with being the fountainhead of modern philosophy, but Robert Solomon suggess instead that the modern notion of the self comes from Rousseau: “What Rousseau discovered in the woods of France was a self so rich and substantial, so filled with good feelings and . . . . Continue Reading »
I continue to be very impressed with Victor Wilson’s Divine Symmetries . Here are a few excerpts from his brief discussion of numerology: 1. Abraham is 140 when Isaac and Rebekah marry. Isaac and Rebekah’s marriage lasts precisely that long, and this number is the sum of 1 squared . . . . Continue Reading »
Subscribe
Latest Issue
Support First Things
