Peter J. Leithart

John R. Betz continues his efforts to introduce contemporaries to the riches of the thought of Johann Georg Hamann in a fine article in Pro Ecclesia (14:2) about Hamann’s early London writings that reveal the core of his theological aesthetics or aesthetic theology and his approach to . . . . Continue Reading »

Now a woman, one from the women of the sons of the prophets cried out to ‘Eliysha’ saying “Your servant my man is dead. Now you yourself know that your servant was fearing Yahweh And the creditor/forgetful-one has entered to take two of my children to himself as servants.” . . . . Continue Reading »

Random and inconclusive notes on 2 Kings 4:8ff. 1) The woman at Shunem has a husband, in contrast to the woman at the beginning of the story who was a widow. Both, though, need Elisha as a ?father?Ewho will give birth to/save their children. 2) The Shunammite speaks of Elisha as a ?holy?Eman (4:9), . . . . Continue Reading »

The story of the widow and her sons moves from death to life: the dead man of verse 1 is exchanged for the ?live on the remainder?Ein verse 7. The story is also a Passover: Children are saved from slavery, and they are saved by being locked into a house (cf Ex 12:22). There are apparent . . . . Continue Reading »

Since I posted a lengthy summary of David Hart’s sharp critique of Robert Jenson, it’s only fair to note that Jenson disputes Hart’s account of his theology. In a review in Pro Ecclesia, Jenson claims that Hart “seriously misrepresents me,” though he adds that they . . . . Continue Reading »

Aquinas de malo, Question 3, article 1: Does God cause sin? One can be a ?cause of sin?Ein two ways, first by sinning and second by causing another to sin. God does not cause sin in either sense. Regarding the first: Thomas describes sin as a failure to attain an end (?hamartia?E?Emissing the mark . . . . Continue Reading »

My favorite line from Eudora Welty’s short story, “Why I live at the P.O.”: “Papa-Daddy’s Mama’s papa and sulks.” . . . . Continue Reading »

The London Times Online reported on May 29 on a new proposal regarding gay clergy in the Church of England: “Homosexual priests in the Church of England will be allowed to ‘marry’ their boyfriends under a proposal drawn up by senior bishops, led by Rowan Williams, the Archbishop . . . . Continue Reading »

Part 2: A Dogmatica Minora Section 1: Trinity Hart ended the previous section emphasizing that Christianity offers a story of the infinite that is also, contrary to all paganism, a story of beauty. To fill out this Christian narrative of infinite beauty, Hart focuses on the . . . . Continue Reading »

Now Yhoram son of ‘Achav reigned-as-king over Yisrael in Shimron in the year, the 18th, to Yhoshafat king of Yehudah. And he reigned-as-king two and ten years. And he did the evil in the eyes of Yahweh only not as his father and as his mother. And he caused-to-turn-aside the stele of the Baal . . . . Continue Reading »