Peter J. Leithart is President of the Theopolis Institute, Birmingham, Alabama, and an adjunct Senior Fellow at New St. Andrews College. He is author, most recently, of Gratitude: An Intellectual History (Baylor).

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Luther and Islam

From Leithart

According to a web article by J. Paul Rajashekar, “Luther wrote six different pieces of literature on the subject between 1528 through 1542: On War Against Turk (1529); A Sermon Against the Turks (1529); A Book on Life and Customs of the Turks (1530, originally compiled by one George von . . . . Continue Reading »

Sermon Outline, May 9

From Leithart

Prophetic Insight, 1 Kings 22:1-40 INTRODUCTION The stages of Israel?s history overlap a great deal. Priests served in the sanctuaries of Israel throughout her history, and Abraham was a prophet (Genesis 20:7). Yet, different offices come to prominence at different stages of that history. And . . . . Continue Reading »

Da Vinci Code

From Leithart

Ben Witherington III has an excellent review of the errors of Dan Brown ‘s The Da Vinci Code in the May/June 2004 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review . Brown’s book would be comparatively harmless fiction but for the fact that he begins the book with the claim that “all . . . . Continue Reading »

What Kind of Religion Is Islam?

From Leithart

French historian Alain Besancon raises this question in a fine article in Commentary . He suggests that religions can be classified as either revealed or natural, and asks whether Christians and Jews can regard Islam as either of these. Christians and Jews cannot consider Islam a revealed religion, . . . . Continue Reading »

Richard Clarke

From Leithart

Joshua Muravchik has a devastating analysis of Richard Clarke and his book in the May 2004 issue of Commentary . He compares Clarke’s book to a comic book, with Clinton playing SuperPresident and the Bush administration as the enemy of the people. The most amusing note in the article is this . . . . Continue Reading »

Gay Marriage

From Leithart

New Republic legal correspondent Jeffrey Rosen argues that there are built-in brakes on the spread of gay marriage from Massachusetts to the rest of the country. Opponents of gay marriage fear that gay couples will flock to Massachusetts, get married, and return home to demand that their marriages . . . . Continue Reading »

Kerry’s Strategy

From Leithart

Ryan Lizza describes Kerry’s current campaign strategy as a version of Muhammed Ali’s old “rope-a-dope” technique. While Bush hammers away with hooks and uppercuts, Kerry just stays on the robes and takes a beating. Meanwhile, he has been raising tons of money, which he can . . . . Continue Reading »

Revealed to Prophets

From Leithart

In Amos 3:7, the prophet says “Yahweh God does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets.” This is a fairly obvious allusion back to Genesis 18:17-18, where Yahweh says, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, since Abraham will surely . . . . Continue Reading »

Eucharistic Meditation, May 2

From Leithart

Luke 22:24-30 As I mentioned last week in connection with priesthood, there is a sense in which we can talk about a priestly stage of Israel?s history and a priestly stage of life. But the more fundamental reality of the NT is that all members of Christ are priests. And the same is true of . . . . Continue Reading »

Salvation from Wrath

From Leithart

In Rom 5:1-11, Paul twice mentions salvation as a future experience for the believer (vv 9, 10). The salvation he has in view is particularly rescue from the wrath of judgment, which might have either an historical or eschatological focus. The just are like Noah, who are “saved” when . . . . Continue Reading »