Peter J. Leithart

Joseph Epstein goes to town pricking the inflated reputation of George Steiner in the Feb 16 issue of the Weekly Standard . Among his jibes: “I once, in print, referred to Harold Bloom as George Steiner without the sense of humor, which was, as Senator Claghorn used to say, ‘A joke, I . . . . Continue Reading »

Richard John Neuhaus wants to defend the theological prowess of our current President, defending his statement that “Muslims worship the same Almighty” as Christians. Neuhaus has some jolly fun at the expense of “official of the Southern Baptist Convention” and the NAE, . . . . Continue Reading »

Philip Jenkins has a superb review of Charles Murray’s Human Accomplishment in the Feb issue of First Things . Jenkins challenges Murray’s basic method, which involved a process of selecting eminent persons in science and culture by attending to their role and presence in standard . . . . Continue Reading »

George Weigel has a characteristically clear-headed and insightful analysis of the “Europe problem” in the February issue of First Things. Weigel uses Robert Kagan’s Paradise and Power as a jumping off point, but claims that he does not press the argument deep enough, especially . . . . Continue Reading »

One of the oddities of Paul’s use of Genesis 15:6 is that this passage is clearly NOT about Abraham’s conversion. Abraham has already set up altars on at least two occasions (12:7-8), and he is calling on the name of the Lord (13:3-4). Even if that is unconvincing, Hebrews 11 makes it . . . . Continue Reading »

Exhortation for Feb 8: Toward the end of this morning’s sermon text, Jesus takes the twelve aside for some individual instruction. He tells them, as He has done before, that they are going to Jerusalem so that all the things prophesied about the Son of Man can be accomplished: “He will . . . . Continue Reading »

Eucharistic meditation for Feb 8: Luke 18:7-8 This morning, we explored the question, What does prayer have to do with justice? We can now take up a related question, What does the Lord’s Supper have to do with justice? The answer is much the same. The Supper is many things: It is a . . . . Continue Reading »

The incident with the “ruler” in Luke 18 begins with a question about how to inherit eternal life, and ends with the promise of “eternal life” (v 30). Along the way, Jesus has radically transformed the path to eternal life. Jesus does not say that one inherits life by doing . . . . Continue Reading »

Kenneth Bailey helpfully emphasizes that Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the publican takes place in the temple, and he suggests convincingly that it is set during a public worship service. The fact that both men go up to the temple at the same time, and the fact that they are both . . . . Continue Reading »

Sermon outline, Feb 8: INTRODUCTION As we saw last week, Luke 17:11 begins a new stage of Luke’s account of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, one that comes to an end in 19:48. This large section is divided into two subsections, 17:11-18:30 and 18:31-19:48. These two subsections are closely . . . . Continue Reading »