Peter J. Leithart

John Paul II offers these observations on Genesis 2’s account of the creation of Eve ( Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology Of The Body , p. 160): “‘Bone from my bones’ can . . . be understood in the relational sense, like ‘being from being.’ ‘Flesh . . . . Continue Reading »

Ray Bradbury, who died on June fifth at the age of ninety-one, will be remembered as a writer of science fiction or, as he preferred, fantasy. That’s not surprising. As the obituaries have emphasized, he imagined ATMs, the Bluetooth, and artificial intelligence decades ago. For me, though, science fiction isn’t the center of Bradbury’s imagination or his appeal. The most magical place in his fiction isn’t Mars. It’s Green Town, Illinois, a fictional stand-in for his birthplace, Waukegan, Illinois… . Continue Reading »

My tribute to the late Ray Bradbury is up at http://www.firstthings.com/ this morning. . . . . Continue Reading »

Thanksgiving was clearly a part of the liturgical life of the early Christians. In talking about tongues, Paul says that one who does not know the tongue cannot join in the “Amen” at the eucharistia , since he cannot understand what has been said (1 Corinthians 14:16). Paul uses the . . . . Continue Reading »

When John first sees the heavenly worship as he ascends to heaven, the four living creatures take the lead with an unceasing Sanctus. The twenty-four elders fall down before the One on the throne, cast their crowns before the throne, and praise God for His glory, honor, and power. They are not . . . . Continue Reading »

144,000 are sealed, 12,000 from 12 tribes of Israel (Revelation 7:4-7). Those are consecrated for martyr sacrifice. Immediately John sees a great multitude from every tribe and tongue and nation and people (7:9), holding palm branches. It reminds one of Elim, with its 12 springs and 70 palm trees . . . . Continue Reading »

On the “Downloads” page (click above), I’ve just posted a paper from a 2010 ETS meeting entitled “Sacrifice and Worship after the Stoicheia .” It’s an exploration of some of the hermeneutical questions surrounding the use of Old Testament ceremonial texts as patterns for Christian . . . . Continue Reading »

JW Hewitt calls the prayer of Cyrus recorded at the end of Xenophon’s Cyropaedia “the loftiest and purest thanksgiving I have found anywhere in Greek literature.” Curious that it is put into the mouth of a Persian. The prayer reads (in Walter Miller’s translation): “O . . . . Continue Reading »

Aaron Cummings writes: “In response to your post on cherubic faces corresponding to temple furniture. One significant item missing is the golden altar. We know from Hebrews 9:3-4 that the golden altar was a part of the HOH even though it was placed in front of the veil. Thus the altar of . . . . Continue Reading »

Some more chants and outlines of the Old Testament. The books of Judges and 1-2 Samuel narrate the transition from the Mosaic to the Davidic covenants, from the age of priests to the age of kings, from the age of the ox to the age of the lion. As so often in the Bible: God tears down the world so . . . . Continue Reading »