Peter J. Leithart

Henri Lefebvre was a firm believer in the Marxist dictum that “the criticism of religion is the premise of all criticism,” though he dissented from Marx’s prior claim that the criticism of religion is essentially complete. He includes a vicious, sarcastic diatribe against the . . . . Continue Reading »

When Yahweh chastens, Israel is helpless. She can only seek the Lord, whisper a desperate prayer, lot her doors and hide in her room (Isaiah 26:16, 20-21). She writhes like a pregnant woman, but instead of bearing a child she gives birth only to wind (Heb. ruach ; 26:18). Nothing that Israel can . . . . Continue Reading »

My friend, Ralph Smith, has published several excellent books on the Trinity ( Paradox and Truth: Rethinking Van Til on the Trinity ; Eternal Covenant: How the Trinity Reshapes Covenant Theology ; and Trinity & Reality: An Introduction to the Christian Faith ), and most recently has written a . . . . Continue Reading »

Nehemiah ends the first chapter of his memoir with the statement “Now I was cupbearer to the king” (Nehemiah 1:11). What position is this? The next verses indicate that he actually served wine to the king (2:1). As that scene progresses, Nehemiah acts with a boldness that suggests his . . . . Continue Reading »

Yahweh describes only a handful of people as “My servant” - Abraham, Moses, and David. In 1-2 Kings, the title is almost exclusively reserved for David, and in almost every case the title is used in places where the Lord is reminding a king that His care for Israel is because of David . . . . Continue Reading »

I have been charged with deviating from Reformed orthodoxy for claiming that, strictly speaking, what is imputed to us in justification is the verdict that the Father pronounced in raising His Son from the dead. This verdict assumes that Jesus obeyed the law completely and died in obedience to His . . . . Continue Reading »

What is the literal sense? In the current issue of the IJST , R. R. Reno suggests that it involves attending to the text: “We want to bring out minds and hearts into obedience to God’s Word rather than to float in a spiritual world of our imaginings . . . . If we are to believe what the . . . . Continue Reading »

For those of you who have not purchased or at least ordered your copy of The Glory of Kings: A Festschrift for James B. Jordan (and shame, shame if you haven’t), the folks at First Things have put up a teaser, R. R. Reno’s wonderful Foreword to the book. It’s available here: . . . . Continue Reading »

In Book 10 of the Nicomachean Ethics , Aristotle ponders the nature of happiness, concluding from philosophical arguments that happiness consists in contemplation. He adds a theological argument: “We assume the gods to be above all other beings blessed and happy; but what sort of actions must . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Weekly Standard blog, Lee Smith notes that this week’s riot in Cairo “was preceded by a smaller demonstration last week when Copts protested an attack on a church in Edfu, almost 500 miles south of the Egyptian capital, and demanded that the Muslim gangs responsible for the . . . . Continue Reading »