Peter J. Leithart

Summarizing the work of Martin Bernal, Assmann says that “the Philhellenic movement in German Romanticism was inextricably combined with Judeophobia and Egyptophobia. This new image of Greece was instrumental in shaping a new image of Germany. The ‘Aryan myth’ had a big share in . . . . Continue Reading »

Reading the biblical account of the exodus, we think of it as a local conflict between Egypt and Israel, Yahweh v. Pharaoh and his gods. It was not. It was Yahweh’s massive intervention in the ancient world, and remade the whole religio-political landscape. So argues Egyptologist Jan Assmann . . . . Continue Reading »

In a long and illuminating post, “Buttonwood” of the Economist offers this provocative angle on the debt crisis: “how about thinking of the last 40 years as one long bubble, in which fiat money has led to asset price inflation. Before you dismiss the idea, think about this; with . . . . Continue Reading »

Until recently, few evangelicals had much to say about “social justice.” Leftish evangelicals like Ron Sider, Jim Wallis, and Tony Campolo, along with Evangelicals for Social Action and Sojourners, virtually cornered the market. Other evangelicals wrote on inequality, race, and poverty, but mostly in reaction… . Continue Reading »

I have offered some reflections on the current evangelical murmur about social justice at www.firstthings.com. . . . . Continue Reading »

Describing Constantine’s deathbed baptism, Alan Kreider ( The Change of Conversion and the Origin of Christendom ) observes that “it is impressive that the church leaders required Constantine to go through all this. For many years they, faced with a potential recruit of no less power . . . . Continue Reading »

In his epistle ad Donatum , Cyprian left this searching analysis of the challenges of converting from a luxurious and honor-driven aristocratic life to a Christian one: “While I was still lying in darkness and gloomy night, wavering hither and there, tossed about on the foam of this boastful . . . . Continue Reading »

Paul is not ashamed of the gospel (Romans 1:16). We psychologize: Some might be embarrassed to preach a crucified Christ, but not Paul. He glories in the shame. That’s true enough, but Paul’s emphasis lies elsewhere, according to Neil Elliott ( The Arrogance of Nations: Reading Romans . . . . Continue Reading »

Until the Reformation, virtually all translations of the New Testament translated the Pauline phrase pistis Christou as “the faith of Christ,” that is, the father exercised by Christ (a “subjective” genitive), rather than “faith in Christ” (an . . . . Continue Reading »

The table of nations (Genesis 10) initially lists Noah’s sons in the common order: Shem, Ham, Japheth. In the body of the list, however, the order is reversed: First descendants of Japheth, then Ham, then Shem. In the history of Israel, the list is reversed again. Israel begins in subjection . . . . Continue Reading »