Peter J. Leithart

The Bible has a lot to say about abuse and oppression of the poor.  My question here is, Who are the oppressors? Scripture’s answer is non-discriminatory.  All classes and categories of people, as well as institutions and nations, oppress the poor, the helpless, the powerless and . . . . Continue Reading »

A couple juicy nuggets from Jenson: “The speaking of the gospel is the event of predestination in that the gospel gives what it speaks about, but this eschatological efficacy of the gospel is the Spirit.  We must parody Barth: the Holy Spirit is the choosing God.” And: . . . . Continue Reading »

Another old article by James Torrance (in the SJT ) runs through his standard criticisms of federal theology, and adds that it was responsible for producing “an unhappy if not false distinction between the Visible and Invisible Church, which lost sight of the passionate emphasis of the Scots . . . . Continue Reading »

Prophesying the restoration from exile (Isaiah 61), Isaiah says that at teh return the mourners in Zion will be comforted.  That is filled out as a triple gift (v. 3): 1. Beauty for ashes 2. Oil of joy for mourning 3. Garments of praise for spirit of heaviness Several observations on these . . . . Continue Reading »

I have a limited aim in this little essay.  A tiny aim.  I am neither attacking Christian participation in sports as such, nor responding to all the arguments that Christians use to defend sports.  I address only one argument, and I offer a simple historical response that is . . . . Continue Reading »

In response to my post a few days ago on the “Federal Vision,” my colleague Jonathan McIntosh wonders whether the problem with traditional federal theology (more accurately, some federal theology) isn’t worse than Torrance suggests.  If Owen is right that there is no natural . . . . Continue Reading »

My son Christian submitted the following study of Jeremiah 4 for a class assignment. Jeremiah 4:23-26 23 I beheld the earth, and indeed it was without form, and void; And the heavens, they had no light. 24 I beheld the mountains, and indeed they trembled, And all the hills moved back and forth. 25 . . . . Continue Reading »

Felipe Fernandez-Armesto has an illuminating review of two recent books on empire in a recent TLS .  He opens with a brief argument that “there can be no restrictive theory of empire,” putting in evidence, among other things, the fact that “between the sixteenth and . . . . Continue Reading »

At his recent DC rally, Glenn Beck unveiled “9 principles” that Americans should be fighting for.  The first is: “America is good place, not perfect, but good.” What might this mean?  It could mean that America is a good, if imperfect, place to live. . . . . Continue Reading »

When the Israelites listen to the unfaithful spies at Kadesh, Yahweh threatens to smite them and begin again with Moses (Numbers 14:12), just as He threatened to do when the people worshiped the golden calf (Exodus 32:10).  Moses’ response is the same: He will damage His reputation among . . . . Continue Reading »