Peter J. Leithart

Jenson notes that the university arose as a place of discourse, an institution centered on the word, and adds that “Mediterranean antiquity’s specific ideal of knowledge would never by itself have made the university.  The organ of truth, in the classic tradition, is the . . . . Continue Reading »

Robert Jenson ( Essays in Theology of Culture ) gives this clever summary of the work of Alasdair McIntyre: “MacIntyre ended [After Virtue] by saying that what our civilization must have to survive is something like the Benedictine order.  Many who read this wondered how there could be . . . . Continue Reading »

Jonathan Israel ( A Revolution of the Mind: Radical Enlightenment and the Intellectual Origins of Modern Democracy ) distinguishes between a “radical” and “moderate” Enlightenment, locating the main difference in metaphysics rather than national setting or politics: . . . . Continue Reading »

People get outraged by changes in liturgy.  Christian Smith ( Moral, Believing Animals: Human Personhood and Culture ) points to the studies of Harold Garfinkel from the 1960s and 70s that highlight this reality: “Garfinkel and his students uncovered standards and boundaries of these . . . . Continue Reading »

Zechariah 2 seems to divide between verse 5 and 6, as we move from a promise of Yahweh’s dwelling in Jerusalem to an exhortation to “flee from the land of the north.”  While I have not been able to discern an overall structure in the passage, there are signs that it’s . . . . Continue Reading »

Zechariah 2 contains several references to the Jubilee.  Jerusalem, the Lord says, will become like an unwalled city (2:4), the kind of city where the Jubilee rules do apply (Leviticus 25).  At the end of the passage, the prophet learns that Yahweh will inherit Jerusalem, a unique usage . . . . Continue Reading »

Yahweh promises to be a wall around Jerusalem (Zechariah 2:5), as well as the glory in her midst. Jerusalem dwells within the fiery wall that is Yahweh’s consuming presence. Jerusalem is indwelt by the fiery glory that is Yahweh’s consuming presence. And, if Jerusalem indwells and is . . . . Continue Reading »

The Bible typically provides measures of “length and breadth” when it is talking about holy places and cosmic models.    The ark’s “length and breadth” are recorded (Genesis 6:15), and so is that of the land (Genesis 13:17).  Frequently, this combination . . . . Continue Reading »

An Easter meditation of mine is on the First Things site, here: http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2010/04/04/a-new-beginning/ . . . . Continue Reading »

Virtually every detail of Matthew’s account takes us back to the beginning of his gospel story. In the end is the beginning, because in the beginning is the end. Two Marys come to the tomb on the first day of the week. One of them is Mary Magdalene, but the “other Mary” is the . . . . Continue Reading »