Peter J. Leithart

Auden distinguished Christian and pagan tragedy: “Greek tragedy is the tragedy of necessity, i.e., the felling aroused in the spectators is ‘What a pity it had to be this way’: Christian tragedy is the tragedy of possibility, ‘What a pity it was this way when it might have . . . . Continue Reading »

Critics of John’s gospel commonly claim that it is closer to something from the Orphic mysteries than from Judaism. One wonders if these critics have ever read the gospel, which mentions the Jews over sixty times, shows Jesus attending all manner of Jewish feasts, focuses its attention on the . . . . Continue Reading »

Rosenstock-Huessy does not especially like Calvin’s doctrine of double predestination, but at the same time he argues that the doctrine preserves necessary within Calvin’s theology. (This from an essay entitled “Generations of Faith,” in Volume 1 of his Collected Papers.) . . . . Continue Reading »

INTRODUCTION This week, we start a brief topical series on the family. This being Lent, we want to look at family life from the perspective of the cross. THE TEXT “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church . . . . . . Continue Reading »

INTRODUCTION This week, we start a brief topical series on the family. This being Lent, we want to look at family life from the perspective of the cross. THE TEXT “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church . . . . . . Continue Reading »

3 John 5-6: Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; and they bear witness to your love before the church; and you will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. The conflict between Gaius and . . . . Continue Reading »

3 John 2, 11: Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God. 3 John 2 has been an important verse in the history . . . . Continue Reading »

This is the first Sunday in the traditional season of Lent, and as we enter this season we’ve made some changes in the liturgy. We will not be raising our hands, and we will say rather than sing some of the dialogue between the pastor and congregation. Several of the prayers are Lenten . . . . Continue Reading »

A few minutes ago, you each answered a question I posed to you. I asked you if you would take her as your wife, and whether you would pledge yourself to her as her husband. I asked you whether you would take him as your husband to love and honor him. Both of you have made these promises “so . . . . Continue Reading »

Thanks to my student Larson Hicks for the substance of this post. Until a command is fully carried out, we don’t have a complete grasp of what the command means or requires of us. “Take Normandy Beach,” solider are told, but that order demands courageous charges, sacrificial . . . . Continue Reading »