“The divorce of the natural and moral universes is perhaps the worst legacy of the Enlightenment, and the most urgent challenge facing modern humankind.” So said British theologian Colin Gunton 35 years ago. One might reasonably claim that little progress has been made over the last quarter century. Ideas like meaning, value, and purpose are…

Over the last 20 years I have been involved in a lot of writing projects, but this is only my third big book. I am often a slow writer and each book took years of gestation and labor. These metaphors are intentionally chosen because I feel like all three of these books are my children,…

In his fascinating book on the Sermon on the Mount, Jonathan Pennington seeks to read the Sermon as Christianity’s answer to what he calls “the greatest metaphysical question that humanity has always faced—How can we experience true human flourishing?” (emphasis original, xxxiv). He offers this question as an overall reading strategy for the Sermon—a strategy…

I am grateful for Jonathan Pennington’s wise and insightful study. I learned a great deal from it, and was delighted by its delivery on the promise in its subtitle: to offer a theological engagement with the biblical text. Indeed, Pennington extends the conversation more widely still, drawing Matthew into intelligent and fruitful conversation with both…

“Look at sun that shines upon your brow; look at the grasses, flowers, and the shrubs born here, spontaneously, of the earth. Among them, you can rest or walk until the coming of the glad and lovely eyes— those eyes that, weeping, sent me to your side. Await no further word or sign from me:…

“A life for eternity.” Twenty years ago, that’s how Dallas Willard’s classic The Divine Conspiracy described the life of discipleship pictured in the Sermon on the Mount. He further explains: “that is, a life for eternity because it is already in the eternal.” Willard sees in the sermon Jesus’ answers to the two biggest questions…

Big Money, Big Science, and God’s Big World In my last post I presented the objections to spending billions on big science projects such as the Large Hadron Collider. Questions certainly arise in the face of this massive public spending, when we live in a world in which millions of people are hungry and lack access…

But you, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations. Why do you forget us forever, why do you forsake us for so many days? Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old—unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with…

Last week I began to reflect on “practical achievement” through the lens of music, since much of my thinking about it derives from my experience as a musician. The journey of the developing musician offers plenty of insights into how to accomplish things over the long-term. Here is another set of reflections: Focus on the…

For nearly a year of writing on the subject of achievement, I have deliberately avoided “how to”-type topics. There are many “how to succeed” and “how to get things done” books readily available. Instead, I have sought to develop a theology of achievement. But before concluding the whole series I think it’s worth reflecting a…

There are two cautions that must be recognized before beginning construction on the foundation laid in the last exploration. First, I want to be sensitive to the historical particularity of the biblical text addressing the matters of Jubilee and lamentation. The nature of lamentation, for example, will be a product of a reflection on the…

Since Vatican II most celebrants—Catholic and Protestant — no longer “turn their back” to the congregation (that is, turn to the east) during the words of institution. This act never had to do with the priest turning away from the people; rather, the point of it was to turn toward Christ’s anticipated Parousia (that is,…