Responsibility of the Artist

cwmyers: “The ministry of Word and Sacrament is a single ministry, the Word proclaiming, and the Sacrament dramatizing God’s promises. Yet the Word is primary, since without it the sign becomes dark in meaning, if not actually dumb.” John Stott Such is the problem when literature (art) uses the richness of biblical imagery and narratives […]

So Hamlet, Solomon, and Josh Ritter Walk Into a Mousetrap.

Author’s Note: You should own Josh Ritter’s catalog.  Last summer I saw Josh Ritter in Dallas. Around the middle of his set, his band left him alone on stage and he stopped the show completely.  The stage lights were turned off, he unplugged his guitar, stepped away from the microphone and sang “In the Dark” (The […]

My Son

My second son, Clark Christopher, was born yesterday. Read the letter telling the story of his name. December 27, 2010 Your name is a story, and you will grow up in the telling of this story.  Over meals, in our going out and our coming in, even in your lying down, you will hear this […]

…the epistle endures. This should come as no surprise to Christians. While we are often described as a people of the book, an important chunk of that book is a collection of letters. Indeed, Christianity is unique in ascribing divine authority to human correspondence. While the form may vary, there is genius and power unique […]

The Stars That Move With My Vessel

A few nights ago, some friends got together at my friend Patrick Schlabs’ house and had a worship jamboree.  Each person brought a song that had been formative in their lives as worshipers of God and everybody joined in to sing and play.   God is gracious. Click the link above to hear a recording. […]

A book should be read with a pen.

Absalom & Oedipus: Redeeming Fathers & Sons

Follow the narrative: A young male pup named Hank is born, suckles his mother amongst the litter, grows and develops sexually, at which point he begins looking for a mate; however, Hank runs in a pack and each pack has an alpha male, which is probably the father to Hank’s litter, who dominates the other males […]

Paul’s Exodus

I’ve read stories from the Old Testament as allegory to the narrative of Christ delivering the world from sin, but this is the first time I’ve seen stories from the New Testament read that way. From Peter Leithart: When Paul’s nephew learns about the plot to kill Paul in Jerusalem, he goes to the chiliarch, […]

My hands are full.

Romans 1:15-20 – I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome… For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown […]