My favorite scene in Les Miserables is also the most important scene: the interaction between Jean Valjean and Bishop Bienvenu. It is the scene where Victor Hugo sets in motion the driving issue of his great novel. It is a picture of redemption as both death and new life — a demanding, imperfect, complicated new […]
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A Leap into the Light
What is faith, really? Some will tell you it is a leap into the dark — jumping into the unknown, off a proverbial cliff, and hoping that Someone will catch you. For Jesus that wasn’t faith; that was “tempting” or “testing” God, and he wouldn’t do it. Or when we need faith to pray effectively […]
What Christians Believe in 15 Seconds
You are talking with your co-worker from the next cubicle over coffee. She knows you are active in a church. She is in a season of searching. What is Christianity actually all about?” she asks. “I mean, what do you believe?” She really wants to know. You really want to tell her. Three problems: You […]
Tidings of Comfort and …
The Christmas Carol ends that phrase with “Joy”. The Heidelberg Catechism appears to end it with “Misery”! Or does it? I’ve been spending a lot of time in this text in recent years — the Heidelberg Catechism is a 16th century summary of the Christian faith, and the most widely used Reformed theological standard worldwide. […]
Gregory of Nazianzus, Oration 2 — The Physician of Souls
Gregory uses any number of metaphors for the minister and the work of ministry, at least in passing. As well as the soul of the body he mentions the shepherd of the flock, the silver or gold coin, and the painter, or even the animal trainer. Other kinds of metaphors apply to the Christian’s (and […]
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