Category: Personal

  • Live's "Heaven" & General Revelation

    I don’t remember much from Systematic Theology class, but I do remember talking about general revelation.  I recall my prof discussing general revelation through certain avenues (mainly creation) being one of the ways that everyone can perceive God’s existence and gain some understanding of him.  I’m not making any commentary on that idea here; I…

  • Well, I Finally Got an iPhone …

    and it is just about the coolest thing … ever.  I have been dropping hints at my wife for quite a long time now.  I think she finally got fed up with my old phone, which was on its last leg (I promise I didn’t just pretend like the service was bad just so I…

  • Anniversary Song Dedication – Ben Folds "The Luckiest"

    Today is my wife and I’s 7th anniversary.  And, though my wife doesn’t normally read my blog (I’ll make her today), I’m posting a song dedication here (please disregard his intro comments). Erica, the bridge captures the way that I feel perfectly: “I love you more than I have ever found the words to say…

  • Chris Brady and Introspection

    Chris Brady’s most recent post entitled “Jesus Christ is Unavailable for Comment” provides a good model for how to be an introspective person.  He takes a story first cited by Jim West about someone who in the opinion of many may be certifiably insane and uses the story as an opportunity for self-reflection.  The story…

  • "From the Depths of Sheol I Cry"

    Some of you may recognize that line from Jonah 2.3.  But, it is my honest state of affairs this morning.  My 22 month old daughter has a stomach virus, which kicked in about 10PM last night.  Enough said about that, I’m sure you can imagine.  But at any rate, for those of you that I…

  • Trying to Ask the Right Questions at Advent

    After reading the Old Testament lectionary readings so far in the season of Advent, I realize how difficult it is to ask the right kinds of questions.  For my entire life, I have lived within traditions that have treated prophecy primarily as prediction, at least at the popular level.  The tendency is to think “Wow!…

  • SBL – Days 4 & 5

    My fourth day at SBL was by the far the best I had all around.  I attended three sessions, one on poetry and pedagogy, another on best practices in teaching Biblical languages (in which my colleague Karyn Traphagen was spot on), and finally one on linguistics and Biblical Hebrew.  There were a number of excellent…

  • SBL – Days 2 & 3

    Unfortunately, I was not at the Biblioblogger dinner tonight, though I will attend the one on Monday.  I had another good days at SBL (one and a half days really).  On Saturday, I first attended a session on Cognitive Linguistics and Biblical Interpretation.  It is relatively clear that this type of inquiry is new to…

  • SBL Day 1

    Drove into New Orleans this morning (about an hour from my home).  Arrived about 10 and went to the wrong hotel.  I really should read information more closely.  Finally, got to the Marriot at about 10:2o and met Ken Brown for a bit of sightseeing about the city.  I had a pleasant conversation with my…

  • A Note to SBL Beer Drinkers

    If you are willing to venture out of the city, South Louisiana has a fantastic brewery that is open for the public to visit.  The Abita Brewery is across lake Ponchatrain in Abita Springs, LA.  This is just a guesstimate, but it would probably take you an hour to get there by car.  If you…