Dec
23
The Christian Response to Homosexuality
Filed Under Homosexuality, Marriage, Open Letter | Leave a Comment
In my last few days of the fall semester, I was emailed the link to Newsweek’s December 15th cover story entitled “Our Mutual Joy: the Religious Case for Gay Marriage,” a biblical defense of gay marriage written by Lisa Miller. Over Christmas break, I have taken the time to do much research and study in order to better understand what we as Christians believe about homosexuality. After many long days and nights, I have finally published a response to Ms. Miller’s article which is available for download below. I encourage all of you not only to read both Ms. Miller’s work and my mine, but to study and develop these ideas on your own. I hope you will soon discover the same thing I have: that the Church has much more to offer than she has ever been given credit for.
Download “The Christian Response to Homosexuality” (PDF)
A summary of the essay will be available shortly. Thank you for your patience.
Dec
20
White As Snow
Filed Under Reflection | Leave a Comment
There is something about snow that just fascinates me. It seems so insignificant as it falls. At face value, it’s just a dusting of flakes that slowly drifts toward the ground. It’s gentle and light; yet it leaves such a tremendous landscape in its wake. What at first seemed insignificantly small collects and compacts itself into a whiteness that is breathtakingly spectacular and unbelievably heavy. At the start of a storm, I can never visualize the extent to which the snow will fall. Even as it begins to collect, it takes a lot of effort to try and imagine every blade of grass covered in its shimmering whiteness. While I am watching it fall, the snow seems to have no affect; it merely falls in place without ceremony, but after some time away from the window, I can’t help but marvel at the amount that collected in my absence. And when the storm has finally passed; when I can see the majestic white against a brilliant blue sky, I am moved to a joy I cannot aptly explain. The beauty of a fresh snowfall is one which surpasses nearly all other kinds of beauty. Why? Why, indeed - it is no simple question, is it? What is it that makes snow such an amazing phenomenon? Why does it speak to us in such a profound way?
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Dec
5
What Makes a Book “Great”
Filed Under Franciscan University, Literature | Leave a Comment
Perhaps the most striking character of a great book is its age; nearly every book which we would call “great” is a classic. Pause upon any of the books we have read this semester, and you will find it very old – perhaps the very oldest of the “great books,” as in the case of Homer’s Iliad. But it would be very misleading to attribute greatness to longevity alone. In fact, a book can only become a “classic” if it is first “great.” In this way, longevity is not an attribute of a great book but rather the consequence of it. Where the greatness of a book lies is primarily in its substance; if its substance is not great, it has no opportunity to become classic. In taking the time to reflect on the material we’ve read this semester, I believe there are four requirements that make the substance of a work great:
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