Faith in Focus

The “Fresher’s Fair” is offered by every British university as part of a new academic year. Recruitment displays and tables filled the room—a large meeting hall—as new students were being recruited. If, for instance, an arriving freshman is interested in joining the university crew he would be drawn to the proper spot by a pair …

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Experiencing God

The early church father, Augustine (354-430), mentioned an adolescent prank in a book he called his Confessions. It was a window on the problem of evil that still invites reflection. In a nutshell he and some of his adolescent companions were hanging out one night. On a whim they stole pears from a local fruit …

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Knowing God

What is it to know God? The Bible invites us to seek after him but it also warns against fruitless knowledge. Let me offer a brief survey of options and then an application. Knowing specialists. Common sense tells us to collect and organize information about God. Gaining and ordering knowledge is essential in any field …

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Iron on Iron

This entry repeats my Cor Deo posting. Please post any responses on that site (click here) “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” This lively analogy of iron and men in Proverbs 27:17 always catches my attention. I recall that some men—Art, Sam, Ed, John, among a few others—were iron-like figures to me. Strong …

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Enjoyment

Do you ever look forward to the weekend for some enjoyment after a busy week? Or aim to enjoy a good show and a special desert on a workday evening? All of us welcome our sweeter moments in life, especially if our lives are a bit mundane. We long for more. Americans have even enshrined …

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Discrimination

This morning the radio reported a lawsuit against a local flower company whose proprietor refused to supply wedding flowers for the marriage of two women. It was a clear case of discrimination; and it raises tensions for believers as legislators and courts reshape longstanding social boundaries: when, if ever, is discrimination proper? The underlying context …

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