Rembrandt and the Queen of Heaven

Rembrandt, Self-Portrait (1660)

Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) is the greatest and most famous painter of the Dutch Golden Age. While he’s perhaps most famous for paintings like The Return of the Prodigal Son, he also is believed to have painted between 40-100 self-portraits (there’s a huge range in the number, because several of these might have been painted by his students). Many of these… Continue reading Rembrandt and the Queen of Heaven

What the Media Got Wrong about Pope Francis and Evolution

Have you heard about Pope Francis’ recent comments about God, evolution, and Creation? If so, chances are you’ve heard wrong. Brantly Millegan with ChurchPOP asked me to write a post clearing up some of the confusion. Here’s the first of my three points: No, The Pope Isn’t an Atheist Amazingly, the popular news site Independent Journal… Continue reading What the Media Got Wrong about Pope Francis and Evolution

Worshiping with Our Whole Bodies

One of the most beautiful things about Catholic worship, particularly when it’s done well, is that it’s a full-body experience.  We smell the incense, we sing Psalms and hymns (and hear these being sung), we listen to the Scriptures and the homily, we see the Sacrifice of the Mass (and the priest’s liturgical gestures are… Continue reading Worshiping with Our Whole Bodies

Are We to Take the Bible “Literally”?

Dr. Peter Enns, an Evangelical blogger and Affiliate Processor of Biblical Studies at Eastern University, has started an interesting conversation on the appropriate way to analyze and understand Genesis 1-3 specifically, and the Bible more generally.  I wanted to wade into this controversy, because I think Enns shows us the need for solid Biblical hermeneutics, and in… Continue reading Are We to Take the Bible “Literally”?

Young Earth Creationism, and the Danger of Needless Barriers to the Faith

In Isaiah 44:24, amongst other places, the prophet Isaiah says that God formed us in the womb.  Imagine a Christian taking this to mean that sex had nothing to do with procreation.   Loudly proclaiming that you had to choose either the word of God (which says God formed you in the womb) or science (which says… Continue reading Young Earth Creationism, and the Danger of Needless Barriers to the Faith

What About Those Who’ve Never Heard the Gospel?

An old friend of mine asked me to address the status of all of those who have never heard the Gospel. Scripture suggests that, at least in a certain sense, there’s no such person. Prior to anyone presenting a Bible, two “missionaries” proceed us everywhere: Creation and Conscience.  Our job is to build upon what they’ve… Continue reading What About Those Who’ve Never Heard the Gospel?

Hawking and Mlodinow’s Proof for God, Revisited

In February, I wrote a post showing that Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow’s attempt to disprove the necessity of a Creator actually does the opposite.  By having a book-length discussion of the logical premises which atheists have to accept in order to write off a Creator, it became clear that the argument was circular.  This was the… Continue reading Hawking and Mlodinow’s Proof for God, Revisited

How to Use (and Not Use) Biblical Genealogies

How to Use Biblical Genealogies Biblical genealogies serve a lot of helpful purposes.  First, they show everyone’s connection to everyone else. Understanding who’s who, and how they’re related to those around them is vital just to get what’s going on. Second, they often have important Christological purposes.  For example, Matthew and Luke follow different parts… Continue reading How to Use (and Not Use) Biblical Genealogies