Job and free will

Do human beings have free will? Volumes have been written on this subject from every conceivable angle, and Christianity is no exception. Numerous Bible verses address, appear to address, or are claimed to address the question of whether or not we have free will. And yet broad consensus remains elusive (perhaps because people are all too mindful that stripped of proper context, the Bible can be made to support or oppose nearly everything; as a result they are unwilling to allow it to say anything at all). In any event, I humbly offer my view on the subject.

The book of Job offers a compelling argument in favor of free will. At the outset of the book, God praises Job to Satan as "A man who fears God and shuns evil" (Job 1:8). Satan, however, accuses God of "stacking the deck." He asserts that God protects and favors Job, so that there is no reason for Job to be anything but obedient. But take away Job's material comfort and blessings, Satan says, and Job will soon enough turn against God. And so God permits Satan to put his theory to the test.

Simply depriving Job of his many possessions proves insufficient, though, and Satan returns to God unsatisfied. "A man will give all he has for his own life," he complains. "But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face" (Job 2: 4-5). Once again, God consents to Satan testing Job, although He stipulates that Satan's torments may not extend to the deadly.

Satan's central premise is that Job's love for God is really love of self. Job loves God because God makes his, Job's, life comfortable and pleasant. If God were to withdraw the comfort, Job would turn against God. But this is only possible if Job is free to choose whether to praise or curse God. If Job did not have free will, God could simply dictate his responses, thereby invalidating the whole enterprise. Satan knows this but pushed for the contest anyway. The only conclusion, therefore, is that Satan knew that Job possessed the free will necessary to make this decision for himself.

Why the new pope is good for all of Christianity

Two weeks ago Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected the 266th Pope. Bergoglio, who will be called Francis, was selected on just the second day of deliberations. More than a billion people worldwide identify themselves as Roman Catholic. That alone qualifies Francis's selection as noteworthy, but the importance of this moment transcends denominational lines. This is a pregnant moment for Christianity as a whole.

Like Easter and Christmas, the selection of a new pope offers Christianity a unique moment in the mainstream spotlight. This is a golden opportunity for an energetic discussion of all manner of subjects. Homosexuality and gay marriage, the role of women in the vocational ministry, and even the necessity of faith in Jesus for salvation, to name just three, are culturally relevant topics that can have eternal implications. Christians everywhere should embrace the chance to spark conversation and critical thinking about some of the biggest questions facing Christianity today.

Our need for an intercessor

The final post in my first week writing for the Growing At Valley blog looks at Job 9-10 and our need for an intercessor. My next week will be in April, and I will reprint those posts here as well!

Job 9-10

Job 9-10 finds the titular man in a sorry state indeed. He has been deprived of every physical possession and pleasure that a man can have taken from him, and perhaps most unsettling of all, he has no idea why he is being subjected to this suffering (much could be said about Job's perspective on disobedience and punishment--the converse case of the obedience-reward dynamic explored on Thursday--but this is for another time). "Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life" (Job 9:23). In the depths of his suffering, Job cries out to God, "Do not declare me guilty, but tell me what charges you have against me. Does it please you to oppress me, to spurn the work of your hands, while you smile on the plans of the wicked" (Job 10: 2-3). We feel Job's frustration and we can practically hear the desperation in his voice.

Job needs an intercessor. He needs someone who will plead before God on his behalf, for no matter how upstanding and righteous he may be, Job does not have the standing to petition God as an equal. "He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot" (Job 9:32-35).

If Job, whom God Himself describes as "Blameless and upright" (Job 1:8), needs an intercessor, then how much more do we need one too! Fortunately for us, Jesus willingly takes on that role (John 13:36, John 14: 2-3, John 14: 13, Romans 8:34, etc.). And the news gets better: In addition to God the Son pleading on our behalf, God the Spirit represents us before the Lord as well (John 14:16, Romans 8:26-27).

If God is for us, who shall be against us (Romans 8:31)?

Guest post!

A special treat today: A guest post from my wife, Ellen, on Psalm 13 and the prayer of the distressed.

Psalms 12-14

Psalms 13 - The prayer of the distressed

Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote that "The Psalter is the great school of prayer." In Psalm 13 we find a prayer that David prayed at a time of great distress. Although in most cases nothing we face today compares with David's circumstances, we can still learn a lot from his example regarding how we ought to communicate with God when we're facing trials in life.

The first thing David does in his prayer is express how he feels to God. He is very honest with God, not conjuring up falsely positive feelings. In that moment, it feels as though God has left him on his own, and he is not afraid to say this. Furthermore, when David asks God for an answer, he states his plea with great desperation ("answer me ...  lest I sleep the sleep of death" (v3).

When we are struggling with difficult circumstances, there can often be a disconnect between how we know we ought to feel and how we actually feel (Rom 7:18). We know we should feel at peace and confident in God's good plan but in fact we feel worry and doubt. David's prayer reminds us that in these times, we should not try to hide these feeling from God (as if He, our Creator, doesn't know how we're feeling). Instead, we should express them to Him. It is only through God's work in our lives that we can feel joy and confidence in the midst of trials. Denying our true feelings or refusing to turn to God until we have corrected them ourselves is never going to work.

Of course it is important to note that, while sometimes we may feel that God has forsaken us, in fact He will never do so (Joshua 1:5). Remarkably, what made possible this relationship with God, on which we can rely completely, is that the Son of God took upon himself the burden of all our sins, crying out on the cross "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me" (Matt 27:46)?

In this Psalm, David is able to find encouragement by reminding himself of God's love and salvation and goodness, on which he can rest assured. But it is interesting (and encouraging) to note that, although this Psalm ends on a more positive note, not all Psalms (prayers) have to (e.g., Psalms 44, 88). God always desires to hear our prayers, even if we are at a point where we only feel doubt and fear (Hosea 7:14).

Obedience and reward

What is the relationship between obedience and reward? I look at that question through the lens of Joshua 21-24.

Joshua 21-24

God keeps His promises. It is sufficient simply to have faith that this is true without requiring proof of it (Deut 6:16, Hebrews 11:1), but God knows our hearts even better than we do. He delights in encouraging us--and glorifying Himself--by demonstrating His faithfulness. In today's passage we see God's promises fulfilled in totality. "Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled" (Joshua 21:45).

As he calls them home in Chapter 22, Joshua praises the eastern tribes for their adherence to God's commands. Entering into the promised land is a long-awaited prize for these tribes, but is it their merit that earns them this bounty? Is God beholden to them for these parcels? Or is it an outpouring of God's grace that such restoration is even conceivable for the Israelites?

More broadly, what is the relationship between obedience and reward? Many hundreds of years after Joshua's death, Jesus tells the parable of the talents (Matthew 25: 14-30). A man charges three servants with looking after a portion of his wealth while he is away. Upon his return, as faithfully as they have carried out this mission, so does he lavish them with praise and additional responsibility. It is not difficult to see ourselves in this story, and indeed its key theme of stewardship underpins the entire Christian life.

We are given eternal life through faith in Jesus (John 3:16, John 14) and clear instructions to spread the Gospel far and wide (Matthew 28: 18-20). Far from being our fair wage (Romans 6:23 tells us we are due exactly the opposite), it is a testament to God's character that we are allowed to participate in these things. God doesn't owe us anything. We owe him. It is thanks entirely to God's surpassing grace that just as Joshua, "The servant of the Lord," was laid to rest in the promised land (Joshua 24: 29-30), so too do we anticipate the promised land of eternal life with God.

"Well done, my good and faithful servant." How my heart longs to hear those words.

What do covenants tell us about God?

In today's installment of my contribution to the Growing At Valley blog, I consider Genesis 16-19 and why God makes covenants.

Genesis 16-19

Why does God make covenants? He is the Creator, making not just something from nothing but everything from nothing (Genesis 1-2). Surely a being with such power and majesty need not bind Himself to man by entering into agreements with him. Indeed God does not need to do this, but He does so anyway. Why?

God enters into covenants to reveal more of His character to us. You see, relationship is central to the Christian life. In the beginning of everything, even before time itself, the three persons of the Godhead existed in perfect, eternal relationship to one another (Athanasian Creed). In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve enjoyed the presence and company of God, who when walking through the garden might call out to them if He didn't see them (Genesis 3: 8-9). And even after sin entered the world and man was cast out from the garden, we can once again have eternal life by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. It's not eternity in a vacuum, however; it's eternity in relationship with God.

And so in Genesis 17, we see God enter into a covenant with Abram. Not just any covenant, either, but a sweeping bond in which God promises "I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you" (v. 7-8).

By so doing, God reveals more not only of the relational aspect of His character but also of His redemptive plan. God is trustworthy and always keeps His promises (Psalm 111, Psalm 145:13, John 8:26, Titus 1:2, etc.), and as we meditate on these truths, our hearts cannot help but be moved to worship.

What happened to Israel?

In this post, originally published at growingatvalley.blogspot.com, I look at Romans 9-10 and Paul's lament for Israel.

Romans 9-10

Paul begins Romans 10 with this lament, "Brothers and sisters, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved" (Romans 10:1). In Genesis 17, though, God establishes His covenant with Abram. So what happened to Israel? The Old Testament is rife with examples of Israel's disobedience to God, but would their inability to observe the Law really keep them out of heaven?

The problem is that in a post-resurrection world, obedience to the Law isn't enough to get us into heaven in the first place. John the Baptist warns about the danger of complacent confidence in birthright salvation (Matthew 3: 7-10), too, but even that isn't the real issue at hand. Sin is the real issue. So great is the gulf between man and God, so stark the contrast between our wretched sin state and God's perfect holiness, that reconciliation is only possible through the atoning blood of Jesus (John 14:6, Romans 10: 9-10).

Our own efforts and works will always fall far short of what is required of us. That is why we cannot keep the law, why we cannot construct our own road to heaven. In Jesus, though, the work has been done that we could never do; the price has been paid that we could never pay (Matthew 5:17, Romans 10:6, 2 Cor 1:20). What an encouraging thought, that when we stand before the holy Judge--as we all will--sentence will be passed not according to our own righteousness but according to Jesus'.

If you want eternal life with God, you can have it. Hear the Gospel, repent of your sin, and put your trust in Jesus.

Matthew 8-10

As I wrote yesterday, I am reprinting a series of blog posts I wrote for my church's read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year blog, growingatvalley.blogspot.com. This post, originally published on January 28, 2013, examines Matthew 8-10 and the importance of hearing--and believing--the Gospel.

Matthew 8-10

Jesus' encounter with the centurion at Capernaum (Matthew 8: 5-13) is a short but revealing exchange. I am struck in particular by Jesus' frank commendation of the centurion's faith. "Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith ... Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would" (Matthew 8:10, 13). What encouraging words! Jesus could be equally blunt when it came to the consequences of ignoring the Gospel message, though. When he sends out the twelve, he instructs them, "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town" (Matthew 10: 14-15).

Jesus does not immediately elaborate as to what exactly that might entail, but he refers elsewhere to the "darkness" and "the blazing furnace," both of which will involve much "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:12, 13:42). Chances are good you don't want to spend eternity in darkness or in a blazing furnace; I know I don't. If you believe what Jesus teaches, though, then the alternative is a life--indeed, an eternity--of following him.

How can you have that? As Jesus tells the parable of the sower and then explains it to his disciples (Matthew 13: 3-9 and 18-23, respectively), it becomes clear that it all begins with hearing the Gospel. And once we have heard, we have the delight and the duty to proclaim (Matthew 5:14-16, 13: 44-46, 28: 18-20). How else will others come to believe if no one tells them of the Good News (Romans 10: 15-19)? It is such joy to follow Jesus; how can we keep that to ourselves?

May we boldly proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ that all may hear, understand, and believe.

Isaiah 18-22 and the consequences of sin

I periodically vow to resume posting here more frequently ... you can see how well I've done in the past. That said, though, I do value writing in this space, and I mean to do more of it. So to start off, I am going to reprint a series of posts I wrote recently for my church's blog, Growing At Valley. The church is doing a read-the-Bible-in-a-year program, and every day someone writes a post about the assigned reading. There are twelve writers participating, and every twelfth week each person must post daily for the entire week. If you're interested in reading along with the church, please visit the church website at http://www.valleycommunityco.org/#/resources/blogs to see the reading plan and other information about the church's online resources.

The first post I wrote was about Isaiah 18-22 and the consequences of sin. I will not reprint the entire Bible text here, but I encourage you to read it for yourself (both on its own merit and because my post will then make more sense). One place you can read the Bible online is www.biblegateway.com; I use the New International Version translation. And without further ado:

Isaiah 18-22

Sin has consequences. It's easy to overlook--or choose to ignore--the ramifications of our rebellion against God, but this will neither delay nor prevent them. Many passages of Scripture speak to God's patience, mercy, and forgiveness, and these are indeed wonderful traits for which God deserves praise and glory. But in the absence of judgment, grace is cheap. It is only against the backdrop of sin and the destruction it engenders that grace takes on any meaning at all. God, who is perfect in holiness, cannot allow sin to dwell in His presence (the brief audiences He grants Satan in Job 1-2 are exceptions that prove the rule). Unfortunately for us, we are sinful creatures to a one (Romans 3:23). As a result, if you fast-forward to the end of time, only two outcomes are possible: Either our sin is paid for and we get to spend eternity with God, or we remain unredeemed and we are consigned to an eternity apart from God.

The terror of this reality is that it's inescapable (renowned atheist Christopher Hitchens famously compared Christianity to a "cosmic North Korea"). In Chapters 18-22, Isaiah issues a clarion call to Cush, Egypt, Babylon, and other cities that destruction is nigh. These prophecies against ancient cities are a temporal reminder of what awaits us all if we do not have an intercessor. It doesn't matter to whom else we turn for redemption; if it is not God, then we will someday find ourselves cowering as Isaiah's words are realized. "Beware, the Lord is about to take firm hold of you and hurl you away, you mighty man" (Isaiah 22:17).

The beauty, however, is that we do have a Savior, God's own Son (Matthew 3:17). If we turn from our sin and put our trust in Jesus, we can wrap ourselves in his imputed righteousness and so be restored to relationship with God. A firm grasp of what would otherwise be in store for us--and why we would receive such a fate--will only serve to deepen our awe at this "free gift" God has given us (Revelation 22:17). Perhaps the greatest lesson we can take away from Isaiah is what God has saved us from. By deepening our understanding of the destruction that will be visited upon those who choose to reject God, we deepen our understanding of the vast dimensions of God's mercy and grace and of His limitless worthiness of our worship.

Happy Easter!

"Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!'

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, 'Woman, why are you crying?'

'They have taken my Lord away,' she said, 'and I don’t know where they have put him.' At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, 'Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?' Thinking he was the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.'

Jesus said to her, 'Mary.' She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, 'Rabboni!' (which means 'Teacher'). Jesus said, 'Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, "I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God."'

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: 'I have seen the Lord!' And she told them that he had said these things to her" (John 20: 1-18).

A new APOLOGIA hits newsstands

The Spring 2011 issue of The Dartmouth Apologia was just released. I just picked up a copy yesterday and have not had an opportunity to read it at any length yet, but I am very much looking forward to doing so! Watch back here for a review of the issue, probably to come in installments starting next week. Incidentally, this is the first issue since the journal's inception in 2006 in which I have not played any role whatsoever, either as an author or an editor. The official website is www.dartmouthapologia.org , but the new issue does not appear to have been put online yet.

Last Saturday saw the second Wheelock Conference on Faith and Vocation, sponsored by the Eleazar Wheelock Society and hosted by Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business. As with last year's edition, the conference brought together current students, alumni and others for a series of lectures and panel discussion on the convergence of faith and career. It sounded fantastic, but I was once again unfortunately unable to attend. Perhaps next year! In the meantime, if anyone has any notes/materials from the conference, please let me know; I'd be interested in taking a gander at them.

Excitingly, the church softball league schedule was rumored to have been distributed to captains last night. I haven't seen it yet (my role is, at the most generous, that of bench coach), but I'm raring to get out on the softball field. My glove is just sitting in the closet, yearning to be let free!

In other news, I have recently rediscovered how awesome jellybeans are. Just one more reason I love springtime.

Dartmouth Apologia review, Part III

This is the final installment of my review of the Winter 2011 edition of The Dartmouth Apologia. As always, I encourage you to read the issue for yourself before reading my take on it.

The cover article for this issue, "Quantum Mechanics and Divine Action," was written by Emily DeBaun '12. Quantum mechanics is not an easily accessible topic, but DeBaun does a commendable job of explaining its basic tenets without making the reader feel condescended to. The article abruptly shifts focus in the latter half, temporarily leaving behind the world of physics and looking at the biblical treatment of miracles, aided heavily by Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology. I thought the second half of the article was terrific, though there probably could have been a stronger transition joining the two. If anything, I would have preferred the primary focus of the article to have been on miracles in the Bible, with physics playing a secondary role, but as it is, there should be something for everyone in this piece.

"A Proof for the Existence of God," by Editor-in-Chief Peter Blair '12, is an exposition of Thomas Aquinas's "First Way." The First Way, which Aquinas put forth in his Summa Theologica, is a version of the cosmological argument for the existence of God. No doubt due to the denseness of the source material, Blair's article is itself somewhat viscous, but he does an admirable job of capturing the essence of Aquinas's argument and making it accessible even to those who don't have a background in philosophy or Thomistic physics. The article is unnecessarily verbose in places, but if you take time to wade through it, it will be time well spent.

Alexandra Heywood '11 contributed "God in the Gulag," a compact history of Christianity in the Soviet Union (and the article with the snappiest title, in my opinion). As the title suggests, she pays particular attention to the way Christianity survived and even thrived in the infamous Soviet gulags. It's a fascinating article that strikes just the right balance between detail and fluidity. As I've mentioned, my natural bent is more toward the historical and literary than the scientific and philosophical, so this piece, like Nauman's, is right up my alley. Still, even if you lean in the other direction, you will not be disappointed by the substance and rigor of Heywood's research and prose.

The final article in the Winter 2011 issue is "Free Will, Predestination, and the Value of Christian Debate." Written by Anna Lynn Doster '12, the article is much less about free will and predestination themselves than Christian debate, namely that between Desiderius Erasmus and Martin Luther in the first part of the sixteenth century. Doster does a great job of relating the facts and context surrounding this fascinating exchange without taking one side or the other. I recommend both the article and its bibliography to anyone interested in theology, history or two dynamic and thoughtful minds conducting a (somewhat) civil discussion on one of the biggest issues of the day.

Dartmouth Apologia review, Part II

Having offered some general thoughts about the Winter 2011 issue of The Dartmouth Apologia, I would like to now look at each in turn. I will omit the interview with Peter Kreeft because it rather resists criticism, given its nature as an interview. And as before, I encourage you all to read the articles for yourselves before engaging with the reviews that follow.

First off, "Euthyphro's Dilemma and the Goodness of God," by Brendan Woods '13. Woods takes on the ancient Greek philosophical problem of what the implications might be when one considers God's role in determining what constitutes "good." The analysis is thorough and the conclusion sound; the only question I had about this article is why it was written in the first place. Woods wrote a post last March for "Tolle Lege," the Apologia's blog, in which he considered the identical topic. This article is merely an expansion of that earlier piece with relatively little to add to the discussion. Whether or not this expansion was ultimately unnecessary, though, it is certainly a well crafted piece.

This issue's guest piece, "Taking the Bible Seriously," is contributed by Luke Timothy Johnson. Professor Johnson teaches at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. (Incidentally, guest pieces are unique among the Apologia's offerings because they are the only articles not routinely edited for content.) Professor Johnson puts forth an interesting examination of contemporary "schools" of Biblical hermeneutics as compared to historical examples of the same, holding up Origen of Alexandria as an example of someone who really "got it" when it came to how to read and engage with the Bible. The writing style is a little on the polemical side for my taste, and Origen struck me as an odd choice for a protagonist (he was anathematized by the Fifth Ecumenical Council for believing in a hierarchical Trinity, among other things), but Professor Johnson's point about the importance of not skimming but deeply engaging with the Bible is nevertheless well taken.

"Science and Orthodoxy" by Grace Nauman '11 bears the subtitle, "The Faith of Galileo and Kepler." This piece takes on author Nancy Frankenberry's assertion that many of the giants of the Scientific Revolution may have been Christians, but they adhered to an, "Eccentric ... unconventional" theology. Through careful research and exposition, Nauman shows that the two titular scientists were not only not unorthodox but supremely mainstream. She includes an illustrative episode from Kepler's life in which he suffered a minor falling out with the Lutheran church over the doctrine of ubiquity. As it turned out, Kepler was right and later Lutheran theologians overturned the erroneous doctrine. Admittedly, my natural bent runs more toward history than philosophy, but all the same, this was one of my favorite articles in the issue, and I would encourage anyone picking up the journal not to miss it.

Dartmouth Apologia review, Part I

As I mentioned yesterday, The Dartmouth Apologia published its winter issue on Friday. I've been involved in the production of this issue in the capacity of editorial consultant, but I was handed a copy of the final product for the first time on Sunday. It is beautifully designed and laid-out; from front to back it is nothing short of visually stunning.

As I embark on a review of the content of the journal, I offer two provisos: First, as previously mentioned, I have seen a number of iterations of all of these articles. I will do my best to comment only on what appeared in the final version; please bear with me if I slip. Should I refer to a passage that seems nonexistent, that's probably because it is. Second, and more importantly, I strongly encourage you to read the articles for yourself and form your own opinions first. As of this morning, the new issue had not been placed online, but check back frequently ( www.dartmouthapologia.org is the official website). If you're on campus, pick up a hard copy of the journal. If past years' distribution efforts are any guide, you shouldn't have to look too hard.

I'd like to begin with some broad comments on the issue as a whole before delving into the individual articles. This edition consists of six student articles, one guest article and an interview. The "Final Thoughts" segment that was a mainstay during my undergrad years is again missing (the last issue didn't have it either). I suspect the editorial board has opted to discontinue this feature, which is too bad. I always appreciated its brief, uniquely personal look at an item of faith. Hopefully it will be revived in future years.

The articles are of their usual high quality. Technical writing proficiency combined with intellectually rigorous scholarship and discourse has always been the hallmark of the Apologia, and I'm pleased to see that this tradition is alive and well. The two seniors, three juniors and one sophomore who comprised this edition's writing staff are articulate, thoughtful and lucid writers and thinkers who have clearly poured countless hours of work into this endeavor.

The most notable omission in the Winter 2011 edition is a clear presentation of the Gospel. There is nothing wrong with using logic to show that a supernatural being must exist (as Blair and to a lesser extent Woods and DeBaun do), but this seems to me of little use if you stop short of considering--somewhere in the issue--whether or not Jesus of Nazareth is that God, incarnate and resurrected. There are a lot of religions with a lot of gods out there, and it is vital to take that last step and show that the one true God is in fact the triune God of the Bible. (My good friend and Apologia co-founder Charlie Dunn '10 used to insist on including such a piece in every issue.)

Ice wars

I have recently been waging war against the ice and snow that have taken over our back deck. (We now know it is important to nip these things in the bud before they dig in their heels.) Two feet of snow is a manageable quantity to shovel ... twenty inches of snow underneath four inches of solid ice is a bit more formidable. After our plastic snow shovel suffered a career-ending injury, Ellen and I decided to stop messing around. Admittedly, I'm using it more as a chisel than as a shovel, but our new steel-tipped behemoth is working wonders. Just in time for the next snowstorm.

The winter edition of The Dartmouth Apologia was released on Friday. I had the privilege to work on this issue as an editorial consultant, and I will be reviewing the articles here over the coming days. Although the new issue is not yet online, I highly recommend their website, www.dartmouthapologia.org . This issue's cover article, by Emily DeBaun '12, examines the relationship between quantum mechanics and "nondeterministic divine action." Food for thought, to say the least.

In the chess world, two-time American champion Hikaru Nakamura was just crowned champion of the 2011 edition of the Tata Steel tournament in Wijk aan Zee. This Dutch perennial featured fourteen top grandmasters, including the four highest-rated players in the world. Some chess fans have declared this the most exciting result by an American since Bobby Fischer won the World Championship in 1972. Congratulations Hikaru!

Merry Christmas!

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'

"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.'

"When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'

"So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." (Luke 2:1-20)

Christmas Eve eve

December 23 marks Christmas Eve eve (for those well versed in the Seinfeld universe, Festivus is celebrated today too). This means that Christmas, which is one of my favorite holidays, is almost here. The festivities kick off with a Christmas Eve service put on by our church tomorrow evening; Ellen will again be providing musical accompaniment on the harp. After that is Christmas Day itself, which needs no elaboration, and on Boxing Day and the day after we're planning to make a quick trip to visit friends and relatives in New York and New England. All in all it should be a terrific weekend.

I was pleased to read about the passage of the "New START" treaty this week. As I've written before, nuclear nonproliferation was an issue championed by my uncle Norman (who founded the Dartmouth Conferences on Peace Process and was once summoned to Princeton by Albert Einstein to discuss nuclear disarmament). It's gratifying to see that his work is being carried on. And while politics is an unpredictable business, I'm glad that the ratification of the treaty was not derailed by smaller concerns.

Speaking of Dartmouth, The Waterman Institute is about to launch its second slate of courses next month. In addition to addressing topics like "The Free Society" and "History of Doctrine," Waterman is also debuting its student internship program. Hannah Thomas '12 and Fulbright Scholar Hans-Peter Ritzer are the inaugural interns. It's not looking like Waterman's course schedule and my work schedule will reconcile themselves this time around, but I wish them the best for a successful, God-centered term. I will definitely try to attend one of their offerings as soon as I am able! For more information about Waterman or any of their programs, please visit their official website (linked above).

In other news, Knicks backup forward Shawne Williams was credited with the following quotation following last night's 112-98 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder: "I feel like when I play hard, lucky things happen. I believe the basketball gods, they reward hustle plays." Sounds an awful lot like Samuel Goldwyn's famous saying, "The harder I work, the luckier I get." I wonder if Williams is a movie fan? Goldwyn, after all, is the "G" of MGM movie studio fame.

Spring is around the corner

Forget Punxsutawney Phil. The surest sign of spring's impending arrival is the start of spring training. Now, after a long winter, the first spring training baseball games are less than five days away! Needless to say, I am beyond excited. Since the Yankees' dominating World Series victory, I've had to sustain myself on a diet of professional basketball and the Olympics. The fare has been lean. When I find myself hoping the Nets will continue losing their losing ways and set the record for the worst season in NBA history--they might as well, lest they be awful and unmemorable--then it's time for baseball to resume.

Both publications with which I'm currently involved, The Dartmouth Apologia and Buffalo's THRiVE! are preparing to publish their newest issues. I wrote one article for the Apologia and another one for THRiVE!, as well as serving as the managing editor for the latter magazine. I enjoy working in the publishing world, especially Christian publishing, and I've been fortunate to be able to continue that work here. If you're interested in following my writing in particular or the journals in general, subscription information can be found on their respective websites (see above).

In other news, I'm looking forward to the March 12 release of the Matt Damon movie "The Green Zone." The finer points of the plot escape me, but the trailers promise gunfights, chases and explosions. I don't get to the movie theater much, but I'm going to try to see this one when it comes out. It sounds like my kind of movie.

Basketball in the dark

Sounds like a profound metaphor, but it's actually just a description of my Saturday afternoon. Three friends and I headed over to my former roommate's church today to play, but all the lights were out in the gym and we couldn't find the switch! Luckily there was enough sunlight streaming in for us to play, but the passing and rebounding was a bit comical. Must be how the Nets feel.

It was definitely a fun way to get in some exercise, which can be difficult in Buffalo when you don't ice skate or ski. On the plus side, there's never a dearth of snow shoveling to do. I didn't do much (any) shoveling growing up, so I haven't yet been able to shake the feeling that it was devised by the Terrible Trivium. Perhaps Rhyme or Reason await at the end of it all, but I'd settle simply for spring.

Spring seems a distant apparition these days, though, as the snow drifts grow ever higher and the temperature continues to plummet. Between paramedic school and my various writing and reading projects, though, I'm not in any danger of getting bored staying indoors. I also signed on this week as an editor for a local Christian magazine. Its primary focus is Buffalo life as opposed to apologetics, so I'm looking forward to broadening my Christian publishing horizons.

In other news, freshman center DeMarcus Cousins has helped lead the University of Kentucky's men's basketball team to a #3 national ranking. We're not related, but I still get a kick out of headlines proclaiming, "Cousins leads Kentucky to victory!"

Merry Christmas!

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'

"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.'

"When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'

"So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." (Luke 2:1-20)