There seems to be a growing discussion amongst Bible scholars about the shortcomings of Bible translations which try too hard to sound contemporary (See for example Bob Gundry’s critique of Tom Wright’s NT translation from 2 years ago). This week I came across this essay: Richard Hays, “Lost in Translation: A Reflection on Romans in …
Continue reading ‘Richard Hays’ Critique of the Common English Bible Translation’ »
I just came across this great quote on the lack of laments in most Christian worship settings. Except for denominations committed to singing every psalm in chant, paraphrase, or hymn, contemporary hymnists and hymnals prefer to celebrate God as creator and thank God as liberator rather than to lament to the God who listens. … …
Continue reading ‘“Somber Doesn’t Sell”: Our Lack of Lament’ »
This hymn by John Newton has ministered to me significantly recently so I pass it along. I asked the Lord that I might grow In faith, and love, and every grace; Might more of His salvation know, And seek, more earnestly, His face. ’Twas He who taught me thus to pray, And He, I trust, …
In his recent volume, Philippians, Colossians, in the Reformation Commentary on Scripture series, Graham Tomlin opens by noting the “remarkable difference in tone and approach,” indeed a different “set of interests” between commentaries of the Reformation era and those of our day. To illustrate this difference he cites from the preface to a commentary on …
Bruce Waltke, James Houston, and Erika Moore The Psalms as Christian Lament: A Historical Commentary (Eerdmans) One of the way we demonstrate our lack of immersion in the Psalms is our lack of familiarity with lament, our lack of practice in doing it well and in being comfortable with others lamenting. This book is …
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Today I’ve run some errands with my younger two children (Abigail, 8 yrs old & Timothy, 6 yrs old). Everybody else is gone for the day so it’s just the three of us (which means frozen yogurt for lunch, tree climbing, playing tag and who knows what else). As we left one stop which is …
I have been rebuked and helped recently by this prayer from Pascal. Forgive us Oh Lord, for we do not rest satisfied with the present. We anticipate the future as too slow in coming, as if in order to hasten its course; or we recall the past, to stop its too rapid flight. So …
My poem of the week this week is “The Battle of Life,” by Elizabeth Prentiss. It is a good reminder to me of the call to press on beyond my comforts in obedience to the work the Lord calls me to. It is so easy to shift to pursuing my comfort rather than seeking first …
I am now reading back through the Chronicles of Narnia with my younger children. No matter how many times I re-read these stories it is a gospel-rich joy. It is fun to share the wonder with my children to whom it is new and to be caught up in the stories again. Recently we read …
Carl Trueman’s First Things article, “Tragic Worship,” is wonderful reminder of our need for addressing the tragic realities of life and death in our worship. Drawing from our understanding of tragedy in drama, Trueman critiques our preference for distraction. This is what much of modern worship amounts to: distraction and diversion. Praise bands and songs …