Author Archives: Benj

About Benj

I’m a native North Jerseyan, transplanted to Pennsylvania...lived and taught in Eastern Europe for six years…Old Testament professor, author, minister, musician, liturgist…husband to Corrie…father to Daniel and Elizabeth.

Well, this is depressing

Posted on 11 May 2011 by Benj

This article in The Nation is not encouraging to those of us pursuing higher education in the humanities: A few years ago, when I was still teaching at Yale, I was approached by a student who was interested in going … Continue reading →

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Review: “Why Johnny Can’t Preach” (Part II)

Posted on 10 May 2011 by Benj

I suppose the first part of my review of T. David Gordon’s Why Johnny Can’t Preach has turned into something more than just a review–I offered reflections on culture, my own experience, blah blah….But this is my blog, so that’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible-Theology, Culture-Economics-Society | 5 Comments

Review: “Why Johnny Can’t Preach” (Part I)

Posted on 6 May 2011 by Benj

It’s been a while since I’ve done an honest-to-goodness book review on this site. Part of the problem is that I’ve been too busy with anything other than school and teaching to read much of consequence that does not relate … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible-Theology, Culture-Economics-Society | 6 Comments

Meyer on history

Posted on 4 May 2011 by Benj

Ben F. Meyer, The Aims of Jesus. San Jose: Pickwick Publications, 2002 (first edition 1979). History is the asking and the answering of certain kinds of questions. To consider first the asking of a question: ‘Who murdered Dunaway?’ supposes as … Continue reading →

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Ding, Dong?

Posted on 2 May 2011 by Benj

Bin Laden is dead–and we have killed him. The news is very fresh, and the world is still reäcting to the initial shock. Some are happy, others are angry. As a native of North Jersey who saw the WTC towers … Continue reading →

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Preaching Sunday evening in NJ

Posted on 29 April 2011 by Benj

Over the past seven months I have had the honor of serving Preakness Valley United Reformed Church in Wayne, NJ as semi-regular pulpit supply. These dear brothers and sisters have been without a pastor for over a year now. I … Continue reading →

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Diversity: An old, old wooden ship from the Civil-War era?

Posted on 28 April 2011 by Benj

Can diversity be taken too far? I’ve recently felt myself becoming more comfortable with diversity in my study of the Old Testament. In the theological realm, for example, I’ve been appreciating the tension between different perspectives on evil and the … Continue reading →

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Travelogue II: Escape to the Dark Continent

Posted on 27 April 2011 by Benj

On Thursday, March 31, I departed around 8am from Philadelphia, bound for Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa. I flew Delta to their hub in Minneapolis; then KLM overnight to Amsterdam; and finally, the 12-hour, 6,000-mile flight the length of Africa … Continue reading →

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Travelogue I: Winsome, Wooded Wisconsin

Posted on 19 April 2011 by Benj

I realize that my bloggage output has been somewhat lethargic lately. Travels have kept me quite busy in the last month, and I hope to reward your attention with some mildly interesting accounts of my excursions to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Amsterdam … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible-Theology, Travels | 1 Comment

Why (and what) medical insurance should be required?

Posted on 4 April 2011 by Benj

Amidst all the controversy surrounding the budget confrontation between the Democrats in the Senate and Republicans in the House of Representatives, the Cato Institute hosted an event a few weeks ago to mark the first anniversary of the passage of … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture-Economics-Society | 1 Comment