think hard, think well

Since I haven’t posted in a while, I thought it might be nice to update. In light of my previous post, this may seem strange to think that you care, but my rationale is that pretty much only people who know me will read this, and if you know me, you might care.

1. In May, I completed my first year of MDiv studies at PBU, after transferring from Westminster in the wake of the Enns debacle. In God’s providence, this was a great move for my spiritual and intellectual growth; PBU is going through some great changes in leadership and direction. With all the credits they gave me from WTS and my undergrad, I have only two FT semesters and one PT semester left.

PBU’s large undergraduate base affords the grad students many opportunities not available at a seminary. There are more professors, who have a plethora of specialties and interests, as well as time to do independent studies and smaller classes with the grad students. I did two independent studies this semester, and I’m working on one right now over the summer. I was also given the chance to present some of my research in an undergraduate Hebrew class.

It’s a great time to be an MDiv student at PBU, especially since they beefed up the program last year. I think it is among the best in the Philadelphia area, in terms of academic rigor, academic freedom, practical teaching and diversity among the students. (For you Reformed folk, don’t worry–dispensationalism is going the way of the buffalo here.)

2. My current research interests include Paul and the Roman Empire, Christology in Second Temple Judaism, and Hebrew discourse analysis. My independent study is with OT professor and newly appointed provost, Brian G. Toews; we are studying DA methods in Hebrew poetry. Dr. Toews is a polymath; his advanced degrees are in theology and linguistics (his dissertation was on Biblical Aramaic), but he teaches philosophy, linguistics, film, anthropology, OT, Hebrew, Aramaic and NT. It’s unfortunate that academia has become so specialized that there are very few true scholars, Renaissance men.

I took Exegesis of Romans last semester, which is the capstone course of the MDiv. It was a challenging course, translating through the Greek every week, writing and researching. But it was also very encouraging, particularly in light of some personal and family issues I encountered. I think Romans 5-8 is one of my favorite passages in the the Bible.

3. Corrie just finished her second year as the choral director at Plumstead Christian School. Given the financial troubles that private schools are facing, there was some question as to whether she would keep her job for next year. But they found the funds somehow, and she will be back in the Fall–teaching Spanish as part of her courseload (go figure!). So our evenings often include messing around on one instrument or another, and extended conversations en Español.

We lead a small group of young couples at our home. We’ve been at a Baptist church for two years now, but I’m still a Presbyterian at heart. Thankfully, Chelten is pretty Calvinistic, and they let me teach Reformed theology in Sunday School. We also get the chance to lead the music every once in a while.

4. Bekah is back from Oxford. She has one semester left to finish at PBU. She then hopes to go back to Oxford next fall for grad work. Deb is taking some community college courses and babysitting. Michael is going into high school, and he loves computers, music and Greek.

5. Pray for me and Corrie as we make life-changing decisions in the next year or two. We have talked about going overseas to do Bible translation or teaching, pursuing a doctorate right away, or going into FT ordained ministry in the states. We also hope to be blessed with children soon. God has provided for us so far, and we know he will continue to do so.

That’s all for now. I hope to post more faithfully this summer, so check back occasionally.

Last year I started this blog with every intention of posting something interesting or helpful every so often. As you can see, that has not worked out as I hoped.

It was difficult to make time to blog when I wasn’t sure it would be worth it. There are millions of other blogs out there–what could I say that would contribute to the world more than others?

Why do we think that other people give a rip what we do from day to day? It strikes me as a reflection of our arrogance as a society. There is a tension between our disconnection from our history and the desire to be remembered in history. We just want someone, somewhere, at some time in the future, to know and care that we existed.

Yet all the voices drown each other out, and our collective noise is something like the eerie sound of thousands of maggots feasting.

Professor Sees Parallels Between Things, Other Things

AUSTIN, TX—University of Texas professor Thom Windham once again furthered the cause of human inquiry in a class lecture Monday, as he continued his longtime practice of finding connections between things and other things, pointing out these parallels, and then elaborating on them in detail, campus sources reported.

“By drawing parallels between things and other, entirely different things, I not only further my own studies, but also encourage young minds to develop this comparative methodology in their own work,” said Windham, holding his left hand up to represent one thing, then holding his right hand up to represent a separate thing, then bringing his hands together in simulation of a hypothetical synthesis of the two things. “It’s not just similarities that are important, though—the differences between things are also worth exploring at length.”

Fifteen years ago, Windham was awarded tenure for doing this.

Here’s my recent comment at Econtalk.org about statements made in today’s podcast with Russ Roberts and Arnold Kling:

Drs. Kling and Roberts,

Excellent podcast, as usual…

I’ve found Russ’ comment about the religious commitments of “free-market believers” to be remarkably true. Some writers whom I’d consider my ideological soulmates are my exact religious opposites.

As Russ said, there are those who see evidence of design in nature and are led to believe in a Creator, but who also acknowledge the wonderful emergent orders produced by a free market. I would place myself in this category, and I see no inherent logical contradiction between these ideas.

The two key differences between the two ideas are the rules of the systems in which “agents” live (institutional constraints, I suppose), and the participants in the systems themselves.

The constraints in which a “free market” produces order are principles like private property, protection from involuntary imposition of cost, individual liberty, etc. The participants are human beings with rational and creative capacity.

I find it more difficult to believe that the constraints (laws of chemistry and physics) and the participants (matter itself, with no rational capacity) in the natural process could produce such biological order as Darwinian evolution would predict.

I don’t want to debate the scientific merits of different evolutionary theories. I do assert that the aforementioned principles and institutions that make the free market work come from a broadly Christian-theistic worldview. When human beings behave rationally and creatively, they reflect the nature of the God in whose image they were created.

At the very least, one must acknowledge the significant difference between random movement of atoms producing macroevolution across species, and the free, rational choices of human beings producing desirable social outcomes.

P.S.: This is partially a response to some statements made in the podcast with Bryan Caplan as well.

Today’s EconTalk features Bruce Bueno de Mesquita of NYU on the political economy of Iranian leadership.  The podcast is both informative and provocative (as usual).

Bueno de Mesquita brings up an interesting idea he first posited in 1982 article with William Riker.  If, as we found out during the Cold War, mutually-assured destruction (MAD) is a deterrent to “hot” war, then we really should support conflicting nations’ quest for nuclear arms.  As has been observed recently, since both India and Pakistan have conducted nuclear tests, the two nations have been much more intentional about pursuing peace, particularly in the Kashmir region.  The real reason the US government opposes nuclear proliferation, Bueno de Mesquita alleges, is that it wants the position of the world’s policeman, so that it can gain influence on and concessions from nations that need us.

I’m not sure that handing out nukes like candy will solve the world’s problems.  Then again, I am in favor of less restrictive concealed-handgun legislation.  But a handgun in the hands of a nut, while dangerous, does not pose the same kind of threat that a nuke would.  MAD only works as a deterrent if self-destruction bothers both parties involved.  Bueno de Mesquita would probably say that the leaders of Iran and other countries who want nukes could only have gotten to the top of their governments by being rational; therefore, we have less to fear than we think.

Thus YHWH said to me, “Go and stand in the public gate, through which the kings of Judah come in and go out, as well as in all the gates of Jerusalem; and say to them, `Listen to the word of YHWH, kings of Judah, and all Judah and all inhabitants of Jerusalem who come in through these gates:
‘Thus says YHWH, “Take heed for yourselves, and do not carry any load on the sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem. You shall not bring a load out of your houses on the sabbath day nor do any work, but keep the sabbath day holy, as I commanded your forefathers. Yet they did not listen or incline their ears, but stiffened their necks in order not to listen or take correction. But it will come about, if you listen attentively to Me,” declares YHWH, “to bring no load in through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but to keep the sabbath day holy by doing no work on it, then there will come in through the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever. They will come in from the cities of Judah and from the environs of Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, from the hill country and from the Negev, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving to the house of YHWH. “But if you do not listen to Me to keep the sabbath day holy by not carrying a load and coming in through the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem and not be quenched.”‘”

As near as I can tell, there are at least four reasons to keep the Sabbath.  First, it reflects simple obedience to YHWH.  Second, YHWH himself, as Creator, sat enthroned over his creation and rested on the seventh day (Gen. 2:1-3).  Third, it reflects a creation principle for mankind: battle for dominion followed by rest and order.  Finally, as YHWH’s vassels on earth, we acknowledge our fealty with praise and offerings as he commanded.

Keil writes of this passage, “Safety appointed to the people lies in the Decalogue” (289).  YHWH promises prosperity and protection if they will only obey.  Obedience is something I need to take more seriously.  Maybe I’ll rest here for a day and think about it….

Echoing Psalm 1 (or perhaps the other way ’round), the prophet writes about that which he knows cognatively is true:

“Blessed is the man who trusts in YHWH
And whose trust is YHWH.

“For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.” (vv. 7-8)

However, the prophet’s own experience as a lonely proclaimer of YHWH’s truth does not seem to square with his own prophecy.  He has been mistreated and cast out from society–the classic case of “blaming the messenger.”  He continues:

Heal me, O YHWH, and I will be healed;
Save me and I will be saved,
For You are my praise.

Look, they keep saying to me,
“Where is the word of YHWH?
Let it come now!”

But as for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd after You,
Nor have I longed for the woeful day;
You Yourself know that the utterance of my lips
Was in Your presence.

Do not be a terror to me;
You are my refuge in the day of disaster.

Let those who persecute me be put to shame, but as for me, let me not be put to shame;
Let them be dismayed, but let me not be dismayed.
Bring on them a day of disaster,
And crush them with twofold destruction! (vv. 14-18)

A prayer for salvation is also a prayer for judgment.  What else is salvation but victory over oppressors?  I once heard Brian Toews say that the “Lord’s Prayer” contains implicit imprecation, because whenever we pray, “Thy kingdom come,” we are asking for the last day to arrive and judgment to come.  We are confident of the verdict in our case, as we plead the blood and work of Jesus in our defense.  This should urge us to proclaim YHWH’s truth, because many will hear and believe, and many will hear and reject it, but our message will be vindicated when we are saved in the end.

Patience, long-suffering, compassion, trust in YHWH–I’m not very skilled at these tasks.