Romans 13 in the Age of Trump
Romans 13:1-7 has historically been a divisive text. The list of its warped appropriations is lengthy. But my interest in this essay is not historical, unless we are speaking of the “historical present”. Today readers of Romans 13 fall into one of two camps. Each offers a radically different response to this text, yet both are colored… Continue reading Romans 13 in the Age of Trump
The “Holy Music” Beneath Our Feet
*Written and published on September 22nd, 2019 on the Union Presbyterian Seminary blog. As someone who wrestles with anxiety, practicing the Sabbath is often a challenge. This is further exacerbated by the hurriedness that plagues our culture and the constant pressure of achievement. As a Christian, it feels like these pressures squeeze the grace and… Continue reading The “Holy Music” Beneath Our Feet
Candid Meditations
*Written on July 4th, 2019–an exercise in extemporaneous writing. Today I have felt less tethered to responsibilities and to my own self-constraints. They seemed to have loosened their grip on me just enough for me to reflect and write. It’s difficult to know the causal link between these, but I don’t have time to speculate.… Continue reading Candid Meditations
The Singularity: An Exercise in Phenomenology
*Written on March 18th, 2019. A Preface Just a few days ago, I experienced it. It occurred when I was sitting in a coffee shop, in a moment of switching from task to task, from thought to thought. When suddenly, a feeling washed over me. It was embodied as a weightless breeze, cool and calming.… Continue reading The Singularity: An Exercise in Phenomenology
Smoking Catholics, Porous Pentecostals, & The Modern Self
*Written on February 23rd, 2019. Charles Taylor’s Modern “Buffered Self” I ran across the concept of the “porous self” or mind via the Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor a few years ago. The porous self is a term that describes the pre-modern worldview and is usually associated with the medieval era. It’s the idea that our… Continue reading Smoking Catholics, Porous Pentecostals, & The Modern Self
Aristotle, Pop-Psychology, & Mental Habits
*Written on January 16th, 2019. What does pop-psychology and Aristotle have in common? The answer is an obsession with habits. This is evident from the recent influx of literature on the power of habit that fills most bookstores today. Our culture seems to be obsessed with becoming habitually fit, habitually intelligent, and most importantly—habitually successful.… Continue reading Aristotle, Pop-Psychology, & Mental Habits
Speech & Responsibility: Offering Advice
Note: I understand that every situation is unique and cannot be replicated. I am not creating a universal law here. Instead, I am trying to set a broken bone and offer a dialectic response to the current aura around this issue in our culture (written on December 16th, 2018). I’ve noticed that people today, especially those… Continue reading Speech & Responsibility: Offering Advice
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
*This was written on December, 2nd 2018. Having recently read James Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (which I would highly recommend), I decided to capture the effect it had on me in an extemporaneous poem. Joyce’s language in the work is rich and piercing. It would be difficult for one not to… Continue reading A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Submit: One Page
*This post was an exercise in extemporaneous writing written on September 2nd, 2018. Submit. The word comes to mind because I find myself submitting to the limitations of my mind and body—quite often. I trek over to the coffee shop in hopes that the aroma will inspire some sort of productivity. I arrive to find… Continue reading Submit: One Page
Reflections on Reading Plato
*This was written on August 18th, 2018. Since I recently finished reading a few selected dialogues of Plato (Ion, Apology, Phaedrus, Symposium, & Protagoras) I’ve decided to share a few reflections and thoughts from my reading. To be honest, I wasn’t excited about reading Plato. I still had memories from college of reading Plato’s depiction… Continue reading Reflections on Reading Plato
Herd Morality & the Philosophical Problem of Suicide
*This was written on August 4th, 2018. Since there hasn’t been much activity within our cordial guild recently, I’ve decided to stoke the fire a bit by producing some type of post. I must admit this post will probably not be a fully formed but instead will be a compendium of thoughts and unanswered questions.… Continue reading Herd Morality & the Philosophical Problem of Suicide
Coffee with Theologians: Emil Bruner on Revelation
*This was written on May, 20th 2018. As someone who has never really been exposed to contemporary theology until recently, I’ve found the process of becoming acquainted with its figures, terminology, and emphases quite cumbersome. Although these theologians stand much closer to myself and the problems of our society, I often find their works to… Continue reading Coffee with Theologians: Emil Bruner on Revelation
On Leaving Evangelicalism
*This was written on May, 8th 2018. It’s 8:32 pm, and I’ve just finished mowing the lawn. My nose tingles and is in a state of constant volatility much like Yellowstone’s “Old Faithful”. Freshly mowed grass is not my friend. The house is quiet, and I bask in a brief contemplative moment. I’m content to… Continue reading On Leaving Evangelicalism
Great Expectations, Notorious B.I.G., & Nietzsche
*This was written on May, 4 2018. The lives that many of us lead today are often anything but quiet. We scurry from one thing to another, our attention spans are stunted, our capacity for boredom is limited, and our ability to sit and ponder without glancing at our phones or being entertained has become… Continue reading Great Expectations, Notorious B.I.G., & Nietzsche
