Alden Swan dot com

Did Jesus “Raise the Bar” in the Sermon on the Mount? – Law 2

me — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:14:45 +0000

In my last post, I began talking about Jesus’ teachings on the Law (the Old Testament Law of Moses, not necessarily Roman or other statutes). As I stated there, it appears from the context and his statements that he is speaking primarily to the “teachers of the Law,” who were seemingly obsessed with who was [...]

New Covenant Law – 1

me — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:50:07 +0000

This is hopefully the first in a series of posts talking about a New Covenant perspective of the Law; that is to say, what the New Testament and Paul in particular say about the Law. When I talk about the Law, I’m talking about the Law of Moses, that which the Jewish people were expected [...]

It’s Football, People!

me — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:18:04 +0000

Okay, already I’m sidetracked. But, I just can’t help myself. About two thousand years ago, Jesus told a story: Two guys walk into a synagogue. One stands up and makes a big deal about praying in public. The other guy doesn’t. (Luke 18:10-14) It’s one of those parables that doesn’t get talked about all that [...]

Uses of the Law

me — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:43:57 +0000

Although I spent the first 20+ years of my life as a Lutheran and have continued to hold true to many Lutheran ideals (including the benefits of folk music, beer, and the love of a good woman), I’ve only recently become aware of the dispute about the valid uses of the Law (that would be [...]

Nothing but the dead and dying

me — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:13:59 +0000

I spent a few hours today in my yard with a leaf-blower, a rake, and a great many large green plastic bags. I appreciate my trees very much. In fact, I planted two of the trees—an ornamental cherry and a bloodgood Japanese maple— in our yard myself, not to mention a dozen or so evergreens. [...]

Thanks, part 2: Keeping on the Sunny Side

me — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 20:33:32 +0000

We all know the analogy about the half-full glass—or is it half-empty? It is a fact that two people can look at the same set of facts and come away with much different ideas. The facts didn’t change; the difference is how the people interpret the facts. One of my favorite songs has become the [...]

Thanks

me — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:28:07 +0000

I haven’t posted anything here for a long time, which they say is the worst blogging sin you can commit. Firmly committed to the principle of grace, I can only respond, “Oh, well.” But, I’ve been thinking, which probably means eventually I’ll be writing again. I do plan to continue my “This I Know” series, [...]

Why worship?

me — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:40:28 +0000

I read a very interesting post this weekend at Heart, Mind, Soul, and Strength that challenges the very core of contemporary church life: worship. If you attend a contemporary-style church, chances are you know that it’s all about the worship. Walk into any of these evangelical churches—many with cool, new-age-sounding names like Daybreak or Morningspring, [...]

Does atheism’s concept of morality have a Biblical basis?

me — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:03:57 +0000

Today, Tom Gilson reviews a couple of books that make the argument that the concept of morality that we have today, which is shared by Christians and non-Christians alike, including atheists, originates from teachings found in the Bible. If you’ve paid any attention at all to the writings (and speakings) of people like Richard Dawkins [...]

David Berlinski: Exposing the Emperor

me — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 23:01:02 +0000

As some of you may know, one of my many tangential interests is the philosophical tension that exists between science and religion (in general terms). Over the last few years, there have arisen a loose band of very outspoken quasi-scientists who have taken it upon themselves to rid the world of religion, or at least [...]