John G. Stackhouse Jr.'s Blog, page 41

“But Who May Abide the Day of His Coming?”

If life has been disappointing, disillusioning, and worse—shocking, grievous, doomed—then what we crave is the predictable, the quotidian, and the safe. The ordinary becomes precious, and we will struggle and fight for the status quo against any promise/threat of significant alteration. The prophet … Continued[image error]

American “Evangelicals” and Heresy

Christianity Today is reporting on a new poll that shows that many self-described “evangelicals” say that they believe doctrines varying, sometimes wildly, from orthodox theology. A friend who worships in a rather high Episcopalian church wrote to me to ask, … Continued

Why I Should Study Slower

In preparing for a lecture I am to give later this week at the University of Calgary on “Putting God in His Place: Does Theology Belong at the University?” I have reviewed a lot of writings I have found provocative … Continued

Walt Whitman on Ecclesiastes…and Philippians 3

Hast never come to thee an hour, A sudden gleam divine, precipitating, bursting all these bubbles, fashions, wealth? These eager business aims—books, politics, art, amours, To utter nothingness? Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, #272.   [Entire book of Ecclesiastes]   … Continued

Christ and Cascadia: Some Gleanings

I thoroughly enjoyed the two-day symposium sponsored by the unfortunately named Fuller Institute of Theology and Northwest Culture this past weekend in Seattle. (I say “unfortunately named” because, of course, the region in question, Cascadia, is in Canada‘s southwest, not “northwest.”) I … Continued

Things Hoped For

I’ve been privileged to serve as a columnist for Faith Today magazine here in Canada for two stints, the second of which continues to the present. (Yes, of course you subscribe, don’t you?) But I recently happened across the “signing off” column … Continued

A Prayer for Every Day

This last month, while venturing hither (vacationing in the Okanagan Valley) and yon (working in Sydney, Australia), I have been paging slowly through a splendid collection of the spiritual writings of Alexander Men (1935-1990), the astonishing Russian Orthodox pastor, teacher, and martyr, … Continued

Well, Maybe, Sister Anne…

Concerned friends have asked me about Anne Graham Lotz’s recent call to prayer that will culminate tomorrow (July 7) in a 7-hour time of prayer and fasting. So for what it’s worth, let me register here a few questions and … Continued

The Giveaway’s Gone…but the Launch Looms

Thanks to the good people at Goodreads and Oxford University Press, 10 of the 450+ people who signed up for the Goodreads Giveaway of “Need to Know” will be getting a free copy mailed to them soon.   Monday night, … Continued

Renovations…of All Kinds

Renovations… always require more demolition than we had anticipated, always make a bigger mess than we had hoped, always take longer than we had expected, always cost more than we had first thought, and always try our patience and commitment far … Continued