Scripture “See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!” (Gal 6:11, NIV) Reflection I have the privilege of being an engineer who follows the great engineer of the universe. Our great engineer set out the laws of nature so that we can harness them and respond to his command to “subdue” the earth. In large engineering projects such as the construction sites I work on, engineers rely on documents issued by others to make decisions and build things under time constraint. A “for construction” stamp … [Read more...] about Words of Authority (Scholar’s Compass)
Scholar's Compass
The Spiritual Act of Naming: Truth Telling in Writing (Writing As a Spiritual Discipline Series)
Heather Walker Peterson continues our new series, Writing As a Spiritual Discipline. See the first piece in the series here, and see other work by Heather here. Telling the truth is a task entrusted to Adam as he names the animals; it is a responsibility of redeemed humankind which has been told the truth about itself in Jesus. Oliver O'Donovan My desire to write comes from an experience of reading. I read a transforming word. As I am transformed, I wish to influence transformation in a confusing and unjust … [Read more...] about The Spiritual Act of Naming: Truth Telling in Writing (Writing As a Spiritual Discipline Series)
Faith and Doubt in Emily Dickinson’s “This World is not Conclusion”
Image: Daguerreotype of the poet Emily Dickinson, taken circa 1848, cropped and retouched. (Original is scratched.) From the Todd-Bingham Picture Collection and Family Papers, Yale University Manuscripts & Archives Digital Images Database, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. In the public domain. Via Wikimedia Commons. Reflection Emily Dickinson's poem, “This World is not Conclusion” is a paradigmatic example of her ambivalence about Christian faith. It reveals, as many of her poems do, her struggle … [Read more...] about Faith and Doubt in Emily Dickinson’s “This World is not Conclusion”
Rejoice: Fourth Week of Advent (Scholar’s Compass)
Nan Thomas shares the fourth of her Sunday Advent reflections on these themes: hope, prepare, watch, and rejoice. Nan is deeply thoughtful about spiritual formation, a topic she pursues as an InterVarsity Graduate and Faculty Ministries staff member and as Associate Director of Faculty Development at Union University. In addition, Nan was part of the founding team that imagined the Emerging Scholars Network (ESN) and made it a reality. We're grateful for her ongoing advice and encouragement, and for this Advent … [Read more...] about Rejoice: Fourth Week of Advent (Scholar’s Compass)
Watch: Third Week of Advent (Scholar’s Compass)
This Advent, Nan Thomas will share four Sunday reflections with us on these themes: hope, prepare, watch, and rejoice. Nan is deeply thoughtful about spiritual formation, a topic she pursues as an InterVarsity Graduate and Faculty Ministries staff member and as Associate Director of Faculty Development at Union University. In addition, Nan was part of the founding team that imagined the Emerging Scholars Network (ESN) and made it a reality. We're grateful for her ongoing advice and encouragement, and for this Advent … [Read more...] about Watch: Third Week of Advent (Scholar’s Compass)