Erasmus and the Age of Reformation, Johan Huizinga, tr. F. Hopman. New York: Harper Torchbooks, 1957 (first published in 1924). Link is to Dover Publications reprint. This book is now in the public domain and there are free versions for Kindle and other digital formats. Summary: An elegantly written biography of Desiderius Erasmus describing his life, thought and character as a scholar who hoped to awaken “good learning” and to bring about a purified Catholic church, and the tensions resulting from being caught … [Read more...] about Book Review: Erasmus and the Age of Reformation, by Johan Huizinga
humanism
Science in Review: Playing God
Note: This discussion contains spoilers for Avengers: Age of Ultron; I recommend watching the film first. I come to praise Joss Whedon, not to bury him. There is much to enjoy about Avengers: Age of Ultron, and it touches on a number of themes worthy of further exploration. Astonishing visuals do a lot of narrative heavy lifting; the action choreography reveals a lot about the characters and their relationships. Consequently, the film has plenty of opportunities to share what's on its mind. And apparently, that's … [Read more...] about Science in Review: Playing God
Book Review: Incarnational Humanism
Christianity and humanism have often been portrayed as foes -- Christianity being about God and the other-worldly and humanism being about the greatness of human beings. This weighty book explores why this is a false misconception and how the divide being Christianity and humanism has developed. Jens Zimmermann argues that the basis for Christian humanism is the incarnation of Christ, hence the title Incarnational Humanism: A Philosophy of Culture for the Church in the World (InterVarsity Press, 2012). He goes back … [Read more...] about Book Review: Incarnational Humanism
Hands and Feet
[This was originally written for a Christian campus publication, Revisions.] The patient came in for a refill of pain medications even though it was his first visit to the family medicine practice. The front desk staff had a letter for the supervising resident from the patient's previous doctor, which the resident read out loud to me: “Due to difficulties in our doctor-patient relationship, we regret to inform you that we can no longer serve as your primary care physician office.” The resident's eyes widened … [Read more...] about Hands and Feet