To Alastair and Susannah: thanks for sending your detailed writings now for some time. I am not any where near on the academic or literary level that you both express so fluently each time but have found of real interest. Most impressed w/ the stunning photography and detail of observations and random buauty and humour in the pictures. Thanks so much Carol
Okay, this is the content I signed up for. Now I'll never be able to be sick again without thinking of HMS Victory's 42 pounders.
This postliberal thing has really turned into our chew toy, hasn't it? And for good reason. The inadequacy of bald liberalism seems evident by now, to the observant. But why do we say it still has good in it that we want to preserve, if at root it cannot satisfy? That's harder to answer. Perhaps it's true that the liberalism we have today was sprinkled with enough Christian salt to make it a decent framework for a while, as God prepares his people for a better move.
It seems to me that the natcons are right with us on making that correct initial observation; liberalism cannot by itself satisfy. But then it seems to me their answer to the problem is worse than just living with liberalism. Their answer is usually pure, unadulterated atavism, which is the opposite of a biblical life view, which is radically future-oriented.
I'm right with the natcons in the belief that political units have got to be shepherded in history so that they conform to the kingdom. I'm right against them in the belief that you can slap a Jesus bumper sticker onto whatever national constitution, and that will do the trick.
The Swiss have many admirable qualities that the Christian west could emulate, but I don't think that simply banning minarets, as they've done, is the answer. To me that reeks of aestheticism rather than principled establishment. Yet: the Swiss have a communal culture which Americans, for example, would benefit from studying. Both Americans and Swiss have a lot of guns, which any nation needs to defend itself; yet the Swiss have much fewer murders, and a healthy and respectful gun culture, compared with the US.
The difference? I don't think it's better rules & regulations, as a natcon might say. I think it's self-government: the ultimate liberal government, without which none of the other governments work.
Wonderful reflections on God come to us in the infant Christ.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
To Alastair and Susannah: thanks for sending your detailed writings now for some time. I am not any where near on the academic or literary level that you both express so fluently each time but have found of real interest. Most impressed w/ the stunning photography and detail of observations and random buauty and humour in the pictures. Thanks so much Carol
Thank you, Carol! Merry Christmas!
Okay, this is the content I signed up for. Now I'll never be able to be sick again without thinking of HMS Victory's 42 pounders.
This postliberal thing has really turned into our chew toy, hasn't it? And for good reason. The inadequacy of bald liberalism seems evident by now, to the observant. But why do we say it still has good in it that we want to preserve, if at root it cannot satisfy? That's harder to answer. Perhaps it's true that the liberalism we have today was sprinkled with enough Christian salt to make it a decent framework for a while, as God prepares his people for a better move.
It seems to me that the natcons are right with us on making that correct initial observation; liberalism cannot by itself satisfy. But then it seems to me their answer to the problem is worse than just living with liberalism. Their answer is usually pure, unadulterated atavism, which is the opposite of a biblical life view, which is radically future-oriented.
I'm right with the natcons in the belief that political units have got to be shepherded in history so that they conform to the kingdom. I'm right against them in the belief that you can slap a Jesus bumper sticker onto whatever national constitution, and that will do the trick.
The Swiss have many admirable qualities that the Christian west could emulate, but I don't think that simply banning minarets, as they've done, is the answer. To me that reeks of aestheticism rather than principled establishment. Yet: the Swiss have a communal culture which Americans, for example, would benefit from studying. Both Americans and Swiss have a lot of guns, which any nation needs to defend itself; yet the Swiss have much fewer murders, and a healthy and respectful gun culture, compared with the US.
The difference? I don't think it's better rules & regulations, as a natcon might say. I think it's self-government: the ultimate liberal government, without which none of the other governments work.
Wonderful reflections on God come to us in the infant Christ.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Merry Christmas to you both and thank you for sharing your lives with us. I live near Franklin and would love to hear Alastair speak in person.
Would be great to see you there!
Of course you met Nick Cave!