Category: Søren Kierkegaard

The Hidden History of the Resurrection

"For us Christians, Saints and the supernatural are the things that make history…and it is all the rest that we should be inclined to regard as legendary." Charles Peguy The life of Jesus Christ as the ‘true human’ represents a life of perfect freedom. The radical freedom of Christ is not the consumerist, sexualized, autonomous … Continue reading The Hidden History of the Resurrection →

Parables of the Kingdom

He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves … Continue reading Parables of the Kingdom →

Chapter 20: Conversions

In this chapter Taylor looks at the phenomenon of conversion in a Secular age, those people who “broke out of the immanent frame” into a larger perspective of Transcendence. These are people who come to recognize—perhaps through a conversion experience or via some other path—that there is more, that the immanent frame is insufficient. Taylor … Continue reading Chapter 20: Conversions →

Towards an Anabaptist Epistemology: A Non Violent Way of Knowing

Having summarized the broad outlines of an Anabaptist political theology, I will now draw out the epistemological implications of this stance. Some broad definitions might be helpful before we proceed. When I speak of “Anabaptism,” I am thinking of two particular, closely connected views. First, there is the commitment to Christian nonviolence or pacifism, the … Continue reading Towards an Anabaptist Epistemology: A Non Violent Way of Knowing →

First Reformed: Will God Forgive Us?

The following movie review is born out of a long email exchange I had with Jarrod, a friend I met through this blog. It was through the long emails that we sent back and fourth that I came to see just how profound a film this is. I have tried in this blog post, to put Jarod and I's conversations into narrative form, giving a reading of the film in its own terms. I find that even after having written this post, there is much left unprobed, many questions left unanswered, and there is much left to grapple with. I found myself while writing, to be speaking at several different levels at once. I will leave the reader to decide which level is most illuminating. Spoilers ahead, proceed at your own risk. 

A Theology of Weakness

In my last piece, I contrasted the powerless way of God the baby, with the satanic way of Herod the King. For those with the eyes and ears to see, my piece was filled with allusions to the failures of the Church.

Faith and Truth

There is an oft quoted line from Jacques Derrida, “There is nothing outside of the text.” By this he doesn’t mean that there is no real world, but rather, that all we can ever do is interpret. We can never get beyond interpretation to the pure realm of unmediated experience: to see is to interpret. … Continue reading Faith and Truth →

Faith and Uncertainty

There is a line from Nietzsche that should give every thoughtful Christian pause: “Faith is not wanting to know what is true.” This is a more profound articulation of what has been heard from other quarters, that faith is a ‘crutch’ for the weak (this might be Nietzsche as well), wish fulfilment, or “believing what … Continue reading Faith and Uncertainty →

What the New Atheists and the Christian Apologists Miss about Jordan Peterson

One question I have been grappling with for a few months now is this: What is it about Jordan Peterson that subverts the approach of both the new atheists and the evangelical apologists? I have noticed that there is a pattern of thinking or, as I like to put it a “mode of being” that … Continue reading What the New Atheists and the Christian Apologists Miss about Jordan Peterson →

Postmodernism as God’s Judgement on Christendom

“Christendom has done away with Christianity, without being quite aware of it,” Kierkegaard wrote in 1850, “the consequence is that if anything is to be done, one must again try to introduce Christianity into Christendom.” This notion of “introducing Christianity into Christendom” is near the heart of Kierkegaard’s project. It helps explain Kierkegaard’s curious method … Continue reading Postmodernism as God’s Judgement on Christendom →

The Meaning Crisis, The God-man and Communal Living

Walker Pearcy’s novel, The Moviegoer is a story of the modern condition. The main character, Binx Bolings feels “sunk in everydayness,” battles malaise, and searches for God knows what. Binx describes feeling like an “anyone” who is “anywhere.” He, like many in the modern age, experiences a sense of being uprooted, abstracted out of existence, … Continue reading The Meaning Crisis, The God-man and Communal Living →

Fideistic Morality: Responding to Adam Friended and Esther O’Reilly

Esther O'Reilly and Adam Friended recently had a conversation on evolution and morality which sparked some conversation within my online circles. After reading Paul Vanderklay's response to the conversation, on his blog, I thought I would add my own thoughts the conversation.  I believe there are four stages of morality, the greater your conception of … Continue reading Fideistic Morality: Responding to Adam Friended and Esther O’Reilly →

Jordan Peterson the Postmodernist

Disclaimer: I am no philosopher, I am just a layperson trying to figure stuff out, so the definitions of words I'm using here, might not be the most precise. I don't get Jordan Peterson's frustration with the Postmodernists, he has very much been influenced by Postmodernism. Peterson is no Modernist, and in some respects he's … Continue reading Jordan Peterson the Postmodernist →

Kierkegaard critiques the Objective Approach

Prelude “Away from Speculation! Back to Christianity!” Kierkegaard writes. This short statement encapsulates one of the central themes of Kierkegaard’s thought: (the parts I’ve read anyhow) that Christianity is to be approached subjectively, not objectively. The objective approach, is, to Kierkegaard, the dispassionate pursuit of WHAT is true. The individuals personal feelings and passions are … Continue reading Kierkegaard critiques the Objective Approach →

The Particular Individual

In the last few days/weeks I have written several posts dealing with broad, abstract things: Truth, goodness, beauty, the monarchical vision, God, heaven and earth and so fourth. I do have a weakness for the broad and abstract, the heavenly instead of the earthly and the practical. One thing I’ve noticed is that Jesus doesn’t … Continue reading The Particular Individual →

Social Media and I: The Pernicious Effects of Social Media.

The following essay is an extended version of a speech I gave on the topic of social media. The piece is directed to a Christian and specifically Hutterite audience. I have omitted some culture-specific references that don't apply to most readers. I don’t use social media. In the last few years, I have deleted my … Continue reading Social Media and I: The Pernicious Effects of Social Media. →

What is Truth? Part 3: The Incarnation

This is part three of a three part series. Part one can be found here, part two can be found here. This is where we return to our original question, how can a person, Jesus, claim to be the truth? To answer this question, we need to outline the Christian narrative in broad strokes, beginning … Continue reading What is Truth? Part 3: The Incarnation →

What is Truth? Part 2: Truth Defined

This is precisely the problem with the Correspondence theory of truth: it neglects existence and counts it a virtue to do so. I digress. To try to transcend yourself in pursuit of objective truth is precisely untruth. You are abstracting yourself away, and yet, in reality, you are still there. We do not have the … Continue reading What is Truth? Part 2: Truth Defined →

What is Truth? Part 1: Modernity and the Correspondence Theory of Truth

What is truth? Pilate asked Jesus who stood before him. This remains the question. In the gospel of John, Jesus says that he is “the way, the truth and the life.” What does this mean? How can a person be the truth? The most popular contemporary theory of truth is the correspondence theory of truth. … Continue reading What is Truth? Part 1: Modernity and the Correspondence Theory of Truth →