The Knowledge of the Holy & The Pursuit of God
The Knowledge of the Holy and The Pursuit of God are A.W. Tozer’s most popular titles and understandably so. Those who read them find genuine… Read More »The Knowledge of the Holy & The Pursuit of God
David de Bruyn
David de Bruyn pastors New Covenant Baptist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is a graduate of Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Minnesota and the University of South Africa (D.Th.). Since 1999, he has presented a weekly radio program that is heard throughout much of central South Africa. He also blogs at Churches Without Chests.
On Contempt For the World
The first duty of man ordained and brought forth into this world for that end, — my most dear Valerian! — is to know his Creator,… Read More »On Contempt For the World
The Practice of the Presence of God
Brother Lawrence, born Nicolas Herman in Hériménil, near Lunéville in the region of Lorraine, in 1611, was a former footsoldier and valet who entered the… Read More »The Practice of the Presence of God
Doing Our Own Thing
Winner of “Best Book Subtitle of the Last Decade” must surely go to John McWhorter’s Doing Our Own Thing: The Degradation of Music and Language… Read More »Doing Our Own Thing
Invitation to the (Devotional) Classics
Who knows how many volumes have been written by Christians through the centuries? Spurgeon’s works alone are 63 volumes, which are equivalent to the ninth… Read More »Invitation to the (Devotional) Classics
Neglected Battle Fronts
And the most notable era of Scottish preaching was in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, they had great power. In fact, the strongest reformational preaching… Read More »Neglected Battle Fronts
Beethoven-Only? Nie!
I read, with a chuckle, that some of the writers here have been called Beethoven-only, a tongue-in-cheek, but ironically inaccurate nick. Actually, some of us… Read More »Beethoven-Only? Nie!
Letter to a Concerned Saint
Dear saint, You have been reading about orthopathy and ordinate affection, and perhaps it all sounds rather perplexing and intimidating. The controversy around these matters… Read More »Letter to a Concerned Saint
Why We Need The Worship Wars
Unless you believe in orthopathy as essential to Christianity, the worship wars are much ado over nothing. They represent the dying thrashes of hide-bound traditionalists,… Read More »Why We Need The Worship Wars
Agreeing on Our Disagreements
In the past week or so, we’ve seen some of the happenings at Northland expose (at least as far as the Internet can demonstrate) the… Read More »Agreeing on Our Disagreements
Irreverent and Culpable
Thus far in this series, we have seen several truths about manners and their relation to worship and worship forms: All cultures have manners. All… Read More »Irreverent and Culpable
The Power and Place of Ridicule
A post like this may seem to some like those who call evil good and good evil. Can there be anything edifying in ridicule? Is… Read More »The Power and Place of Ridicule
Manners and Meaning
What do widely varying manners tell us about ordinate affection? Some reason this way: since some cultures regard eye-contact as respectful, and others regard eye-contact… Read More »Manners and Meaning
Before the Cross
My Lord, my Master, at Thy feet adoring, I see Thee bowed beneath Thy load of woe: For me, a sinner, is Thy life-blood pouring;… Read More »Before the Cross
The Strange Silence Around the Third Commandment
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” This command is universally understood to mean that God’s name is not… Read More »The Strange Silence Around the Third Commandment
Mind Your Manners: Rude to God
Manners are strange and wonderful things. Every culture has them, and yet they often vary widely between cultures. In Western culture, ‘ladies first’ is a… Read More »Mind Your Manners: Rude to God
Concluding Thoughts
As Kaplan concludes, he considers the social functions of popular art. He sees its appeal in finding a common denominator among people. It is popular… Read More »Concluding Thoughts
Escape To Never Never Land
Popular art is accused of being escapist. Kaplan agrees and disagrees. He argues that popular art seeks to escape the ugliness or troubles of this… Read More »Escape To Never Never Land
Sentimentality and Increasing Boredom
Kaplan disputes the idea that popular art provides relief from boredom. In one very real sense, it perpetuates it. The key difference between serious or… Read More »Sentimentality and Increasing Boredom
Affective Anaesthesia
You can recognize popular art not only through its form (or formlessness), but through the feelings it evokes, according to Kaplan. He disagrees with the… Read More »Affective Anaesthesia