I mentioned in my last post that "crisis" -- in the dramatic sense -- means turning point, not crescendo of activity. At what point did Outcome X become more or less inevitable? I was making a theological point in that post, but as I was doing so, a historical point came to me. What was the crisis -- the turning point -- of the US Civil War? ( Read more... )

In Elizabethan drama, a play has five acts. The crisis comes in the third act, which confuses modern students. But then, we moderns think that crisis is equivalent to catharsis.The first act introduces us to the main character and subordinate characters. In an Elizabethan tragedy, the main character has a personal flaw which drives the play. ( Read more... )

I have said elsewhere that no matter who wins tomorrow, the outlook for the next four years is awful. In terms of the two big concerns - the economy and foreign affairs - Trump is marginally better than Harris (though I will vote for neither). And I’d rather have Republicans control Congress than the Democrats ( Read more... )

It is November. Harvest time. Thanksgiving approaches. I found myself humming "Now Thank We All Our God" as I got ready to step into the shower this morning. The difficult intervals and the harmony mark this as a German chorale, rather than an English hymn. I have loved it all my life ( Read more... )

Deanne and I don't do Hallowe'en much. We have no children to send out trick-or-treating, nor are there any children in our neighborhood who might drop by our home. Nevertheless, I approve of Hallowe'en, in all its manifestations ( Read more... )

The First World War is getting a lot of attention these days, just over a century after the fact. I see people arguing that Britain should not have fought in the War. Others re-litigate who started it, who could have ended it, etc ( Read more... )

The earliest Christian iconography -- floor mosaics, tomb inscriptions, frescoes, graffiti -- did not include the Cross. This seems odd to modern Christians, I suppose. The history of the presentation of that symbol deserves a little thought expended on it ( Read more... )

When I was in college, sometime back in the Cretaceous Period, a college semester was 16 weeks. A 3-hr class was one which met three times a week for an hour (actually, 50 minutes) each time. Do the math: 16 weeks x 3 sessions of 50 minutes each = 2400 classroom minutes ( Read more... )

I said in an earlier post that the work product of the Church comes down to three things: the prayers, good deeds, and testimony of the saints. Someone might wonder where I got that. Allow me to elucidate.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers (Acts 2:42 ( Read more... )

Due to the cancellation of the event we were piggy-backing on, the Annual Meeting of the Indiana UM Pathfinder, Inc. has been changed to this Sunday, 1:00 p.m. at Mancino's restaurant in Richmond, IN.