There are plenty of character-driven gags, and little of the snarky one-liners often popular in kids’ flicks. True to Spielberg, the action sequences don’t let up. Tintin’s adventures transition seamlessly from ocean liner to biplane to sand dunes to Moroccan streets. Although they haven’t caught on much in America, in other parts of the world... Continue Reading

This coming semester I’ll be teaching two courses on eschatology at Southern Seminary. Several folks beyond students at the seminary have asked me via email and Twitter what books I assign for these, so I decided I would post these reading lists for each of my courses here. Doctoral Seminar · Alan F. Segal, Life... Continue Reading

There are three types of people in our country. There are, first of all, those who are able to read but do not read books. An AP-Ipsos poll recently revealed that 25% of Americans do not read books, while other polls have put the number higher, at around 50%. It is not that these Americans... Continue Reading

Heather Fieten, also from First CRC, said, “I would have preferred it if the writers had chosen another faith group to ‘pick on.’ The idea that if the professor was a member of the CRC then she must be a Republican and anti-gay is somewhat annoying.” Viewers of CRC persuasion were highly surprised when a... Continue Reading

There are no atheists in foxholes, the old saying goes. Back in the 1950s, when the philosopher Alvin Plantinga was getting his start, there were scarcely more religious believers in academic philosophy departments. The philosopher Alvin Plantinga, whose new book is called “Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion and Naturalism.” Growing up among Dutch... Continue Reading

Like CCM, Christmas music is defined by its lyrical content, not its music (though sleigh bells, chimes, and children’s choruses seem to be in every Christmas album from reggae to bluegrass). So, like CCM, it has spun off dozens of subgenres. On one end of the spectrum are “seasonal” albums that make no reference to... Continue Reading

Many will know Charles Hodge primarily by his writings – his major three-volume work on Systematic Theology and his commentaries on Romans, Ephesians and 1 Corinthians. This biography opens a door into the life of the man behind the writing. He is shown to be a man who displayed the Christian graces in his home,... Continue Reading

Christians should always have tender hearts towards those around us and a willingness to help others. Considering all that God has done for us, especially through the death and resurrection of Christ, how can we not be moved by the needs of others? In his book, Generous Justice: How God’s Grace Makes Us Just, Dr.... Continue Reading

For my money, Scorsese’s Parisian settings offer the best use of 3D technology so far, and Hugo is one of the few films worth spending extra money for an added dimension. Despite the fact that Martin Scorsese’s first film for all ages, Hugo, was based on the Caldecott-winning children’s novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret,... Continue Reading

Yet these films will not leave you…sunk in despair. There is redemption. The search does not end in despair but in hope. And that redemptive hope pulls at the heart-strings so passionately because we all want it. We all need it. The greatest stories are stories that show in some way the drama of Creation,... Continue Reading