This is the second installment of my review of Zealot, by Reza Aslan. You can find the first installment here: http://lutheranchronicles.com/review-of-zealot-first-installment/ I previously covered the general premise of the book as well as the Author’s Note and Introduction, so I’ll now begin again at the prologue to “Part I” of the book. Aslan’s prologue is focused on the role of …
There’s been a lot on the news lately about a new book called Zealot, written by Reza Aslan. I’ve decided to review and split it up into multiple parts due to space (as well as the fact that I’ll be writing the review as I read the book). This installment of the review covers the Author’s Note and Introduction portions …
This continues the previous list with some additional thoughts. 11. Sometimes bad people win and good people suffer As a kid, I grew up watching cowboy movies where the good guys always win and the bad guys always lose. But, in real life this is not always the case. In fact, many times the opposite seems to occur. We’ve all …
I was thinking about this topic while jogging yesterday morning and decided to write them down. These “things I learned (or was taught) growing up” deal mainly with what you could call “First Article” issues, meaning how life in this world works, although there are a few exceptions. I don’t claim to fulfill all these things perfectly, but I thought …
I first read St. Augustine’s Confessions a number of years ago, and it had a profound impact on me (I’ll get to why in a moment). I recommend reading it. St. Augustine lived in the late fourth century AD and into the early fifth century (November 12, 354 to August 28, 430). He was born in Tagaste, a town in …
We planted a vegetable garden in our back yard earlier this year. This is the second year we’ve done this. It isn’t a large garden, but we do have cucumbers, zucchinis, peas, beans, tomatoes, and pumpkins. So far this season, the cucumbers and zucchinis have been yielding the most, although the other vegetables are starting to come in. We planted …
Have you ever thought about the fact that the Bible begins and ends with creation? It’s most obvious in Genesis 1, when God speaks forth His Word and creates everything, with His Spirit hovering over the surface of the waters, ordering the new creation according to the Father’s will. Then, in Revelation 21 we see, through the vision given to …
The Divine Service that the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod uses in worship has links all the way back to the early days of New Testament Christianity. The Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox rites have similar connections. Ultimately, liturgical churches worship in a manner that derives from the practices of the early New Testament Church. After Pentecost, the apostles and other …
A couple years ago (Nov. 2011) I had the opportunity to go to China for about a week for work. My itinerary was to spend a couple days in Shanghai, followed by a few days in Beijing, and then return home. I flew out there by myself, but then met up with a couple other guys from work (two Brits …
In March 2012, I had the opportunity to go to Russia for a week for work. In college, I had studied the Russian language for a couple of years and I have read a lot about Russian history and culture, so it was very exciting to finally get to go there! I was a little nervous before I went, because …