Coming to Terms with Anger

Anger, despite being often called a secondary emotion, plays a primary role in motivation. While it may emerge from some other thing like hurt, anger moves a person to more definite action. For example, if I were not angry, I would not have sat down to focus my thoughts and write this blog.  In addition, …

Mark 10:35-45, “Mark’s View of the Cross”

The following is a paper I wrote for my Greek 4 class (with some changes). Like the post on Mark 2:23-28, the formatting of the Greek is clunky due to WordPress's formatting, but hopefully, those familiar with Greek will be able to spot the improper formatting. I also provide an English translation immediately underneath the …

Psalm 82, “God, Judge of the Judges”

1 A melody of Asaph:God is standing in the divine assembly [(or "assembly of God")];in the midst of the gods [(or spiritual beings)] He judges. 2 Until when will you judge unjustly?and lift up the faces of the wicked? Selah3 Vindicate the weak and orphaned,the poor and the wanting make righteous.4 Save the weak and …

Mark 2:23-28, “King of the Sabbath”

What follows comes from a Bible study I conducted on Mark's gospel. Apologies in advance for some of the clunky formatting of the Greek; WordPress's text boxes apparently aren't savvy on proper Koine Greek. Sad. In the fourth episode of Jesus’ conflict with the religious leaders of His day, He and His disciples are confronted …

Word of Courage or Word of Despair?; Joshua 2

Prayer: God, you have given us a history. I pray for wisdom to comprehend it and humility to understand it, so that what was written for our benefit might strengthen us and glorify the risen Christ. To Your name be all things, Lord. Amen. In theatre and story writing there is a well known rule …

Mind Under Matter (Part Three): Christology and Conclusion

The implications of objective idealism for Christian theism are numerous, but I will limit myself to engaging the issue of Christology. This proposal adopts four main guiding principles. First, following the Council of Chalcedon, Christ possessed two natures yet was one person (hypostasis). This conviction is crucial in order to affirm that Christ lived a …

A Reflection on Depression: Structure, Dissociation, and Community

As I write this, it is raining at the beach. I'm sure there is some idiom about such a thing which currently escapes me, but it's a sentiment which seems appropriate. Every year my family plans for our vacation the year prior (oftentimes right after the vacation we were just on). The bright side is …

Mind Under Matter (Part Two): The Mind-Body Problem

The mind-body problem is simply the question of how the mind relates to the body. How does a supposedly immaterial thing, mind, relate to a physical entity, the body? Solutions to this problem have ranged from physicalism which maintains that what a person experiences as her mind is reducible to brain activity, a physical phenomenon, …

Mind Under Matter (Part One): Introduction and Quantum Mechanics

Abstract How does the mind relate to the body, and how did the divine Logos become incarnate as the man, Jesus of Nazareth? The aim of this paper is to illustrate how quantum mechanics implies what has been called objective idealism and so provides insight into the philosophical mind-body problem and the theological Christology debate. …

Age of Despair or Age of Testimony?; Psalm 71

I remember my grandfather before he passed away always being a pretty big guy. During the 50’s, when he was younger, he served in the Navy, so he was fairly muscular and strong. Further, he stood about half a foot taller than most people, so if you ever saw a photo of him from around …