My comments on the late RJR have stimulated some feedback.

The latest edition of Harper's Magazine has an article by Jeff Sharlet on how the Christian right is reimagining US history. R J Rushdoony gets quite a few column inches but Sharlet misses the worst aspect of this man's history: Holocaust Denial.

I notice that the bookstore at WTS ( http://www.wtsbooks.com/ ) is puffing a new book by the late WIlliam Still, flagging it up with a godly puff from Sinclair Ferguson. Well, Willie made an impact on me too.

I notice that the bookstore at WTS ( http://www.wtsbooks.com/ ) is puffing a new book by the late WIlliam Still, flagging it up with a godly puff from Sinclair Ferguson. Well, Willie made an impact on me too.

There's nothing like my annual alumnus magazine to make me feel a failure. This year, I read that one of my contemporaries was Rachel Weisz's boyfriend (!!!); and that two other alumni are responsible for those pillars of cutting-edge literary culture, `C**p Towns' and `C**p Towns II' (!!!!),...

Two recommendations:

Two recommendations:

I saw the new Bond movie at the weekend. Nothing like it to make me proud to be English. After all, it just couldn't be done by, say, the Welsh. `The name's ap-Llymrys Jones, Gwynfor ap-Llymrys Jones' just doesn't cut it frankly.

For those interested, Ian Glover sent me the actual text about the Scottish minister who was so ungrateful: Letter addressed to Rev Robert [?], Kirkintilloch, by [ Rev ] Finlay Stewart November 9 th 1813. (Letter addressed to members of Presbytery calling to thanksgiving for good summer and harvest...

For those interested, Ian Glover sent me the actual text about the Scottish minister who was so ungrateful: Letter addressed to Rev Robert [?], Kirkintilloch, by [ Rev ] Finlay Stewart November 9 th 1813. (Letter addressed to members of Presbytery calling to thanksgiving for good summer and harvest...

Given the question on the blog, I'm reminded of an anecdote my good pal, Rev Ian Glover, told me recently. When doing archival work in Edinburgh, he came across one Scottish minister (whether 18th or 19th century, I cannot remember) who had refused to participate in a day of prayer and thanksgiving...

Cards on the table -- like Derek, I know Stephen Williams. He was my predecessor in the editorial chair at Themelios and, when I took over, memorably told me it was like `selling a second hand car to a friend'. Enough said. I have also really appreciated his writings on philosophers such as Locke...

Cards on the table -- like Derek, I know Stephen Williams. He was my predecessor in the editorial chair at Themelios and, when I took over, memorably told me it was like `selling a second hand car to a friend'. Enough said. I have also really appreciated his writings on philosophers such as Locke...

The Who played Philly on Saturday night. America may have the greatest rock poets in Dylan and The Boss, but England (Wales strangely absent, Del-Boy....) still has the greatest live rock band in the world.

Terry Eagleton's review of Richard Dawkins' latest book is well worth a read, demonstrating that it isn't just orthodox Christians who struggle with RD's portrayal of religion. TE is one of the funniest and sharpest literary critics around, a former Catholic who was a close friend of Herbert McCabe...

Terry Eagleton's review of Richard Dawkins' latest book is well worth a read, demonstrating that it isn't just orthodox Christians who struggle with RD's portrayal of religion. TE is one of the funniest and sharpest literary critics around, a former Catholic who was a close friend of Herbert McCabe...

Absent from the blog for a few days, I missed Del Boy's question re. Weber. First, never heard of this Carl Maria character -- unless he was the guy who stood in for David Lee Roth when he left the rock band Van Tilen.

Each year I spend one week of my Reformation course reflecting with students on the two secular philosophers who most shape modern views of Protestantism: Marx (Karl, not Harpo) and Weber (Max, not Otto).

Each year I spend one week of my Reformation course reflecting with students on the two secular philosophers who most shape modern views of Protestantism: Marx (Karl, not Harpo) and Weber (Max, not Otto).

Some more book recommendations:

I alluded in an earlier post re. Ted Haggard to St Augustine. I confess to being a big fan.

I alluded in an earlier post re. Ted Haggard to St Augustine. I confess to being a big fan.

I think I'm going to sue Jeremy for defamation in his latest article on Ref21 where I think I see myself pilloried. I may have a 32 inch waist, and he flatters me by saying I'm even an average preacher, but a half-marathon is no challenge -- barely a sweat breaker. No wonder the church here is in...

I don't want to make any comment on the details of the Haggard case; but I was struck by the comment of one member of his church, to the effect that `I put all my faith in him.'