tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.comments2016-06-21T10:39:48.531-05:00ScriptoriumGreg Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-31895779818312063972016-06-21T10:39:48.531-05:002016-06-21T10:39:48.531-05:00i was inspired thank you for the great post http:...i was inspired thank you for the great post http://education.uonbi.ac.keAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14223473805087209892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-18301921647173230412016-04-23T16:30:25.418-05:002016-04-23T16:30:25.418-05:00Sometimes, however, God knows that we need example...Sometimes, however, God knows that we need examples of faith we can follow, and such you were for me in high school.Greg Grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-15665010309701881632016-04-22T13:12:02.852-05:002016-04-22T13:12:02.852-05:00I, too, love that particular scene from the book. ...I, too, love that particular scene from the book. That sense of, "well, I couldn't very well not go along with..." is so easy to fall into. Much harder the path that only YOU seem to see clearly (i.e., you merely following Christ and having faith that He is leading you). Another excellent commentary.Ruminationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10246365381547139800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-33055048600100282042016-03-23T09:08:17.261-05:002016-03-23T09:08:17.261-05:00Thanks, Doug. That's a good illustration. The ...Thanks, Doug. That's a good illustration. The sign doesn't have power in itself. It performs its function when it reinforces faith, which connects us to the reality it signifies. It's similar to when we say, "in Jesus' name" at the end of our prayers. We start off doing it because we are told that's the way we should pray, and for that reason alone, it's good to do. However, when we grow in our understanding of what it means to pray in Jesus' name, and we recall that truth when we say the words, it changes from just a thing we say to something good and powerful.<br /><br />This is a big difference between magic and prayer. A magician follows some kind of formula repeating words of an incantation that he might not even understand, in order to manipulate some power to do the will of the magician. Some people approach prayer to God in almost the same way, but true prayer is entering into communion with God so that the prayer conforms his will to God's will and receives power from God in order to obey.Greg Grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-527250992400751062016-03-22T13:33:50.967-05:002016-03-22T13:33:50.967-05:00Nicely done. I was wondering a bit where the story...Nicely done. I was wondering a bit where the story was going at first. Once the Walkman was purchased, I had my "ah-ha" moment. But your analogy is quite excellent, I think. I remember as a young boy seeing some old movie about St. Francis or St. Joan and thinking, "Hey, maybe I should make the sign of the Cross when I pray, too! That way God will know I'm really religious!" I tried it for a while but it didn't really seem to do anything. So I quit doing it. Much like the Walkman, there was something missing.Ruminationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10246365381547139800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-21727313278409190322016-03-21T04:45:46.187-05:002016-03-21T04:45:46.187-05:00I have started working on a book that I think will...I have started working on a book that I think will be called <i>A Brief History of Eternity</i>.Greg Grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-44744817605825027742016-03-20T21:57:12.443-05:002016-03-20T21:57:12.443-05:00Update?
Update?<br />kkollwitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17691145638703824456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-35512325288444713132015-05-22T19:38:41.562-05:002015-05-22T19:38:41.562-05:00I'm not yet, but I hope to soon.I'm not yet, but I hope to soon.Greg Grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11290074804358990591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-3209840889766491682015-05-22T17:11:12.741-05:002015-05-22T17:11:12.741-05:00Does this mean you're writing a book?Does this mean you're writing a book?kkollwitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17691145638703824456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-75698002081910844902014-10-04T16:13:22.000-05:002014-10-04T16:13:22.000-05:00Thérèse does have a very common-sense approach to ...Thérèse does have a very common-sense approach to the spiritual life that I can see would be attractive to Chesterton.Greg Grahamhttp://www.grahamtx.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-56092060855041493262014-10-02T04:39:25.000-05:002014-10-02T04:39:25.000-05:00Hi, Greg!From the "Because *Everything* is Re...Hi, Greg!<br><br>From the "Because *Everything* is Related to Chesterton" files: The Chestertons went to St. Teresa’s in Beaconsfield, the first church in England dedicated to her. The priest in charge of Chesterton's cause for canonization, Father Udris, was the parish priest there for a while. Seems like I recently heard a talk by him in which he drew strong connections between Thérèse of Lisieux and GKC… although at first glance one might wonder what the two had in common, besides Catholicism!<br><br>BTW, the next annual conf. of the American Chesterton Society (Oct, 2015, IIRC) will be in San Antonio! It sounds like fun… but I might be too Protestant. ;-)<br><br>Cheers…<br><br>RonRonHnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-51388728116821416842014-03-02T02:42:00.000-06:002014-03-02T02:42:00.000-06:00Thanks for the insightful comment, Greg. That is i...Thanks for the insightful comment, Greg. That is ironic that some use suffering as proof against God's existence.Greg Grahamhttp://www.grahamtx.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-77375856705303359692014-02-28T05:04:54.000-06:002014-02-28T05:04:54.000-06:00Thanks, Greg. I really appreciate your post. I f...Thanks, Greg. I really appreciate your post. I find Luke 9:23 interposed with Mk 8:34 to be interesting. One is from the perspective of follower, and the other the perspective of companion. Regardless of the perspective, Christ calls each of us to be dedicated to the mission regardless of the cost.<br><br>I find it interesting that many people point to suffering as the proof of non-existence of God, when Christians look at suffering as one of the natural consequences of true devotion TO God. Yes, we are called to alleviate suffering as we can and as we are directed, but this world will always have suffering, and obedience to Christ brings opposition from the world -- leading to personal suffering as we are conformed to the image of Christ.Greg Stovallnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-10084559078330213652014-02-10T03:01:29.000-06:002014-02-10T03:01:29.000-06:00I agree with the blind men and elephant analogy, a...I agree with the blind men and elephant analogy, and I think your explanation of solution to free will is another good way to look at it.Greg Grahamhttp://www.grahamtx.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-28009197089782327442014-02-10T14:14:20.000-06:002014-02-10T14:14:20.000-06:00:) On second thought, I think the "blind men...:) On second thought, I think the "blind men" analogy is inappropriate. If we are conformed to the Holy Spirit and are guided by His thoughts, then we're not blind to the spiritual realities anymore, are we? Oops...Greg Stovallnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-71131316482332928532014-02-10T01:59:23.000-06:002014-02-10T01:59:23.000-06:00Thanks, Greg! This was very interesting! As as c...Thanks, Greg! This was very interesting! As as child, I never did have the feeling that it was unfair that I should suffer as a result of Adam and Eve’s decisions — it was just a part of “what is” for me that we all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. God knew when he created Adam that, by virtue of the gift of free will, that Adam would choose to exert that will in a manner contrary to God’s desire. And that is what I constantly struggle with in life — to surrender, and keep surrendering my will to be in obedience to the Holy Spirit’s guiding — it is so easy to pick up the reins and try to reign on my own throne, the one that is rightfully reserved for God alone.<br>I think I comprehend the perspective that Thomas Acquinas was presenting. I don’t quite agree with his perspective — I wouldn’t agree that God allowed evil BECAUSE it would provide the opportunity for greater good. That would align with the idea that we should sin more so that grace can be more in evidence, which is explicitly opposed by Paul. Rather, God, in His infinity knowledge, knew that the natural and fundamental consequence of free will unbridled is opposition to God, and he already had the solution and bridge available so that man, expressing free will, could freely choose an eternal relationship with the eternal Father. I tend to think we Christians are all much like the blind men touching an elephant — each perceives a different part of the elephant, so some of our immediate descriptions are different, but we are all experiencing ultimately the same animal.Greg Stovallnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-15258258271767158622014-02-01T16:01:23.000-06:002014-02-01T16:01:23.000-06:00I will keep that in mind, Greg. I enjoy your blog....I will keep that in mind, Greg. I enjoy your blog. Thanks for keeping the Gospel real!Dave Phttp://Everystudent.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-32393611119682897162013-02-23T09:22:10.000-06:002013-02-23T09:22:10.000-06:00Looking forward to it, Greg!Looking forward to it, Greg!GregSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-3321986845764384172012-12-08T02:00:47.000-06:002012-12-08T02:00:47.000-06:00=) McGrath is ever an optimist when it comes to th...=) McGrath is ever an optimist when it comes to the triumph of the Gospel. He helps me keep things in perspective when I'm keen to fret about our culture and future. For more in depth analysis on the new atheism, try his Dawkins' Delusion:Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine or Dawkins' God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life.Alister McGrath fan (@AliMcGrathfan)http://twitter.com/AliMcGrathfannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-48457184593991508302012-12-26T20:37:30.000-06:002012-12-26T20:37:30.000-06:00[...] Why God Won’t Go Away (hoctempus.com) [...][...] Why God Won’t Go Away (hoctempus.com) [...]The Death of God…. Again « Pilgrim Outskirtshttp://pilgrimoutskirts.com/2012/12/27/the-death-of-god-again/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-69211715536773420132012-12-08T03:31:01.000-06:002012-12-08T03:31:01.000-06:00Thanks for the McGrath references; I will check th...Thanks for the McGrath references; I will check them out. I'm ultimately an optimist on the triumph of the Gospel, "upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." However, I don't know the exact shape this triumph will take, and I think things will likely get worse before they get better. Regardless, we should be prepared and not get discouraged if things do get worse. Our hope is not in positive trends, but in the fact that Christ is King.Greg Grahamhttp://hoctempus.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-51895355905608589262012-10-30T17:13:53.000-05:002012-10-30T17:13:53.000-05:00I really like both of your posts today, Greg! You ...I really like both of your posts today, Greg! You challenge Christians to put their faith in action on voting day, not just to be a critic - or even worse - a passive couch potato who thinks that their 'non-vote' is making some sort of statement of any sort. We are called by God to be supportive of the government, and as long as we get to vote on who runs the government, then voting is not only a privilege but also a solemn duty and opportunity to place in leadership those men and women who will best lead in a Godly and biblical way. To go out and vote for the best choice given to us, even if that person isn't Jesus (and neither I or you are either), is still much better than not voting - and as a result getting someone who is much less like Jesus and much more like Hitler. (I am not alluding that Romney or Obama are Jesus or Hitler, nor anyone else in the other races that we all need to get off of our duffs on election day and go vote for). That is my take on this Christian obligation that God has given us - one of the responsibilities of our FREEDOM in a nation UNDER GOD... so far. Maybe your vote and mine next week will determine how long that nation continues UNDER GOD.Davenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-16402110562317125502012-11-01T09:32:12.000-05:002012-11-01T09:32:12.000-05:00Many leaders, in both Catholic and Protestant deno...Many leaders, in both Catholic and Protestant denominations, are expressing just this. We are called to vote for who best mirrors the morals and values that God has revealed in his word. It should not be a matter of our own individual preferences for someone's style or history, but a spiritual analysis of how well what they do and what they say conforms to the ideals revealed by Christ.GregSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-23924737566403424822012-10-30T13:58:36.000-05:002012-10-30T13:58:36.000-05:00[...] ← We’re All Religious [...][...] ← We’re All Religious [...]Religious Liberty is Important | Hoc Tempushttp://hoctempus.com/2012/10/30/religious-liberty-is-important/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5538677.post-23608291603024070232012-10-04T16:54:34.000-05:002012-10-04T16:54:34.000-05:00I received some feedback that I should cite primar...I received some feedback that I should cite primary sources. I will try to come up with some and put them in the comments. One is _Science and Religion, A Historical Introduction_, ed. Gary B. Ferngren. It's a great source on the problems of the "conflict thesis" of Science versus Religion in history. The article on Galileo is very good.Greg Grahamhttp://hoctempus.comnoreply@blogger.com