New Video and News Round Up
This week I have been getting a skin cancer cut out of my face, a bit of writing, preparing for the next semester, and trying to stay warm!
New Video
In this video, I briefly explore the life and theology of Augustine, dive into the transformative journey of his life from restlessness and indulgence to his profound conversion to Christianity. This video explores Augustine's intense spiritual quest for truth, his initial embrace of Manichaeanism, and his eventual disillusionment with the sect. I describe his pivotal spiritual awakening in Milan, which steered him towards significant intellectual pursuits and laid the foundation for his theological legacy.
News of the Week
The Rest is Politics - USA. Great analysis by Anthony Scaramucci and Katty Kay on the Trump-Biden 2024 presidential debate. Here’s my commentary on that:
St. George and his Dragon. Great podcast from The Rest is History about St. George and how a Cappadocian soldier/martyr became the adopted saint of England!
AI for plagiarism. There are now websites out there that promise to write your essays for you and proudly boast that their work cannot be detected with AI detection software like Turnitin. Sad to say, I think this is bait for stupid students to be blackmailed or extorted!
Louisiana changes its constitution so it could put the 10 Commandments in All Schools. I can understand putting the Ten Commandments outside a courthouse, you know, because they are laws and our judicial system is indebted to the Judeo-Christian tradition. Such a monument makes sense historically and resonates with people’s religion. But putting the Ten Commandments in all schools? Let me be clear: The kids need the gospel, not law! Rather than the Ten Commandments, I’d prefer John 3:16 or Romans 5:8. Of course, whether Scripture belongs in this sense is an open question. Otherwise, any religious whacko could get a license to put his or her stuff in school, like Satanists, or even worse, coffee worshippers and Packers fans! I’m all for religious education in schools, but you should not demand it or impose it an an emblem of hegemony. Of course, putting the Ten Commandments in the Oval Office might warn a few presidents about adultery!
Putin’s Visit to North Korea. I’m not saying George W. Bush was right about the “Axis of Evil,” but I do want to ask a question: “Have you noticed the new axis of evil?” Check out the Caspian Report on what a war in the Korean peninsula would look like today!
Audio commentary below!
I so agree with you on the ten commandments!! Of course if we were living the Sermon on the Mount then maybe many people would ask us what the source of our flourishing or blessedness is and then we can give the gospel out that way also.
What was Trump’s stand on Israel? I heard him use Palestinian as a slur but I could get a clear view of his plan for Israel.