Essay / Literature

The Gates of Linden Hills

by Fred Sanders on

(Linden Hills: A Novel, by Gloria Naylor. Three covers) A pilgrim and his poet-guide, side by side, gaze up at the gates and read the weather-beaten inscription: I am the way out of the city of woeI am the way…

Essay / Literature

Iliad: Why the Lattimore Translation

by Fred Sanders on

The curriculum of Torrey Honors College starts out with Homer's Iliad. This means the book has a special place in the life of our program: students we have admitted into the program but haven't met in person yet mostly read…

Essay / Theology

Seismic Retrofit Apologia

by Fred Sanders on

"When the people in the pew ask the pastor to explain the Trinity, they do not want clever analogies or carefully worded creeds. They want to know what Scripture says about the Trinity." Carl Beckwith says this in his book…

Essay / Theology

The Joy of the Lord

by Fred Sanders on

Luke 3:21-22, the baptism of Christ: “the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove…” Brothers and sisters, we are reading here about the Holy Spirit, so what is there for me…

Essay / Theology

Jesus Was Also Baptized

by Fred Sanders on

Luke 3:21: "Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying…" Picture the scene: There was a big crowd at the river, and people were getting dunked in the water by John,…

Essay / Theology

Webster's "Courses Charted but Not Taken"

by Fred Sanders on

A Companion to the Theology of John Webster is a great collection of essays on the development of Webster's theology, and on major doctrines important in his work. The epilogue is unique, though: it's a very helpful report and analysis…

Essay / Art

Jesse Hamm, Cartoonist's Cartoonist

by Fred Sanders on

Comics artist Jesse Hamm has died. Jesse worked in comic books at all levels: from the self-published days of photocopied zines, up through small presses and indie/alternative publishers, to Marvel & DC. Click through to the obituary at comics.com for…

Essay / Education

Torrey's Two Houses (2009)

by Fred Sanders on

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of Torrey Honors College, we're looking back at some important moments in our history. One of those is the expansion and division of the College (then known as an Institute) into two distinct houses.…

Essay / Theology

Introducing Junius on the Trinity

by Fred Sanders on

Franciscus Junius (1545-1602) was an important theologian in the Protestant Orthodox tradition. He is most famous for his influential Treatise on True Theology, with its profound approach to theological method. Junius taught widely across all the major doctrines of Christian…

Essay / Theology

"To Him Belongs the Consummation of Things"

by Fred Sanders on

Petrus van Mastricht's Theoretical-Practical Theology (volume 2, chapter 27) has an excellent treatment of the Holy Spirit. I just want to unpack a little something he says in the introductory paragraph, before he gets to the main body of the…

Essay / Theology

Polanus: Reformed Scholastic Piety and Commentary

by Fred Sanders on

Having worked through Amandus Polanus' axiomata on the Trinity, Ryan Hurd and I invited a guest, Dr. Ryan McGraw, to talk with us about his own encounters with the writings of Polanus. This conversation covers a few topic: First, we…

Essay / Theology

Ephesians (Classical Theology Course)

by Fred Sanders on

Talbot School of Theology's Master of Arts in Classical Theology is mostly composed of three kinds of courses: Commonplaces (major doctrines); Master Practitioners (significant theologians); and Sacred Page (books of Scripture). Since the entire MA is designed to treat Scripture…