The Scriptorium Daily

Author: Fred Sanders

  • We'll "Figure Out" the Trinity, Get It?

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    Fred Sanders
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    This January I’ll be teaching an intensive class on the Trinity as part of Biola’s innovative IRIS program. It’ll be a three-week class that I’ll be co-teaching with nine other Biola profs, intentionally stirring together as many academic disciplines as we can fit into one experience of general education. The 200 students who register for…

  • Happy Birthday, C.S. Lewis

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    Fred Sanders
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    Today (November 29) is the birthday of C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), the professor of English who just wanted to be left alone with his books and his handful of bookish friends. But he turned out to have a headful of exactly what the world needed: Christian faith that ran deep, that embraced the whole world…

  • Happy Birthday, John Bunyan

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    Fred Sanders
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    Today (November 28) is the birthday of John Bunyan (1628-1688). Most famous for his Pilgrim’s Progress, Bunyan also authored a number of theological and devotional works of lasting value. They all have that Bunyan charm: The fluency with Scripture, the lightning-quick associative leaps, the natural vigor, the homespun power of the English language. If you…

  • Happy Birthday, William Cowper

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    Fred Sanders
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    Today (November 26) is the birthday of English hymn writer William Cowper (1731 – 1800), who collaborated with John Newton on the collection called Olney Hymns. The most famous of the Olney Hymns is of course Newton’s Amazing Grace. Newton also wrote the lion’s share of the hymns in the collection. Newton could out-produce, out-promote,…

  • Happy Thanksgiving from the Pumpkin Diner

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    Fred Sanders
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    There’s an attitude of gratitude at the pumpkin diner, as the meals-with-friends-and-family part of the holiday kicks in. You can either be grumbly and hateful, or humbly grateful, so which is it gonna be? Today’s special speshle is turkey ham, according to the little bird who posts the menu. This detail is a good example…

  • Going Deeper with the Trinity Book

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    Fred Sanders
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    Here’s another set of reviews, responses, and reactions to my recent book The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything. Aaron Armstrong at Blogging Theologically says in his review that “we don’t have to settle for a shallow picture of God,” because God “wants us to experience all of Him—Father, Son and Spirit.”…

  • Unperplexed About the Church

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    Fred Sanders
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    There’s a series of books called Guides for the Perplexed, which is a Rambammish series title that promises to help you sort out your confusion. I don’t know how all the other books in the series are, but here’s one that really delivers on the promise: The Church: A Guide for the Perplexed, by Scriptorium’s…

  • Atlanta Crabapple Baptist Trinity!

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    Fred Sanders
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    This Thursday I’ll be talking about Why the Trinity Matters at a special event at Crabapple Baptist Church in Atlanta. I’m down south for the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, and am thrilled that I get to escape for a while to a local church to talk Trinity. The event is free, starting…

  • Psalmtooning 4: Ponder Ponder Ponder

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    Fred Sanders
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    The fourth Psalm, in graphic form by renowned interpreter Freddy Age Nine: Following a medieval tradition, Freddy Age Nine has taken the first letter of the Psalm (A is for “Answer me when I call”) and made it the architectural center of the composition. The A is not only the largest shape on the page,…

  • Hit 'em With the Rock of Ages

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    Fred Sanders
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    “Rock of Ages” is a great hymn, one of the best. Here is the bad news: It was written out of spite, by a bitter and narrow-minded young man who couldn’t keep his personal hatred from over-flowing into his prayers and songs. Here is the good news: God rescued the hymn from the defects of…

  • Read for Craft, Stay Happy, Try to Help: Tips on Writing

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    Fred Sanders
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    Andrew Faris over at Someone Tell Me The Story recently posted a short interview he did with me on the subject of writing. Along the way I ranted about the current state of theological writing, recommended a few resources, and said ridiculous things like “ignore your audience.” But there’s also some good advice in there,…

  • The Trinitarian Theology of Billy Graham

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    Fred Sanders
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    Today (November 7) is the birthday of Billy Graham, born in 1918. When you look back over the turbulent twentieth century, the ministry of Billy Graham stands out as remarkably steady and consistent. Compared to the fates of other prominent evangelists who stood in the spotlight through these long and perplexing decades, it’s tempting to…