The Scriptorium Daily

Author: Paul Spears

  • Pursuing a World of Dreams

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    Paul Spears
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    Daily, I see people pursuing things they believe will make them happy. They live lives where one must be sleep deprived to the point of exhaustion to really be taking advantage of all that this life has to offer. They are always looking for the newest thing-be it the newest movie, TV show or iPhone.…

  • Shame on You

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    Paul Spears
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    We have all done it before. Driving home from an enjoyable evening with friends we start to replay the evening events and conversations in our mind. In the darkness of the night alone with only our own thoughts and the passing headlights we dissect our conversations with the skill of a forensic pathologist. Then, like…

  • Planet Narnia Author Michael Ward to Speak at Biola

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    Paul Spears
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    The Torrey Honors Institute of Biola University is honored to have Cambridge’s own Dr. Michael Ward speaking for us this Monday evening on his new piece of C.S. Lewis scholarship. Through medieval cosmology, Planet Narnia claims to provide the imaginative key to understanding the Chronicles of Narnia. This work is already launching Dr. Ward to…

  • Torrey Students Share Their Memories of Clyde Cook

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    Paul Spears
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    Dr. Clyde Cook was a great man who was much beloved by his students at Biola University. Several students at the Torrey Honors Institute submitted short reflections in honor of this wonderful man of God. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Anna Belle and the entire Cook family. —————————————————————————————————————— A year ago…

  • Dallas Willard Carries a Big Stick

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    Paul Spears
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    We have all heard the famous quote by President Teddy Roosevelt, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” Roosevelt was talking about his foreign policy when he made that famous quote. If you have ever heard Dallas Willard speak you have experienced the academic version of that saying. He speaks in modest tones, but his…

  • Foundations for University Study

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    Paul Spears
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    It is amazing how much time and effort parents put into raising their children. We get them immunized, take them to the dentist, and pray that they don’t need braces. We take them to birthday parties, soccer, football and basketball practice. Given all the effort we put into the raising of our children, it is…

  • Trafficking in Substance a Blogging Dilemma

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    Paul Spears
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    The Case for Blog Euthanasia There was a time when everyone had a blog. Now there are thousands of blogs abandoned on the internet. People have discovered that blogging is hard work, and most individuals don’t want to put in the effort. Since when did new media equal one’s malformed thoughts badly edited? A blog…

  • Thank God for Dopamine

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    Paul Spears
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    As adults we realize that it is not socially acceptable to loudly complain. Parents realize that if they have a child who is constantly complaining their parental fitness will be called into question. Of course, parents want to look like they have their own house under control (yeah right) so they teach their children the…

  • Fairness, Chocolate Cake and Neurosurgery

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    Paul Spears
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    That’s not fair! When you live in a house with children you come to realize that the concept of fair/unfair is the lens through which they view most of the world. For example, when there is only one piece of chocolate cake in the house and two children you have a problem. Some parents have…

  • Principles Poll Badly

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    Paul Spears
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    Imagine a world where slavery is still a normal part of our daily lives. What if the North under Abraham Lincoln’s presidency assented to the demands of the Southern states and allowed for both the continuation of slavery and the creation of new slave states? If Lincoln was the kind of man who was moved…

  • Harry Potter is Dreadful and Vulgar

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    Paul Spears
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    Everyone has something to say about Harry Potter. It is such a major phenomenon that people can’t keep themselves from talking about it, but in truth Harry Potter is dreadful and vulgar—and that is not a bad thing. My first encounter with Harry Potter books began seven years ago because of the firestorm of controversy…

  • Honorable Education

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    Paul Spears
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    It is beginning of August, and I am starting to think about the coming school year. Soon students will be returning to the university with a new or renewed sense of commitment to their academic pursuits. First year students are especially interesting to watch. Not only are they trying to figure out where their dorm…