The Wrong Holiday
Christmas is rapidly approaching. Most churches are well into the advent season; Poinsettias and garland adorn their sanctuaries. There is one dynamic which can be reliably observed in evangelical churches…
The Star in the East
Nativity scenes are one of the time-honored traditions of the Christmas season. Such displays vary widely in style but have a number of fixed elements. The central figure, of course, is the…
Moral Tectonics
For thousands of years, humanity has suffered the deadly effects of earthquakes and volcanic activity. Famously, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. obliterated the Roman town of Pompeii.…
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords
Christmas is nearly here! I'd like to wrap up the season by completing our analysis of the Hallelujah chorus. Handel's Messiah (which contains the Hallelujah chorus) is performed all over…
The Wrong Shall Fail, The Right Prevail
Last week we began celebrating the music of the Christmas season. Our world has been immeasurably enriched by sacred works inspired by the birth of Jesus the Messiah. Yet we…
Songs of the Season
Now that we've celebrated Thanksgiving, the Christmas season is upon us. For many folks, music is the single most enjoyable part of the holiday. Indeed, my wife is so eager…
The Very First Christmas Songs
Christmas is indeed a wonderful time of the year. For many folks, Christmas music is an especially enjoyable part of the season. In order to meet this demand, some radio…
The Ultimate Power Struggle
We learned in last week's blog that Christmas is all about the confluence of religion and politics. Christmas is of course religious in that it's a part of the unfolding…
Talking Politics at Christmas Dinner
There is an old adage which says that when you're in polite company there are two subjects which should be avoided at all costs - religion and politics. The reason…
The Great Reversal in the Divine Court
On the day before Easter, precisely no one thought Jesus was the Messiah. Even his closest followers like Peter, who had previously declared Jesus to be Israel's anointed king, surely…