Category Archives: Theological

Towards a Kenotic Anthropology Part 2

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Alastair Roberts

Within this post I conclude the piece I posted yesterday. I wrote this over four years ago now, and probably wouldn’t express my position in quite the same way today. However, I think that there are some things worth exploring … Continue reading →

Posted in Theological | 4 Comments

Towards a Kenotic Anthropology Part 1

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Alastair Roberts

I wrote this piece over four years ago now. I have some reservations about it now, and probably wouldn’t express myself in quite the same way. However, I think that there is something worth exploring here. I will post the … Continue reading →

Posted in Theological | 3 Comments

Peter Leithart on the Song

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Alastair Roberts

Even as an erotic poem, the Song has much to teach. Robert Alter observes that in much of the world’s erotic literature, “the body in the act of love often seems to displace the rest of the world.” By contrast … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, OT, OT Theology, Theological | 1 Comment

Jeremy Begbie on Theology Through the Arts

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Alastair Roberts

Via Daniel Stoddart. Well worth watching. I have long been a fan of Jeremy Begbie. During my time in St Andrews he delivered one of the best sermons I have ever heard at St Salvator’s Chapel. I highly commend his … Continue reading →

Posted in Theological, Video | 1 Comment

Eating and the Perfection of Our Nature

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Alastair Roberts

Another old post. Bear in mind that you should conduct yourself in life as at a feast. – Epictetus (55AD-135AD) We are not infrequently reminded of the reality of our animal nature, of how much we share in common with the … Continue reading →

Posted in The Sacraments | 6 Comments

Why There Are No Theological Problems

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Alastair Roberts

Jacques Maritain somewhere makes a distinction that I find helpful between a ‘problem’ and a ‘mystery’. A problem admits of a solution – ‘can you prove Fermat’s last theorem?’ ‘is there intelligent life elsewhere in the universe?’ ‘does the Higgs … Continue reading →

Posted in The Blogosphere, Theological | 2 Comments

‘Symbol and Sacrament’ Chapter 3: Subjects and Mediation

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Alastair Roberts

Symbol and Sacrament Posts: Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2:I, Chapter 2:II, Chapter 4:I, Chapter 4:II, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7 Reality always comes to us in a mediated form, being constructed by the symbolic order. This symbolic order designates the system of connections between the different elements … Continue reading →

Posted in My Reading, Philosophy, Reviews, The Sacraments, Theological | 11 Comments

‘Symbol and Sacrament’ Chapter 2:II: Theology After Heidegger

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Alastair Roberts

Symbol and Sacrament Posts: Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2:I, Chapter 3, Chapter 4:I, Chapter 4:II, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7 In the previous post in this series, I sketched Chauvet’s summary of Heidegger’s challenge to traditional metaphysical thinking. At this point, Chauvet turns from summarizing Heidegger … Continue reading →

Posted in My Reading, Philosophy, Reviews, The Sacraments, Theological | 10 Comments

‘Symbol and Sacrament’ Chapter 2:I: Heidegger and the Overcoming of Metaphysics

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Alastair Roberts

Symbol and Sacrament Posts: Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2:II, Chapter 3, Chapter 4:I, Chapter 4:II, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7 [I have split this chapter into two parts, as it is rather dense and philosophical, but worth spending time over.] Having highlighted the problematic … Continue reading →

Posted in My Reading, Philosophy, Reviews, The Sacraments, Theological | 10 Comments

Leithart on Empire

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Alastair Roberts

2) Power is unevenly distributed. Some individuals are more powerful, productive, creative, and wealthy than others, and so are some nations. That is uncontrovertible, but the corollary is important: Whether unevenly distributed power is good or evil depends on its use. Unequal … Continue reading →

Posted in Society, Theological | Leave a comment