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Monday, July 13, 2015

On getting that Christian liberal arts major

Why I do it:
General revelation also has a certain value for the Christian religion. Not that it provides us with a religio naturalis, which is quite sufficient in itself and therefore renders all supernatural revelation superfluous. Such a natural religion does not exist, and is in fact impossible. Neither can it be said that the Christian derives his knowledge of God first of all from general revelation, and then supplements this with the knowledge of Christ. He derives his theological knowledge of God from special revelation only; this is his principium unicum. Yet there is a close relation between the two. Special revelation has incorporated, corrected, and interpreted general revelation. And now the Christian theologian takes his stand on the Word of God, and from that point of vantage also contemplates nature and history. He reads God's revelation with the eye of faith and in the light of God's Word, and for that very reason is able to see God's hand in nature, and His footsteps in history. He sees God in everything round about him, and is thereby lead to a proper appreciation of the world. Moreover, general revelation offers the Christian a basis, on which he can meet and argue with unbelievers. The light of the Logos that lighteth every man is also a bond that unites all men. The whole creation testifies with many voices that man is created in the image of God, and therefore cannot find rest except in God. Finally, it is also due to God's general revelation that His special revelation is not, as it were, suspended in the air, but touches the life of the world at every point. It maintains the connection between nature and grace, between the world and the kingdom of God, between the natural and the moral order, between creation and re-creation.

(Berkhof, Introductory Volume to Systematic Theology, in Systematic Theology, pp. 131-132.)

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Roadtripping (part 1)

If thou be'st born to strange sights,
    Things invisible to see,
Ride ten thousand days and nights,
   Till age snow white hairs on thee,
Thou, when thou returnest, wilt tell me
All strange wonders that befell thee.

John Donne
As if running around Europe weren't enough excitement for one year, I took the natural course of action and planned two back-to-back roadtrips a month after getting home. What can I say? I'm 1/4 Bohemian. Gypsies and stuff. Anyways.

Trip #1: Arizona.

Three of us from my church and the one who planted us drove out to Flagstaff for a Reformed Baptist young adult conference. Got to see Drs. Jim Renihan & James White speak, so it was pretty much Disneyland for theology nerds. Ironically, the highlight of the trip was reconnecting with my soulmate friend Savannah on the drive to and from AZ. We are basically the same person, and have lived an hour and a half away from each other this whole time. Even before it was over, I knew this was one of my favorite trips....ever. Got to meet 130 other young Reformed Baptists, saw the gorgeousness that is the Southwest, and talked theology almost the whole 24-hour drive. It does not get much better.

A big group of us caravaned out to the Grand Canyon and climbed
out onto this cliff. Being Reformed Baptists, we proceeded to have a hymn sing.

Awwww
Daniel third-wheeling it
Sunrise over the Grand Canyon
My mother failed to see the humor in this picture