The title of this post says what you need to know about this play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, bearing the ascription, “based on an original new story by J. K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne; a new play by Jack Thorne.” Here are my complaints, as they come to me: The characters are …
Category Archives: Art
Great Books Selections for Fall 2015 and Spring 2016
When I was choosing which books to assign for Great Books at Boyce College this year, I googled the topic and surveyed the choices others had made. Teaching Great Books has been a joy to my heart. I was an English major, and I wish I could talk about these books like my teacher, the eloquent Skip …
Continue reading “Great Books Selections for Fall 2015 and Spring 2016”
Don’t Try to Learn History from the Movies
Edward Rothstein asks, “Whose History Is It, Anyway?” in the Wall Street Journal, and don’t miss this important section on the recent movie “Selma”: “Selma” is more complicated. You might conclude from the film that President Lyndon Johnson’s staff was untrustworthy on civil rights, while Johnson himself was actually nefarious, regardeding Martin Luther King Jr. …
Continue reading “Don’t Try to Learn History from the Movies”
Andrew Peterson: My Love Has Gone Across the Sea
Andrew Peterson’s The Monster in the Hollows has this lovely lyric embedded within the wider story: My love has gone across the sea To find a country far and fair He sailed into the gilded west And lo, my heart will never rest Until my love returns to me Or I set out to find him there. …
Continue reading “Andrew Peterson: My Love Has Gone Across the Sea”
Their Finest Hour
The incomparable Winston Churchill: What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and …
Reading a Chiasm Helically
In his brilliant and thought provoking book, Deep Exegesis, Peter Leithart writes (167): “In a book happily back in print, John Breck argues that chiasms are not ‘balanced structures, but instead are dynamic literary devices. He suggests that chiasms should be read ‘helically,’ moving not just from A to B to C to B’ and so …
All the world’s a stage
William Shakespeare, As You Like It, Act II, scene 7: All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms. Then …
Shelby Foote on Hard Work
In a letter to Walker Percy, Shelby Foote exhorted Percy to get to work on his desire to write fiction, saying something that is true about any craftsman pursuing any craft: “But the most heart-breaking thing about it is: the better you get, the harder youll have to work–because your standards will rise with your ability. I …
The Stone by The Gray Havens
Just in time for Easter, check out this creative lyric video from The Gray Havens: Available at Bandcamp (where they would prefer you get it) and Amazon.
“The Legend of the Sunken Mountains” by Andrew Peterson
We’re fans around here of Andrew Peterson’s Wingfeather Saga, and in the run-up to the real release of Book Four, The Warden and the Wolf King, we are reading back over the first three volumes. We just finished volume one, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, which includes this poem, “The Legend of the …
Continue reading ““The Legend of the Sunken Mountains” by Andrew Peterson”
We Watch Every Year, by Spencer Haygood
Spencer Haygood shared this Dr. Seuss style poem with me for the Christmas season. I loved it, and he gave me permission to post it here. Enjoy! We Watch Every Year! B. Spencer Haygood, Jr We all know the story, we’ve all heard it told, of the Who’s down in Whoville, and the Grinch, …
The Glorious Calling of the Mother
Just yesterday I was asked: does the Bible teach that women are to do anything more than schlepp kids and keep house? Proverbs 31 has lots to say about what wise women do, but this video turns the question on its head, capturing the profound majesty of mothering: 3 Queens from Matt Bieler on Vimeo.
Once More on the Cover of What Is Biblical Theology?
I gave my take on the cover of What Is Biblical Theology?, and today Josh Dennis alerted me to a post on the same from the photographer who came up with the cover and executed it. Here’s a snippet: By recreating the image and replacing the apple with a Bible, this application fit so well with …
Continue reading “Once More on the Cover of What Is Biblical Theology?”
What Rowling Said about Dumbledore
I’m sure you’ve heard what J. K. Rowling said about Albus Dumbledore: “I always thought of Dumbledore as gay.” Dumbledore is a hero, one of the good guys through all seven novels. Unlike the way he is portrayed in the movies, Dumbledore is neither bumbling nor weak. He is commanding, authoritative, strong, sure, and only …
This Sermon Is a Work of Art
H. B. Charles set the chapel on fire today at SBTS. I recommend you watch rather than simply listen:
The Cover of What Is Biblical Theology?
What’s with the cover of What Is Biblical Theology? You might find the image vaguely familiar, though it was new to me when Crossway suggested this cover. Turns out it’s a relatively well known piece by the Belgian surrealist Rene Magritte entitled “Son of Man.” I was really impressed when, showing the proposed cover to …
Warden and the Wolf King Kickstarter
We’re big fans of Andrew Peterson‘s work in word and song here at the Hamilton house, and we’re excited about the fourth book of the Wingfeather Saga, The Warden and the Wolf King. My oldest son drew this picture of Janner after we watched the kickstarter video on the new book. This kickstarter is the most …
The Leaves Declare the Glory of God
Thanks to Tim Challies for the link to this video, which explains how God programmed the leaves to change color:
The Future Is Futile for Forces of Evil: And So They Did Scorn Them in Times Midieval
From 10ofthose.com: While Halloween can often be a time associated with ghosts, devils and darkness, this video is designed to share the good news that Jesus is the light of the world! We are making this film available for free and encourage you share it with your friends via social media as well as showing at …
Coloring Pages for The Bible’s Big Story
The more senses we involve in an activity, the more we learn. I am delighted that Christian Focus has posted three “coloring pages” from The Bible’s Big Story. Here’s hoping these will bring tactile delight and result in deeper awareness of the world’s true story, a story of sin, promise, and triumphant redemption. We print coloring …