Deus Misereatur

  Recently, Jay Sklar, Old Testament prof. at Covenant Theological Seminary, read and reviewed " Beyond Outrage ". Here's what he wrote: "I remember once saying to a physical therapist, “I’ve been trying this new exercise. It requires me to lie on my back and raise my leg in an awkward way. The problem is that every time I do it, I feel tis funny pain in my back. What should I do to avoid the pain?” The physical therapist looked at me and said, “Stop doing the exercise.” I share tis story to illustrate that simple common sense can help us avoid much pain and aggravation. Michael Philliber's book, Beyond Outrage, is full of such advice. Philliber’s target is the outrage that so often plays out in our lives in response to media, whether social or more traditional forms. While noting that certain things should lead to outrage, he also shows how much of the outrage today we experience is unnecessary and could be avoided if we remember a few simple principles. These i

  Here's what Jay Sklar, Old Testament professor at Covenant Theological Seminary, said about " Our Heads on Straight ": "The New Testament commands and commends “sober-mindedness” for Christians—far more often than I ever realized. What does that mean? What should it look like? Philliber provides a helpful, pastoral answer to those questions, defining sober-mindedness as “having your head on straight” and showing what that should look like in the Christian life today. The chapters are short and each focused on one aspect of sober-mindedness. In a few places, the connection to the book’s overall theme does not seem overly tight, but the book as a whole is a series of wonderful meditations on this important (but often overlooked) theme. (I would also note that he applies this theme in a subsequent book, Beyond Outrage, to the topic of how we interact with media—social or traditional—today. It is an excellent read!)" I'm so very grateful for his kind words! M

  Blessed are you, O Sovereign Lord, God of our ancestors: to you be praise and glory forever. You called the patriarchs and matriarchs to live by faith and to journey in the hope that you are the God of your word. May we, similarly, be obedient to your call, be ready and watchful to receive your Son and live forward in hope-filled trust and joy. Thank you that in the fullness of time you sent your Son, born of a woman, born under the law, born into a low condition, who underwent the miseries of this life. Therefore, we implore you to look in on those who find this time of year a grief and hardship due to painful memories, sorrowful losses, adversarial family relations, broken promises, and impending privations. May the Gospel-hope ricocheting around the walls and halls in the Christmas carols, lift their hearts and faces to look up to you and rejoice in Spirit-birthed confidence. As your Son was born in a time of great conflict, of oppression, of “might-makes-right,” of faith and reli