Of the numerous intrigues present in The Peloponnesian War, Thucydides’ (pronounced: thoo sid id ees) use of speeches is paramount. Within the narrative he includes forty-one different speeches. What is so interesting is how Thucydides approaches the inclusion of these speeches compared to how he ascertains his information for his narrative. Of the speeches he says, […]
Life & Culture
Classical Christian Education
During the 20 years I spent in pastoral ministry, I had the privilege of starting and teaching in two Christian Schools. Having a passion for teaching, naturally, that’s where I turned for employment and ministry while finishing my own education. Today, I’m privileged to be teaching Integrated Humanities and Pre-algebra at Logos Online School, based out of […]
10 Ideas for a Fruitful New Year
We’re just a couple of days away from the New Year and advice about resolutions is as bounteous as leftover Christmas fruitcake, and nearly as appetizing. Since offering such advice is as traditional as eating aforementioned fruitcake at Christmas, I didn’t see any reason why I should be the one to overturn our Abeline Paradox […]
C.S. Lewis: An Admonishing Angel for the Modern Age
Like the 49ers of the California Gold Rush, hoards of writers, educators and theologians have flocked to the Sutter’s Mill of English literature, hoping to stake a claim and strike it rich in literary ore.
The Easiest Way to Keep Your Kids Out of Jail!
There is a 67% chance your child will end up in jail or on welfare if he or she is not reading proficiently by the 4th grade. That’s according to literacy statistics provided at begintoread.org. Studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, support this statistic, citing 70% of adult […]
A Personal Update – 07.09.2015
A couple of years ago I took a sabbatical, in part to seek the Lord for how I should proceed in ministry. I had been wrestling through some personal issues of vision and direction. Mainly, I felt somewhat unsettled in my calling. Our family had just made a journey out of an unhealthy spiritual context, and […]
Who’s Driving this Ship Anyway?
In 1831, Alexis De Tocqueville toured the new American republic. In celebration of the greatness of the American experiment so many men and women gave their Lives, their Fortunes and their sacred Honor to secure and protect, I offer the following few of his manifold observations (and the added bonus of my very brief but poignant perspective): Among […]
For the Weekend 2015.06.26
A Weekend Reminder When the children of Israel were exiled into Babylon, the Lord told them to seek the welfare of the city until He returned to establish their dominion again: “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in […]
Dirty Shoes and Scraped-up Knees
There’s a maxim that’s said to be an African Proverb: “A man who walks two roads will soon split his pants.” I can’t verify the source of the saying, but I can verify the truth of it. You cannot travel in two different directions long, maybe a step or two, before you stagnate. You have to make […]
The Slow Fires of Misery
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2–4, ESV) photo credit: Public Domain Immortalized in the portraits of Abraham Lincoln […]