Theology and Classics
The last ‘Knysna elephant’ may not be a proper Knysna elephant. Compare pictures and judge for yourself. Nearly all Knysna elephants were butchered by hunters before 1920. By that time there were possibly 7 left. Towards the end of the 20th century, in 1996, the population was reported to be functionally extinct, with only a …
Did you know that St Nicolas day was once the start of an evil abuse, called the “boy bishop”? On the 6th of December a boy from the choristers or the local grammar school was chosen to be ‘bishop’. He dressed up like one, with staff and miter, plus friends as ‘priests’ to match. This …
All Hallows Eve 2024 is nearly upon us. A suitable time to reflect on the state of the western church. Where has existentialist theology brought us? Back to pagan religion, if Harvard University is any indication. Monday evenings worship at the Harvard Memorial Chapel, the campus church of Harvard University, tells us all about it: …
Dr David Daintree is director of the Christopher Dawson Centre for Cultural Studies in Australia. In this conversation we discuss the state of Western civilisation and its important features, perhaps the most important one that it is grounded in a material and spiritual reality that cannot be changed by our perception and only ignored to …
Dr David Daintree: I think about death every day Read More »
This summer I had the priviledge of visiting the lovely town of Marburg in Germany. Having been at the Wartburg Castle earlier, I continued to follow in the footsteps of Elizabeth of Thuringia and Martin Luther. Both have an important connection to Marburg as well. Elizabeth founded a Franciscan hospital, which continued to be administered …
Zaterdag sprak ik in Amsterdam bij de St Nicolaas Academie over het thema ‘Schijnvrijheid anno 2024. Natuur en Schriftuur als kenbronnen van de ethische grondstructuur van de samenleving, belicht vanuit Dante en Hiëronymus Bosch.’ Luister mee op Spotify of iTunes.
Wartburg Castle in Thüringia is know as Martin Luther’s refuge. Also for the very productive time which he spent there, amongst many other things, translating the New Testament in German, albeit with lots of help of the Vulgate. The wooden panneling and possibly the footstool are original or date from that period. This is also …
Münster played an important role in Christian history. This is a story about Anabaptists and their opponents: a married bishop and an earl who turned bigamist.Three cages on the tower of the Lambert Church still remind us of the terrrible fate of the leaders of the Anabaptist takeover of this city in the early 1530’s. …
This summer I paid a visit to Köln, with Santiago de Compostella and Canterbury one of the important pilgrimage destinations in the Middle Ages. According to medieval legend the wise men who visited Jesus at his birth were three in number, kings from different generations. The shiny golden casket at the back of the choir …
From Russia 1917, to Iraq, Afghanistan and purposefully creating the Ukraine situation as we know it. Western interventionism. Peter Hitchens summarized it wonderfully, last month in the debating room of the students of the Cambridge Union. Some good news, the statement of this House that “Believes Western Interventionism Has Been a Force For Good” was …
From St. Stephen’s day to St. Basil’s, I had the privilege to walk in the footsteps of Martin Luther. Visiting Luther’s home, also Melanchton’s, the Schlosskirche and Stadtkirche were among the highlights.
In het nooit verloren vergezicht van dominee Jac van Dijk ontbreekt een belangrijk vers van het gedicht dat hij citeert. Dit werpt licht op de depressiviteit van zijn late levensjaren.
Happy Christmas tot all my readers, well wishers, brethren and friends, close by and far away! “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” …
Gods Woord als licht op ons pad, juist als het donker is Tot enkele eeuwen geleden kenden we in West-Europa een Christelijke samenleving. Hoewel er ook toen gezondigd werd, was deze gebouwd op een Christelijk wereldbeeld. De wil van God was kenbaar. Zowel Gods algemene openbaring (schepping) als de bijzondere openbaring van Zijn Woord beschenen …
Vandaag heb ik het genoegen u, als lezer van mijn blog, een uniek plezier te doen, met een magistrale redevoering over het ontstaan van ons volkslied, het Wilhelmus. De spreker is één van Neerlands grootste redenaars uit de twintigste eeuw: Anton van Duinkerken. Godfried Bomans (Die vond men de beste, blz.168-171) beschreef hem ooit als …