The Parsha: Genesis 44:18-47:27
Then Judah went up to him and said, “O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself. My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’ And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a young brother, the child of his old age. His brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children, and his father loves him.’ Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down…
December 30, 2005 | Permalink
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Fighting with Locked Suitcases
In The Last Word, N.T. Wright discusses how in many circles and particularly in Christian circles we use shorthand phrases to convey a larger truth. As an example he gives shows us how we use the phrase "the atonement." He says: This phrase (the atonement) is rare in the Bible itself; instead, we find things like "the Messiah died for our sins according to the scriptures"; "God so loved the world that he gave his only son," and so on. But if we are to discuss the atonement, it is easier to do so with a single phrase, assumed to…
December 30, 2005 | Permalink
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Always Winter and Never Christmas
As I continue to reflect on Lewis' story The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe I have been considering what it was like to live in a world where it is always Winter and never Christmas. As we have just finished the Advent season where we await the coming of God in the flesh, we remember what it was like for those living before Jesus and our own lives before we hailed Jesus as King of Everything. I remember what darkness and cold were like living without the reality of the greatest Christmas gift ever. We must remember that there…
December 29, 2005 | Permalink
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Strawmen and False Dichotomies
I have grown increasingly tired of strawmen being constructed in arguments and false dichotomies being created for the sake of argument. These two logical fallacies are perhaps the most frequently used and I would venture to say the least frequently recognized. A bit of background: A strawman is a false portrayal of the opposing sides position that is most often created for easy debunking. A false dichotomy is when a division is created or demostrated that may not be a real division or does not accurately represent other choices. Often called the false dilemma, it poses options which are a…
December 28, 2005 | Permalink
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The Subversive Gospel
The Gospel proclaimation that the Kingdom of God is here is subversive in the mere declaration that a true King is on the throne. God has claimed victory in Jesus' death and resurrection. If this reality enters the hearts and minds of followers of Jesus they will truly live differently for they will be living for a different King. It is in this realization that the Gospel subverts all other rulers, ideologies and worldviews opposed to the knowledge of God without every addressing them directly. It is a quiet subversion. Quiet because it never needs to threaten or even encounter…
December 27, 2005 | Permalink
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The Power of Stories
On Friday evening I went to see the new Steven Spielberg movie, Munich. This movie is a story of a Mossad agent who was contracted to assassinate the Palestinian leaders who were part of Black September. WARNING: Small Spoiler - if you will be seeing the movie, wait to read this until you have watched the movie. One particular series of scenes in the movie drove home the idea of narrative in a powerful way. It began with one of the Palestinians who was going to be the target of an assassination. The man had recently translated the book 1001…
December 26, 2005 | Permalink
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Merry Christmas!
Around this time of year I am reminded particularly of the political correctness that pervades our culture. People are very careful around school and workplaces to say Happy Holidays and Seasons Greetings rather than any particular holiday greeting like Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza or Happy Hannakuh. I grow weary of hearing well wishing that has no real substance behind it. What does it mean when someone says Happy Holidays? Are they saying that they wish me all of the assorted holidays this time of year are happily enjoyed by me? Or are they stating in the affirmative that all the…
December 25, 2005 | Permalink
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B.A. on the Albert Mohler Program
On Thursday I called into the Albert Mohler on Thursday to discuss the Barbara Walters program "Heaven: Where Is It? How Do We Get There?" that was shown on Tuesday at 9 pm on ABC. Barbara interviewed representatives from Islam, Buddhim, and Christianity among others. Dr. Mohler was discussing the response given by the various representatives and specifically he dealt with Ted Haggart's response. Ted is the Pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His response was unenthusiastic about the Gospel and his statement about Heaven was disappointing. Here is the link to the whole show and a…
December 24, 2005 | Permalink
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The Parsha: Genesis 41:1-44:17
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass. And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke. And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were…
December 23, 2005 | Permalink
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It's a Man!
Well, it is Friday. The end of the work week and we are headed into the celebration of Jesus' birth. With the end of the work week in mind I have found the most ridiculous news item. This story coming from an Australian newspaper shows just the reason you should check out what your bride looks like behind the veil before you marry. The 26-year-old groom-to-be, Tamer Shehata, was notified by a female guest attending his wedding that his would-be wife was a man in women's clothing. The last line of the story is the kicker: Mr Abo Zeid, whose…
December 23, 2005 | Permalink
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The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrode
Last evening I viewed The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for the second time. I noticed a few more subtle aspects of the film. I am amazed at how Lewis is able to use this myth to stir up different emotions upon each reading, or now viewing, of his story. Last evening it was the supper at the Beaver's house or should we say dam that stood out to me. The scene begins with Mrs. Beaver showing her hospitality and then they begin discussing the Good News about Aslan. Mr. Beaver gets so excited in telling about Aslan and…
December 21, 2005 | Permalink
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Introduction to the Gospel
The Gospel has been confused in some recent years. Specifically, what is the Good News or the Gospel? The Good News or Gospel is that Jesus is the true Lord. In other words, the Gospel is that God the person of Jesus had brought the eschatological future to the present in Jesus' death and resurrection and through that has achieved victory. You may be saying, "I thought the Good News was that Jesus offers a free gift of grace by his death and resurrection." In response to that I would say that certainly is good news for which I am…
December 20, 2005 | Permalink
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The Hours
Directed by Stephen Daldry, The Hours portrays the effects of Virginia Woolf’s novel Mrs. Dalloway on three generations of women played by Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, and Meryl Streep. Through the talented and moving cast, also starring Ed Harris, The Hours radiates a structurally sound Secular Humanist worldview. The characters in this film take their worldview to its logical conclusion, and thus, there is nothing “wrong” with The Hours from a worldview Perspective. Reflecting Mrs. Dalloway, each character struggles to find purpose and meaning in his or her life. Daldry opens the film with 1920’s character Virginia Woolf passing “the…
December 17, 2005 | Permalink
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The Body, Christ's Body
"From the first generation of the Church, eating together was a sign of the breaking down of boundaries between Christians of different groups: Jew and Greek (Galatians 2), rich and poor (1 Corinthians 11), and so on. This was a sign of God's saving justice going out into all the world. When this caused difficulties, Paul was adamant, in the name of Jesus who had included everyone at his table, that unity there was not negitiable. 'We, who are many, are one bread, one body - for we all partake of the one bread' (1 Corinthians 10:17). Sharing Communion together…
December 17, 2005 | Permalink
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The Blessing
"The second of the actions is the blessing. Some worry about whether we can or should 'bless' material objects. Isn't that a form of magic? Emphatically not. If Jesus blessed the bread, so can we. To bless it is to pray that it may become, within the rhythm and drama of the whole event, the vessel and vehicle of God's Jesus-shaped love for each recipient and so for the world. God's good creation, longing for its own redemption, is taken up into the saving purposes of God, with past and future rushing together into the present moment." - The Meal…
December 17, 2005 | Permalink
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The Meal
"Then comes the first of the four actions: taking the bread. This can be done very simply; or it can be dramatic, with members of the congregation bringing the bread and wine (sometimes called the 'elements', the basic parts of the drama) to the front. Unlike some pagan worship, the symbols of the Jesus-meal are not grain and grapes, but bread and wine: fruit of the earth, fruit of the vine, and the work of human hands. We did not initiate this action; God did. But now, in grateful obedience, we bring these tokens of our own life and work…
December 17, 2005 | Permalink
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Passion: Hymns Ancient and Modern
This album is a compilation of various artists from the Passion Worship Band. They have classic hymns of the Christian faith and have rearranged them. The result is an energetic worship album with much zeal behind the music. The lead song sets the tone for this album with 'O Worship the King'. This anthem of the faith proclaims that gospel loud and clear. The matchless King Jesus is acclaimed during this hymn. He is hailed as the rightful and reigning king. The chorus enters with power and 'You alone are the matchless King' is sung loud. His attributes and character…
December 17, 2005 | Permalink
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The Meal Jesus Gave Us: Understanding Holy Communion
In this short piece (as short as Tom Wright has ever written) Wright expounds upon the historical origin of the Lord's Supper and upon it's eucharistic significance. Wright begins with a discussion of a birthday party here on earth that a Martian arrives at. He discusses how funny the questions seem that the Martian is asking like why people are wearing funny hats and lighting candles on a cake. The whole ritual seems very strange to someone who has not grown up celebrating birthdays. In the same way, Wright says that we are like the earlings that are celebrating the…
December 17, 2005 | Permalink
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The Parsha: Genesis 37:1-40:23
Joseph's Dreams Jacob lived in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan. These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than…
December 17, 2005 | Permalink
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About Vos Regnum Dei
Jesus came preaching, "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is here." It is this message of the Kingdom that his followers responded to, follow and then changed the world. This same message echoes through the centuries through the lives of those who repent and walk after Jesus. This is the call that I am following. Jesus said, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you." I am seeking God's Kingdom. 2000 years ago when God sent His Son, Jesus to earth the Kingdom broke in with God's mighty power. Jesus prayed to…
December 16, 2005 | Permalink
About Me
Hi, my name is B.A. Pillmore and I am the founder of Vos Regnum Dei blog. I have also started a group blog called Every Square Inch. Here is a bit about me... I am a single guy who goes to a large church in the central Virginia area. By day I am a young professional working for a large multinational corporation as a software engineer. Since 2000 I have been a resident of Virginia and since moving here I have attended school at Virginia Tech and worked for a couple years for a large corporation. In my spare time…
December 16, 2005 | Permalink
