Reflections on Morality, Philosophy, and History

Happy shall they be who take your little ones
and dash them against the rock!
Origen was one of the first Church Fathers who interpreted this troublesome verse allegorically, as did St Ambrose, who catechized and baptized the young St Augustine. Origen teaches us that “the little ones of Babylon, which signifies confusion, are those troublesome sinful thoughts that ar...

Early in its history, the Rotary Clubs adopted the Four-Way Test. The Rotary website states that “the Four-Way Test is a nonpartisan and nonsectarian ethical guide for Rotarians to use for their personal and professional relationships.
Of the things we think, say, or do:
Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIP...

Did the story of the Seven Sleepers in the Golden Legend’s Lives of the Saints inspire Washington Irving to write his short story about another deep sleeper, Rip Van Winkle? Why did Edward Gibbon mention the legend of the Seven Sleepers in his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire?

Bob De Moor, a Christian Reformed pastor, recalled an incident from many decades ago when he was a delegate to his denomination’s convention, where he was assigned to the advisory committee that evaluated which hymns should be included in their hymnal. He remembers:
“The most difficult decision, one we debated endlessly, was whether or not to advise synod to include a per...