Tag Archive

On Handel’s Messiah

Published on December 20, 2020 By sirrahc

“To him I bend the knee, for Handel was the greatest, ablest composer that ever lived.” — Ludwig von Beethoven When George F. Handel decided to write a new oratorio (Messiah), he worked so feverishly that he rarely ate or slept, and some thought him either crazy or spellbound. “Handel finished Part I in only […]

Snippets of True Reason, part 3

Published on September 3, 2017 By sirrahc

Previous installments of the “Snippets” series covered four chapters each. This one covers the six chapters that make up the (sort of) middle of the True Reason book. Simply put, they “offer arguments for the rational strength of the Christian worldview.” See any familiar names among the authors? Nine: “Reason in a Christian Context” (Peter […]

Snippets of True Reason, part 2

Published on July 9, 2017 By sirrahc

Continuing on from Part 1, these next four snippets from True Reason (eds. Tom Gilson & Carson Weitnauer) provide more “evidence that the New Atheism fails to live up to its claimed connection with reason.” Targets include Sam Harris, John Loftus, and the failure of naturalistic presuppositions. Five: “Unreason at the Head of Project Reason” […]

Snippets of True Reason, part 1

Published on May 28, 2017 By sirrahc

One of the books I’ve been reading of late is True Reason, edited by Tom Gilson and Carson Weitnauer. It’s a collection of essays (originally published in electronic format) by various Christian professors and apologists, addressing issues related to the claims by today’s “New Atheists” that non-theists “own” reason & rationality, while theists are characterized […]

Anne Rice Quits Christianity… or Does She?

Published on August 1, 2010 By sirrahc

She was a Christian. Then she wasn’t. Then she was. Now, she isn’t again? OK, that was the (very) short version. Popular novelist Anne Rice grew up in a thoroughly Roman Catholic home and community. She struggled with some doubts as she got older but stayed faithful. Once in college, though, a combination of factors […]