Theological Anthropology, FTW

So, it turns out that human beings aren’t simply–to use Stephen Hawking’s term–“chemical scum” after all. A recent article in The Washington Post by Harvard University’s Howard A. Smith argues that human beings are, in fact, “cosmically special.”  According to the article, The universe, far from being a collection of random accidents, appears to be stupendously…

Ten Years with Sean

Today is a momentous day in the Watson household. On this very day, the youngest member of our family, Sean David Watson, turns ten years old. We will have a grand celebration for the ages at none other than Chuck E. Cheese’s. Sean will hop from game to game like a jumping bean and we…

What Happens on Wednesday?

You don’t have to be a political pundit to predict a few things about Tuesday’s presidential election. Once the dust settles and we have a new president, some people will experience emotions that will range from relief to elation. Others will feel angry, disenfranchised, and perhaps even heartbroken. Facebook and Twitter will be buzzing with celebration,…

Christians and the “Alt-Right”

There’s a passage of Scripture that has been weighing on me. It is James 4:17: “Anyone who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it commits sin.” It’s been bothering me because I don’t like to write about contemporary politics. I like to write about the Bible, Christian theology, and the church.…

Immigration, the “Great Wall,” and Christian Virtue

This year’s presidential election has highlighted concerns over illegal immigration. According to the Pew Research Center, there were about 11.3 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. in 2014. About half of these were Mexican. While Mexicans make up the highest number, however, in many parts of Latin America people are fleeing their homes, attempting to…

General Conference: Four Reflections

I’ve been decompressing since General Conference. It was emotionally exhausting, and I wasn’t even a delegate. To those of you who were delegates: I salute you for enduring this marathon of emotional, mental, and physical exertion. I hope you’re getting some time to wind down and relax. You certainly earned it. I didn’t blog or…

Reading the Bible with the Saints

So, I ‘ve been writing a book on biblical interpretation, tentatively titled Scripture and the Life of God. (Incidentally, this is why I haven’t blogged for the last month.) I say that this is the tentative title because I have learned from experience that publishers rarely call books what the authors think they should be…

Making Plans, Gifts from God, and the “R-Word”

There’s an old saying: “People plan; God laughs.” Or, to paraphrase Robert Burns, the best laid schemes of mice and men often go askew. Or, as John Lennon popularized the same sentiment, “Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.” Having a kid with Down syndrome wasn’t in my plans. I suppose it isn’t…