A letter to The Times of London, May 9, 1992 protesting the Cambridge University proposal to award an honorary degree to M. Jacques Derrida.

The gospel is not a new law. A clear distinction must be made between law and gospel, so that the gospel is not mistakenly understood as a new law, but as the gospel. The relationship between law and gospel must be considered carefully. Two prominent theologians, Martin Luther and Karl Barth, did just that, but in opposition to one another. This article describes and compares their respective views. Barth defends a political use of the gospel. The gospel provides believers (...) with action instructions for the civilian life. Barth argues in terms of analogical thinking and, according to him, believers’ understanding of reality is determined by their understanding of Christ. Luther, on the other hand, believes that the preaching of Christ and the life experience are in contrast. Faith and life are not identical. He understands the believer as the hearer of the gospel – as passive recipient of the grace of God. The passivity here, however, is a highly creative one. The relevance for us of the theological position defended regarding law and gospel is evident from the document ‘Association of the World Communion of Reformed Churches with the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification’. The spirit of the document is clearly Barthian. Fundamental theological differences are on the table with the Lutheran position and there is no question of real consensus. Intensive study and frank ecumenical conversation is required to seek real consensus for the sake of a clear Christian testimony in the world. (shrink)

Beschrijving door de gereformeerde theoloog van de geschiedenis van de 'godgeleerdheid' als leverancier van kennis over God en het einde van die visie na Karl Barth, waarbij hij pleit voor een herijking van de theologie.

This book is a collection of essays in honor of Radoslav A. Tsanoff, Chairman of the Department of Philosophy at Rice University for forty years. Besides a tribute to Tsanoff written by J. S. Fulton, there are ten essays written by distinguished philosophers, each considering a topic in his field of interest. Virgil Aldrich discusses the importance of language in an essay entitled "Self-Consciousness." An examination of the new in art and an attempt to explicate its value and rationale is (...) presented by Van Meter Ames; illustrative material is drawn from such sources as contemporary film, pop art and chance music. In "Social Science and Social Norms" Clifford Barrett discusses the relevance of facts and norms in systematic considerations of social scientists. C. P. Snow's concept of two cultures is examined by A. Cornelius Benjamin in "Philosophy and the Cultures." Other essays presented are "Philosophy and Common Sense" by George Boas, "Conscience and Conscientiousness" by A. Campbell Garnett, "Criteria for Ideas of God" by C. Hartshorne, and "Sovereignty and the Idea of Republic" by C. W. Hendel. Charles Morris examines the common themes of the pragmatic movement, discussing such fields as epistemology, axiology and cosmology, and such philosophers as Peirce, Dewey, Mead and Lewis. In the concluding essay G. R. Morrow discusses Plato's views about a God and the many gods of the Greek pantheon. This book is a loose collection of papers, lacking any single theme or determinate relation between the essays presented; each essay, however, is competently handled and is interesting in its own right.—E. M. (shrink)

Memorial discussion of the work of George Santayana on the occasion of his 100th birthday.