Musings for the New Year (1/12/2024)

Riddleblog and Blessed Hope Podcast Updates:

  • Here’s the first look at the Reformation Heritage Books release of my exposition of First Corinthians in the Lectio Continua series. No date given yet, only the announcement that it is coming soon. First Corinthians --Lectio Continua

  • Season three of the Blessed Hope Podcast has launched! This season is a deep dive into Paul’s Corinthian letters and is entitled, “God Is Faithful.” You can find the current season three episodes along with all past episodes here: The Blessed Hope Podcast

  • Here’s how the sausage is made: Behind the Scenes at the Blessed Hope Podcast

Thinking Out Loud:

  • Kevin Williamson nails it: Donald Trump is one part Augusto Pinochet (the Chilean dictator) and one part game show host.

  • May God grant repentance to those political candidates who run what they think are clever memes/ads, but which flippantly appeal to “God speaking” while endorsing them. Jeremiah 23:9-40 comes to mind. Such blasphemy is serious stuff.

  • Legendary football coaches Pete Carroll, Nick Saban, and Bill Belichick have all reached their “sell by” date (70+) and are done coaching. Trump and Biden are way past theirs.

Recently Read:

There are a number of James Madison biographies available, but this one presents Madison in a bit different light: James-Madison: America's First Politician.

James Madison (1751-1836) is rightly known as the “Father of the Constitution,” and argued against political parties (“factions”) in the Federalist Papers. But he later worked with Thomas Jefferson to found the first major political party in America, the Democrat-Republican Party in opposition to Alexander Hamilton’s federalism.

But according to the author, Jay Cost, Madison was no mere double-minded flip-flopping politician, but rather was a skilled political thinker who served capably and tirelessly in the first congress and worked to establish effective tax laws and the Bill of Rights.

Madison sided with Jefferson against Hamilton’s national bank, but did not embrace Jefferson’s agrarian society which would not allow the United State to prepare for war with Britain over Canada and ocean-going commerce. When America did find itself at war with Britain in 1812, and despite his previous opposition to the now dead Hamilton’s concept of a national bank, Madison established his own version of a national bank to finance the war, and support internal improvements (what we would call infrastructure) which paved the way for subsequent American expansion. Concludes Cost,

Madison’s vision of republican politics stretched beyond its constitutional structure to inform the substance of public policy, and even the political psychology of the United States. The people of America expect government to accomplish big things, but to do so in a fair, evenhanded, and moderate manner, with respect for the limited power granted under the Constitution. James Madison, more than any other Founder, was the architect of this design (376).

Cost’s book is well written and gives us a fascinating look into Madison’s political skill and vision. I recommend it to you, but with a caveat: Cost’s biography of Madison’s constitutional vision painfully reminds us that it has has been lost to both major political parties, as well as upon the over-aged and vision-less individuals whom they seek to elect to lead our republic.

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MusingsKim RiddlebargerBlessed Hope--Behind the Scenes, Exposition of 1 Corinthians, James Madison, USC ND 1974Comment