Rerum Cognoscere Causas
May 10th, 2010
For some people, turning 30 is a traumatic event. It can indicate one is “old.” It can also indicate a new level of stress. In any case, turning the big 3-0 is a big deal in my house. And so here is a brief description of how I’m planning to cope.
Categories: Uncategorized
May 8th, 2010
This is the fist installment of my series on Ligon Duncan’s book: Fear Not! Death and the Afterlife from a Christian perspective.
May 1st, 2010
I am a professional bond investor (usually mortgages, but not subprime or CDOs). Further, I previously worked as a journalist writing about CDOs and structured credit during the height of the credit frenzy turned debacle.
So, I was excited to see such a specialized part of finance debated before Congress this week (Congress v. Goldman Sachs). Frankly, I was very disappointed.
Categories: Current Affairs, Economics
April 30th, 2010
After four years with TypePad, I have moved my blog to WordPress. 
Two reasons chiefly: money and flexibility. So far, I am very happy with the new platform. By the way, I also recommend BlueHost.com as a hosting service.
Please be patient with the inevitable bugs that will result from the move. Also, I would welcome any feedback on the new theme and any recommendations for better themes and/or designers for custom themes.
Finally, if you subscribe to my blog through RSS, here is the new feed: http://www.jonathantaylor.eu/?feed=rss2.
Categories: Weblogs
April 25th, 2010
How is it possible that the very heart of the Christian faith is so misunderstood? Even by professing Christians?
Greg Gilbert’s book “What is the Gospel?” does an excellent job in explaining the Good News of Jesus Christ. Gilbert helpfully lays out four facets to clarify this foundational truth. First, we are created beings who owe God honor and obedience.
Second, we have rebelled against God. Others have phrased this “Cosmic Treason.” The consequence of our rebellion or sin is eternal death (damnation). That’s the bad news. Very bad news.
But Gilbert’s third point is the Good News: God sent his only son, Jesus Christ – who is fully God and fully man, to do what no one else could do: live a perfect life and so deserve life. But then Christ chose to die. To take the wrath of God on behalf of sinners.
Finally, Gilbert says that this Good News is good news to us – not someone else. We take part in Christ’s work by God reckoning Christ’s perfect life as ours. How? Through our faith (also a gift of God), believing in the finished work of Christ’s death on the cross and trusting only in Christ’s work – not our so called good works.
The Gospel is God’s work to save us from our sins and also the power for us to live a life honoring to the God of all creation. Good News, indeed.
April 20th, 2010
For a long time I've thought about blogging my way through the books I read. As I finished each chapter, I would write a summary. Turns out lots of people do this.
Don't you hate it when you think of something all by yourself only to realize everyone is already doing it? Happens to me all the time.
Anyway, I'm going to start with Ligon Duncan's book: Fear Not! Death and the Afterlife from a Christian perspective.
So, stay tuned.
April 9th, 2010
In case you haven't heard, John Piper has invited Rick Warren to his annual Desiring God National Conference. Piper's announcement of his invitation has caused no little controversy.
On the one side, you have many appalled that Piper would dare invite Warren accusing Piper of heresy. On the other side, many of Piper's fans are amazed at the legalism of the critics. Harsh words on both sides.
Categories: Religion
April 7th, 2010
It's the vocabulary. For example, what do you call the process of solving an equation / set? Work. No wonder kids (and adults for that matter) don't want to do math. It's work. I mean when was the last time you said to your friends: yeah, I had some spare time last weekend so I worked a math problem.
Come on.
And what about the other major vocab word? Problems. We need our kids to go and work some problems. Now by the time things get really interesting in math (say elementary school or junior high) what have kids learned? They don't want to work. And problems are bad.
Doesn't seem very strange at all that kids hate math. Indeed, I really wonder that anyone takes a liking to it. We must do better. We need to give math a public and vocabulary makeover.
So, any suggestions on words to replace "work" and "problem"?
Categories: Science
March 31st, 2010
Today, Tom Ascol over at the Founder's Blog wrote a post entitled "Notes on Prayer and Fasting." Excellent post. And one that brings to mind a question I've been struggling with:
Why don't more people fast?
Now it's possible that many do fast and they're following our Lord's commandment not to let others know about it. But I doubt it. We would at least hear about it from pastors and teachers more often.
Further, as Tom points out in his post, fasts are not just for individuals, but should be done on a corporate level ( families, churches, nations, etc.).
Clearly, fasting is out of vogue. But the Scriptures presume we do it. So, why don't we? When did we stop?
Categories: Religion
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