About

Someone, finally, was puzzled by the kissing eskimos that we had posted here before. The complaint was an honest one. What is this blog about? – because this “about” page does not say much of anything.

To use the contemporary lingo, the lack of missional clarity underlies the greater share of the reason why I’m so inconsistent in posting to this blog. Some can allow their blog to be a kind of open diary. These blogs become as sort of mood ring for the opening decade of the 21st century. I don’t want that to happen here.

So here is a little more information:

My name is Van, and I’m a librarian and faculty member at a Bible college (*gasp*).

My academic interest is Historical Theology. I hold an STM in this field in addition to my library degree (MSLIS). I’m currently pursueing a PhD in Historical Theology. It looks more and more like my concentration will be in early modern American theology (you know heresy trials, William Rainey Harper, Northern Baptists, H. L. Mencken, etc.). But I have nagging interests in Patristics and medieval studies as well.

In short, here is the thrust of this blog: Christianity, as we know it institutionally, is in a bad way – no matter what your theological proclivities happen to be. I like to write up things that might help us understand why this is the case. Occasionally, I might criticize some notion of our current Christianity (or Christianity Today, if you prefer). At other times, I may use these pages to inform the readers of some distant past theologies and theologians that/who demonstrated a gravitas not seen much these days. At still other times, I may prefer to analyse a point of conflict within the church.

My perspective . . . well, read the blog, and you tell me what my perspective is. Labels fail me because words, these days, are in abundant supply and thus have little value.