Giving Thanks Overseas

Thanks to the Polstras who had me and a few expats over for an excellent meal. Turkey with all the works. It was the best meal I've had since I've been here.

Most of all I'm thankful to the Lord who answered my 9 year long prayer and lament, and brought me to the Free University to study. "How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out."

The Free University of Amsterdam main building

Alle Bladeren Zijn Bruin

The weather here has taken a definite turn for the worse. This is the beginning of the wet and cold that I feared. It's nasty and gives people something to commiserate about, but so far I'm holding up.

The new Amsterdam student Reformational Philosophy Club will have their first meeting 28 Nov (Monday) at 8pm in the vE90 facility. So we've got about a week to finish all the arrangements and make sure everyone who's interested knows about it.

There's an update at Reformatorischeblog on Dooyeweerdian basic principles of social philosophy.



vE90 building, actual current weather nowhere near this nice

Veterans Day

I am Constitutionally opposed to undeclared wars, but I am grateful for the personal effort and sacrifice of every U.S. military serviceperson, past and present.

Here are several audio stories about our veterans. Here's a great resource for expressing personal support to active soldiers.

Bach In The Begijnhof

Saturday evening I enjoyed a stunning and intimate performance on Baroque Cello and Harpsichord by the Duo Edelen and the tenor vocal of Richard Zook (who appears on Peter Schat's Monkey Subdues the White-Bone Demon opera CD). The performance was held at the Begijnhof, a perfect setting for the music. Too bad my date never showed up!

courtyard of the Begijnhof

Afterward, I just hopped around the corner to Dante's Cafe & Gallery. But eventually I settled across the street at the more earthy Konings Hut. Philosophical conversation ensued. A good time was had by all.

Jazzy Pictures

Once again, Donal comes through with some nice pics of brother Gary. Apparently, the VSB trio performed, and he also played with Cartoon. I know it's all about the music, but I wonder if he made any dough at the Fest this year.

You may have noticed my new "header." Yeah, unfortunately it is quite pixelated. Maybe I can fix it in the future. But I was wanting something more interesting, and it'll do for now.

Were Not The Right Man On Our Side

Old school Calvinists, such as myself, don't observe an ecclesiastical calendar and we don't celebrate any day as "holy" aside from the Lordsday. However, we do acknowledge special providences as occasions for thanksgiving. (Not a widely understood distinction).

That God used Luther's mailing (yes, that's an 'm') of the 95 theses to bring about eventual reform in His church is certainly a “former mercy and deliverance” for which I find occasion to give thanks.

If you are also thanking the Lord on this occasion, I think you will enjoy the entertaining Reformation film series and (if you can play mp3s) the educational audio series "Married To Another" (on the relation of law & gospel).

72 Hours Later...

So after days and nights of too much coffee and a lot of tobacco, I finally completed my second report (and just in time to go to the concert too). I'm happy to say that I also did very well on my exam. God is good to me.

Be sure to stop by and browse through the latest post on Reformatorischeblog. It contains notes on about 10 different readings, mostly concerning the philosophy of Herman Dooyeweerd.

Shaking Pom-Poms In Heaven

I was in a high balcony, to the far side. Singular beams of light cast upon the stage. And I noticed the words in stone relief arched above the window: soli deo gloria. "Because He is the Lord..." in haunting falsetto harmonies the voices rang out upon a hushed and still crowd.

This was the scene towards the end of the Sufjan and the Illinoise-makers show on Thursday night. It opened with the gorgeous Shara Worden and My Brightest Diamond. When S.S. and his band came out it was like a fourthajuly pep-rally parade. And somehow it evolved on a path through the streets of middle America into an apocalyptic vision of the Seven-fold Spirit of the Swan Lord bursting forth in his solar glory. It all took place in an old church building, now a concert hall called "Paradiso."

I really enjoyed it.

Trying To Get Heard

The American Public Media program, Speaking of Faith, interviews Jamie Smith. He tries to help "the other half" of America understand that a good number of bible-believers are not what many assume them to be (anti-intellectual, socially unconcerned).

The title is "Evangelicals Out Of The Box." The host, Krista Tippet, writes in her journal: "Jamie Smith himself, as you'll hear in this program, defies every stereotype at play in our culture now --especially in "blue [leftist] America"-- about who evangelical Christians are, what motivates them, and how they might change America."

I'm not entirely on the same page with Jamie on all the issues, but he is a Dooyeweerd fan, and he's out there speaking up and making a difference.

If what Jamie has to say sounds interesting to you, and you like that sort of program, check out Mars Hill Audio which thoughtfully engages cultural issues from a Christian perspective. See too, the audio resource, thINK, from the Work Research Foundation addressing issues of faith in the marketplace. And for the best in engaging, intelligent theological radio, visit the White Horse Inn.

125 Years On Our Knees

Today is the hundred-twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of the Free University of Amsterdam. There was a special ceremony with various speakers, a video presentation, a brass quartet (very nice!), and bestowal of honorary degrees. It was, of course, mostly in Dutch, but I still enjoyed it.

Tomorrow there will be a special conference in honor of the retirement of my favorite professor, Dr. Henk Geertsema.

"One sole desire rules my life, a single urge drives soul and will:
to re-establish God’s holy ordinances in church and home, in state and school...
to engrave those divine ordinances, to which Word and Creation witness, so clearly on the nation that once again we bow the knee to God."
--Abraham Kuyper