One of the refreshing parts of Calvin’s approach to Scripture is his existential realism — he has a thorough appreciation of the Pauline doctrine that all are sinners, and so he is not afraid to see the heroes of the Bible as alloyed with sin and weakness alongside their better qualities.
The modern hymn “In Christ Alone” has provoked controversy with its phrase "the wrath of God was satisfied." But there is a better way to understand “the wrath of God,” a way that displays its truth, goodness, and even its beauty.
Incense may not be a hill worth dying on, but it is at least a hill worth strategizing for. It is a shot to the gut of comfortable, consumer-friendly religion.
There’s a distinction between playing the game and knowing the game. Being “right” about the nature of the Dark Side was important for how roleplaying worked, but it wasn’t the point of the game The point was doing the good, given the constraints of the story.
