Love of God

Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and Jewish Bibles, Commentaries, and Cultural Backgrounds
Biblical Interpretation

Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and Jewish Bible Translations, Commentaries, and Cultural Backgrounds

10/15/2026 Bruce Strom 0

The eternal spiritual battle is this struggle: Who is going to influence whom? Will the culture influence the church, or will the church influence the culture? If you prefer that the culture would influence your morality, then you can ask Merriam-Webster Dictionary for the cultural definition of Biblical words. If you would rather that the church would influence your morality, then you should ask the Vines Expository Dictionary for the Biblical definition of Biblical words.
Although Vines is a Protestant resource, all Christians can consult its definitions, since it quotes the Scriptures that support their definitions. Another resource is Strong’s Concordance, which tracks where each Greek and Hebrew word appears in the Bible. If necessary, you can discover the Greek word for each word in each verse using an Interlinear Bible.
What is the meaning of the central Christian word for love? Agape and Eros by the Lutheran Theologian Anders Nygren, written between the two World Wars, traces how the Greek words LOVE, agape and eros, evolved from the ancient Greek philosophers and the New Testament until modern days. […]

Biblical Interpretation: How the Ancient World and Modern World Differ
Biblical Interpretation

Biblical Interpretation: How the Ancient World and Modern World Differ

10/15/2026 Bruce Strom 0

St Augustine did not believe that the Bible was always literally true. He teaches: “It is a wretched slavery which takes the figurative expressions of Scripture in a literal sense,” because the Bible exhorts: “the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.” What does St Augustine mean by figurative? When the Word of God in Scripture does not, “when taken literally, refer either to purity of life or soundness of doctrine, it can be seen as figurative.” St Augustine continues, “Purity of life refers to the Love of God and our love for our neighbor, whereas soundness of doctrine refers to the knowledge of God and our neighbor.”
St Augustine agrees with Origen and many other Church Fathers, that whenever the literal reading of Scriptures, particularly the Old Testament, appears to violate the two-fold Love of God and neighbor, then it must be read allegorically. […]

Should Morality Trump Theology? Why We Are Not Reflections in Theology and Philosophy
Biblical Interpretation

Does Morality Trump Theology? Why My Channel Is Not Named Reflections in Theology and Philosophy

09/16/2026 Bruce Strom 1

The main reason why I prefer the word Morality over Theology is that today most people use theology to prove why their denomination is the true religion; and is thus superior to all other denominations, especially if they are converts. However, I am reluctant to condemn this: doesn’t everyone want to cheer their chosen football team? Don’t all fans see their chosen team in the best light, while judging all others who hopefully will be on the losing teams this next season?
Mine is the Mere Christianity of CS Lewis. As an Episcopalian, you can be as Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant as you want to be, it is the most ecumenical and tolerant of all the denominations, in my experience. […]

Aging

Humorous Yet Serious Reflections on Facing Aging, Retirement, and Death

09/12/2026 Bruce Strom 0

Epictetus advises us: “When the doctor pays you a visit, don’t be afraid of what he might say, and don’t be overjoyed if he says, ‘You are doing splendidly!’” Keep in mind that ancient doctors were not nearly as effective as doctors are today, who study and are supervised for over a decade before practicing medicine.
Epictetus continues: “Don’t be depressed if your doctor says, ‘You are doing badly.’” What does that mean? “It means that you are close to the separation of the soul from the body. What is there to fear in that? If you are not close now, you are going to be close later, aren’t you? Is the world going to come to an end when you die?”
His students asked him: “What if friends of mine in Rome die?” Epictetus answered, “Well, that is just the death of some mortal beings. Do you really expect to reach old age without seeing the death of any of those you love along the way?” […]

What Spiritual Advice Can Fathers Suggest at Their Daughter’s Wedding Reception
Marriage and Divorce

What Beneficial Advice Can Fathers Suggest in Their Speech at Their Daughter’s Wedding?

08/07/2026 Bruce Strom 0

For all our close friendships, and our marriages, we need to ask ourselves: Do we bring out the best in each other? Or, do we bring out the worst in each other? Our marriage should be a monastic calling: our marriage should be for our children. The prospective bride should ask herself the key question: Will he be a good father? Will he be good with our children? We cannot love some and hate others, hatred infects all our relationships. […]

Pope Francis on the Healthy Fear of God
Morality

Pope Francis on the Healthy Fear of God

08/04/2026 Bruce Strom 1

Referring to the fear of the Lord as an “alarm” that awakens us “to the presence of sin in our lives” and reminds us that one day we will “be held accountable to the just Judge,” the pontiff stated that when we start to sin, this spiritual gift can help direct the faithful back on the right path.” “When a person is not on the right path, he settles himself in evil.” “When he distances himself from God, when he takes advantage of everyone, when he lives attached to money, to vanity, to power or pride, then the holy fear of God draws his attention: You will not be happy like this, this way you will end badly.” […]

Psalm 137: Should We Bash the Babylonian Babies? Spiritual and Historical Interpretations
Biblical Interpretation

Psalm 137: Should We Bash the Babylonian Babies Against the Rocks? Spiritual and Historical Interpretations

05/07/2026 Bruce Strom 1

Happy shall they be who take your little ones
and dash them against the rock!
Origen was one of the first Church Fathers who interpreted this troublesome verse allegorically, as did St Ambrose, who catechized and baptized the young St Augustine. Origen teaches us that “the little ones of Babylon, which signifies confusion, are those troublesome sinful thoughts that arise in the soul, and one who subdues them by striking their heads against the firm and solid strength of reason and truth, is the person who ‘dashes the little ones against the stones;’ and he is therefore truly blessed.”[2] Likewise, St Ambrose comments that we should “dash all corrupt and filthy thoughts against Christ.” […]

Psalm 71: Encouraging Us In Our Old Age
Biblical Interpretation

Psalm 71: Encouraging Us In Our Old Age

03/11/2026 Bruce Strom 4

John Calvin speculates that David composed Psalm 71 after experiencing the trauma of losing the life of his son Absalom during his rebellion against him, which was sparked by the favoritism Davis showed towards his newly resented wife, Bathsheba. “The particular reference which David makes to his old age renders this conjecture not improbable.”
If so, this psalm should be a comfort to those who old age is lonelier due to mistakes, miscalculations or misfortunes occurring many years earlier. […]

Psalms 40 and 70: Deliver Both Young and Old from Suffering and Trials
Biblical Interpretation

Psalms 40 and 70: Deliver Both Young and Old from Suffering and Trials

03/10/2026 Bruce Strom 1

St Ambrose rejoices: “Christ has heard the prayer of his own servants and has brought us out from the pit of misery and from the mire of dregs. We were drowning there; our whole flesh was clinging to the mire, trapped in the whirlpool of our sins. Our soul was powerless to save itself; fallen and ruined as it was by the multiplicity and dreadfulness of our offenses.”
St Ambrose continues: “Christ came to save us from the pit and slime of this world, from the mud and mire of this earth, from this body doomed to death.” “May that rock, which follows those who thirst, confirm the weak and unsteady; may that water never be lacking to those who long for it; and may that firm foundation never be wanting to those in danger of falling.” […]

St Augustine’s On Christian Teaching and JD Vance, Order of Love
Politics

St Augustine’s On Christian Teaching and JD Vance, Order of Love

07/05/2025 Bruce Strom 0

St Augustine clearly teaches us: “All people should be loved equally. But you cannot do good to all people equally, so you should take particular thought for those who, as if by lot, happen to be particularly close to you in terms of place, time, or any other circumstances.”
St Augustine explains further: “Suppose you have plenty of something which had to be given to someone in need but could not be given to two people, and you met two people,” you could flip a coin for who would receive it. But if one of them was a relative, Jesus would not object if you benefited him. In other words, if your children are starving, you need not share what little food you have with strangers.
Should we love everyone, even our enemies? Definitely, Christians are exhorted to love their enemies. As St Augustine teaches us: “We do not fear our enemies, for they do not take away from us what we love, but we pity them, for they hate us all the more because they are separated from the one we love,” since they are separated from God. […]