Why this blog?

Having resisted being drafted into the blog universe for some time, I have finally given in. Basically I have a couple of reasons. First, I’ve been writing book reviews on Amazon.com for a few years and I’ve received numerous emails from people asking me to start a blog. Secondly, I enjoy internet discussions of theological and philosophical topics but I find the discussion forums on the net to be woefully inadequate and full of posters who are interested in the most inane and uninteresting sorts of questions. To that end, a blog may well be a good alternative venue.

I plan to use this blog to post my thoughts on the books I’m currently reading, theology, ethics and philosophy, as well as giving myself something of a platform to discuss current events, politics and culture. I imagine music and movies will figure prominently in my musings about culture and theology as well.

A quick word about the name I chose for the blog, Inhabitatio Dei. Much of my theological thought and my practice of Christian life in the church have been fueled by pondering the being of the Triune God. The phrase inhabitatio dei captures part of what I have come to see as central to our understanding of the mystery of God and our life before him, namely that an authentically human participation in the richness and plenitude of the Triune Love is the eschatological goal of God’s redeeming work in Christ and that telos is anticipated and proleptically realized in the life of the Church. All God’s actions of Triune grace through the Son and Spirit seek to draw us into communion with himself, allowing us to share in the eternal dynamism of Trinitarian Life that God eternally is. The goal and destiny of humanity is to be inhabitiatio dei, that is, to dwell in God as his beloved creatures, knowing ourselves eternally in the plenitude of his infinite love which descends to us in Christ that we might ascend with Christ by grace and be drawn into the eternal feast of love which is the life of God.

It is in the service of that vision of God and God’s works in the world that I read, study and strive to practice Christian life. If blogging about it can serve that end in some small and subtle way, then perhaps it can be a worthy endeavor.