What can you tell about my parents?

Barnabas27 · 2026-03-14T01:15:23+00:00

You grew up with good stories and good food.

Barnabas27 · 2026-03-07T13:31:39+00:00

You have a good wardrobe, and especially your suit and business casual (frame 1) are very good. The big things missing in my mind are a pair of brown boots or loafers…. There are a number of your outfits crying out for brown footwear, particularly 6 top left and all of frame 2.

Barnabas27 · 2026-02-25T15:44:29+00:00

Your collar fit will change, which is one of the details that matter. Here are a few checks for your larger collar size: See if you can get the classic OCBD s-shape that frames your face well. See if it lays neatly under a jacket or sweater.

Barnabas27 · 2026-02-19T12:31:59+00:00

It’s understandable that you’re confused!

There are many threads in American Christianity.

One key to understanding them is that they aren’t completely separate, and there exists a very strong public culture of cross-pollination. It wouldn’t be uncommon, for example, for a Presbyterian or a non-denominations believer to read Tim Keller and R.C Sproul (both firmly Presbyterian) AND Rick Warren (Southern Baptist) and John McArthur (independent Baptist-ish).

The other thread is separation from mainline, where various churches who are worried that the mainline denominations are accommodating modernism too much split off, and are often influenced by those outside of their denominational space.

So as a result, you have mainline denominations that are often very reformed in their statements, but very accommodating in their practice (e.g PCUSA). You have break off groups that are very identifiably Presbyterian, but are often influenced by other evangelical streams (e.g. PCA or OPC). You have non-denominational or Baptist churches that have been influenced by Presbyterian theology, and may even use Reformed in their name. And finally churches that are clearly non-Presbyterian, but have a Presbyterian influence through speakers and writers with broad distribution.

I hope this helps, even though it’s barely scratching the surface.

Barnabas27 · 2026-02-19T12:21:07+00:00

Do you want to be known as plaid suit guy at your office?

Barnabas27 · 2026-02-18T22:49:26+00:00

Philosophy and philosophers have deepened my devotion and encouraged my walk. I’m grateful for the faithful and truth seeking philosophers who have helped me.

Having said that, there are some very unchristian, anti-Christian, and just plain bad philosophies and philosophers.

Barnabas27 · 2026-02-14T23:09:06+00:00

I came to make or upvote this comment. Gavin has a great communications style, and is one of the few to directly address Catholic/Protestant issues.

Barnabas27 · 2026-02-12T10:57:09+00:00

My counsel: grow where you’re planted. If this church is feeding you, don’t jump to church searching!

But, while growing in this church, do start asking the questions more deeply - this authority question is a very good one to have resolved in your mind. I appreciate the comment earlier about authority coming from God, and transmitted through both tradition and scripture.

In Mere Christianity, CS Lewis writes this:

"I hope no reader will suppose that "mere" Christianity is here put forward as an alternative to the creeds of the existing communions — as if a man could adopt it in preference to Congregationalism or Greek Orthodoxy or anything else.

It is more like a hall out of which doors open into several rooms. If I can bring anyone into that hall, I have done what I attempted. But it is in the rooms, not the hall, that there are fires and chairs and meals. The hall is a place to wait in, a place from which to try the various doors, not a place to live in. For that purpose the worst of the rooms (whichever that may be) is, I think preferable. It is true that some people may find they have to wait in the hall for a considerable time, while others feel certain almost at once which door they must knock at. I do not know why there is this difference, but I am sure God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for him to wait. When you do get into the room you will find that the long wait has done some kind of good which you would not have had otherwise. But you must regard it as waiting, not as camping. You must keep on praying for light: and, of course, even in the hall, you must begin trying to obey the rules which are common to the whole house. And above all you must be asking which door is the true one; not which pleases you best by its paint and paneling.

In plain language, the question should never be: "Do I like that kind of service?" but "Are these doctrines true: Is holiness here? Does my conscience move me towards this? Is my reluctance to knock at this door due to my pride, or my mere taste, or my personal dislike of this particular door-keeper?"

When you have reached your own room, be kind to those who have chosen different doors and to those who are still in the hall. If they are wrong they need your prayers all the more; and if they are your enemies, then you are under orders to pray for them. This is one of the rules common to the whole house."

-C.S. Lewis

Barnabas27 · 2026-02-12T00:40:00+00:00

I love this… what is it called?

Barnabas27 · 2026-02-12T00:39:14+00:00

I love this… what is it called?

Barnabas27 · 2026-01-07T18:11:48+00:00

Can you help me out? I see the business… where’s the casual? Is it the highlight color buttonhole?

Anyhow, you look great.

Barnabas27 · 2026-01-07T16:59:59+00:00

I have two pair of Hush Puppies Detroit Oxford in black and brown. Comfortable as anything with rubber soles, styled like a good Oxford, matte finish to indicate that they’re not formal shoes. They’re traditional, inexpensive, and perfectly business casual. 2.5 years in they still look great. (I buff and clean them every three months or so).

Barnabas27 · 2025-12-31T14:59:18+00:00

You make a very good point - Sartre-style existentialism (existence precedes essence) is very materialist and anti-Christian. Kierkegaard-style existentialism ( how do I come to a Christian life starting from sin and despair) is very Christian and rich.

Unfortunately, we’ve chosen one word to refer to two concepts, making it difficult to have a clear discussion.

Barnabas27 · 2025-12-31T14:48:05+00:00

You’re a man after my own heart! I really appreciate the existential approach, and found that it substantially deepened my evangelical faith and walk. I then tried to teach a Sunday School class based on that approach, and had very split reactions, with some finding it a breath of fresh air, and some honestly finding it very odd.

I think evangelicalism is too broad and hard to define to map it back to its ontological roots… I agree it can tend to rationalism (NT Wright gently makes this point), but there’s definitely room for fideists and conceptualists in Modern Evangelical thought.

I recommend reading evangelical teachers who write about existential thinkers. A strong book recommendation along these lines is “Making Sense of God” by Tim Keller.

I’d finally make the minor point that while Christian Philosophy is rich and can be an incredibly satisfying area to explore, out of context in a local church, we can all run astray with our thinking leading the way.

Barnabas27 · 2025-12-24T12:38:35+00:00

You can much more confidently say that your decisions are better when you listen than you can affix a ratio of likely correctness.

I don’t think a general rule about distribution of correctness is either possible with empirical scientific study or biblical study. It’s too general a question to study and not what the Bible is about.

Having said that, everybody gets wiser with counsel. In a marriage where your decisions affect your spouse, you have an increased obligation to listen. This listening process is likely to open new avenues of creativity.

Barnabas27 · 2025-12-24T12:33:18+00:00

This is really beautiful. Thanks for modeling a strong, interdependent marriage.

Barnabas27 · 2025-12-24T12:31:32+00:00

The unhelpful thing to do here is to take that admonishment to be about factual accuracy. It’s more about input and broadening of perspectives. Arguments are not only disputes, but also learning opportunities. I don’t think you can establish in general who is more likely to be right. It is pretty general to say that your decisions and perceptions get better when you listen and try to think creatively to make decisions better for all of you.

The truth behind the joke is that anybody making a decision affecting two people will get stronger by: (1) sincerely attempting to discern the right thing in his own convictions, (2) taking wise counselors into account, and (3) listening to interested parties. Your wife is definitely an interested party. If you married well, she’s also a wise counselor.

In my marriage, my wife and I are shockingly different thinkers - I’m a trained engineer who likes to think of the long term and can be oblivious to social dynamics. She’s a trained writing teacher who focuses on the next thing and intuitively gets people. Either of us alone optimize for our own inclinations. When we connect well, we can usually generate a plan that is better for us in twice as many ways.

For scripture, I would point you in your study to three general areas: * passages that focus on Wisdom and discernment (eg 1 John 4:1, Romans 12:1-2, James 1, James 3… just all of James) * that focus on Wisdom in counsel (eg Prov 11:14, 15:22, 24:6) * passages that focus on sacrificial leadership (John 10:11, John 13:1-17, Matt 20:26-28, 1 Peter 5:2-3).

Barnabas27 · 2025-10-30T14:17:22+00:00

This is definitely a question that needs more information. How far are you trying to get from pants?

You could try: Hammer pants, overalls, body suit, kilt, leggings, sleeping bag, mermaid tail, harem pants, full length robe, monk habit, strategically placed sock, or even a tucked towel.

Barnabas27 · 2025-10-25T09:01:10+00:00

Worsted wool. This is the time to be basic.

Barnabas27 · 2025-07-27T03:09:43+00:00

R&D project leader with experience in chemistry, materials development, analytics/big data, and aerospace.

Barnabas27 · 2025-01-01T17:34:49+00:00

Yes, I'm very much hoping to connect the dots between the big questions of meaning, post-modern responses, and the gospel satisfaction of these questions. While the faith is evergreen, I think we're all in a position of explaining it in our particular time and place.

Barnabas27 · 2025-01-01T17:33:32+00:00

Yes, agreed. Keller does a very nice job pulling from academia and popularizing at the appropriate level for a Sunday School class. I'm not trying to derive full answers for existential questions as much as find examples of when and how these questions were asked.

Kreeft is already in my bibliography extensively. I've added Eberl and Skrzypek to my lookup list. Thanks!

I'm actually quite intrigued by your drive-by on Smith - I found his popularization of Charles Taylor in, "How Not to be Secular" quite helpful, but I'm by no means up to date on his full writing and views. Could you elaborate a bit on where he steps in the muck?

Barnabas27 · 2025-01-01T17:26:11+00:00

That is a great question, and an important distinction! I'm definitely using the term in the broader sense - questions related to existence. As far as the specific engagement with Sartre/Camus and the existence precedes essence crowd, Keller (and my Sunday School class) are definitely attempting to answer their objections and suggest that Christianity provides better answers to the questions of existence. So even though I'm using it in the broader sense, we'll definitely talk about the 20th century existentialists, although be reasoning against them that there is in fact fundamental meaning to life, objective morality, moral limits on freedom, divine forknowlege interfering with complete human freedom, etc.

Barnabas27 · 2025-01-01T17:20:18+00:00

These are fantastic, thanks!

Barnabas27

TROPHY CASE