Stuck in the Present

Pooping Elephants

The Battle for Hell

Ecclesiastes, Songs of Songs (Holman Old Testament Commentary, Vol. 14)

The Last Men's Book You'll Ever Need

Good Christians, Good Husbands?

DAVE AND DOREEN MOORE: FAMILY AND MINISTRY UPDATE (MARCH 2026)

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I did not send a Christmas newsletter last year, so here is an update:

FAMILY

Our second granddaughter is on the way! Collins will have a baby sister. Both of their pictures are below.

Chris met Yudi (short for Yudith) during their first year of Harvard law school. They are getting married this summer in Spain. We are thrilled for them! They are currently in Washington D.C.

My forthcoming book (see announcement below) is dedicated with great joy to Reese and Yudi.

TEACHING

Doreen taught three times on Ephesians this weekend at a women’s retreat in Fort Worth. She loves being with these women and her preparation takes place over a large chunk of the year. The first draft (yes, edits were eventually made!) of her three talks came to eighty-five pages of single-spaced, eleven-point font. She makes the preparation a part of her regular time with the Lord.

I recently finished teaching a mini course on the early church with a terrific group of men. I have been doing mini courses as of late on the peculiar nature of modernity/modern times, a history of theology in America, and several weeks on John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress. Bunyan’s masterpiece remains, after much reading over the decades, the best book I’ve ever read on Christian formation. Confessions by Augustine is my runner-up.

Soon I will soon be fielding questions and interacting with a friend’s class at Arizona Christian University. It will revolve around my commentary on Ecclesiastes. I’m told that C.S. Lewis’s fascinating autobiography of faith, Surprised by Joy, will also be in the mix.

During the week, I meet with men for more focused one on one times. I love these times!

WRITING

Two articles of mine were recently published:

“Charles Darwin Motivates Me to be a Better Christian”

Charles Darwin Motivates Me To Be a Better Christian: Five Valuable Things That I Learned From Reading Charles Darwin’s Autobiography | EveryEthne

“Whatever Happened to Christian Education?” (scroll down to the third article)

Other Articles | Ken Boa Reflections

In 2016, Doreen and I were visiting scholars at Princeton Theological Seminary. I have been working off and on for many years on my book about trusting God with suffering. At the time, I thought I was about one year away from completion. Well, here we are ten years later, and it is now done. More coming soon on God, What on Earth are You Doing? An Honest Conversation

YOUTUBE

It has been gratifying to interact with a number of folks due to this new venture.

There are nearly 300 videos on the site. You will find several of my interviews along with my regular and under three-minute commentaries.

When PBS aired my interview with William F. Buckley, I never imagined that there would eventually be a venue (YouTube didn’t exist at the time) where tens of thousands would watch it again.

MOORE ENGAGING – YouTube

www.YouTube.com/@MOOREENGAGING

LOST IN THE CHAOS

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One of RJ Snell’s earlier books was one of my favorite books the year I read it. It can be found here:

I know it sounds abstract and dense, but it is beautifully written and worth the effort. 

Snell’s latest book is Lost in the Chaos: Immanence, Despair, Hope. Immanence (popularized by Charles Taylor) is basically the idea of living from a frame of reference that is only horizontal. There is no transcendence or at least you can’t be sure that there is.

Snell’s book is divided into three sections: a description of the “immanent frame,” how people try to find meaning bereft of the transcendental, and last, where hope can be found.

I found the first two sections brilliant and incisively argued. Snell’s description is one of the best I’ve read.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the third section. Snell clearly sought to be rigorous and honest in how to best address our malaise, but I’m afraid his rather dense philosophizing got in the way of making this work.

I’m still very glad I read this book!

FAVORITE PLACES TO READ

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Pebble Beach Golf Course: Back Patio

Oxford, England

Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Mundelein Seminary

Austin Seminary

Café Mozarts (Austin, Texas)

Half Moon Bay Ketch Joanne

Martha’s Vineyard

Tatte in Cambridge

YOUNG BEN FRANKLIN: THE BIRTH OF INGENUITY

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I recently finished Bunker’s Young Ben Franklin.  I made over 160 notes made in the margins.

There were spots where it dragged a bit at times, but I am very glad I made it to the end.

The epilogue, though only five pages long, is one of the most motivating things I’ve ever read on aging! Franklin was resilient when many friends and family died at much younger ages, kept making new friends, and was insatiably curious to the very end of both the humanities and science. Very motivating!

One disappointment: Though Bunker does not have a lot to say about George Whitefield or Jonathan Edwards, his treatment of both is questionable at best.

GLORIOUSLY ANALOG

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I know of at least four eminent historians who write out their research on either 4×6 or 5×8 notecards. I have interviewed both James McPherson and Allen Guelzo. I have read a Gordon Wood book. I plan to read Ron Chernow in the near future. Here Chernow says that he made 25,000 4×6 cards before writing his latest tome on Mark Twain. You will hear about it in the first two minutes.

PARIS IN RUINS: LOVE, WAR, AND THE BIRTH OF IMPRESSIONISM

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First, I must say that this is a beautifully designed book. Reading a physical copy of a book of such beauty does not compare to reading on a Kindle, though this book is available on Kindle.

Both my wife and I love Impressionism. I well remember a recent visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. We have been there on many occasions. We went in different directions for a bit. When we reconnected, I found my wife enthralled before a Pissarro painting. Impressionism has many strange, but wonderful qualities that draw you in.

At the outset Smee clearly lays out his goals with the book: “The story focuses on the events of 1870-71 (famously dubbed ‘The Terrible Year’ by Victor Hugo). It’s premised on the conviction that we cannot see Impressionism clearly without grasping the impact of the tumultuous time on the movement’s leading artists.”

Smee has done yeomen’s work in giving a detailed and fascinating account of worn-torn France and the emergence of Impressionism. 

For both history and art lovers, this is a terrific read!

 

TERRIFIC INTERVIEW

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When people ask John Mark Reynolds why we should read books other than the Bible, his response is brilliant: “Why are you talking to me when you could be talking to God?” He goes on to mention how it is obviously better for humans to talk to God, but we humans crave human interaction…something God has instilled in us.

And this: “Reading is a kind of licit necromancy.” We get to talk to those who are long dead. 

And my suggestion is to look for an opportunity at your next dinner party to blithely mention the glories of “licit necromancy!”

The rest of the interview is here:

COMPLEXITY AND OBFUSCATION ARE DIFFERENT ANIMALS

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The complexity that a careful thinker appreciates shows how much there is to pay attention to with various matters. And it is heightened with matters of controversy. Obfuscation is a perennial temptation, even for those who want to do the right thing. However, underscoring how many truths there are to keep in mind is a hallmark of thinking Christianly.