Name Change

I have been blogging on this space for about 15 months and I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to change the name of my blog.  Not because the intent of my blog is changing, because it certainly isn’t.  This is a place for me to think and write about things from a pastoral and/or theological perspective, sharing those thoughts with whomever may want to read them.  And that remains my goal.  To read, to observe, to reflect, to write and to share.  Biblically, theologically and pastorally.

But as I read other blogs, visit other websites, and see what others do with their places on the internet I’ve come to the conclusion that the first thing that comes up about my blog, the title, is somewhat like a door that a person reaches to open, but not without a measure of hesitation.  I said this about the blog title in the introductory post:

I call this blog Sola Deo gloria, which is Latin for “Glory to God alone.”  It is one of the Five Solas, five phrases that represent the essence of the Reformation.  My intent, my hope, my prayer, is that the thinking and writing that take place in this space would point to God, and bring him the glory to which he alone is due.

I very much want my blog to point to God and to give Him the glory that is His alone.  I want other people to see the majesty and the wonder of God, to be captivated by an awe of God.  To deeply know His love as the only love that truly satisfies the human heart.  To know the grace and mercy that only comes from God’s hand. 

But the problem, as I see it, is that I have been using a Latin phrase, which I dearly love, but I don’t read Latin and neither, I suspect, do most of my readers.   So to use a Latin phrase is more of an affectation, something that borders on being disingenuous, and in a way can even be taken to point towards me, rather than the God I so want to praise and proclaim.

So a change is in order.  I am changing the name to “To Him be glory forever” which comes from Romans 11:36, where Paul concludes a section on teaching of salvation with a spontaneous burst of praise, saying:

“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

In a nutshell Paul seems to be saying that at the end of the day, at the end of time even, everything is God’s, to do with as He sees fit, and therefore He alone should get our praise, eternally.

It seems fitting that the new title is derived from a verse of the Bible, because that is where we find God’s clearest revelation of Himself and His purposes for the world.  It is the place where all of our theology, all of our thinking of God, should be grounded in.  

And it rightly teaches that all of our praise should be placed on Him. 

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.