EUSSR

This is scary. Mankind’s capacity for self-destruction can never be underestimated. Thanks to Jay Nordlinger at National Review Online for the pointer.

Glückschmerz

I have known the word Schadenfreude for a long time—perhaps because I indulged in it so often, that I never forgot it? And I have often joked that this is my favorite German word. It does not have an exact English translation; gloating may be close, but not quite. Chinese has a similar saying, only double the dose: xing4 zai1 le4 huo4.

Yet I have never thought about its opposite, and today I encountered this word, Glückschmerz, in Rich Lowry’s article at National Review Online, about the suffering of the Leftists from good news for President George W. Bush. Knowning a little German, I immediately recognized its meaning and just laughed, though I think it was misspelt—the umlaut should be retained for maximum German flavor.

Marriage as a Covenant

Just received Gordon Hugenberger’s book, Marriage as a Covenant, in the mail. Hugenberger is senior minister at Park Street Church in Boston, where I used to attend in my last year of graduate studies (but before his appointment as senior minister). A friend of mine who studied under him once told me that Dr. Hugenberger was working on a commentary on Judges; this was more than ten years ago. Last year I visited Boston and heard one of his sermons, and was very impressed. After the service I went to him and asked him how I could get a copy of his commentary. He told me that he was still working on it. I guess he still is.