🏛️ Apologetics Fact

Oxygen for Noah's Ark: One objection to the account of Noah's Ark is that at such a height (above the tallest mountain) there would have been insufficient oxygen for Noah and his family and the animals to breathe. However, there are at least three faulty assumptions this objection is based on. First, it assumes the rising seawater would not impact the concentration of oxygen at high altitudes. Second, it assumes the height of the tallest mountains was the same then as it was today. And third, it assumes earth's oxygen concentration was the same now as it was before the flood. None of these assumptions are required or even likely, so the oxygen objection has little weight.

🗣️ Quote

"Christianity preaches the infinite worth of that which is seemingly worthless and the infinite worthlessness of that which is seemingly so valued." — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

🏅 Person: Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)

Born in Germany, Kepler was introduced to astronomy at a young age by his mother. He attended several schools, showing himself to be a gifted mathematician. He intended to become a Lutheran minister, but was denied ordination due to a doctrinal dispute with the church. Instead, he became a teacher and stayed in academia for most of the remainder of his life. Believing the universe to be ordered by God, he formulated the three laws of planetary motion. His laws were the first to accurately model the motion of the planets, allowing for precise prediction of their locations in the future or accurate recreations of their positions in the past. Kepler's work would prove instrumental in advancing scientific understanding of the orderly nature of the universe.

📕 Book: Heir to the Empire

In following with Locus Lectorum tradition, in December we read a light fiction book as a break from our normal fare. This month that was Timothy Zahn's widely acclaimed Star Wars novel, "Heir to the Empire".
• Caleb: 9/10 -- Zahn brilliantly captures the feeling of the original Star Wars films: Fast moving story, enough mystery to keep you engaged, and fun, archetypal characters.
• Evan: 9/10 -- If you are a fan of Star Wars and dislike the woke goyslop pushed by Disney, this is the perfect tale to rewrite your own head-canon of the events following episode 6. My children will be reading this in lieu of watching episodes 7, 8 and 9.
• Isaac: 9/10 -- Written before the prequels, this Star Wars book follows in the footsteps of the originals, a perfect continuation of the Luke/Han/Leia story we grew up watching as kids.
• Lane: 8.5/10 -- A fast paced and fun Star Wars adventure with good characters both new and old. Get the audio drama unless you like doing your own Chewbacca impression.
• Calvin: 8/10 -- Easy read and genuinely fun. The familiar Star Wars characters are solid, but the addition of Thrawn and Karrde is what really makes this book stand out.
• Zack: 7.5/10 -- Heir to the Empire is a little simplistic, yet is thoroughly enjoyable--especially when listened to.
• Josiah: 6/10 -- This is a competent, light action adventure set in the Star Wars universe. While it is undoubtedly far superior to modern attempts to expand the franchise, and very possibly is among the best Star Wars novels, it is a far cry from the true greats of science fiction.
• Sam: 5/10 -- A light fun read, this book evokes fond memories of what Star Wars used to be. The story moves quickly, but fails to develop deep characters or plot lines, relying on familiarity with the subject matter and pace to engage the reader rather than depth or dimension.