In the time of King David, the tribe of Issachar produced shrewd warriors “who understood the times and knew what Israel should do” (1 Chron 12:32). In a similar way, we need to become wise people whose faith interacts with the world.
To that end, I share articles/resources I have found helpful recently in thinking about broader cultural and societal issues (be sure to see the disclaimer at the bottom). May these give you greater insight, so that you may continue the tradition of Issachar. Past emails are archived at http://glenandpaula.com/wordpress/category/links
- From the too-close-to-home department: The Coddling of The American Mind (Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, The Atlantic): the thesis of this essay is that a “campus culture devoted to policing speech and punishing speakers is likely to engender patterns of thought that are surprisingly similar to those long identified by cognitive behavioral therapists as causes of depression and anxiety.” This is a long piece but is worth reading even if you suspect it will infuriate you. There is some insightful commentary on Reddit arguing that it’s not students who have changed but administrators.
- From the race-and-religion department: A Year After Ferguson, Have White Christians Learned Anything? (Russell Moore, Washington Post)
- From the contemporary events department:
- I Don’t Know If I’m Pro-Choice After Planned Parenthood Videos (Ruben Navarrette Jr, Daily Beast).
- I Watched All Twelve Hours Of The Unedited Planned Parenthood Videos. Here’s What I Learned (Sarah Kliff, Vox).
- Mugged By Ultrasound (David Daleiden and Jon A. Shields, The Weekly Standard): this piece is old but interesting as it is co-written by the guy behind the undercover Planned Parenthood videos which gave rise to the above articles.
- From the ISIS department:
- ISIS Enshrines a Theology of Rape (Rukmini Callimachi, NY Times): this is a very disturbing article. The GetReligion commentary on this piece is worth reading: ISIS Theology of Rape — Strong New York Times Story Retreats From Quran Details (Terry Mattingly).
- Is This The End of Christianity in the Middle East? (Eliza Griswold, NY Times): this is a long, informative, and depressing story. Here as well the GetReligion commentary adds useful perspective — From The Good Old Days To The Hellish ISIS Days For Christians In The Middle East? Really?
- From the eat-your-wheaties department: Want ‘Sustained Happiness’? Get Religion, Study Suggests (Sarah Pulliam Bailey, Washington Post): if you have the desire, check out the original study in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
Disclaimer
Chi Alpha is not a partisan organization. To paraphrase another minister: we are not about the donkey’s agenda and we are not about the elephant’s agenda — we are about the Lamb’s agenda. Having said that, I read widely (in part because I believe we should aspire to pass the ideological Turing test and in part because I do not believe I can fairly say “I agree” or “I disagree” until I can say “I understand”) and may at times share articles that have a strong partisan bias simply because I find the article stimulating. The upshot: you should not assume I agree with everything an author says in an article I mention, much less things the author has said in other articles.
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