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Things Glen Found Interesting, Volume 12

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.

Things Glen Found Interesting, Volume 11

I am at a conference in Florida with spotty internet service, so there will be fewer items than normal this week (largely items from previous weeks I’ve been holding in reserve). Here are three quick insights from the conference that have stood out to me:
- Poor leaders seek attention, great leaders pay attention,
- You need both the power of God and the presence of God in your life. The power of God appears in a moment, but the presence of God is something we constantly pursue. We freak out when we are in an area with no cell phone coverage. We should be at least that desperate for the presence of God.
- Don’t hunt for greener grass — it’s probably just a septic leak anyway.
From the eastern affairs department:
- China Is Tearing Down Crosses (Brendon Hong, Daily Beast): this comes from the recommendation of a student. An article that goes into more detail about the response of the church is China Sees Red: Christian Protest Puts Hundreds Of Crosses Back In Public (Sarah Zylstra, Christianity Today).
- Buddhist and Christian Interpretations of the Hong Kong Protests (Mariske Westendorp, Anthropology News): the umbrella protests last year had heavy Christian overtones (as noted by NPR — A Surprising Tie That Binds Hong Kong Protest Leaders — Faith and Christianity Today — Hong Kong Christians Lead Protests For Democracy among others).
- North Korea And Christianity — Uneasy Bedfellows (Stephen Evans, BBC ): the title of this article is weird and the situation is worse than he describes, but it is nice to see a news agency like the BBC commenting on the problem.
From the every-tribe-tongue-and-nation department:
- Yes, Racism Is Rooted In Economic Inequality (Seth Ackerman, Jacobin): A Marxist analysis of American race relations.
- Implicit Bias, Fear Of Hoodies, and the Hypocrisy of the Political Commentariat (Jeremy Pierce, personal blog): Jeremy is a Christian who is also a philosopher of the metaphysics of race.
- Rage and Ruin: On the Black Panthers (Steve Wasserman, The Nation): this is an account of the Black Panthers which is both sympathetic and critical. It is more balanced than Whitewashing The Black Panthers: (Michael Moynihan, The Daily Beast) which is responding to a pro-Panthers documentary. The latter article is worth reading, but you should know it is is pretty horrifying.

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Things Glen Found Interesting, Volume 10

From the current events department: the church been opposed to abortion from our earliest days for many reasons. One of them is that John the Baptist, while still in the womb, rejoiced when he was close to Jesus (Luke 1:39–44).
- How The Planned Parenthood Videos Set Off A Renewed Wave Of Activism On Abortion (Sarah Pulliam Bailey, Washington Post)
- Looking Away From Abortion (Ross Douthat, New York Times)
From the same-mouth-as-blessings department: How Dare You Say That! The Evolution of Profanity (John McWhorter, Wall Street Journal): culture’s moral values change over time, and what we consider unspeakable is a big clue to what those values are. The same author has another piece that came out around the same time: America’s Flawed New Religion — Antiracism (John McWhorter, The Daily Beast). The latter is a flawed piece — but it made me think.
From the standing-with-our-family department: US Wants Answers on Evangelical Persecution–In Mexico (Morgan Lee, Christianity Today): Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world — even in places you wouldn’t expect.
- Dying For Christianity (Harriet Sherwood, The Guardian): this article from a secular source puts the previous article into a broader context.
From the things-are-always-complicated department:
- Why The Islamic State Leaves Tech Companies Torn Between Free Speech and Security (Scott Higham and Ellen Nakashima, Washington Post)
- When A Child Goes To War (Malcolm Harris, Aeon)
- Does Fair Trade Help Poor Workers? (Alex Tabarrok, blog): the author is an economics professor.

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Things Glen Found Interesting, Volume 9

From the party-with-puritans department: Our Puritan Heritage (Democracy, Jim Sleeper): the author, a political science lecturer at Yale, is not a Christian. I think parts of his argument are wrong, but I found the whole thing stimulating (the comments are worth reading as well). For something more practically helpful, see Puritan Resources For Biblical Counseling (Journal of Biblical Counseling, Tim Keller): good stuff about how to grow spiritually.
From the sister-in-Christ-doing-good department: Grieving Gov. Nikki Haley Forever Changed By Church Massacre (Post and Courier, Jennifer Berry Hawes): Nikki Haley, the governor of South Carolina, is an adult convert to Christianity. There’s a 2012 interview about her faith at Christianity Today.
From the still-working-to-show-the-world-that-we-are-one department: Dear Pastor, Can I Come To Your Church? (Christianity Today, Bradley Wright): an interesting study on implicit racial bias in welcoming newcomers to church. It may be behind a paywall — I was able to access the whole thing but someone else told me they only got a snippet. The author, a sociologist at U Conn, gives references on his website (the Christianity Today article is a popularization of a forthcoming academic article).
From the it-sounds-clever-the-first-time-you-hear-it-department: Why Privatizing Marriage Would Be A Disaster (The Week, Shikha Dalmia): I’ve heard some Christians suggest that we erect a wall of separation between marriage and state. This article suggests that is a foolish idea. For a Christian take (the author of the previous article is agnostic) that comes to similar conclusion, read Douglas Wilson’s In Which First Things Does Some Fourth Things (Doug Wilson is a fascinating and polarizing figure: read The Controversialist from Christianity Today to learn more about him).
From the making-a-difference-is-hard department: The Myth of the Ethical Shopper (Huffington Post, Michael Hobbes): I posted a similar piece a few weeks ago. You have less control as a consumer than you think because companies have less control than you think.
From the in-our-backyard department: Spiritual Opportunity in Silicon Valley (Leadership Journal, Daniel Darling): an interview with the author of a forthcoming book about Christianity in Silicon Valley. The book looks interesting. The author blogs at http://findinggodinsiliconvalley.com/

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Things Glen Found Interesting, Volume 8

From the unexpected consequences department The College Majors Most Likely To Marry Each Other (Wonkblog, Ana Swanson): presented without comment as a public service.
From the professional development department:
- Training Young Doctors: The Current Crisis (Lara Goitein, NY Review of Books): for the aspiring doctors
- On Being a Happy, Healthy, and Ethical Member of an Unhappy, Unhealthy, and Unethical Profession (Patrick J. Schiltz, Vanderbilt Law Review): for the aspiring lawyers
From the celebrating-our-family department: Understanding the roles of faith-based health-care providers in Africa: review of the evidence with a focus on magnitude, reach, cost, and satisfaction (several authors, The Lancet): Michelle Park’s fiance Harrison Hines is a coauthor. The journal has several related articles in their faith-based health care series. If you publish something, let me know.
From the recommended-by-a-student department: How Wide the Divide: Sexuality at the Forefront, Culture at the Crossroads (Ravi Zacharias blog): a reflection on the differences that make us differ. This one was drawn to my attention by one of you. If you find an article helpful, route it my way. There’s a good chance I’ll pass it on.
From the make-up-your-mind department: Humans Are Nowhere Near As Special As We Like To Think and The Traits That Make Human Beings Unique (both by Melissa Hogenboom, BBC): these two articles go together. It’s an interesting approach — argue both sides of a case in separate articles so that people can link to the one they like. I’m going to go with Jesus on this one: “you are worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31).

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Things Glen Found Interesting, Volume 7

In the time of King David, the Bible says that 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.

From the people-are-awesome department: Is This New Swim Stroke The Fastest Yet? (Regan Penaluna, Nautilus): how are we still discovering stuff like this?
From the leviathan-is-scary department:
- Criminal Law 2.0 (Alex Kozinski, Georgetown Law Journal): it’s long but gripping. The problems with America’s justice system go way beyond the actions of officers on patrol.
- Wisconsin’s Shame: I Thought It Was A Home Invasion (David French, National Review): the gag orders are the most distressing component of this story.
- The Injustice of Civil-Asset Forfeiture (Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic): yet another depressing feature of American law.
- On the flip side, it’s still way better here than many other places: The Hidden Reason For Poverty The World Needs to Address Now (Gary Haugen, TED Talk): Haugen, incidentally, is a devout Christian.
From the methodology matters department: Tallying Right-Wing Terror vs Jihad (Megan McArdle, Bloomberg View) — I am not super-interested in the topic itself, but I found this piece fascinating as an example of how important research methodology is. Hone your craft!
From the grace abounds department: An Evangelical Revival In The Heart of New York (Liz Robbins, New York Times): this is about an event hosted by Luis Palau, not an eruption of piety in the Big Apple, although the article notes that the number of evangelicals in NYC has increased by 20% since 2000. This related story adds fascinating details: Saturday’s Big Evangelism Event In Central Park Fueled By Community Service With A Blessing From A Gay Mayor In Portlandia (Pauline Dolle, A Journey Through NYC Religions).

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Things Glen Found Interesting, Volume 6

From the sexuality department: in light of the Supreme Court’s decision to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples I’ve got some suggested readings.
- Thinking as a Christian:
  1. Don’t Hate (Adam4d — a webcomic). This one comes through the recommendation of a student.
  2. Hoping For Love (Wesley Hill, a celibate gay Christian). Hill has also written a short and helpful book called Washed and Waiting. If you experience same-sex attraction, I highly recommend Hill’s book to you.
  3. Same Sex Marriage and the Tyranny of the Christian Majority (Seth Villegas, Thoughts From The Whale): Seth is an alumnus of our ministry who is currently studying at Fuller Theological Seminary.
  4. So-Called Same-Sex Marriage (John Piper, a pastor).
  5. How I Wish The Homosexuality Debate Would Go (Trevin Wax, The Gospel Coalition): if you find yourself having conversations with your friends about this, the article will be helpful as long as you remember how much messier conversations are in real life.
  6. You may come across articles claiming that the Bible does not consider same-sex erotic relationships sinful. After studying this issue, I am convinced such revisionist claims are not tenable. The most thorough book I have read on the subject is The Bible and Homosexual Practice by Robert Gagnon. For a much shorter (and online) option, read Homosexuality: Speaking The Truth In Love by Mardi Keyes.
- Thinking as a citizen:
  1. Why These Four Justices Rejected Marriage Equality (Sunnivie Brydum, The Advocate): these excerpts from the dissents are worth reading. You’ve likely seen them caricatured, but they are worth investigating. If that piques your interest, you could go so far as to read all 103 pages of the opinion and the dissents.
  2. In conjunction, read Shotguns and Weddings (Scott Adams, personal blog): Adams is the creator of Dilbert a fascinating public intellectual. In this essay he points out that while he personally likes the ruling of the court he believes it is grounded in dangerous principles.
- Thinking as an ambitious person: How Gay Marriage Became A Constitutional Right (Molly Ball, The Atlantic): this is an excellent study in how cultural change happens. If you want to change the world, there are lessons for you here. For a striking reminder of how quickly elite opinion has shifted, read Three Cheers For Bill and Hillary Clinton (Justin Taylor, blog).
From the something-completely-different department: On Obstinacy In Belief (C.S. Lewis, The Sewanee Review): I was not aware of this C.S. Lewis essay before this week. It was rewarding.
From the if-it-is-not-news-can-it-be-disappointing-news department: How Academics View Conservative Protestants (Yancey, Reimer, and O’Connell, Sociology of Religion): The lead author, a sociologist, blogs at Black, White and Gray and I frequently benefit from what he shares there.

Disclaimer

Things Glen Found Interesting, Volume 5

In the time of King David, the Bible says that 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.

Heads up: in light of today’s Supreme Court decision I’ll likely include some articles about marriage and same-sex relationships in next Friday’s update. If you see anything you find helpful, please send it my way.

From the ongoing reflections on Charleston department: Persecution and the Black Church (Ross Douthat, NY Times) — Douthat is a NY Times columnist who consistently talks about issues of faith (he is a devout Catholic).
These next two articlesare linked in that they are about people driven by their Christian faith. One is an outspoken liberal and the other an outspoken conservative. If you only have time to read about one, read about the one you probably disagree with.
- From the possible Christian role model (liberal) department: Kirsten Powers is an antiabortion, antiwar evangelical liberal who works for Fox News. Got a problem with that? (Krissah Thompson, Washington Post): If you don’t know who Kirsten Powers is, you should read about her conversion to Christianity.
- From the possible Christian role model (conservative) department: Prison Revolt (Bill Keller, The New Yorker): It’s always a pleasant surprise when an article in The New Yorker quotes Scripture.
From the backstory department: Palestinian BDS Movement: Getting a Handle on a Complicated Story Ahead of Deadline (Ira Rifkin,GetReligion): this is an article for journalists helping them prepare for coverage of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement as it comes to the awareness of the American public (it hit Stanford last year, as you no doubt recall).
- Incidentally, it’s really hard to get a good understanding of this or of most topics related to Israel, especially as it connects to Palestine. For an eye-opening (and dismaying) experience, read What The Media Gets Wrong About Israel (Mattie Friedman, The Atlantic).
From the Chi Alpha worldwide department: Georgia Couple Defend Their Love After Bouquet Selfie Gets Negative Comments: Our Relationship ‘Is Not About Looks’ (Caitlin Keating, People): I include this only because it is about two Chi Alpha student leaders at Columbus State University, which I know because I know their campus pastor. On a related note — if you are ever in the news please feel free to wear your Chi Alpha t‑shirt.

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Things Glen Found Interesting, Volume 4

From the Charleston department:
1. Why A Black Church? (Emma Green, The Atlantic): the last paragraph was like a punch in the gut.
2. In this moving Youtube clip, representatives from the families of the victims forgive the shooter in court and call upon him to repent. It sounds as though several of them were actually there when the shooting happened and interacted with the shooter in the hour beforehand.
3. The Charleston Shooting is the Largest Mass Shooting in a House of Worship Since 1991 (Sarah Pulliam Bailey, Washington Post): this is an informative overview of the history of mass violence at religious organizations in the US. I noticed one typo in the article — it refers to 176 deaths when I am pretty sure it should have referred to 176 violent incidents leading to 74 deaths in 2014.
4. Black Americans Are Killed at 12 Times the Rate of People in Other Developed Countries (Nate Silver, FiveThirtyEight): this is probably the most depressing thing I read on a day of reading depressing things.
5. The story of the lady who busted the shooter is a more encouraging one. “It was God’s way of putting her in the right place at the right time, the Gastonia woman said.”
From the clarity is important department: Is Mormonism Christian? (Roger Olson, blog): Olson, a theologian, gives a very thorough and helpful answer to the question. It’s really long, so if you just want the summary jump to the last paragraph.
From the misunderstood research department: The Real Lesson of the Stanford Prison Experiment (Maria Konnikova, New Yorker): interesting for several reasons, among them the fact that we walk past the site of the experiments regularly.
From the sin is pervasive department: All Your Clothes Are Made With Exploited Labor (Gillian B. White, The Atlantic): even the most conscientious companies are unable to keep their products oppression-free.

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Things Glen Found Interesting, Volume 3

From the everyone’s a critic department: The Media Loves The Gates Foundation — These Experts Are More Skeptical (JuliaBelluz, Vox). This piece never mentions God, but I found it theologically fascinating for three reasons:
1. This article reminds me that no matter how much good you do there will always be critics. Jesus was perfect and the world nailed him to a cross.
2. This article reminds me that it is far easier to criticize than to accomplish. The article left me far more impressed with the Gates than with their critics. And I reflected upon the fact that the critics are unwittingly storing up judgment for themselves in heaven where they will be measured by the same standards they apply to Bill and Melinda Gates (Romans 2).
3. But Bill and Melinda do not get off scot-free. This article also reminds me of Isaiah 64:6 — our righteous deeds are like filthy rags before the Lord. These criticisms (at least those which are well-founded) are mere hints of the limitations God sees in the righteous deeds of Bill and Melinda Gates. All of us need Jesus — even our most moral friends.
From the responding to criticisms department: On Conservative Religious Activism, The Numbers Speak For Themselves (originally Washington Post, but better-formatted at RNS) People sometimes claim that Christians spend too much of their time and money fighting political battles rather serving the poor. This op-ed provides numbers to rebut the claim. A related article by a non-Christian journalist explains why many people believe the charge despite the data: Verily I Say Unto You: Christians Care About the Poor (Megan McArdle, Bloomberg View).
From the self-deception department: If You Use Facebook to Get Your News, Please — For the Love of Democracy — Read This First (Caitlyn Dewey, Washington Post): Nancy sent me this interesting article about how Facebook’s filtering algorithms subtly reinforce our biases. In related news, Ezra Klein at Vox explains Why The Most Informed Voters Are Often The Most Badly Misled.
From the laughter is good department: Dilbert meets an Internet star. The last panel kills me. Yesterday’s strip about brainstorming was insightfully funny as well.

Suggestions for a better title/frequency/best day to send the email on/articles to consider/etc are welcome. My current plan is to send out an email with 3–5 topics every Friday.

Disclaimer

Chi Alpha is not a partisan organization. To paraphrase another minister: we are not about the donkey’s agenda and 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 will 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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