In recent days I’ve had a number of people ask for book recommendations (for both kids and adults) on the subject of race. Westminster Books just sent a newsletter with suggestions, and those titles are worth considering.
There are a few new Kindle deals to take a look at today.
The Christian Art of Dying Well
This is a thought-provoking article from Alastair Roberts. “Conservatives have often presented pessimistic portrayals of social developments, warning of futures that—statistically, at least—quite resemble the present. However, for the most part it does not feel to people as though their predictions have come to pass. Hearing the predictions, they expected it to feel rather different, like living through a catastrophe ought to feel.”
More on the Mania for Unanimity
Alan Jacobs writes about the mania for unanimity, but of greater interest to me, he offers some interesting thoughts on why the video of George Floyd’s death has proven so impactful (to the point, as per the subject of his article, that it has generated near-universal demands for public statements). He suggests three reasons. “The murder of George Floyd (1) happened in America, (2) was captured on a video that seems agonizingly long but is just short enough for people to watch fully, and (3) was shared widely on social media — American social media.”
The Road to Utopia
Lynn Vincent writes for WORLD: “America is on fire because we have systematically rejected our shared moral underpinnings. We have rejected the transracial bond of humanity the abolitionists fought for. We have rejected civility and the common good. In recent years, we have rejected the nature of creation itself, spurning science and common sense. Finally, we have rejected the gospel of peace in favor of a savage Lord of the Flies counterfeit that separates human beings into two classes: the cultural elites and their foot soldiers … and everyone else.”
The Curse of the Wearwolf
Keith Mathison: “We can be conformed to this world in many ways. Even those who self-consciously reject worldly philosophies can sometimes slip into a more subtle, and therefore less noticeable, kind of conformity. When we do this, we can easily become an oblivious sheep in wolves’ clothing.”
J.K. Rowling Writes about Her Reasons for Speaking out on Sex and Gender Issues
You’ve undoubtedly heard about J.K. Rowling facing fury for her convictions on transgenderism. In this long article she offers all kinds of interesting thoughts on the matter (though obviously many of them still differ significantly from a Christian perspective). “We’re living through the most misogynistic period I’ve experienced. Back in the 80s, I imagined that my future daughters, should I have any, would have it far better than I ever did, but between the backlash against feminism and a porn-saturated online culture, I believe things have got significantly worse for girls. Never have I seen women denigrated and dehumanised to the extent they are now.” (This article from CBMW was written before this furor, but speaks to it well.)
Hard To Believe Anyone Would Be So Stupid
If you’ve never read this story from D.A. Carson and considered its moral, perhaps now’s the time.
4 Ways to Practice Theological Humility
Many of us could use some help here, don’t you think?
Flashback: How to Avoid the Worst Form of Failure
There are a lot of things in life we could do, there are a lot of things in life we could succeed at, but we come to realize there are very few that actually matter.
Regard readiness to die as the first step in learning to live.
—J.I. Packer
