I am going to take Thursdays to share thought-provoking articles I’ve read this week. I’d love to hear your suggestions, too. You can leave them in the comment section. Here are my picks (in no particular order):
1. From friend, New Testament theologian, and pastor Michael Pahl: “Can a bad person be a good theologian?” So asks Mark Oppenheimer reflecting on the turmoil left by John Howard Yoder http://t.co/6Ubu9FXdkX
2. What stereotype is associated with your church or denomination? Is there truth to the stereotype? That’s for you to answer. Kate Shellnutt (over at Her.meneutics) takes a look popular queries on internet.
3. Writer Melody Harris Hanson shares about what it’s like to live with deep depression and about the hope that she has in God. Her post is titled, “My Silence, Depression’s Lies, and Faith” http://t.co/fEABEu6D3E.
*Note: If you are depressed, if you are feeling hopeless and helpless, please reach out for help. There are those who want to walk alongside you and love you into life. God sees you. He sees you. You are not invisible. Please reach out.
4. Are Millenials lazy and not wanting to work? Or are they living in a different world, a world where jobs are in flux and nothing is guaranteed? Alicia Cohn writes an informational and very sobering post over at Her.meneutics entitled: Help Wanted: Coming-of-Age in a Recession Can Shake Our Faith.
5. Sometimes we are so overwhelmed with evil we feel the little good we do is in vain. We must fight against this lie. Here is an example of good overcoming evil. Famed journalist Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times reports that efforts to stop sex-trafficking in Nashville are making a difference. See his article: “From the Streets to the ‘World’s Best Mom.'”
6. My friend Amy-Julia Becker suggested I read Kristof’s article (cited above). And I want to suggest you read the very good series of guests posts on her blog, Thin Places. Her guests are discussing whether or not we should seek a ‘cure’ for Down Syndrome.
7. I love Papa Francis. He’s always doing things Jesus would do. Even enemies of the Roman Catholic Church and those with different religious affiliations praise his Christ-likeness. Here’s another story.
8. This past Monday was Columbus Day in the USA. Shane Claiborne reminds us that we should be grateful for our country but also that we shouldn’t romanticize the dark side of our history. How did Columbus treat the Native Americans?
9. Mark Driscoll is a popular pastor in the United States. In this article, Jonathan Merritt (Religious News Service) wonders if Mark Driscoll is this generation’s Pat Robertson.
10. Are we sensitive about how we speak about and how treat our Asian brothers and sisters? We need to be. Read An Open Letter to the Evangelical Church.
I love this idea, Marlena! These are the sorts of things I love to read, but don’t always find on my own. Can’t wait for more!!!
Hi Nikki,
Thank you. And if you have suggestions on what I should read, send it over!