Articles of the Week - April 28

I originally had over twenty-five articles starred in my Google Reader from this week. I realized today that many of them were addressing the same issue (namely, the student loan debate), so I cut a few. Besides those, there are a handful on my favorite subjects: cultural literacy, education policy, and ministry.

Claire Needell Hollander: “Teach the Books, Touch the Heart” (The New York Times, April 20)

Teaching English simply for test preparation rather than to develop a love of literature is a mistake.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/taking-emotions-out-of-our-schools.html

Thomas L. Friedman: “Down with Everything” (The New York Times, April 21)

Has America gone from a system designed to prevent anyone in government from amassing too much power to a system in which no one can get enough power to do anything?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/friedman-down-with-everything.html

Ray Pritchard: “Chuck Colson’s Motto” (Keep Believing Blog, April 21)

http://www.keepbelieving.com/blog/2012-4-21-chuck-colsons-motto/

Sherry Turkle: “The Flight from Conversation” (The New York Times, April 21)

We use technology to keep one another at distances we can control: not too close, not too far, just right: the Goldilocks effect.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/the-flight-from-conversation.html

Lindsey Minerva: “Caring for God’s Creation on Earth Day” (World Vision Blog, April 22)

http://blog.worldvision.org/conversations/caring-for-creation/

Rachel Sheffield: “Why States Should Hop Off the National Standards Bandwagon” (The Foundry, April 23)

http://blog.heritage.org/2012/04/23/why-states-should-hop-off-the-national-standards-bandwagon/

Mike Brownfield: “Do You Know What the Constitution Really Means?” (The Foundry, April 24)

http://blog.heritage.org/2012/04/24/morning-bell-do-you-know-what-the-constitution-really-means/

Kevin DeYoung: “What’s Wrong with Theistic Evolution?” (Christian Post, April 24)

Why can’t we say Adam was a real person and the first person to know God, but not the only human on the planet?

http://www.christianpost.com/news/whats-wrong-with-theistic-evolution-73714/

Editorial: “Trust, But Verify” (Chicago Tribune, April 25)

It will be up to the aldermen, and the rest of the city, to make sure the promises of the Chicago Infrastructure Trust plan are kept.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-trust-20120425,0,3441348.story

Perry Noble: “Four Problems the Church Has GOT to Deal With” (Christian Post, April 25)

At the end of the day, people are not asking about the five points of Calvinism, the trichotomy or dichotomy of the Spirit, or the peccability/impeccability of Christ!

http://www.christianpost.com/news/four-problems-the-church-has-got-to-deal-with-73926/

“Bit Rot” (The Economist, April 28)

The world is losing its ability to reconstruct history. Better regulations could fix that.

http://www.economist.com/node/21553445

Mike Brownfield: “Washington Needs a Lesson on Student Loans” (The Foundry, April 27)

http://blog.heritage.org/2012/04/27/morning-bell-washington-needs-a-lesson-on-student-loans/

Russell D. Moore: “Beyond a Trickle-Down Liturgy” (Christian Post, April 27)

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of trickle-down liturgy. What I mean by that is music that is designed and marketed somewhere, makes it on Christian radio or other media, and then becomes familiar enough that people start singing it in church.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/beyond-a-trickle-down-liturgy-73985/

W. David. O. Taylor: “Discipling the Eyes through Art in Worship” (Christianity Today, April 27)

The visual arts can play a powerful role in worship – if we look closely enough.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/april/art-in-worship.html

Editorial: “Momentum for School Choice” (Chicago Tribune, April 28)

(Except in Illinois)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-voucher-20120428,0,864759.story