Saturday, July 21, 2012

Articles of the Week - July 21

With the exception of articles and columns about Wheaton College's recent lawsuit, here are the other pieces I starred this week.


In Christianity Today this week, David Fitch writes that the church is too ideological, which leads to defensiveness and other anti-gospel dispositions, and should instead humbly focus, as Jesus so often did while traveling the countryside, on the here and now of their communities ("bloom where planted" and "faithful presence," as this idea is also described). Similarly, Alan Chambers of Exodus International challenges readers to put aside the never-ending "great gay Christian debate" and submit to Christ's lordship. Nick Olson notes the nugget of truth about the human experience behind the film works of Christopher Nolan, Andrew Root offers a compelling spiritual-ontological analysis of divorce (and offers a solution the church could take), and Ken Walker comments on shifting trends in adoption by American evangelical couples.


In the Heritage Foundation's "The Foundry" blog, Amy Payne traces the past and present state of welfare reform (particularly, how current Obama Administration policies threaten to undo the progress of past decades), Lindsey Burke identifies the limited effects of the proposed "Master Teacher Corps" program, and Rich Tucker outlines the tenets of American exceptionalism and why they are worth including in school history curricula.


The WorldVision blog also had two pieces about education, this one by Laura Reinhardt about providing school supplies to children in need right here in America, and this video about sponsoring education, which builds communities, in poor countries.


The Chicago Tribune also had some things to say about education, in this editorial piece reminding Chicago educators that 405,000 children's education and future is at stake. Speaking of the future, Patrick Reardon offers words of encouragement and advice to young adults, and (looking to the nearer future) the editorial board demands that Mr. Obama and Mr. Romney stop insulting each other and start inspiring America.


In arts and entertainment, Prospero writes for The Economist that the Nolan Batman trilogy is not really about Batman, and praises the "cultural smorgasbord" of the Latitude Festival, and the Cureator proposes that the arts are not just a preservative for civilization, but offer hope and healing as well.


Finally, The Economist pokes some holes in estimates of the London Games' benefits to London, and my friend Rebecca muses on the "Perils of Dressing."


This is Rubio, over and out.

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