The Fight for Freedom Continues

Happy Birthday, America! It has now been 244 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

What does the lived reality of America look like 244 years on from those famous words about self-evident truths and inalienable rights? To be frank, the proverbial visitor from Mars probably would not look at America of 2020 and find those self-truths to be very evident. The struggle for all Americans to fully and equitably enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness continues.

The phrase "Freedom Isn't Free" is generally a nod to Americans in uniform, and for 244 years, our military has done the hard work of protecting our country against all manner of ever-evolving foreign adversaries. But the military is not the solution to all the barriers that might keep us from fully and equitably realizing our founding ideals. There is hard work to do within our borders, at all levels of government and in our schools, and in the private sector of workplaces, universities, places of worship, and at our kitchen tables. There are hard conversations to have about where the arc of history bends too slowly toward justice, about how the powerful in America use power for their own gain rather than to empower the oppressed. There are too many people in 2020 America who know that had they been standing outside Philadelphia's Independence Hall in 1776, the statement coming from inside about equality and pursuit of happiness would not have applied to them, and only because of their gender or skin color.

In the 244 years hence, America has made progress, often haltingly, often sporadically, and with much bloodshed along the way. We stand on the shoulders and legacy of Abraham Lincoln and of Martin Luther King Jr. and of countless, often nameless, other Americans who have fought and literally died doing the hard work of bringing freedom fully and equitably to all who call, and who want to call, this country home. Much work remains to be done.

And so: what can we do between now and America's 245th birthday to make our country a little more free? How can those of us who have freedom share it with others? How can we get closer to realizing our founding ideals? I include myself in that "we," because I know I want to be part of it. Each of us can do something. Each of us can be the change we want to see.

With malice toward none, with charity toward all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in...
Abraham Lincoln
Second Inaugural Address
March 1865

America Under Construction

Last week I took a vacation to Washington, D.C./Northern Virginia. I saw a number of friends (mostly from my Wheaton days), did a few touristy things (including a concert at the Kennedy Center, something that has been on my bucket list for a while), and relaxed at my parents' vacation timeshare resort in Alexandria.

One of my activities was a visit to the United States Capitol. The Capitol dome is currently surrounded by scaffolding, the most visible element of a major restoration project.

The United States Capitol, looking southeast from the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and 7th Street

The image of the Capitol dome under construction reminded me of a scene from my favorite TV show, The West Wing. Josh Lyman, the Deputy White House Chief of Staff, is meeting with a candidate for Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, preparing for the Senate confirmation hearings. They are vigorously discussing race relations in the United States, and the candidate, Jeff, asks Josh to take out a dollar bill and look at the back. Josh does, and Jeff points out that the pyramid on the Great Seal is unfinished.

"The seal is meant to be unfinished," Jeff says, "because this country's meant to be unfinished. We're meant to keep doing better. We're meant to keep discussing and debating..."

What if we were to remember that more often? In these days of ideological battles, when our country seems so polarized, what if we were to remember that this grand idea called America, this grand experiment in freedom and in government by the people's representatives, is unfinished? If we did not expect it to be perfect (the word "perfect" means "complete"), would we find it all less frustrating, and perhaps double down on our efforts to work together as a nation?

On the Minimum Wage Debate

Do not fear, readers, my blog is not about to become solely focused on the policy debates of the day. But I do want to offer comment on an editorial from Friday's The New York Times -- a publication whose editorial board is almost always my ideological opposite (perhaps, if someone reminds me, I will write later about why I force myself to read it).

Anyway, please first read this brief editorial commenting on the recent decision by the city of Seattle to enact a $15 an hour minimum wage.

And now, a comment:

In the fourth paragraph, the editorial notes: "...there is no substitute for a robust federal minimum wage, because broad prosperity requires a solid wage floor, not a patchwork." I submit that in a nation as diverse as ours, prosperity means different things -- has different definitions based on quantifiable measures -- in different places. The cost of living is different in Midtown Manhattan than in Laurel, Montana (a city near Yellowstone National Park). So New York and Montana do not need the same minimum wage. And truthfully, the cost of living is different in Midtown Manhattan than in Albany, New York's state capital, so New York City and Albany do not need the same minimum wage. Thus, a state-by-state and even municipality-by-municipality patchwork would be just fine for "broad prosperity."

Minimum wage should be among the most locally-decided issues in public policy -- not least because a high percentage of earnings will go directly back into the local economy. States with lower populations (put another way, without dense urban areas in contrast to rural areas within the same state) may find it efficient to consider the matter at the state level, as the cost of living is more uniform throughout their border. It is decidedly something that the federal government, however, absolutely does not need to spend time addressing.

For Life

This past Sunday, my brother Paul participated in March for Life Chicago. His blog piece offers a literally on-the-ground perspective on the event in the Chicago Loop

Today is the March for Life on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. There will undoubtedly be countless more articles, columns, and commentaries circulating on the Internet throughout the day, but to begin, a few highlights from what I have already read today:

• As part of The Gospel Coalition's "Nine Things" series, "Nine (More) Things You Should Know About Roe v Wade"
• Be sure to read all the way to no. 9 in the last list, and then look at this excellent piece at the American Conservative, "A Culture of Life," which examines how law and culture relate to the issue
• Life was the theme of Morning Bell at The Foundry (The Heritage Foundation's blog) this morning: "19 Beautiful Reminders Why Americans March for Life Today"

And Pope Francis tweeted this morning:

I join the March for Life in Washington with my prayers. May God help us respect all life, especially the most vulnerable.

Articles of the Week - Gettysburg Address

Yesterday, November 19, marked one hundred and fifty years since Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. In less time than it takes to boil water, Lincoln delivered remarks that are almost universally considered one of the greatest pieces of oratory.

Here are just a few of the reflections on the Gettysburg Address I came across in my online reading yesterday:

• John Steele Gordon at the American Enterprise Institute reflected on why Lincoln's assumption people would forget his remarks was so wrong.
• The Chicago Tribune editorial board contrasted the mixed reactions at the time with the later historical perspective (and also provided the complete text).
• The editorial board of The New York Times considered the timelessness of the speech.

Did you come across any good reflections, essays, editorial pieces, and the like on the Gettysburg Address? Please share a link in the comments section below.

Articles of the Week - Marriage in America

The Supreme Court of the United States released its decisions on two significant cases related to marriage law this past week. The general sentiment from all the responses and commentary I read over the last few days is that "the debate is nowhere near over." A few highlights from my reading:

First, as to summarizing the context and the decisions themselves:

Though I disagree with its sentiments, the Chicago Tribune editorial board had a more or less balanced, fact-based assessment of the decisions. The Economist similarly had a brief, fact-based summary of the same, and The Gospel Coalition had a helpful list of "9 Things You Should Know" about the cases.

Second, to responses and commentary:

On Thursday morning, The Heritage Foundations's "Morning Bell" was part summary, part recap of the more extended immediate commentary from late Wednesday morning. Also on Wednesday, Heritage President Jim DeMint offered his perspective on the active future of the marriage debate.

And from Christianity Today:

• From Gleanings, the news blog, reactions from legal experts
• A summary of the news and responses from ministry leaders
• CT's editorial (written by Ted Olsen), addressing the concept of the "right side of history"
• Ed Stetzer's response and thoughts on what followers of Jesus should do
• Russell Moore's perspective on what really changed with the decisions

I especially commend to you those last three pieces from Christianity Today. All are written thoughtfully and biblically, and I hope they will be helpful to people like me who are committed to proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ in this day.

Have you read any good responses to the Supreme Court's decisions? Please post links to articles, blogs, commentary pieces, and editorials in the comments section below!

Who Was Paul Harvey?

A good friend of mine has a ChicagoNow blog, and I was her featured guest blogger last Tuesday. I just realized that I never shared my piece on my own blog! Here it is.

=======

And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, "I need a caretaker." So God made a farmer.

Where did you hear that recently? My guess is that many people, like me, heard it Sunday night during the second half of Super Bowl XLVII. The two-minute montage of color still photos depicting farmers, farm life, and farm families, with an unadorned speech track accompanying it, was eventually revealed to be an advertisement for Dodge Ram trucks.

Did you also notice, either when you saw it on TV or when you perhaps watched it again on YouTube this week, the name that flashed across the screen on top of the opening shot? Paul Harvey?

Who?

I must admit that I did not recognize the name. That may or may not be a clue into the influence of twenty-first century media technology on my life.

Wikipedia revealed that Paul Harvey was an American radio broadcaster who passed away just a few years ago. His work included news and news commentary segments that drew national audiences of over 20 million across some 1300 radio stations during the second half of the twentieth century. His career at one point took him to Hawaii (he was in the army during the Second World War), but he primarily worked from the Midwest, particularly, Chicago. Harvey won a number of awards and honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He counted as friends many national figures such as J. Edgar Hoover and Billy Graham.

The speech used in the Super Bowl commercial (only slightly truncated in that use; the full version can be found in this article) was originally given at the 1978 Future Farmers of America convention. Harvey’s support of farmers is fitting with The New York Times’ obituary description of him as a champion “of the fundamental decency of ordinary people.” The Chicago Tribune, in its obituary of Harvey, noted that his litmus test for programming a given news story was “Would Aunt Betty care about this?”

The New York Times also noted Harvey’s unhidden passion for average Americans and his concern about “bureaucrats who lacked common sense.” “I have never pretended to objectivity,” he once said. He also refused a request to relocate to New York City, even as he gained a national reputation, preferring to stay in Chicago. I think all Chicagoans will agree that Harvey was a true Chicagoan himself, embodying the common sense, hardworking, neighbor-helping spirit of this great city.

As I continued to read about Harvey on Monday, I discovered (also on Wikipedia) that he had for many years attended the same church where I grew up and now and work, Calvary Memorial of Oak Park. I checked with more senior members of church staff, and they verified that information. My former senior pastor recalled that Harvey and his wife were “very friendly,” and it had always been a pleasure to see him at church. One older gentleman even remembered his preferred seat in our auditorium!

It made sense to me that Harvey had been an active church member. His Christian – specifically, Baptist – faith clearly influenced his opinions on many of the issues of the day, not least his nod to farmers (the “So God Made a Farmer” speech has in its opening line and refrain allusions to the Genesis account of Creation). He was known as “The Voice of Middle America” and “The Voice of the Silent Majority.” Jesus Himself was a champion of the “middle class” of His day – in fact, His first disciples were everyday, hardworking fishermen!

Thanks to Dodge, CBS, and the National Football League, Paul Harvey has had a surge in popularity. Hopefully, the issues and people he championed will have a surge in popularity as well.

Eric's Favorite Super Bowl Commercials

Last night, I enjoyed Super Bowl XLVII in the company of Calvary's young adults community. It was a great party, full of laughter, and the game was a Super Bowl-quality contest, no doubt. I am not a sports expert, so I will not comment any further on the football, but I did keep a short list of favorite advertisements. I will save my two favorites for last, and start with the others, listed in the order they appeared (most of these first ones I chose for being funny).

Audi, "Prom" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANhmS6QLd5Q

AXE, "Nothing Beats an Astronaut" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGoU3VH7He4

Tide, "Miracle Stain" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoOfBVraMNw (my friend Claire, who was sitting next to me at the time, called it as a Tide commercial early on)

Samsung, "The Next Big Thing" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ae7E8J7h7Y

And now my two favorites, chosen for their profound messages and tributes to two groups of people that make America great:

My second favorite was the Dodge Ram tribute to Paul Harvey's "So God Made a Farmer" (a speech Harvey, a late American radio broadcaster, made at the 1978 Future Farmers of America convention). As an interesting fact, I found out today that Harvey attended Calvary for many years. Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMpZ0TGjbWE

By far my favorite of the night was "Whole Again," the salute by Jeep at halftime to "Our Nation's Heroes" - the men and women of the United States Armed Forces. Narrated by Oprah Winfrey, with "Honor" (Hans Zimmer et al.'s Main Title from The Pacific) as the soundtrack, this two-minute spot looked forward to the day when the servicemen and women return home to their families. Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FadwTBcvISo

What were your favorite advertisements? Post their names with a link in the comments section below!

Articles of the Week - December 8

Lots of discussions happening this week. I will begin with politics and public policy, as that is what is most recent (as in this morning) in my Google Reader.

A few items regarding the Supreme Court's announcement that it will hear some cases on federal marriage laws.

• Ryan T. Anderson of The Heritage Foundation offers a summary of the announcement and the conservative perspective on the issue
• John G. Malcolm, also of Heritage, offers a Legal Analysis
• Steve Chapman of the Chicago Tribune describes possible outcomes and ramifications

And elsewhere in politics and public policy:

• Sarah Morris of Heritage reports on the United Nations' declaration of contraception access as a human right (how an invention can be a right is beyond me)
• Amy Payne of Heritage reports on the latest movement from House Republicans on fiscal cliff negotiations, not hiding her disappointment at the lack of bold moves
• Diane Cohen of the Tribune argues that collective bargaining negotiations for public bodies should be conducted in open meetings (I agree with this)
• The Tribune's editorial board calls on the president to remember his pre-inaugural commitment to entitlement reform
• Sarah Torre of Heritage reports on the attitudes of Americans toward the HHS mandate exemptions for religious organizations (a recent poll shows that more support than oppose a broader exemption than currently allowed)
• The Gospel Coalition, as part of its FAQ series, offers a helpful summary of the fiscal cliff issue

Some thoughts on matters of faith, theology, and church life:

• Blogger and Bible teacher Jen Wilkin, writing for TGC, has some advice for parents about protecting the Sabbath
• Jon Acuff has a unique and convicting discussion of sanctification
• "Jordan" of gaysubtlety also has some unique and convicting thoughts on sanctification
• Josh Moody of College Church has some thoughts on cultural engagement for Christians based on I John
• Melissa Steffan of Christianity Today reports that there are seven categories of people that Americans trust more than their pastors

Some Advent-themed pieces:

• Ray Pritchard ponders the signs of Christmas in Eden, a "famous Christmas verse," and an "unlikely Christmas verse"
• W. David O. Taylor writes at length about the hymn "Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus" and its author, Charles Wesley
• Joy-Elizabeth Lawrence writes for Today's Christian Woman about her changed perspective, as a Protestant, on the veneration of Mary
• Charley Honey of the Grand Rapids Press suggests sacred music as a way to ease holiday stress (well, duh!)

And finally:

• Mary Schmich of the Tribune reflects on the use of "big words"
• Lachlan Markay of Heritage lists ten things on which Americans spend more money than their elections
• My college classmate Kelsey Craggett muses on some of her recent experiences and discoveries as a young professional musician

What articles or blogs caught your attention this week? Share a link or two in the comments section below!

Articles of the Week - December 1

Happy December! Today begins meteorological winter - and the forecast for Chicago calls for mid-fifties. I guess the key word there was "Chicago."

This is also the first weekend of Advent. Given that, I want to begin this week with a few Advent-themed items:

• David Taylor reflects on the counter-cultural nature of the season of Advent (as properly understood) and offers his own "acts of service" Advent calendar.
• Daniel Montgomery and Bobby Giles, writing for The Gospel Coalition offer the counter-cultural proposal that we skip the "Christmas season" this year.
• Ray Pritchard begins his Advent Devotional Series today.
• Speaking of Advent calendars, check out the Evangelism Advent Calendar from the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, and also my own Musical Advent Calendar, which began earlier this morning - select "Musical Advent Calendar" from the right sidebar to see the complete calendar to date.
• This isn't exactly Advent-themed, but I have to share the Stuff Christians Like take on the real meaning of Christmas

Now on to faith, theology, and church life:

• Another thought-provoking installment from Ray Pritchard's devotional series on Ecclesiastes, this one on the grace of God even in the face of loss
• The Gospel Coalition offers an excerpt from Tim Keller's book on "the power of deep rest."
• Christianity Today offers an excerpt from a Dietrich Bonhoeffer sermon on "why love never ends."
• Also in CT, Fred Sanders reviews Carl Trueman's The Creedal Imperative, a new book about "the need for creeds."
• Jared C. Wilson, of TGC, offers six questions worship service planners should ask.
• Josh Deffam, guest blogging for Stuff Christians Like, notes the different types of church ushers, including the most impressive: synchronized ushers.

Some thoughts on politics and public policy:

• Michael Kinsey wrote a striking op-ed for the Chicago Tribune on the concept of change (the seventh paragraph is a particularly good summary of the ironic American perspective).
• Stuart Stevens, from the Romney campaign, reflects on the former governor's work on the campaign trail, and what it all means for the Republican Party's future (also in the Tribune).
• Amy Payne of The Heritage Foundation writes about movement in international Internet regulation
• A business/technology story with some public policy implications: The Econonist takes a look at the "four giants of the Internet age"
• The Gospel Coalition reports on "recent news and reports on marriage and family" (compiled by Joe Carter).

A few interesting arts and entertainment notes:

• Colin Eatock writes for the Houston Chronicle about a trend toward young music directors for American orchestras (this surprised me at first reading, probably because the music director of my favorite, hometown orchestra is in his seventies)
• Speaking of my favorite, hometown orchestra, Heather Gillers of the Chicago Tribune summarizes music director Riccardo Muti's role and compensation at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
• Peter Dobrin of the Philadelphia Inquirer explores "music's connections to society as a whole."
• Robert Beaser, of the Juilliard faculty, writes a feature for The New York Times on "the rigid old days of contemporary music" - and what things are really like today.

And a few odds and ends:

• WorldVision has an anecdote (and a challenge) about the life-changing nature, for youth, of having a tangible purpose
• Carrie Muskat of MLB.com summarizes the Chicago Cubs' progress this offseason in building next season's team

What articles or blogs caught your attention this week? Share them in the comments section below!

Articles of the Week - November 24

Hope you all had a good Thanksgiving. I kept a handful of articles on that very subject, so I will begin there this week:

• Collin Hansen of The Gospel Coalition responds to some common myths of Thanksgiving.
• "Jordan" of gaysubtlety provides his very moving list of things for which he is thankful.
• The Heritage Foundation offers the text of Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation, Rachel Sheffield's reflections on why we should be thankful for families (I especially appreciate and agree with the points on the value of a stable, two-married-parent-household for child development), and Rich Tucker's reflections on the American distinctives that are still strong even in an age of partisanship.
• Leonard Pitts, Jr., writing for the Chicago Tribune, uses Lincoln's circumstances to draw a parallel and a challenge for our own times.

Turning to faith and theology:

• For Christianity Today, Carolyn Arends provides one of the best (concise) "answers" to the origins question I have ever read, Melissa Steffan summarizes the variety of faith-based organizations taking legal action against the contraception mandate in the Affordable Care Act, and Wilfred McClay offers a thorough defense of religion's place in the public square - and concludes with a brief discussion of the place of religion in Western society (this was CT's November cover story).
• For The Gospel Coalition, Will Bankston reflects on God's common grace and its necessary effect on cultural engagement and Josh Stahley examines the biblical distinction between salvation and baptism.
• Continuing the devotional series on Ecclesiastes, Ray Pritchard issues a 21-day prayer challenge.

A couple items on education:

• The editorial board of the Chicago Tribune offers some suggestions (more like reminders) for reforming education in Illinois.
• Alan Jacobs, writing for The American Conservative, ponders the effects of the regulatory state on education (not a new issue, by any means, but this piece reminded me of it).

And finally, arts and entertainment.

• Ratzo B. Harris writes for New Music Box about the ubiquity of improvisation and the fundamental problem with notating music.
• Taylor Coe of Pop Matters discusses at length the identity of folk music.
• The Economist's Prospero looks at Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, the record holder for longest continuous run of any stage play.
• Steve Paul of The Kansas City Star outlines the recent successes of the Kansas City Symphony.
• Kyle MacMillan of the Chicago Sun-Times reports on the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's work to record the John Williams soundtrack for Steven Spielberg's Lincoln.

By the way, next Saturday, I will begin my second annual Christmas Music Advent Calendar!

What articles or blogs caught your attention this week? Share a link in the comments section below!

Articles of the Week - November 17

This week brings another shorter list of highlights, but each presents some interesting ideas.

I want to start with articles on faith and theology.

• Chuck King muses on the often difficult (and often forgotten) task of ensuring that whatever happens in  corporate worship, it must support the voice of the people praising God.
• Continuing his series of devotionals on Ecclesiastes, Ray Pritchard reflects on the importance of friends.
• Katie Hoiland writes for Christianity Today's This Is Our City about a couple in Phoenix whose mission is simply to be good neighbors.
• Steve Cornell, in The Gospel Coalition blog, challenges readers to not "sanitize the Psalms."
• Sarah Lebhar Hall, for Christianity Today, offers a different perspective on what it means to have a purposeful life. Like so many other elements of the Christian life, it seems counterintuitive at first.

And now to politics and public policy.

• Rachel Sheffield of The Heritage Foundation summarizes the effects of last week's election on education policy.
• Charles Madigan, for the Chicago Tribune, explains why the 2012 election did not continue the trend of the 2010 election, and the lessons that should be learned before the 2014 election.

And finally, the Daily Herald outlines this season's offerings of the Wheaton College Artist Series and reflects on how the Series has changed over the past generation. (By the way, tickets are still available for tonight's performance of Camerata Chicago with Caroline Goulding!)

What articles or blogs caught your attention this week? Share a link in the comments section below!

Articles of the Week - November 10

My list of highlights this week has only twelve items, which is far less than usual, and nine of them concern the election or post-election analysis. Maybe it was because I came across so many pieces on those topics that I felt I had read all the angles thoroughly. Anyway, here they are, starting with those nine:

From The Foundry (blog of The Heritage Foundation)

• "Today is Your Day -- Vote, America" (David S. Addington)
• "Now is a Time for Commitment" (Ed Feulner)
• "Obamacare: The Battle Intensifies" (Nina Owcharenko)

From the Chicago Tribune

• "Optimism of 2008 Replaced with Dishing out 'Revenge'" (John Kass)
• "This is What Hope Looks Like" (Eric Zorn)
• "Obama's Second Act" (Doyle McManus)
• "A National Left Turn?" (Eric Zorn)

From The Economist: "Obama's Win Raises Questions for Republicans" (Lexington)

From The Gospel Coalition: "From Me, Yesterday" (Collin Hansen)

And on other subjects:

• Chuck King makes some observations about generation-centered church practices
• Glenn T. Stanton, for TGC, examines the statement "Jesus is all I need"
• Louis Markos, for TGC, "[Thinks] about Aslan and Jesus with C.S. Lewis"

Did you read anything interesting this week? Share it in the comments section below.

Articles of the Week - November 3

Well, this is it, folks. 'Twas the Month Before Christmas, and All Through the World of Professional Musicians, Every Creature is Becoming Frantic. But seriously, this is my favorite two-month stretch of the year.

I want to do something unheard of, and begin my highlights this week with a focus on music (I realized with a shock how infrequently I do that, given my profession). But anyway...

• Tony Woodcock, President of the New England Conservatory of Music, writes a piece for the Huffington Post arguing that professional orchestra can reclaim their significance by focusing on music education (that idea has my vote!)
• J.S. Marcus, in The Wall Street Journal, traces the lengthy process of organ making by focusing on one of organ builder Wendelin Eberle's recent projects

On politics and public policy...

• Two editorial pieces in the Chicago Tribune about unions: Bruce Rauner's argument that government employee labor unions are choking Illinois taxpayers, and Henry Bayer's argument that public employee unions are vital to protecting the middle class
• The Tribune also reports on "two triumphs for Chicago"
• Similar to the Tribune last week, The Economist offers a guarded endorsement of Barack Obama

On faith and theology...

• Perry Noble, writing for the Christian Post, offers eleven ways to live a boring life
• David T. Koyzis, writing for The Gospel Coalition, traces the "logic of liberalism" (readers who consider themselves politically conservative will likely find this a very interesting piece)
• Jared C. Wilson, also writing for TGC, debunks the idea of the gospel being anything like a bare minimum
• Jon Acuff of Stuff Christians Like suggests that perhaps we Christians subconsciously expect instant and total sanctification at the moment of salvation
• Some trivia about Reformation Day and Halloween from Joe Carter of TGC
• Continuing his excellent series of devotionals on Ecclesiastes, Ray Pritchard considers the well-known idea of a "God-shaped vacuum"
• Lane Palmer, in the Christian Post, notes that our freedom to vote for our president was purchased with the blood of the American revolutionaries, but our true freedom was purchased with the blood of the Lord Jesus
• Josh Moody reminds Christians that in the midst of trials of this life, we must live in light of eternity
• Petra Bosna, for Christianity Today's This Is Our City, suggests having a conversation
• Chuck King considers the value of prayers from previous generations of Christians

And finally, a piece from the Chicago Tribune in the wake of Hurricane Sandy about who's really in control - though unfortunately the paper's answer misses the mark.

What articles or blogs caught your attention this week? Share them in the comments section below!

Articles of the Week - October 27

Happy Saturday, everyone! I hope you have something worthwhile planned for today.

I want to begin this week's highlights with faith and theology as (a) those articles account for about half of what I will share and (b) I rarely begin there. I will sort them by publication.

The Gospel Coalition

• Greg Forster examines some of the nuances of the "culture war" as applied to religious liberty
• Matt Smethurst summarizes a recent sermon on Christianity and politics by Mark Dever of Capitol Hill Baptist Church
• John Starke provides a more biblical definition of discipleship
• The Gospel Coalition has also launched a new blog, "New City Catechism." If you subscribe to one new blog, make it this one! Ben Peays explains its purpose.

Society for the Advancement of Ecclesial Theology

• Matthew Mason muses on politics in light of the upcoming election (make sure to read thought #8)
• Matthew Mason further reflects on the pastoral approach to theological study exhibited by John Paul II

Christian Post

• Michael Gryboski summarizes recent remarks by Dr. Owen Strachan on shifting views of God among millennials (they are not so good)
• Lillian Kown reports on changes in the megachurch movement (the most prominent of which is the multisite sub-movement)

And elsewhere,

• Jon Acuff of Stuff Christians Like discusses the lessons he has learned about surrender
• Jeff Haanen reviews a new book about domestic yet cross-cultural missions for Christianity Today
• Continuing his series of devotionals on Ecclesiastes, Ray Pritchard examines thanksgiving and satisfaction
• James Wood, for The New Yorker, celebrates the 350th anniversary of the Book of Common Prayer

Given that more than one of the "faith and theology" highlights had to do with politics, perhaps I should turn next to politics and public policy

• David Bittinger of the Chicago Tribune looks forward to November 7 and beyond
• Lindsey Burke of The Heritage Foundation summarizes Paul Ryan's recent comments on school choice
• Victor Davis Hanson, in the Tribune, offers a concise synopsis of the effects of the presidential debates
• Ken McIntyre of Heritage outlines recent civic engagement by people of faith
• Sarah Morris of Heritage presents the word cloud for the final presidential debate
• Alyene Senger of Heritage argues that the contraception debate is not really about contraception
• The Tribune reports on a push from American business leaders this week for "action on the federal budget deficit"
• The Economist's Lexington looks at the oft-misunderstood significance of suburbia
• The editorial board of The New York Times offers its take on whether government creates jobs (my immediate response is that while yes, government employs many, many people, that is not quite the same as creating new jobs)

And that leaves us with just a few pieces on arts, entertainments, and sports

• BBC News reports on trends in the overseas revenues of British musicians
• Cordelia Hebblethwaite discusses the fate of pianos - and some of the emotions toward and conceptions of pianos over the last few centuries
• Carrie Muskat of MLB.com summarizes Theo Epstein's goals for the future of the Chicago Cubs
• The Economist's Prospero considers how the e-book industry is different from the print book industry

What articles or blogs caught your attention this week? Share them in the comments section below!