Article of the Week - May 5

I again had to cut down my list this week (I like to stay under 20 recommendations), but I think I still achieved quite a variety. Politics, theology, arts and culture, and one article my a friend of mine.

David Bratman: “Recordings to Save Classical Music? Cheers to That” (San Francisco Classical Voice, April 21)

Let’s end the parade of sameness – and save classical music.

http://www.sfcv.org/article/recordings-to-save-classical-music-cheers-to-that

Tom Service: “The Five Myths About Contemporary Classical Music” (The Guardian, April 26)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/apr/26/five-myths-contemporary-classical-music

Frank Bruni: “The Imperiled Promise of College” (The New York Times, April 28)

Student loans are just a piece of the puzzle of higher education.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/opinion/sunday/bruni-the-imperiled-promise-of-college.html

Sister Christian: “Wheaton College Career Services: How to Market a Liberal Arts Degree” (A Daily Miracle, May 1)

http://www.chicagonow.com/daily-miracle/2012/05/wheaton-college-career-services-how-to-market-a-liberal-arts-degree/

Helle Dale: “New York Times: Every Day, In Every Way, Obama is Getting Even Better” (The Foundry, May 1)

http://blog.heritage.org/2012/05/01/new-york-times-every-day-in-every-way-obama-is-getting-even-better/

John Piper: “Some Complementarians Deny Women More Opportunities Than the Bible Does?” (Christian Post, May 1)

http://www.christianpost.com/news/some-complementarians-deny-women-more-opportunities-than-the-bible-does-74149/

Carolyn Arends: “Defending Scripture. Literally.” (Christianity Today, May 2)

Not everything the Bible has to say should be literally interpreted. But that doesn’t make it less powerful.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/april/defending-scripture-literally.html

Arian Campo-Flores: “New World Symphony Tries Remix of Classical Music for iPod Generation” (The Wall Street Journal, May 2)

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304050304577378253248886874.html

Richie Siegel: “Virtual Intimacy is ‘Like’ This” (Chicago Tribune, May 2)

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-05-01/news/ct-oped-0502-virtual-20120430_1_social-media-facebook-friends-real-intimacy

James K. A. Smith: “Artificial Grace: Why the Creation Needs Human Creativity” (Christianity Today, May 2)

http://www.christianitytoday.com/thisisourcity/7thcity/artificialgrace.html

Jason Hood: “The Normal Christian Life (in the OT)” (The Society for the Advancement of Ecclesial Theology, May 3)

http://www.saet-online.org/the-normal-christian-life-in-the-ot/05/

Ray Pritchard: “I Struggle with Assurance of Salvation” (Keep Believing Blog, May 3)

http://www.keepbelieving.com/blog/2012-5-3-i-struggle-with-assurance-of-salvation/

Brandon Stewart: “A Better Life for ‘Julia’” (The Foundry, May 4)

http://blog.heritage.org/2012/05/04/a-better-life-for-julia/

Editorial: “Natomageddon” (Chicago Tribune, May 5)

Mark Monday, May 21, in red on your calendar, Chicagoans. You won’t be able to get from there to here.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-nato-20120505,0,319715.story

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

Articles of the Week - April 21

Here are this week's picks. There are quite a few articles about trends in the institutional church, and an interesting article on new music.

Lindsey Burke: “What Does the Supreme Court Think About Washington’s Education Overreach?” (The Foundry, April 16)

http://blog.heritage.org/2012/04/16/what-does-the-supreme-court-think-about-washingtons-education-overreach/

Rob Deemer: “How to Define (And Evaluate) 21st Century Music” (New Music Box, April 13)

http://www.newmusicbox.org/articles/found-three-examples-of-21st-century-music/

Chuck King: “Breathless” (Knowing the Score, April 16)

http://blog.college-church.org/2012/04/16/breathless/

Sarah Pulliam Bailey: “Q & A: Ross Douthat on Rooting Out Bad Religion” (Christianity Today print edition, May 2012)

Why the New York Times columnist wants to see America return to its confessional roots.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/may/ross-douthat-bad-religion.html

David Weinberger: “New Research Confirms that Spending Cuts Stimulate the Economy” (The Foundry, April 17)

http://blog.heritage.org/2012/04/17/new-research-confirms-that-spending-cuts-stimulate-the-economy/

Audrey Barrick: “Youth Ministries Teaching Behavior Modification, Not Gospel?” (The Christian Post, April 17)

Ministry leaders are seeing a major problem among youth groups – an emphasis on behavior modification over the Gospel [sic].

http://www.christianpost.com/news/youth-ministries-teaching-behavior-modification-not-gospel-73408/

Gordon T. Smith: “The New Conversion: Why We ‘Become Christians’ Differently Today” (Christianity Today web-only, April 18)

Evangelicals are undergoing a sea change understanding when it comes to this pivotal moment in the believer’s life.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/aprilweb-only/new-conversion.html

Owen Strachan: “‘God is Not a Genie in a Bottle’: Ways We Misuse the Bible” (Christianity Today print edition, April 2012)

Why Eric J. Bargerhuff says we must avoid twisting Bible verses for our own advantage.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/april/misusing-the-bible.html

Mark Galli: “Andrew Sullivan Says Forget the Church. That’s Like Saying Forget Grace.” (Christianity Today web-only, April 17)

Why Christianity is a many splendored thing.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/aprilweb-only/sullivan-forget-church.html

Jonathan K. Dodson: “Why the Missional Church Isn’t Enough” (The Gospel Coalition, April 9)

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/04/09/why-the-missional-church-isnt-enough/

Justin Taylor: “An Interview with Duane Litfin on Word vs. Deed” (Between Two Worlds, April 19)

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/04/17/an-interview-with-duane-litfin-on-word-vs-deed/

Alex Murashko: “Craig Groeschel Urges Generations to Set Aside Resentment” (The Christian Post, April 21)

http://www.christianpost.com/news/craig-groeschel-urges-generations-to-set-aside-resentment-73638/

Articles of the Week - April 14

Here are some highlights from my reading this week. Some articles are insightful theological arguments, others discuss the institutional church.

Luiza Oleszczuk: “Should Christians Leave the Church? Polemics with Newsweek Article ‘Christianity in Crisis.’” (The Christian Post, April 6)

“Hipster Jesus” Debate: Was Christianity Destroyed by “Politics, Priests, and Get-Rich Evangelists”?

http://www.christianpost.com/news/should-christians-leave-church-polemics-with-newsweek-article-christianity-in-crisis-72807/

Tullian Tchividjian: “Law and Gospel, Part 2” (The Christian Post, April 9)

All of God’s Word in the Bible come to us in two forms of speech: God’s word of demand (law) and God’s word of deliverance (gospel).

http://www.christianpost.com/news/law-and-gospel-part-2-72861/

Oliver D. Crisp: “Vicarious Humanity: By His Birth We Are Healed” (Christianity Today March 2012 print edition)

Our redemption, it turns out, began long before Calvary.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/march/by-his-birth-healed.html

Brittany Smith: “Pastors: It’s Important to Cherish Season of Singleness” (The Christian Post, April 9)

Self-centeredness and idolatry are the two greatest destroyers of marriage, said one pastor at a panel on marriage on dating in Raleigh, N.C.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/pastors-its-important-to-cherish-season-of-singleness-72923/

Perry Noble: “Mistakes I’ve Made When Trying to Make the Right Decision” (The Christian Post, April 10)

When a leader refuses to accept what others at the table are saying there is going to be trouble. This will usually happen because the leader is insecure and needs to be right.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/mistakes-ive-made-when-trying-to-make-the-right-decision-72949/

Dennis Byrne: “Seriously? Trashing organized religion for politically opportunistic reasons? (Chicago Tribune, April 10)

The trashing of organized religion because of its involvement in civic discourse is seriously misplaced and politically opportunistic.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/ct-oped-0410-byrne-20120410,0,7448001.column

Greg Stier: “Angry Nerds” (The Christian Post, April 11)

Is it me, or is there a growing number of theologically conservative preachers, teachers, and seminary students who just seem ticked off all the time?

http://www.christianpost.com/news/angry-nerds-73007/