This Week’s Good Reads

Here were some of the articles that stood out to me this last week as interesting and insightful. Happy reading.

1) “Why Being Sleepy and Drunk Is Great for Creativity” by Jonah Lehrer

Fascinating piece from Wired Magazine on a new study that reveals people with impaired thinking are better at solving creative word problems. I don’t know what to say about this study, and since I am both sober and alert that probably only proves the point.

2) “Cormac McCarthy: Judges in the American Canon” by Mike Cosper

As both a theologian and a college English instructor I find everything about this article wonderful! There are very few modern writeres that are able to capture the world (both the seen and unseen parts, spiritual and natural) like McCarthy. And Cosper introduces, here, to his work with the appropriate admiration. The whole piece serves as a wonderful reminder that not all theology comes in the form of systematics.

3) “Are You Dressing Modestly” by Alan Noble

In this thoughtful review piece Alan Noble interacts with another article that articulates the problem with making man’s temptation to lust rest solely on a woman’s shoulders. The piece asks us to re-examine our definition of modesty and “stumbling”. It leaves us with some good things to reflect on.

4) “On Judson’s 200th: Please Go and Dig” by Jason Deusing

Adoniram Judson’s story has long been a personal favorite of mine. Courtney Anderson’s biography of Adoniram is one of the best bios I have ever read. In this article, celebrating the 2ooth aniversary of Judson’s departure to Burma, the author describes his experience visiting the prison where Judson had been held captive all those years ago. In a moving narrative he calls readers today to follow in the steps of Judson and proclaim the gospel to unreached peoples.

5) “On the Abuse of Matthew 18” by D.A. Carson

Carson has a deft refutation of the common abuse of Matthew 18 in the blogosphere. He contends that unless a person has committed and excommunicable event, and excommunication is a real possibility then the procedure of Matthew 18 does not apply. I commend it to you in volume one of this years edition of Themelios Journal.

6) “The Most Expensive Starbucks Drink Ever: $23.60 Plus Tip” by Piper Weiss

If you know anything about me then you know that I am a coffee fanatic. This article was a funny little read on one man’s challenge to create the most expensive drink ever. It would surely have hospitalized him had he drank it all, and it sounds gross. But I was interested in the discussion at the end of the article which pointed to raise in coffee prices for 2012. This just makes me sad.

7) “Why The City Is A Wonderful Place To Raise Children” by Kathy Keller

Since I am still very much an urbanite at heart, despite living in a small Southern Ohio micropolis, I want to recommend this article. Cities are far too often defamed as dangerous, dirty, and condemned and the truth is that these are the places where real life and real culture can take place. They are places of unique experience and I often miss them. Check out, here, what Tim Keller’s wife says about moving her family to Manhattan (a real city’s city), and how her views changed about raising a family in the Urban Jungle.

8) “Visual Theology: The Books of the Bible” by Tim Challies

This is not so much an article or something to read as it is is a great graphic device for teaching the Books of the Bible in a manner similiar to the periodic table. Totally worth checking out and downloading, especially if you have kids.