Check out this week’s good reads articles, collected from all around the web:
1. “Irrigating Deserts: How Film Transforms and Causes us to Love Our Neighbors” by Blaine Grimes
As a big fan of film I really appreciated this piece from Christ and Pop Culture. The author, borrowing from the aesthetic thoughts of C.S. Lewis helps us see the usefulness of film in even the Christian life. He writes:
Therefore, movie watching is a useful and edifying endeavor precisely because films operate in a way that both refreshes and equips us to confront reality. In other words, watching movies is not a quintessentially and fundamentally escapist endeavor. This claim, of course, raises the issue of how a regular intake of fictional films yields any discernible benefit in the Christian life. And while there are a number of ways to approach and answer that question, I contend that watching movies is a fundamentally transformative act that, by including us in the meaning-making process and causing us to identify with cinematic characters in a way that engages our affections, fosters in us an environment in which love of God and neighbor can flourish.
Check out this great piece, which was previously only available in the CAPC Magazine, but which is free on the website now.
2. “A Triage for Marriage Conflicts” by Matt D. Haste
This is a helpful introduction to a whole series over at the ACBC website. In it Haste guides us through how to evaluate and navigate marital conflicts. The four categories of sin, wisdom, conscience, and preference help us to think about the nature of our disagreements and how to move towards a resolution. This initial post sets up the rest, but case studies in the following posts help illustrate the model.
3. “A Call for Hope in the Age of Mass Incarceration” by Thabiti Anyabwile
This is a great piece in The Atlantic. Thabiti discusses the important writing of Ta-Nehisi Coates and yet recognizes the significant absence of hope in his jeremiads. Thabiti argues that the African American community absolutely needs hope, and that’s the one thing that Coates seems to be lacking in his work. A good and important piece.
4. “Mindy Kaling is Thirsty” by Megan Garber
The newest memoir of the trendy sitcom star is all about hard work. I find Kaling fascinating, and am hopeful that she represents something of a new female role model in Hollywood. In this piece, Garber surveys the book and discusses its uniqueness, but with special attention to its focus on the value of hard work.
5. “Should Denominations Apologize for Racial Acts They Didn’t Commit?” by Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra
This is a brief look at the PCA’s discussion of resolution on apologizing for “involvement in and complicity with racial injustice.” It’s great to hear from key leaders like J. Ligon Duncan and from influential younger voices like Jemar Tisby discussing how the PCA does need to apologize. It’s also good to hear that they are taking the time to make sure they get this right. Though I am not Presbyterian, I have much love for this denomination.
Pastor Dave Online 