This Week’s Good Reads

Here are some interesting articles gathered from around the web. Check it out, there’s bound to be one that interests you:

1. “Renowned Harvard Psychologist Says ADHD is Largely A Fraud” by Simon Segal

Jerome Kagan, one of the top 30 most influential psychologists, recently stated that he believed that “the most modern diagnosis of ADHD is a mere invention rather than a serious condition.” This is an interesting position for a leading psychologist to take, but Biblical Counselors have expressed concern about the diagnosis for several decades.

2. “How Expressing Gratitude Might Change Your Brain” by Christian Jarrett

Brain scans show that the more you express gratitude the more attuned you become to it and the more you reap psychological benefit from it. Thankfulness has long been an exercises I use in counseling, not out of a “positivity” mindset, but a rather from a Biblical perspective. Here’s some, admittedly preliminary, research saying that it has important benefits in counseling.

3. “Only 1 in 7 Senior Pastors is Under 40” by Kate Shellnut

The aging pulpit of America should cause us some concern. The need to raise up young leaders is extremely important and the need for senior pastors to pass on their wisdom and insight is important for the health and future of the church. This piece gives more description than prescription, but it is still insightful.

4. “Is Consciousness an Illusion?” by Thomas Nagel

Respected atheist philosopher Thomas Nagel reviews the latest book from Daniel Dennet, also a respected atheist. While Nagel finds much to appreciate in the volume, he essentially pokes holes in one of Dennet’s major points: that consciousness is an illusion. Nagel asserts that this is basically silly. He calls the efforts of Dennet an attempt at “tailoring the data to fit a prevailing theory.” Nagel’s own work on the mind several years ago shook the Atheistic, and philosophical communities when he asserted that there was no good explanation within materialism for the existence of the mind.

5. “Can I have 100% Assurance of Salvation” by Thomas Schreiner

In this video from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Schreiner answers an important question with his typical grace, compassion, and Biblical knowledge.