Ebooks and Memory

An interesting post on how ebook reading might change the reading experience. I know I have found it harder to skim a previously read book or to find something I’m looking for, at least in part because of that spatial feel of the book. But perhaps there are compensating factors. I expect we shall find out.

Harvard’s Slippery Slope

A lot of evangelicalism and evangelical higher educational culture is defensive, concerned with protecting the past and avoiding the slippery slope. Harvard is always the textbook example. Watch out for the slippery slope. But the story is more complicated. We should be a bit more careful about history, it seems.

Seven Years to the Revolution

How soon will higher education be transformed? Seven Years? If not exactly seven years, soon enough. Some advice for those who want to be prepared. College 2020 is coming, maybe (I admit I’m a bit suspicious of overly utopian visions…). Read about it.

The New Legalism

A couple of weeks back, Anthony Bradley commented on what he perceived to be a new legalism: being a “radical, missional Christian.” One of his key points was that people are being shamed because they are not doing anything amazing or extraordinary. It’s probably worth noting that most Christians in history have led rather ordinary, but faithful lives. I think he is on to something here.

At my home, we’ve often had discussions about the assumption that everyone should be a “leader” (particularly an emphasis in higher educational settings). Same sort of dynamic; if you can’t show you’re a leader something is wrong with you. This is a problem for introverts and many others. And if you think about it, most everyone necessarily is not a leader (there have to be more followers than leaders!

Tragic Worship

Carl Trueman is always making interesting observations. Here’s one on how the tragic should be part of our worship. I think this has traditionally been an integral part of African-American worship (at least in my experience) and certainly was as Trueman notes true as a consequence of using the psalter in other contexts, but much modern worship misses this. One sentence that captures a key part of his theme:

Only the dead can be resurrected.

Math

And now for an inspiring story from the world of mathematics. Obscurity, difficulty, etc. Response: perseverance. Result: amazing! Must go do some work, I think…

Crazy Complementarians

Trevin Wax has some useful things to say to complementarians, who often say somewhat crazy things. They do themselves and their cause no favors. And if you’re interested, the links to new wave and old wave complementarianism are worth a look.

Worst Sermon Ever?

This one has been buzzing about, but I think Micheal Bird gets it just about right. Hard to believe someone can take a person capable of this kind of reasoning seriously, let alone a high ecclesiastical role.

Gluttony

A nice little post on Aquinas’ discussion of gluttony. I especially liked the five kinds of gluttony:

 too soon, too expensively, too much, too eagerly, too daintily.

The last one is a bit of a surprise, but makes sense on reflection. You might also like the quote from St. John of the Cross on spiritual gluttony. But I’ll make you follow the link for that one!

Marriage and Economics

An analysis of marriage and economics. I’m not sure if it is exhaustive, but it does point out that the economic cost of marriage has been increasing. When the cost goes up… (there is less of it [for you non-economists]).