Wisdom For Your Weekend: your weekly installment of things we’ve been reading (and watching) around the web.
Book Review of the Week
The Plausibility Problem: The Church and Same-Sex Attraction, Ed Shaw. Reviewed by Tim Challies. We need more books like Shaw’s, that tackle the experience of same-sex attraction as something for the entire church to grapple with—not just those who experience it. It centers on 9 myths that the church too often perpetrate when ministering to those with same-sex attraction. The issue, as Shaw and Challies both point out, is about much more than homosexuality. This is about what it means to be a family and be the church. We’ve got a lot to learn. This book helps us get there.
Articles of the Week
Loving Our Pro-Choice Neighbors in Word and Deed, Karen Swallow Prior. A very helpful distinction here. We can—and, indeed, must—speak out about the atrocities of elective abortion in our country. But there’s a world of difference between speaking the truth to power and being intentionally inflammatory. We can’t just stand on Christian convictions. We’ve got to hold those convictions in a Christ-like manner.
Seven Sentimental Lies You Might Believe, Matt Reagan. For some reason, cliché nonsense like this tends to increase during the Christmas season (we’re looking at you, Hallmark). Chances are you’ll quickly see through the lies of some of these…but others will sound hauntingly similar to things you’ve said recently. Don’t be duped by the sentimental sweetness of the spirit of the age. Sweet things can kill you, too.
A Complementarian Manifesto Against Domestic Abuse, Jason Meyer. There is a growing list of articles that can most accurately be categorized in the vein of shouldn’t-need-to-be-said-but-really-does-need-to-be-said. Count this among them. For too long some complementarians (those who believe in gender roles within the church and the home) have, in practice if not in outright doctrine, encouraged a diminished view of women. Complementarians, let’s continue to stand with our egalitarian brothers and sisters on this: abuse has no place.
Is Prayer “Enough” After a Tragedy Like San Bernardino? Emma Green. One of the consequences of the frenetic pace of social media is that we clamor to respond right away to nearly every current event. But our right away response may not be our complete response. For many, the idea of “offering prayers and sympathy” after tragic shootings is naïve. We don’t need prayers, we need action! But as Green points out, this belies a foolish and narrow view of something incredibly powerful—prayer.
On The Lighter Side
Ellen Loves Scaring Her Guests, TheEllenShow. Some old gags are classics for a reason. And jumping out to startle people may be one of the best. As you watch and laugh, keep in mind that these are only funny because it’s not you. (Also note: Ellen enjoys explicitly talking about fear right before they get scared. She’s so meta.)
Wisdom For Your Weekend is presented to you by Chris Pappalardo, with occasional guidance from J.D. Greear. This is our attempt to reflect Proverbs 9:9: “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.”
