Your weekly installment of things we’ve been reading (and watching) around the web.
Book Review of the Week
Side by Side: Walking with Others in Wisdom and Love, by Ed Welch. Reviewed by Tim Challies. “Sometimes I read a book and think, ‘If we all just got this, the church would be so much stronger. If we all just did these things, the church would be so much better.’ And Ed Welch’s new book Side by Side is exactly that kind of book. If we could all just agree to do these things, the church would be immeasurably blessed.”
Articles of the Week
Reflections from the Supreme Court Sidewalk, Russell Moore. A landmark case is currently being heard in the Supreme Court, the result of which may redefine marriage (to include two people of the same sex). What happens inside the court is immensely important, and will shape American life for many years to come. But as important as all the legal issues are surrounding same-sex marriage, other issues matter more—namely, our attitude toward those with whom we strongly disagree. As Moore says, “We must enough have confidence in our gospel to stand with kindness toward those who disagree with us.”
Hyper-Headship and the Scandal of Domestic Abuse in the Church, Justin Taylor & Jason Meyer. It is a sad truth that many, many women in our churches feel trapped in abusive situations because they need to “respect their husbands.” On the flip side, far too many men twist the idea of male headship into an excuse to exercise dominance and control. We need more voices like that of Meyer, pointing out that not only is this dangerous and harmful, it’s also theologically bankrupt.
How Many Children Should I Have? Amanda Peacock. When it comes to having kids, American Christians tend to “bear more fruit” than most of our non-Christian counterparts (Most…Muslims, for instance, exceed us still). But if you’re married, how many children is really enough to be faithful? Scripture paints a “full quiver” as a blessing, but exactly how many kids makes for a full quiver? Peacock offers several helpful considerations.
Fifty Bible People Confirmed By Recent Archaeology, Lawrence Mykytiuk. Even for me (Chris), this is a bit on the nerdy side. Don’t expect to read through this entire article unless you’re an Old Testament scholar (or, I guess, an archaeologist?). But it’s pretty fascinating to see how many OT names have been verified by extra-biblical inscriptions. Tuck this one away for your church’s next Bible trivia night.
On The Lighter Side
How Much Does [x] Cost in [y] Country? Business Insider. This is a peculiar little project. Fixr.com decided to see what Google auto-complete would do if prompted with the question, “How much does [x] cost in [y] country?” It’s not exactly a scientific study, but it gives a general idea what people are looking for in various nations. In much of Africa, for instance, people want to know the cost of a cow. Other common searches include gas, food, and beer. No surprise there. But then there are the oddballs (of which there are many): how much to fly a MIG in Russia…or to buy a kidney in Iran…or to moor your boat in Italy. Troubling.
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.”
