Topics

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/454964/age-outrage

     Haidt's warning appears similar to that of an Old Testament prophet.  The portion on "intersectionality" seems particularly apt as the ELCA social statement on women and justice seems to rely heavily on this line of thinking.  The discussion of tribalism as the underlying disease also dings the LC-MS, e.g. the discussion on the catechetics of gender relationships on another thread. 

https://www.the-american-interest.com/2017/12/13/way-little-trust/

Adam Garfinkle challenges left, right, and center in all institutional forms to address the issue of trustworthiness as an essential social glue.  My observation of many of the discussion treads on this forum suggests that his analysis is spot on. 

http://thefederalist.com/2017/10/27/roman-catholicism-can-get-protestantism-back-reformation-roots/

I thought this article timely. Given the "evangelical catholic" bent of many on this forum, it may spark some interesting conversations. 

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/452683/sex-consent-morality-culture-ruined-sexual-revolution

David French makes the case that the acquiescence to a "culture of consent" leads instead to a culture of oppression. He challenges the church to stop withholding one of its strongest messages to culture, namely that of sexual commitment in chastity. 

The Righteous Mind: why good people are divided by politics and religion  Haidt, Jonathan, Pantheon Books  2012

     Haidt gives a lucid view of the polarizations that currently accompany many discussions of politics and religion, often typified on this forum. He also gives some useful background as to how the U.S. social order has arrived at this juncture and some maps that may be useful in making changes that will facilitate communication once again.  His description of the "WEIRD" population that is usually represented as normative is worth the price of admission in itself.

 I just finished reading a fascinating book by Mustafa Akyol. entitled The Islamic Jesus:  How the King of the Jews became a Prophet of the Muslims St Martins Press 2017.

     I have not found a better apologetic for moderate Islam, nor a better description of how a meaningful and productive dialog can be had with it.  The astonishing center of such an invitation is the person and work of Jesus Christ.  Alkyl writes from an orthodox Islamic position , which he acknowledges clearly differs dogmatically from Christian Trinitarianism, but makes a case that at least some of the older variants of early Christian thinking can be seen as forming one substrate of Islam.  His work is engagingly written, well documented, and followable as to his logic and purpose. 

     Akyol readily admits that his is a currently minority position in world Islam, but insists that such a position is essential if the Islamic world is to move beyond the fundamentalist stuck point in which much of it is currently locked.  I think he may well be onto some solid insight here. 

http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/leithart/2016/05/the-crisis-of-theological-education

The question is raised, "Are theological seminaries still necessary?"  Leithart raises an issue that is also being raised in the legal field, namely that the expense of the current process, both for church bodies and individuals receiving training, is not good stewardship.  Having attended a seminary during a time when it was possible to graduate without crushing debt, I cannot imagine attending one today.