Category Archives: Books

Asceticism and Hope

One of the many great moments in Shawshank Redemption that sticks with you long after that wonderful final shot closes is Andy’s take on hope: Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith, Movies | Tagged | Leave a comment

Love, Friendship, and Destiny

During one of my first summers in Hawaii, I taught a course at church using Larry Crabb’s Soul Talk.  The basic premise of the book was that Christians should be able to communicate with one another in such a way … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith | Tagged | Leave a comment

Learning the Language

A quote from Bonhoeffer’s Meditating on the Word recently crossed my Twitter stream that I thought was interesting: Grounded in the Scripture, we learn to speak to God in the language that God has spoken to us. It’s a wonderful … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Be the Body, Eat the Body

The church, both universal and local, has been a big part of my thinking for a long time now.  For as long as I can remember, the church has been central to my experience as a person and as a … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith | Tagged | Leave a comment

Who Needs a Patronus When . . .

The nostalgia factor of Pokemon Go could lead anyone to think that the whole strategy has been planned for years.  Which makes you think something like this could be right around the corner (especially for those unsatisfied with The Cursed … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Internet, Movies | Leave a comment

Kubla Khan and Ecclesiology

Since the conception of “youth culture,” the tendency towards an entertainment-first focus has always been a danger.  Bells and whistles, light shows and rock music, spiritual highs and week-later letdowns have always been landmines in the field of souls.  The … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith, Internet, Teaching | Leave a comment

Co-opting William Blake

It’s not everyday that you get see a William Blake poem used for a car commercial . . .

Posted in Books, Internet | Tagged | Leave a comment

In Class with Klosterman

This semester I’m trying a couple of new things with my students to try and engage them on an intellectual level that doesn’t necessarily feed the beast of academia.  We are currently in a unit where we talk about the … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Internet, Television | Tagged | Leave a comment

Anybody Got a Match?

This past Sunday I was joking with a friend about how great a Lord of the Rings (extended edition) marathon would be just hours before students arrived to start the new year.  And while I was totally joking, I did … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Internet, Movies, Teaching | Tagged | Leave a comment

On Liberty

Over the course of The Fractured Republic, Yuval Levin traces the recent history of both our country and the people who constitute it.  While government and big business and culture are huge movers in the story, the daily practitioners of … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Faith, Internet, Teaching | Tagged | Leave a comment