Saturday Good Reads

Several writers addressed topics of faith this week – a number of issues are fermenting (and I have not included a single link to anything about Bruce Jenner). Andrew Wilson talks about the disproportionate impact that business culture has had on the church. Tyler Huckabee writes a kind of obituary for contemporary Christian music. A gay atheist is wondering when the church is going to defend traditional marriage. And what happens when you’re insurance company will not pay for your cancer treatments but will pay for your suicide pills?

Shaun Groves talks about his father-in-law, a pastor afflicted with depression who took his own life. Mick Silva talks about the pain of daily life. Bill Coffey wonders who the poor folk really are.

Two wonderful poems. Arresting photographs and art. And he may be 89 years old, but Dick Van Dyke’s still got it.

Photography and Art

Ruby and Emerald – Tim Good at National Geographic / Your Shot.

Plein Air Lake Oswego – Randall David Tipton at Painter’s Process.

Faith and Culture

Why Two Days Changed My Fussbudgetness - Jerry Barrett at Gerald the Writer.

The Problem with Being Born Again – Shawn Smucker.

Brothers, We Are Not Managers – Andrew Wilson at Christianity Today.

Ravi Zacharias: Christian apologist proclaims a reasonable faith – Baltimore Post-Examiner.

Who killed the contemporary Christian music industry? – Tyler Huckabee at The Week (Hat Tip: David Rupert).

As a gay atheist, I want to see the church oppose same-sex marriage – Matthew Parris at The Spectator.

The Slowest Virtue – Winn Collier.

“I Don’t Find Dignity in Taking My Own Life” – J. David Nolan at First Things.

Poetry

Campsite, Shenandoah – Jill McDonough at Oxford American.

Somewhere – Kathryn Lester-Bason at Curator Magazine.

Work

Former ‘Master’: We Are All Slaves – Rod Dreher at American Conservative Magazine.

Ordinary Christian Work – Tim Challies at Informing the Reforming.

Life

51 Things I’ve Learned in 51 Years – Ron Edmondson.

Just Beyond This Pain – Mick Silva.

What I Learned (About Living in London) in May – Shelly Miller.

When Life…  –  Simply Mella at The Frozen Moon.

The poor folk – Billy Coffey at What I Learned Today.

Phil Lineberger: “Through a Glass Darkly” – Shaun Groves.

Writing

Asking for Directions – Jamie Quatro at Oxford American.

Pure Fun

Top photograph by George Hodan via Public Domain Pictures. Used with permission.