Saturday Good Reads

It’s the Lenten season, those 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter. This year, as it does every four years, Lent coincides with the presidential election season. For Christians, the contrast between the two should be telling – political bombast versus the call for repentance.

American universities are coming in for increasing criticism – from the growing influence and control by leftist political ideas to the cost of tuition and everything in between. Rod Dreher at American Conservative discusses the rot in the academy, while James Clark at the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics wonders if vocation can save universities.

Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, talks with John Deane at Image Journal – about poetry and literature (and faith).

While ISIS has wreaked a human tragedy on the Middle East, it has also wreaked a cultural and archaeological tragedy, from which a little good has surprisingly come (and David Rupert discovers a curious Biblical prophecy).

And when things seem really bleak, there’s always – tap dancing!

Life and Culture

How looting in Iraq unearthed the treasures of Gilgamesh – Andrew George at Aeon.

The Rot in the Academy – Rod Dreher at American Conservative.

Is Vocation the Key to Revitalizing Higher Education? – James Clark at the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics.

The Disconnected Establishment - R.R. Reno at First Things.

Liberal Intolerance is on the Rise on America's College Campuses - Catherine Ramped at The Washington Post.

Poetry

Dead Fish – Natasha Head at The Tashtoo Parlour.

Joy Davidman – D.S. Martin at Kingdom Poets.

Delaware's Twin Poets Laureate – Maureen Doallas at Writing Without Paper.

Is Poetry Dead? – Sarah Fletcher at Palatinate (Hat Tip: Janet Young).

A Conversation with Rowan Williams – John Deane at Image Journal.

Faith

An “Unspiritual” Christian: On Pentecostalism, Liturgy, and Wandering – Loren Paulsson at World Narratives.

Disillusioned with the Bankruptcy of Ideas in 2016’s Presidential Campaign? The Bible Has an Answer for That – Dr. Anne Bradley at the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics.

Myth of the Good Christian -- Jason Stasyszen at Connecting to Impact.

ISIS, Iraqi refugees, and a curious Biblical prophecy – David Rupert at Red-Letter Believers.

Writing

What’s Really Left to Say? – Mick Silva.

Nobody Knows Anything (about predicting success for a book) – Rachelle Gardner.

Art and Photography

Mummy – Tim Good at Pixels.

The Mythical South – Adam Bellefeuil at Oxford American.

Justin M. Lewis and Luke Spring at the Tap Fest

Painting: Young Girl Reading, oil on canvas by Jean-Honore Fragonard (1770); National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.