Saturday Good Reads

In 2012, urban archaeologists in Leicester discovered the body of Richard III. This time, another King Richard is in the news – the heart of Richard the Lionheart was exhumed at its burial place in Fontevraud Abbey in France.

We have a number of interesting faith stories this week. Tim Challies talks about hymnals, while another Canadian pastor explains why he and his wife teach their children hymns. Jen Oshman tells a truth about missions – it’s a long, hard slog. Matt Smethurst lists five Christian clichés that need to die, and we can all probably think of more. Peter Beinart at The Atlantic Monthly writes about the end of the culture wars and the Christians losing – and how what’s replacing all of this is something far worse. It was a war, even if it was fought in the wrong way.

You know things is colleges and universities are getting bad when The Chronicle of Higher Education publishes an article on the academy’s assault on intellectual diversity.

If I ever needed reasons to read old books, Darryl Dash found some. And did you know that Charles Dickens saved Shakespeare’s house in Stratford-upon-Avon – from P.T. Barnum? The Guardian had the story.

There’s no link here, but all of us – and especially politicians – should remember that everything on the internet lives forever: “We need to call out these filibusters for what they are: naked attempts to nullify the results of the last presidential election.” – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D.-Mass.) in 2013.

Faith

What We Lost When We Lost Our Hymnals – Tim Challies.

What Sort of Clothing Did People in Jesus’ Time Wear? – Msgr. Charles Pope at Community in Mission.

Why We’re Teaching Our Children Hymns – Jacob Reaume at Harvest Bible Chapel.

Lazarus is Dead – Greg Bailey at Plough.

The Truth about Missions is that It’s a Long, Hard Slog – Jen Oshman at The Oshman Odyssey.

5 Christian Clichés That Need to Die – Matt Smethurst at The Gospel Coalition.

Art and Photography

Transformed by Rain – Tim Good at National Geographic / Your Shot.

Life and Culture

The Academy’s Assault on Intellectual Diversity – Robert Boyers at The Chronicle of High Education.

Breaking Faith – Peter Beinart at The Atlantic Monthly.

Old Books – Darryl Dash at DashHouse.

How 1,600 People Went Missing from Our Public Lands Without a Trace – Jon Billman at Outside Magazine.

Advice I Wish I’d Heard at Graduation 7 Years Ago – Jeremy Chandler at Thin Difference.

British Stuff

How Dickens saved Shakespeare’s house from P.T. Barnum – Maev Kennedy at The Guardian.

Scientists Exhume the Hart of Richard the Lionheart – Dan Jones at The Daily Beast.

Poetry

Invisible Scars – Maureen Doallas at Writing Without Paper.

The Agony by George Herbert – read by Malcolm Guite via Rick Wilcox at Literary Life.

One of Twelve – Tom Good at Musings of a Naked Alien.

The Door – Ana Lisa de Jong via Facebook.

Writing

Focus on Your High-Level Edits First – Ann Kroeker.

Jacques Barzun’s 20 Principles for Simple and Direct Writing – Justin Taylor at The Gospel Coalition.

Writing About God to Know Him – Whitney Bauck at the Center for Faith & Work.

Colorado 2016 – a film by David

Video by David, the World Travel Guy (http://theworldtravelguy.com). 

Painting: A Gotthelf Reader, oil on canvas by Albert Anker (1884).