Saturday Good Reads

Every year since 2004, Pew Research has done a “state of the news media” assessment on what’s happening with newspapers, network, local, and cable TV news, and digital news. One finding: daily newspapers are continuing their decline in circulation and revenue. Another finding: viewers and readers are declining across the board, except for radio.

He didn’t exactly anticipate social media or the internet, but the late Neil Postman surely anticipated its effects in Amusing Ourselves to Death, published in 1985 (His Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology, is equally good). Samuel James at Letter & Liturgy applies Postman to social media and specifically Twitter. He’s not encouraged.

David Heddedorf at Front Porch Republic writes on radical editorial change at a literary journal. Thomas Schreiner wants Christians about the theological dangers from both the left and the right. An article in The Guardianasks what historical evidence exists for the life and death of Jesus. Thomas Kidd discusses the two main things all of us need from leaders. Nathan Ward at CrimeReads writes about the night Gertrude Stein met Dashiell Hammett. Larnelle Harris sings “Amen.” And more.

Poetry

Raven – Anya Silver via Image Journal.

Sophia’s Library – Tim Good at The Naked Alien.

The Invisible Man – Joe Spring.

Faith

What is the historical evidence that Jesus Christ lived and died? – Dr. Simon Gathercole at The Guardian (Hat Tip: J of India).

The Spiritual Economy of the Olive Grove – Rod Dreher at The American Conservative.

Beware the Theological Dangers on Both Left and Right – Thomas Schreiner at The Gospel Coalition.

Planning His Escape – Greg Doles at Chasing Light.

Doorways to Death – Christianna Peterson at Image Journal.

How Do You Know if Your Church is Healthy? – Tim Challies.

Life and Culture

We Call Him Mick – Doug Spurling at Spurling Silver.

The Two Main Things We Need from Leaders – Thomas Kidd at The Gospel Coalition.

5 facts about the state of the news media in 2017 – Pew Research.

Death by Minutia – Samuel D. James at Letter & Liturgy.

Writing and Literature

Writing with Style – Andrew Gardner. 

Blowing Up the Bert: The Outside Story – David Heddondorf at Front Porch Republic.

How to be a Better Writer: Start with the Right Mindset – Ann Kroeker.

The Night Gertrude Stein Met Dashiell Hammett – Nathan Ward at CrimeReads.

Art and Photography

Jewels in the Night Sea exhibition – The Guardian (Hat Tip: J of India).

Predators – Tim Good at Photography by Tiwago.

St. Augustine’s, Fading Light, Late July 2018 – Chris Naffziger at St. Louis Patina.

Amen by Larnelle Harris

Painting: Subway Riders, oil on canvas by Francis Louis Mora, published in the New YorkSun on Dec. 13, 1914.