Your weekly installment of what we’ve been reading (and watching) around the web.
Articles of the Week
It’s Not Character Assassination for the Church to Be the Church, Denny Burk. Last fall, Jen Hatmaker made some significant waves when she told interviewer Jonathan Merritt that she approved of the LGBT lifestyle. (While the interview left some room for interpretation, Jen clarified on her Facebook wall later, saying, “We [Jen and her husband Brandon] both believe a same-sex marriage, as a life-long monogamous commitment, can be holy before God.”) The waves didn’t ever actually settle, but Merritt did some more splashing with a recent article claiming that Hatmaker was the victim of “character assassination.” Burk’s response here offers a wise answer, showing the right and wrong ways to respond when leaders (like Hatmaker) depart from core tenets of the faith.
Who Wrote the Book of Hebrews? Karen H. Jobes. Most of your New Testament was written by Paul and Luke. Most of the rest of it has helpful clues letting you know who wrote each book. Usually, for instance, the author himself identifies himself: “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to God’s elect…” (1 Peter 1:1). But there’s one NT book that makes believers—scholars and lay people alike—scratch their heads. It’s the rich book of Hebrews. We agree that Hebrews is grand; but we don’t agree on who put pen to parchment. I (Chris) tend to agree with the church father Origen’s conclusion at the end of this article.
Suffering Is Not Magic and Mountaintops, Charlene Nelson. For those of us in Christ, suffering can work wonders. It draws us closer to God like few other experiences can, uproots the idols that so easily grip our hearts, and forms us into the kinds of people that can offer comfort to others in their distress. And yet. The suffering itself still feels like suffering. Let’s paint an accurate depiction of what God does in the midst of trial. Not only will it help others; it’ll help us the next time we head into an unexpected valley.
A Few Writing Tips, Fred Sanders. How many is “a few?” Ten, if you must know—nine of which are legitimate, and one that is delightfully cheeky. And this from a guy who is most well known for writing about the Trinity! If you write anything at all (or want to write anything at all), you won’t do much better than this top ten list. Not a wasted word here.
Only One Platform Will Last, Karen Swallow Prior. Recently we reminded ourselves you that many of the most important people in the body of Christ aren’t on Twitter. In that same vein, consider Dr. Prior’s words here about what it means to build and use a “platform” for Christ. Don’t shy away from your platform because you’ve seen others abuse it. Rather, a platform ensures you have something to stand on. So find your place to stand; and once you’re standing, having something to say.
On the Lighter Side
Church Hunters: Episode 1, John B. Crist. Satire (noun): trenchant wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose and discredit vice or folly. Indeed.
Wisdom For Your Weekend is presented to you by Chris Pappalardo, with occasional guidance from J.D. Greear. This is our attempt to reflect Proverbs 9:9: “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.”
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