From Adventist Review:
We rarely think much about air. Unless it’s too smoky or too hot or too cold or too wet or too dry or moves too fast; we think about it only when it isn’t exactly the way we want it. But if it is 72 degrees, 30 percent humidity, and scattered clouds, we don’t think about it. And if it were always like that, we would not have many conversations about it either.
Read full story: http://www.adventistreview.org/1607-26
From The Gospel Coalition:
How do pastors go about influencing those who influence culture, the “cultural elites” as Tim Keller calls them? Is it wrong to strategize ministry in order to reach this class of society? Doesn’t the apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 1:27–28, have something to say about how God uses the “weak and foolish” to shame the “strong and wise” of the world?
Read full story: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/shame-the-strong-or-influence-the-influencers
From Patheos:
When atheists object to a monument of the Ten Commandments, I have argued that it should be defended as a work of art. And to the reply that non-religious people find it offensive, say, “art is supposed to be offensive.” As we see in the futile attempts to ban controversial art works, art is pretty much sacrosanct and courts have ruled that it is thoroughly protected under the Second Amendment as “free speech.”
Read full story: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/geneveith/
From Christian Century:
I was in high school during the O. J. Simpson trial. I remember a teacher rolling a TV cart into the classroom to watch the verdict. My family was in a phase of evangelicalism that held TV and popular culture at arm’s length.
Read full story: http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2016-07/people-v-reality
From New Liturgical Movement:
I recently posted an article about the history of the English telephone box. The idea for that post came from Roger Scruton and his reference to Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s design in his book How to Be A Conservative, which at the end I contrast briefly with Benedict XVI’s essay Christianity and the Crisis of Cultures.
Read full story: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/#7502784501583636073
From Anglican Journal:
What movies do you enjoy and why? My partner Marlene and I watch a lot of first-run films; but recently we’ve viewed some of the classics.
Read full story: http://www.anglicanjournal.com/articles/-i-brief-encounter-i
From The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission:
At 16, I led our church’s youth group worship team on guitar and vocals. We played most of the same songs that were performed during the Sunday service, but I gave them new arrangements to better appeal to the 20 or so youth that sat on the floor of the church’s gym each Sunday when they came to play capture the flag, sing worship songs, listen to a short talk and try to satisfy some inarticulate sense of adolescent yearning through half-hearted flirting, athletic prowess and alternating spiritual posturing and guilt.
Read full story: http://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/a-space-for-struggle-an-answer-of-hope-the-kind-of-culture-churches-really-need
From Commonweal:
Writing in the aftermath of the fall of communism, John Berger, the world’s preeminent Marxist (patience, dear readers) writer on art, faced the apparently decisive and irreversible victory of capitalism. Rather than concede defeat and join in the triumphal chorus heralding the end of history, Berger drew an unlikely lesson from the ostensible cessation of the old hostilities.
Read full story: https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/art-resistance
From Women of Reform Judaism:
Global citizenship is necessary for creating a just, peaceful, economically and environmentally sustainable world. In this increasingly interconnected planet it is essential that populations recognize and appreciate the underlying humanity that unites us while still retaining the important cultural differences that make our societies distinct.
Read full story: http://blogs.rj.org/wrj/2016/07/18/education-for-global-citizens-achieving-the-sustainable-development-goals-together/#more-16554
From Crux:
Anyone with eyes can see that there’s alarm and opposition to Pope Francis out there, but trying to get a handle on how widespread or serious it may be often proves surprisingly difficult.
Read full story: https://cruxnow.com/analysis/2016/07/17/opposition-francis-seem-louder-popes/
From National Catholic Register:
On July 2, bicyclists from around the world began the Tour de France, an annual race that weaves its way through the plains and mountains of the country. The race has been going strong since 1903 (interrupted only by the two World Wars).
Read full story: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/tour-de-france-catholic-style/
From Transformed:
One of the darkest dangers of the Christian life is the pursuit of praise. We want people to affirm and recognize us for who we are, what we have accomplished, and the results of our efforts. Perhaps rightly so. Our culture at large gives renown and praise to celebrities for who they are, what they have accomplished and the things they have produced.
Read full story: https://www.westernseminary.edu/transformedblog/2016/07/12/social-glory-seeking/
From The Visitor:
Swansea, United Kingdom (CNA) – For both skeptics and believers, miracles have captivated people’s attention for thousands of years.
Read full story: http://stcloudvisitor.org/2016/07/17/film-miracles-intends-explain-inexplicable/
From The Visitor:
NEW YORK (CNS) — The 3-D documentary “St. Peter’s and the Papal Basilicas of Rome” had only a single American showing July 14 in a few hundred theaters.
Read full story: http://stcloudvisitor.org/2016/07/19/3-d-documentary-papal-basilicas-mixed-blessing/
From Religion News Service:
When Carol Lynn Pearson was sixteen years old, she heard her seminary teacher bear his testimony, articulating cherished beliefs that, for him, involved polygamy.
Read full story: http://religionnews.com/2016/07/20/mormon-women-fear-eternal-polygamy-study-shows/
From Tablet:
She had killed him right there, on that soft October afternoon at the Sabbath table, still littered with the remains of a decadent dessert. With a purse of her lips, an apologetic smile, her eyes twinkling and then a laugh.
Read full story: http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/207569/a-holy-fool
From Urban Christian News:
Christian hip hop artist Lecrae has often been vocal about standing up for black lives on social media and beyond. And in the days since the police shootings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, the Grammy-award winning musician has once again used his social media presence to talk about systemic racism and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Read full story: http://urbanchristiannews.com/2016/07/some-christians-dont-want-rapper-lecrae-to-talk-about-race/
From Christianity Today:
Writing the biographies of politicians or generals requires no special language; the biographies of writers can, without much more difficulty, be laid out with extracts from their writings to illustrate their style or their faults.
Read full story: http://www.booksandculture.com/articles/2016/julaug/vaughan-williams-elegy.html
From Tri-State Voice:
What was once a storage room full of tangled wires and broken instruments in the basement of the International House of Prayer: Eastern Gate is now a functional radio station streaming praise and worship internationally through the Internet.
Read full story: http://www.tristatevoice.com/the-gate-begins-streaming-world-wide/
From Orthodox Christian Network:
There are many amazing things to see in the United States: national parks, art and history museums, scenic vacations spots and Orthodox monasteries. Yes! I wrote monasteries. Did you know that there are almost 80 Orthodox monasteries in America?
Read full story: http://myocn.net/atlas-american-orthodox-monasteries-eases-pilgrimage-experience/
From The Christian Post:
Pokémon Go is the latest mobile game craze and Christian public relations expert Hunter Frederick says as thousands try to virtually catch their favorite Pokemon, many churches are capitalizing on the floods of people who are travelling to their parking lots to find Pokemon.
Read full story: http://www.christianpost.com/news/lakewood-church-uses-pokemon-go-evangelism-tool-catch-them-all-interview-166719/
From The Baptist Standard:
TEL ZAFIT, Israel (RNS)—The Gath archaeological site in southern Israel is littered with distinctive 2,800-year-old pottery shards poking out of the ground. Archaeologists and biblical scholars say that strongly indicates the Philistines—the mighty warriors and arch enemies of the Israelites—once lived here.
Read full story: https://www.baptiststandard.com/news/faith-culture/19283-archaeologists-dig-up-philistine-artifacts-where-goliath-may-have-walked
From Christian Headlines.com
When liberal journalists come out and confess their bias, it’s tempting to say, “The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.” But don’t. This is good news.
Read full story: http://www.christianheadlines.com/columnists/breakpoint/good-news-some-in-the-media-recognizing-anti-christian-bias.html
From Crosswalk.com:
Plots about defeating the drug trade used to be a dime a dozen, and The Infiltrator hits all the familiar beats. But strong acting and several well-executed sequences make it an engaging, if uneven, drama with an edge and a satisfying conclusion. 3.5 out of 5.
Read full story: http://www.crosswalk.com/culture/movies/the-infiltrator-movie-review.html
From Christian Daily:
“Suicide Squad” is only a few weeks away from its official release in August this year, and it looks like DC’s favorite team of anti-heroes are getting a little graffiti art treatment in a series of new character clips.
Read full story: http://christiandaily.com/article/suicide-squad-news-warner-bros-releases-funky-neon-graffiti-character-clips/54227.htm
From Sojourners:
On July 18, a group of writers and activists set up shop on Twitter for a vulnerable discussion about purity culture.
Read full story: https://sojo.net/articles/kissshamebye-reveals-lasting-harmful-effects-purity-culture
From Christian News Wire:
GREENWOOD, Wis., July 12, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ — Something new and unexpected is coming to the rural countryside of central Wisconsin: a Christian arts and apologetics festival with an international flair.
Read full story: http://christiannewswire.com/news/326978134.html
From The Presbyterian Outlook:
Claiming Resurrection in the Dying Church by Anna B. Olson WJK , Louisville. 134 pages This is a book of hope. It is also a book that speaks candidly about death – both the expected and the unexpected but necessary.
Read full story: https://pres-outlook.org/category/faith-culture/reviews/book-reviews/
From The Christian Science Monitor:
Garry Marshall was a prolific creator of feel-good and coming-of-age hits on the big and small screens, whose work placed him solidly in the hearts of generations of American viewers.
Read full story: http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/2016/0720/Hollywood-remembers-legendary-director-writer-Garry-Marshall
From Jewcy:
It’s almost August, which means it’s about time for the largest annual performing arts festival in the world, Edinburgh Festival Fringe. We’re talking literally thousands of shows performing cumulatively tens of thousands of times over the course of a month, all in Scotland’s capital.
Read full story: http://jewcy.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/if-i-had-a-rich-man
From Jewcy:
There are so many intricacies to the existence and the politics of the small Middle Eastern country known as Israel that it’s nearly impossible to find someone who feels exactly the same way you do. There are those who condemn Israel’s military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza as apartheid and those who liken all Arabs and Palestinians to terrorists, and plenty of those at various points along the lengthy spectrum that divides the two extremes.
Read full story: http://jewcy.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/jewcy-review-wrestling-jerusalem
From Boulder Jewish News:
Marlyn Cheshes began her art career late, but once she began in earnest at age 40, she put heart and soul into her newfound passion. Having dabbled in art all her life, Marlyn went back to art school when her children started college, having been a nurse for 20 years while her husband was an ambassador around the world.
Read full story: http://boulderjewishnews.org/2016/mountain-studio-tour-features-art-in-natural-settings/