The Weekly Wrap: October 18-24
A 50 Year Subscription Ended
I turned off the auto-renew on my subscription to Christianity Today this week. This was a momentous decision. I first subscribed in 1976, about the time I began working with an evangelical collegiate ministry. I’d grown up in the Mahoning Valley, and often my perspective on the world was limited to the horizons of the valley. Christianity Today offered cogent theological articles, cultural analysis and coverage of the broader evangelical context of that time. I would read it cover to cover.
And that was true for many years. I think my disaffection began when the publication terminated the publication of Books & Culture, a marvelous review periodical that reviewed all sorts of thoughtful literature, not just Christian-authored material. It further stretched my horizons and pointed to books worth reading.
The periodical has gone through numerous editorial changes in recent years. And its subscriber base has shrunk. Many criticized the magazine for being “woke.” I’ve found it by and large lacking in the kind of substance and theological focus I once valued. A recent article on Elizabeth Elliot’s sexuality struck me as speculative. Furthermore, it was pulled from their online platform, then re-posted. To me, it just felt like Christian clickbait.
Others have noticed this as well. New York Times reporter Ruth Graham (no relation to the evangelical Graham family) wrote an investigative piece exploring “Why a Pillar of Christian Journalism is in Turmoil.” She discusses editorial changes and interference in reporting, numerous departures and the repositioning of the focus of the periodical. I was deeply disturbed to read that the interim president said, “Christianity Today needed to be less like Wheaton and more like TikTok.” No wonder the articles seem like clickbait to me!
In addition, I now subscribe to a couple other periodicals I deeply value. Plough Quarterly reflects the Third Way, Anabaptist vision of the Bruderhof. Not only are the articles well-written and deeply thoughtful, the graphics are aesthetically pleasing. Likewise, I subscribe to Comment Magazine, a Canadian publication. It describes its purpose in these ways: “Comment is one of the core publications of Cardus, a think tank devoted to renewing North American social architecture, rooted in two thousand years of Christian social thought.” Finally, I follow Mere Orthodoxy, receiving their weekly newsletters. I am considering using my CT money to become a member of Mere Orthodoxy.
So, it feels like I’ve lost a lifelong friend with Christianity Today. But it is superfluous to my interests and no longer a good use of my money.
Five Articles Worth Reading
Before AI offered us summaries on anything we search on Google, there was, and still is Wikipedia. Now, a new book on Wikipedia asks “Is Wikipedia the ‘Last Best Place on the Internet’?“
The frustrating thing about the internet is its ephemeral nature. Websites disappear. The Wayback Machine has been a boon in finding articles and other material. Now, some publishers have been challenging its existence. Brewster Kahle, the founder of its parent, the Internet Archive, argues “Why the Internet Needs a Memory.”
Most of us had no clue what PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) was until this week. It is an open source language used in web applications (including this blog). It is used on 70 percent of websites globally. Security companies, using AI, discovered a flaw that can not only crash a site but take over computers. Patches (including from WordPress) have been implemented. “What the PHP Bug Shows Us About Humanity and Machines” explores the paradox of AI being used to both find and exploit such vulnerabilities.
Since Wendell Berry’s passing, a number of articles have expressed appreciation for his work. Willis Jenkins presents a more complicated assessment in “Inheriting Wendell Berry.”
Finally, even though I don’t read romance fiction, I still enjoy a good love story. The Atlantic has compiled a list of “50 Unforgettable Love Stories” spanning over 400 years.
Quote of the Week
Poet Denise Levertov, born October 23, 1923 offers this penetrating insight:
“It’s when we face for a moment the worst our kind can do, and shudder to know the taint in our own selves, that awe cracks the mind’s shell and enters the heart.”
Miscellaneous Musings
Yesterday I reviewed All Creation Waits published by Paraclete Press. Sometimes, a book stands out to me for its beauty. This one combined both thoughtful explanations of how woodland creatures survive winter, coupled with incredible illustrations.
Half Price Books sent me a survey with the chance to win a $100 giftcard. They asked me about whether I sold books to them. I do on nearly a monthly basis. One thing I didn’t tell them is that they have eliminated my need to go to bank ATMs!
We ordered some books as gifts this week. We found three boxes on our steps the other day. So, we just threw them where we are keeping our Christmas gifts. Then, we decided to open them to check their condition. I discovered that one was a shipment of three books for review from InterVarsity Press. So gifts for others and for me!
Next Week’s Reviews
Monday: James D. G. Dunn, The Theology of Paul the Apostle
Tuesday: C. P. Snow, George Passant
Wednesday: Dominic Roser, David Zhang, and J. D. Bauman, All the Lives You Can Change
Thursday: Leif Enger, So Brave, Young, and Handsome
Friday: Doris Brocke, ABC Munchkins
So, that’s The Weekly Wrap for October 18-24.
Find past editions of The Weekly Wrap under The Weekly Wrap heading on this page.