ELSEWHERE: Doctrine Wonks Must Read Fiction

What I’ve struggled for years to say, crime-novel author J. Mark Bertrand easily proclaims at The Gospel Coalition: that doctrine nerds (this includes us “young, restless Reformed” types) should occasionally forego nonfiction in favor of reading a novel. “Fiction will give you an appreciation of both storytelling and also the depth of human beings that might actually help you pass down your theology to people who aren’t going to sign up for a lifetime of reading Puritan reprints,” Bertrand remarks. “I can always tell, listening to a sermon, whether I’m hearing from a fiction reader or not.” More at TGC.