James Fallows: Unless something is done, the American fascination with violence and the easy availability of guns — as a “right” —  will generate more mass murders. Like everyone, and I’d say especially like every parent, I am of course saddened and horrified by the latest mass shooting-murder. My sympathies to all. And of course the additional sad, horrifying, and appalling point is the shared American knowledge that, beyond any doubt, this will happen again, and that it will happen... Read more

Here is a chart of assault deaths in the USA, by Kieran Healy: Instead of saying derogatory things about the South, look at the second graph — how we stack up against the rest of the world! America is the most violent country in the world — Do Christians want to change that national story? (more…) Read more

James Martin, S.J.: Of course, violent people use guns in violence. We can’t prevent people from being violent – apart from a miracle of God’s grace – but we can prevent said violent people from having access to guns. Christians should be leading the way toward the revision of gun laws in the USA. Do I hear an Amen? This priest is pushing to say this: Not what does the Constitution provide a right for, but how does the cross... Read more

Yesterday I posted about Mike Glenn’s fine book The Gospel of Yes, and today I turn to another pastor, Dave Workman, and his book could have been subtitled: Our Yes to God’s Yes. If God says Yes to us in Christ, we say Yes back to God by loving others. So Dave’s book is called The Outward Focused Life: Becoming a Servant in a Serve-Me World. Dave’s book describes Our Yes to others. Dave says he thinks what just might... Read more

From USA Today: How about you? How much do you spend? Is this become a pressure to conform to what other families are doing? Americans are expected to spend more than $600 per child, on average, to keep their kids entertained this summer, according to the results of the latest American Express Spending and Savings tracker. Affluent families, which the survey defines as those having a household income of more than $100,000, will spend nearly double that amount at more than... Read more

Informed, insightful, sometimes despairing, heartfelt, and deadly honest reflection by Ann-Marie Slaughter: We’d like to hear how women have experienced the dilemmas of mothering and vocation, and wonder how men have adjusted so that together, a family can promote career satisfaction… which makes me wonder if “career” culture needs to be adjusted by males/fathers toward their families, which might create a more family culture in the business world. Slaughter proposes women having more leadership positions in order to help establish... Read more

John Suk, in his book Not Sure, a book about a pastor struggling with doubt and faith, spares no softeners when he turns to the widespread belief that the essence of Christianity is a personal relationship with Jesus. His contentions are the following: 1. There is no theoretical consensus what this means. 2. Different religious denominations don’t offer official ideas on what it means. 3. Personal relationship has become what the person says it is. Are you uncomfortable with this... Read more