There was an excellent piece in the New York Times this weekend by the novelist Jonathan Safran Foer (author of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) called “How Not to Be Alone.” In it, Foer talks about how our technologies make us alone – and what we lose from that: Only those with no imagination, and no grounding in reality, would deny the possibility that they will live forever. It’s possible that many reading these words will never die. Let’s assume, though, that... Read more
My friend and colleague, Dr. Greg Jones, of Duke University and the Laity Lodge Leadership Initiative, recently pointed me to an insightful article in The Atlantic. “Listening to Young Atheists: Lessons for a Stronger Christianity” by Larry Alex Taunton reflects many conversations the author had with atheists in their mid-teens to early twenties. This is must reading for anyone or any organization that seeks to share the truth and love of Christ with the next generations. Here is one of... Read more
Colum McCann wrote a wonderful novel called Let the Great World Spin that came out a few years ago. It tells a number of stories that span across time and two continents, though it’s mostly set in New York City in the 1970s and just after 9/11. The book won the National Book Award. He has another book coming out, TransAtlantic, so there’s been a bit of press on him, and I read this profile on him in the New York Times Magazine... Read more
The High Calling features a sweet, poignant tribute to Dallas Willard, who died a month ago. It was written by Larissa Heatley, Willard’s granddaughter, who delivered it at his memorial service. The title of this piece, “Give ’em Heaven,” is one of the last things that Willard said to Larissa. The years to come without Grandpa will seem like nothing compared to the eternity that we will be spending together with the Lord, but it’s already been too long without... Read more
There’s a great article on The High Calling called “Working for God’s Best.” Paul Sartarelli considers the case of a medical doctor who wonders if he is missing out on God’s best by caring for people’s bodies rather than shepherding their souls. Sartarelli’s answer points in an unexpected but theologically solid direction, to the resurrection of Christ. Check out this fine piece. Read more
Kelli Woodford wrote a lovely piece about imagination and erasers over at The High Calling. Here’s a bit: What she taught us that day had far less to do with canvas and sketch pad, and far more to do with the kind of life we had experienced over the last three years. We would learn, through the tangible medium before us, to find a way to make glory out of catastrophe. To let imagination become a way to practice faith, both of these calling... Read more
I just really like this poem – and Billy Collins will always be one of my favorite poets. (You can read this here as well.) Dharma The way the dog trots out the front door every morning without a hat or an umbrella, without any money or the keys to her dog house never fails to fill the saucer of my heart with milky admiration. Who provides a finer example of a life without encumbrance— Thoreau in his curtainless hut... Read more
The Daily Beast recently ran an article in which some famous writers and academics list books they think everyone should read right after they graduate from college. It’s a fascinating list, ranging from Shakespeare to works of philosophy and biographies and even some economics. That made me want to make a list, which I’ll restrict to five. Here’s mine, highly idiosyncratic and lacking in anything pre-twentieth century, because everyone knows they ought to read those, right? 1. David Foster Wallace, A... Read more
My father passed away suddenly, almost seven years ago, not long after his forty-seventh birthday, due to complications from an aggressive form of leukemia. I miss him every day, but one of the things I wish I’d had time to do was hear more of his stories. Though on paper his life looks fairly conventional–grew up in south Boston, joined the Navy and moved to Virginia, met my mother, finished his service and moved north to my Mom’s hometown, where... Read more
Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough to live forever and never see the grave. Psalm 49:8-9 A couple of years ago, as I was walking through the financial district of New York, I encountered a large, boisterous group of people who had camped out in Zuccotti Park. Unintentionally, I had stumbled upon the Occupy Wall Street protest. Placards, banners, and chants announced, “We are the 99%.” They decried what they considered to be... Read more
Mark D. Roberts
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