I recently finished an important work by Neil Postman entitled Amusing Ourselves to Death. Written over two decades ago, Postman, a college professor and professed devotee of the written word, argues that our culture is trading its love for the weighty solidarity of the printed and spoken word for the cheap thrill of the television and video screen. Postman’s thesis is well argued and the book is highly recommended reading for anyone wishing to understand the culture–and themselves. Among the... Read more

BCS asked whether church “cry rooms” show disapproval for children:I understand the thought behind this question, and I know of one local church here in Kentucky that actually encourages parents to keep their children in the service in order that the mothers might benefit from the preaching. So it’s not unheard of to do this. That said, I think it’s fine for churches to have “cry rooms.” I love children and want them to be appreciated, but they can easily... Read more

Part of the thinking behind Edwards University is that there is a great need for a first-rate school that trains young Christians to think and work in a fallen world. As many evangelical institutions drift to the left, we would greatly benefit from a school that sets high academic and theological standards. While I do not speak a great deal about it, I am unshakably confident in the strength of Reformed Christianity and thus see it as the ideal foundation... Read more

Congratulations to those of you who correctly guessed the name of my proposed New England university. I opted for a hyphenated name: Pitino-Mohler University. Thanks to all who guessed. Actually, the name I thought of was indeed Edwards University, which no less than three or four people guessed (not counting sarcastic answers, that is). I guess that one was a little obvious. But seriously, who better than Edwards to name a Reformed university that seeks to meld academic excellence with... Read more

I have an idea. It’s a little crazy. How about this: a Reformed university in New England that is devoted to first-rate academic scholarship and gracious orthodoxy. How does that sound? Let me know your thoughts. This week, I’ll unveil my plan for this school, which as of now exists as but a figment of my own imagination. Included in the vision is a name, a very distinctive name, a name that captures the spirit of historic New England Christianity,... Read more

Charles Sykes is an incisive cultural critic. In A Nation of Victims, published in 1992, he offers the following thoughts that are relevant to this week’s topic: “In their eagerness to accommodate the needs of the new age, parents often willingly transferred the values of the therapeutic culture from the larger society to the family itself. Not only were children now accorded a standing once reserved for adults alone, but the family was increasingly expected to adopt the therapeutic values... Read more

The modern parent seems to see their child not so much as a soul to be led to God but as a spectacle. People today have children not so much to fulfill the creation mandate and nurture their children morally and spiritually but to show the child off, to develop them such that they are publicly presentable. As soon as they can, parents enter into arms races with other parents, each unit sweating to fashion their charge into the most... Read more

One of the things I’m noticing most lately is the tendency of Christians to live according to the world without realizing it. Part of this is natural. We are in the world, after all; and most of us do not wish to adopt an Amish-like lifestyle in which we become so “not of” this world that we look and live outside of it. So to some extent, it’s entirely understandable that we live to some degree like the rest of... Read more

I’m currently writing a paper on the theme of the power of Christ’s word as portrayed by John in his Gospel. It’s an interesting theme, but it makes for alot of writing. That makes for little time for blogging. So, in lieu of posting something original, I will give you something noteworthy to think about from the Bible. I love difficult, strange, and fascinating passages of the Bible. It’s always cool to encounter something foreign, something divine, in the Word.... Read more

Just how many bands are out there right now, making music, hoping to be the next big thing? As many, I would guess, as there are stars in the sky. In an age when most anyone can afford recording equipment, everyone could be the next Dylan, the next Derek Webb, the next Common. Which leads me to recommend one of those small stars in the sky: Stars of Track and Field. Until this week, I had never heard of them.... Read more