CHICAGO, IL (November 4, 2016) — Covenanters routinely share links to social media articles and videos that Covenant News Service believes may be of interest to others. Each Friday we post five of them. Following is a sample of those submissions—their inclusion does not represent an endorsement by the Covenant of any views expressed.
Church Posts Hilarious Sunday Reminder
Central Baptist Church in Springfield, Illinois, wants to help Cubs fans keep any promises they might have made to God at the bottom of the ninth inning. So they made this pitch on Facebook.
LifeWay Won’t Stock Amy Grant Christmas Album
Amy Grant’s manager Jennifer Cooke, wrote in the Washington Post that LifeWay Christian Resources won’t be stocking Tennessee Christmas, the singer’s first Christmas album in nearly 20 years, on their store shelves. The retailer decided it isn’t Christian enough. But Cooke argues that songs like “Melancholy Christmas,” while it doesn’t explicitly mention Jesus, offers a meaningful way to be his hands and feet for those who suffer during the holidays.
In a stunning move, the store also announced it has pulled all Bibles from its shelves and will no longer sell the perennial bestseller. “We had not realized that there are stretches in which page after page after page is filled with lamentations,” a company spokesperson said. “There’s even a whole book called Lamentations.” OK, so that’s not true, but it might as well be.
From the article: There is an odd question and reality in the Christian music business: What is a “Christian enough” song or project recorded by someone who is “Christian enough” that deems it worthy of exposure and commercial viability via Christian radio and Christian retail?
Just as philosophy has real-world implications, so also does theology. Exactly how we love God and others as ourselves depends on how we think theologically.
From the article: “We can no more abandon theology than we can abandon God, since theology is involved in some fashion whenever we think or speak about God. Consequently, every person is a theologian. The only question is whether we will be thoughtful, responsible theologians or irresponsible ones.”
Should Driverless Cars Kill Their Own Passengers to Save a Pedestrian?
If a driverless car is headed toward a group of five pedestrians, should it drive off a cliff—thus killing its passenger? What if there are five passengers in the car? This moral quandary is more than a philosophical exercise as demonstrated in this fascinating article that raises several different hypothetical scenarios. It is a question that software designers of self-driving cars need to figure out, and the way we reason through it says a lot about our moral philosophy. Morality isn’t always easy.
Patton Oswalt Will Never Be 100 Percent Agai
You may not recognize Patton Oswalt’s name, but you’ve probably seen him on several TV shows, including King of Queens. My favorite is Justified, a series with unusual theological depth, but this article reveals the breadth of his talents—and the depth of his pain after his wife died suddenly.
From the article: “As serious fans of his comedy know, Mr. Oswalt has suffered from depression, but this, he said, was far worse. ‘Depression is more seductive,’ he said. ‘Its tool is: “Wouldn’t it be way more comfortable to stay inside and not deal with people?” Grief is an attack on life. It’s not a seducer. It’s an ambush or worse. It stands right out there and says: “The minute you try something, I’m waiting for you.”’”
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The Christian faith is not under attack by a secular world, as some would like to claim, especially every Christmas. But it seems it is under attack from other Christians, who want to determine just exactly what “true” faith is and who are “true” Christians. Lifeway Christian Resources doesn’t sound lifegiving, Christian, or much of a resource.