Tag: Around the Web

Our daily rundown of the articles from around the web that we feel our readers would enjoy and appreciate. We hope to highlight the best of what’s around. Public Square Bulletin recommends: The Benefits of Marriage Shouldn’t Only Be For Elites W. Bradford Wilcox—Institute for Family Studies Today the rich marry much more often than the poor. The benefits of marriage are clear and consistent. Wilcox wonders how to close this gap. Thoughts and Prayers Do Help David Bashevkin—Wall Street Journal Russell M. Nelson spoke in May about how praying for those in need inspires him to action. So I wanted to recommend this recent Wall Street Journal article that delves into the concept and why it would be a mistake to throw away “thoughts and prayers.” Susa Young Gates: ‘Daughter of Mormonism’ Jerry Winder—From the Desk Susa Young Gates is an essential figure in the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ. This Q&A with her biographer is succinct, fascinating, and essential for anyone looking to quickly understand her life and accomplishments. Walmart Settles Religious Discrimination Dispute Tom Raabe—American Spectator One of the most interesting religious freedom cases making its way to the Supreme Court involved a man that Wal-Mart refused to promote because as a Seventh-Day Adventist he required one day off a week. But Wal-Mart unexpectedly settled the case before it could make the high court. The reasoning may interest you. Jesus in Recent Latter-day Saint Art Chad Nielsen—Times and Seasons This overview of Anthony Sweat’s recent presentation about depictions of the Savior includes links to many of the beautiful images that Sweat references and is definitely worth a leisurely read.

Our daily rundown of the articles from around the web that we feel our readers would enjoy and appreciate. We hope to highlight the best of what’s around. Public Square Bulletin recommends: Welcome to Pride Month, Christian Carl Trueman—World Carl Trueman offers a full-throated call to oppose Pride month and its use of the rainbow symbol with the same drive that we oppose racist symbols such as Confederate flags and statues. New survey: corporations failing to respect religious and political diversity Jerry Bowyer—The Christian Post Paging Brian Grimm of the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation. Your work is desperately needed. A new report on religious and political diversity among corporations shows disappointing results, with the average score being 12 out of 100. Journalists might ask: Did fundamentalists actually win their debate with modernists? Richard Ostling—Get Religion One hundred years ago, Harry Fosdick asked if modernists or fundamentalists would win the fight for Christianity’s soul. Today many journalists seem to assume the fundamentalists won, but Richard Ostling invites them to re-examine that assumption. A Defense of Faith Statements Shirley Mullen—Heterodox Academy The easy assumption is that universities that require statements of faith to attend limit academic freedom. But a former president of one such university makes the case that by creating a community with shared beliefs, they are able to articulate a voice in a larger marketplace of ideas. The Problems of Putting off Children Nathanael Blake—Public Discourse The author had hoped to have children much younger than typical for highly educated, dual-career couples. But a combination of circumstances prevented that, leading him to have children at about the age many of his peers did. He has some thoughts about the drawbacks of this status-quo.

Our daily rundown of the articles from around the web that we feel our readers would enjoy and appreciate. We hope to highlight the best of what’s around. Public Square Bulletin recommends: Political Narratives Are the Media’s Default in Times of Tragedy Gerald Baker—Wall Street Journal We often look at the way the media’s coverage impacts the contours of our public discourse. In Gerry Baker’s latest column, he looks at the instinct to turn every news story almost immediately into a debate about which government programs should be started to address the problem. An Honest Look at the Consequences of Overturning Roe v. Wade Jessica Keating—Church Life Journal The director of the Notre Dame Office of Human Dignity and Life Initiatives takes a tour through the various political effects of Roe v. Wade ending, looking at the best polling data on the intricacies of abortion opinion and extrapolating what the next steps might be. The Self is a Problem Jake Meador—Mere Orthodoxy Where does the modern desire to construct the self come from? Could it begin with the rejection of ontological density that took place during colonialism? Mere Orthoxy’s editor-in-chief makes a provocative if unexpected argument about the roots of our contemporary identity crisis. The Sermon of the Wolf Eleanor Parker—Plough This inspiring tale focuses on how one leader, looking at an apocalyptic Viking invasion facing his people nevertheless found hope through self-improvement. To Build a Pro-Natal Culture, Don’t Overlook Maternal Mental Health Amber Lapp—Institute of Family Studies Do conversations about building a pro-natal culture too often fall to abstractions? Are we tackling the “earthy concreteness” of the struggles and difficulties? Amber Lapp suggests bridging the gap between the abstract and the practical may be the key to building a durable cultural shift.

Our daily rundown of the articles from around the web that we feel our readers would enjoy and appreciate. We hope to highlight the best of what’s around. Public Square Bulletin recommends: Latter-day Saints need to tell their own stories Barrett Burgin—Deseret News I realize that no one can gate-keep Latter-day Saint cinema, but applying powerful rules of story and craftsmanship will yield the best results. Latter-day Saint filmmakers have something different, unique, and vitally important to offer. Born This Way? The Rise of LGBT+ as a Social and Political Identity Eric Kaufmann—CSPI Researchers looking at rates of LGBT+ identity, find the data suggest that while there has been an increase in same-sex behavior in recent years, sociopolitical factors likely explain most of the rise in LGBT+ identity Are Wars of Religion as Dangerous as Secularization? Émile Perreau-Saussine—Church Life Journal MacIntyre considers that the erasure of forms of belonging threatens the individual, whereas liberalism considers that forms of belonging threaten the state and tyranny. He considers that the same danger threatens faith and practical reason and that both pass through wisdom rather than calculation. Christianity is Not Merely Another Identity Ismail Royer—First Things The petitioner and the Court accepted the premises of the contemporary grievance-oriented mode of the modern liberal order, rather than the premises of the American founding, which holds that truth should prevail over falsehood as the source of our political order. A new ‘Jesus movement’? Evangelist Nick Hall says Gen Z is hungry for ‘something supernatural’ Ian M. Giatti—Christian Post Today’s generation wants a movement of their own, and Hall believes it’s time to unleash them and commission them to see their friends come to know Jesus.

Our daily rundown of the articles from around the web that we feel our readers would enjoy and appreciate. We hope to highlight the best of what’s around. Public Square Bulletin recommends: NPC Headliner Luncheon: Elder David A. Bednar Elder David A. Bednar, an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, presents to the National Press Club about the Church and how it helps people both from the outside in, but especially from the inside out and fields questions on many controversial subjects in a Q&A including why people leave religion. The Q&A begins at forty-two minutes. Why do people abandon religion? Moshe Taragin—The Jerusalem Post While the conversation of leaving religion affects many denominations, this article from The Jerusalem Post looks at the question generally but from the perspective of Judaism. Certainly a worthy addition to the conversation. Is God a Therapist? Carl Trueman—First Things In his latest, Carl Trueman laments our “childish age” and the way it oversimplifies God. He relishes in the hard complicated God that is worthy of worship. Elder Perkins shares common values at a groundbreaking conference in Saudi Arabia Mary Richards—Church News The Muslim World League held its first-ever forum on Common Values of Religious Followers. The Church, which recently announced its first temple in the Middle East, has not had a leader speak in Saudia Arabia since the G-20 summit in 2020. How an Army ethicist works to mold moral soldiers Mary Beth McCauley—The Christian Science Monitor A fascinating deep dive into the Baptist chaplain who is a leading figure in war ethics. The article looks at his background, beliefs, and day-to-day work teaching ethics to new recruits.

Our daily rundown of the articles from around the web that we feel our readers would enjoy and appreciate. We hope to highlight the best of what’s around. Public Square Bulletin recommends: The war over parental rights has begun Carl R. Trueman—World In his ever careful way, Trueman looks at the recent tensions between parents and the school boards that serve them. He looks at some of the philosophical underpinnings that might prevent this issue from being easily resolved. Cemeteries Remind Us of The Importance Of Religion Grace Bydalek—The American Conservative Thomas S. Monson famously loved visiting cemeteries. Grace Bydalek explores some of the reasons why, considering what the distilled messages tell us about what is most important in our lives and how it conflicts with what is valued outside the cemetery walls. A Disappointed Supporter Allyson Flake Matsoso—Philosophy of Motherhood Matsoso has recently written a two-part series for Public Square reflecting in part on the significance of Jordan Peterson in helping her understand her role as a mother. So we wanted to make sure you saw this take where she reflects on Peterson’s recent Twitter controversy where he called a magazine cover model “not beautiful.” How the church should respond to the rise of anti-Semitism in America Jordan Wooten—Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission A think tank for the Southern Baptist Church published an article looking at the alarming rise of antisemitism and what their church could do about it. The ideas are practical and should be of interest to those of other faiths looking to answer the same question. Breaking Down Texas’ Disruptive New Social Media Law Andrew Egger—The Dispatch A new Texas law will go into effect that prevents social media sites from viewpoint discrimination. The law echoes similar public square laws such as those about malls in California. The Dispatch has an explainer of the many ramifications of the new rules.

Our daily rundown of the articles from around the web that we feel our readers would enjoy and appreciate. We hope to highlight the best of what’s around. Public Square Bulletin recommends: What Sex Really Is Aubrey Pollnow—First Things The latest from First Things is remarkable for two reasons. First, it explores implicature and the lengths Amia Srinivasan goes to in her most recent book to avoid being seen talking to the wrong people. Second, it provides a pithy but complete defense of a traditional sexual ethic. Tibet: No Religion Allowed in Social Media Short Videos and Webcasts Lopsang Gurung—Bitter Winter China has set new regulations for social media use in Tibet. Videos shared there cannot mention religion. The rules around this regulation are ambiguous, and enforcement remains to be seen, but this should spark major concerns for any religious freedom advocates. Is “Be True to Yourself” Good Advice? Brian S. Rosner—Crossway Rosner answers the title’s question by basically saying it depends on how you define “yourself.” And then spends the bulk of the article look at the new and sometimes problematic approaches to defining the self that have become socially dominant. The recent prophetic focus on identity from Russell M. Nelson suggests this kind of analysis may be helpful. What is the Church? Chad Nielsen—Times & Seasons An exploration of the remarks most meaningful to the author from general conference, Chad Nielsen examines Reyna Aburto’s talk, tying it into the larger picture of her ministry and earlier remarks. Pro-Abortion Rights Protesters Hit Catholic Churches: Why You Didn’t Read About It Clemente Lisi—Get Religion In the wake of a leaked Supreme Court ruling implication abortion, many have chosen to channel their frustration with hateful and bigoted acts targeted at Catholic churches, including in some cases vandalism and theft. But this story was largely missing from the popular press. The essential religion in media critics at Get Religion have an insightful answer.

Our daily rundown of the articles from around the web that we feel our readers would enjoy and appreciate. We hope to highlight the best of what’s around. Public Square Bulletin recommends: How Politics Poisoned the Evangelical Church Tim Alberta—The Atlantic This insightful feature looks at Pastor Bill Bolin from Brighton, Michigan, following how politics have affected his church while placing it in a broader historical context. It’s Not Progressive Christianity, It’s Accommodationist Christianity, and It Has Nothing of Christ In It Tom Gilson—The Stream Tom Gilson seeks to reframe the debate as not between progressive and conservative Christianity, which can coexist peacefully together, but rather between what he sees as traditional Christianity and a Christianity that seeks to undermine Christ to appeal to the largest group possible. Why are Sexually Transmitted Infections Surging? Kim Tingley—New York Times Sad news out of the New York Times reinforces the importance of the Church’s counter-cultural stance on sexuality. This news sadly comes at the same time as news that marriage rates hit 50-year lows. Approaches to Ending Race-Based Violence  Ayaan Hirsi Ali—UnHerd After Public Square’s staff editorial yesterday on approaches to end violence, I wanted to highlight this article by human rights activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali who adds additional approaches by looking at how violence victimizes the black community specifically. Meet the Democrat who may be America’s fiercest advocate for religious freedom Hanna Seariac—Deseret News Katrina Lantos Swett, a Jewish child of Holocaust survivors, human rights advocate, Democrat, and Latter-day Saint, invites everyone to make more seats at the table

Our daily rundown of the articles from around the web that we feel our readers would enjoy and appreciate. We hope to highlight the best of what’s around. Public Square Bulletin recommends: Will the ‘Disinformation Governance Board’ censor religious viewpoints? Jorge Gomez—Christian Post While the article does lean into something of the more hysterical concerns about the Department of Homeland Security’s new board for tracking disinformation campaigns, it does address one of the big questions that government leaders must reckon with as the board settles on its role: how will this intersect with religious freedom concerns? The Hard Left and Populist Right Agree on All the Wrong Things Stephan Jensen—Quillette The “culture wars” are often a topic for dread. But Stephan Jensen posits that we’ve become hoodwinked by extremes on both sides that have exaggerated concerns well beyond what is warranted to keep us in a constant state of unease. But he suggests that the sane center may be making a comeback as the war in Ukraine helps us focus on what’s truly important. Insta-Therapy: Helping Or Hurting? Seerut K. Chawla—Unorthodox Chawla suggests that the overly simplified versions of mental health that are bandied about on social media cause many more problems than they solve. She suggests that all too often that this culture problematizes normal life in order to create a problem that the influencer is uniquely suited to solve. Go Forth and Proselytise Peter Davidson—Literary Review This review of the book “Jesuits: A History” focuses on the Jesuits’ missionary efforts. Peter Davidson makes a clear argument that missionary work has historically provided great value. Davidson frames Markus Friedrich’s book in a way that is a direct challenge to those who seek to eliminate or devalue ongoing proselyting efforts. Jacob’s Dream Gospel for Kids The latest video from this official YouTube channel of the Church provides a fun activity for kids that helps frame the story of Jacob’s ladder about the covenant path.

Our daily rundown of the articles from around the web that we feel our readers would enjoy and appreciate. We hope to highlight the best of what’s around. Public Square Bulletin recommends: President Nelson tells young adults to focus on three fundamental truths, including ‘who you are’ Tad Walch—Deseret News President Russell M. Nelson told a worldwide audience of young adults that they have three primary identities 1) Child of God 2) Child of the Covenant 3) Disciple of Christ. You can read more of our coverage. USCIRF Calls on Iran to Remove Restrictions on Golrokh Iraee Following Release from Prison United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Iran has released religious prisoner Golrokh Iraee from prison. She had advocated for the end of stoning. She continues to have travel and speech restrictions, and the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has called for those restrictions to be removed. Being a Political Journalist Made Me a Better Christian Jon Ward—Christianity Today Yahoo’s Chief National Political Correspondent writes about how his career in journalism has helped him increase his faith. His journey is useful to all people of faith seeking to find a way to balance their interaction in the public square with their convictions and relationship with Christ. 5 Ways Pastors Can Care for Those Struggling with Sexual Identity Carl R. Trueman—Crossway Carl Trueman, author of the new book Strange New World, has written about ministering to those dealing with issues of sexual identity. His article is directed to pastors but is applicable to all folks looking for a way to navigate these issues in a caring and Christian context. Making Sense of the Racist Mass Shooting in Buffalo Isaac Chotiner—The New Yorker The New Yorker has a useful explainer of what influenced the senseless racist shooting in Buffalo. By Common Consent has a take on how Latter-day Saints might appropriately approach the kinds of media that influenced the shooting.