by Ben Howard Reads of the Week
1) Jesus Started With the "Outliers" by Rachel Held Evans
"If the gospel isn’t good news to the so-called ‘outliers,’ then it’s not good news at all. And, in fact, if our theology doesn’t start with the ‘outliers,’ then maybe we’re doing it wrong."
2) The Bible Needs to Die, and We Need to Let It by Krista Dalton
"Thus, I say it is time for the Bible to die. The Bible, perhaps the biggest superstition of them all in that the book’s authority and gravitas, encoded in the words “but the Bible says,” dictates the course of many, often in destructive ways. Now I’m all about studying the Bible and its authors’ original context, but what is our answer when the original context is wrong for our modern society? What if the Bible “really says” slavery is okay; what if the Bible “really says” witches, homosexuals, sexually promiscuous women deserve to die? What is our answer then?"
3) God Washed My Feet, And It Was Warm by Grace Biskie
"Well, why did the disciples need their feet washed? Because they lived and walked in a desert in flimsy sandals and they got dirty. Through no fault of their own, the journey their life took them on required cleaning by a servant who loved them."
4) Liturgical Texting by Zack Hunt
"We practiced liturgical texting at church last Sunday and it was one of the most incredible moments of worship I’ve experienced in a long time and I am incredibly proud of and grateful to my pastor for creating that moment for us."
5) Even the Rocks by D.L. Mayfield
"Sitting in that pew so straight, my heart at full attention. I had to know: did Jesus have the words of the prophet in his mind as he looked out over Jerusalem, knowing what the next week would bring? Did he know how many more empires, nations, and people would found their entire lives on injustice, everyone content to pursue wickedness to the point that the very city itself would cry out in anguish?"
Honorable Mention
We Had Hoped by Micah Murray
An Open Letter to Myself About Being a Man by Bruce Reyes-Chow
Ignoring the Man With No Teeth by Shawn Smucker
Line of the Week
"In any case, I give this book two thumbs way, way up! If you've spent your entire life wondering if there is a God that you can put in a box, consume in small, easy-to-chew quantities and exploit in order to feel some arbitrary (albeit fleeting) sense of meaning and happiness, this is the book for you." - Anonymous Amazon Review for "A Story of God and All of Us: A Novel Based on the Epic TV Miniseries 'The Bible'"
On Pop Theology Week in Review
The Allure of a Handsome, White Jesus by John Thornton Jr.
John Thornton explores the problems of depicting Jesus as a handsome, white man when the truth is so much deeper.
Bad Music Video Theology: "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons by Sebastian Faust
Because sometimes Jesus is a Care Bear with laser eyes and sometimes Lou Diamond Phillips is the Devil.
What We Talk About When We Talk About Rob Bell by Ben Howard
What are we talking about when we talk about Rob Bell? We're talking about us.
Etsy, Betsy, Regretsy by Leigh Bonner
On Etsy, bad earrings, and bullying.
A Prayer for Good Friday
On this holy day I pray you peace, love, and the beauty that only comes when darkness becomes dawn.
Song of the Week
"Handlebars" by Flobots
Peace,
Ben
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