International Children’s Movies: A Review of the Last Thirty Years
by Josh Matthews
…tle Broomstick, this movie’s simple story about a girl who inadvertently becomes a witch and has a hard time dealing with that, is accompanied by astounding visuals. It is as if this movie took the cantina scene in Star Wars: Episode IV and decided that nearly every scene should be filled with as many oddities as that scene. Shaun the Sheep Movie – A silent movie, except for the music and sound effects. Wonderfully made and executed, great to lo…
Our Source of Strength: A Review of The Color of Compromise
by Chandra Crane
…progress. And after doing all of that work, you will wonder when Jesus is coming back. While reading The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby, I realized that it bears some striking similarities to going through physical therapy: facing reality about one’s limitations, pushing through pain, perhaps doubting the process, but also—the joy of incremental progress and knowing that Jesus is our…
Uncovering History and Mystery: A Podcast Review of White Lies
by Jackson Nickolay
…the mystery has pointed to one person/group and it feels like the hunt is coming to an end. However, it is at this point that the podcast takes a turn and educates its listeners about the events of the past. This was the truly valuable aspect of the podcast for me. I knew very little about the events of the summer in 1965 (other than from history books and films like Selma) prior to listening to this podcast. I went into it blind, not knowing wha…
Preaching in All Places: A Review of A Big Gospel
by Joel Kok
…er’s assertions about the priority of cities in the plan of God (179). For example, in his final chapter, entitled “Common Reasons to Prioritize Big-Place Ministry,” Witmer takes issue with Keller several times and always in a highly respectful way. When Keller asserts that early Christian missionaries “went into cities and only the cities to preach the gospel,” (Keller, quoted by Witmer, 166) Witmer responds first by pointing to the earthly minis…
Album Review of Beast Epic by Iron & Wine
by Josh Henreckson
…he Creek Drank the Cradle and Our Endless Numbered Days. “Last Night,” for example, opens with a frantic flurry of strings that play around the upper and lower registers of the track’s melody throughout its runtime. Even Beast Epic’s simpler tracks are fleshed out with piano, strings, drums, or mandolins. Overall, this makes Beast Epic one of Iron & Wine’s most accessible albums. It’s not as eccentric as Beam’s most recent efforts and it’s more po…
Technology Unleashed: A Review of Transhumanism and the Image of God
by Sam Ashmore
…of technology, and others, created in me a desire to continually get the latest and greatest forms of technology, forming me in a way I never imagined. Jacob Shatzer, an assistant professor and associate dean in the School of Theology and Missions at Union University, in his book Transhumanism and the Image of God addresses the way technology forms us, especially in regards to Christian discipleship. Shatzer goes beyond the classic “youth group” d…
“Game Night” Movie Review
by Josh Matthews
…. Do you want goofy scenarios, hijinks, and cute couples who all want more complete lives? You may consume them to excess here. The whole plot of this movie involves three middle-class couples who get to play the game of their lives. These couples comprise an adult gaming group that regularly plays trivia, charades, and Monopoly together on the weekends. On the particular night featured in the movie, they throw away their boardgames. Instead, they…
No Room for Apathy: A Review of Executing Grace
by Kathryn Post
…from all angles. He starts with scripture, dealing directly with the most common arguments in favor of capital punishment: Romans 13 and Old Testament death penalties. Yet Claiborne also reminds readers: “Much of the Bible was written by murderers who were given a second chance. Moses. David. Paul.” If these Biblical heroes could be redeemed, who are we to determine who is or is not worthy of redemption? Ultimately, Claiborne points out that Chri…
None but Not Yet Done: Review of The Twentysomething Soul
by Justin Bailey
…ip attendance is positively correlated “with marriage, employment, college completion, voting, and community engagement” (178). One surprising finding to me was how many twentysomethings expressed a plan to prioritize faith once life settles down. Twentysomethings experience the world “less as sets of institutions prescribing standard life scripts and more as nodes on a network from which they can freely choose cultural symbols, strategies, and in…
Vision for Repairing Fractures: A Review of Resisting Throwaway Culture
by Chelsea Maxwell
…and murder, in the policy choices that ignore the hurting families in our communities, and in the culture that trends towards treating even people as a commodity. It is in light of this cultural experience that Charles Camosy writes Resisting Throwaway Culture: How a Consistent Life Ethic Can Unite a Fractured People. Camosy’s focus is neither political nor partisan. His aim is to articulate a moral vision for America that is grounded in the valu…
Nature or Nurture: Leadership as a Learned Trait vs. Leadership Inheritance
by Eric Forseth
…ss to cultivate your leadership expertise. Patterson D. and R. Kelley, New Testament Commentary (B and H Publishing, 2011), pp.34-35. ↩ James K.A. Smith, You Are What You Love (Brazo Press/Baker Publishing, 2016), p.20. ↩ Daniel Goleman, Working With Emotional Intelligence (Bantom Dell/Random House Publishing, 2006), pp.19-23. ↩ Patterson K., Grenny J., McMillin R., and A. Switzer, Crucial Conversations (McGraw Hill, 2002), p.72. ↩ Steven B. Sampl…
by Dave Mulder
…to make the most sense? This article was previously published on Dave’s personal blog: iteach-and-ilearn.blogspot.com Originally published April 29, 2013. Used with permission. Dig Deeper What do you think about the Common Core? How about Standardized Testing? Read more in this three part education series from Ed Starkenburg on “The Common Core: Good or Bad?” and from Steve Holtrop on “Standardized Tests: Help or Harm?”….
Answering Your Question: Tension between Science and Genesis
by Neal DeRoo
…is view holds that the Bible has direct authority over the key tenets that define one’s life. In this case, being obedient to Biblical authority requires living according to the right tenets. This will have consequences for how one engages in the scientific enterprise, most notably in the ‘presuppositions’ that guide one’s scientific inquiry. In regards to the Genesis account, a proponent of this view would argue that the first three chapters offe…
5 U.S. Supreme Court Cases Every Christian Should Be Aware Of
by Donald Roth
…the first group I say “congratulations!” To the second group, I say, “Feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments, but nana nana boo boo, I picked the list, not you.” For more information on each case, click on the case title. 5. Loving v. Virginia (1967) Photo by Beltmann/Corbis. This case makes the list because it sits as the goalpost for the same sex marriage movement, and it may even set the legal groundwork that will bring that moveme…
How Should Christians View Fantasy Sports?
by Paul Fessler
…know how to keep it in balance. But we all know those friends who are overcompetitive, prone to trash talk that goes too far, or maybe they’re just comfortable with a level of intensity that makes others feel stress and anxiety. My personal experience with fantasy leagues was brief. Like financial markets and geopolitical analysis it is fascinating and addictive at first. It can teach you a lot about a game. But ultimately you come to a point whe…
Imagine a World Where Faith Was More than Political Eye Candy
by Scott Culpepper
…not “engage” his culture as “a Christian.” He is represented to us with a funny kind of ‘I’ that asserts itself confidently to offer itself humbly. Luther’s famous definition of Christian freedom comes to mind: “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.”…
by Nicole Baart
…d to put into words what my heart feels. Winnie Thanks for sharing Nicole, definitely eye opening Nicole Baart You’re not rambling at all, Faye. I think so many of us feel this way–tongue-tied and convicted and ready to DO something. Thank you for your openness and your willingness to stand in the gap. The world needs people like you! Nicole Baart You’re welcome, Winnie. Thanks for reading. Cara Meredith Oh Nicole, I love and appreciate your word…
The Expectations for Girls and Boys
by Valerie Stokes
…the gap is because that study took all of the income from each gender and compared them and compared that women’s was 80% of men. This study didn’t take into effect the free choices of jobs each gender chose. The majority of school teachers are women, the majority of engineers are men. The free market values these skill sets differently and as a result they get paid differently. There is no CEO out there demanding their HR Dept. to pay all women…
Fences: A Christian Reflection
by John Richards
…dialogue, but left with a stronger conviction to lead a Christ-honoring life in my marriage and in the body of Christ. This is one play adaptation that will have an impact on me for years to come. This movie review originally appeared on John’s personal blog, and has been reposted with his permission. Click here for more great content on his site….
by Josh Matthews
…The correct term for residents of the British Isles is “Britons.” And there were no “jetfighters” at this time. The first operational fighter with jet engines was the Me-262. Its first test flight was in 1942, and it did not enter into limited combat use until 1944. Robert Fisk has a very good discussion of the film’s whitewashing of history in the Independent. Dunkirk (2017) – Josh Matthews […] (Original review published on inallthings.org.) […]…
Physics 101: Observing Physical Creation
by Kayt Frisch
…reation, seen through the methodical study of the physical universe. These examples are a small sample across the breadth and depth of the physical Creation, seeing the work of our Creator through the methodical study of the physical universe that we call physics. So what is physics? Certainly “equations” are part of the story, but at its heart, physics is about observing the Created Universe and saying “I wonder how…?”. Physics gives us an additi…
Kinds of Science and Exploring the Past
by Channon Visscher
…ote that 1 parsec (pc) = 3.26 light-years = 19 trillion miles. Fourth, the combined and complementary roles of different scientific approaches also help illustrate that the boundaries between observational, experimental, and historical science are often fuzzy or arbitrary, and in practice scientist typically don’t articulate “kinds” or distinctions between them. This is especially evident in fields such as astronomy (see figure above) where any di…
For I Was Sick and You Looked After Me
by Christina Eggink-Postma
…fering your support really can make an impact. Treat them with the same care and compassion that we are so good at lavishing on those with physical illnesses. Because at the end of the day, agencies, clinics, and legislators can only go so far in improving health. As a community, we can do better. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (September 4, 2014). The NSDUH Report: S…
by Dawn Berkelaar
… ↩ Ralph Winter proposed (and himself lived) a simple lifestyle that would free up income for world missions. He wrote, “We must learn that Jesus meant it when He said, “Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required’ (Luke 12:48). I believe that God cannot expect less from us as our Christian duty to save other nations than our own nation has required of us in times of war in order to save our own nation. This means that we must be…
The Irony of a Well-presented Lecture
by Tony Jelsma
…the actual learning did not take place until they were studying for the upcoming test. Sadly, there were always some students who didn’t prepare well for the tests, and I always felt discouraged at the missed opportunity to learn the material. Thus, the time in my class was used, not so much for learning but to convey what the students needed to learn. Students generally had to learn on their own, outside of the classroom. I have known for years…
