Tuesday Thoughts & Things: Aug. 16 edition
Just things today ... "Celebrities for Jesus," a thing to listen to and a thing to remember.
It’s been one of those weeks. You know the type. The weeks when summer is winding down so you take a trip with the family to Knoebel’s on a gorgeous Saturday that offered the slightest hint that fall is around the corner. It’s a week when you can’t seem to get anything done because the strangest things keep happening - like breaking your stove. A week of busy evenings and busier days that cloud your mind to any sort of coherent writing.
So, this week, I’m taking a break from the usual. I’ll be back in two weeks with some thought about something or another.
A thing to read …
Congratulations to Katelyn Beaty on the publication of the brilliant and timely, Celebrities for Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits are Hurting the Church. Beaty draws on her background in journalism (she served as print managing editor at Christianity Today and has written in a number of publications) to take a closer look at the scandals that make headlines.
The book is written in three parts. The first defines celebrity and traces its origin in the evangelical church from the early celebrities to today’s megachurches and their famous pastors. Beaty moves seamlessly from this review of history to the temptations that come with power, platform and persona before landing in part three’s exploration of how the church can embark on a new direction.
Beaty’s writing is clear and well-sourced, creating a fascinating look at the interconnection between celebrity, the often-toxic culture it creates and the average church-goer. I appreciated the historical piece as it showed how the seeds of scandal-ridden culture were planted decades ago as Christians toyed with access to power, and have only continued to grow. Hopefully, books like this can serve as a warning and a call to refocus.
If you’re interested, please consider ordering from a local bookstore like Hearts and Minds, where I bought my copy.
A thing to listen to …
If you grew up in the 80s and loved Unsolved Mysteries, there’s a podcast for you! Unsolved Mysteries has been revived as a weekly podcast with host Steve French. It’s the usual mix of unsolved murders, disappearances and paranormal experience that were the hallmark of the weekly show with host Robert Stack.
A thing to remember …
Live today like there’s no coffee tomorrow.
Meik Wiking, The Little Book of Hygge