Waxing algorithmic
Friday, August 15, 2008
Want to know when a past pop/entertainment culture is so old that it’s new again? Here’s a hint: The new X-Files movie should have waited until 2018 to debut. Charting the right time to dust off an old cultural icon in order to cash in on the latent nostalgia is serious business if you’re from Hollywood. Everything from board games to The Smurf’s are headed to the big screen, for better or worse.This tongue-in-cheek article from Wired explores the mathematical formulae of cultural nostalgia. In all seriousness, this works out pretty well to help explain the popularity of the new Doctor Who (BBC) and BattleStar Galactica (SciFi), which saw their highest ratings a generation ago in the 70s. At this rate, we should see a new version of Firefly in about 20 years.
As for the new X-Files, does anyone care?
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Get your sell detector
Friday, May 16, 2008
More and more I’m recognizing the presence of stealth advertising. It may be product placement in a movie, or a supposed news interview with a celebrity that has a new movie or book coming out. I’ll be watching something or reading something, connect the dots to a stealth sales pitch, and almost uncontrollably blurt out: “I’ve just been advertised to.” It’s as if I’ve developed a form of advertising radar.It can be annoying—more so for the people in my life. But I think it’s a good thing. The truth is, more and more of our public discourse is being orchestrated to accommodate ubiquitous commercial messages. My hope is that I can infect more people with the same sensibility.
After all, as G.I. Joe once aptly said, “knowing is half the battle.” (Of course, the other half of the battle includes the violence and the killing, which is totally not my point here.)
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The past crashes into the present
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Over the past year Dawnshelle and I have been consuming the new Doctor Who series from the BBC via Netflix DVDs. This past week we completed season 3, which aired in early 2007. I’ve often shared with Dawnshelle my childhood affinity for the series, recalling the Doctors I watched growing up via PBS imports. Given the era in the show’s history, that means I was thoroughly immersed in the 1970s and 1980s iterations of the show, which mainly featured the fourth and fifth doctors.
I’ll stop right here to link to the wiki on this program in order to not have to explain any of the back story to those not familiar with the show. Suffice it to say, Doctor Who is a time travel science fiction serial.Moving on, the show went off the air in 1990, and was known for its 26 year run, fantastic sci-fi mythology and generally awful production values. There was an attempt to revive the series in 1996 with a passable FOX TV movie, but lousy ratings kept that from happening. (I remember being so bummed out at the time.)
Fast forward to 2004, and the BBC, in conjunction with the Sci-Fi Channel, reinvents the series with wild success. With a much more gracious production investment, great actors, an appropriate nod to the show’s past and the right amount of camp, Doctor Who is a UK TV hit once again—and keeps building in popularity.
Now I have to wait a year for season 4 on DVD and the 2007 Xmas special, "Voyage of the Damned."
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Coming clean on the t-shirt
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
There are a million t-shirt businesses on the internet these days. However, I did stumble upon one that had some designs that made me laugh recently. By popular demand, here is the link to One Horse Shy t-shirts to get your mitts on the "nobody cares about your blog" t-shirt I posted in May. There are other, more tasteless choices available, so I can't give these folks a full endorsement. But here are three more of my favorites.
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Repenting of religious illiteracy
Monday, May 21, 2007
Religion & Ethics Newsweekly (PBS) included a great segment this week on the sorry state of religious literacy among Americans, featuring Stephen Prothero, the chair of the religion department at Boston University. Prothero advocates adding classes in the Bible and world religions to required public school curriculums. There's also a video segment on the subject via the linked R&EN page.
I agree. I’ve always appreciated the high school elective I took on world religions. It exposed me to a basic understanding of the major world religions (okay, I forgot 70 percent of it) which has served me well into my college education and adulthood. This is something I never would have learned in a church youth group.My brother-in-law actually teaches such a class at a local high school (Go Raiders). And while it is challenging subject matter (and rife with social and political landmines), I applaud his and other teachers' efforts to build wider understanding and trust across faiths in a country where so much misunderstanding and mistrust pervades. It is a noble cause.
Farewell to Paris
Friday, May 18, 2007
At the risk of losing all credibility, I must confess something. I was a big fan of WB-then-CW show, The Gilmore Girls. I say was, because, as you may know, the series wrapped this last Tuesday. No more speed of light wit, lovably strange Stars Hollow characters or clueless estranged lovers. Luke finally figured it out. Sigh.Joy Press of Salon.com has a great retrospective on the show and what went awry in its most recent seasons. And While I mostly agree that the show changed when Rory went to college, I also think this was when Paris Geller, Rory Gilmore's best friend twice removed, kicked it up a notch. Nobody did ADD, insane genius and charming OCD like Paris. Who could forget her stint as editor of the Yale Daily News as she devolved from tyrannical Ivy League newspaper boss to shell-shocked, shanty dweller heating up a can of pork and beans on a hot plate. She will be missed. We'll be looking for Liza Weil in future films and TV shows. A spin off would be too much to ask--but I would watch it. Here's Paris at her best:
Of course, I now get an hour of my life back each week for more important things--like lawn care and vacuuming.
Beyond your own personal Jesus
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Thoughts on thesis, part 5Posts in a series of commentaries on my thesis project for the Master of Arts in Communication.
My brain has been pretty focused on my Thesis topic as I’m neck deep in research and writing for my prospectus assignment, so please read this post with that in mind.
Scott McKnight has contributed a superb article for Out of Ur called Getting the Gospel Right. He posits that many of the church’s problems stem from a core spiritual problem of how we define the Gospel. McKnight notes the operational definition he found prevalent among youth raised in Christian homes: “Jesus came to die for my sins so I could go to heaven.” In short, it’s all about me. The Gospel is about a personal transaction in a divine economy that revolves around individuals.
In my opinion, such individualistic notions of the Gospel seem to parallel the rise of the consumer culture. The church, perhaps unaware of the influences of commodification, has often been complicit in advancing this rather capitalistic interpretation (how many times in your life have you heard the Gospel defined that way?). McKnight nails it in his understanding of the state of affairs that has resulted: Church attenders are less committed to their local body, churches remain largely segregated by race, interpersonal relationships among Christians mirror those in the culture at large, and most people do not see their interpersonal relationships as part of their spirituality.“How we live reveals the gospel we responded to and the gospel we believe” (McKnight).
Related to my thesis research, McKnight’s observations are consistent with those of communication theorists related to the effect of incessant consumer advertising on society. James D. Halloran described this in his 1963 book, Control or Consent?:
“To consume becomes the main principle of life and there is a tendency for emotions and feelings to become more involved with things (goods) than with people. There is little room for altruism, idealism or unselfishness, and it seems highly probable that this concentration on consumption of material goods will produce attitudes unfavorable to responsibility for others and their needs, a mode of thinking that will habitually suppress large areas of our real relationships (including our dependence on others and a sense of community), and an inward turning on the self, away from matters of dispute and social concern, away from responsibility” (as cited in Howard & Tinkham, 1971).
A closer reading of Halloran would lead one to predict that a transactional, individualized, materialistic Gospel would result in direct negative effects on the fulfillment of the relational and social responsibilities most important to the Christian mission. This mission, in simple form, is defined by Jesus in his response to the Pharisees’ question about the greatest commandment in The Gospel of Matthew (22:37-40, TNIV): “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” It’s obvious that Jesus is calling for an outward orientation—outward toward God and toward others—rather than the myopic inward orientation that both Halloran and McKnight observe.
More on this thread in the future. Check out McKnight’s entire article, and be sure to partake of his uber popular blog, Jesus Creed.
Clone bowl
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Who would have predicted a Star Wars fan club marching in the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day dressed as full on storm troopers? It might have been more interesting to watch those silly clones play some football. I, for one, welcome our international, flag-bearing, storm trooper overlords.This is one of those surreal moments in pop-culture that just makes you feel giddy. For every one of those moments there are probably several that make you feel nauseated.
Speaking of science fiction, I’m now into season 2.0 of Battlestar Galactica on DVD (thanks to Netflix). I do love this show, and have been quite happy to watch it apart from the commercially interrupted network version in true 16:9 format—even if I’m delayed by a year. And, then it’s on to season 2.5.
Studio 60’s alternate reality
Friday, December 08, 2006
Let me start this post by saying that I really enjoy this show. The characters are interesting and the pace of the dialogue is fantastic, and often, thanks to Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford, comic. But I want to return to an earlier idea that began when I posted about the program in October.In the most recent Christmas episode we find the fictional NBS TV network pinned down under an FCC fine for indecency due to an expletive uttered during a live news interview in Iraq when an RPG exploded near the news crew and a soldier. The situation for NBS (a proxy for NBC/CBS/ABC/FOX) was so grave that the lawyers were advising executives that the network could lose its broadcast license if they refused to pay up and move on.
This got me thinking: Is this a realistic scenario? Yes and no.
It’s hard to know when this script was written, or how much credit Sorkin gives the average viewer of the program for awareness of current FCC issues. In early November the FCC ruled quite the opposite. In fact, the commission stated that profanity can indeed be aired uncensored in broadcast news interviews, but not on awards shows or in fictional shows.The November 6 FCC press release stated, “…the broadcast of the ‘S-Word’ during [CBS] ‘The Early Show’ was neither indecent nor profane in this instance due to the fact that it occurred during news programming.”
I suspect that series creator Aaron Sorkin knows about this recent ruling, but am not sure what his motives are for sending the Studio 60 storyline down an alternate reality. It could be that it’s just good drama, and that an FCC decision against profanity on the news could just as easily have happened and created the conditions for the fiction to become reality. I can give this the benefit of the doubt.
But here’s where I’m troubled. The FCC gets a boatload of criticism from Hollywood and the media networks over decency issues. Do we really need to use dramatic license to conceal a pretty logical and consistent decision by this regulatory body? Is it irresponsible to pretend media regulation is worse than it really is, when so much of the Studio 60 program freely mixes in real events and people with its fiction?
Now, this isn’t some moralizing protest or outcry. This is a media ethics critique. My concern is about what the show’s creative element believes about its audience. Are we using fiction, and distorting reality, to confirm and propagate particular beliefs and attitudes? Are we crossing the line into propaganda? Is the audience being entertained or indoctrinated?
That said, I’m not against any program (fiction or non) with a strong point of view. Studio 60 doesn’t have to be unbiased or benign in any way. Hell no. But I do think that the questions raised here are worth consideration, regardless of what side of a social-political media argument one is on. As for the Studio 60 storyline, in the words of NBS President, Jordan McDeere, “Lawyer up, Jack. It’s the news.”
Celebrate political Ad freedom day
Monday, November 06, 2006
You may have heard of "Tax Freedom Day" where we celebrate the point in the year when the money we make is now lining our own pockets instead of Uncle Sam’s (also a date that seems to slip later and later into the each year). 
Today is "Political Ad Freedom Day 2006"—the day that TV and print Ad media once again start selling us products we don't really need instead of selling us politicians we don't really want to vote for. (Also known as Election Day.) I almost gave up TV because of all the immorality being paraded in front of me every evening (interrupting perfectly good TV programs). I’ve never been so happy to see just another Ad for Cialis in my whole life. But fear not. Next year I'm getting TiVo. Power to the people!
Numbers that should haunt us
Thursday, November 02, 2006
The associated press reported on Halloween that political parties and campaigns have exposed voters nationwide to nearly $160 million in ads attacking congressional candidates so far this campaign season.Let that number sink in.
Consider the following relative value of $160 million (divided into $3 million per week), when compared with what a weekly United Way donation can buy. In 2006, weekly donations of:
> $1 (the cost of a lottery ticket)—provides work clothes for someone to interview and start a job.
> $2.50 (the cost of an express bus ride to downtown)—teaches two students from abusive backgrounds violence prevention so they can break the pattern of abuse.
> $3 (the cost of a latte)—helps four victims of domestic violence get counseling and legal advice.
> $8 (the cost of a fast food meal)—pays for a family of five to have a hot meal a day for one month.
> $10.50 (the cost of a dozen bagels)—provides one year of in-home meals, allowing an elderly person to continue living in his/her home.
> $20 (the cost of a manicure)—helps 83 new immigrants learn English and moves them toward U.S. citizenship.
> $50 (the cost of a floral delivery)—helps stabilize families in crisis with short-term shelter, food, and/or childcare assistance.
In capitalism, advertising serves to help sell products which support businesses and individuals with profit and income, and ultimately become living wages. Capitalism is by no means always honorable, fair and equitable, but at least it functions in the fabric of daily commerce. Negative political advertising supports no wages (other than the windfall advertising agencies and TV stations receive). It is zero sum spending—money to create messages to counteract or cancel out the messages of another candidate. There is very little, if any, redeeming value to this—and a whole lot of negative ethical value.
When you think about your candidate of choice next Tuesday, and the potential good they could do in Washington, think about how much money they have wasted to get there. There has to be a better way. I think I’d rather donate money to any one of the above causes than flush it down the toilet of election campaigning. Who’s with me?Oh yeah, vote for Pedro and your wildest dreams will come true.
Mowing the Astroturf
Sunday, October 29, 2006
There are good, solid practitioners of Public Relations. And then there are the ethical equivalent of used care salesmen (some of whom would be offended I made this reference equating them with PR hacks).Last week Wal-mart received some more negative press when it was discovered that a couple of pro-Wal-mart blogs, ostensibly by independent citizens, turned out to be run and written by PR professionals from Wal-mart’s PR firm.
This is astroturfing online—fake grassroots media designed to influence public opinion.When I was attending college, students in my PR class were required to memorize the entire PRSA Code of Ethics (kudos to professor, Daniel Pawley, wherever you are). I’d like to point out this particular portion from the 2000 edition of the code:
“Honesty: We adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and truth in advancing the interests of those we represent and in communicating with the public.”
The Code also gives the following pertinent examples of improper conduct:
“Front groups: A member implements ‘grass roots’ campaigns or letter-writing campaigns to legislators on behalf of undisclosed interest groups.”
“A member deceives the public by employing people to pose as volunteers to speak at public hearings and participate in ‘grass roots’ campaigns.”
I thought it would be good to point out that not all PR professionals would stoop to the astroturf level. After all, real turf is a much better playing surface. Ask anyone.
Studio 60 stereotypes redux
Thursday, September 28, 2006
I don’t want to give this small critique too much emphasis, but I think it is worth a post and maybe a discussion. I watched episode 2 this last Monday and was able to get the “Crazy Christian” plotline a little more figured out. All in, I think it’s a valid (although oft-repeated) commentary on certain evangelical groups’ (yeah, I’m talking ‘bout you, Focus On The Family) tendency to get up and arms about TV programming that they deem offensive (or expect to be offensive, in this case). Par for the course. But American evangelical Christianity is an enormously complex subculture. In order to critique aspects of it dramatically, you have to go deep to be credible and believable. Accuracy, even in fiction, matters.
So let’s think about how this was done on Studio 60 for a minute: At the beginning of the most recent episode, the president of the network holds a press conference to announce the return of Matt and Danny to Studio 60. A reporter who poses a question about the infamous “Crazy Christians” sketch in the Q&A identifies themselves as being from Rapture magazine. Later, there is a heated discussion about the event with the network president questioning how such a publication could get press credentials, to which a subordinate replies that Rapture has four times the circulation of Vanity Fair (which has 1.1 million readers in real life).Aside from the rather silly name for the publication, there’s quite simply no real-life proxy for this data. The only other Christian magazines I could think of with large circulations were Focus On The Family magazine (circulation 1.5 million—and the most likely target of this storyline), Charisma (circulation 250,000), and Christianity Today (circulation 150,000). Why not just say that Rapture (if it is the fictional Focus On The Family magazine) has a larger circulation than Vanity Fair, rather than exaggerate it to four times the size?
But here’s my real beef: Why not use a real-life publication with real numbers in the storyline? Certainly this falls safely under fair comment. When the program refers to real people (celebrities) and real TV shows (SNL), why not refer to real magazines (as opposed creating a fake one to compare to real ones like Vanity Fair and The Christian Science Monitor, both mentioned by name in the episode).
Truth be told, there are a handful of real and smaller publications that would likely show up at this kind of press conference, and one in particular that would do us all proud: Relevant, (circulation 80,000) which was created by Cameron Strang, son of Charisma magazine founder, Stephen Strang. In fact, Relevant did a nice little preview of Studio 60, recommending it in its September/October 2006 issue.Again, I like Studio 60 very much so far. All I can say to Aaron Sorkin et al regarding Christianity in the plotline is, “Let’s be real. Show us you really know the subculture, and we’ll be more apt to really listen to your message.”
Thoughts?
Again, still looking forward to more of this superb show.
Studio 60 stereotypes born again, for the first time
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
I really like this new show: NBC’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Based on the premier episode I think it’s going to be a fun and interesting ride. That said, there were two flaws that became more and more obvious as the episode played on.
First, was the nature of the comedy show they have vaguely based the show on: SNL. The fictional surround of the show (the comedy show cast, the vague references to sketches being aired) just didn’t ring true to me. I think that this will be a nagging issue if it doesn’t improve by becoming more believable. The audience can’t go on thinking in the back of its mind that this must be the lamest sketch comedy show ever—even if it is a fictional construct.Second, is the subplot of an overtly Christian lead character on the comedy show. This could be inspired by Victoria Jackson, SNL cast member from 1986-1992 and an outspoken Christian who rose to fame as the show’s resident airhead. In the fiction of Studio 60, Jackson is recast as one of the “big three” lead actors of the show struggling through the interpersonal conflicts connected with her Christianity and working in the hardened, cynical worlds of both TV and comedy.
This could be interesting, except that it seems to be attracting every negative stereotype of evangelical Christianity out there. While some of this is deserved (and, no doubt, like shooting fish in a barrel for the writers), at a point it stops being plausible. Like the believability of the comedy show above, this plot line doesn’t ring true when they pile on every conceivable “born again” cultural prejudice (positive and negative) around this role. I like that the character is intelligent, in contrast to the ditzy blond of Jackson. But I think they need dole out the Christian subcultural jabs and veiled insults in more measured doses, lest the program devolve into a dry commentary on TV media and Christianity rather than the crisp, intelligent dramedy it has every potential to become.
We’ll have to watch for a while to see where this all goes.
Agassi: the good sport
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
This says it all....
"The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the scoreboard doesn't say is what it is I have found.And over the last 21 years, I have found loyalty. You have pulled for me on the court and also in life. I've found inspiration. You have willed me to succeed sometimes even in my lowest moments. And I've found generosity. You have given me your shoulders to stand on to reach for my dreams, dreams I could have never reached without you.
Over the last 21 years, I have found you. And I will take you and the memory of you with me for the rest of my life.
Thank you."
Thank you, Andre.
You can run, but you can't hide
Monday, July 17, 2006
A few years ago an organization ran a billboard ad campaign that featured simple messages from God. The stark white text on black signs were often clever attention getters amid the drive time tangle so many people endure. Later, individual church signs would often copy or adopt these messages for their marquees—adding to the repertoire of church sign gospel that informs or pollutes towns large and small (depending on your point of view and/or the quality of the messages). In any case, the God Speaks billboards now add to an already fascinating history of church signs dating as far back as the lighted marquee itself.
Well, sometimes (very, very rarely) you see a new one that makes you think and laugh your butt off at the same time. Steve Knight calls attention to this particular gem from the local CSF at the University of MN. It’s obvious someone there knows a thing or two about church sign folklore. I don’t think anyone can argue with the message or its implications.The seduction of meaningless information
Friday, July 14, 2006
Here’s a great quote I ran across about using research studies to gain publicity or notoriety. This phrase may not be original to her or new to you, but I’ve never heard it before—and I like it: 
“Sometimes people throw stuff at the wall, draw a circle around it and say they hit the target.” Posted by Marilyn Scott-Waters, July 9, 2006 on Guy Kawasaki’s blog. Simple and unmistakably true.
In other words, if you have no real hypothesis you are testing in your research, then whatever your results are, you will have proved your thesis.
“Our study found that 42.35 percent of statistics are meaningless. In fact, meaningless statistics are up 6.5 percent from last year.”
It’s the kind of thing that leaves people thinking, “Hmm. That’s interesting. But what does it mean?” Let’s cut to the chase. It don’t mean a thing.
Cash of the Titans
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Sunday the second richest man in the world (Warren Buffet) put his charitable funds in the hands of the number one richest man (Bill Gates), thereby endowing the world’s most formidable private charity with twice as much annual outflow. This will mean in excess of $3 billion each year toward the chief causes targeted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
I was able to catch the three of them (Bill, Melinda and Warren) on Charlie Rose Monday night having a fascinating conversation on how this historic arrangement came about. Warren is famously pragmatic, and I am very glad he has chosen to do this at this stage—setting up the future value of his gift to be far greater than today. I also was very impressed by Melinda Gates, whom I’ve never heard speak before. She and Bill will be working tirelessly on the issues of global health, poverty and education for years to come. Warren will skip back home to Omaha to do what he does best—keep growing Berkshire Hathaway and make sure the money keeps flowing.Cool is the enemy
Friday, June 23, 2006
And since we're on the subject of Bono.... This is borderline BF, I realize (see my post from late May), but I need to let you know that I’m currently wrapped up in reading Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas. It’s hard not to be idolatrous with this guy, but I’m gonna do my best to keep from going off the reservation. Ironically I came out of the Zooropa and Pop album years really disliking Bono. I found his public and performance persona and immersion into dance/pop music at the time annoying and shallow. In retrospect I think it was my own sense of art that was a bit shallow.But the Bono of reality is altogether different, and today, so am I. Delving into these many conversations is proving to be a provocative, fascinating and inspiring read. I’m also beginning to understand the ZooTV and PopMart theatrics much more by hearing him tell of the earliest days of the band.
So many insights are crammed into a thoroughly readable ongoing conversation. One little excerpt I found particularly interesting was a comment about joining a band to be cool, versus being willing to be very uncool in order to connect with and express something far deeper. I have to admit to spending my rock band years caught some place in between:
“The gauche nature of awe, of worship, the wonderment at the world around you. Coolness might help you in negotiation with people through the world, maybe, but it is impossible to meet God with sunglasses on. It is impossible to meet God without abandon, without exposing yourself, being raw. That’s the connection with great music and great art, and that is why it’s uncomfortable, that is why cool is the enemy of it….”
Church worship musicians everywhere need to get this.
I think I’m turning Japanese
Saturday, February 04, 2006
I’ve been asked to post about the skyway eatery that’s been getting the most business from me in the past 5 months: Zen Box, located on the skyway at 6 Quebec, on Marquette avenue in Minneapolis—adjacent to the Northstar Center. Most of us in the marketing department where I work have either rejected the Japanese fare outright, or become addicted to the dumplings, curry, teriyaki and sushi. Count me in the latter group (although I don’t dig the sushi or noodles). I began my Zen Box experience with a serious dumpling binge—ordering the same thing every visit, which was about weekly. I’ve now diversified to the veggie curry in an attempt to break from the fried side of life. Of course, I still need to see what they put in their curry in order to know if the coconut milk may be just as bad for me.
Aside from the yummy goodness, a major reason for going back again and again is the incredible and efficient customer service. That’s saying a lot for a place where you stand in line for no longer than a minute, request your meal and then move to the side to get your food and pay. But the happiness and cordiality with which they serve customers makes the 30 seconds I’m in process a delight. A genuine smile and authentic gratitude for my patronage go a long way with me. Zen service.And you get a free Coke with Bento Set. That’s totally Zen.
Football’s first ever daily double
Saturday, October 15, 2005
I never went to a Northwestern Eagles football game during my time there. For this, I apologize. I was a soon to be married student coming in as a junior and was more interested in my gorgeous fiancé and the college magazine than I was in sports. In any case, please direct your attention to the linked article on ESPN for an excellent look at the day the NWC Eagles played a football double header—a first in modern sports history. For all the reasons why this should not have had to happen (cooked up partly as a publicity stunt, it would seem), this bunch of young men didn’t just survive—they trounced two schools, including one non conference, Div. III school (in the second game, no less). NWC is a provisional Div. III team this year, and the NCAA okayed the double header idea. NWC needed to get 10 games into its schedule to achieve provisional Div. III status, and this was the solution. Props to Derek for suggesting this as my first sports-related post. It’s a much better football story than the Vikings’ latest escapade (he said with immense disgust). God was on the field for these guys—not for the sake of winning the games (which they did), but for their health and safety, and for strengthening the bonds of their brotherhood. And that’s a pretty cool expression of the kingdom of God to get some publicity for.Summer reading list
Saturday, August 06, 2005
I've been reading again, and I thought I'd recommend a couple of recent works:
What's next? In no particular order: Escaping the Matrix (Thanks Derek & Rebekah), The Sacred Romance (Eldridge), True Faced (thanks Doug), A New Kind of Christian & A Generous Orthodoxy (MacLaren). Bring it on!