culture
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Some Thoughts on Forgiveness
I did not watch the entire Charlie Kirk funeral, but found what I did catch interesting. I was encouraged to hear the gospel proclaimed fully and without compromise from many speakers. I was tentatively hopeful to hear non-Christian speakers groping their way God-ward as they recognized and honored a faith they do not necessarily share.… Continue reading
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The Worst Parts of Church Are Why You Need to Go
I recently watched a truly outstanding church live-stream. The camerawork captured the lighting and staging so well that my first thought was, “There is no way the in-person experience is as good as this.” Even the music—notoriously tough to transmit online—was stellar. It was as clear through the speakers of my TV as it would… Continue reading
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Every Careless Word We Generate?
Jesus tells us that, on the judgment day, we will have to give account for every careless word that we speak (Matt. 12:36). I suspect that the words we write will be judged with equal or greater severity, for written words are often more permanent and intentional. If Jesus’s warning against careless words extends to… Continue reading
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Jesus or Bacchus? The Deeper Issue of the Paris 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony
I didn’t watch the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. Instead, I’ve kept an eye on something even more interesting and chaotic: the internet’s reaction to the opening ceremony. Having waited for the waves of outrage to calm, I’d like to wade in with a few thoughts… The Debate Social media arguments can be… Continue reading
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Preliminary Findings of the (Not So) Tortured Poets’ Department
Date: April 19, 2024Department: The Not-So-Tortured Poets’ DepartmentLocation: UndisclosedDocument Status: Declassified, for Immediate Release to the Public We of the Not-So-Tortured Poets’ Department have reviewed the evidence brought before the world at exactly 12:00 a.m. this morning by one Miss Taylor Swift. To put it simply, we are concerned, not merely for the plaintiff’s wellbeing,… Continue reading
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Don’t Bite the Hand that Feeds You—Even if it’s a Robot
It’s become popular to warn of the dangers of digitization through social media posts, podcasts, live streams, text messages and…do you get my point? We are right to be worried. Digitization is a problem and I am not contrarian enough to deny it. I don’t like that my first instinct upon waking is to check… Continue reading
Abraham Kuyper, be thankful, Bible, blogger, christians and tech, christians and the digital era, digital, digital era, digital technology, digitalization, discernment and gratitude, social meda, social media, social media dangers, social media fast, tech, technology, thankful for digital tech, the digital self, writer, writing -
Make Christian Nonfiction Beautiful Again
Yesterday, several people asked me what I was reading. When I replied, “Abraham Kuyper’s The Work of the Holy Spirit” and showed them this thick treasure-trove of a tome, there were two basic responses: 1) nodding and backing away as though Reformed theology is contagious and 2) an appreciative nod accompanied by some comment that… Continue reading
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The Sacrifice
I recently revisited and revised this old story for a competition. To my horror, multiple rounds of editing and two different spell-check programs failed to catch a few typos. For my own peace of mind, I’ve decided to share the corrected version here as the typo-riddled version is already awaiting adjudication. Typos aside, I feel… Continue reading
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Quick and Foolproof Dystopian Society Recipe for Beginners
I’ve read a lot of dystopian novels and, interestingly, they all seem to suggest the same elements for the destruction of a functioning, fulfilling society. If you are looking to contribute to the actualization of dystopia in our day, look no further! I’ve compiled a list of ingredients that are absolutely essential to generating the… Continue reading
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Seven Deadly…Gyms?
Today, I chose the treadmill most people at the gym avoid. Situated right behind a load-bearing column, it’s the one treadmill that doesn’t afford a view of either the TVs, the mirrors, or other people. I anticipated insufferable boredom and resolved to run as quickly as possible so I could be done as quickly as… Continue reading
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Fall Reading 2021
Seeing as A Bookish Charm began as a book review blog, I thought I’d return to my roots and share a bit of what I’ve been reading this season. It’s an eclectic bunch of books, but that’s the way I like it, and I hope you will too! Eat this Book by Eugene Peterson: This… Continue reading
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Historical Humility
I’m currently enjoying Theology in the Democracy of the Dead, by Matt Jensen, a former professor of mine from the Torrey Honors College and a fellow (though much more accomplished) St. Andrew’s alum. First of all, I highly recommend this read, as it offers a comprehensive yet relatively brief look into the lives and work… Continue reading
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