Lament after Charleston, analysing the encyclical + Disney-style parenting

In the aftermath of evil

In the wake of the Charleston church shooting in the US, Christianity Today writer Mark Galli calls for “anguished lament” and “better theology”.

“Let us whites especially admit that many of us have inadvertently imbibed theological and ethical assumptions that, in the face of a tragedy like this, show themselves to be naïve. We sometimes write and act as if the Christian ethic is mainly niceness on steroids, all in the name of grace,” he writes.

Meanwhile, the families of those murdered by Dylann Roof in Charleston have addressed Roof at his bond hearing and expressed their forgiveness. Nadine Collier, the daughter of 70-year-old Ethel Lance who was killed, said at the hearing, “You took something very precious from me. I will never talk to her again. I will never, ever hold her again. But I forgive you. And have mercy on your soul.”

Analysing the encyclical

David Brooks from the New York Times is disappointed that Pope Francis was so negative about the advancements of humanity in last week’s encyclical on climate change:

“Pope Francis is one of the world’s most inspiring figures. There are passages in his new encyclical on the environment that beautifully place human beings within the seamless garment of life. And yet over all the encyclical is surprisingly disappointing … Hardest to accept, though, is the moral premise implied throughout the encyclical: that the only legitimate human relationships are based on compassion, harmony and love, and that arrangements based on self-interest and competition are inherently destructive.”

Parenting help from Disney? 

“Parents, Pixar has helped your kids understand themselves better. They’ll now be able to imagine Joy and Anger and Sadness — little yellow and red and blue action figures inside their brain — when those emotions begin to emerge and overwhelm them. But Pixar can only point us inside ourselves. Inside Out will not set us right-side up, with our eyes fixed on God. That doesn’t make it a bad or inadequate movie. The film is a fantastic chance for you to take your child’s heart and imagination deep inside themselves and then out and upward to a real, reliable, satisfying Saviour.” So says US pastor and author John Piper about Disney/Pixar’s latest kid-pic Inside Out. Read more >> 

Ever heard of a “third-culture kid”? 

What is it like to be a missionary kid returning “home”? A missionary mother recommended this article on Facebook, and we took a look. David Pollock describes like this: “A Third Culture Kid (TCK) is a person who has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents’ culture. The TCK frequently builds relationships to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership in any. Although elements from each culture may be assimilated into the TCK’s life experience, the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of similar background” Read more >>