Kevin Schut Speaking about Of Games and God for Youth Pastors
Here is Kevin Schut, author of Of Games and God: A Christian Exploration of Video Games, speaking about his book for youth pastors.
The Tour This Week
Every Monday we will provide an update on upcoming media, speaking events, and book signings for Jim Wallis.
Tuesday, May 21, in Nashville, TN:
- Nashville Concert for the Common Good, with Ashley Cleveland, Buddy Miller, Beth Nielsen-Chapman, Marcus Hummon and Margaret Becker, at 7:00 p.m. ET
Thursday, May 23, in Washington, DC:
- American Enterprise Institute, at 12:00 p.m. ET
Friday, May 24, in Boston, MA:
- “Nightside with Dan Rea” on WBZ News Radio, live at 9:00 p.m. ET
Additional information on these events can be found via the On God’s Side web site: http://www.OnGodsSide.com.
The Weekly Hit List: May 17, 2013
Educating All God’s Children by Nicole Baker Fulgham was reviewed in Library Journal.
“Fulgham draws on her extensive experience as a teacher in poor regions of the United States to piece together this account of the harsh realities and inherent inequities of the American public education system.
“By walking readers through a survey of the current state of education in low-income areas, Fulgham successfully paints a picture showing the urgent need to move toward bridging a gross educational gap in public schools. She helps readers dispel the misperception that students in underachieving schools lack the competencies necessary to find educational success and to parlay that into lifelong opportunities.
“Pointing to the role of faith-based advocacy groups in major social revolutions such as desegregation, Fulgham calls for a similar movement to close the education gap. Focusing on Christianity as the moral compass to compel action, she points out that the call can and should stem from any spiritual mindset. Fulgham’s call to action includes simple steps that individuals and groups can take to effect change.
“VERDICT This is an intriguing survey of the current inequity in education and would be a valuable read for any teacher, community organizer, or religiously oriented person or group moved to work toward the ultimate improvement of American society.”
On God’s Side media:
“The Tavis Smiley Show” on Public Radio International
“The Craig Fahle Show” on WDET-FM NPR, Michigan Public Radio
“Stateside” on WUOM-FM NPR (WFUM 91.1 Flint & WVGR 104.1 Grand Rapids), Michigan Public Radio
So What Faith review by Dr. Greg Smith
“WATCH: Would Putting Me in Prison Serve the Common Good” on The Huffington Post
“VIDEO: 6 Months After Superstorm Sandy, Hope Emerges” on The Common Good Forum
“The Common Good, The Planet, and Humankind” on Opednews.com
“On God’s Side” by Marrton Dormish
Quick Hits:
Kevin Schut, author of Of Games and God, was interviewed by James Arnold for The Evangelical Outpost.
Of Games and God was also reviewed by James Arnold for The Evangelical Outpost.
A Public Faith by Miroslav Volf was reviewed by Dr. Conrade Yap.
Psalms for All Seasons was referenced in Worship Leader.
The Bible Made Impossible by Christian Smith was referenced by Roger E. Olsen.
Ebook Specials and Other Offers:
May ebook specials are currently running for multiple Brazos Press and Baker Academic titles. All of these are at least 52% off.
Searching for Home by Craig M. Barnes
Conversations with Poppi about God by Robert W. Jenson and Solveig Lucia Gold
Everyday Apocalypse by David Dark
The Early Church on Killing edited by Ronald J. Sider
Simon Peter in Scripture and Memory by Markus Bockmuehl
Lectionary Reflection for Pentecost
This excerpt comes from Psalms for All Seasons, commenting on Psalm 104:
Psalm 104, a psalm of praise, focuses on God’s creative work. Complementing descriptions of creation in Gen. 1 and Job 28-39, this text stresses God’s ongoing involvement with creation.
It is especially noteworthy for its luminous description of God “wrapped in light as with a garment” (v. 2), for stressing God’s ongoing involvement with creation as one who “grows grass for cattle” (v. 14) and “brings forth wine to gladden the human heart” (v. 15), for renewing creation by the breath of the spirit (v. 30), and for taking delight in all of creation (v. 31).
Like Ps. 103, it begins and ends by calling the self to praise.
A prayer for reflection:
God who spoke creation into being,
astonishing the angels with galaxies and sunsets,
all your creatures proclaim your majestic power and playful wisdom.
Send forth your renewing Spirit, that we might discover your purpose for us
and live for your glory and delight. Amen.
©2012 Faith Alive Christian Resources. Published by Brazos Press. Unauthorized use of this material without express written permission is strictly prohibited.
Kevin Schut on Sex and Gender in Video Games
Here is Kevin Schut, author of Of Games and God: A Christian Exploration of Video Games, speaking on sex and gender in video games.
The Tour This Week
Every Monday we will provide an update on upcoming media, speaking events, and book signings for Jim Wallis.
Monday, May 13, in Detroit, MI:
- “The Craig Fahle Show” on WDET-FM NPR, Michigan Public Radio, live at11:00 a.m. ET
- Gesu Catholic Church, at 7:00 p.m. ET
Tuesday, May 14, in Grand Rapids, MI:
- The Office of Social Justice of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, at 3:00 p.m. ET
- Baker Book House, at 7:00 p.m. ET
Wednesday, May 15, in Atlanta, GA:
- Carter Presidential Library & Museum, at 7:00 p.m. ET
Tuesday, May 21, in Nashville, TN:
- Nashville Concert for the Common Good, with Ashley Cleveland, Buddy Miller, Beth Nielsen-Chapman, Marcus Hummon and Margaret Becker, at 7:00 p.m. ET
Thursday, May 23, in Washington, DC:
- American Enterprise Institute, at 12:00 p.m. ET
Additional information on these events can be found via the On God’s Side web site: http://www.OnGodsSide.com.
The Weekly Hit List: May 10, 2013
Of Games and God by Kevin Schut was reviewed by Drew Dixon for Think Christian.
“I am thrilled, thanks to Schut, to have a tremendous resource to share with Christians to help them understand not only why they should care about video games, but also why they are worth engaging. Schut helps Christians understand what video games are and what they do best.
“He also wades faithfully and thoughtfully through the most common objections leveled against the medium by Christians with chapters on violence, games’ treatment of women, addiction and isolation.”
Read the rest of the review here.
On God’s Side media:
“The Common Good in Politics” by Michael Gerson, in The Washington Post (syndicated): “Wallis’ argument, offered by a man of the left, reaches well beyond the left: In a political era of rights talk and special-interest pleading, a greater emphasis on the common good would make American politics more civil, admirable and humane.”
“The Tavis Smiley Show” on PBS-TV
“Pursuing the common good: Q&A with Jim Wallis” in World Vision Magazine
Kansas City Star Faith Matters blogger Bill Tammeus review
“9 Morning News” on KUSA-TV NBC
“Politics can benefit from religion, author says,” in Daily Camera
“Jim Wallis, bestselling author, preacher, holds two Denver-area events” in The Denver Post
“Six Months After Superstorm Sandy, Hope Emerges” on The Huffington Post
“Religious Leaders to Government: We Must Get Our Fiscal House In Order” on Religion & Politics
“Monasticism, Beloved Community, and The Common Good” by Tripp Hudgins
Quick Hits:
Nicole Baker Fulgham, author of Educating All God’s Children, was interviewed by The Urban Gospel Mission.
Letters to a Young Calvinist by James K. A. Smith was reviewed by There Will be Reflection.
Peter Leithart, author of 1 & 2 Kings, Athanasius, and Solomon among the Postmoderns, had his Wheaton Theology Conference talk discussed on For Christ and His Kingdom.
Ebook Specials and Other Offers:
May ebook specials are currently running for multiple Brazos Press and Baker Academic titles. All of these are at least 52% off.
Searching for Home by Craig M. Barnes
Conversations with Poppi about God by Robert W. Jenson and Solveig Lucia Gold
Everyday Apocalypse by David Dark
The Early Church on Killing edited by Ronald J. Sider
Simon Peter in Scripture and Memory by Markus Bockmuehl
Lectionary Reflection for the Seventh Sunday of Easter
This excerpt comes from Revelation (BTCB) by Joseph L. Mangina, commenting on Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21:
Worship is the place where the church’s confidence in Christ’s defeat of the powers merges most clearly with longing for his coming again. The entire Apocalypse may heard as the voice of Jesus.
Now in the closing lines, the church’s own voice is heard, together with that of the Spirit: “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say ‘Come!’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price!” (Rev. 22:17; cf. Isa. 55:1).
The cry of “come!” is threefold. The first utterance is that of the bride, anticipatorily embodied in the worshiping assembly, crying out in expectation of the bridegroom’s coming. The terrors and beauties disclosed in John’s visions serve only to heighten longing for the arrival of that day.
The second utterance is that of the individual worshiper, who is invited to speak with the bride, and indeed as the bride. No one who has heard the Apocalypse and is willing to “keep the words of the prophecy” should be excluded from the feast. To invert Bonhoeffer’s famous saying, we could say that while grace is not cheap it is free—as free as the waters of life, which flows from the throne of God and the Lamb to anyone who is thirsty.
This third member in the triad does not bid the listener to say “come!” but simply to come, to slake one’s thirst at the waters that cannot be bought.
Revelation is a book that draws many sorts of boundaries: between the church and the world, between the holy and the unholy, between the life appropriate to God’s people and the life of Babylon.
The urgent call to holiness of life is reiterated in these closing verses (22:11, 14-15). Yet like the gates of the city, the doors of the church are or should be fundamentally open. All are invited not to “come as they are,” but to come as the bride.
John would have been bemused at the notion that seriousness about witness and seriousness about Christian holiness are somehow in competition. In fact, they demand each other.
©2010 by Joseph L. Mangina. Published by Brazos Press. Unauthorized use of this material without express written permission is strictly prohibited.
Kevin Schut on What Is Missing in the Video Game Conversation
Here is Kevin Schut, author of Of Games and God: A Christian Exploration of Video Games, speaking on what is missing in the video game conversation.
Lectionary Reflection for Trinity Sunday
May 22, 2013 By trinity.graeser Leave a Comment
“Wisdom Christology” has currently become popular, treating wisdom as a crucial category for understanding the identity of Jesus Christ.
For some this is a historical claim about the influence of Old Testament or intertestamental Jewish texts upon New Testament or early Christian understandings. For others, such historical influences are more Greco-Roman, whether in terms of Jesus’s self-presentation as wandering sage or in regard to philosophical motifs. For still others, “Sophia” presents feminist possibilities for reinterpreting traditional theological categories or the male Jesus in woman-friendlier ways.
Some of these claims are not mutually exclusive, but other scholars caution against inflated Wisdom Christologies, sensing that various agendas spawn the myriad historical hypotheses. Though certain historical cautions are warranted, and in this case some feminist theological claims are overblown, we should not overreact. It will not do to minimize Pauline and other New Testament Wisdom vocabulary entirely, as if it were only and always minimal and polemical.
To take one example, polemical or not, the hymn in Col. 1 reflects a positive, even glorious pattern of appropriating the christological implications of Prov. 8. Interpreting Prov. 8 as having christological relevance helps to hold together creation and redemption rather than prioritizing either in lopsided fashion
Even if we assume with Athanasius and most traditional theologians that the incarnation occurred only due to God’s redemptive plan for counteracting the effects of our fall into sin, still the Redeemer is the Logos by whom the world came into being.
On the other hand, lest Wisdom devolve into mere common sense immanent to creation—a matter of opinion polling among sinful humans taking their own looks at a created order that is actually under a curse—in Christ God confronts us with true Wisdom that is personal and redemptive, entailing response to divine initiative.
©2011 by Daniel J. Treier. Published by Brazos Press. Unauthorized use of this material without express written permission is strictly prohibited.