Thoughts for the week

As I've often told people, I am awful at naming things. But since I read so many interesting articles in a week, I thought I would follow the example of the Mental Floss blog (which does this daily) and the Jesus Creed blog and provide a weekly summary of some of (what I consider) the best of the articles I've been reading. I've been placing most of them in my shared items folder, but this way I can make a comment or two. So here it goes (and if you have a wonderful title for this--please feel free to share!)

Whatever! Over at The Ooze, Tony explores our culture of apathy and how to combat it with a culture of anticipation. Seems appropriate for the Advent Season.

Into this Darkest Hour A beautiful poem by Madeliene L'Engle and Luci Shaw that seems so very appropriate for this Christmas season.

Signs of the Times -- Carol at Tribal Church reflects on one of my pet peeves--church signs.

EGens Scott at Jesus Creed summarizes characteristics of the 20 something generation that the church should address. And I love his new name for them "The Emerging Generation" or EGens.

Over at Theolog, we are asked to consider "How Comfortable is Our Religion?"

In the Journal of Lutheran Ethics, they explore the Andrew Greeley Principle which states that whatever the church neglects or downgrades a particular doctrine or practice, the culture will reinvent it in secular form within 20 years. Don't let the words journal, Lutheran, or Ethics scare you, this is a wonderful article that should challenge our thinking regarding worship and spiritual formation.

Donn at Jibstay reflects on Winthrow's book "After the Baby Boomers, a New York Times article about the "Odyssey Generation," as well as other articles and books about the change in the way the new generation is coming to adulthood and how that raises some significant questions for the church. I especially love his description of an emerging adult.

Finally, check out our Bishop's reflection on the incarnation.