December Reading Log

December is always a short reading month for me, since the week of Christmas is too full of family and church festivities for much solitary downtime. Nevertheless, I did plenty of reading in the three weeks available for it. Take a look!

3 Articles I Like This Month

"Why Are Young People Having So Little Sex?" by Kate Julian, The Atlantic. 51 minutes.

Statistics show that my generation and those younger than me are marrying less, dating less, and, yes, having less sex than previous generations were at our age. The reasons are legion and are explored in this fascinating article, but all boil down to a truly terrifying reality: as a society, we're losing the ability to be intimate with other human beings. Note: this is an article about sex. So, while it is a professional and research-based article, expect some mature content.

"We Asked 12 Mass Killers: 'What Would Have Stopped You?'" by Alex Hannaford, GQ UK. 34 minutes.

Every time there's a mass shooting, we ask "could anything have been done to prevent this?" The left looks to gun control and the right looks to mental health, but the truth is that we're all speculating—the only way to really know what could stop a mass shooting is to ask a mass shooter. So this reporter did, interviewing a dozen convicted mass shooters to learn what measures they think could have prevented their crimes.

"The Redemption of MS-13" by Danny Gold, Longreads. 23 minutes.

In gang-ridden El Salvador, there is one surefire way for young men to escape the clutches of MS-13: become a born again Christian. A fascinating look at the strange respect the feared gang has for the Church, the relationship between pastors and gang leaders, and the twofold salvation pastors offer young men whose only other choice is joining MS-13.

SEARCHING FOR SUNDAY: LOVING, LEAVING, AND FINDING THE CHURCH by Rachel Held Evans

Every Christian has a story to tell about their relationship with the church—for some, it is a story of gentle nurturing, acts of kindness, and boundless grace; for others, it is a story of judgments, hypocrisies, and bullies. And if you stick with the church long enough, chances are you'll experience both kinds of stories.

Such has been the case for Rachel Held Evans, who documents her church journey in Searching for Sunday. Raised in evangelicalism, she finds herself both grateful for its gifts to her and unable to identify any longer with its theological, social, and political constraints. So in the book, she talks about why she left the church, when and where and why she went looking for it again, and what she found. It makes for a lovely, honest, ultimately redemptive story.

This is the book I'd point you toward if you've heard of Rachel Held Evans but never read her work before. You won't agree with her on everything, but you also won't be able to deny the honesty behind her writing—whether you like her answers or not, she's sincerely asking the right questions. Furthermore, the way she asks those questions, the spirit in which she takes up this church journey, is gracious. Though she has plenty of criticisms for the church, especially the evangelical church which is her heritage, this book never descends into a gripe session. Try as she might, she can't quit the church, and she doesn't want to.

I've said before that Evans is one of my favorite Christian authors, and this book only solidifies that for me. She and I would have disagreements if we were in the same local church, and we'd approach certain issues differently, but I'd rejoice in the conversations. At turns witty and thoughtful, prophetic and pastoral, Rachel Held Evans has something to say about the church as it has been, the church as it is, and the church as it should be (and will be.) I urge you to listen. 

ANGELS by Billy Graham

When Billy Graham died earlier this year, his reputation had already been cemented as one of the most successful preachers in the history of the Christian faith. In addition to preaching countless sermons and organizing the crusades at which they were given, he also wrote more than 30 books, including this primer on angels—who they are, what they do, and how they relate to God and humanity. Unfortunately, Graham was not nearly as compelling a spiritual writer as he was a preacher.

Let's start with the positive. Graham, true to his evangelical reputation, grounds everything he writes in Scripture, relying upon verse after verse from the Old and New Testaments to make his claims. He is never firing off the cuff or speculating (at least not without admitting to doing so), merely pointing the reader to the Bible's teachings on angels. Furthermore, even in a book ostensibly about angels, Graham is ever the evangelist, taking time for multiple written "altar calls" in the book on the off chance that it is being read by someone who doesn't know Christ. Finally, the writing is understandable and to the point.

Unfortunately, even at less than 150 pages, it's also a drag to read. Graham's writing has the plainspoken simplicity of his sermons, but lacks the charm and panache he brought to the pulpit—the book is dry and often dull, and I constantly caught myself skimming instead of really reading. Furthermore, the sense of certainty that helped bring authority to his preaching rubbed me the wrong way numerous times when reading this book—on more than one occasion he postulated a principle based on his interpretation of a single verse, stating that principle as unquestionable fact. There is no shame in saying, "we can't really be sure about this," and that is a phrase I wish he'd employed a lot more often in this book, especially given the subject matter.

For anyone interested in angels, this book is a basic primer, albeit one with a few claims I found questionable due to strained interpretations of the biblical text. It is not, as Graham was quick to point out, a scholarly work, and approaching the subject matter for general audiences has pros and cons. For me, in this case, the cons simply outweighed the pros. If you want to borrow Angels, you're welcome to it—I won't hunt you down to get my copy back.

THE RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON by Henri J.M. Nouwen

The nature of a parable is that it doesn't need to be explained—the preacher who begins a sermon on one of Jesus's parables with, "This is what he meant," robs the story of its punch. But that doesn't mean some parables aren't worth exploring in depth to see what themes and messages lurk beneath the surface. By exploring every character, every angle, and every word, sometimes the Big Idea of the story comes alive in a whole new way.

That's exactly what happens in The Return of the Prodigal Son, Henri Nouwen's examination of arguably Jesus's most beloved parable. Using Rembrandt's famous painting of the story as a framing device, Nouwen looks at both brothers in the story as well as the father, explaining how he has seen himself in each character at different times in his life. With poetic precision, Nouwen brings new eyes to a story I thought I'd seen every side of (incidentally, there's a lot of good material in here for future sermons on the parable.)

At 139 pages, it's a quick read, and a worthwhile one. If you know the parable well, expect to be made to think about it in at least one new way. Nouwen is a gifted writer and a deep thinker, and you'll be blessed by his thoughts on the story.

RAISING PEANUTS IN A GOLD FIELD by Paul W. Powell

The late Paul Powell, longtime pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler and the third dean of Truett Seminary, spent a lifetime preaching relatable, homespun sermons. Some of these messages have been preserved in short collections frequently distributed for free at the seminary. With a few days to myself before Christmas, I spent some time in one of these collections, Raising Peanuts in a Gold Field.

These sermons are gems in the genre of deductive, expository sermons—there are almost always three to five points, those points are often alliterative, and they all tie back to one Big Idea. Furthermore, they are a goldmine for preachers looking for memorable quotes and sermon illustrations. With messages on everything ranging from church growth to the family to money, readers will find something to grab onto.

The sermons are concise, memorable, and Bible-based. While my preaching style doesn't match Powell's to a T, I'm appreciative of the chance to learn from him by reading these messages. For Truett students and alumni, don't miss the chance to pick up Raising Peanuts in a Gold Field and the other sermon collections on the third floor of Truett. They're free; what do you have to lose?!

THE PASSAGE OF POWER by Robert A. Caro

What more can I say about Robert Caro and his multi-volume biography of Lyndon B. Johnson? The research is still astounding, the writing is still thrilling, and the details still jump off the page in The Passage of Power, Caro's fourth and penultimate (at least that's what he's saying for now) book in the series.

This book, after 2,500 pages of buildup in the previous volumes, finally sees LBJ ascend to the presidency, elevated not by an election but an assassin's bullet. The Passage of Power spends its pages telling the story of how, in a single moment, Johnson went from the virtual powerlessness of the Vice Presidency to becoming the most powerful man on earth. The detailed account of what LBJ did on November 22, 1963 and the immediate days that followed shows how deliberate LBJ was in reassuring the federal government, the American people, and the world that, despite the murder of a beloved president, someone was in charge. While that transition was mostly overlooked, then and now, in the wake of questions about the assassination, Caro shows that it was far from automatic, and that Johnson's handling of it was as deft as it was careful.

Other highlights in the book include anecdotes about the relationship between Johnson and Robert F. Kennedy (they absolutely hated each other) and the story of how Johnson used his legislative prowess to propel some of JFK's stalled bills to passage, specifically his tax cut and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Much like in Master of the Senate, Caro's attention to detail is unparalleled, and his writing skill keeps chapters about the legislative process from getting bogged down in minutia.

The next and presumably final volume of the series will deal with LBJ's second term as president, focusing on his handling of the Vietnam War and its disintegration of his domestic policies. After four books watching Johnson rise to power, I'm eager to see what light Caro will shed on his fall. When book five is released, I'll be first in line to buy it.

ESSENTIAL MAN-THING VOL. 1-2 by Steve Gerber, Chris Claremont, Mike Ploog, Jim Mooney, et. al

"Whatever knows fear burns at the Man-Thing's touch!" It's a good line. Turns out, it's a pretty good series too.

Essential Man-Thing Vol. 1-2 collects the titular character's appearances from the 1970s and early 1980s, whether in Marvel's horror magazines, team-up comics, or his own eponymous title. Shortly after his debut, the Man-Thing became a vehicle for all kinds of weird, wacky stories, especially in the hands of writer Steve Gerber. Crossing genres, from horror to fantasy to crime noir, Gerber managed to tell remarkably compelling stories, all with a character unable to speak.

The Man-Thing, for those unfamiliar with him, is a scientist-turned-swamp monster, the result of a nasty encounter with the famous Super Soldier Serum. Dwelling in the swamps of the Florida Everglades, he keeps to himself and is devoid of any semblance of intelligence. With that being said, he is also empathic, able to intuitively sense the emotions of those around him. And there is no emotion he despises so much as fear—to be afraid in the presence of the Man-Thing is a threat to your very life.

Such a character naturally lends himself to the horror genre, but Gerber (and later writers) managed to find other kinds of stories to tell with the Man-Thing. Pirates, demons, construction barons, and book burners all make appearances in these stories, with some making not-so-subtle sociopolitical statements (the aforementioned money-hungry construction baron is named F.A. Schist) and others just taking the reader on a wild romp. It makes for a ride that is quintessential Bronze Age comics—zany, over-the-top, and fun.

My only exposure to the Man-Thing prior to reading these volumes was guest appearances, and frankly, I'd never been too impressed. However, these books won me over. Whatever knows fear burns at the Man-Thing's touch—and whoever appreciates a good story will enjoy the Man-Thing's adventures.