Weekend Links 1-12-18

A ton of links of interest in this week's roundup:

I am at heart a frustrated writer. Part of the reason for resurrecting the blog was to get myself to write again even if it's no more than these Weekend Links posts I put up every Friday. I'm fascinated by people who are successful writers particularly when they've tried something else and given it up to be a writer. That's probably why this interview with Robert Kurson caught my attention. I haven't read his books yet but they will be going on my to be read list right away. 

From Barnabas Piper, ways to become a more curious person. Lots of great food for thought in this article.

This seemed very timely given events in the news of late: Why repentant pastors should be forgiven but not restored to the pulpit. Wise words from Johnathan Leeman.

Season 2 of The Crown on Netflix explores Queen Elizabeth's faith and a meeting she had with the Reverend Billy Graham. The question is whether any of it is true. Sarah Pulliam Bailey has the answers.

In the film Darkest Hour the producers went to great lengths to make Winston Churchill's secret war rooms look as realistic as possible. 

This is a story I had never heard: the Swiss man who saved thousands of Jewish people from the Holocaust during World War II.

Russell Moore answers the question of whether we are living in a post-Christian society.

Where I would say that we're a post-Christian society is that we're a post-pretend-Christian society. There was a previous era when people had a certain basic understanding of biblical truths and some connection to the church. That brought some benefit because, in many cases, there was some sort of stable understanding of morality. But, it also brought a lot of drawbacks because a nominal Christianity doesn't save.

Often what a nominal Christianity does is the worst possible thing: leave people in lostness but convince them that they're reconciled with God. I do think we're moving beyond that kind of Christianity. That's going to mean a lack of cohesion in the country and in some communities.

Be sure to read the whole thing.

Good to know: how winter weather affects your car and what you can do about it.

Baseball season is almost upon us. Safe to say I will be checking this opening day countdown clock regularly. 

Speaking of our national pastime, this is an amazing piece of baseball history:

9/23/1908: Two outs, bottom of the 9th inning @ the Polo Grounds. 1-1 game and a dead heat for the pennant. Fred Merkle takes his lead off first base as Frank Chance holds him on. Moments later, Merkle's life would forever be changed.

(Cubs 1, Giants 1) #MerkleGame #NYC pic.twitter.com/8WtmoVP8Rh

— Alex Cheremeteff (@AlexCheremeteff) January 6, 2018

Merkle's mistake would help the Chicago Cubs advance to the 1908 World Series. Despite the infamous miscue, Merkle would go on to have a very nice twenty year career in the major leagues including four years with the Cubs.

Book of the week: The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books.

What's more fun than a book about books? This particular book traces the history of the Golden Age of Crime Fiction in Britain through 100 different novels. These are books which are considered to be ones that made the greatest contribution to the crime drama genre. It's no surprise that as a result of reading this book my to be read list has grown a whole lot longer. This is a great resource for anyone who wants to dive into the crime genre but isn't sure where to begin.

Daily Links 2-17-14

Good morning. Here is an assortment of links to start your week off on the right foot. In today's edition: bringing chivalry back, how to stop procrastinating, considering New Calvinism, and more.

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8 acts of chivalry to bring back. This is some good advice and it surprises me how little these types of things are put to practice. Men need to learn how to behave like gentlemen. I guarantee that women will thank us for it.

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Why Charles M. Schulz's comic strip was called Peanuts. The fascinating thing is that Schulz did not come up with the name and never really liked it.

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This is a book that looks interesting: The New Calvinism Considered.

They call it the New Calvinism. It is a relatively new movement that has discovered some old theology and brought it into the mainstream. It is a movement titled after its theology, but one formed around its leaders—it can hardly be discussed without reference to John Piper and Al Mohler and Matt Chandler and so many others. It is a fascinating movement that encompasses myself and so many others. 

The New Calvinism is the subject of Jeremy Walker’s new book The New Calvinism Considered: A Personal and Pastoral Assessment. Behind that rather austere title is a very accessible book that does exactly what the title claims: it shines a spotlight on this theological movement and considers where it has come from, what it has accomplished and where it may be going in the future.

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11 features no longer seen in cars. I can still remember when some of those things were available (not telling which ones since that would date me).

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How to use the two minute rule to stop procrastinating and get things done. My problem is finding things I can accomplish in two minutes.

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