Weekend Links 12-8-17

A few items of interest for your weekend reading:

Author Stephen Mansfield explores the reasons why evangelicals so enthusiastically supported President Trump. His analysis is well worth reading. Also related: why Trump and other similar candidates are causing a crisis of faith among evangelicals.

Kevin DeYoung weighs in with Ten Questions to Ask for Voting in a Two Party 
System.

In the wake of recent sex scandals a great reminder that our hope is not in man.

Albert Mohler explains why Christians should support the death penalty. Be sure to read all the way through as his article carefully explains exactly when and why it should be supported.

Is this one of the greatest moments in the history of film? Probably. Now I need to go watch this again.

"Mary Poppins" is a Subversive Critique of Modernity. No, really, it is.

Want to be more productive? Stop doing these three things.

Finally, here is one song that is a must at Christmas:

Weekend Links 11-24-17

A few articles of interest I found for your weekend perusal:

The recent news cycles have been dominated with stories about sexual harassment and other inappropriate behaviors among elected officials, powerful individuals, and political candidates. Especially when it comes to politics the issue can present difficult choices to Christians. Marvin Olasky shares some valuable insight on the message our choices send to future generations.

These news stories have sparked a debate about the so-called Billy Graham rule. This discussion (on Twitter no less) is one of the most interesting and helpful discussions on the subject I have read.

One possible political solution to the problem of unqualified U. S. Senate candidates is a repeal of the 17th Amendment.

Stephen Mansfield helpfully explains why many evangelicals decided to vote for Donald Trump as President. 

Many conservatives who argued in favor of Trump's election used the Supreme Court as an argument for supporting him. David French warns of the dangers of obsessing over the Court.

Related: Senator Ben Sasse warned this week against the dangers of political idolatry.

Last week marked the premiere of the new film adaptation of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. Here's a list of nine other novels for those who are new to her work.

Finally, a 97 year-old World War II veteran shares about his service as a code breaker during the war. It's fascinating stuff.

Favorite Books of 2013

At the beginning of the year I set a goal for myself to read 25 books this year and blog about each one. Of course I did neither of those things. However, I did manage to read a few books this year that really had an impact on me. The following list (in no particular order) are the books that I read this year that stood out as my favorites. Not all of these books were published this year but were simply books I read during the year.

Mansfield's Book of Manly Men by Stephen Mansfield

Our culture has tried to redefine what it means to truly mean to be a man to the point that most men don't know what is expected of them. What does it really take to be a man? How can a man become his most masculine self? These are the questions that Stephen Mansfield addresses in this excellent book. It is a call to action for men everywhere to become the men that they are supposed to be. I heartily recommend this book.

A Higher Call by Adam Makos

As a history buff, I enjoy hearing stories of our past particularly those set against the backdrop of World War II. I think we often make the mistake of thinking that all Germans were Nazis and that there were no men of honor in their armed forces. Not true as we find out in this excellent book. This is a story about honor that we don't hear about much anymore. A small gesture in the midst of battle would forever change the lives of two men. This is a book that reads more like a novel than non-fiction.

Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung

Busyness is a trap that we all seem to fall into. Technology that is supposed to make our lives easier only compounds the problem. How do we become so frightfully busy? More importantly, what do we do about it? Kevin DeYoung offers some insight into the sin of busyness and challenges  us to think about how we use our time to avoid the trap of being too busy.

The Happiest Life by Hugh Hewitt

Those who are living truly happy lives are those who live their lives as givers. There are gifts that they give to others that serve as an encouragement to others and at the same time enrich their own lives. As we enter 2014, pledge to become a giver of the gifts that Hugh Hewitt outlines in this book. Follow the examples he provides through numerous personal anecdotes and see the tremendous change that will come about as a result.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Our world cherishes and applauds the extrovert. We have this false picture that in order to be successful in life we need to be outgoing and gregarious all the time. But there is great power in being an introvert. In fact, introverts should be embracing who they are and realize there are tremendous assets in having an introverted personality. I found this book particularly encouraging as it helped me realize it was not only just okay to be an introvert but it is something I should embrace and use to my advantage.

Daily Links 12-18-13

Good morning! In today's roundup of links: bestowing a long overdue honor, surprising ways to make decisions, Frozen, Saving Mr. Banks, Tim Keller on pastors who write books, and more.

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Tony LaRussa, Bobby Cox, and Joe Torre are all being inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame next year for their managerial careers and rightly so. But there's another inductee who is receiving some long overdue recognition as well: Roger Angell. Follow the link for a sampling of his terrific work. (Hat tip: Book Riot)

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Six surprising ways to make decisions. It's an interesting list.

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Another interesting review of Mansfield's Book of Manly Men: An Utterly Invigorating Guide to Being Your Most Masculine Self.  Perhaps most interesting is that it is written by a woman.

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Disney celebrates sisterly love in Frozen. Haven't seen it yet (at least as of the writing of this post) but plan to take the family soon.

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Speaking of Disney, another movie I am looking forward to seeing is Saving Mr. Banks. Here's a list of 10 things you should know about this real life story.

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Tim Keller on whether pastors should consider writing as part of their ministry and when they should start to write books:

Pastors can write as a valid part of pastoral ministry. It is part of the ministry of the Word. The ministry of the Word does not mean only the spoken word. But when they should write is the question.

I don't think ministers should produce much in the way of book-length writing in the first half or even two-thirds of their ministry. Why? 

1. Because they are still growing in their wisdom and understanding of the Word, and they are likely to change their mind on some things. 

2. Because (yes) it will distract them from the two main ways they can grow into wise and skillful ministers with something to say. Those two things are regular preaching/teaching and a lot of pastoral involvement. 

3. I think younger ministers should earn their credibility through building up some fruitful and effective ministries. That takes literally all one's time for a long time. They should not divert valuable time for ministry to writing. I know that if a young minister sees his church grow rapidly he will be bombarded with offers to write books, but even if his church grows to thousands of people by the time he is in his early 30s, he is still not really time-tested, nor does he yet have the insights and knowledge of the Bible he will have later.

4. If you wait to write until you are older, the writing will go much faster, because you will have reams of material and many layers of thought about a lot of subjects and texts. Writing a book in your 50s will go twice as fast and be twice as good as if you try the same book in your 30s. It's just good stewardship to wait.

Hat tip: Justin Taylor via Twitter

Daily Links 12-12-13

In today's link roundup: some neat history, Stephen Mansfield on why he wrote his latest book, behind the scenes of Disney animated movies, how to listen to music, and more.

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This is cool. The actual immigration form completed by the Apollo 11 astronauts when then returned to Hawaii.

Source

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One of my favorite books I have read recently is Mansfield's Book of Manly Men: An Utterly Invigorating Guide to Being Your Most Masculine Self (my review of the book is here). In this post, author Stephen Mansfield explains why he wrote the book. 

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A neat gallery of behind-the-scenes photos from Disney animated movies.

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Helping men dealing with pornography addiction by understanding why they look at pornography in the first place.

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A vintage guide to 7 essential skills in listening to music.

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A classic novel that almost wasn't. George Orwell nearly drowned in a whirpool midway during writing 1984. (Hat tip: Book Riot)

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Here's a fun post for your kids: the faces behind the Disney princesses.

Book Review: Mansfield's Book of Manly Men

I have long been a fan of Stephen Mansfield's books. I have even had the privilege to interview him. But I have never anticipated a book as much as his latest volume, Mansfield's Book of Manly Men: An Utterly Invigorating Guide to Being Your Most Masculine Self.

His inspiration for this book was drawn from King David's deathbed instruction to his son Solomon: "I'm about to go the way of all the earth. So be strong and show yourself a man." (1 Kings 2:2). Solomon would have likely known exactly what David meant by that statement. But most men today would not because our culture has so utterly confused men about what their true role should be. Or as the author puts it:

My goal in this book is simple. I want to identify what a genuine man does - the virtures, the habits, the disciplines, the duties, the actions of true manhood - and then call men to do it. (pg. 8)

He starts out by setting out four principles that he refers to as Mansfield's Maxims:

1. Manly Men Do Manly Things (pg. 21)
2. Manly Men Tend Their Fields (pg. 28)
3. Manly Men Build Manly Men (pg. 34)
4. Manly Men Live to the Glory of God (pg. 37)

After presenting these principles, he then explores a number of virtues (such as honor, integrity, vision, etc.) that a real man should reflect in his life. With each principle there is an example from history of someone who personified that virtue in their life. This is a very useful approach as I think men tend to understand these principles much better when there is a concrete example to look upon who demonstrates these virtues. Most importantly, at the end of each chapter are a series of questions that are intended to be used for individual reflection and application of these principles.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to other men to read. In addition, if you have a son of your own this is a book you will want to read together. The questions throughout the book also would make it ideal for small group discussion.

It's time for men to step up and fulfill the role that God has for them. Thanks to Stephen Mansfield, we have a guide to show us how to do it.

Author's note: A copy of this book was provided to me by Booksneeze. No other consideration apart from the book was received in exchange for this review.

Daily Links 11-13-13

In this morning's edition of links: remembering Veteran's Day, lessons about marriage from Pride and Prejudice, a new documentary on the Robertsons of Duck Dynasty fame, what real manhood is all about, and more.

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Monday was Veteran's Day here in the United States. Unfortunately, Americans don't do as good a job as the British do in remembering the day. Called Armistice Day in the United Kingdom (in honor of when World War I ended), the British have a number of wonderful traditions including a two minute silent ceremony conducted at 11:00 a.m.

Workers at Lloyds of London pause for a moment of silence on Armistice Day

In addition, a small village held a funeral at 11:00 a.m. for a World War I veteran who had died alone a month earlier.

We should never forget those who sacrificed so we can enjoy freedom.

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Karen Swallow Prior argues that everything she needed to know about marriage she learned from Pride and Prejudice:

When I teach Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, I take great pains to un-sully it from students’ film-adaptation-induced misconceptions that it’s a “romantic” novel. As a satirist, even if a gentle one, Austen offers rather unromantic corrections to vices and foibles, many of which range far beyond the surface themes of love and marriage. Indeed, like most early novels, Austen’s contend with the seismic social shifts birthed by modernity, particularly the rise of the individual. In Pride and Prejudice, as in Austen’s other works, the private angst surrounding the choice of a marriage partner really reflects the larger, public anxieties swirling around a disintegrating class structure, a new social mobility, and increasing personal autonomy.

Nevertheless, the truth is that I still learned everything I needed to know about marriage from Pride and Prejudice

Read the whole thing. (Hat tip: Acculturated)

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You know the Robertsons from their hit show Duck Dynasty. But do you know the whole story. On November 21, I Am Second will premiere a full length film on America's most famous family. You can see the trailer here.

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Stephen Mansfield on what real manhood is all about:


A review of his new book will be coming soon. Stay tuned.

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A delightfully bookish collection of wedding cakes.

Who To Follow On Twitter: Don't Know Much About History

Of all social media platforms I consider Twitter to be my favorite in part because it's a useful way to find out things that are of interest to me on the web. But it can be a little overwhelming to know exactly who to follow. In this series, I'll share some of the feeds that have become my favorite feeds to follow. The following is a list of authors with a bent towards history as well as a couple of historical feeds that are worth a follow:

1. Eric Metaxas (@EricMetaxas)

The New York Times Bestselling author probably wouldn't consider himself a historian or biographer but he has shown himself adept at both roles. His books include Bonhoeffer, Amazing Grace, and most recently 7 Men. He is also host of Socrates in the City in New York. He is also the host of Breakpoint Radio. In addition, he's an incredibly funny guy and definitely worth a follow.

2. Amity Shlaes (@AmityShlaes)

She is the author of the excellent biography Coolidge as well as the previous bestseller The Forgotten Man about the Great Depression. She frequently shares links of a historical nature particularly connected with her books. Both books should be on your must read list. My interview with her about The Forgotten Man is here.

3. Stephen Mansfield (@MansfieldWrites)

Most recently the author of Killing Jesus as well as faith biographies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, he is another author to definitely follow on Twitter. His tweets are often about a variety of different subjects with links to articles of note. Among books of his I would recommend are Ten Tortured Words about the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment and More Than Dates and Dead People which deals with restoring a Christian view to history.

4. Jane Hampton Cook (@janehamptoncook)

Formerly a webmistress during her time in the Bush White House, Cook has always had an interest in history. She is a frequent contributor on cable news as well as a prolific author. Her latest book is American Phoenix, a biography of John Quincy and Louisa Adams.

5. Joel C. Rosenberg (@JoelCRosenberg)

Few people understand biblical prophecy and Middle East politics as well as Joel Rosenberg. He blogs about events in the Middle East at his Flash Traffic blog. He is also the author of numerous political thrillers, all of which I would heartily recommend. His latest book is Damascus Countdown.

6. Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC)

He's best known as a presidential historian and author of a number of books. But he's also proprietor of one of the coolest Twitter feeds out there. Don't take my word for it: read this Washington Post profile. His accidental entry into Twitter has been one of the best feeds to come along in a while. The reason? He tweets nothing but photos many of which had never before been published. I have no idea where he finds them but they are always worth checking out.

7. Life (@LIFE)

In its heydey, LIFE Magazine was the penultimate historical photo album. If it happened, LIFE photographed it. Now the vast archives of photos is being posted on the internet. Many of them weren't even published originally in the magazine. They tweet out whenever they post a new album on their site. You could easily spend hours and hours looking through their pictures.

8. World War II Tweets (@RealTimeWWII)

Imagine what it would be like to have Twitter cover a major geopolitical event like World War II and you have what this feed is all about. Started a couple of years ago, this project documents events as they happen on a particular date. As I am writing this, they are tweeting through 1941 and intend to continue all the way through the end of the war. They also frequently post photographs that are absolutely amazing.

9. Smithsonian National Museum of American History (@amhistorymuseum)

The largest repository of historical artifacts, the American History museum is a must-see for any history buff. They also frequently blog about their collection and send out tweets about new posts. If you want to know more about American history it's definitely a feed to follow.

Interview: Stephen Mansfield, Author of The Faith of Barack Obama

A person's faith is a window into their soul. For a politician, how he or she speaks about his or her faith will tell you something about how they will govern. Stephen Mansfield, author of the new book The Faith of Barack Obama, says that in examining the Senator's faith journey gave him insight not only into the Democratic presidential nominee but insight into larger cultural trends as well.

"Barack Obama's faith and his spiritual journey not only are shaping this election but also, as you tell the story and reflect on it, captures many of the trends that are most powerful and transforming in this age," said Mr. Mansfield in a recent interview.

One of those trends is one that Mr. Mansfield says has largely been missed by the mainstream media: a gradual shift of young evangelicals to the Democrats. Part of this trend is due to the recent loss of prominent national Religious Right leaders such as Jerry Falwell and D. James Kennedy as well as the prominent moral failure of former National Association of Evangelicals president Ted Haggard. But part of this trend is also due to younger voters that Senator Obama has energized through the campaign.

"The younger voters coming on line tend to be postmodern theologically to the extent they are theological at all and tend to lean leftward in their politics," said Mr. Mansfield.

Mr. Mansfield argues that Senator Obama is a person that these young, liberal evangelicals identify with because he shares their values. In order to make that argument, he had to address head-on the issue of Obama's true faith, as well as his church, both of which have been the subject of much controversy so far in this campaign. He deals with the issue by first dealing with one of the big unanswered questions of the campaign: why Obama chose to attend Trinity United Church of Christ whose pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, has infamously made anti-American and hate-filled statements from the pulpit.

"I think Obama is very clear that he first went to church to get connected to a church not so much out of a spiritual search but because people he was working with in the South side of Chicago challenged him that he would be more successful if he had some connections to church, some connection to faith. But I think in time he was captured by the Gospel," said Mr. Mansfield.
It is that Christian faith, that Senator Obama would bring into his administration should he be elected this fall. He has already signalled an intention to continue the faith-based initiatives begun by President George W. Bush. But an Obama election could also provide the impetus for a major shift in American politics.


"Obama is a unique creature because he is so deeply Christian who intends to bring his faith to bear on public policy and is very much on the left," said Mr. Mansfield. "I think what is diminishing is a secular approach to politics and what's arising is a faith-based approach to politics and now I think we have the opportunity in this country for the great debate between a right-leaning, limited government, low taxes, anti-abortion type of faith-based politics and then the more left-leaning version of that on the other side."

Already his book has garnered criticisms in some corners for not being critical enough of Senator Obama. In fact, many on the right have openly expressed anger at Mr. Mansfield, who is conservative and pro-life, for painting what they believe is a too flattering portrait of the Democratic nominee. By contrast, the author says his intention was simply to be fair and objective in examining the Senator's faith.


"As a Christian, I have written a book about another man's faith and I'm intrigued by his faith," said Mr. Mansfield. "I want to encourage his faith and I believe he is sincere about his faith. Now people who share my political vies are upset with me because I have written this book and basically what they are saying is 'you are too Christian, you should be more Republican than you are Christian'. What I have written is an honest, objective evaluation that celebrates Obama's faith to the extent it can be celebrated, questioned it where it had to be questioned and basically tries to explain it in terms of our times which is something we need, by the way, as we approach this election."


At the same time, Mr. Mansfield hopes that his approach in this book will serve as an example to politicians on how to deal with the pressing issues of our day that doesn't involve the bitter partisanship on both sides of the aisle that has become the norm in Washington.

"I have to say that one of my goals for this book besides just the content was to find the tone that I hope will be replicated a bit more in American politics," said Mr. Mansfield. "This vicious left/right fighting that is happening in America is paralyzing us. It is keeping up from accomplishing anything. And I have to say, as a Christian, it is ungodly. My hope was to write a book that would model a certain tone while communicating facts that people need to know."


Click here to listen to the entire interview with Stephen Mansfield.

Book Review: Ten Tortured Words

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..."
- First Amendment of the United States Constitution

The words seem so straightforward and simple. Yet no other part of the Constitution of the United States is so misunderstood and misconstrued as the First Amendment, particularly the first ten words which deal with freedom of religion. Bestselling author Stephen Mansfield delves into the history of the amendment that has caused more uproar and more court battles than any other in his outstanding new book Ten Tortured Words: How the Founding Fathers Tried to Protect Religion in America...and What's Happened Since.

Mansfield, who has spent many years working on behalf of religious liberty all over the world, starts with a careful examination of the Founders original intent in crafing the First Amendment. He takes the reader back inside the debates within the Constitutional Convention and the amendment is being debated. By relying on the transcripts from the Convention, he shares the Founders thoughts in their own words. As the original intent behind the amendment is revealed it is easy to see how these ten words have been so twisted over time.

But the story doesn't just end there. In fact, the drafting of the amendment is really only the beginning of the story. Mansfield moves on to a detailed examination of the man whose words in a private letter have become the basis for almost all battles over religious liberty in the United States for the past sixty years: Thomas Jefferson.

On January 1, 1802, Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut. The Danbury Baptists had written to Jefferson regarding concerns they had about the government's role in religion. Jefferson's reply included a phrase that has since become familiar to many Americans: "a wall of separation between church and state". Although Jefferson's intent was to simply emphasize that the First Amendment prohibited the federal government from establishing any particular religion (similar to the Church of England in Britain), many courts have taken the phrase to mean that the government should not have any role in religion and vice versa.

It was the Supreme Court, in the case of Everson vs. Board of Education (1947) that would first use the "wall of separation" phrase. What's most interesting about this decision is not so much the case itself (although the case is quoted in the appendices and reveals the convoluted logic the Court used to arrive at its decision) but the personalities behind the case, particularly Justice Hugo Black who authored the decision.

Perhaps most surprising is the chapter on the ACLU and their involvement in First Amendment litigation. Many readers will no doubt be shocked to learn how the ACLU has turned this type of litigation into a profit-making endeavor by taking advantage of loopholes in current civil rights statutes.

Ten Tortured Words brings history alive through its engaging narrative. Mansfield avoids the trap of getting bogged down in legalese in discussing the court cases and instead focuses as much attention on the personalities involved in the battles. As a result, it is a highly entertaining and informative book.