Category Archives: Culture commentary

Jack of All Cultures But Mastered by None, Or So We Try

Posted on December 6, 2012 by PaulVK

Breadcrumbs Lots of interesting “more cultured than thou” posts flying around, and some that are a bit more honest and humble. I got into the conversation via the Patrol piece Hipsters and Hamster Balls. Lots of links in that one. … Continue reading →

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Complementarian Women Complicate the Conventional Conversation

Posted on October 23, 2012 by PaulVK

The Caricature Complementarians are men don’t want to share power and have with docile, quiet, compliant wives. Egalitarians are loud women with compliant, hip, spineless husbands (that would be me I guess). Hello Internet Just having read a couple of … Continue reading →

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The Walking Dead

Posted on October 22, 2012 by PaulVK

I’ve always been fascinated with apocalyptic stories. I remember as a child pondering what a nuclear attack would bring. I remember the boxes of Civil Defense rations stuffed in the storage room off the Jr. High Gym. I remember when … Continue reading →

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Christianity Dying Piece on Huffpo

Posted on October 15, 2012 by PaulVK

Link A few thoughts in response. 1. There’s no question in my mind that there is a cultural disillusionment with Christianity currently underway. Popular culture and Christianity are in some significant areas (morality, worldview) moving in different directions. We also … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture commentary, Daily Links and Notes | 1 Comment

Of Starbucks and Calvinism, The Difference Between What I Want and What I Need

Posted on September 24, 2012 by PaulVK

Got this wonderful link from my friend Eric Dirksen on The Starbucks Lifestyle. It nicely illuminated the heart of the consumer mindset. It also struck me how badly I’ve wanted my church to be as welcoming, comfortable, popular, accepting, popular, … Continue reading →

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Clothing, Secularism and the Reality of God

Posted on September 20, 2012 by PaulVK

One of my greatest pleasures of ministry are the angularities that so many stories bring to me. One of the regulars in our “Men’s Lunch” visited Iran about a year ago for a water conference. He’s a well traveled man … Continue reading →

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It Takes A Religion for a Community to Forgive

Posted on August 11, 2012 by PaulVK

A friend recently turned me on to South Park. He told me about their religion episodes and one of the ones I saw was the Scientology episode. A ways into the episode the South Park character that is discovered to … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture commentary, Institutional Church | 2 Comments

Links on the Shooting at the Sikh Temple

Posted on August 10, 2012 by PaulVK

On Media Coverage Media is Tone-Deaf on Religion (Patheos) Reactions Sarah Bessey reflects on a school trip to a Sikh temple and her experience with this tragedy. Governor Walker says Sikhs show love to hate Background CNN Summary on the … Continue reading →

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Women, Sex, God and Olympic Coverage Links

Posted on August 9, 2012 by PaulVK

Lolo Jones:  NY Times “harsh” piece on Jones Was the NY Times too mean? (NY Magazine) Her-meneutics: Where was God when Lolo Jones Placed Fourth Lolo Jones Article Is Too Harsh (NYT) Sex and the Single Olympian (Her-meneutics) God and Winning … Continue reading →

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On Direct and In-Direct

Posted on August 8, 2012 by PaulVK

A nice parable from “The Messy Middle” on how this expat learned indirectness, a common cultural trait of some Asian cultures. The dance of direct vs. indirect is such a funny one. I see it played out in churches all … Continue reading →

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