Summer Nuttiness

Wow. 

The summer has, as I anticipated, been a little crazy, trying to make it to a couple of different training events (RUF, RYM) as well as taking vacation and planning for the fall at Redeemer. Oh, and then there was summer baseball during May and June for Isaac, Lucy, and Nathan (that's him on the left).  

I've gotten a little reading done that's been helpful. The three most important things are: The Churching of America, by Stark and Finke; Christ and Culture Revisited, by D. A. Carson; and Searching for a Better Country: 300 Years of American Presbyterianism, by Muether and D. G. Hart.  The three were interesting to read together because both Churching and Searching advance ideas about why Presbyterian (Searching) and Methodist (Churching) denominations declined in America.  Carson is especially helpful on pointing out the limitations of Nieburh's critique and suggesting that the ideal relationship between Christ (or the church) and any particular culture can only be decided in specific contexts. 

More to come. Just thought I'd throw up this brief update.