Thursday, January 27, 2022

Our favorite books from 2021

Becoming Elisabeth Elliot by Ellen Vaughn (H) 

The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country by Helen Russell (H) 

The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life by Julie Bogart (H) 

Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted A Faith and Fractured A Nation by Kristin Du Mez 

This opened our eyes to just how much culture there is mixed in with the Christianity that we've believed. It was convicting, challenging, and at points saddening and horrifying, but a very important book. 

A Church Called Tov: Forming A Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing by Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer 
Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church by Diane Langberg 
Something's Not Right: Decoding the Hidden Tactics of Abuse - and Freeing Yourself From Its Power by Wade Mullen 

These three were part of learning about spiritual abuse, misuse of power, and how to build a healthy church culture. They were excellent and a helpful anchor in some stormy and confusing days. 

Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby (M) 
Recovering from Biblical Manhood and Womanhood by Aimee Byrd (M) 

These two were helpful for me to process some of the more cultural aspects of Christianity, seeing how the church has been complicit in racism and undermining women through its actions (and inactions)

The Demon-haunted World by Carl Sagan (M) 
The Life You Can Save by Peter Singer (M) 

Two books by secular authors that I found really interesting. The first is about how all people are prone to supernatural explanations and the harm that kind of thinking has led to. The second was a book that challenges our view of money. If I can forego a slight amount of financial hardship in exchange for literally saving someone's life, isn't that a morally obligatory trade? I found it convincing. 

Podcast recommendation (H): Good Faith by David French and Curtis Chang (about faith, politics, and culture) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-faith/id1594454747

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