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Here are links to five articles I’ve found to be interesting and helpful.
Ancient people, diet, food & the Roman Empire: Ancient Romans Ate Meals Most Americans Would Recognize [plug this info into your head as you read some of the NT texts that deal with meals such as 1 Cor. 8-11, etc.]
“… before and during the Roman Empire. Both the poor and the rich ate pig as the meat of choice, although the rich, like Piso, got better cuts, ate meat more often and likely in larger quantities. They had pork chops and a form of bacon. They even served sausages and prosciutto …
“Status in the upper class was declared with the presentation of the meal, the rare spices, the dinnerware … The wealthier you are the more you want to invest in display and advertising to your guests. Flash was perhaps more important than substance … Whole animals showed great wealth.”
Crusades, ISIS, medieval history, Obama, torture: Thank You Obama for Denouncing “Christian” Violence: It is Actually Far Worse Than ISIS
“… for followers of Jesus, the violence perpetrated by ‘Christians’ throughout history ought to be considered far worse than the violence perpetrated by ISIS or any other religious group throughout history, precisely because this violence was done in the name of Jesus.”
Faith, firearms, guns & self-defense: Should Christians Carry Guns?
“The Christians I know who consider Scripture and still make the argument for owning a gun typically lean on a notion of using a firearm as a means to resist wickedness, to protect innocent persons, and to maintain order in the face of evil and chaos. While these may be worthy ideals, I don’t see a lot of (any?) scriptural evidence for the use of violence, especially lethal violence, by those who strive to participate in God’s kingdom.
“My concern is that we too often equate God’s agenda with our own agenda and then we make decisions like owning a gun based on our personal values instead of a keen Christian ethic. If my value is to stay alive and protect what and whom I love, it’s not too difficult to project that value onto God and make weapon ownership a God-given right, if not command. The only problem is that these are not God’s values, at least not as I read Scripture.”
Information, priorities, relationships, stewardship & technology: If Jesus Had a Smartphone
“More than one-third of all adults (35%) and almost half of those under 40 (47%) admit their personal electronics sometimes separate them from other people. Still, three in 10 Millennials (30%) say they love their phone. … Every revolution offers promises. Every revolution makes demands. How does the hyperlinked life jibe with the abundant life Jesus promised?
“All revolutions are meant to change the world, and the knowledge revolution has done that. Now we must work hard to live faithfully in this new world. We must begin by enlarging our definition of stewardship. We talk about stewarding time, treasure, and talent. Let’s add technology to that list.”
Situational awareness: How to Develop the Situational Awareness of Jason Bourne
“Hone your observation skills by playing the A-Game. Mike plays a game with his kids called the ‘A-Game,’ or Awareness Game, to help them (and himself) strengthen their observational skills. To play, when you go into a business, make note of a few things about your environment: the number of workers behind the counter, the clothing and gender of the person sitting next to you, how many entry/exits there are, etc. When you leave and get into the car to head home, ask your kids questions like ‘How many workers were behind the counter?’ ‘Was the person sitting next to us a man or a woman?’ ‘What color was his/her shirt?’ ‘How many exits were there?’ It’s fun to play, but more importantly it’s training your kids (and you) to be more mindful of their surroundings.”
