The Questions We Ask, Part IV

With Whom Are You in Conversation: Practical Suggestions

Published in

Muncie Fellows

7 min readMay 5, 2020

Now that we’ve explored the necessity of being in conversations that cultivate faith in God and love for one another, I have gathered here a (very partial) list of possible resources—inputs that will help balance or combat the default liturgies and voices that unconsciously shape us every day.

1. Subscribe to journals

Life gets busy. Sometimes I don’t have (or take) time to seek out the inputs that I need. By subscribing to thoughtful Christian journals, I am inviting conversation partners to show up at unexpected times. I am constantly delighted when a magazine shows up in my mailbox or the recent edition of Mars Hill Audio is announced in my email. Here are some subscriptions that I think you ought to consider:

Comment Magazine: Public Theology for the Common Good

Edited by Anne Snyder — widely published author, senior fellow at the Trinity Forum, Wheaton grad, and wife of famed NYT columnist David Brooks — this journal is published by a Christian and public policy think tank in Canada called Cardus. It is thought provoking and beautifully designed. James K. A. Smith was the previous editor.

Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity

From medieval hymns to modern fairy tales, ancient philosophy to today’s political concerns, this journal covers just about everything. With a bent toward the aesthetic and liturgical, Touchstone is nonetheless ecumenically orthodox. Something for everybody here. A truly beautiful read.

The Hedgehog Review: Critical Reflections on Contemporary Culture

The fox knows many things,
but the hedgehog knows one big thing.
— Archilochus

Published by the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture housed on the UVA campus, this is not an explicitly Christian journal, though the man behind both the center and the journal is a very thoughtful Christian man, well respected in academia — sociologist James Davison Hunter, author of To Change the World, and Culture Wars. Each issue of The Hedgehog Review focuses on a single cultural issue or topic, inviting major thinkers to address it in a symposium style. This is probably the most academic of the journals I’ve listed here.

First Things

This has been a long-time favorite of mine, although I have not been as impressed with it in recent years. When Richard John Neuhaus was editor, it had a welcoming tone and hospitable spirit. Now that R. R. Reno is the editor, it isn’t lacking those things altogether, but it certainly is a bit more biting. Where Neuhaus seemed to emphasize, well, first things — that is the metaphysical realities behind the present material context in which we live — Reno drifts more into the realm of politics, but there is still plenty of spiritual food on which to feast. First Things is a catholic publication with several contributors coming from Protestant, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Jewish perspectives. About 70 pages of text each month, and few cleverly drawn illustrations.

Plough Quarterly: Breaking Ground for a Renewed World

Plough is the publishing arm of the Bruderhof community. These are socially-minded counter-cultural Christians who are devoted to justice, community, Scripture, creation, and the arts. This is a gorgeous journal that highlights the faith of believers in some lesser known corners of the world. It challenges and delights its readers with stories of struggle, faith, and hope.

The New Atlantis: A Journal of Technology and Society

This entire publication is fascinating and helpful. I particularly enjoyed Alan Jacob’s blog. He doesn’t post here anymore, but the archives are well worth the read.

You can now follow Jacobs at Snakes and Ladders.

2. Subscribe to audio journals, podcasts, and other online offerings

Mars Hill Audio

Mars Hill is the decades-long project of author, journalist, Anglican, and very deep thinker, Ken Myers. This is one the best resources out there. Just click here and look at all that it has to offer. Subscribe to the journal. Download the app for free Friday feature interviews. Buy audiobooks and recorded articles from them.

L’Abri

French for “Shelter,” L’Abri is the ministry founded by Francis Schaeffer. Since its inception in Switzerland 65 years ago, L’Abri has been sprouting up all over the world from Minnesota to South Korea to Australia to Holland to South Africa to…well everywhere! They attract some of the best Christian thinkers from every discipline across the globe. They have an extensive library of talks (many originally recorded on cassettes) as well as several podcasts. Just look them up on iTunes. I especially enjoy Clarke Scheibe at the Canadian L’Abri.

Cultivated Podcast

I discovered this one while renovating my basement in Minnesota. It proved to be a great accompaniment for laying down vinyl planking. Just click on the link and look at all of the great people interviewed here, from Lecrae to Greg Thornbury, from Andy Crouch to Jackie Hill Perry. Host Mike Cosper does a superb job drawing out the stories, passions, and faith of each of his guests. This is probably my favorite podcast.

Biola Center for Christianity, Culture & the Arts

These are carefully-curated multi-media presentations produced every Advent and Lent. Subscribe for free; they’ll send a link each day to your inbox. Each meditation is a combination of music, art, scripture and poetry, all beautifully culled and curated from every continent and century. Below are the links for the most recent Advent and Lent series:

For the Life of the World: Letters to the Exiles

For the Life of the World is a brilliantly executed arthouse video series that mixes humor, theology, cultural analysis, and original music into one of the most compelling and professionally produced video series that I’ve ever seen done by Christians (or, really, anybody). Produced by The Acton Institute, this series begins with the question “What is our salvation for?” and concludes that it is For the Life of the World. An ensemble cast of characters including Anthony Bradley, Stephen Grabill, John Perkins, Amy Sherman, Makoto Fujimura, and hosted by Evan Koons with original music by Jars of Clay. I can’t recommend it enough. Be sure to pay attention to the images on Evan’s t-shirts. They are hints to further study, the visual equivalent of footnotes to each episode. If you have Amazon Prime, you can stream it for free!

The Rabbit Room

An Inklings-inspired group of friends who are writers, artists, musicians, and above all, thoughtful Christians. Click on the link and explore all that they have to offer. There’s a ton here!

C. S. Lewis Doodle

These must have taken hundreds of hours to create. They are exceptionally creative and professionally rendered videos of Lewis’s writings. A great way to engage with his thought either on your own, or better yet with friends and family!