CHICAGO, IL (August 3, 2018) – Covenanters routinely share links to social media articles and videos that Covenant News Service believes may be of interest to others. Each Friday we post five of them. Following is a sample of those submissions—their inclusion does not represent an endorsement by the Covenant of any views expressed.
Pop Culture Primer: Graphic Novels
Graphic novels are being considered for prestigious prizes as people increasingly view them as serious literature. The Think Christian website suggests five top titles, with summary of their theological themes and content.
From the article: “From facial expressions to maps and narration to speech bubbles, image and word combine to uniquely capture not only the brokenness of the world, but also the ways that grace shines through that brokenness.”
Where Churches Have Become Temples of Cheese, Fitness, and Eroticism
The headline is a tad sensational, but the people who once worshiped in these former churches would likely be stunned by how they are being used now. The story is accompanied by striking photography.
From the article: “The radical makeovers of Quebec churches reflect the drastic decline of the Catholic Church in a majority-Catholic Canadian province, where 95 percent of the population went to Mass in the 1950s but only 5 percent do so today. The sharp drop in church attendance, coupled with spiraling maintenance costs, has made heritage groups, architects, and the church itself think creatively to conserve historic buildings at risk of being shuttered or demolished.”
They’re Still Here: The Curious Evolution of Westboro Baptist Church
You might not have known the name of the Westboro Baptist Church, but you almost certainly have seen news coverage of their hate-filled protests in the name of God. Recent changes have led the church to slightly change their messaging, but the message remains largely the same.
From the article: “There has also been a subtle shift in Westboro Baptist’s messaging. Many new signs inject ideas about Jesus and love, clarify doctrine, diversify the sins to be protested, and invoke more positive language. Likely in response to past criticism that their protests were not biblical, the new signs always include a biblical citation. Church members have also reduced the visibility of their famously succinct insults.”
This Is My Nerf Blaster, This Is My Gun
Elliott Woods is a former soldier turned war correspondent who looks at the trend of ever-more sophisticated and realism of Nerf blasters, and the way some gun owners are decorating their guns. Despite how he begins the article, you might be surprised at his conclusion.
From the article: “The company’s Modulus series includes a lineup of accessories that are obviously toy versions of the real add-ons beloved by black-rifle enthusiasts, including foregrips that mount under barrels, faux laser sights, collapsible stocks, and long-range barrel extenders. Certain battery-operated models are even capable of automatic fire, and some kids have figured out how to ‘bump fire’ their nonautomatic models the same way you can bump fire a semiautomatic rifle: by hooking your finger around the trigger and moving the entire rifle back and forth.”
Dog Trapped on House Roof Rescued
We’ve all heard about fire departments rescuing cats, but saving dogs on roofs has to be unusual.
From the article: “Crews say the homeowners, who live in a duplex in the 1400 block of South Elgin’s Exeter Lane, weren’t home when the dog made its move. They say the animal broke through a window screen on the building’s second floor, then made its way over to the neighbor’s side of the roof. Firefighters say the dog wasn’t able to get back to the window it came out of because the roof was steep. They safely managed to get it down using a ladder.”
