Worth Checking Out

I know most of us don't have the time or inclination to add one more blog to the list of those we frequently read, but here's one worth checking out. It's called Theolog, and it is the new blogging venture of the The Christian Century. Though the editorial sections of the Century can often appear to just beat the same old, tired liberal Protestant motifs, the commentaries and feature pieces are usually excellent. That's why it, along with Christianity Today, are the two Christian periodicals that I subscribe to and read regularly.

The strength of blogging as a media form is that it allows for contemporaneous engagement on issues by people from vastly different backgrounds and geographical locales. I think that quality may help the Century overall, since its much smaller readership and overall operation often makes it appear behind trends in media that a larger publication like Christianity Today jumps on.

I am particularly glad to see the presence of strong Methodist voices like James C. Howell and Jason Byassee among the mix of Theolog contributors. Howell is a rare example of a theologian who finds his vocation in the church rather than the academy - a wonderful model of Christian scholarship that allows him to directly form a local Christian community while contributing to the larger church through publications that are eminently accessible to laity. Byassee is a young, up-and-coming theologian who serves as one of the Century's main editors, while also teaching at seminaries in the Chicago area. Both also have Ph.D's from Duke.

Note links to both the Chrisitan Century and Christianity Today in the sidebar to the right.