Are you following TJP on Facebook yet? If not, then you’ve missed out on our dive into the world of internet memes (see our full catalog here):
Even Jedi Masters need guidance sometimes …
This meme picked up on a reader’s comment about Quang Tran’s post connecting “Luke, I am your father” with a Hungarian anti-Semitic nationalist’s discovery of his own Jewish roots. On other fronts, Tim O’Brien’s on meme watch, wondering what it means that the worst art restoration ever can go viral on the internet.
As we get back to school, and back to a full-time posting schedule, we’re hoping to “go viral” too — though for better reasons than a Mr. Potato-Head restoration of Jesus. So here’s a rundown of the final weeks of the summer on TJP, and a challenge: pick a post below, and share it — click the Tweet or Facebook buttons on the top of the post, and let your friends know why they should check TJP out. And tag us when you do: @TheJesuitPost will find us, on Facebook and Twitter both.
On the faith-and-culture beat during an election year:
- Mario Powell made his TJP debut, explaining how the individualism/institutionalism debate structures our political climate.
- Who would Jesus vote for? Sam Sawyer doesn’t claim to know, but’s he arguing for some better questions.
- Reflecting on Rep. Akin’s infamous “legitimate rape” remarks, Matt Spotts realizes that we all need to remember that we’re talking about people, not abstractions.
Glimpses from the frontiers of Jesuit life and ministry:
- How many ways are there to look at a crack house? From his days as a grad student, to novitiate in Detroit, to his role teaching rhetoric, Jayme Stayer’s found at least thirteen.
- TJP’s Michael Rossmann is back with his first essay from his new mission at the Jesuit high school in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where his categories have been shattered (and he’s learned to eat ugali).
- Traveling with rabbinical and medical students (and some other seminarians), Michael Rozier went to Auschwitz to consider what meaning could be made from such tragedy — and found joy.
Still finding God in All Things Linked:
- “OK, goodbye … yep, gotta go … right, later …” Matt Dunch on why it’s so hard to get off the phone.
- Vinny Marchionni goes from a Dr. Pepper commercial to the real meaning of manhood.
- Kicking off a new column, Perry Petrich keeps an eye on the obits with the debut of “You Can’t Take it With You” — and part 2.
Finding some meaning even in the difficult news:
- Vinny Marchionni on sports: what Penn State can tell us about loyalty to an institution despite scandal, and whether Lance Armstrong is a champ or chump
- In the wake of the Colorado and Wisconsin shootings, Tim O’Brien asks what we miss when we rush to assign blame, and Paddy Gilger offers some Ignatian lenses on violence.
And some spiritual insights with our bloggers:
- In the sound of an old VW bus, from Brendan Busse.
- And Joe Simmons on our desire for community, courtesy of a NY Times article on a bachelor pad.
Whether it’s a serious essay or a picture of Yoda, we’re glad you’re finding something worth coming back to TJP for — and we hope you’ll think its worth spreading the word, so that next week, there’ll be even more people seeing our Week in Review.