Here is the new cover story at Christianity Today, based on a very important book by Thomas E. Bergler on the Juvenilization of American Christianity. I think he gets a whole lot of things exactly right.  A must read for church leaders of all stripes. Here is a nice excerpt from the book…

“Adolescent Christians see the faith as incomplete unless it is affecting them emotionally. They are less likely than adults to settle for a faith that offers only a dutiful adherence to particular doctrines, rules, or institutions. On the other hand, they have a hard time keeping religious commitments when their emotions are not cooperating. They are drawn to religious practices that produce emotional highs and sometimes assume that experiencing strong feelings is the same thing as spiritual authenticity. They may be tempted to believe that God’s main role in their lives is to help them feel better or to heal their emotional pain. Juvenilized adults agree that a main purpose of Christianity is to help them feel better about their problems.”

Was invited this week to do an interview/debate with the Los Angeles NPR station on the question of whether gays the lesbians can change their orientation. (There are too many real life stories of good people who have done so to doubt whether such a thing can happen.)

It was a lively, spirited discussion.What’s funny is they called at the very last moment, giving me like 15 minutes to collect my thoughts on the matter.  You can listen here.

A new piece over at National Review Online on why monogamy is an important social virtue and how it reduces male violence and improves the standing of women and children in a culture.

A concise summary of the some important and impressive new research.

Sitting here trying to come up with a reason, any reason, why I would want – during Holy Week no less – to read Newsweek’s cover story this week where Andrew Sullivan lectures us at length about how Christians should properly follow Jesus and how the church is terribly out of line with its Savior.

It’s curious how conservative Christians who hold definite beliefs about Jesus and His church are denounced as unthinking and rigidly dogmatic. But here we have Newsweek giving Mr. Sullivan their front page to do just that. The issue features Portlandia Jesus standing in the middle of the street in Times Square looking like he’s staring at a huge Juicy Couture advertisement. Apparently Hipster Jesus wears his crown of thorns when he’s out and about on the town, and despite being all wise, doesn’t appreciate that standing in the middle of Broadway is not wise.

And Tina Brown, in her introduction to the story, also sets the record straight for all believers as to who Jesus is. She informs Jesus “never spoke of homosexuality and abortion.”  Indeed… except when he made it very clear in Matthew 19 that humanity is created male and female, each is for the other, and the man is to leave mom and dad and cling, not to his spouse generically, but to his wife. He doesn’t leave much room for homosexuality.  He also emphatically guided us on how we should think about abortion in Luke 17, saying that for anyone bringing harm to a little one, it would be better for them to be thrown into the sea wearing a large, cement necklace. Strong language. And abortion is designed to bring lethal harm the littlest of these.

Brown then wonders “why religion has been so thoroughly hijacked by political hucksters and ‘faith-based’ hypocrites bereft of basic humanity.” Bereft of basic humanity? Seriously?

• Does she mean all those churches who feed the poor and dispossessed every day in nearly every major city in the United States?

• Or those churches that responded to the victims of Katrina faster, better and more personally than anyone else, including the government?

• Or those churches that host various 12 Step programs for those struggling with addictions on any given evening in their classrooms?

• Or those that provide day schools for all manner of children, including the poor, and often at financial loss?

• Or perhaps she meant those crazy Catholics that run very efficient, effective medical care to the indigent through their wonderful hospitals in every major US city?

It is as if the new DailyBeast/Tina Brown Newsweek is telling orthodox Christians, “don’t read our magazine because we will only ridicule you and your faith in our pages.”

At least, that’s message I get.

Amazing what old rock-and-roll fans can find on youtube.

This is from 1969, black and white. Of course, Ian Anderson is the main one to watch (check the craziest dance you have ever seen at 1:08), but also dig the bass player. Can’t wander too far from his amp for his short cord. And look a the audience, sitting there, minds blown, like they are at a orchestral concert. And check the name on the drum kit.

There’s never been anyone like Ian, and he’s only 22 here. (And he never did drugs!)

Late last week, the CDC came out with a report that many news outlets reported on, mainly from the angle of data showing cohabitation no longer negatively affects marital happiness and longevity. I’ve gotten a number of questions from folks asking my take on the report. So I wrote up a short explanation, which National Review Online was kind enough to post.

You can find the analysis here.

This week, Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine at FamilyLife interviewed Glenn on his latest book, The Ring Makes All the Difference.  Here are the three days of lively broadcasts presenting the latest research on the truth about cohabitation’s likelihood of creating happy, thriving relationships.

• Show 1 – Cohabitation: The New Normal

• Show 2 – Cohabitation: Good or Bad?

• Show 3 – Cohabitation’s Impact on the Family