A Thinking Reed

  • Stimulate me, baby

    I picked up the June issue of Harper’s before a train trip a few weeks ago because of the its interesting-looking cover story on the strife in the Episcopal Church. But only last night, as was I catching up on the rest of the issue, did I come across Jonathan Rowe’s “Our Phony Economy,” which…

  • An ethic of sustainable use

    I got an e-mail with a link to this interview with Michael Pollan (You too can subscribe to the Michael Pollan e-mail list!) at this new site sponsored by the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. Three points stood out for me. One, the primary distinction between food systems is fossil fuel-based vs. solar…

  • June reading notes

    In lieu of full-on book blogging, here are capsule reviews of some books I’ve read over the past month or so: A Moral Climate, Michael Northcott A theological ethicist and priest of the Episcopal Church of Scotland on climate change. Well-informed by the science (as far as I can judge), but also provides a specifically…

  • The crunchy libertarian

    While we’re on the subject of food, I’m very much looking forward to John Schwenkler‘s upcoming article on “culinary conservatism” for the American Conservative, which he mentions here. In the same post, John makes the case for what I think it’s fair to call a libertarian approach to food production, the idea being that our…

  • Eating local vs. going meatless

    An interesting, though longish, post at the “Ethicurean” reporting on a new study that contends that how food is produced is more important than how far it has traveled (“food miles”) as far as greenhouse gas emissions go. Specifically, reducing your meat consumption can go further than buying local toward reducing your footprint. Not that…

  • Humane California

    As far as California ballot initiatives go this year, all eyes will undoubtedly be on the one to overturn the state supreme court’s recent decision on same-sex marriage. But allow me to draw your attention to another ballot intitiative of potentially far-reaching consequence: the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act, which would phase out phase…

  • “Food nannyism” and animal cruelty

    Jim Henley offers the obvious, but no less sound for that, rebuttle to worries that lump things like banning trans fats and foie gras into the category of “food nannysim”: In a video bemoaning food nannies, Baylen Linnekin, who is a good guy and whose writing I enjoy, begs a question. He declares NYC’s bans…

  • A democracy of sinners

    Via Christopher, a meditation on violence, redemption, and the importance of holding on to our doctrine of sin: There is Good News hidden in the doctrine of sin. Sin is the great equalizer. Sin levels the playing field and throws us back on God’s loving kindness. In Paul’s vision, Jews are no better and certainly…

  • The price of not having cable

    One week later, and I’m still waiting for the Sci Fi Channel to post the Battlestar Galactica (sort of) season finale to their website (which, by all accounts, was mind-blowing). Grumble.

  • Whither the ELCA blogosphere?

    Maybe it’s bad form to call out bloggers who haven’t posted anything in a while, but I can’t help but notice that several bloggers from my sidebar who’ve been inactive for months are ELCA Lutherans! I’m talking about Chip Frontz, Andy of Sinning Boldly, and Thomas of Without Authority. What’s the deal here, fellas? What…