In another part of the blogosphere there has been a Christian blog survey taking place. While I follow a few dozen of the blogs listed, I was disappointed to see that so few of my favourite blogs were mentioned. I thought that it would be interesting to hear which Christian/theological blogs you most enjoy reading (this blog is ineligible). If you list, in no particular order, five blogs that are essential reading for you in the comments, after a week I will compile a list of the recommendations.
The blogs in question don’t have to be blogs that you agree with. Stimulating and challenging thinkers and compelling writers, even when we consistently disagree with them, are typically the most worthwhile people to read of all. Other criteria that you might take into account could include regularity of posting or the quality of the dialogue in the comments section.
Here is my list:
Mere Orthodoxy (and Mere-O Notes, which I also really enjoy)
On a different day I could choose a completely different list. However, these five are blogs that I especially value and appreciate.
So, over to you! What are five blogs that are essential reading for you?
Alastair's Adversaria 
1. http://www.reformation21.org/blog/ – particularly anything by Carl Trueman (aka “Carl-bomb”)
2. http://thinktheology.co.uk/blog – great, thoughtful posts and a newly discovered preacher i love to listen to Andrew Wilson
3. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/thabitianyabwile/ – Thabiti often has adds a great cultural element to his theology and helps a white-boy like me see things from another perspective. Also, he often replies to comments and interacts with folks which is rare from busy TGC lads.
4. http://derekzrishmawy.com – great, thoughtful posts on a variety of subjects from a Reformed perspective. Also, highly interactive in comments thread. Derek is tarting to be posted at both “Christianity and pop culture” blog plus the TGC blog.
5. I mean no offence to anyone, but if you’re looking to strengthen your discernment skills (and raise your blood pressure at the same time) http://www.relevantmagazine.com as well as http://www.redletterchristians.org are often a good ‘workout’ in small doses.
1. BioLogos Forum
2. Internet Monk
3. Jesus Creed
4. Parchment & Pen (C Michael Patton)
5. Peter Enns
That’s a Progressive Christian blog, so the recommendations there are all progressive blogs. For blogs which have substantial Christian content, I also like Edward Feser, Rod Dreher, James Kalb, James KA Smith, Doug Wilson, Alan Jacobs, Bruce Charlton and Ross Douthat. But they are all established writers anyway. First Things has some good blogs. The Orthosphere. Here. Haley’s Halo.
In no particular order, the blog I most frequent are: Jesus Creed (Scot McKnight), Boar’s Head Tavern, Near Emmaus (Brian LePort, Daniel James Levy & Co.), Jake Belder, and the IMES blog (imeslebanon.wordpress.com). Honourable mention to the Pangea Blog (Kurt Willems), Cultural Savage and Abnormal Anabaptist (Robert Martin).
Thanks for the link, Alastair!
I like a lot of the usual suspects, but want to offer a list of 5 more idiosyncratic choices. Call them 5 you’re probably not reading but might actually find really interesting:
Christian fiction author and former Calvary Chapel pastor Mike Duran: http://mikeduran.com
Scholar studying religious conservatives’ school activism: http://iloveyoubutyouregoingtohell.org
Group blog of academics specializing in religion in American history: http://usreligion.blogspot.com
Retired law prof. tracking church-state issues in the courts http://religionclause.blogspot.com
Christian nightmares. The name speaks for itself: http://christiannightmares.tumblr.com
William B. Evans http://theecclesialcalvinist.wordpress.com/
Recently started following him regularly
Calvin and Calvinism: An Elenchus for Classic and Moderate Calvinism http://calvinandcalvinism.com/
This site completely disabused me of the notion that the reformed tradition can be read in ANY WAY in a hypercalvinist manner. I suppose some would say it’s a stalking horse for Amyraldianism, but so what.
Thanks for the link, Alastair!
I actually don’t read a ton of Christian blogs, but I’d say Her.meneutics, First Thoughts, and Peter Leithart are near the top of my list. I also will read Brad Littlejohn, The Calvinist International, Anthony Bradley, and Doug Wilson semi-regularly.
ben witherington & unequally yoked (both on Patheos) . Louie, louie & black flag theology.
My list changes all the time, but a few I’m regularly enjoying at the moment (besides yours, Alastair!) are: Andy Stager, Steve Bishop, and The Society for the Advancement of Ecclesial Theology. A much fuller list of my regular reads can be found here.
Okay, five from me. Currently I’m focusing on the UK evangelical scene, the Church of England and Anglican things more generally.
The Ugley Vicar – John Richardson, vicar of Ugley (UK)
Liturgy – Bosco Peters (New Zealand)
Andy’s Study – Andrew Evans (Liverpool, UK)
Krish Kandiah (UK)
Jake Belder (Hull, UK)
“five blogs that are essential reading for you in the comments”
Sorry to say that None are *essential* reading, and I’m sorry to say there are no blogs I regularly enjoy! – just a few where there is an occasional piece of value.
Therefore, it seems clear that my blog reading is mostly for distraction – especially when I am too low in energy and enthusiasm to do anything better.
My go-to site for spiritual refreshment is lds.org – especially the video segments.
Bruce makes a good point. The only blogs that I find to have much value are those written by people who are (or soon will be) authors of substantial books and/or longer articles. The blog is like a notebook or journal which contributes to an already coherent and well developed body of thought.
Blogs I read regularly, or I think are thoughtful:
1. Blog and Mablog by Douglas Wilson
2. Vox Popoli by Vox Day
3. Contra Celsum by John Tertullian
4. JC_Freak
5. Thrica by Cameron Harwick
Though what I read may change over time.
I also enjoy (but think it has less depth than the above) Parchment and Pen.
Acton Institute has some good stuff.
I read some commentators or daily posts from websites (eg. Creation Ministries International) but would not really consider them blogs.
Most of the ones I find worth following have already been mentioned here. I find I don’t follow near as many bloggers as I used to as year after year they just rehashed the same topics with slight variation. Some guys are always learning something new though. I’ll add two more to the stack:
1. Mockingbird (mbird.com) is frequently fantastic. It’s also easy to skim the headlines and read just the posts that are the most interesting. The weekly pop-culture round-ups on Friday (with a heavy dose of Lutheranized Anglican Robert gospel commentary) is not to be missed.
2. The Cedar Room (www.thecedarroom.org/) is the blog of Josh Gibbs. His posts (often on aesthetics or Christian formation) are infrequent but *dayam* – some of them are good – stuff that sticks in my mind for days afterward. Unfortunately, it looks like his domain name just expired and the site is currently unreachable. Crud. Hopefully it’s back in a few days.
Once upon a time, I blogged every day and had a long list of blogs I followed quite devotedly. Life has changed a lot and I just can’t do that anymore. Now I only blog once every month or two, and don’t even maintain a “blogroll.” I still look occasionally at blogs by Leithart, Horne, Wilson, and of course, you … but honestly, I read more web dev/design stuff than theology for the present.
Pingback: Links 4 – 3/9/13 | Alastair's Adversaria