New CC content on book recommendations, the science of incarnation, the value of vulnerability, and more.

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** So many gifts this season
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For better or worse, Christmas is a time of giving gifts (in fact, scroll down for our Century staff’s recommendations of books and other word-related presents). I was trying to think of some gifts that are both free and enriching, and—I know I’m extremely biased on this—something I thought of was this Editors’ Picks email, along with our other free weekly emails.

So, I wrote an email you can send to your friends and family, or anyone who might enjoy the free content we send out each week. The process should be pretty easy: (1) click here to open
(mailto:[email protected]?subject=Merry%20Christmas!%20Here%E2%80%99s%20a%20little%20something%20for%20you.&body=Hello%20and%20happy%20holidays!%0A%0AI%20just%20wanted%20to%20share%20a%20tiny%20little%20gift%20with%20you%E2%80%94free%20weekly%20email%20content%20from%20the%20Christian%20Century.%20I%20have%20found%20these%20articles%2C%20which%20offer%20thoughtful%20and%20progressive%20analysis%20of%20faith%20and%20culture%2C%20to%20be%20really%20life-giving.%20I%20hope%20they%20will%20encourage%20and%20enrich%20you%20over%20the%20holidays%20and%20into%20the%20new%20year.%0A%0AJust%20visit%20this%20page%20(christiancentury.org%2Fnewsletters)%20to%20sign%20up%20for%20whichever%20ones%20look%20good%20to%20you.%20%0A%0ANote%3A%20Some%20of%20these%20emails%E2%80%99%20articles%20will%20be%20behind%20a%20paywall%20after%20each%20month%E2%80%99s%20free%20preview.%20If%20you%20like%20this%20content%20and%20want%20unlimited%20access%2C%20you%20can%20use%20this%20special%20link%20(chr
istiancentury.org%2FsubscribeJM)%20for%20a%20massive%20discount%20and%20pay%20only%20%2410%20for%20a%20whole%20year%20of%20the%20print%20magazine%20plus%20the%20entire%20archive%20of%20online%20articles.%0A%0AI%E2%80%99d%20love%20to%20know%20what%20you%E2%80%99ve%20been%20reading%20lately%20too.%20Merry%20Christmas!) the pre-written email, (2) replace the fake email address in the recipient field with any and all people you’d like to email, (3) personalize the email however you’d like, then click Send! (Note that the email contains a link for a massive discount on a CC subscription; if you’re not a paid subscriber, feel free to use the link yourself as well.)

Scroll down for some exciting new seasonal content, such as the aforementioned CC staff picks for Christmas ([link removed]) , an exploration of the science of incarnation ([link removed]) , and a reflection on the value of vulnerability ([link removed]) . Our video of the week features heavy metal musician Jack Holloway, who discusses the ways music can bolster our apocalyptic imagination ([link removed]) . Plus even more below!
Jon Mathieu
Email me (mailto:[email protected]?subject=What%20Advent%20means%20to%20me%20this%20year&body=Jon%2C%20) : What gift are you excited to give this year?
Click to schedule ([link removed]) a Friday lunch chat with Jon
Click to find Jon ([link removed]) on (X/Twitter alternative) Bluesky
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** Microbes in the manger ([link removed])
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“When we pair incarnational theology with our growing understanding of the human microbiome and symbiogenesis, then we might easily say that microbes were the first members of the body of Christ. It is a truth that began at the nativity.”

by Ragan Sutterfield
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** The gift of words ([link removed])
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Still have some holiday shopping to do? Here are the books and other word-related gifts recommended by the Century staff.
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** VIDEO: Apocalyptic music, lament, and false hope ([link removed])
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Musician and writer Jack Holloway discusses the apocalyptic imagination of heavy metal music and its value in troubled times.
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** In the Lectionary for December 15 (Advent 3C) ([link removed])
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I am struck by just how different my baptism prep process is from John the Baptist’s.

by Nadia Stefko

Advent 3C archives ([link removed])
Get even more lectionary resources with Sunday’s Coming Premium, an email newsletter from the editors of the Christian Century. Learn more ([link removed]) .


** Sheer vulnerability ([link removed])
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“If we’re honest with ourselves, to be alive is to be vulnerable. It’s inextricably part of being human.”

by Peter W. Marty


** Keep swinging for the fences ([link removed])
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“If people want to leave the church, let them go. If they think they’ve found greener pastures, why keep them from them? They will have left the church for what the church should have been.”

by Jonathan Tran
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