Where's the Good Stuff this week?

Friday 6/12/26 roundup of what I've discovered on Substack

Jun 12, 2026

‘Good Stuff’ = articles I’ve read this week that inspired, educated, entertained, or moved me.

Which for a Free Range Priest, means reading more amazing, inspiring things about God, the church, the universe, and running.

Here’s this week’s roundup:

God stuff

‘Why Are We All So Immature?’ by Griffin Gooch. ‘The best models usually aren’t putting themselves in the spotlight; they’re usually off to the side, beating their chest saying “Have mercy on me, a sinner.” We need saints, not celebrities; we need models who care more about theosis, union with Christ, than building platform.’
‘What’s the Hurry?’ by Jake Owensby. ‘Religion has become the manual typewriter of the spiritual life for many people. It’s not bad. And some still want to use it for nostalgia’s sake or to suit their own purposes. But generally speaking, religion has become one among many options, not an existential necessity.’

Church stuff

‘You Arrive as a Person. You Become a Case’ by Whayne Hougland, Jr. ‘the machinery of institutional response is not oriented toward them. It is oriented toward the organization. The person who fell is the occasion for the process, not the purpose of it.’
‘How ‘Inclusive’ Church Excludes’ by Jason Swan Clark. ‘Inclusion is not a destination but a direction. It tells us that a door is open, but it says nothing about what lies beyond.’

Other stuff

‘When will Modern English end?’ by Colin Gorrie. ‘There’s a quotation attributed to Chinese statesman Zhou Enlai, who, when asked by Henry Kissinger about the impact of the French Revolution — which had occurred almost two centuries prior to this conversation — is reported to have said, “It is too soon to tell.”’
‘For the Love of Dogs’ by Diane Roth. ‘I think of Alvin, the irascible dog, and how, in his last moments, he leaned into his owner with trust. I don’t know what it means, exactly, but it seems like grace to me. It seems like love. Alvin loved his family, in whatever way he could. And his family loved him.’