Sidewalks in the Kingdom

Summer vacations are wonderful because we get away from normal life and spend some time outside the city. They are also difficult for the same reason. If your family is like mine, then you inevitably spend time in the suburbs where life is, in many ways, more convenient. Back yards, easy parking and more breathing room can make the burbs feel like the ideal place to raise a family.

If you are starting the fall wistfully remembering life in the burbs, then pick up a copy of Sidewalks in the Kingdom. Jacobsen is a Presbyterian minister and member of the Congress for New Urbanism. Now I'm not personally a huge fan of the examples of New Urbansim that I've seen (they seem way too contrived to me), but Jacobsen has constructed a biblical and theological argument for the significance of cities to the human community. From a biblical perspective, Christians have as much reason as anyone to invest themselves in the city and pay attention to the shape of the environments that in turn shape us.

If you are interested in reading this book, let me recommend that you check out the website, access the discussion questions, and read it with a friend.