Reflection for December 4

Alain de Botton, a British-based philosopher and author of The News: A User’s Manual, believes that in contemporary culture news has largely replace religion as “our central source of guidance and our touchstone of authority.” The news—not scripture, tradition, or inspired ritual—informs how we handle suffering and make moral choices (Peter W. Marty, “Consumed by the news,” Christian Century, November 23, 2016).