Gary Neal Hansen

Theology. It's good for you.

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Best of 2014

January 26, 2015 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

Epic Fireworks, by Dave Carter, cc license
Epic Fireworks, by Dave Carter, cc license

Recently while I’ve barely posted at all, a bunch of new people have subscribed to my blog. Thank you!

Partly to give new readers a window into what I’ve been doing here, and partly as a way to think about my own blogging, here are my ten most-read posts of 2014.

They fall into four categories:

Answers to timeLY questions

As I see it, the posts that got viewed the most scratched the itch of a particular moment. That makes sense: If a post is on a topic that is already on people’s minds, they are more likely to open it and even more likely to share it.

My most popular post ever fits this category: Just a little exploration of the term “Maundy Thursday” that I sent out during Holy Week. This is the closest I’ve come to a viral post.

rice planting, by CIAT, cc license
rice planting, by CIAT, cc license

1. Vocabulary Lesson: “Maundy Thursday”

(I didn’t count my second most viewed post of 2014 “Yes Children, There Is a Santa Claus. Really.”, because it was actually a 2013 post. I linked it to Facebook in December of 2014 and it got over a hundred shares again.

Answers to timeLESS questions

Two posts in my ongoing reflections on the Heidelberg Catechism addressed questions that were not connected to a particular moment but dealt with things people really do wonder about.

Early printed parchment leaf, probably from a missal, by POP, cc license
Early printed parchment leaf, probably from a missal, by POP, cc license

2. Okay, Why “Trespasses,” “Debts,” and “Sins”? (Heidelberg Catechism Q119)

 

© Jorge Royan : http:::www.royan.com.ar : CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
© Jorge Royan : http:::www.royan.com.ar : CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 

 

 

3. How Can We Make Sense of God’s Wrath? A Parable

I see all my Heidelberg posts as being of this kind, and I suspect that what I need to do to get the point across is provide better titles to grab more interest.

Historical Role Models

Half of my top-viewed posts capitalized on my explorations of Church history. I really enjoy writing on the saints. Sometimes this is a chance to introduce my Protestant readers to some of their ancestors in the faith. Sometimes it is a chance to provide a conterintuitive view on what is needed to follow Christ today.

I suspect that there is a bit more whimsy or a bit more snark than usual in these, and that helps too.

St Brigid's Cross. Re-decoration. Phase 6a. Amanda Slater, used under cc license
St Brigid’s Cross. Re-decoration. Phase 6a. Amanda Slater, used under cc license

4. Three Cheers for St. Brigit of Kildare!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ephraim the Syrian Ephrem, by Ted on Flikr under CC license
Ephraim the Syrian Ephrem, by Ted on Flickr under CC license

5. Want to Improve Your Praise Band? Consider St. Ephrem of Syria

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St Patrick, Kilbennan St. Benin's Church Window, wikimedia commons, used under cc license
St Patrick, Kilbennan St. Benin’s Church Window, wikimedia commons, used under cc license6.

6. St Patrick of Ireland: Role Model for Real Christians

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St. Thomas Aquinas' Triumph over Averroes, Benozzo Gozzoli, public domain via Wikimedia Commons7. The Lesson Every Christian Needs to Learn from St. Thomas Aquinas

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gregory of Nyssa, public domain via Wikimedia Commons8. A Better Way to Think About Heaven, via St. Gregory of Nyssa

Other.

The last two are in categories of their own. A lot of my readers and Facebook followers are connected with the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, leading to interest in the charge to graduates which I posted.

If anyone knows exactly why #2 of my four-week Advent journey through Isaiah became so popular do let me know.

9. Be a Real Christian: Charge to the Graduating Class, 2014

10. Advent 2–Reading Isaiah

I would love to hear from you, here or by email, about what you would like to see on my blog in the year ahead!

Thanks for reading, and thanks for sharing.

Gary

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Filed Under: Church Year, Saints, Theology, Vocabulary Tagged With: best of 2014, Most viewed posts

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