Redeemer at 40

Redeemer at 40

Last month marked the 40th anniversary of Redeemer University. I can still recall the original campus of Redeemer College on Beach Boulevard and high school visits to the townhouses that served as the first dorms. Sometime later, I recall a brief encounter with Rev. DeBolster who, in his thick Dutch accent, advocated for me to…

Social media during Synod? Pray rather than post
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Social media during Synod? Pray rather than post

A recent article in The Atlantic was titled “Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid.” In this article, author Jonathan Haidt uses the tower of Babel story as a metaphor for how social media has shaped the current context such that people are “disoriented, unable to speak the same language…

Exploring the Metaverse

Exploring the Metaverse

Imagine being able to teleport anywhere, change your appearance, ride a dragon or build your own fantasy home. Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook (now named “Meta”), recently announced the creation of “the metaverse,” an immersive virtual world in which you can do all these things. Zuckerberg’s vision is not new. Immersive online video games like…

Hans’ story
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Hans’ story

They say that when you get married you not only join a spouse but a whole family. When I got married to my wife Carina, I gained several new siblings, including a new brother-in-law named Hans. Hans was only 12 years old when Carina and I were married. He was a healthy boy, growing up…

COVID border crossing

COVID border crossing

Trying to decode pages of government protocols. Pacing a suburban backyard like a caged animal. Being nervous driving with Michigan license plates in Ontario. Crossing a nearly deserted Bluewater bridge. Emerging joyfully from a basement apartment after enduring a 14-day quarantine. These are some of my experiences as an expat trying to conscientiously navigate the…

Technology and the Church
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Technology and the Church

People appreciate contributions by Reformed thinkers on issues in contemporary culture, including technology. However, at a recent talk, I also heard a critique: the church does not figure very prominently in many of these Reformed writings. Digital technology is fraught with ethical, social and privacy issues, but what is the role of the church in…