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…
What follows is taken from an interview I had with James Eglinton, a senior lecturer at the University of Edinburgh and author of a new biography about Herman Bavinck. Derek: Who was Bavinck and why the renewed interest in him? James: Herman Bavinck (1854-1921) was a Dutch Reformed theologian. In the century since his death,…
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…
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…
“Alexa, tell me a story.” Today we can ask our “voice assistants” almost any question and hear a reply. Alexa can tell jokes and bedtime stories and even play games. Artificial intelligence (AI) applied to areas like this appears almost magical. As a computer scientist I delight in the possibilities of AI but I don’t…
I studied engineering at a large, respected provincial university, an education made up almost entirely of specialized engineering courses. At the time I was told I was getting the best education available, but I have since realized that something was missing. In contrast to many large public universities, a Christian liberal arts education includes a…
Just over a year ago, I was traveling in a large, air-conditioned, four-wheel-drive vehicle over rough roads in rural Zambia. I was sitting securely in the passenger seat, comfortably watching the scenery and villages pass by, when suddenly the steering rod failed. The vehicle veered into a field next to the road and abruptly ground…
We have lived as Canadian expats in the U.S. for nearly four years now. Shortly after arriving, we realized that bringing up politics in conversation was insensitive to the pain many of our American friends were experiencing. We needed the advice of Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady: stick to subjects like the weather and…
What does technology have to do with the opening chapters of Genesis? At first glance, the creation story seems to speak only of the natural world – skies and seas, fish and birds, stars and planets. However, the first chapters of Genesis provide a crucial frame for understanding the context for all our human cultural…
A recent Netflix documentary titled The Social Dilemma interviews several engineers who initially helped build social media platforms, but who are now sounding the alarm on their creations. The film features prominent designers from Google, Facebook and Twitter, including the engineer who created the pervasive “like” button and the inventor of the “infinite scroll.” The…
The student who sat in front of me was having difficulty looking me in the eyes as he shuffled his hands. He gradually began to speak. He was a second year engineering student having second thoughts about his chosen field of study. He knew he liked being creative, but he was becoming increasingly convinced that…
As I write this column, Calvin University is in the first week of classes. After rapidly pivoting to online instruction with the outbreak of COVID-19 last spring, the university worked on a plan for returning to in-person classes for the fall of 2020. These efforts stem from the fact that a Christian, undergraduate, liberal arts…
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