I love the first day of school. It is a hopeful day. From Lydia’s early school years, I’ve been struck by the sense of unadulterated excitement and energy that rises from the schoolyard as friends see each other after long weeks away. A new community is being created. Some children and teachers are missed –…
Only a minority of high schoolers enjoy solving complex math problems. I was not one of them. Usually, the best I could do was tinker with different variables and plug them into formulas on a trial and error basis in the hope of reaching a solution. Over time I became competent enough to use quadratic…
Lauren Heuser is the owner, publisher and editor of Canadian Affairs, an online news platform she founded with her husband, Chetan Raina. On July 1, Canadian Affairs marked its third anniversary. “We are starting to get a little more settled and stable and recognized as a brand in Canada,” said Heuser. Christian Courier interviewed Heuser…
Just before King’s Day in the Netherlands, and not long after the most recent No Kings protests in the U.S., I became a Canadian. So now I am a citizen of two countries and owe true allegiance, whatever that means, to two different kings. The citizenship ceremony took place in Scarborough, east Toronto. This is…
One of the turning points in British and Dutch history is the “Glorious Revolution” of 1688. It decisively influenced the development of Britain’s famously patchwork constitution, which remains until today. For the Dutch, it meant the forging of a military alliance with England against France, two Protestant commercial and naval powers united against Catholic absolutism….
The six years Brenda and I lived in Lansing, Michigan, were bookended by two training courses. Each, in their own way, helped me find a footing in that strange country. And now, as the world is full of confusion, I find the lessons I learned then more valuable than ever. The first course was in…
In Search of a New Horizon is the (translated) title of a fairly large paperback on my bookshelf: Op zoek naar een nieuwe horizon. The pastel green cover and the modernist font used for the title speak to the publication date, 1989; the two hands drawn beneath almost touch. The author, Dr. Wybe Zijlstra, was…
As of January 28, the new Archbishop of Canterbury is the Reverend Sarah Mullally. She is the first woman to lead the Church of England and the global Anglican Communion, as is her charge. Anglicanism has often served as an ecumenical bridge between Catholicism and the Reformed tradition, as it has for my wife, Brenda,…
Iranians living in Canada, either permanently or as migrants, have been deeply affected by the events taking place in Iran. Protests in downtown Toronto have drawn huge crowds, striving to give a voice to Iranians who have lived under severe internet restrictions since January 8. These protests clamour for world leaders to bring about regime…
Last summer, I wrote about the Netherlands and how the Israeli campaign in Gaza and the West Bank affected Dutch democracy. The controversy surrounding Bill C-9 now compels me, reluctantly, to make the same argument about Canada. I notice in both countries a pattern of interrelated events by which Jews are put at risk and…
It is a good habit, even a spiritual discipline of sorts, to make careful provisions for the end of one’s life. Especially people with dependents should have a will and other documents in place in case they pass away unexpectedly. For me, the cold winter months seem like a good time to do some updating…
In November 2024 I was involved in a public event at Toronto’s Church of the Redeemer, a historic Anglican church with beautiful stained glass and some monuments related to the First World War. Our event was called “Voices for Peace.” The organizing team represented five different organizations and networks: the Henri Nouwen Society, the International…
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