Co-creating an EP with God and community
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Co-creating an EP with God and community

What does community look like for creatives in the church? We asked Ruth Chan, a Toronto singer-songwriter musician and artist. Chan’s artist name is “Heather is Growing,” and she is releasing her first EP, Heather is Growing on April 28th. Christian Courier talked to Chan about her songwriting journey ahead of the EP release.  Chan:…

In the #ChurchToo trenches
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In the #ChurchToo trenches

“‘Monsters aren’t real, are they mommy?’ And time stood still as everything I hear [in court], every day, flashed in my mind . . .” Rachael Denhollander was the first woman to publicly accuse sports doctor Larry Nassar of sexual assault, part of the army of more than 200 Nassar abuse survivors whose testimonies led…

Eat, drink and be reconciled
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Eat, drink and be reconciled

Lisa Raven’s first reaction to hearing Pope Francis apologize on Indigenous land in Canada this summer was: “Wow. That was really powerful.” She did not expect to be moved to tears. Thirty-six years ago, Raven was a student at Saskatchewan’s Marieval Indian Residential School run by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. When she first heard…

Coren’s conversion
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Coren’s conversion

“My core beliefs haven’t changed,” Michael Coren says. But “I can’t imagine who I was spiritually eight years ago.” The landscape of personal faith can change over time. Scandal, abuse, disillusionment and burnout are just a few of the deconstruction triggers prompting Christians to re-examine what we believe and why. It’s a process that usually…

Sacred life in a digital age
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Sacred life in a digital age

What follows is a conversation I had with Felicia Wu Song, Professor of Sociology at Westmont College about her recent book, Restless Devices. DCS: What motivated you to write Restless Devices? FWS: Over the past few years, more and more of us have felt overwhelmed and exhausted by the digital demands in our lives. And…

‘What does it mean to be us?’
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‘What does it mean to be us?’

Christian Courier’s Editor spoke with Rev. Al Postma on May 20, two weeks after he began his new position as Transitional Executive Director of Canadian Ministries for the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) of North America. Previously, Postma served six years as Classis Renewal leader for the denomination and, from 2009-2016, as pastor of Bethlehem CRC…

‘On the flip side …’
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‘On the flip side …’

Editor’s note: This article is based on a group Zoom interview that took place on February 17th. Ian, Jake and Jocelyn each represent a different perspective on covid-19 vaccination. Ian’s father, 78, won’t get vaccinated, which greatly concerns Ian’s vaccinated brother. “That whole internal processing of complex, simultaneous and competing priorities is a challenge we’re…

The home(owner) advantage 
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The home(owner) advantage 

CC: How has the pandemic affected income inequality? Is that something Habitat is addressing?  Deans: The pandemic has certainly exacerbated income inequality and, combined with the continued rising cost of housing, put homeownership out of reach for even more families.  Qualifying for a traditional mortgage, saving enough for a down payment and the cost of a…

Who was Herman Bavinck?
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Who was Herman Bavinck?

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,…

The Climate Puzzle
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The Climate Puzzle

In Juneau, Alaska, the rivers are changing. At first, “nobody knew whether the glaciers in the neighbouring mountains were contributing more water into the rivers due to warmer temperatures, or less water into the rivers due to the glaciers already having retreated substantially in the past several decades,” glaciologist Joanna Young says. Through her work…

The Virus Ninja
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The Virus Ninja

Before the pandemic, Dr. Benjamin tenOever was used to blank stares after telling people he worked in virology. But now that virus research and vaccine technology are crucial in stopping the spread of COVID-19 – not to mention prevalent in our everyday vocabulary – that has changed dramatically. TenOever no longer has to explain his…

Onley’s insights
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Onley’s insights

He holds honorary degrees from 10 Canadian universities; he’s received both the Order of Ontario and the Order of Canada; he’s in the Terry Fox Hall of Fame, and the town where he was born named a park after him. Yet when he answered the phone for our interview, the Honourable David Onley sounded like…