But what about unity?
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But what about unity?

Sponsored Content: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the editorial perspective of Christian Courier. Perhaps the biggest concern I hear about Synod 2022 is how decisions on sexual ethics will affect unity in the Christian Reformed Church (CRC). “Personally, Lora, I agree with…

Family Links
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Family Links

My mother came to visit recently and brought a gift that surprised me. It was a gold chain, one of the pieces of jewellery she has worn most often. She gave it to me as I was helping her unpack, and at first, I wasn’t sure if she meant it. The chain sits secure in…

Our human insignificance and the One who makes us matter
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Our human insignificance and the One who makes us matter

“As long as we are not quite sure we are unworthy, God will keep narrowing us in until he gets us alone.” Oswald Chambers There’s a kind of loneliness that almost befriends you. A kind that wraps around me, scarf-like, as I ski across the fields. The snow is much like I imagine manna would…

The office of citizen
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The office of citizen

When I was growing up in suburban Chicago, my siblings and I attended a public elementary school. The school day opened with a series of rituals intended to instill in us a sense of solidarity with our political community. Before beginning our lessons, we would stand with our hand over our hearts and recite the…

Little wins and a lot of rejoicing
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Little wins and a lot of rejoicing

It was a slippery patch of white, that driveway, and soon I found my all-season tires stuck in snow. I was late already for the girls’ tap lessons, all three of them strapped into the backseat, and now this. Now I would need to admit to my in-laws that I couldn’t back up straight out…

The problem with powerful men
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The problem with powerful men

A few years ago, I was on Council as an elder at our church. This was before the pandemic; our congregation at the time was fairly large, around 700 professing members. I am not a numbers person but I would get a copy of the budget, like everyone else. We would vote on a few…

Safe Space is more than a Slogan
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Safe Space is more than a Slogan

Safe space has become a buzzword. It is unfortunate that this important concept has become a slogan with so many different meanings that it is often meaningless. Like the cheapened cries for freedom, calls for safe space raise questions such as: safe for whom? Safe for what? What do you mean by safety? Labelling a…

When science seems like Magic
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When science seems like Magic

In December 1903 (only an incredible 120 years ago) the Wright brothers had their first powered flight, traveling 37 metres. By the fourth flight they reached 260 metres and lasted just under a minute in the air. Today a Boeing 787-8 is fifty-seven metres long and can reliably fly for more than 13,500 kilometers carrying…

Remembering a Prophet
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Remembering a Prophet

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Neil Postman’s death at age 72. Postman spent most of his career at New York University as a Professor of Media Ecology and wrote more than 20 books, mostly about the effects of the electronic media on our lives. Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age…

Chatting with ChatGPT
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Chatting with ChatGPT

Nearly 20 years ago, when I was completing a PhD in computer vision, I was drawn to an AI technique called “machine learning” for recognizing different images. I recall being astounded at the profound elegance of “training” a computer with example images and then observing how well it could identify new images. My early experiences…

Remembering Syria

Remembering Syria

Over the past two days there has been unfolding news of devastation in Syria and Turkey. Early in the morning of February 6, while most were at home sleeping, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the region – followed by a major aftershock 12 hours later. I write these words on the evening of February 7 and there…

Ramp Up
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Ramp Up

Our oldest lives downtown Toronto, and on my visits, we’ve enjoyed walks in High Park, exploring the side streets, and finding good coffee. In one small shop on Bloor St. in Toronto, I found a game that includes nine cubes that look like dice. Instead of dots for numbers, each side of each cube has…