Collectively as Canadians we have felt the sting of betrayal from our closest neighbour. What was for decades a cooperative and mutually beneficial partnership is now fraught with fear and distrust. Discussions have erupted on social media as to the meaning of Jesus’ command to love our neighbour. Jesus is all-inclusive in his definition of…
Growing up, I was told to do devotions but seldom told how to do them. Other than the Lord’s Prayer, most prayers in my tradition are spontaneous. The structure might be ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication) and they almost always end with, “in Jesus’ name. Amen.” The petitions are freeform. I think a place…
I heard in seminary that Calvin once said “Don’t assume the Holy Spirit’s presence unless you sigh, cry, and die for that to become a reality.” AI tells me the quote comes from Samuel Chadwick (1860-1932), a preacher of English Methodism. So I can’t be sure. I frequently encounter the opposite assumption: Christian communities who…
Muckraking is a game. There are operatives, opponents and reporters everywhere looking for dirt, and there is much to be found. I watched the show “Scandal” for entertainment, and scandal is a common story theme. “Oh, what tangled webs we weave, when first we practice to deceive” (as Sir Walter Scott said, not Shakespeare). Far…
“. . . the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” (Acts 11:26) The word “Christian” is used only three times in the Bible: when King Agrippa used it ironically to mock St. Paul’s testimony by sneering, “Soon you will persuade me to play the Christian” (Acts 26: 28); when the Apostle Peter urges his…
We’re in our corner in Grace Manor dining hall – the Young People from the past. We’re a bit worried about our friend Jan Piersma, the one with “Old-timers” disease. He came to our table this morning and his whole face had sunken in. He sat down beside Douwe, the horse breeder – Frisian horses,…
The release of this book, by the father-and-son biblical scholar duo of Richard and Christopher Hays, was highly anticipated by many affirming folks in the church. For Richard Hays to write this book is especially significant. His 1996 book The Moral Vision of the New Testament has been a touchstone for many in the discussions…
The Westminster Catechism opens with “What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” Is it? In church a few weeks ago, we sang the Chris Tomlin song “Better is One Day,” with the refrain “better is one day in your house than thousands elsewhere.”…
Last April, I spent about an hour trying to get a piece of machinery disconnected from my tractor. When I finally figured things out, I realized that – while I have words as my “trade” in a certain way – visual learning and mechanics are not my trade. I’m sure that my friends Bill, John,…
I saw it again; a pastor said God told him his congregation would give him millions of dollars. I heard that a presidential candidate was saved by God’s hand from the assassin’s bullet, with no mention of the retired firefighter killed by the bullet. Was that by God’s hand? I remember an older colleague telling…
Even if you didn’t watch the opening ceremonies of the Summer 2024 Olympics, you’ll have heard about (and probably have an opinion about) the brief tableau where a series of women and drag queens appear to recreate Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper.” In this tableau a woman sits in the place where Christ is depicted…
In the 1960s and 70s, Calvin Theological Seminary counted among future Christian Reformed Church pastors not a few who ranked anti-Vietnam War demonstrations higher than class attendance. We wanted to “change the world.” I remember how Professor Henry Stob did not oppose social justice, but often sternly criticized public protests that could turn people into…
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