An American virus infects Brazil
|

An American virus infects Brazil

No, this is not about COVID or some other physical malady. It’s about how excessive political polarization is negatively affecting two of the world’s largest democracies in a way that threatens to erode their political institutions. The United States has one of the oldest functioning constitutional documents in the world dating back to 1787, when…

New graphic novel tackles the horror and heroism of WWII
|

New graphic novel tackles the horror and heroism of WWII

In this fictional, historically-based graphic novel for juvenile readers, author R. J. Palacio fleshes out the background of characters she first introduced in her previous works, Wonder and Auggie & Me, especially that of Julian and his ancestors.  Julian is assigned a project to write an essay about someone he knows for his humanities class. He facetimes with…

In 2023, Lord, open the eyes of our hearts
|

In 2023, Lord, open the eyes of our hearts

The title character of the British comedy-drama Doc Martin is a successful vascular surgeon in London whose career is derailed because he develops hemophobia, an extreme irrational fear of blood. He is forced to take up a humbler vocation as a village General Practitioner in the fictional seaside Cornish village of Portwenn (Port Isaac).  Until…

Holy Laughter
|

Holy Laughter

The sky was blue and so was the mood in the drop-in center. Everyone kind of moped, here on Main Street, in this place where the homeless and vulnerable gather daily for cheap meals and free conversation.  I came in as I always do, Wednesdays at lunch, to sit at the long rectangular table and…

To the seventh generation
|

To the seventh generation

, ,

“If you make a decision, make it good for the seventh generation from now.”  That was the message Adrian Jacobs, a Six Nations Cayuga member, shared with his Ancaster, Ontario audience on November 10. Understanding that we are individually part of a larger story can meaningfully shape our worldview. As Christians, we belong to a…

Redeemer at 40

Redeemer at 40

Last month marked the 40th anniversary of Redeemer University. I can still recall the original campus of Redeemer College on Beach Boulevard and high school visits to the townhouses that served as the first dorms. Sometime later, I recall a brief encounter with Rev. DeBolster who, in his thick Dutch accent, advocated for me to…

Are Christian schools worth having in a secular culture?
|

Are Christian schools worth having in a secular culture?

Over the past century and especially during the last fifty years, much work has been done at both philosophical and curricular levels to justify and define the distinctive character of an education that takes place in reformed Christian schools. Most Christian day schools have vision and mission statements emphasizing their commitment to instill a Christian…