The quiet arrival of the Kingdom
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The quiet arrival of the Kingdom

I didn’t grow up with itinerant preachers or tent revivals. I don’t belong to a charismatic tradition which regularly seeks outward manifestations of the work of the Spirit of God. So I am a bit mystified and, if I’m honest, cynical about the strange attraction of Christians with the revival at Asbury University in Kentucky…

The heavenly man at an Edmonton church 
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The heavenly man at an Edmonton church 

He starts by teaching us “Jesus loves you” in Chinese, pointing to the sky for “Yesu,” his eye for “ai” or love, and his knee for “ni” or you.  Brother Yun is known as the Heavenly Man. I heard him speak recently at The Summit West church in Edmonton, Alberta. Yun is one of the…

From a miracle in Syria to a revival in Asbury
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From a miracle in Syria to a revival in Asbury

The ground is sturdy, until it’s not. Until it’s pulled out beneath you like a rug. The aftershocks of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in southeastern Turkey have hit the globe, but most especially those in the city of Gazientap. Over 50,000 deaths in Turkey and Syria have been confirmed so far, while others continue to…

The Fires of God’s Love
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The Fires of God’s Love

I get the text message in Brussels, while lying on the floor of the airport, my backpack serving as my pillow. I’m on my way to West Africa; soon I’ll board the last leg of my journey into Freetown, Sierra Leone. Aiden, my oldest son, has messaged me. It’s two in the morning back home…

Grasping the rope of grace
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Grasping the rope of grace

This column will conclude my brief foray into an examination of the Five Points of Calvinism as articulated in the Canons of Dordt, one of the Three Forms of Unity of Reformed churches, including the Christian Reformed Church of North America (CRCNA). The fourth point of the Calvinist TULIP is Irresistible Grace. The irresistibleness of…

Snip the TULIP
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Snip the TULIP

Rather than “Tiptoeing through the TULIP(s),” I prefer to snip the TULIP. The acronym TULIP is an oversimplification and distortion of the nuanced teaching of the Canons of Dort. Despite the impression of a venerable Dutch heritage, the acronym TULIP makes no sense in the Dutch language, which spells the famous flower as tulp. TULIP…

Paying Attention
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Paying Attention

It is sunburn weather today. A bare-feet, more-popsicles, sit-beside-the-fan kind of day. On summer days like this, we move more slowly and drink more water, paying attention to the demands of the body. Take care, self-care and air conditioning. When Angela Reitsma Bick mentioned that the theme for this August issue was The Body, the…

The choices of God
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The choices of God

The second and third of the Five Points of Calvinism (known by the acronym of TULIP) have to do with the time God decided or knew (past tense) about what would happen (future tense). As I said in my previous column, these doctrines violate the fact that God does not exist in time, which in…

Sir John & King Jeroboam in an Age of Decolonization
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Sir John & King Jeroboam in an Age of Decolonization

The Pope is coming to Canada next week, with stops planned for Edmonton, Quebec and Iqaluit. He will visit Indigenous, Inuit and Métis communities to speak with and listen to elders, church leaders and survivors of residential schools. This comes on the heels of the Pope’s meeting with Indigenous and Métis leaders in the Vatican,…

A doctrine of time
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A doctrine of time

As mentioned in my previous column, the Canons of Dort (1619) were formulated as an orthodox Calvinist response to purported errors in theology taught by Jacob Arminius (1560 – 1609). Although the theological differences between Arminians and Calvinists were (and are) complicated, they fundamentally hinge on different claims about the sovereignty of God. Calvinists claim…

Affirming or Confessional: Aren’t there other options?
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Affirming or Confessional: Aren’t there other options?

As pundits and pew quarterbacks are struggling to find descriptions for what transpired at the Christian Reformed Church’s Synod 2022, I’m at a bit of a loss. Most descriptions are two-sided, fitting our bifurcated partisan day and age. When it comes to human sexuality, almost everyone seems to be either affirming or confessional. But I…

Creation as Cathedral?
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Creation as Cathedral?

As we emerge from the two years of global pandemic, many congregations are trying to figure out how to connect with people in their neighbourhoods again, as well as encourage church members to return in person for worship and programs. This is especially challenging in parts of the country such as Vancouver, where pre-pandemic church…