Theology

I was recently invited to join an online prayer group of ministers and elders and was asked to offer a prayer of comfort during our time together in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of course I said yes--my Midwest U.S. upbringing would not allow me to decline such an offer--but my heart started racing and my mouth became dry even as I was accepting this invitation.

This world is not perfect. 

It is not peace-full. It is not unbroken. It is not wholly good.

This world witnesses hardship, oppression, death, injustice; and it walks on. Relentless. Unapologetic.

It is a remarkable challenge to simply live here; to get by. And that’s on a normal day; let alone during a global pandemic with little clarity around where we are headed.

This is Holy Week, and today is called Maundy Thursday. The name is derived from mandatum, the Latin word from which we get our word ‘mandate’, or command – and commemorates Jesus' new command in John 13:34 – a new command I give you, that you love each other.

Over the past two weeks rhetoric has heated up with regards to race.  I heard one woman question whether COVID-19 was passed through Chinese food.  I’ve heard from Chinese friends that they’ve been targeted with derogatory remarks (and in other cases physical attacks).  Most disturbing, I’ve heard that the Christian community is not immune to spreading these sentiments.  As we discuss this let’s start with the basic fact that there is

As employees of the CRC we’re working from home as much as possible to do our part in preventing the spread of COVID-19.  So we’re sharing some of our favourite podcasts with each other and with you! Here’s our wide ranging list of fantastic content.  We hope that whether these podcasts are biblical or scientific you’ll enjoy some of our (personal) favourites.  

Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John—  although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.  Now he had to go through Samaria.  So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.  Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well.

My friend Bush is a kind man with intense focus, only broken by the odd joke and corresponding side laugh. He is Indigenous, a survivor of residential schools, and has a history of homelessness. I first met Bush and his partner at a permanent supportive housing apartment where I was working night-shift. His intense focus made interactions awkward at times, only because I was an awkward young punk to begin with. He later joined a bible study I was hosting. This gave us lots to talk about as he was serious about his faith in God. 

I recently attended a lecture at Redeemer University College, Albert Mohler discussed ‘Living Conviction in an Age of Unbelief.’ And he gave us his airplane questions. You know, the questions that Christians like to ask their seatmates when conversations turn deep. I would think there’s no way of avoiding these questions when you’re the president of a seminary. Mohler’s questions are, “What are you living for?” and “How is it working for you?” The questions seem particularly relevant as I sit in an airport waiting for a delayed flight. 

Many years ago, the Rev. M.P. Bill Blaikie  explained to Church leaders that it’s important for people of faith to show up in legislatures as often as the Canadian Fire Fighters Association does - every year, like clockwork! , Blaikie’s point was and remains straightforward: relationships and regular presence create opportunities to bring constructive ideas to our leaders that become our faithful contribution to the journey of justice.  Relationships and presence are core to what I call a theology of advocacy.

What happened?

On January 2, the United States killed a well-known military commander of Iran’s Quds Force, Major General Qasem Soleimani, who was designated by the U.S. as a terrorist. This event has significantly increased tensions between the U.S. and Iran.