People Turn to Religion
John Stackhouse says that “People turn to religion only if they have a good reason. The instrumental reasons are gone with the wind.”1 That is, people no longer believe that they must go to church to increase their social standing or to impress their business constituents. He points out that in one particular panel discussion…
Continue readingCanada and the Nordic Model
Canada’s Supreme Court has struck down most of the previous laws related to prostitution in Canada deeming them unconstitutional because they breach the Charter rights of vulnerable and marginalized people and their right to “security of the person.” The present laws will stay in effect for one year giving the Parliament of Canada time to…
Continue readingFilling Our Lives
As we approach the most commercialized, consumerist, season of the year, it is appropriate to pause and consider our values once again. Let’s take a quick look at some of the messages given to us by the dominant culture at this time of year: buying things will make you happy if you buy one thing…
Continue readingNo Man is an Island
“No man is an island,” wrote John Donne in 1624. His poem by the same name suggests that the things that each of us do affect others around us. We are all part of the community of humankind and what I do has an effect on the whole. I thought of this the other day…
Continue readingMan of Steel
I went to see Man of Steel yesterday and I found myself comparing it to The Dark Knight Rises. Both Superman and Batman are characters that originated in comic books so one would expect the stories to be equally over the top with comic book violence and destruction. Yet, somehow, The Dark Knight Rises comes…
Continue readingNouwen on Forgiving the Church
In a time when many would say they are Christians without attending any expression of the Body of Christ, these words of Henri Nouwen are very appropriate. When we have been wounded by the Church, our temptation is to reject it. But when we reject the Church it becomes very hard for us to keep…
Continue readingFruit and the Community of God
Last Sunday, I preached a sermon that presented my current understanding of John 15:18 through 16:4. This passage follows closely on Jesus’ words that he is the vine and we are the branches. The last part of John 15 points out that the vine does not exist to make a wonderful life for the branches.…
Continue readingVocation
I, like many people in January, find that there is much work to be done and I become quite busy. It is certainly a fitting time to consider what we are accomplishing as we work at our jobs, volunteer with non-profit organizations, and serve at our churches. In the midst of my busyness I will…
Continue readingOur Time
Once we begin to think about our place in time and geography, the mystery of where we happen to exist is great. Think of all of the other points in time we might have been born. I was born in the latter half of the 20th century; but, I could just as easily have been…
Continue readingCold Capitalism
It has once again become fashionable to quote Ayn Rand.1 United States presidential candidate Mitt Romney recently announced his running mate to be Paul Ryan. Paul Ryan is the United States Representative for Wisconsin’s 1st congressional district who has his staff read this quote: “I swear—by my life and my love of it—that I will…
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