Articles (Page 4)
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Laurence Chaderton
Laurence Chaderton 1536-1640 Laurence Chaderton is a name that may not be known among many Christians, but his impact on Puritanism and Christianity would place him as a theological giant. History tells us that Chaderton was a “superb orator,” and could preach for hours with a captive audience. One time, while preaching a two-hour-long sermon he declared that he had tired the patience of the audience. The audience insisted that he continue preaching, and even one man in the congregation…
Israel, the Church, and the Promised Land
What should Christians do with passages of Scripture that speak about the everlasting covenant God made with Abraham and the nation of Israel? Psalm 105:8–11 says, “[The Lord our God] remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, ‘To you I will give the land of Canaan as…
Fixing Canadian Healthcare
The Canadian healthcare system is broken—or at least problematic in many respects. Problems include long wait times for urgent care, long delays for surgery or specialized care,[1] difficult access to certain kinds of care, an increased tax burden, a lack of innovation, and Canadian doctors working in other countries. We know that these are significant issues because in election season our political parties vow to improve and fix Canadian healthcare—yet it is growing worse rather than better. No matter what…
Making Our Cities Safe Again
If you live in a city in Canada—or anywhere in Canada for that matter—you’ll see news headlines about rising crime rates. In Calgary, there are plenty of news reports on increasing crimes, especially in public areas like bus stops or LRT stations. Homeless encampments are routine, bringing along criminal activity. The opioid epidemic continues to claim 100 lives every month in Alberta. Even with stricter gun laws in Canada, violent crimes persist. Public spaces are especially dangerous. During the period…
Superheroes & The Christian Family
I admit this is sort of an odd topic to read on. It is certainly not what you might find typically discussed in a theological newsletter. But, as a dad of two young boys, I have pondered the subject on more than a few occasions, and no doubt others have as well. This being, the influence of superheroes in a Christian family. Or, to put it in the form of a question, should Christians, and their children, be introduced to…
Christian Reflections on the “AI Spring”
We’re in a period of history called the AI Spring or AI Boom. Less than a decade ago money and effort went into developing artificial intelligence software—this trend continues today. With the increase in computing power and other technological advancements, we’re seeing the beginnings of an AI race with companies and countries seeking to capitalize on this new technology—its full potential remains unknown. Is AI a useful tool? Is this a nefarious plot by bad actors? Should Christians avoid it…
Climate Change and Energy Prices
“This is an Alberta Emergency Alert issued by the Alberta Emergency Management Agency. Extreme cold resulting in high power demand has placed the Alberta grid at a high risk of rotating power outages this evening.” The Government of Alberta, January 13, 2024 On January 13, 2024, at 6:44pm every phone in Alberta buzzed and chimed with an emergency alert. We had all experienced a warmer than usual winter, but we had recently descended into a cold snap not atypical of…
A Needed Conversation about Religious Persecution in Canada
“The lessons of July 1, 1535, are relevant to the project that the Fathers of Confederation began here on July 1, 1867. Representative democracy, our heritage of liberty and the rule of law—all this depends upon a correct understanding of the proper spheres of authority and the limited competencies of state authority. Saint Thomas More suffered martyrdom because he insisted that there was a limit to the King’s lawful authority, namely that he had to respect the freedom of the…
Does God Want Everyone to Be Saved?
It’s not uncommon for inquiring minds to ask: “Does God want everyone to be saved?” The answer might seem obvious to many but there are passages in Scripture that can challenge what we think about God and how he operates. The Challenge Proverbs 16:4 says, “The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.” Romans 9:17–18, “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I…
Pedophiles in the Church
I was asked recently to give counsel for a believer outside of our fellowship struggling to know how to relate to a person in their church formerly convicted of sexual crimes against children but now repentant. Sexual crimes have increased in our day of sexual perversion, and it is important that we know how to navigate such situations with grace, wisdom, and love. What follows is the substance of my response, slightly edited for public consumption. —— According to the…
Trinity Survey Results
I want to say thank you to everyone who filled out the survey. Roughly 1/3 of our congregation completed the survey. This has been helpful to me to pick an area of focus for a research project and sermon series that I’ll be preaching in March, 2024. We’ll be considering the person of the Son from John 1 and John 5 and how that helps us see the triune nature of our God. I wanted to share the survey results…
Emergencies Act Abuse
In a landmark decision, a federal court determined that the Canadian government’s use of the Emergencies Act (formerly known as the War Measures Act) was unconstitutional. The Act gives the federal government extraordinary power to handle national emergencies. The judge determined the use of the Act to end the trucker convoy was ultra vires (“beyond the powers”), or quite simply, illegal.[1] The truckers were protesting the government’s abuse of power, and now a federal judge has ruled that the government…