Faith | Books | Culture
Canada is shutting down right now. My province Ontario may soon shut down everything except grocers, pharmacies, and essential services. Alberta tonight mandated a similar shut down.
Part of the worry is that we will not flatten the curve fast enough to allow our health care system to serve people. Here is what I mean.
The Coronavirus has been declared a pandemic because it has spread across many countries. While serious, medical professionals recognize that the percentage that die from the virus is likely lower than reported because un-reported cases (often the virus is mild).
And some countries that have contained the virus have already greatly reduced the spread of the virus (e.g., South Korea, China). For this reason, we can have a measure of hope that, although serious, the virus will primarily have an economic effect on countries. Sadly, it will also affect those with compromised immune systems and the elderly.
With measured hope mixed with caution, I want to share seven personal responses to coronavirus that may help you to think through similar appropriate responses: [Read more…] about 7 Personal Responses to the Coronavirus
At the end of his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul exhorts the church to, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (1 Cor 16:13). In particular, the phrase “act like men” has led many to assert that the apostle makes a positive case for acting in a masculine manner.
This misconstrues the phrase’s meaning. The phrase “act like men” translates a single Greek word (ἀνδρίζομαι) which means to act in a courageous and virtuous manner. To understand the meaning of the verb translated above as “act like men,” we can refer to its dictionary definition, its use in contemporary sources, and its contextual meaning in 1 Corinthians. [Read more…] about What Does Paul Mean When He Says, “Act Like Men”?
Reading a lot of books does not mean reading bad books. Someone can read broadly and selectively. To do so takes some research and discernment, and it also takes a sort of predetermination to read certain categories of books.
To that end, consider these four categories of books that you should read. The list is not comprehensive, but I hope it provides a good start for creating a personal criteria for books to read. [Read more…] about Four categories of books that you should read
When Jesus confronted Pilate, he said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 19:36). Reader’s of the Gospel of John would know what Jesus meant because John tells us that Satan rules this world’s kingdom. Jesus calls him “the ruler of this world” (John 14:30; 16:11; John 12:31–33). And the devil’s kingdom is characterized by deceit since its ruler has been a liar from the very beginning (John 8:44).
Christ’s kingdom, however, bears witness to the truth (John 19:37). In this sense, telling the truth or rather telling of the Truth (John 14:6) characterizes the kingdom of Christ. One kingdom is full of lies; the other is Truth itself.
One kingdom, represented by Pilate, uses military power and political machinations. The other confronts this world that is full of lies and exploitation. Knowing the power and nature of these two kingdoms provides us with a political theology that can guide how we view and participate in politics. [Read more…] about How Should Christians Think about Politics?
Every January, many commit to reading through the Bible in one year. Incidentally, this commonplace is one reason why I love evangelicalism. We are Bible people. And as Bible people, we should pursue reading Scripture well by avoiding common mistakes that we sometimes make.
Here then are three mistakes that we sometimes make when we read the Bible. [Read more…] about 3 Common Mistakes We Make When Reading the Bible
