Change. None of us likes it. But change comes nonetheless, even though we often resist it. Institutions are especially resistant to change. Churches, for instance, can often be quite resistant to change. Particularly when much around us is changing so rapidly, we often want to cling to the familiar, to the comfortable, to that which …
Continue reading Churches, Change, and the New Wine of the Gospel
May we pray that brothers and sisters in Christ—and church leaders especially—would give grace to one another even in the midst of our differences as we face these challenging times. May we pray that our churches would become sanctuaries for the fearful, the lonely, the otherwise unaccepted, the spiritually undecided and curious, the hurting, and …
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own …
Continue reading Vaccine Mandates, Authoritarianism, and the Spiritual Malaise of the West
As various government authorities impose vaccine mandates on sections of our population and on different workforces, what are Christians to think? I personally know churches that require proof of vaccination to attend Sunday morning worship services and others that utterly refuse to do so. There are people who are not part of any faith community …
Continue reading Churches, Vaccine Mandates, and How to Frame Our Thinking
Are churches that refuse to abide by COVID guidelines making the right decision or the wrong decision? I don't know. Are government authorities who fence in a church building or issue large fines for such refusals exercising power illegitimately? Are they violating the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms by their actions? I don't know. …
grace notes 