This spring I was scheduled to deliver a series of lectures as part of the Xplore program at Canadian Mennonite University entitled, “Theological Resistance in Troubled Times: The Compelling Witness of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.” Unfortunately, COVID had other ideas. I was only able to give two of the planned six lectures. Because I was teaching an intensive course on Bonhoeffer at Providence Theological Seminary the week that Xplore was scheduled to start, I had to record my first lecture: “Claimed by Costly Grace: The Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.” You can watch that recording below: Continue reading Claimed by Costly Grace (Video Resource)
“God’s Unpredictable Plans”
The following is a response I was invited to recently give to chapter 1 of Matt Brough’s forthcoming book Let God Send: Crossing Boundaries and Serving in Christ’s Name. Matt is the Minister of Word and Sacraments at Prairie Presbyterian Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He also serves as the Program Coordinator for the New Worshiping Communities Initiative of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Continue reading “God’s Unpredictable Plans”
Eerdmans Kindle Sale
Publisher W.B. Eerdmans is currently offering the Kindle version of many of their bestsellers for between $2 and $4. If you don’t mind reading a book on a screen, it could be a great time to build up your library and add some titles to your COVID reading list. Here are some of the titles on sale that I would recommend (in no particular order): Continue reading Eerdmans Kindle Sale
The Resurrection and the Groaning of Creation (Video Link)
My colleague Joshua Coutts, Assistant Professor of New Testament at Providence Theological Seminary, was invited to record an Easter message for the congregation of Fourth Avenue Bible Church in Niverville, Manitoba. His meditation based on Romans 8:18-25 proclaims the reality of the resurrection amid our current global struggle with COVID-19. You can view it here.
Reading Barth Together
What the church will look like after the COVID pandemic has run its course is hard to say. Will modern society’s confrontation with its own mortality lead to genuine pursuit of deeper truth or will it lead to a doubling down on the human project of getting out of life alive? Will social distancing cultivate a hunger for more meaningful forms of community and authentic relationships or will the move that many congregations have made to online platforms further reinforce our worst consumerist proclivities? It is perhaps too early to tell. Continue reading Reading Barth Together
An Easter Sunday Sermon (Audio Resource)
Last Easter Sunday I had the privilege of celebrating the resurrection with the Church of Pentecost in Winnipeg. Overseer Gabriel Addo-Asante has shared with me a recording of my sermon. In some ways, we find ourselves, just a year later, in a much different space. In other ways, though, it is the same world: God’s good creation marred by Sin, held in captivity to Death, redeemed in Christ’s cross, awaiting the final revelation of the children of God.