This past year I’ve had the great privilege of working with Stanley Hauerwas on his forthcoming book Minding the Web: Making Theological Connections (Cascade Books). I served as something of a curator and editor of Hauerwas’s essays, addresses, and sermons, as well as contributing a couple of essays and sermons of my own to the volume. The essays, I believe, feature some of best writing, so I am delighted that they have found a home in such a rich volume alongside of Hauerwas’s enduringly relevant and provocative investigations and sermons. In addition to the gracious invitation to participate in the project, Stanley has generously granted me permission to share some of my favourite quotes from the book in the days leading up to its publication. Over the course of the next few weeks, I will draw attention to some of the turns-of-phrase, sentences and short passages that, for one reason or another, captured my imagination. Continue reading A New Series on “Minding the Web”
Upcoming Lecture: A Plea for Pointless Preaching
If you’re in the Winnipeg area on November 1, think about joining us at Providence Theological Seminary for my upcoming public lecture, “A Plea for Pointless Preaching.” My colleague Lissa Wray Beal, Professor of Old Testament, will be responding to the presentation. Here’s a little teaser for the lecture to whet your appetite: Continue reading Upcoming Lecture: A Plea for Pointless Preaching
Teaching Preaching in a Time of Cultural Change
The Canadian Society of Presbyterian History has released videos of the papers that were presented this past Saturday at the CSPH annual meeting at Knox College in Toronto. Here’s the video of my presentation of a paper entitled, “Teaching Preaching in a Time of Cultural Change: The Forgotten Story of John J.A. Proudfoot, Knox College.”
Book Review of Losing Susan
I have contributed a book review of Victor Lee Austin’s gripping theologically-informed reflection on loving and carrying for his dying spouse, Losing Susan: Brain Disease, the Priest’s Wife, and the God Who Gives and Takes Away, to the most recent edition of Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith. You can read the review here beginning on page 200. More importantly read the book!
Reading with the Fathers
For many years now I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to teach a course on the Church Fathers. In January, the day will finally arrive. I’ve recently finished drafting my syllabus for the course I’ll be offering in the winter term entitled: “Theologians of the Church: Reading with the Fathers.” The course will consist of a combination of lectures and seminars around primary readings from the Fathers. You can read the course description below. As there are many students who come from Mennonite and evangelical traditions where the Church Fathers are either ignored or perhaps even looked upon with suspicion, it seemed important to cast the description in an apologetic key. Continue reading Reading with the Fathers
Back in Toronto: Upcoming CSPH Conference
I am going to be back in Toronto on the weekend of September 29 to present a paper at the Canadian Society of Presbyterian History annual conference at Knox College. The subject of my paper is the curious case of J.J.A. Proudfoot, the son of the distinguished 19th century Southwestern Ontario Presbyterian church planter William Proudfoot. Continue reading Back in Toronto: Upcoming CSPH Conference