The character of Fr. Jud was one of the best depictions of a priest or minister that I have ever seen in a movie.
Category: Hope
Hope in Eternal Life and Being Content to be a Creature
Faith in the gift of eternal life, rather than being an otherworldly form of wish-fulfilment, is actually what allows us to embrace our mortal limits and find joy in the gratuity of creation.
Rod Dreher, Anxious Activism and Hopeful Obedience
I’ve always had a complicated relationship with Rod Dreher. Dreher, a writer at American Conservative is well known in Christian circles for the central thesis of his book The Benedict Option: Western society has become so post-Christian that Christians should pursue a strategic retreat from mainstream society. Dreher’s supporters have often pointed out that critics … Continue reading Rod Dreher, Anxious Activism and Hopeful Obedience
Peace as Homemaking
Readers might remember my earlier post from March 13, 2024, also entitled What we need is here. That post was an earlier draft of my entry into the Henry C. Smith Oratory Contest. The piece below is the version I actually delivered. I've also included a video my performance of the speech for those interested. … Continue reading Peace as Homemaking
Your debt has been paid: A Sermon
I recently delivered this short reflection for a chapel service centred around the poetry of 17th century Anglican poet George Herbert. My reflection was on Herbert’s poem “Redemption” and is only tenuously connected to the poem. Herbert’s poem “Redemption” puts us in the place of a person saddled with an unpayable debt to a rich Lord. This, … Continue reading Your debt has been paid: A Sermon
What we need is here
This piece is a version of a speech I am entering for this year's Henry C. Smith Peace Oratorical Contest. I will have to make some changes to this speech to make it fit into the parameters of the contest, and I thought this version was good enough to share with my readers as is. … Continue reading What we need is here
Advent: Sowing in Grief
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. … Continue reading Advent: Sowing in Grief
Christmas: Joy to the World
And this is the real wonder of Christmas. Simply this: that God has come. God has broken the reign of sin and death. God has liberated us. God is with us in Jesus Christ. Whether we feel it or not, weather we believe it or not, it remains the case: “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.”
Reflection on Current Views on Technology
I wrote the following piece for a course I am taking called Ethical Living in a Technological Society. I was asked to reflect on my current views on technology and tried to do so with as much clarity and self criticism as I could. I thought this piece would be a good edition to the … Continue reading Reflection on Current Views on Technology
Alternative Rememberance Day Reflection
They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Parables of the Kingdom
He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves … Continue reading Parables of the Kingdom
The Gospel of the Grave
In Loving Memory. August 6, 1965 - August 6, 2020.
6 Theses for Christian Politics
In the increasingly hot climate of the culture wars in the United States, and with some of that animosity creeping across the border into our own communities, I would like to put forward six thesis for a Christian politics. In doing this, I’m not trying to change anyone’s political views (though that might follow as … Continue reading 6 Theses for Christian Politics
Hutterites and the Pandemic
I was planing to get this piece published when I first wrote it back in April. When that fell through, I decided to make some changes and repost it here.
Christianity, Creation and Climate Change
This piece comes in the wake of the First Reformed movie review and is my attempt to think through some of the themes and questions raised by that film, as well as gather my own thoughts on the issue of Christianity and Creation care.
First Reformed: Will God Forgive Us?
The following movie review is born out of a long email exchange I had with Jarrod, a friend I met through this blog. It was through the long emails that we sent back and fourth that I came to see just how profound a film this is. I have tried in this blog post, to put Jarod and I's conversations into narrative form, giving a reading of the film in its own terms. I find that even after having written this post, there is much left unprobed, many questions left unanswered, and there is much left to grapple with. I found myself while writing, to be speaking at several different levels at once. I will leave the reader to decide which level is most illuminating. Spoilers ahead, proceed at your own risk.














