Tag: God
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A Bible Built for the Daily Office: ESV with Apocrypha
I still remember last year’s daily‑office lectionary calling for 2 Maccabees 6. One line leapt out, “Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now, I will show myself worthy of my old age.” I was following along on a podcast with no Apocrypha in hand and thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice to read these passages…
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O day of peace that dimly shines
Sometimes familiar tunes with new words can be surprising. I had such a moment in 2017 at a remembrance service in St. James Cathedral, Toronto. As the first notes of the tune commonly associated with Jerusalem (Blake’s “And did those feet in ancient time”) rang out—a melody deeply tied to English patriotism—I was jolted from my reverie.…
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Holiness is not Everything, God Really IS Love
Christians who have tried to hold true to the character of God cringe when it is commonly said that “God is love” as if positive feelings were the sum of what it means to be Christian. And this is a valid concern because for many people, Christianity is merely a means to feel loved and…
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Be Thou My Vision
The Christian life is not an easy thing to do. It is fraught with danger and trial and it always has been. Indeed the Bible itself tells us that Christianity is not easy, as disciples of Christ we are instructed to take up a cross — a symbol of shame in the culture of the…
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Aliens and Sojourners
This time is a time of nationalism in North America, with July 1st being Canada Day and the 4th being Independence Day. What does this mean for Christians though? I recently read this quote in an introduction to the philosophy of religion and I think its is a poignant reminder by an outside observer of…
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Pondering the Attributes of God
I have been reflecting on the attributes of God and I know for certain that I don’t have a proper view yet ((1) because I’m so unsure and (2) because i don’t think anyone on earth has it right). Does God have a center among his moral attributes? A primary focus? The more I think…
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2b Christ’s Humanity, the hypostatic union
Perhaps the most overlooked central doctrine of the Christian faith is the humanity of Christ. Indeed, far too often it is forgotten as the fight of this day is to convince the culture that Jesus was more than some moral teacher and is, in fact, God. But he is human! And it is only because…
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1b Who is God?
We all have specific presuppositions that influence how we view the world. Some might suppose that the world came about by entirely naturalistic processes without the need or existence of a God. Others might not consider the idea of theism at all and look at the world with a central belief that all people are…
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1a Can we know God?
Is there a god and if there is what and who is god? This is the central topic of theology and Christianity as a whole, and ultimately, for the Christian, this question should always be at the forefront of the mind as it represents the center of our belief, lives, and practices of faith. I…
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What Manner of Love!
1 John 3:1 Devotional Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God. –I John 3:1 Have you ever had a friend whose friendship you doubted? Friends can be right next to you, but you can still doubt their sincerity and friendship. God isn’t…
Defined Faith 