2,000 years later in Bethlehem . . .
Bethlehem Bible College sits within walking distance of the birthplace of Jesus and about 200 metres from the eight-metre-high concrete wall that hems in Palestinians such as those who lead and attend the college. Bethlehem is no less troubled today than it was for Mary and Joseph, who, despite the “Silent Night,” had to flee…
Challenging Holy Land stereotypes
Munther Isaac recently published a book that confronts a longstanding problem in Christian attitudes toward the Holy Land—ignorance, indifference and even hostility to the Palestinian church. Isaac is an Oxford-educated, Palestinian Lutheran pastor who serves as academic dean of Bethlehem Bible College. “When it comes to western Christian attitudes towards Israel,” Munther writes in his…
Readers write: December 12, 2022 issue
Two views on ‘sweet solace’ Re: “The sweet solace of polarization” series, Oct. 3; Oct. 17; and Oct. 31. At the heart of the gospel message is the admonition of Jesus to “love your neighbour as yourself.” It is impossible for me to understand how refusing potentially life-saving precautions, such as vaccines and masks, to…
Jesus doesn’t stop where we think he should
I’ve probably preached half a dozen sermons on “Doubting Thomas” over the last decade or so. Thomas shows up faithfully in the lectionary readings each year after Easter Sunday. Thomas, the recalcitrant empiricist. There are many of us, I suspect, who silently nod along with Thomas each year. Thomas is our guy; he thinks for…
Vernon Ratzlaff in Eqypt
Vern Ratzlaff, centre, worked much of his life within Mennonite institutions in western Canada and internationally, serving as a church pastor, Bible school teacher and radio preacher. From 1982 to 1987, Vern and his wife Helen served as Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) country representatives in Egypt. Bishop Athanasios of the Beni Suef diocese, second from…
‘Stella makes a difference’
I have a friend named Stella (a pseudonym), who will soon be 89 years old. She recently informed me that she had just taken delivery of a new car. I quizzed her about the new car. “There’s no gear shift, just a thing you turn!” she said. “And there’s a button to start it! I…
Christmas delight?
Christmas is a difficult season for many people, myself included. As a Christian, I “should” be celebrating the birth of Jesus. The angels sing of “great joy” as the lowly and the mighty come to bend the knee at the crude bedside of the baby. The Incarnation is what makes Christianity profoundly different from all…
Soil lover
As I read through the accounts of the kings in the Bible, Uzziah’s story doesn’t strike me as being overly unique. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, at least for a while. Eventually, his own power and pride did him in. He overstepped, and it cost him. He entered the…
Hymn reflections inspire and comfort
Inspired by J.S. Bach and his prolific contribution to church music, Carla Klassen’s These Songs We Sing is a lovely collection of 52 short meditations and reflections on favourite hymns. The book emerged from Klassen’s music blog, The Hymn Project, for which she created and recorded piano arrangements for these beloved hymns, one every week…
