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John Longhurst
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The emergence of 'Emergents'
When she was in Winnipeg in 2009, Phyllis Tickle talked about the Great Emergence, a "monumental" shift in Christianity that is changing the church in Europe and North America. Based on her book The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why, she said it was part of a 500-year cycle that included bringing the church out of the dark ages, the Great Schism between Eastern and Western churches and, most recently, the Protestant Reformation.View Full Column | 04/13/2013 1:00 AM | 0
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Why so much hunger, war, injustice in religious world?
Ever wonder how many Christians there are in the world? What about Muslims? Hindus? Jews? Or how many people belong to religious groups? Answers to those questions are now available, thanks to The Global Religious Landscape, a new survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.View Full Column | 02/9/2013 1:00 AM | 0
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Yes I'm a pacifist — and yes I wear a poppy
Can a pacifist wear a poppy? The answer is yes -- I'm a pacifist, and I wear one. A few others I know do, too. But many people who oppose war have ambivalent feelings about poppies. I think they're afraid wearing one will suggest they are, tacitly or otherwise, supporting war and militarism.View Full Column | 11/10/2012 1:00 AM | 0
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From the moon to the Twitterverse
The passing of Neil Armstrong, Pussy Riot protests, Twitter-friendly religion -- these are some of the things on my mind in these last dog days of summer.View Full Column | 09/1/2012 1:00 AM | 0
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Recognize yoga's Hindu roots
When it comes to yoga, there are lots of different kinds being practised by North Americans these days -- hot yoga, power yoga, prenatal yoga, Catholic yoga, restorative yoga, Christian yoga, Jewish yoga, and even naked yoga, to name just a few. One thing you don't find is Hindu yoga -- which is strange, since yoga originated with that 6,000-year-old religion.View Full Column | 03/31/2012 1:00 AM | 0
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New KAIROS leader has Manitoba roots
The last time KAIROS made a splash in the news, it was almost a year ago during the infamous "not" affair. You may recall the story: In 2009, the church-based social justice organization learned its application for $7 million from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) had mysteriously been denied -- despite initially being approved by senior CIDA officials.View Full Column | 03/17/2012 1:00 AM | 0
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'We have a deep faith in God'
If you want to get a sanctuary seat for mass at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, you better come early. Twenty minutes before the start of last Saturday's evening mass, the church was half-full. By start time, the sanctuary and three overflow rooms were packed. And not just with older people -- there were lots of youth, children and entire families.View Full Column | 03/3/2012 1:00 AM | 0
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Preaching helped fuel War of 1812
When it comes to war, religion is often one of the first to enlist -- or be conscripted. That was certainly true 200 years ago, during the War of 1812. That war, which ended with both sides claiming victory, will be the focus of many commemorations, conferences, re-enactments and other events during this, its 200th anniversary.View Full Column | 02/18/2012 1:00 AM | 0
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Being liberal, or Liberal
Last month, as I followed the Liberal party convention, I took note of the challenges facing that party -- things like declining membership, lack of funds, the need to attract more youth, how to reach out to new followers. At some point in the proceedings, it suddenly occurred to me: I've heard all this before. Where? In the church press, that's where. In fact, if you replace the words "Liberal party" with the name of almost any Canadian mainline denomination, you'd pretty much have the same discussion.View Full Column | 02/4/2012 1:00 AM | 0
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Church groups offer guidelines for evangelizing
As attempts at conversion go, Robert Fowler's experience was one of the worst. In December 2008, Fowler was one of two Canadian diplomats kidnapped by Islamic militants in the African country of Niger. For four months, they suffered various deprivations, including poor living conditions, constant anxiety and lack of decent food. They never knew from one day to the next if it would be their last.View Full Column | 01/21/2012 1:00 AM | 0
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Some New Year's resolutions worth considering
Did you make a New Year's resolution last weekend? If you did, you're not alone. In a survey of 12,000 of its readers, the Globe and Mail found that 73 per cent resolved to do something different in 2012. Of those who made a resolution, 26 per cent want to lose weight, 16 per cent want to save more money, 12 per cent want a better sex life, 10 per cent want to be nicer, and nine per cent want to get a better job.View Full Column | 01/7/2012 1:00 AM | 0
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Updated carols call for justice in a troubled world
2That was the comment a Facebook friend posted a week ago. He was complaining about being subjected to White Christmas and Little Drummer Boy and other hoary old Christmas tunes again and again in malls. "I've had just about enough!" he exclaimed in frustration. I'm sure he's not the only one to feel this way. There are times when I want to tell that drummer boy to get the baby a new gift -- a book, video game or stuffed toy--anything but that drum!View Full Column | 12/24/2011 1:00 AM | 0
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The role of religion in prison reform
Don't like the government's proposed crime bill? Blame the Quakers. Well, not literally. But the roots of our modern prison system go back to 19th-century efforts by that peaceful group, otherwise known as the Religious Society of Friends, to reform U.S. and British prisons.View Full Column | 11/26/2011 1:00 AM | 0
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Religion and politics mix, so get used to it: author
Faith and politics was in the news earlier this month when Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro questioned the sincerity of Liberal MP Justin Trudeau's Catholic beliefs. "For someone to start questioning my own faith and accusing me of being a bad Catholic is something that I really take issue with," Trudeau stated. "My own personal faith is an extremely important part of who I am and the values that I try to lead with."View Full Column | 11/12/2011 1:00 AM | 0
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Pastor's book heats up debate over heaven, hell
Is Mahatma Gandhi in hell? That's the question that helped start one of the year's biggest controversies in the evangelical Christian world.View Full Column | 10/29/2011 1:00 AM | 0
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Make God focus of funerals
It's not often that a whole nation is talking about funerals. But that's what happened last week, when Jack Layton received his final send-off. According to Brent Hawkes, the minister who presided over the service, he and Layton began talking about the service in July. Layton, he said, was very clear that he didn't want a traditional service. He wanted it to be upbeat, and for music to play a prominent role.View Full Column | 09/8/2011 3:16 AM | 0
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Surprise! Sometimes things do go right
As I read the article about stolen aid in Somalia in Tuesday's Free Press (Food aid for Somalis stolen, sold at markets), I thought: "Yep -- right on schedule." And what schedule is that? Just as there are stages to a natural disaster, there are stages to how the media report about it.View Full Column | 08/18/2011 1:00 AM | 0
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The world's poor know there's no sure thing
In Canada, we're pretty proud of our quality of life, our high standard of living, universal health care and excellent life expectancy -- at 81 years, we are 12th-highest in the world. We also like it when others recognize how good we have it. In May, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development reported Canada has the second-highest quality of life on the planet (Australia is first).View Full Column | 07/9/2011 1:00 AM | 0
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'God is bigger than Christians,' Tutu says
Is God a Christian? I must confess I had never asked myself that question. Then I heard about a new book about Archbishop Desmond Tutu.View Full Column | 06/25/2011 1:00 AM | 0
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Shin Buddhism a 'spiritual path for busy people'
Is Shin Buddhism -- a version of this ancient faith practised in Japan -- a good religion for Canadians? Jeff Wilson thinks it is. Wilson, a Shin Buddhist convert and author of the book Buddhism of the Heart: Reflections on Shin Buddhism and Inner Togetherness, believes it's a good fit for people wanting a flexible, non-judgmental and accepting form of spirituality.View Full Column | 06/11/2011 1:00 AM | 0
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Cartoonist explores funny side of Christianity
Is faith funny? Cuyler Black thinks it is. "I believe that God is a God of joy," says Black, who draws cartoons about the funny side of Christianity.View Full Column | 05/28/2011 1:00 AM | 0
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Reacting to bin Laden's death a challenge for Christians
What's the proper Christian response to the death of Osama bin Laden? That question was on the minds of many following the May 2 assassination of the al-Qaida leader. Some rejoiced in his death. "When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous, but terror to evildoers," was the Bible verse tweeted by Saddleback mega-church pastor Rick Warren.View Full Column | 05/14/2011 1:00 AM | 0
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Votes from heaven
If the Conservatives get a majority on May 2, they may thank God--and Roman Catholic voters across the country. "The Catholic vote is a key swing vote in the electorate," Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, was quoted as saying in the Catholic Register in January.View Full Column | 04/23/2011 1:00 AM | 0
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Steve Bell hoping to spread some Kindness
People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along?" That plaintive plea was issued 19 years ago by Rodney King, the African-American man whose beating by four white police officers sparked the terrible 1992 Los Angeles riots.View Full Column | 03/19/2011 1:00 AM | 0
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Summit puts Winnipeg in big leagues
If a picture is worth a thousand words, the sight of Abudullah Al lheeden of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Islamic Affairs -- resplendent in his traditional Arabic robe and headdress -- talking with Richard Marker, a Jew from New York wearing his yarmulke -- was worth a million. "Meetings like this happen all the time," Marker said when I stopped to say hello and comment on the remarkable sight. "It just doesn't get in the press that often."View Full Column | 06/22/2010 1:00 AM | 0
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