Dialogue

Clashing with Corona: Making Sense of it and its Implications

The hiddenness of dying in modern society means that we of all cultures live in denial of the inevitability of our impending death. Perhaps with the arrival of this unprecedented virus we've been reminded of our own mortality.

 

But even if death does not come your way during this pandemic, economic hardship will. Radical lifestyle adjustments are unavoidable and you will be confronted with questions that you are usually to distracted to entertain.

 

The Christian story however provides us with a surprizing antidote to both denial and despair. 

Reflections on the Virus - with Dr. Roger Abbott

Roger is Senior Research Associate in Natural Disasters at the Faraday Institute. He holds a PhD in the practical theology of disaster response in the UK, which he gained from the University of Wales, following over thirty years in church pastoral ministry. He runs a consultancy in pastoral care of trauma, and he teaches modules in the pastoral response to trauma at the Wales Evangelical School of Theology.

The Love Story

In keeping with the Valentine's mood, we will explore a biblical love story. It has all the necessary ingredients to be a modern day soap-opera. You have sexual chemistry, a love triangle, betrayal and of course, inner emptiness. Fortunately in the Christian walk, romance is not the ultimate source of happiness, however, we learn from this biblical love story that when romance occupies its proper place, it can go from soap opera to becoming something quite beautiful.

Jesus in a Secular Age (Part 1)

We may live in a secular, progressive, post-christian world where the pursuit of individual authenticity trumps all. But Jesus still haunts this culture and undermines it in creative ways. Most importantly, He offers meaning to a disenchanted world. In this talk we engage secularism with the relevance of the Gospel.

The Underrated Value Of Friendship

Whether you are listening to a song in your car or to a sermon in your church, chances are that you'll hear a lot about two types of relationships. (1) Romantic relationships will dominate the songs you listen to and the movies you watch, whilst (2) family relationships will dominate your church experience. As a matter of fact, most churches go out of their way to promote themselves as 'family churches' and most romantic propositions promote themselves as being 'more than friends'. But where does that leave friendship? 

You Cannot Do This Alone

Stanley Hauerwas once claimed that Saints cannot exist without a community, as they require, like all of us, nurturance by a people who, while often unfaithful, preserve the habits necessary to learn the story of God.” 

This challenges our individualistic culture, but the reality is that Jesus does not only save you from your sins, but weaves you into a new community. Hence, following Jesus is something you cannot do alone.

Christmas and the Subversive Baby King

"Enemy-occupied territory---that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us to take part in a great campaign of sabotage."

 

 

- C.S. Lewis

 

 

Is the season of Advent just a cozy, sentimental period before Christmas? Or is it a time of spiritual revolution? 

Divine Hiddeness

If knowledge about God is the most important knowledge that we could have, and God is loving, why are there many people for whom God is silent or absent, even though they are not resistant toward him?

Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace

We are at our human best when we give and forgive. But we live in a world in which it makes little sense to do either one. 

The 7 deadly sins: Greed

“Among the rich you will never find a really generous man even by accident. They may give their money away, but they will never give themselves away; they are egotistic, secretive, dry as old bones. To be smart enough to get all that money you must be dull enough to want it.”― G.K. Chesterton