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Geneva in Beijing?

From First Thoughts

With the explosive growth of the church in China in recent decades, it could transpire that the world’s most populous country will one day be the global centre of Christianity. If that does happen, it could be Reformed Christianity that carries the day: Chinese Calvinism flourishes . Why? . . . . Continue Reading »

Disallowing Debate, Dictating Dogma

From First Thoughts

The Canadian province of Ontario’s education minister appears to believe her government has the authority to decree an end to a debate that has been going on for at least four decades in North America. She is also claiming a right to tell Roman Catholic schools what they can and cannot promote . . . . Continue Reading »

Democracy?As Others See It

From First Thoughts

With the recent presidential election behind us, it may behoove us to pay attention to the wisdom of the past relative to the form of government we know as democracy: I do not know if the people of the United States would vote for superior men if they ran for office, but there can be no doubt that . . . . Continue Reading »

Pro-life = misogyny?

From First Thoughts

This story has been picked up by pro-life and Roman Catholic publications but has been largely ignored by the mainstream media here in Ontario: Ontario Official: Catholic Schools Can’t Teach “Misogynistic” Pro-life.The Education Minister of Ontario, Canada — a professing . . . . Continue Reading »

French-style Polarization in the U.S.?

From First Thoughts

Is America becoming the next France? Is our political system becoming as polarized as that of the French Third and Fourth Republics?According to the late British political scientist, Sir Bernard Crick, politics is the art of conciliating diversity peacefully in a given unit of rule. Some political . . . . Continue Reading »

Edward A. Goerner (1929-2012)

From First Thoughts

Edward Alfred Goerner was longtime professor of Government and International Studies at the University of Notre Dame, and I was privileged to have him as my PhD supervisor more than 25 years ago.The first thing one noticed about Goerner was his flair for the dramatic in both mannerism and dress. He . . . . Continue Reading »

A polarized election

From First Thoughts

This is my latest column in Christian Courier, published 10 September. Please subscribe today.Once upon a time the Democratic and Republican Parties were big-tent organizations, trying to appeal to as wide a swath of public opinion as they could manage. Although the Republicans were generally . . . . Continue Reading »

Miko?aj Gomó?ka and David’s Psalter

From First Thoughts

Although Poland as a whole did not embrace the Reformation in the 16th century, the country nevertheless managed to produce a metrical psalter of high quality that is virtually unknown by outsiders. This is the Psa?terz Dawidów, or David’s Psalter, consisting of 150 metrical texts by the . . . . Continue Reading »