Roughly one century ago, Christians in the United States walked through a battle about orthodoxy known as the Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy. Eventually, out of the Fundamentalist side of the debates over cardinal doctrines, arose the streams of evangelicalism we find today in the United States. As I look at…

As we move into the new year, it’s helpful to pause and look back on 2017, specifically all that happened in pop culture. In reflecting on the major moments, both good and bad, we can consider what has actually taken place and how these things have challenged and changed…

As a sociologist of religion in Canada, I regularly consult with church groups across the country seeking to bridge sociological, theological, and practical discussions for Christian ministry in the 21st century. We have found four trends in the Canadian religious landscape that are worth paying attention.  Let us…

We’re in one of the best times in history to start globally-minded churches in North America—churches that are rooted in North American cities, but effectively minister to and minister through global citizens. This isn’t just for cities like New York or Chicago. Immigration and the rise of the information-based economy are turning…

Let me suggest some other ones in our day that I think are very useful for us. I mentioned idolatry. I believe that when you look at the Bible as a monotheistic text – that there is one God over all of life – idols are intrusions into…

We’ve really been impacted very deeply by the last great reappraisal of our theology. The great Reformation – which we’re celebrating next year the 500 years of the Reformation. And the thing is we’re tuned to that, but the existential issues of those time are very different than…