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Insights on Catholic Art through a child’s perspective
Art has held a distinct role in the history and practices of Catholic tradition for centuries. It aids practitioners in feeling a sense of wonder and awe or even a connection to the divine in the world’s best known cathedrals, through the masterful carvings of the marble statues, the delicate designs of the stained glass, or the meticulously detailed paintings covering the walls and ceilings. Catholic art can also be found in local settings, like schools, monasteries, and churches and chapels. Given the popularity and impact of the many works that have been created across history, it is no surprise that religious art has even found its way into the…
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Yet still they speak
Content warning: sexual violence But she said to him, “No, my brother; for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me.” But he would not listen to her. He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence, and bolt the door after her.” (Now she was wearing a long robe with sleeves; for this is how the virgin daughters of the king were clothed in earlier times.) So his servant put her out, and bolted the door after her. But Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore the long robe that she was…
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Mercy Under A Boundary: Toward A Spirituality Of Safeguarding In African Church Life
Introduction In March 2025, I was privileged to be one of the presenters at the Theology and Canon Law project (TCLP) Symposium in London under the theme — “Law & Religion in Times of Crisis, Challenges and Change.” As usual, my paper focused on the socio-religious injustice of witchcraft abuses and violence against societies’ most vulnerable, with the title — “Law, Religion, and Crisis: The Weaponisation of Witchcraft Accusations Against Older Women in Three African Countries.” That same day, I developed a new interest in the spirituality of safeguarding when I heard it from Dr Helen Costigane, one of the symposium’s keynote speakers. Her paper was titled “Law and religion:…
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Between True Hope and Empty Promises: Navigating Miraculous Claims in Pentecostal Leadership
Introduction “The language of hope and the ethos of amazement have been partly forfeited because they are an embarrassment. The language of hope and the ethos of amazement have been partly squelched because they are a threat.”[1] Walter Brueggermann’s above statement suggests today’s culture stifles expressions of hope and wonder, hindering growth and appreciation for life. His stance resonates with this essay, which explores the impact of false hope perpetuated by some Pentecostal pastors in Nigeria on pastoral practice and congregational life. This issue presents a significant ethical and existential dilemma within the movement. As Ebenezer Obadare illustrates in Pastoral Power, Clerical State, bereaved families often seek miraculous interventions from…
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Spiritual Midwives from Christian History: Lilias Trotter and Simone Weil
The Spiritual Midwife Metaphor After experiencing the typical hospital birth that included multiple nurses too busy to be present and a hasty doctor, a midwife assisted birth was a completely different experience for me. Midwife Anita Damsma-Young guided me through the growing of a human being—from an egg and a sperm to a 10-pound 4-oz baby boy who splashed into our Canadian Tire blow-up swimming pool in the comfort of our living room one early April morning. I remember her respect for the female body, her consistent reassurance, and her wise suggestion of various positions that successfully turned him from his late onset breech position. Instead of an anxious pregnancy,…
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Something must be done, my friend: Reflecting on “I’m Still Here” from a Buddhist view
Mas não vou ficar calado No conforto, acomodado Como tantos por aí É preciso dar um jeito, meu amigo É preciso dar um jeito, meu amigo[1] (Erasmo Carlos – É preciso dar um jeito, meu amigo) Flowing through my mind, these are the words of Erasmo Carlos’ 1971 song “É preciso dar um jeito, meu amigo.”[2] This song is also part of the “I’m Still Here” soundtrack—a Brazilian masterpiece that evokes resistance against military coups and authoritarian regimes. MPB (Música popular brasileira, or Brazilian popular music in English) was an incredible driving force not only in denouncing the horrors of the military dictatorship in Brazil, but also in giving hope…
