Bible
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Can AI sin?
Can AI sin? The obvious answer would be no; it might be created in the image of humanity, but it is not a human being. In my previous article[1] I discussed whether an avatar can be created bad. The conclusion was that the avatar itself was not bad, but it could be seen as bad, depending on the actions of the person they represent. However, if Artificial Intelligence is an entity, should it be treated differently in relation to the question of sin? Depending on our religious, or non-religious, background, our interpretation of what sin is may differ. Most would accept that sin is primarily an action against God, whether…
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“Surprise Theme!”: Canadian Christian Congregational Research
As I analyzed the interview transcripts, I soon realized that an unexpected theme was emerging. Most of the data collected fit nicely into the nodes that I had pre-determined by the semi-structured interview questions and the overall framework of the research project. However, something I wasn’t asking about repeatedly came up throughout the interviews. A surprise theme! The aim of the Divine Pulse Research Project is to “take the pulse” of the Canadian church. While other researchers look at church decline and new congregations, my calling is to explore “greatness” in Canadian Christian congregations. This is a qualitative research study exploring church growth through the lens of Jim Collins’ “Good to Great”…
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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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Who’s Afraid of Salome? A Biblical Drama that made Opera History
The Metropolitan Opera’s 2024-2025 season is filled with classics and beloved titles mixed with contemporary settings and newer stories. One title in particular has caught my eye: a brand new production of Richard Strauss’s Salome. Bible scholars may recognize the name “Salome” from more than one context: One narrative depicts a follower of Jesus who was present at his crucifixion. Another narrative tells of a young princess’s role in the murder of John the Baptist. Characteristic qualities certainly place these two women apart, but the leading lady of Strauss’s opera takes her queues from the second of the set. Strauss even used the beautiful name, “Salome,” a feminine rendition of…
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Compassionate Collaboration, Christian Mission and the Bank of Dave
A glimpse of Jesus’ compassion appears in Matthew 9:35-38. In one of the more well-known images of Christian witness, Jesus responds to crowds “harassed and helpless” with a call for collaborators (“Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest” (38)). The verses in Matthew are one of a cluster of Gospel narratives in which Jesus is described as a shepherd, sent by God to strengthen the weak and heal those damaged by sin, greed and betrayal.[1] A contemporary image of compassion and collaboration appears in a recent movie, Bank of Dave (2023). Movies, along with other forms of popular culture, are not commonly used as…
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Growing closer to God through stained-glass windows: A dyslexic autistic perspective
Introduction Over the last few years, through encounters with Christians or churches, I’ve discovered the stained glass of an artist called William Wilson (henceforth WW). I find WW’s stained glass lovely to look at. But it also lets me improve my knowledge of the Bible, and that in turn lets me feel closer to God. By contrast, I’ve had limited success using more “mainstream” means to grow my faith, such as reading the Bible or attending church activities. That’s partly because I’m dyslexic and autistic. Dyslexia and autism are groups of traits or characteristics. So there’s overlap between how they present in different individuals. But there’s also diversity within the dyslexic and autistic communities: each…
