The top question asked of Google last year was, “What is love?” That’s telling – perhaps people are a little confused about what love ought to be! I read a very interesting article on the BBC website called “Down with romantic love”. The author, who is not a Christian, speculates that our idealised notion of… Continue reading The true art of love
A Christian response to crime
A few years ago a family in our church was robbed at gunpoint. Three armed man confronted the husband in his own garage. The gunmen entered the home and made the family sit down as they rummaged through the house taking anything of value. Thankfully they left the family physically unharmed as they made off… Continue reading A Christian response to crime
A praise-song for Africa
A key figure in the Xhosa tradition is the imbongi or praise singer. The praise singers traditionally live close to the chief’s “great place” (the cultural and political focus of his activity); they accompany the chief on important occasions – a praise singer preceded Nelson Mandela at his Presidential inauguration in 1994. The praise songs generally… Continue reading A praise-song for Africa
Rape and the Bible
Reports state that more than 64 000 women are raped and sexually abused in South Africa every year. About 25 000 children are raped and abused annually. Our country was deeply shocked by the violent gang rape and mutilation of Anene Booysen a few weeks ago, who subsequently died of her injuries. What’s even more traumatizing is that… Continue reading Rape and the Bible
Is the gift of healing for today? (Guest blog)
There is a lot of disagreement among Christians on this question. Some believe that we should be seeing healing and miracles all the time in the church, while others believe that these gifts faded away with the foundations that the apostles laid in the early church. In a previous post I argued that the gift of… Continue reading Is the gift of healing for today? (Guest blog)