The above notation appears on the title page of the Bible translation known in the USA as the King James Version and almost everywhere else as the Authorized Version. The words are an introduction to one of the goals of the translators — they wanted this to be the best possible translation for reading aloud. … Continue reading Appointed to be read in churches
Christianity
Relevant to what?
Relevant to what? Everybody talking about the decline of Christianity in the Western world says that it is because the faith preached over the pulpit is no longer relevant to our society. What they cannot agree on is in what way it is no longer relevant. For over a century now, many churches have struggled … Continue reading Relevant to what?
A light shining in the darkness
In 1671 there arose a severe persecution of the Mennonites in Switzerland, causing many to flee the country. Brethren in the Netherlands came to their aid and gave them refuge. In all, about 700 persons, among them some very aged, fled Switzerland. They were destitute, their lands and properties having been seized by the Swiss … Continue reading A light shining in the darkness
Circling the wagons is not an option
The Western movies of my boyhood often contained a scene where Indians attacked a wagon train of settlers. The settlers would draw their wagons onto a circle to form a protective wall, then try to fend off the attackers with rifle fire. This would go on until the ammunition was gone and their doom appeared … Continue reading Circling the wagons is not an option
Power outage
We were moving from one farm house to another, with the help of friends. I hurried to connect the kitchen stove so my wife could bake a pizza for our helpers. This was in the day when kitchen stoves did not plug into the wall, but the wires from the stove had to be individually … Continue reading Power outage
Dementia
There are things that I wish that I would have understood better when my parents were suffering with dementia. Above all, I wish I could have understood that even though their personalities had changed and their memories seemed to be gone, the father and mother that I had once known were still there, though unable … Continue reading Dementia
Anorexia of the soul
I once knew a Christian lady whose husband was self-centred, domineering and prone to uncontrolled fits of rage. She, on the other hand, was unselfish, capable and self-controlled. At some point she developed an interest in fasting. After a time it became apparent to brothers and sisters in the faith that she had become extremely … Continue reading Anorexia of the soul
On second thought
I posted a couple of articles this week that would have benefited from some sober second thought before sending them out into the unsuspecting world. It's not that I think I shouldn't have said what I said, but i think the articles needed to be turned inside out and upside down, with some things pruned … Continue reading On second thought
Homeopathic dilution of Christianity
To put it very briefly, homeopathy is a branch of alternative medicine that treats diseases with natural substances that are diluted well past the point where any trace of the original substance can be detected. Some call it quackery, others say that it works where other methods fail. It does have this much going for … Continue reading Homeopathic dilution of Christianity
A Closer Walk
This will be my 303rd post since I began blogging 15 months ago. I believe it’s time to reflect on why I am doing this and where I’m going with it. My original intentions were threefold: 1) to be a witness of the old Anabaptist faith in an era when the Christian faith no longer … Continue reading A Closer Walk
