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Articles

Is the ‘Sin of Empathy’ a Biblical Teaching?

3 weeks ago | thebanner.org | Shiao Chong |Big Questions

I see Christians debating about the “sin of empathy.” Is that a biblical teaching? I think the phrasing might be deliberately provocative, verging on clickbait. But the point, I believe, is that any virtue, even empathy, can be twisted and weaponized. Although that is true, I worry that some people use that to disparage calls for genuine empathy and compassion or to justify behaviors lacking in empathy and compassion in the name of zeal for God’s truth.
Why journalists are cautious about calling current conflicts 'genocide'

Dec 9, 2024 | pressgazette.co.uk | Heidi Kingstone |Big Questions

When I began writing my book Genocide: Personal Stories, Big Questions in 2020, people’s eyes glazed over when I discussed the atrocities committed in the 20th and 21st centuries. One person said they weren’t interested because they weren’t Jewish, and another noted that it only occurred in the past. , and while we haven’t been much good at preventing genocide, we need to keep trying, and central to that is the role of journalism.
Is It OK to Donate My Remains to Medical Research When I Die?

Nov 18, 2024 | thebanner.org | Loren Haarsma |Big Questions

I am an elderly Christian who occasionally finds himself in discussions about burial plans. When I share that my remains will be donated for medical research, some people react negatively. Please comment. Thank you for donating your remains. Donated bodies are essential to medical training and research. Medical students gain first-hand knowledge of the human body by studying remains. Like organ donors, you are helping to save lives with your donation.
Can We Really See God at Work?

Nov 5, 2024 | thebanner.org | Karen Wilk |Big Questions

Can we really see God at work? It’s a common question these days, especially in missional circles, and I suspect that you, like many others, want to see God at work—even long to—but the possibility often seems quite elusive. Can we really see God at work? I believe we can, because I believe the Spirit is present and active in every moment everywhere, inviting us to see—but not necessarily where and how we expect.
How Can I Get to Know My Neighbors in a Rural Area?

Aug 5, 2024 | thebanner.org | Karen Wilk |Big Questions

How can I get to know my neighbors when we live miles apart in a rural area? I have frequently been asked this question in our “Joining God in the Neighborhood” workshops and learning communities. The rural context has unique challenges (as do other types of neighborhoods), yet God is at work wherever the Spirit has placed us or sent us (Jer. 29:4-7; Luke 10:7). But if we aren’t bumping into neighbors on the sidewalk or in our front yards, how are we meeting and getting to know them?
How Soon Do We Bring Our Faith Into Conversation?

Apr 29, 2024 | thebanner.org | Karen Wilk |Big Questions

We recently moved into a neighborhood where not many seem to know about our Reformed faith. How quickly should we bring this into conversations? Or do we leave it out unless asked? When we move into a new neighborhood, we are starting out as strangers, so the first step is to become acquaintances.
Big Questions of Jewish Belief – Podcast

Mar 26, 2024 | podtail.com | Big Questions

This is Big Questions of Jewish Belief, the podcast where we face up to the challenges of religious faith. We all have questions about our faith. Questions about the truth of the Torah, the morality of its laws and what it teaches about having a relationship with God. So each week during this miniseries I’ll be inviting rigorous thinkers to challenge me with their questions on Belief.
Can You Clarify the Christian Reformed Church’s Position on Homosexuality?

Feb 19, 2024 | thebanner.org | Shiao Chong |Big Questions

Synod 1973 established the Christian Reformed Church’s official position on homosexuality. A distinction between homosexuality as an orientation and homosexualism as explicit and overt homosexual practice is central to this position. The summary statement on the CRC’s website explains:“Homosexuality is a condition in which a person is sexually oriented toward persons of the same sex, and for which the person may bear only a minimal responsibility.
What should we say to someone who worries that science disproves Christianity?

Feb 5, 2024 | thebanner.org | Loren Haarsma |Big Questions

What should we say to someone who worries that science disproves Christianity? I’m a scientist and a Christian. I’ve occasionally been asked by Christians (with a little fear in their eyes), “Have you ever learned something in science that made you doubt your faith?”Many people share this concern. Studies show that people leaving the church often list science as a reason they doubt. But I have never found science to push me away from God.
What does ‘going to church’ have to do with being missional?

Jan 8, 2024 | thebanner.org | Karen Wilk |Big Questions

What does “going to church” have to do with being missional? I have put the phrase “going to church” in quotation marks because on the one hand, we all know that we don’t go to church—we are the church! “Being the church” is a way of life we embody 24/7 that bears witness to God’s loving reign (sometimes very well, and other times not so much). On the other hand, what we mean when we say we’re “going to church” is important.