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My blog posts revolve around my interests and vocation as a historian: the intersection of history and contemporary church life, the intersection of history and contemporary politics, serendipitous discoveries in archives or on research trips, publications and research projects, upcoming conferences, and speaking engagements.
I sometimes blog for two other organizations, the Canadian Baptist Historical Society and the Centre for Post-Christendom Studies. The views expressed in these blogs represent the views of the authors, and not necessarily those of any organizations with which they are associated. |
 Here is part two of my Spring and Summer 2024 readings. As in previous years, many of these works were read in our internet-and-data-plan-free cottage. You will see that the range of books reflects my interest in church history, politics and war, and science fiction.
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 Image from Canadian Baptist Archives, McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, Ontario I recently enjoyed presenting a paper at Congress 2024 at McGill University for the Canadian Society of Church History. My paper was entitled “Rev. Dr. Muriel Carder (1922-2023): A Canadian Baptist Renaissance Woman.”
Muriel Carder is an iconic figure among Baptists in the CBOQ (Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec), yet little is known of her and nothing published about her long time of ministry (she recently died at the age of 100). I hope that this paper provides a helpful glimpse of her life and provokes some others to take up the task of carrying out a further and more detailed analysis of her experiences as missionary, pastor, professor, author, chaplain, and Bible translator. Here is a link to the paper that has just been published: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/8/973 Here is a link to the issue that includes other papers on the experience of Baptist women: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/religions/special_issues/FA5A2LITKM  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Westminster_College,_Main_Building.jpg I am currently at the International Conference of Baptist Studies at Cambridge UK. We are meeting in Westminster College (see image above). My paper was entitled: “Empire Day and Patriotic Education for Canadian Baptist Children, 1899-1957.”
Here is a brief summary of the paper. I hope to see this published as a book chapter in the upcoming volume coming out of the conference.  I am on a train right now on the way to Cambridge University to present a paper at the International Conference of Baptist Studies. My paper is entitled “Empire Day and Patriotic Education for Canadian Baptist Children, 1899-1957.”
However, the last few days I made good use of time to travel to Chester (just southwest of Liverpool) to explore some Roman ruins, medieval churches, English Civil War era churches, the location of a sermon by John Wesley, and Victorian architecture. The density of these historical sites is amazing – all within a five-minute walk. In other words, a historian’s paradise. Here are some pictures (click on pictures to enlarge).  This year is the 150th anniversary of Canadian Baptist Ministries (an organization that unites and coordinates the mission and relief efforts of four Canadian Baptist denominations). The following is my contribution to their twelve months of posts: https://caba150.ca/builders/
For the full roster of contributors, see: https://caba150.ca  Here is the first summary of my Spring and Summer 2024 reading. As in previous years, many of these works were read in our internet-and-data-plan-free cottage. You will see that the range of books reflects my interest in church history, politics and war, and science fiction.
 Watching war movies and asking difficult questions that arise from the plot can be an exceedingly helpful catalyst for thinking clearly, carefully, and Christianly about a host of issues related to war and peace.
The following list includes some war movies and TV shows that I have found to raise some important questions related to violence in this war-torn world. Of course, watching these movies is not necessarily enjoyable – in fact, no realistic movie about war should be “enjoyable” at all. Yet the following are worth watching as a catalyst to think further about war and one’s own position on such matters. Of course, some who read this blog may not need to watch movies to face such questions, for they have lived (or are living right now) the nightmare of war. And for some sensitive souls, staying away from such movies may be a good idea. [shameless self-promotion alert…] My recent book Christians, the State, and War: An Ancient Tradition for the Modern World (2022) provides a helpful theological and historical argument for grappling with some of the tough and vexing questions raised in these movies.  Back in the days of great sailing vessels crossing oceans, being becalmed at sea could have been a restful time between swells and storms and a chance to rebuild what had been damaged in war or simply worn out due to wear and tear.
Yet being becalmed for too long could be deadly, for the clock was ticking on food and especially water. Being becalmed was dangerous. And being becalmed in doctoral studies can also be a good thing due to the trials and travails of doctoral programs, but at the same time it can be a threat to one’s successful completion of their program.  A few months ago, I walked into Emmanuel College (Toronto) with my usual pondering if I would find Dr. Phyllis Airhart in her office. However, this time it was different. Her name was gone off the door and her office was empty.
And, at that moment, I had an epiphany on two related fronts.  I recently published a chapter on two heroic figures of the late-Victorian era entitled “Queen Victoria and General Gordon: Heroes in the Age of Empires.”[1]
Here are a few excerpts to temp you to track down the entire chapter. |
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