A Paper, No Paper, and One Item off My Bucket List

Last week I was at a conference in Boston, Massachusetts. There are many noteworthy things to mention, and what follows are three of them.

•  A Paper 

The conference was the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society. And the paper I presented was entitled “Sojourners and Citizens: National Identity in the African Baptist Association, 1855–1914.” Dudley Brown and I recently co-edited The Black Baptist Experience in Canada (2025), and this paper was based on a chapter in the book.
 
Here is the conclusion to the paper: “While at times using the language of sojourners, the views expressed in the minutes reveal a fairly consistent public narrative of obligations and convictions shaped by being on the margins of a dominant Anglo-French (and British imperial) national identity. What is also apparent in the minutes is a fusion of patriotism, social reform, and race consciousness distinctly forged by religious convictions. It is virtually impossible to pull those aspects apart, for they are intertwined and mutually supportive. What this paper demonstrates is how among Black Baptists there was an appreciation among some for the relative safety and opportunity of Canada and the Empire when contrasted with the horrors of American slavery, and that gratefulness nurtured a sense of loyalty. Their religious convictions compelled them to engage in evangelism and social reforms to shape a Christian Canada. Yet there was also a pragmatic element to their loyalty and social engagement, something born out of the optimism of the age as well as the need to demonstrate the abilities of the Black community in order to silence naysayers and doubters of their worth as equal citizens. While it is outside the purview of this paper, it is worth noting that the Great War thrust upon Canadians in the summer of 1914 was seen as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity way to do just that.”
 

• ​​No Paper

 
I have seen the future, and I do not like it. Unlike cities in Canada (at least for now) where one can still navigate with cash, downtown Boston was basically paperless.
 
Of course, going digital is advantageous at times, and is perhaps inevitable. But what about those who do not carry a phone with them everywhere? Or have a limited data plan? Or have an older phone that does not read QR codes? Or, in the case of the elderly (or homeless), do not have a cell phone or do not know how to use apps on their phone? 
 
I found the lack of a paper option frustrating. Even a public shuttle to the airport would not accept cash! (Fortunately, the guy I was travelling with was handy with a phone and saved the day and got us to the airport.) My biggest concern was for seniors who, in many cases, would be unable to navigate the city without their grandkids travelling with them to deal with the constant use of apps, digital wallets, QR codes, etc.
 
As for me, I am not sure if I would go back for that very reason (especially since my Canadian bank cards would work at some stores and not others.) 
 

• One Item off my Bucket List

 
On the bright side, I got to go to a Boston Bruins game the night before the conference! 
 
I have been a Bruins fan since 1969, but I had never seen a Bruins game in Boston. Fortunately, I was able to get some last-minute tickets, and fellow Bruins fan Dudley and I got to watch the game. It was a great time in an impressive arena. 
 
The temptation to purchase jerseys, t-shirt, pucks, and used sticks was great, but, somehow, I managed to gather enough strength to resist (probably the fear of telling my wife how much I paid for such things was also a deterrent).
 
All in all, it was a great evening that allowed me to scratch an item off my bucket list.