Nathan Oblak

In this episode we examine and define totalitarianism- its meaning, origins, and some historic examples. We look at the ancient roots of this ideology as expressed by Aristotle and implicitly adopted by Thomas Aquinas and the Roman Catholic church. As we witness the continued push toward totalitarianism in Canada in particular, what were the assumptions and commitments that brought us to this point?

Aaron Rock, Ezra Institute Fellow and Pastor of Harvest Windsor, joins us on this episode to talk about how to understand Christian unity, and what our view on unity and division say about the gospel. Disunity is rooted in differing theological understandings of what it means for Christ to be Lord. We also touch on the Great Schism, marriage and sex, eschatology, the church, and the current state of emergency in Canada.

John Cooper of Skillet joins us to talk about their recent album, Dominion, about the experience of writing music in a dark and confused cultural moment, and about the importance of Christians participating in civil life.

The dispute over the meaning and extent of rights and freedoms is on display in the Canadian truckers’ ongoing protest in Ottawa, and the response to it from media and elected officials. But this dispute is also rooted in an older and deeper philosophical system known as Critical Theory. As ever, the solution is ultimately and only found at the cross of Jesus Christ.

What a man avoids saying is often more telling than what he does say. As a 70-kilometer-long truck convoy approaches Ottawa in opposition to mandatory vaccinations, we have an opportunity to reflect on some of the reasons that evangelicals have seemed hesitant to publicly and clearly declare, from a scriptural foundation, what they oppose.

In a Christian worldview, every area of life and experience is to be brought under the lordship of Jesus the King. Another way to say this is that as God’s vice-gerents, human beings are called to exercise God-honouring dominion over the earth. Special guest Allie-Beth Stuckey joins us to talk about the Christian calling to faithfulness in the sphere of politics and media.

As Canada faces a legal context that is increasingly hostile to Christian belief and practice, the church has an opportunity and an obligation to speak prophetically to our civil authorities, reminding them that they are ministers under authority of Jesus Christ, the Ruler of the kings of the earth.

For this Christmas week episode, we examine a recent tweet from Tim Keller submitted by a listener on the nature of the cross and of power. To understand what Christ was accomplishing and demonstrating on the cross, we need to consider why He came to earth as a baby in the first place, and what He has called His people to in the time before His incarnation as well as after His ascension to the Father.

This week’s episode deals with the recent hustle of Bill C4 through the Canadian senate, to become law early in the new year, describing how Christian counselling has effectively and explicitly been made a criminal offense. We also get a chance to respond to some listener questions on the relationship between law and gospel.

Today Canada passed Bill C4, asserting that the basis of human dignity consists in radical autonomy from any tradition or authority. Such legislation should leave no doubt whether politics is a moral issue – it is something that Scripture speaks about, and something that ministers ought to speak on both in public and in the pulpit.

The issue of theonomy has been a perennial question – how do we understand, interpret, and apply the law of God in its original context, as well as the present day? Beginning with the basics, Joe Boot examines the origins and assumptions of the theonomic perspective, explaining that at its root, theonomy is a view of Christian ethics that seeks to take the whole Word of God seriously.

Pastor Tim Stephens of Fairview Baptist Church, Calgary, joins us to talk about his experience with Alberta Health Services and the reason he persisted in gathering his church together. Andre Schutten considers some of the legal implications and precedents surrounding Tim’s case, and the nature of the relationship between the church and the civil magistrate.