Author: Shalem John

As assisted suicide continues to grow in Canada and expands in the US, a major Reformed body has moved to “deplore” its legalization in the strongest terms and offer the most detailed denominational guidelines to date on practical and pastoral care around the practice. Last month, at an annual synod marked by difficult disagreements over sexual ethics, delegates from the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRC) came together to speak out against medically assisted suicide. “It is very rare that synod speaks this strongly about any issue,” Stephen Terpstra, synod president, said after the unanimous vote. “We have said…

Usually at this time of year, Adakole Odaudu is at his farm to check on his crops. He normally gets up early during the summer rainy season in Benue State, Nigeria, to help his hired hands identify which portions of the farm need weeding. He guards against pest infestations that might threaten his okra harvest. Yet Odaudu told CT that when his niece recently visited from Abuja—the nation’s capital—to attend a funeral in Benue, he could offer only a little okra to eat. In the past, he would have sent her back with at least a bag of gari—a food…

The first time Alex Entz saw his future wife, she was behind a paywall. The popular dating app Hinge had deemed Leanne Brady a “standout” match for Entz—an attractive, compatible, and compelling person. So it put her in a special, separate category. Entz had to decide whether to shell out $3.99 for the chance to talk to her. He didn’t pay. It worked out anyway. A few days later, Brady’s profile showed up in his regular feed. This time, Entz responded, and they matched. They started to chat and hit it off. Today, the couple is married. The Entzes are…