The transatlantic trade in Africans was founded on a misguided interpretation of Christianity. Prince Henry of Portugal, “the Navigator” (1394-1460), put Europe’s aggressive and ruthless expeditions to Africa in motion. It was during this period that the feudal European states began to unite. Henry taught men to sail down the …
Read More »Dear Editor: The Bible and women; why Deborah’s story matters
“[…] I did not always know about Deborah—based on my experience, she is rarely spoken about from the pulpits. So I had been a Christian for many years before coming across her story a few years ago during a bible study session. “I feel I need to write about it. …
Read More »Noble: Good Friday trials—compromised leaders don’t recognise their power
We tend to centre the Easter weekend observances on the Resurrection in our modern-day society. We skip past Good Friday—but there would be no Easter without Good Friday. We must face Good Friday’s trials and darkness before we can appreciate the dawn of the Resurrection. The events of Good Friday …
Read More »Noble: God is mindful of the humble but scatters the proud
Ancestry © is possibly the most extensive software package that helps us to develop our family tree. Knowing your family history enables you to appreciate your identity. The story of Jesus in the New Testament begins with a family tree. In a strange twist, the genealogy by which Matthew attempts …
Read More »Noble: The Israel-Hamas War and the Bible—silence in the face of evil
“Silence in the face of evil is evil itself.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer, German Lutheran pastor, theologian and anti-Nazi dissident. The Holy Land is an attraction for us because of the Hebrew Torah, the Christian Bible, and the Quran with their stories of Judaism, the foundation of Christianity, and the creation of …
Read More »Noble: The Church, Sex and the Young—our children can’t live in “sanitised bubble”
“If the kingdoms of this world are to be transformed into the kingdom of our Christ, qualified Christians need to be deeply involved in political, legal, and economic processes. “Resistance to the calling to address these social issues intelligently and with spiritual force arises within some local churches and Christian …
Read More »Dear Editor: Trinity College’s unchristian, discriminatory policy proves 1970 “revolution” still unfinished
“[…] I have stated before that the ‘Revolution’ that took place in 1970, in T&T, is an unfinished revolution. If we do not continue to educate and sensitise our younger generation on their self-worth then, unfortunately, history is inclined to repeat itself. “[…] How in Heaven’s name could a senior cleric …
Read More »CRFP: Indigenous Peoples express hope and concern at Vatican’s repudiation of Doctrine of Discovery
“[…] In what could have been a ground-breaking and historic repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery, the Vatican instead released a series of political statements that sought to rewrite history, shield the Catholic Church from legal liability and shift the blame for the Doctrine of Discovery to governmental and colonial …
Read More »Noble: The misunderstood Jesus—God is neither ATM nor weapon against marginalised people
Misunderstanding is an old human problem. All of us have experienced being misunderstood at some point in our lives. Sometimes it is funny, as in sitcoms; they love to create misunderstandings or have characters lie for a laugh. But we know what it is to share something with someone, expecting …
Read More »Noble: Gazing in the mirror—will T&T move forward in faith, or face danse macabre?
All nations tell stories about themselves. These narratives tell us where we came from, who we are and where we want to go. Consequently, they change as the storytellers provide contesting viewpoints. The thread is twisted by grief, sentimentality, pride, or shame. Bare facts form only part of the saga …
Read More »Vaneisa: Open the gates—the trouble with the world
In Afghanistan, under such bitterly cold conditions that more than a hundred have perished, the Taliban has kept its focus sharply on repressing women. The economy has shrunk, but the forces are hell bent on keeping women restricted from public activities. No to education; no to certain jobs, no to …
Read More »Noble: Mary’s Boy Child, the Troublemaker—will we join Jesus’ war with the Establishment?
As Christmas is upon us again, the lyrics of Away in a Manger appear relevant today. Away in a manger/ no crib for his bed/ The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head;/The stars in the heavens looked down where he lay/ The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the …
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