The Concise Oxford | market idol

Are we ensuring people starve on our streets?

The market as we know it is an entity that, by its very nature, can only function if there is economic inequality amongst people. On the local, national or global scale, the market functions in such a way so as to allow for the rich to get richer and the poor get poorer. Just last week a study was released that concluded that in Canada, the gap between the rich and the poor is growing faster than any other country in the world.

For many the market is a god, an idol. When the market is in turmoil - as it is today - many people have very little idea as to where to turn to for their hope. People revere idols by worshipping them. Idols that are worshipped require sacrifices in order to appease them. For example, if we worship TV then we sacrifice our minds. If we worship gossip then we sacrifice relationships. If we worship the market then our sacrifices are often human… they are the world’s poor.

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The Concise Oxford | Mary’s song

Let us only pledge allegiance to one King

Much of this blog is to be credited to Brian Walsh and the folks at Empire Remixed. I can’t possibly imagine a more timely issue to raise at such a time as this, so I thought I’d put it out there for we Christians to consider in this election season - in the recent Canadian contest or the upcoming American election.

There once was a woman from a rather backwoods part of the country. And she moved from having almost no role in the shaping of history to having a huge role. Literally overnight she found herself carrying the weight of history. In what was little more than an instant she found herself in a position of great honour.
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The Concise Oxford

An introduction to our newest columnist

As someone who has spent the past 18 years of my life working amongst the poor in downtown Toronto, I’ve learned a lot about myself and about the world. There are some things the reader should know about me before reading any future blogs of mine:

1.    I came to work amongst the poor in hopes of saving people. I quickly learned that it was me being saved from my own baggage, prejudices and brokenness. I came to bring Jesus to the dark alleys and streets of Toronto’s inner city. I was thrilled to discover that Jesus was already there, and I got to meet Him in those dark places. After 18 years, I am still learning how to depend on God and trust Him with every part of my life. The people I meet and develop relationships with, often those who have been discarded by our society, are the ones demonstrating to me what this dependence on God can be like. They are living prophets to me.

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