James Spencer

CP Op-Ed Contributor

Latest

Jul 5, 2023
Who is our ‘neighbor’ in an AI-enabled world?
As we consider what it means to be human in the age of AI, it may be helpful to alter this parable in a way that illustrates the distance AI can create between people.
Jun 9, 2023
How inclusivity affects the Church and repentance
While diversity, equity and inclusion programs have many problems, one glaring difficulty lies in the telos, or final aim, of such programs. If, for instance, inclusion is confused with unconditional acceptance, we will likely lose the ability to call others to repentance.
Jun 3, 2023
Social media: For the good or the doom of society?
We need to consider how our use of social media and other technology platforms is detaching us from reality, particularly as deep fakes, misinformation, rigged photo shoots, and filters become more and more the norm.
Feb 21, 2023
Is the Church being 'out-coordinated' by the world on discipleship?
When it comes to discipleship, however, the Church has been and continues to be at risk of being “out-coordinated” by the world.
Dec 2, 2022
Is it really taboo? Why including theology in public education makes sense
The deeper problem concerns the absence of theology and the functional denial of the transcendent within public school education.
Nov 7, 2022
What discipleship is and isn't
Discipleship is not simply a matter of depending on God for safety but recognizing that safety is less important than following where God leads.
Oct 22, 2022
Tricked by treats: Christians should be wary of Halloween (and other holidays)
As we rightfully consider how to avoid the evil spirits associated with Halloween, we would be wise to remember that those spirits are not limited to supernatural beings, but to the spirits of the age that lure us away from the peace and contentment that Christ can provide.
May 23, 2022
When we no longer understand what the word 'Christian' means
For example, one “Christian college” president told me that he counted it as a success when a graduating Muslim student told him that the school had helped him develop a deeper devotion to Allah.
Jan 25, 2022
Those who mourn and the sanctity of life
In the process, I came to see that I had created a self-serving fantasy. In my innocent fiction, I was a wonderful father who raised a son who would avoid all the mistakes I had made. He would achieve everything I hadn’t.
Jan 3, 2022
Decoding Christian witness in a digital age
Our lack of accountability puts us in a position to be more influenced by the world than the church because the negative social consequences of upsetting the world outweigh our commitment to being part of a community that finds joy in suffering and freedom in even the most inconvenient truths.