Christ Church Cranbrook Lenten Series

Six talks given to the Christ Church Cranbrook community in March 2022 are available to watch. See the series page.

The joy of being wrong

In the first talk, James revisits the anthropological basis of the scapegoat mechanism and explains its relevance to his theological thinking.

The coming Church: resiliency and rebirth in a post-Covid world

A panel discussion with an ecumenical and diverse gathering of the church leaders to discuss the hopeful trends emerging in our midst.

The Exodus of Jesus: a short retreat on the Gospel of Luke

James reflects on themes in the Gospel of Luke that sketch the contours of  Jesus’ “departure” (Grk: exodon Luke 9:31) and journey to Jerusalem. In addition to focusing on Christ’s death and resurrection, he offers ways to see the whole scope of Luke’s Gospel as an exodus journey from death to life, exclusion to inclusion, and retribution to reconciliation.

Moving On: what Jesus teaches about scapegoats, victims, and exclusion

James talks about how our desires lead to scapegoating behaviour and violent sacrifice, and how Jesus frees us from envy and destructive behaviour.

Songs of inclusion and exclusion

James joins Artist-in-Residence Joe Balistreri as he shares the intimate story of his experience of exclusion and inclusion through song, scripture, and reflections.

Grace under fire: gay Catholics speak of finding God’s grace during times of turmoil

LGBTQ Catholics Terry Gonda and Aaron Bianco forced from ministry positions due to their sexual orientation, explore the transformative power of Grace in the journey towards faith without resentment – towards radical inclusion in the face of exclusion.