Mary L. Vanden Berg
Always Being Reformed
One of my colleagues used to teach a class entitled “Reformed Confessions and Worldview.” It was a course that all students at Calvin Seminary had to take, preferably during their…
Engaging Scripture in Uganda: A Cross-Cultural Context
Last August, I had the opportunity to teach at a conference in Uganda for a week. I was assigned a topic—The Kingdom of God—and my first thought was how to…
Hospitality in the Doctrine of Election
There are few topics in Reformed theology that cause as much general angst as the doctrine of election. At least this is true in my classroom. Everything is fairly comfortable…
Dementia and Wilderness
Dementia. Few diagnoses carry the level of fear and dread that this little word does, both for the one diagnosed and for that person’s loved ones. Although Alzheimer’s is perhaps…
Encouraging One Another To Grow Up Into Christ
Human beings are created for community. The second chapter of Genesis tells us that it was not good for Adam to be alone so God provided him with a “suitable…
Loving Your Neighbor with Dementia
Dementia is an umbrella term for a set of symptoms. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, dementia refers specifically to “diseases and conditions characterized by a decline in memory or other…