Canadian Association of Lutheran Congregations (CALC)
The date for the 2025 CALC Annual General Convention has been changed to FRIDAY APRIL 11 and SATURDAY APRIL 12, 2025.
The date for CALC’s Annual General Convention for 2025 set by the delegates to the last convention was for the weekend of Friday May 9th and Saturday May 10th, at Holiday Inn and Suites Edmonton Airport and Conference Centre. These dates were not available at the Holiday Inn. Other venues were considered and asked to submit bids. Their costs exceeded our budget. As a consequence the dates for the convention were changed.
The date for the 2025 CALC Annual Pastors' Study Retreat has been changed to THURSDAY APRIL 10, 2025.
By reason of the change of the date for CALC’s Annual General Convention for 2025, the date for the Pastors' study retreat has been changed to coincide with the convention.
Da Vinci, D’Olympics, and the Drag Queen Dinner Depiction
July 27, 2024 by Don Hutchinson
Da Vinci’s mural The Last Supper has often been parodied, including a video featuring rapper Snoop Dog who carried the 2024 Olympic Torch in Paris before this year’s opening ceremony while wearing the satanic emblem of Baphomet on his necklace.
The opening ceremony’s reimagining of Da Vinci’s masterpiece using drag queens, with a young girl seated at the table, has been subject to much social media commentary. Whether intended as satire of a piece of art (which seems unlikely given Da Vinci and his masterpiece are Italian not French and the mural is located in Italy not France) or not-so-veiled insult directed at Christians, there is little doubt the central figure in Da Vinci’s work is a depiction of Jesus of Nazareth, The Christ/Messiah, who was also the central personage burlesqued in Paris.
Some commentators note the host government of France would not have approved such mockery of a religion other than Christianity. If such treatment toward another religious community was presented in plans for the evening’s entertainment by Olympic organizers, government officials might have recalled the violent murder of eleven staff members employed by satire magazine Charlie Hebdo following its 2015 publication of a cartoon lampooning Islam’s prophet, Mohammed.
Others question why the French government’s stated purpose for a performance inclusive of everyone considered drag queens to be the preferred representative group. Perhaps French officials gave thought to the near past when drag queens were adult-only entertainment that took place in cabaret-like nightclubs before bursting into prominence as featured performers at events where children are invited to like them and aspire to be like them―library story hours, cartoons such as The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy or Drag Tots, or that lone young girl seated at the opening ceremony’s Last Supper parody table. Perhaps they didn’t think about it at all.
A cadre of more liberal commentators express toward Christians who take offense that religious leaders’ objection to Jesus’ inclusion of people they determined unwelcome is simply now being repeated by today’s religious leaders who object to the drag-queen-dinner presentation. Yes, Jesus was inclusive; always inviting those who attended to follow Him and consistently cautioning the alternative to following Him was self-condemnation to an eternity separated from the experience of true love.
Some say Christianity is an effective target for such mockery because it is toothless in response. Rather than toothless, I prefer to think Christians will not take up weapons in response to offense, heeding Jesus’ words in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:47-53). Christians in democratic societies are positioned to voice displeasure, careful to criticize the offense without condemning the offenders. And Christians in all societies are encouraged to heed Paul’s instruction to the brothers and sisters in Ephesus about spiritual warfare being directed at life’s spiritual realities (Ephesians 6:1-18). Be aware, as C.S. Lewis wrote, “There is no neutral ground in the universe. Every square inch, every split second is claimed by God, and counterclaimed by Satan.”
Jesus was mocked, spit upon, and crucified (Mark 15:16-37). He told His followers to expect persecution, to pray for those who despise them, and to know Christians live in a world that rejects Him and them (Matthew 5:9-12, 43-48; John 15:18-25). As Jesus’ body, Christians are to love their neighbours in the world―including those who mock Jesus and them―and invite those neighbours to follow Him (Matthew 28:19-20). Christians are to live as peacemakers at peace with neighbours, and not to seek revenge for offense or mistreatment (Romans 12).
Christian, take care that the bitter taste from offense, as seems likely was intended by the drag queen Last Supper, does not take root in your spirit lest you become the medium for corrupting the spirit of others (Hebrews 12:15).
Author of the Article
Don Hutchinson is a husband, father and grandfather who graduated from Queen’s University in Kingston (B.A.) and the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law (J.D.) a long time ago, and more recently from Canada Christian College and School of Graduate Theological Studies (D.Min.). The author of Under Siege: Religious Freedom and the Church in Canada at 150 (1867-2017), and his most recent book Church in Society: First-Century Citizenship Lessons for Twenty-First-Century Christians, Don is a strategic thinker and planner who has been a member of the Law Society of Ontario (formerly Law Society of Upper Canada) since 1990. Not coincidentally, he is also a long time member and former board chair of Canada’s Christian Legal Fellowship.
Do you want to watch the Opening Ceremony and Parade of Athletes for the 2024 Paris Olympics?
Click here if you want a 20 second look at the tableau that sparked all the controversy at the 2024 Olympics.
The entire opening ceremony and parade of athletes is available for viewing for free on CBC's "Gem" livestreaming platform. If you are a Gem subscriber go to step 2 below.
Here are the steps to follow if you don't have a Gem Account.
Step 1: Create a Gem account. Follow this link click here, and it will take you to the Gem Login page. In the middle of your screen you will see a red button that displays "sign in with CBC", below it you will see a prompt in white that reads "Create a Free CBC Account." click on it and you will be taken to another screen where you can set up your account. Follow those instructions.
Step 2: Once you have created your GEM account click here and it will take you to the video. Click on the red "watch" icon. At the bottom of the screen you will see a line and a red button. The see the tableau referred to in the article above put your cursor on the red dot and drag it to the right until you reach 2:21 and then let it play. This tableau comes in and out of the coverage (a few seconds at a time) until 3:05.
ILT’s Christ School of Theology continues to expand and provide new course offerings. The opportunities for students to experience scholarly work at incredible levels of depth and led by distinguished academics bodes well for developing future leaders of the pulpit and the classroom.
New Courses Taught by Dr. Erik Herrmann
Christ School of Theology’s newest Distinguished Professor and Research Fellow
PT 522—Homiletics II
HST 836—Interpretations of the Reformation: This is a brand new course and an exciting edition to our historical theology collection as it delivers deep insights into the historiography of the Reformation and explicates various approaches composed to interpret the reformation over the last 500 years. The course structure will implement a small-group colloquium format. We encourage advanced graduate students interested in the Reformation to add this course to their schedule.
New Courses Taught by Dr. Steve Hein
HST 645/745—Luther’s Theology of the Cross: In this new course, Dr. Hein will be exploring the Theology of the Cross as Luther’s fundamental basis for his later theological writings. Additionally, he will be contrasting the Theology of the Cross with earlier and contemporary versions of what Luther deemed theologies of glory in order to aid students in critical assessments and address contemporary issues.
Students interested in taking these courses for continuing education may audit the course for half the cost of regular tuition. If you are interested in learning more about taking courses as continuing education, please contact Joel Williams at jwilliams@ilt.edu.
Our regular Fall edition of the e-Connector will be available Sunday September 1st.
If your congregation is celebrating a milestone, such an anniversary, the installation of a new pastor, new construction, a mission activity, and/or the launch of a special new ministry, let us know. We would love to share your joy with the other members of CALC
Contact info for the editorial team: Pastor Ed Skutshek: Tel: (250) 801-3860 Email: skutsheke@gmail.com Sarah Dunphy: Tel: (613) 324-6554 Email: sarahdunphy@calc.ca
