MAY 2022 NEWSLETTER

Given my Greek-Cypriot ancestry, you may not be surprised to know that, when I was a child, our family celebrated Easter twice, first with my mother's relatives according to the Gregorian calendar and then with my father's relatives according to the Julian. But on both occasions we were in the habit of greeting each other with: Χριστός ανέστη! ("Christ is risen!), to which the others would respond: Αληθώς ανέστη! ("Truly he is risen!") Of course, as we meditate on Christ's resurrection from the dead, we are reminded that every Lord's Day is a "little Easter." Wouldn't it be marvellous if we were in the habit of extending this greeting to each other every time we met for worship? I think it would be most appropriate.

The big news this month is that the Spanish-language edition of Political Visions and Illusions has now been published by Teología para Vivir in Lima, Peru. This makes the book accessible to a large number of countries where Spanish is spoken as a first or second language, including the land of my birth. I hope in future to connect with readers in these countries.

Last month, the Rev. Tim Keller, who has been ailing with cancer over the past two years, has seen fit to offer yet another endorsement for my book, as seen in the following video:

I am, of course, grateful that he has found it so helpful in the current political climate, especially within the larger Christian community. May God heal him of his infirmity and allow him more years of service to his kingdom.

At the turn of the month, I participated in three back-to-back events relevant to Brazil: Pará, Paraná e Bruno: Conversations with Brazil, with others forthcoming.

I continue to monitor the tragic events in Ukraine, where the war is into its eleventh week. I have devoted posts to Putin's successes, of which I've isolated ten; and Strengthening Russia: Austin's misguided policy goal. Don't judge these by their titles! Read and ponder. Christian Courier published my monthly column for April under the title, The world responds to Russia.

Let me draw your attention to two books which I recommend to anyone with a heart to see our political institutions seek public justice. The first is by my friend and colleague Jonathan Chaplin, Faith in Democracy: Framing a Politics of Deep Diversity (London: SCM Press, 2021). Writing primarily for a British audience, Chaplin systematically explores the implications of public justice for several current issues, including religious freedom and the conflict over group identities. The second book is by Michael Lind, The New Class War: Saving Democracy from the Managerial Elite (Penguin/Random House, 2020). Clicking on the titles will take you to my reviews of the books. While the two scholars' arguments differ significantly, they both champion "democratic pluralism," with Chaplin prefixing it with "Christian." Both seek to support a society characterized by a multiplicity of communities, each contributing with its own distinctive standards and purposes to the public good.

Next week I will be speaking on the Genevan Psalter at 15:30 UTC-4 (3.30 pm EDT), wednesday, 18 May 2022, at the Meeter Center Lecture Hall at Calvin University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. The title is "Let the People Praise: The Enduring Legacy of the Genevan Psalter." I hope to see some of you there.

A heartfelt thanks once again to those who have generously contributed to my work with Global Scholars. GSC's page for giving can be found here. Once you are in the page, scroll down to the heading marked DONATION DETAILS, and then choose one of the options under FUND. Americans may donate through our sister organization in the US. If you cannot afford to give, please do continue to pray for my work. Thank you so much.

Yours in God's service,

David Koyzis, Global Scholar