Before answering what we reform or how we do so, we must lay the proper foundation. The why behind our efforts is not a list of suggestions but an indivisible foundation: we seek reformation for the glory of God and the common good of our fellow man. This work would be entirely futile in our own strength; it stems from the gospel of Jesus Christ and the mandate of the great commission.

I suppose, as a young man, I am writing this to myself as much as to anyone else. I will not accomplish great things when compared to my heroes—men like Dwight D. Eisenhower, Pappy Gunn, R.G. LeTourneau, James H. Doolittle, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, David, Jonathan, Paul, Stephen, Joshua, Martin Luther, Jim Elliot, Jonathan Edwards, Thomas Watson, William Tyndale, Thomas Cranmer, C.S. Lewis, John MacArthur, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Chad Robichaux, Paul Washer, and yes…Charlie Kirk.

That question deserves a thoughtful, biblical, and practical answer. Over the next several weeks, we will tackle it head-on in our "Foundations of Reform" series. We will explore the theological mandate for why we reform, the key areas of focus for what we must reform, and the strategic methods for how we can faithfully seek the good of Alberta for generations to come.

I have spent just short of a decade volunteering alongside men and women crushed under the weight of addiction and homelessness in my Calgary neighbourhood. Many of these dear ones were not only caught in the snares of drugs but trapped in the throes of mental illness. Drugs often start as a solution to trauma. And street drugs are no longer what they were. What used to be heroin is now fentanyl—commonly called “down”—a synthetic opioid often made with a deadly concoction that contains benzodiazepines and unknown tranquillizers. Additionally, users often use “down” in conjunction with methamphetamine to better the high. We watch, helpless, as “bottoming out” doesn’t happen. Instead, they simply die.

In my first article, I argued that God created us to work. He put men and women in the Garden to work and keep it (Gen 2:15). Our work was meant to create spaces where life can thrive, reflecting God’s glory as we work for the good of others. My second article then posed the question: if we were created to work, why is it so frustrating?

I asked Grok to help me find some different names for Artificial Intelligence. One of its better suggestions was to replace the term Artificial Intelligence with Pattern Engines. But then I talked to Dr. Jonathan Shaw, one of the co-authors of Wiser Than the Machine: The Value of Classical Christian Education in an Age of Artificial Intelligence. He told me that Artificial Intelligence machines use “reinforcement learning through human feedback.” Simply put, Grok told me what I wanted to hear because that is how Grok is coded. Grok “scratched my itching ears,” so to speak. When pressed, it will give new terms to appease the user. So, for the sake of proper communication and not to confuse you any more than necessary, I will use the term Artificial Intelligence.

Every June, Canada is covered in rainbow flags. Corporations rebrand, parades are organized, and moral slogans are shouted. And in the middle of it all, Christians often feel stuck, unsure whether to speak, what to say, or how to say it without being dismissed as hateful or bigoted.

In Canada, June 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day, a time to reflect on the heritage of the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples who live across Canada. What can come as a surprise to some is the example of Christian witness exhibited among Indigenous peoples in the early days of Canada, even predating Confederation in 1867.

When summer finally arrives in Alberta, some are eager to resume playing their favourite outdoor sport. Others love to resume their craft of gardening. Still, many others are excited about returning to the Rockies. In these increasingly transient and chaotic times, the steadfastness of the Rockies is a welcome reprieve. Whether we are taking in Kananaskis Country’s hiking trails, Jasper’s waterfalls, Banff’s summit vistas or Lake Louise’s turquoise hue, there is much of Alberta for God’s people to savour and enjoy. Could it be any better?