Neurophysiological and theological depths of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 31. A musical ‘anastasis,’ bridging Catholic Enlightenment piety and modern brain science.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “Crossing the Bar” remains one of the most enduring meditations on mortality in English literature. Written in the final years of his life, the poem replaces the “moaning” of grief with the serene imagery of a ship putting out to sea. In this analysis, we explore the synthesis of Tennyson’s personal faith and his mastery of metaphor, examining how the “Pilot” and the “boundless deep” serve as a bridge between earthly existence and the transcendent homecoming of the soul.
How does a leader maintain influence when they are physically absent? This essay examines St. Paul’s “Portable Presence”—a sophisticated narrative strategy that allowed his authority and guidance to remain active within early Christian communities despite vast geographical distances. By synthesizing biblical studies with modern narrative leadership theory, we explore how Paul used his letters not just as correspondence, but as a technology of presence that continues to offer profound lessons for leaders navigating the complexities of remote influence and institutional identity today.
What can a piano teacher teach us about the ‘technology of presence’? Using the 1993 performance of Manuel Infante’s ‘Ritmo’ as a case study, Victor Gavino explores how legacy functions as leadership. Discover how a mentor’s influence becomes a ‘portable presence’ that continues to shape reality long after they have left the stage.
Why does the Apostle Paul’s leadership still resonate 2,000 years after his death while modern corporate models often expire the moment a leader leaves the room? Victor Gavino challenges the limitations of Transformational and Servant leadership frameworks, proposing instead that Paul’s letters function as a ‘technology of presence’—a narrative vehicle that continues to build worlds long after the author is gone.
“Haunted by a world of chaos, the prophet Habakkuk asked: ‘Where is God?’ Discover the profound breakthrough that transformed Martin Luther’s despair into hope and explore the three divine answers that provide an anchor in the modern storm.”
“Leadership is not a modern corporate invention, but a stable evolutionary phenomenon. By mapping the Apostle Paul’s missionary behavior onto four Darwinian drives, we uncover the primal architecture of influence.”
The 2021 Census confirms a definitive tipping point: weekly church attendance in Canada has plummeted from 65% to less than 9%. As the “Pastor-as-Manager” model fails, how can the local church transition to a “Narrative Presence”? This post analyzes the data of decline and introduces a new series on the theory of Narrative Leadership.
“What does it mean to live in the ‘in-between’ time, where the world is broken but the New Creation has already begun? Drawing on the imagery of the Barong Tagalog and the theology of the Cornerstone, this post examines God’s promise to restore what is lost and calls us to weave Shalom into our neighbourhoods today.”
Life is hard-wired for transcendence, always reaching for an echo of Eden. In this final sermon at Central Presbyterian, the language of music—specifically Beethoven’s Sonata No. 31—becomes a vessel for the Gospel. It is a journey through gasping laments and mysterious chords toward a strength seasoned by suffering and a hope that death never has the last word.
