His Story is History and History is His Story
“Tacitus the great historian of First Century Rome leaves us in no doubt about the main historical outlines of the New Testament. Tacitus, a leading politician and a provincial governor, reports that the ‘Christians’ took their name from a person called ‘Christ’ who was executed by Pontius Pilate in Judea in the era of Tiberius Caesar.
Tacitus expected the movement to die with its founder but instead it spread to Rome where, by the time of the great fire in AD 64, it had become ‘immense’.
Tacitus’s history tell us (a) Jesus was known as ‘Christ’, (b) that he was therefore a genuine figure of history, (c) when and where he was executed, and (d) that in spite of his death as a disgraced felon within thirty years his movement spread from Palestine on the edge of the empire to its heart, Rome…”
– Read it all – at Dr Paul Barnett’s blog.
The Sydney Family Album — 7
Mark Thompson has returned to his theme of Sydney’s Family Album with the story of Nathaniel Jones, Moore College Principal 1897–1911:
“Jones’ legacy was a determined evangelicalism, determined equally to live out the faith in quiet godliness and to resist the liberalism (a.k.a. modernism) that would seek a foothold in the diocese over the next two decades.”
Nathaniel Jones, Principal of Moore College from 1897 until 1911, must be included in any reckoning of those who shaped contemporary Sydney Anglicanism. He influenced a generation of Sydney clergy during his fourteen years as principal of the college. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the Katoomba Christian Convention. It would be Jones’ men who would promote Howard Mowll for Archbishop in 1933. Read more
Why God became Man
“The title of this post is the translation of one of the most famous books in the history of Christian theology: Cur Deus Homo by Anselm of Canterbury. In it he expounded the biblical doctrines of Christ’s incarnation and atonement, demonstrating their fundamental connection. The one who died was God the Son become fully human. God the Son became fully human in order to die.
The necessity of the incarnation arises from both God’s character of holy love and determined purpose to have human beings for himself even in the face of the monumental attack upon God and his character that is human sin. …”
– ACL President Mark Thompson writes at Theological Theology.
Abandon the Reformation, Abandon the Gospel
“There they sat. Relics. Lots of them. There was a cut of fabric from the swaddling cloth of baby Jesus, 13 pieces from his crib, a strand of straw from the manger, a piece of gold from a Wise Man, three pieces of myrrh, a morsel of bread from the Last Supper, a thorn from the crown Jesus wore when crucified, and, to top it all off, a genuine piece of stone that Jesus stood on to ascend to the Father’s right hand…”
– At The Gospel Coalition, Matthew Barrett writes for Reformation Day (October 31).
Archbishop Cranmer’s immortal bequest
In the run up to Reformation Sunday (October 30), Church Society has republished a 1992 article from Churchman – ‘Archbishop Cranmer’s Immortal Bequest: The Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England: An Evangelistic Liturgy’ by Samuel Leuenberger. (PDF file.)
Worthwhile reading for a sense of where the Book of Common Prayer comes from, especially so as Sydney Diocese discusses liturgical revision.
The Reformation and the men behind it
“The Protestant Reformation stands as the most far-reaching, world-changing display of God’s grace since the birth and early expansion of the church. It was not a single act, nor was it led by one man. This history-altering movement played out on different stages over many decades. Its cumulative impact, however, was enormous…”
– Over at R.C. Sproul’s Ligonier Ministries website, they’re posting excerpts from the book Pillars of Grace by Steven Lawson, in the run up to Reformation Day (usually observed on October 31). h/t Tim Challies.
Remembering with gratitude Sir Marcus Loane, on the Centenary of his birth
Marcus Loane was born in Tasmania one hundred years ago – on 14 October 1911.
He grew up in Chatswood in Sydney, becoming a Christian at the age of thirteen. After completing school, he worked as a shipping clerk while studying at Sydney University in the evenings.
In 1932, he entered Moore Theological College, with a view to ordination for parish ministry. He excelled academically in the Th.L and also earned an MA in English from Sydney University. Read more
Paul, Chronology and the Unity of 2 Corinthians
“It is generally agreed that Paul’s engagement with the church in Corinth was extensive and intensive, more so than with any Pauline congregation. This short paper addresses the question of the chronology of Paul’s relationship with the church in Corinth and the related issue of the unity of Second Corinthians. …”
– Bishop Paul Barnett has posted a very interesting and helpful paper he presented at the Society for the Study of Early Christianity at Macquarie University in August.
(Related: Society for the Study of Early Christianity website.)
Holding the Word of God in your hands
A few weeks back, Crossway, the publishers of the ESV, hosted a dinner at a Christian booksellers’ convention in Atlanta, Georgia. They asked someone who loves God’s word to give the keynote address.
John Piper spoke about William Tyndale, the 400th anniversary of the AV, the RSV, the NRSV, the rationale for the ESV – and the incomparable worth of God’s word. You can watch his 31 minute address on Vimeo. h/t Dane Ortlund.
Idea: Registered Vimeo users can download the 175MB file. Have a big TV? Invite your Bible Study group around to watch.