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 Elephant in the Room
Does theology matter? Of course it does – and even more so when someone is a teacher and preacher who claims to speak the words of eternal life.
Over the last few days, quite a storm has developed over the invitation extended to a ‘Word of Faith’ preacher to speak at a high profile event in the US. You can read a summary by Tim Challies about the controversy. Carl Trueman also offers some thoughts.
Related: Word of Faith preachers. (Photo: Tim Challies.)
On hearing and responding to Christ’s word
At the Better Gatherings website (run by the Archbishop of Sydney’s Liturgical Panel), there’s a helpful short article by Dr David Peterson – on considering what we do when we meet around Christ in church. You can read it here (be sure to check the other resources on the site!).
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.)
Deciding… Yet Undecided
“The strategy behind Williams’ address was not to promote his views on homosexuality directly, but to reflect on the process by which moral decisions in general should be made – not so much to play the game, so to speak, as the more ambitious task of actually trying to define what the playing field should look like.
And this is the enduring significance of his address thirteen years later as he continues to promote ‘indaba’ and ‘listening process’ strategies which focus on the process of decision making…”
– Charles Raven, author of Shadow Gospel, reviews a book on Archbishop Rowan Williams’ theology of moral decision-making – at SPREAD.
A passionate plea for doctrine
In the latest issue of Cross†Way, Anthony Rees gives 5 reasons why there is a need to recover Christian doctrine.
Read it here as a PDF file – from Church Society.
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.
The Doctrine of Baptism – DWB Robinson
Church Society has republished a 1962 paper by Donald Robinson (then Vice-Principal of Moore Theological College, and later Archbishop of Sydney) on the doctrine of Baptism.
“For our Church’s doctrine of baptism we must go first of all to the Thirty-Nine Articles. The Prayer Book services must always be interpreted in accordance with the Articles, and not the other way about.”
– This enlightening paper is available as a PDF file from Church Society.
(This has also been republished as chapter 26 in Volume 2 of Donald Robinson, Selected Works, Australian Church Record / Moore College, 2008.)
Biblical Authority in an Age of Uncertainty
In this video from The Gospel Coalition, Don Carson, John Piper and Tim Keller speak together about the importance of knowing what the Bible says.
Related: David Ould looks at the debate in the UK on Women Bishops – “It’s Just the Vibe of the Thing” – at Stand Firm.