Evangelical Fellowship of India calls for prayer for peace
Following the murder of a Hindu leader, the Evangelical Fellowship of India reports widespread attacks on Christians in Orissa State, North India.
Anglican Mainstream has published this report along with a request for prayer.
From Mainline to Sideline – The Death of Protestant America
The collapse of the Protestant mainline has been swift, steady, and self-inflicted. These denominations embraced theological liberalism and adopted accommodationism as a cultural posture. Bottum estimates that less than 8 percent of Americans are now members of “the central churches of the Protestant Mainline”.
– Al Mohler comments on a revealing article by Joseph Bottum in the current issue of First Things.
Choosing a children’s Bible
At Nine Marks, Justin Taylor reviews his three favourite children’s Bibles – including one that draws on Graeme Goldsworthy’s Gospel and Kingdom.
– see the review at Nine Marks.
(The Big Picture Story Bible is available from Moore Books – as is Graeme Goldsworthy’s Gospel and Kingdom.)
After Lambeth, what now?
The unfortunate truth of the Lambeth conference is that the only certain outcome has been a £1.2 million debt. As for the rest, opinions vary widely. …
The official figures have since revealed that The Episcopal Church sent the largest contingent of bishops, almost one quarter of the total. …
Rt Rev Michael Scott-Joynt, the Bishop of Winchester … said, “I cannot see that the members of an ‘international family of Churches’ can thrive and grow and offer a clear witness to Jesus Christ as Lord while offering contradictory teaching, on a matter as central as the character of the Holy Life, in different parts of a world knit together by instantaneous e-communications.”
– Russell Powell provides a helpful summary at SydneyAnglicans.net.
(Photo credit: Archbishop of Canterbury’s website.)
Jesus: Made in America
Last week’s broadcast from The White Horse Inn features an interview by Michael Horton with Stephen Nichols, author of Jesus: Made in America, published by Inter-Varsity Press.
The interview is helpful (especially for Australians unfamiliar with the American landscape) in understanding some of the historical reasons so much US “evangelicalism” isn’t at all evangelical.
The audio (37 minutes long) is available from One Place.
Related: This 1995 article by Michael Horton, The Legacy of Charles Finney, is also well worth reading. Charles Finney (1792–1875) is regarded as the Father of the Altar Call –
“one need go no further than the table of contents of his Systematic Theology to learn that Finney’s entire theology revolved around human morality…”
Whirlwind tour of the Anglican world
David Virtue’s weekly summary of goings-on in the Episcopal and Anglican world makes sobering reading –
“It was not a good week for The Episcopal Church especially in the Diocese of Virginia. For the third time, a judge ruled in favor of 11 churches in that diocese who had decided to depart for greener spiritual pastures. …
The next big speed bump for the House of Bishops is the deposition of the Rt. Rev. Bob Duncan at the HOB meeting in Salt Lake City Sept 16-19. Mrs. Jefferts Schori is planning on installing her bishop within days after the vote…”
– from VirtueOnline.
Charles Simeon: Prince of Evangelicals
“Much has been written about Charles Simeon by biographers, historians, and ecclesiologists that it may appear unnecessary to write more. But in dealing with his ministry, achievements and widespread influence, the spiritual principles that motivated his life and character may be largely by-passed.
It is needful to ask, What made him the man and Christian he was as outstanding preacher, servant-leader of countless students, co-founder of missionary societies, voluminous correspondent, and counsellor of many who were in need? …”
– Church Society has republished this 20-year old Churchman article by Canon Arthur Bennett. Good weekend reading – available as a 260kb PDF file (direct link).
TEC’s Virginia seminary welcomes first Muslim exchange student
Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) welcomed its first Muslim exchange student, Salih Sayilgan, on August 20 as part of its continuing effort to encourage deeper cross-cultural conversations within the VTS community and equip students to envision new and creative ways to undertake ministry in the world.
Sayilgan’s arrival marks a new relationship between the Seminary and the Istanbul Foundation for Science and Culture …
– from Episcopal Life Online.
Mark Driscoll in Sydney
SydneyAnglicans.net have posted a 23 minute video interview with Mark Driscoll – conducted by Russell Powell.
Best commentaries
John Dyer, a graduate of Dallas Seminary, has produced a resource many will find very helpful. Using many published sources, he seeks to bring together information on the best Bible commentaries in the English language.
See it at bestcommentaries.com
Gerald Bray on Tertullian and the Early Church
Useful resource:
Professor Gerald Bray examines the history of the early church with particular reference to the great Latin theologian, Tertullian.
Audio file: 8MB / 74 minutes, from The Theologian.
God and the Artist – New College Lectures
The New College Lectures are coming up in early September (2, 3 and 4) – Professor Trevor Hart, Professor of Divinity and Director of the Institute of Theology, Imagination and the Arts at the University of St Andrews, Scotland is this year’s speaker.
Download an invitation (100kb pdf file) with all the details from New College.
Fort Worth FAQs on ‘Fiduciary Duty’
“As we approach the time of decision concerning our continued affiliation with The Episcopal Church (TEC), one of the issues raised by those who desire to maintain affiliation with TEC concerns the legal question of the existence of ‘fiduciary’ relationships.
The issue seems to have been raised as a veiled threat against those who would vote to disaffiliate with TEC. Accordingly, it would be helpful for anyone who is concerned about this issue to understand what a fiduciary is and how fiduciary relationships are created in order to evaluate the credibility of the threat. …”
– The Diocese of Fort Worth provides guidance for its members in the light of statements in recent months from TEC Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori (here’s one) and echoed by others.
Confessions of Augustine – free audiobook
Step back 1600 years. The Confessions of Saint Augustine is available as a free audiobook until the end of this month (August 2008) at Christian Audio.
The unabridged recording – with the English voice of Simon Vance – is a 350MB mp3 download (i.e. if you are on a 300MB / month broadband plan, you may want to think twice).
To receive it, go to Christian Audio and use the coupon code AUG2008, before August 31.
(Who was Augustine of Hippo? See this summary and links at CCEL.)
Moore College School of Theology: Deliver us from Evil
“With a revival of the notion of evil in our world what does the gospel have to say? As the postmodern world is more open to evil forces and beings at play with individual lives and in society, what kind of solution does Christ offer? As the Christian sub-culture continues to witness the re-emergence of strategies and ministries of direct dealing with the devil and his forces, is this a good thing to be welcomed, or something to be discouraged? As ordinary people struggle to live with all their fears within, and fears without, what does it mean to say, ‘deliver us from evil’?”
– Read about the Moore College School of Theology – September 17 and 18 2008.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…