The Manifesto of the Reformation
The Manifesto of the Reformation
Luther vs. Erasmus on Free Will
The clash between Martin Luther and Desiderius Erasmus over the issue of free will is “one of the most famous exchanges in western intellectual history”…
Read the article by Lee Gatiss (editor of The Theologian) via the PDF file here (direct link).
Reformation Day
It’s Reformation Day, and over at the Sola Panel, Sandy Grant has posted links to some useful resources.
See also our post from earlier this week.
Traditions Old and New
In the Reformation the leaders of the day had to work out what to change and what to retain. With some things it was easy, because the need to change screamed out. But falling for the temptation to change everything led to some terrible follies and abuses.
It was the wisdom of Thomas Cranmer, which guided the Church of England through the Reformation changes. He did not accomplish all that he wanted to do. However, in 1549 he laid down some principles upon which he was working…
– Phillip Jensen wrote in last weekend’s Cathedral newsletter.
True Woman conference audio online
Audio and text files of the talks given at the 2008 True Woman Conference, held in the Chicago area earlier this month, are now online.
Speakers include Mary Kassian, Joni Eareckson Tada and John Piper.
The talks are available at True Woman.
Arguing for GAFCON
Wallace Benn and Mark Burkill respond to Iain Murray
The Christian work and fellowship started by GAFCON in Jerusalem in June 2008 has only just begun.
We are well aware that it faces plenty of dangers and obstacles as it seeks to renew the Anglican Communion in the work of the gospel. We know that it has already been misunderstood in various quarters. This may lead some to hesitate about supporting it. That is why we want to respond to the particular misunderstandings and historical errors that are stated in the article by Iain Murray in the September 2008 issue of EN, although both of us have enormously appreciated books he has written over the years…
– Wallace Benn and Mark Burkill in Evangelicals Now – in response to ‘The Church of England in crisis’ by Iain Murray.
(Photo of Bishop Wallace Benn at GAFCON: Peter Frank.) h/t Anglican Mainstream.
How others see us: What’s up Down Under?
“The recent decision of the Diocesan Synod of Sydney, in the Anglican Church of Australia, to allow the administration of Holy Communion—i.e., the celebration of the Eucharist—by deacons and eventually laity seems outlandish to many overseas Anglicans. It makes considerably more sense within the context of Australian Anglicanism, which has a very different history than The Episcopal Church (TEC) and its various offshoots (I will get to that later). Australian Anglicanism is exceptionally diverse as a result of that history, and its diversity has led the Anglican Church of Australia to adopt a unique pattern of organization.
Just as some Episcopalians are frustrated when other Anglicans cannot understand TEC’s particular form of synodical governance, so I expect Australians feel when outsiders try to apply their own context to matters Down Under. I write the following as an American outsider, but one who has long been fascinated enough by the local variations on the common Anglican theme to make a study of them. (I hope that any Australians who read this will take the trouble to correct my inevitable mistakes by commenting below.)…”
– A thoughtful piece by Dale Rye in Covenant. (Photo: Covenant.)
Hat tip: Anglican Mainstream.
‘Christless Christianity’ reviewed
“I am not arguing in this book that we have arrived at Christless Christianity,” says Horton, “but that we are well on our way. … My concern is that we are getting dangerously close to the place in everyday American church life where the Bible is mined for ‘relevant’ quotes but is largely irrelevant on its own terms; God is used as a personal resource rather than known, worshipped and trusted…”
– Tim Challies reviews the new book by Michael Horton.
Petition in support of St. John’s Shaughnessy
Just a reminder about that petition…
The Badder the Bad…
Over the weekend I read Michael Horton’s new book Christless Christianity. I greatly enjoyed reading it (despite chapters that were slightly longer than my attention span) and found that it gave me a lot to think about. A few days earlier I had read a new book by Rick Warren, The Purpose of Christmas. What a contrast there was between the two of them…
– Tim Challies writes at Challies.com.
So much for Possibility Thinking
Bad news must be especially hard to bear when you build your world on positive thinking, but the news out of Garden Grove this past Sunday was not happy. Robert H. Schuller, founder of the Crystal Cathedral and the “Hour of Power” television ministry, announced that he had removed his son, Robert A. Schuller, as host of the television ministry…
In the elder Schuller’s view, preaching “what is sin and isn’t sin” is out of bounds for his television program.
– Al Mohler on events at the Crystal Cathedral. (Photo: crystalcathedral.org)
Sydney diocese votes for lay and diaconal presidency – again
“The General Synod of the Diocese of Sydney, Australia, has voted ‘overwhelmingly’ in favor of lay and diaconal presidency, which means that lay people and deacons could be permitted to administer the sacraments at Holy Communion – a role that is usually limited to priests.
In the motion, the synod affirmed ‘its conviction that lay and diaconal administration of the Lord’s Supper is consistent with the teaching of Scripture, and that the Lord’s Supper in this diocese may be administered by persons other than presbyters…”
– Episcopal Church’s coverage of Sydney Synod’s vote.
What’s really at stake in the gay marriage debate?
“The activists promoting the normalization of homosexuality have been tremendously successful in their efforts. The mainstream media, the educational elites, and various culture shapers have pushed this cause.
Today, on the average college or university campus, homosexuality is not considered to be a major moral issue…”
– In part 4 of his series ‘What’s really at stake in the Gay marriage debate?’, Al Mohler writes about the ideological struggle for recognition of ‘gay marriage’.
See also part 1, part 2 and part 3. (Photo: Together for the Gospel.)
Barack Obama: The 2004 ‘God Factor’ interview transcript
In 2004, Chicago religion journalist for the Chicago Sun-Times, Cathleen Falsani, interviewed Barack Obama on his Christian beliefs –
“Do you believe in sin?”
“Yes.”
“What is sin?”
“Being out of alignment with my values.” …
Cathleen Falsani writes: “Because of the staggering interest in now U.S. Sen. Obama’s faith and spiritual predilections, I thought it might be helpful to share that interview, uncut and in its entirety, here.”
Martin Luther at study
On October 31, 1517, German monk and theologian Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg.
In this free audio download from Christian Audio, John Piper speaks on the discovery that Martin Luther made 491 years ago – that God speaks to us in his Word.
How should pastors today go about their ministry? Piper draws us back to God’s word – the Bible.
The 36MB mp3 file runs for 1 hour 19 minutes – to get it, start at this page.
(You will need to create an account if you don’t have one and go through the check-out process, but the file is free of charge.)
Petition in support of St. John’s Shaughnessy
Many from around the world have signed the online petition in support of the churches of Good Shepherd and St. John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver, against expected action by the Diocese of New Westminster.
Read the St. John’s website to discover some reasons for signing – or see our related posts.
If you haven’t yet signed it, please consider doing so. The text of the petition, released on October 18, says,
We, the undersigned, as active clergy and lay members of the Anglican Communion, stand with those parishes in Vancouver that are part of the Anglican Network on Canada, affirming that they are authentically Anglican.
The petition is available here – and there’s an equivalent petition for members of the Church of England. (Photo: Joy Gwaltney)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…