Reading the Bible in 2013

As he has done in previous years, Justin Taylor has posted links to resources to help us, and our congregations, read the Bible consistently. (As well there are reading plans available from YouVersion.)

Of course, you don’t have to read the Bible on an electronic device – these plans can be used in conjunction with a printed Bible too!

Related:

How Not to Read Your Bible in 2013. (Gospel Coalition.)
Bible Reading Plans for 2013 (Ligonier Ministries.)

Amazing Grace — a hymn for the New Year (1773!)

John Newton wrote his most famous hymn, Amazing Grace, 240 years ago.

Over at The John Newton Project, you can read his original words, as well as extracts from his diary for 1st January 1773. He wrote the hymn to accompany his sermon on 1 Chronicles 17. See the video (2:18) here.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Feeling Blue?

Mark Thompson writes: “Following the interest in yesterday’s posting on the preaching question, and in preparation for more detailed work to be done in the future, here is a initial contribution from guest blogger, Peter Bolt.”

“With three short e-books downloadable from Christmas Day, Zondervan has released a new series, ‘Fresh Perspectives on Women in Ministry’. Well, even the authors admit there is nothing really fresh here, but ‘Regifted Perspectives …’.

Since these three booklets have been released in the public sphere, they deserve the more considered critique which will follow in kind, that is, in the same public sphere in which any proper discussion of ideas must take place. However, since discussion has already begun in the subterranean depths of the online realms, and since two of the three e-authors who have come up for air in this series, John Dickson and Michael Bird, are my fellow Aussies with whom I share no little history, some interim and quick responses may be appropriate in these dark realms as well!  My thanks go to Mark for allowing me several pieces of his blog-time across the next little while.

Each of these pamphlets seek to entangle their readers in what has been identified as a ‘Shift Story’. … This personal journey tells of a shift from ‘Point A’ to ‘Point B’: ‘I used to believe that, but now I believe this’. …”

– read it all at Theological Theology.
(Dr. Peter Bolt is Head of the New Testament Department at Moore College.)

‘God already at work through shamanism’ and other news from Montreal

Two stories from the latest issue of The Montreal Anglican –

1.) “Recovering a diaconal ministry that will reach out to people on the fringes of society is one of the top items on the agenda of the church today, the Anglican Church of Canada bishop for aboriginals said in Montreal in November. …

The church needs to recognize that God is already at work through, for example, first nations spirituality, shamanism in various traditions and Confucianism, Bishop Mark MacDonald, national indigenous bishop, said.” – page 6.

2.) “Bishop Barry Clarke of Montreal – from 1993 to 2004 parish priest of St. Paul’s Church in Lachine – asked members … in a near-capacity congregation of over 300 parishioners and well-wishers to stand and be recognized as he presided over a closing service marking the end of the 139-year history of the parish…” – page 7.

1.3MB PDF here. (h/t Anglican Essentials Canada blog.)

The Preaching Question

“There has, it seems, been quite a flurry of publishing activity on the question of preaching lately, especially by those seeking to make a case for the propriety of women preaching to mixed congregations…

It is important that we keep testing our conclusions both on theology and practice by the teaching of the Bible. …”

Mark Thompson, Principal-elect of Moore Theological College, looks at a hot topic, and commends a couple of excellent expositions, at Theological Theology.

Peerage for the Archbishop of Canterbury

News from 10 Downing Street:

“Peerage for Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury upon his retirement from the See of Canterbury.

The Queen has been pleased to confer a peerage of the United Kingdom for Life on the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dr Rowan Williams Lord Archbishop of Canterbury upon his retirement from the See of Canterbury.”

The Episcopal News Service is reporting  that Archbishop Williams will be known as ‘Baron Williams of Oystermouth’. (Oystermouth is near Swansea in Wales…)

The Queen’s Christmas Broadcast 2012

“This is the time of year when we remember that God sent his only son ‘to serve, not to be served’. He restored love and service to the centre of our lives in the person of Jesus Christ.”

– See Queen Elizabeth’s 2012 Christmas Broadcast (8’36”) – or read the text.

(Dr Rowan Williams’ Christmas message may be read here.)

Christmas Eve from St. Andrew’s 2012

Watch a recording of the live stream of Carols from St. Andrew’s Cathedral 2012 – here. The service starts around 14 minutes into the recording.

Archbishop Peter Jensen’s Christmas message 2012

With thanks to SydneyAnglicans.net.

And here is the text of the message formatted to A5 (two-up on an A4 sheet) – perhaps you could use it as a church newsletter insert. (180kb PDF.)

Ramon Williams — a hero of Australian Christian Media

“If you read any published Australian Christian ‘news’ article over the past 50 years, it has almost certainly been distributed by one of the greatest unsung heroes of the Australian Christian movement, the “AAP-equivalent” of Christian wire news, Ramon Williams, now aged 81. …”

– Mark Tronson – and we at the ACL website – are very grateful for the faithful ministry of Ramon Williams over the years.

Many of our readers will have seen Ramon with his camera in and around the Cathedral and at other Christian meetings. (You’ll find some of his photos among these of Sir Marcus Loane, for example.) Photo: Christian Today Aust.

Reminder: Carols from St. Andrew’s Cathedral rebroadcast

Last year’s Christmas Eve Celebration from St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney is being replayed this year on Christmas morning.

ABC 1 at 7:00am Christmas Day

Let your friends and neighbours know – and you could watch it over breakfast before heading to church.

If you enjoy it , you could contact the ABC to thank them for broadcasting it again.

Four videos from Reform on women bishops, sex equality and Church unity

Members of Reform explain their stand at last month’s General Synod of the Church of England:

 

Are the Atheists right about Christmas?

“This Christmas the American Atheists have posted a large billboard in Times Square New York. It has two pictures: one of Santa Claus and the other of Jesus on the cross. The captions under the pictures are “Keep the Merry” and “Dump the Myth”. Apart from having the captions under the wrong pictures, the sentiment is one I agree with. …”

– Read the latest from the Dean of Sydney, Phillip Jensen. A great article to share this Christmas.

Changes

“By now many of you will have heard the news that my responsibilities at Moore Theological College, Sydney will change from 12 May 2013.

From that date I will begin to serve as the thirteenth principal of the College, succeeding John Woodhouse whose monumental contribution to its life is recognised by all. John’s model of servant leadership, his absolute confidence in the power of the word of God to change lives and drive effective Christian ministry, his generous treatment of all — those with whom he agreed and those with whom he disagreed — will continue to bear fruit in the College and through its graduates for many years. It is a rather daunting prospect to follow him in this responsibility let alone consider the long list of faithful servants who have borne it before him (e.g. Peter Jensen, D. Broughton Knox, Marcus Loane, T. C. Hammond, and Nathaniel Jones). …”

– Mark Thompson writes at Theological Theology to ask for your prayers as he becomes Principal of Moore College next year.

End of the world hype fizzles

“The end of the Mayan calendar may have unleashed a slew of predictions that the world is about to end – but this morning true believers were few and far between in towns designated safe zones from the impending apocalypse. …”

– from ABC News. (But bear in mind 2 Peter 3.)

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