Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World — Review
At his website, John Anderson has posted a review of Tom Holland’s Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World –
“Holland’s Dominion is already regarded as a masterpiece of sweeping philosophical history, grounded in a deep reading of the primary sources.”
The Latest Evangelical Convert to Rome. What Does Rome Have to Offer?
“I am not English, nor Anglican, but the story of the conversion of the former Anglican bishop Michael Nazir-Ali to Catholicism struck me.
He is not the first evangelical Anglican to become Roman Catholic, and he probably will not be the last. He stands on a tradition that has important antecedents like the conversion to Rome of John Henry Newman (1801-1890) and many more.
However, Nazir-Ali was a well-known evangelical Anglican who belonged to the ‘evangelical’ family and was a respected voice in that world.…”
– At The Vatican Files, Leonardo De Chirico, who understands the Roman Catholic Church better than most, has some reflections on the recent announcement by Michael Nazir-Ali.
Should Pastors Today Care about the Reformation?
“Pastors devoted to their ministry have so many things to do. …
So, why should I set aside valuable hours to read up on the Reformation, usually thought to have kicked off about 500 years ago?…”
– In this 2017 article at 9Marks, Don Carson has answers to the question “Should Pastors Today Care about the Reformation?”.
The Reformation of English
“In the late summer or fall of 1525, sheets of thin sewn paper bounced across the English Channel, hidden in bales of cloth and sacks of flour.
They passed silently, secretly, from the Channel to the London shipyards, from the shipyards to the hands of smiths and cooks, sailors and cobblers, priests and politicians, mothers and fathers and children.
De-clothed and un-floured, the first lines read,
I have here translated (bretheren and sisters most dear and tenderly beloved in Christ) the new Testament for your spiritual edifying, consolation, and solace.
And then, a few pages later:
This is the book of the generation of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son also of Abraham . . .
Here was the Gospel of Matthew, translated from the original Greek into English for the very first time. The entire New Testament would soon follow, and then portions of the Old Testament, before its translator, William Tyndale (1494–1536), would be found and killed for his work. …”
– At Desiring God, Scott Hubbard gives thanks for William Tyndale and his influence on all who speak English.
Luther and his most important impact
“On 31 October 1517, in a small provincial university town, an Augustinian monk who served as a professor in the university, nailed a document to a church door. And it started a revolution.
Today, 500 years later and on the other side of the world, that unexceptional act — there would have been lots of notices on that door, since it was the unofficial notice board for the university — still captures the imagination.
The story of Martin Luther is well known. More books are written about him every year than about any other figure in history save one — the master he served, the Lord Jesus Christ. …”
– In 2017, Dr Mark Thompson gave this address at the opening of the Luther exhibition at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney. Good to re-read, this Reformation Day.
With thanks for Cranmer
As Reformation Sunday approaches, here’s a helpful article from our archives, by Allan Blanch.
Evangelicals and the end of Christendom
From The Pastor’s heart:
“What happened to the idea of Christian Australia – so long and widely held and so quickly abandoned? …
We are diving back to the middle of last century today and thinking about how different leaders of the evangelical faith navigated the end of Christendom with historian Hugh Chilton from Scots College, Sydney.”
Heroes of the Faith: Apolo Kivebulaya
“Some heroes of the faith are forgotten and deserve rediscovery. One of these being Apolo Kivebulaya, a remarkable church worker in Africa for 40 years and a reminder of the way so many African Christians have spread Christianity on that continent.
Apolo was born into a peasant family in 1864 in Kampala in what is now Uganda…”
– Canon J. John writes of Apolo Kivebulaya in his series on Heroes of the Faith.
Many in Uganda and DR Congo still give thanks for Apolo Kivebulaya.
Also published at Christian Today. (Photo: via J. John.)
Archbishop Welby explains why he wears Pope Paul VI’s pastoral ring
“Wrapping up an interview with Vatican News, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, showed those present the pastoral ring he is wearing. It’s not just any ring, but a very important ‘fragment’ of the history of ecumenism. Indeed, it was given by Pope Paul VI to the then Anglican Primate, Michael Ramsey, on March 23, 1966, during his historic visit to Rome. …
On that day the Italian Pontiff, now a Saint, took off his pastoral ring and put it on the Archbishop of Canterbury’s finger.”
– Story and photo from Vatican News. (Justin Welby is in Rome for a series of meetings with Pope Francis and other religious leaders.)
Related:
Evangelical Religion – by Bishop J.C. Ryle
What is the gospel? – by Dr Mark Thompson
Long Ago and Far Away: Thomas Cranmer, author of the Prayer Book – by Allan Blanch
The Thirty Nine Articles of Religion.
Review of Reformation Anglican Worship
“Reformation Anglican Worship by Michael Jensen is the latest volume in The Reformation Anglican Essentials Library. As its name suggests it provides a thorough survey of the principles of Anglican worship found in the denomination’s Reformation legacy.
For what is obviously a scholarly work, Reformation Anglican Worship is a surprisingly enjoyable read. Jensen has found just the right balance between depth of information and an accessible style which anyone with an interest in the topic will appreciate. …”
– David Ould provides this review, plus a link to a special price from The Wandering Bookseller.
John Piper’s 9/11 Radio Interview
From Desiring God:
“Twenty years ago today, at 8:14 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 was highjacked. And with it began a nightmare no one who lived through it will forget. …
The following morning, Pastor John was called on to be one of the Christians who would speak into the tragedy — for him, on KTIS, a local radio station. Where was God on 9/11? There, for about forty minutes, he spoke wisdom into the shock and sorrow.
We want to share the recording with you today on Ask Pastor John, on this twentieth anniversary. The interview covers the importance of grieving and creating space for sorrow, yet a sorrow under God’s all-encompassing sovereignty. Pastor John explains why 9/11 was a call for national humbling, a wake-up call. God was shaking the foundations of America and calling sinners to come to Christ — a global call not just for Americans but also for Palestinians, Saudis, and Afghans. …”
– Read the background and listen – at Desiring God.
Review: ‘Christians’ by Greg Sheridan
Journalist and author Greg Sheridan has just released a new book titled ‘Christians: The Urgent Case for Jesus in Our World’. He opens with this explanation of why he wrote it:
This book is about the compelling, dramatic, gripping characters you meet in the New Testament. Above all, it is the search for Jesus. It seeks to meet him directly, in the New Testament, and in history, and to meet him indirectly through his friends, both his first friends, and some of his friends today…”
– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Akos Balogh reviews Greg Sheridan’s new book, Christians: The Urgent Case for Jesus in Our World.
The book is available from The Wandering Bookseller.
In a Pandemic, people need to be ready for Eternity
Today is the 91st anniversary of Arthur Stace hearing the gospel at St. Barnabas’ Broadway, on Wednesday 6th August 1930.
In the midst of a global pandemic, the message of Eternity is as relevant as ever.
(Photo of Arthur Stace by Les Nixon, December 1952.)
The Election of Archbishop Mowll: A Decision with Consequence
“The Conservative Evangelicalism which permeates the diocese of Sydney today has not always characterised the diocesan leadership. Although Sydney may always have had an Evangelical flavour, in the early 20th century the leadership of the diocese represented a more liberal emphasis.
The election of H.W.K. Mowll as Archbishop (1933-1958) changed the trajectory of the diocese toward a more conservative theological position. The significance of Mowll’s leadership was not merely a result of his duration in office, but rather the growth, innovation and theological consolidation which he instigated. …”
– Dr. Ed Loane, Warden of St. Paul’s College, University of Sydney, reflects on a turning point for the Diocese of Sydney.
Judging the Macquaries — with Peter Adam
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“In reconciliation week we turn our attention to Colonial Australia and a new book out from John Harris, ‘Judging the Macquaries’ – with Peter Adam.
The Black Lives Matter movement is bringing the characters of powerful people in colonial times into sharp focus, particularly their attitudes and actions towards slavery and indigenous peoples.
Lachlan and Elizabeth Macquarie are among those being scrutinised and reassessed.
John Harris paints a more spiritually positive picture of Governor Lachlan Macquarie than had previously been understood. His wife Elizabeth Macquarie was a clear evangelical. Lachlan Macquarie’s Christian faith causes him to stand out in significant policy areas from the dominant views of the time: in his attitudes, behaviour and policies relating to both convicts and indigenous persons.”
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…