Anglican Entropy

“The second law of thermodynamics tells us that as energy is expended over time, order in the universe inexorably gives way to disorder. The fundamental physical truth behind the cycles of birth and death is that things fall apart, leading ultimately to a static and random state known as entropy.

In the spiritual realm, there is no such necessity. St Paul affirms that ‘Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.’ (2 Corinthians 4:16), yet entropy irresistibly comes to mind as a metaphor following Dr William’s Lent Letter to the Primates and Moderators of the Anglican Communion.

Here we have carefully crafted verbal camouflage for what is actually one more step in Lambeth Anglicanism’s descent into spiritual and institutional entropy…”

– Charles Raven writes at SPREAD.

God is still holy and what you learned in Sunday School is still true: A review of ‘Love Wins’

Kevin DeYoung:

“Instead of summoning sinners to the cross that they might flee the wrath to come and know the satisfaction of so great a salvation, Love Wins assures people that everyone’s eternity ends up as heaven eventually. The second chances are good not just for this life, but for the next. And what if they aren’t?

What if Jesus says on the day of judgment, “Depart from me, I never knew you” (Matt. 7:23)? What if at the end of the age the wicked and unbelieving cry out, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb” (Rev. 6:16)? What if outside the walls of the New Jerusalem “are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood” (Rev. 22:15)? What if there really is only one name “under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12)? And what if the wrath of God really remains on those who do not believe in the Son (John 3:18, 36)?”

– Kevin DeYoung has written a comprehensive and very helpful review of Rob Bell’s Love Wins. Read it at his Gospel Coalition blog, or as a PDF file.

‘Love Wins’ – A review of Rob Bell’s new book

Tim Challies:

“Questions matter. They can help you to grow deeper in your knowledge of the truth and your love for God—especially when you’re dealing with the harder doctrines of the Christian faith. But questions can also be used to obscure the truth. They can be used to lead away just as easily as they can be used to lead toward. Ask Eve.

Enter Rob Bell, a man who has spent much of the last seven years asking questions in his sometimes thought-provoking and often frustrating fashion. And when he’s done asking, no matter what answers he puts forward, it seems we’re only left with more questions. This trend continues in his new book, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, where Bell poses what might be his most controversial question yet:

Does a loving God really send people to hell for all eternity?

The questions you probably want answers to as you read this review are these: Is it true that Rob Bell teaches that hell doesn’t exist? Is it true that Rob Bell believes no one goes to hell? You’ll just need to keep reading because, frankly, the answers aren’t that easy to come by…”

– Respected Canadian blogger Tim Challies has read Bell’s book. This review is essential reading.

Related: Denny Burk’s post, “Rob Bell Outs Himself” gives clear, biblical answers to the questions Rob Bell asks in his promotional video.

An Exposition of the Theses — 3

“I turn now to the third of the twelve theses which I posted as a way of giving shape to a new reformation of the Anglican Communion.

If the Anglican Communion is to be reformed again it needs to hear and heed these crucial truths:

3. The most urgent and important need of every human being is to be reconciled to God. We are all naturally God’s enemies (Rms 5:10) with the result that we stand under the wrath of the God who loves us (Rms 1:18; Eph. 2:1–3). Our natural disposition is to insist on our own autonomy, to repeat the folly of the Garden of Eden where the goal was to determine right and wrong without reference to God and the word he had given (Gen. 3:4–6). If we are to be reconciled to God, then the cconsequences of our rebellion against him — our guilt, corruption, enslavement to sinful thinking and behaviour, and death — must all be dealt with in their entirety. A gospel which does not explain this most basic need is no gospel at all.…”

– Read Mark Thompson’s full post at Theological Theology. (Part 2, Part 1, ‘Theses for a new reformation in the Anglican Communion’.)

The Lesson of David Swing

“While the internet has rocked with information about a prominent minister who has denied the reality of hell, being more historically minded, I couldn’t help but think about David Swing.

Most people don’t know who David Swing was–but in the 1870s and 1880s, David Swing was the most popular minister in Chicago: bigger than D. L. Moody, more significant than anyone else. As Swing’s New York Times obit put it, at one point, he had the largest church and the largest salary of any minister in Chicago…”

– Sean Lucas writes at Reformation21 with a valuable history lesson.

UK: Should Christians be allowed to keep children?

“Apparently, according to the High Court, Christians who are not willing to commend homosexual acts ought not to be given other people’s children to foster.

If this is what was said, and if it is a valid judgement, is it therefore right that Christians should nevertheless be allowed to keep their own natural children, if they similarly will not commend homosexual acts to them?”

– John Richardson wonders about the logical outcome of a controversial court case in the UK. Story from the BBC – and many more linked at Anglican Mainstream, including this one from The Spectator.

‘Brilliant expositions of Colossians and Philemon’

“What do you get when one of the finest Bible teachers in the world slightly modifies a brilliant series of sermons on Colossians and Philemon for publication as a commentary? You get John Woodhouse’s latest book, a commentary in the Focus on the Bible series. I can’t wait to work my way through these two New Testament letters again, aided by John’s expositions…”

– Mark Thompson commends John Woodhouse’s commentary on Colossians and Philemon in the Focus On the Bible series. (Available from Moore Books.)

Rob Bell preaching Universalism?

A soon-to-be-released book by Rob Bell, influential in US ‘emergent church’ circles, seems to be teaching plain old universalism. Justin Taylor and Kevin DeYoung each have responses to what the author – and his publisher – have said about the book.

(Even though Rob Bell is unknown to many Australian Christians, the ideas in the book may receive wide attention.)

Related: What to think of the NOOMA videos.

‘Me and Muammar: What we have in common’

“it is worth remembering that Gadaffi is only an extreme example of that which dwells in each of us. The desire to be in control, to make a mark, to make ourselves indispensable…”

– Carl Trueman at Westminster Seminary has a perspective you probably won’t see on the TV news. At Reformation21.

Praying in Crisis: Helpful or Hypocritical?

“It is an old wartime saying that ‘there are no atheists in foxholes’.

Leaving aside the silly arguments as to whether this is statistically true or an aphorism – is it a good thing? Will God be pleased to answer the prayers of those in danger? Is God honoured when we pray to him in times of trouble? …”

– Dean of Sydney Phillip Jensen writes.

Review of Michael Horton’s Systematic Theology

ACL President Mark Thompson offers a brief review of Mike Horton’s recently-released systematic theology, The Christian Faith – at Theological Theology.

(Michael Horton is well known as the host of The White Horse Inn broadcast. He teaches at Westminster Seminary California.)

An Exposition of the Theses — 2

Mark Thompson writes –

“Here is an exposition of second of the twelve theses I posted to help people think through the basis for a new reformation of the Anglican Communion. Once again it is important to remember these theses are not presented as definitive. There is most certainly room for improvement and development. However, as Luther found out in the sixteenth century, stirring people to think about the gospel, to return to the Scriptures to see what really has been written for our benefit, was not only appropriate in the wake of widespread defection from the truth, but also encouraged others to agitate for reform.

If the Anglican Communion is to be reformed again it needs to hear and heed these crucial truths…”

– read them at Theological Theology.

The die has been cast

“With my perspective as a canon lawyer, I cannot believe that ECUSA is barely four months away from precipitating a wholly unnecessary constitutional crisis, which can only weaken it further, and drive its constituent pieces yet further apart.

My appeals to the other canon lawyers who drafted the changes to Title IV, to explain what they thought they were accomplishing, and where they derived the authority to transform the Presiding Bishop of ECUSA into a metropolitan, have gone completely unanswered. At the same time, I see zero inclination on the part of those actually in control of the Church to avoid this donnybrook — so be it. It must be what they want — so that is what they will get.”

– A S Haley, The Anglican Curmudgeon, reflects on why the Diocese of South Carolina has moved to ‘spell out that the Canons of the national Church are no longer recognised as binding’ in their Diocese.

‘Conscience trampled by the regime’

“[T]he Obama administration is now ready to use the coercive power of the state to force medical personnel to perform acts they consider to be morally wrong and unhealthy for their patients…”

– Al Mohler reports on new policies announced in the US just yesterday.

‘A not too subtle attempt to mislead’

“The Presiding Bishop and her Executive Council are currently meeting in Fort Worth…

her appearance in Fort Worth was preceded by some unusual shenanigans which seem to have been designed only to mislead, demoralize or confuse the members of one of the larger parishes in Bishop Iker’s Fort Worth Diocese.”

– Lawyer A S Haley (the Anglican Curmudgeon) keeps his eye on TEC’s activity in Fort Worth.

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