Remembering D-Day

Today marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day on 6th June 1944.

Five years ago, Joe Carter wrote this potted summary for The Gospel Coalition.

Students of history know that D-Day represented a massive effort to win freedom from Nazi tyranny, and there was great personal sacrifice. In a world where so many take for granted the freedoms we enjoy, it is good – and sobering – to remember.

Yet Christians know that our liberation from sin and death came at an even higher price. Incalculably so.

As we remember and give thanks for those who laid down their lives to defend our freedom and civilisation, let’s never take for granted what the Lord Jesus has done for us.

Related:

Hear the NBC radio broadcast announcing the D-Day invasion.

A D-Day story: Part One – The crossing – Tom McCarthy at The Conservative Woman.

Freedoms of West make our culture worth defending – John Anderson

Image: 1977 photo of a stone marker in Saint-Malo, France – part of La Voie de la Liberté – the Road to Liberty – opened in 1947. It commemorates the route of the Allied forces as they fought to liberate Europe.

Making Sense of Suffering, Part 1 — Don Carson

From The Gospel Coalition, a Carson Center Podcast:

“Don Carson outlines six theological pillars for a biblical understanding of suffering.

Looking into the philosophical problem of suffering, he references David Hume’s skepticism about God’s goodness in light of pervasive hardship, and he challenges his audience to consider how to reconcile the existence of a loving, omnipotent God with the reality of suffering.

A faith that remains steadfast despite life’s trials requires a deep trust in God’s sovereignty and goodness, which can sustain believers through the deepest valleys of suffering. …”

– Listen or read the transcript here.

How should we teach artificial intelligence morality?

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“A new massive ethical question has risen up with the advent of artificial intelligence.

How will people decide what kind of morality to give to their artificial intelligence creations?

There will need to be a morality.  But what should it be?

The market is already making different choices.

Elon Musk has said he wants the AI behind X (formerly Twitter) to be morally flexible.   He wants his AI to appeal to all people: left and right, authoritarian and democratic, kind and brutal …

Stephen Driscoll is the author of ‘Made in our Image – God, artificial intelligence and you’.”

– Watch or listen here.

Martin Salter Interview on Acts

From Church Society:

“In the podcast this week, Martin Salter talks about his new commentary on the book of Acts, in the new Hodder Bible Commentary series, in which the gospel spreads from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, and people learn what it is to live for Jesus.

We hear about the battles that follow – battles in the spiritual realm, and the persecution of Christians as they preach the gospel.

Martin also talks about how we read biblical narrative and what that means for applying Scripture today.”

– Listen here.

King’s Birthday Conference 2024: A Post Christian Christ?

From Phillip Jensen:

“The annual King’s Birthday Conference is coming up… This year, I will be joined by my nephew David Jensen as together we will explore the question of ‘A post Christian Christ?’.

Together, we will look at the gospel’s message in a world that tries to bypass Jesus. Many Australians may have lost connection with organised religion, but Jesus, the Lord of heaven and earth, has not finished with them. How do we tell people, who do not want to hear, of the Saviour they are ignoring before they meet him as their Judge?

Please join us on the afternoon of Monday June 10th from 1:30-5:00pm at Moore Theological College, Sydney. There will a Q & A time after the sessions and afternoon tea will be provided.

If you are outside Sydney, there will be a live-stream option (Q&A not included), so why not gather a group of friends to join us together online?”

– See all the details, and register, at this link.

An Easy Life But Hard for Faith: Lessons From New Zealand

“I am a Kenyan living in New Zealand with my family, serving as a pastor of a local church. Having lived here close to eight years, I’ve imagined what lessons the church in Africa could glean from the church in New Zealand.

To this end I aim to briefly capture the church in New Zealand’s context; highlight some of the trends that have led to the current state of things; and finally draw out a few thoughts the African church should reflect on. …”

– Mark Ambundo writes in The Gospel Coalition Africa Edition.

A Day of historical consequence

In his The Briefing for Friday 31 May 2024, Southern Baptist Seminary’s Dr. Albert Mohler reflects on the Trump trial in New York and the ‘difficult political moment’ faced by conservative Christians as the US Presidential election looms.

Listen here. And don’t forget 1 Timothy 2:1-4.

Books in Ministry — recommendations from Mark Dever

From The Banner of Truth in Edinburgh –

“We sat down with Mark Dever (a pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church and President of 9Marks) to talk books, ministry, and books in the ministry.”

– A very helpful and encouraging 45 minutes.

You will want to have a pen handy to write down some of his recommendations. As well, there are tips on how to read some of the Puritan authors.

Gerald Bray Interview on the BCP — Church Society

From Church Society:

“Lee Gatiss talks to Gerald Bray about Gerald’s new Companion to the Book of Common Prayer.”

– Listen here.

Are we basically good?

“Friends in Christ, some of you may have noticed a little buzz in the religious world, because of Pope Francis’ interview on the American 60 Minutes. The fuss came especially with the last question reporter Norah O’Donnell asked:

‘When you look at the world, what gives you hope?”

What an opportunity on 60 Minutes, one of the most watched programs on television! And here’s what Pope Francis says …”

– In the St Andrew’s Cathedral newsletter, Dean of Sydney Sandy Grant looks at the terrible answer given by the Pope.

Worse still, he notes who the Pope neglects to even mention in his answer.

Prayer — theme of the Bathurst Diocese Conference 2024

The video recordings of the talks on Prayer given at the recent Bathurst Diocese Conference have been made available as a playlist here.

In addition, last Friday, Bishop of Bathurst Mark Calder preached at Moore College chapel in Sydney:

For your edification and encouragement – and a reminder to pray for the churches of the Diocese of Bathurst.

Resisting Physician-Assisted Death is a Gospel Imperative

“Physician-assisted death is held up as a solution to the problem of suffering; at bottom, it’s a solution to despair. And the solution is to end the person who’s in despair.

We know a better way. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition US, Dr Ewan Goligher turns to an increasingly urgent subject.

Related:

Assisted dying debate terrifying for disabled people, says actress Liz Carr – BBC News.

“I love my job” – Canadian abortionist and Medical Assistance In Death (MAID) doctor  – Not the Bee.

Image from a St. Helen’s Bishopsgate video.

Book Review: Honest Evangelism by Rico Tice

“Do you find evangelism hard? Why is that the case when we have the best news to share?

Here lies a common tension—we know people need to hear about Jesus, yet all too often we hesitate to tell them about him. Maybe it’s a fear of the consequences, that relationships might be broken, especially in a world that increasingly sees followers of Christ as the bearers of bad news rather than good. Or maybe this wasn’t always the case, but weariness has set in from repeated rejection when we have shared.

Guilt then sets in as evangelism begins to feel like we’re not doing enough. …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Sarah Chew reviews Rico Tice’s Honest Evangelism.

How should we respond to the world as we now find it?

The Anglican Diocese of the Living Word’s Missions Conference and Synod was held in Pennsylvania over the last few days.

Dr. Carl Trueman was the invited speaker.

In his first talk, he focussed on the underlying things that shape the way we think today. Starting at 5:35.

In his second talk, Dr. Trueman speaks of the three things the church has to do in our present context. That address starts at 34:12.

(Prior to his address, Gafcon General Secretary Bishop Paul Donison is interviewed from 18:18.)

The previous night, the Rev. Yoel Ben David gave his testimony of conversion from Judaism.

At the start of the Conference, Bishop Julian Dobbs gave this address. This, alone, is well worth hearing.

The videos are available with thanks to Anglican TV.

How to give away your gifts

“The words of Jesus in Matthew 10:8 are characteristically simple, logical and compelling: ‘Freely you have received; freely give’.

As Jesus commissions the disciples for their first solo mission, the context of his instructions is very specific. They are to proclaim the nearness of the Kingdom and he has given them authority to do as he himself has been doing – heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons. What they have received from the Lord in great abundance – good news and the authority of the King to do his work – they are to give lavishly and generously. …”

– Archbishop Kanishka Raffel writes in the May-June 2024 Southern Cross magazine.

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