Freedom for Faith: What’s Next?

“On the 15th of November the same sex marriage survey results wil be released.

We don’t know the outcome but we do know many Australians will be elated, others will be confused, some may be anxious.

What should a Christian response be? Whether yes or no, there are enormous consequences for religious freedom that will not go away. How do we navigate these waters?

Hear Sydney Anglican Archbishop Glenn Davies the night the same sex marriage survey results are released. A friendraising & fundraising event for Freedom for Faith.”

– Details from Freedom for Faith, as well as a range of videos and other resources.

Tragedy in Texas: Christian testimony in the face of Evil

“The Christian worldview affirms the dignity of human life. According to Scripture, every single human life is of eternal value and inestimable worth. Murder is not, then, merely a crime, it is an assault on the dignity of the human being – an attack upon the image of God.

In one very important dimension, this demonstrates why the Christian worldview is so utterly different than every other worldview. …

Christians also have to acknowledge that our affirmation of an infinitely great and an infinitely good God requires us to answer some questions that atheists don’t have to answer.”

– Albert Mohler goes beyond the media coverage of the Texas shooting.

The Reformation, Then and Now

“Is the Reformation over? Does it matter today? Michael Reeves unpacks the story and theology of the Reformation and exhorts Christians to study the Reformation for the sake of the gospel.”

– Back in 2010, Mark Dever spoke with Michael Reeves about The Reformation and his book, “The Unquenchable Flame”.

An encouraging conversation.

University student dismissed for expressing Biblical view on homosexuality

“A recent UK court decision upheld the decision of University authorities to remove a student, Felix Ngole, from a post-graduate Social Work course, because of views he had expressed in a public social media forum about the Bible’s view on homosexuality. …

For Australian readers, it is … a salutary reminder that when the law on marriage changes, it becomes harder to protect religious and other freedoms.”

– At Law and Religion Australia, Associate Professor Neil Foster highlights the case of Felix Ngole, and examines the legal judgments made.

Why were our Reformers burned? — Ryle

“It is fashionable in some quarters to deny that there is any such thing as certainty about religious truth, or any opinions for which it is worth while to be burned.

Yet, 300 years ago, there were men who were certain they had found out truth, and content to die for their opinions. –

It is fashionable in other quarters to leave out all the unpleasant things in history, and to paint everything of a rose-coloured hue. A very popular history of our English queens hardly mentions the martyrdoms of Queen Mary’s days. Yet Mary was not called ‘Bloody Mary’ without reason, and scores of Protestants were burned in her reign. –

Last, but not least, it is thought very bad taste in many quarters to say anything which throws discredit on the Church of Rome. …”

– Church Society draws attention to, and republishes (PDF) Bishop J.C. Ryle’s Church Association Lecture, given in 1867. Well worth reading.

Oft-Forgotten Reformers: Katherine Zell

“Katherine Zell was a woman who trusted God at his word. Her writings don’t show someone fake, sterile, sanitised. Rather, in their pages we meet a real woman – with strengths and weaknesses. So who was Katherine Zell?”

– At The Australian Church Record, Jane Tooher tells the story of a courageous Christian lady.

The heart of modesty

Equal But Different has published parts 1 and 2 of a three-part series by Lesley Ramsay, entitled, ‘The heart of modesty’.

“Having seen in part 1 of this series that modesty is essentially the antidote to grabbing glory and attention for ourselves, let’s turn our attention to see how the Scriptures ought to shape our awareness and convictions. …”

– Read Part 1 and then Part 2 at Equal But Different. Part 3 still to come.

Here We Stand

“Martin Luther’s great moment of theological clarification came at the climax of a command performance. Facing the threat of martyrdom and execution, Luther appeared on trial at the Diet of Worms before the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Asked on what authority he dared to defy the Pope and the magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church, Luther famously replied:

‘Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures or by evident reason – for I can believe neither pope nor councils alone, as it is clear that they have erred repeatedly and contradicted themselves – I consider myself convicted by the testimony of Holy Scripture, which is my basis; my conscience is captive to the Word of God. Thus I cannot and will not recant, because acting against one’s conscience is neither safe nor sound. God help me. Amen.’…”

– Albert Mohler marks Reformation Day with a call to the churches to make a clear stand in a number of vital areas.

Under strict medical circumstances

“When abortion law reform was introduced through Australian State Parliaments in the 1970s, it was done so, ‘under strict medical circumstances’.

Most of us believed this was a necessary reform and that probably there were valid grounds for 1 or 2000 abortions each year in Australia. That figure has now grown to 180000 to 200000 abortions each year!

I am now hearing the same argument for the proposed introduction of legislation allowing the termination of adult life, ‘under strict medical circumstances’.

It is amazing, with the knowledge explosion all around us, that we humans tolerate and endorse a persistent ignorance in relation to ourselves. The secular mind is always overly optimistic in its assessment of the human condition and has no real explanation for our callous treatment of one another.…”

– Past Moderator General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, David Cook, has written this month’s Moderator’s Comments. Read it all.

Reformation contribution

Here’s a plastic brick contribution to the 500th anniversary of the 95 Theses, using Lego®, from Richie Dulin.

Why were the 95 Theses so revolutionary? — Public Lecture tonight, October 31

Come and hear, ‘Why were the 95 Theses So Revolutionary?’ – a public lecture at Moore College to mark Reformation Day, Tuesday, 31st October.

College Principal Mark Thompson will speak.

Tuesday October 31, 7:00pm – 8:00pm with Supper Following.

At the Marcus Loane Hall, Moore College, 1 King Street, Newtown.

This event is open to the general public.

Free – No registration is required.

It is a great opportunity to see the new building, including the library and the final chance to see the Martin Luther poster exhibition currently being displayed at College.

Click here to download a 1.6MB PDF advertisement.

A Reformation of Confidence

“The Reformation was about many things.

It was about papal abuses and church reform. It was about worship and the sacraments. It was about repentance and indulgences. It was about the Bible and the priesthood of all believers.

And of course, the Reformation was about justification.

But it was also about confidence. Not self-confidence, but confidence that God is for us not against us, confidence that we can go to heaven without a sentence in purgatory first, confidence that though we cannot rest in our works, we can rest in Christ’s. …”

– At the Gospel Coalition, Kevin DeYoung highlights one of the chief blessings of the Reformation. (Photo: St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.)

Christianity and the Dark Side — What about Halloween?

“Over a hundred years ago, the great Dutch theologian Hermann Bavinck predicted that the 20th century would ‘witness a gigantic conflict of spirits’. His prediction turned out to be an understatement, and this great conflict continues into the 21st century.”…

– Albert Mohler addresses the issue of Halloween.

On Demythologising

“A pocket diary can be a mine of information.

Lest you be tempted to forget, and go to work when you should stay at home, it lists the Public Holidays. It carries a range of postal information. It may include such valuable information as that russet brown is a combination of orange and purple, or that sound travels at the rate of 1,132 feet per second. …

And sometimes they include succinct statements that the sun rises at such and such a time, and sets at a certain hour.

It is with this latter pair of statements that we are concerned.

Who, we might ask, are these compilers, who apparently belong to the Middle Ages, for they think that the sun rises and sets, whereas the veriest schoolboy in these enlightened days knows that the sun does neither?…”

– The latest post from the Australian Church Record archives, by Leon Morris.

What do we owe to the Reformation? Audio tract

“J.C. Ryle’s Church Association tract, ‘What do we owe to the Reformation?’ was recently published in Distinctive Principles for Anglican Evangelicals.

We’re pleased to offer it now in this audio version, abridged and read by Lee Gatiss.”

– Listen here – from Church Society.

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