Some excellent ideas for Christmas
Ian Carmichael has some good ideas for connecting with visitors to your church this Christmas.
Democracy Trumps Meritocracy
“In 2016 the sleeping giant of democracy has awakened. In the rise of minor parties in many Western democracies, in the UK Brexit vote, and now in the USA Presidential election – we have witnessed the power of people rejecting the power of the elite who rule over them. This is democracy in action.
However, this kind of democracy has shocked and rattled the complacency of the elite who have ruled unchallenged for most of this generation. The pollsters and pundits as well as the media and markets, have failed comprehensively to predict or even understand what has happened. The big guns were wheeled in to oppose the popular sentiment but it has not worked. In the polling station, in the privacy of the voting booth, the people have voted in ways they weren’t supposed to…”
– Phillip Jensen reflects on democracy, and how Christians should understand it.
ACR website updated
The Australian Church Record’s website has been updated —
“Since 1880 The ACR has communicated with its readers via a newspaper, or newspaper-like, medium. With over 2300 issues produced, The ACR has a rich history on paper – a history we now continue online. Not only do we have a new website, we’ve also restructured how our publications fit together. So here’s what’s new from The ACR:
The ACR Online
The ACR Online is the new blog of The ACR. Here you’ll find a regular stream of short, sharp articles by an array of writers. These articles will cover a variety of topics and issues, each aiming to leave you more convicted of the gospel, keener to serve Christ and more confident on how to do so. In many ways these articles will not be too different from the encouraging and thought-provoking pieces previously found in our newspapers. They will just be more regular!
The ACR Journal
Of course, not everything can be said in a short blog piece. This is where The ACR Journal comes in. Some issues are complex and are best dealt with in more detail. In our journal you’ll find lengthy discussions on relevant and current theological matters within evangelicalism. The ACR Journal will also be used to help inform and educate Sydney Synod members on upcoming Synod meetings.
The ACR Archives
One of the most exciting components of our new website is The ACR Archives. With over 135 years of publication, The ACR has a rich heritage and is an invaluable historical resource. With more than 2300 issues there is a wealth of historical material, such as ordination lists, parish information, and Anglican news, along with thousands of theological articles written by the likes of D. B. Knox, T. C. Hammond, Donald Robinson, Leon Morris, J. I. Packer, Marcus Loane, Graeme Goldsworthy, John Chapman, and many more. We will also be re-releasing many of these articles through The ACR Online via the ‘From the vault’ segment.
In light of these changes, here’s what’s stayed the same …”
See Him Face to Face
From Michael Morrow: “…as part of the Co-Mission network of churches in London I have produced a live worship album, called ’See Him Face to Face’.”
You can preview (and buy, if you wish) the album at Bandcamp. (Many will know Michael as the composer of This Life I Live.)
The heart of GAFCON
“At the heart of GAFCON is communion.
When I became Archbishop of Sydney in 2001, I had a lot to learn. Even though I had been ordained for over thirty years by then, had lived in England for three years and had been the Principal of a theological College with students from many places in the world, there was so much that I did not know.
Two of the many things I had to discover through experience may sound strange and you may wonder where I had been all my life. But I suspect that many of us are in the same position…”
– GAFCON General Secretary, Dr. Peter Jensen, on The heart of GAFCON.
Understanding the electoral forces behind a stunning victory
In his daily broadcast, The Briefing, Albert Mohler turns to the news of the day – the election of Donald Trump as US President.
The shocking, abysmal, and embarrassing failure of churches to Pray
“This Sunday, a vast majority of evangelical churches will gather for singing and preaching and reading Scripture and perhaps even a few baptisms and the Lord’s Supper. There will also be some praying.
In comparison to everything else, though, there will be just a little bit of prayer—a transition as a few musicians scurry off-stage, a quick ‘thank-you’ to God after collecting the offerings, a prayer for God’s Spirit to work on the hearers of the sermon.
All in all, you might pray for a few minutes, almost always as a passive observer. …”
– Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about what passes for prayer in many church services. What should we be like? How can our church gatherings be more clearly examples of dependence on the Lord? A great encouragement to be more intentional in our praying.
Can we talk about same-sex marriage? videos
The talks from the recent ‘Can we talk about same-sex marriage?’ evening at Moore College’s Centre for Christian Living are now available to view online:
CCL Director Tony Payne introduces the topic.
Talk 1: Michael Kellahan – ‘Can we talk publicly about same-sex marriage?‘
Talk 2: Tony Payne – ‘Can we talk personally about same-sex marriage?‘
Love your neighbour enough to speak truth
“If this were 1999—the year that I was converted and walked away from the woman and lesbian community I loved—instead of 2016, Jen Hatmaker’s words about the holiness of LGBT relationships would have flooded into my world like a balm of Gilead. …”
– At The Gospel Coalition, Rosaria Butterfield responds to some comments by a ‘best selling author’ (whose books have just been pulled from LifeWay Christian bookshops).
Make the time to read Rosaria Butterfield’s observations about the nature of sin and the Christian life. (Image: Desiring God.)
Being There: Wittenberg
“I have valued the experience of being in important places because it brings history to life.
A long time love of the history of the New Testament has taken me many times to Jordan, Israel, Turkey and Greece. The landscape, remains of buildings, even the climate, adds value to the written word. Being there also raises questions of chronology. What happened when, and how long was it before b followed a?
I had not visited the places that figured in Martin Luther’s life story until 2014, and more recently in 2016. Many buildings are being restored in anticipation of big crowds in 2017, the 500th anniversary of Luther’s ninety-five theses being nailed to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg. …”
– Bishop Paul Barnett reminds us that the events of the Reformation happened in real places which you can visit today.
Sola Scriptura
“Today and over the next four Wednesdays I plan to touch on key elements of what is known as the five ‘solas’ or ‘alones’ of the Reformation: ‘Scripture alone’, ‘faith alone’, ‘grace alone’, ‘Christ alone’, ‘to the glory of God alone’. …” — Posted last week, John Mason begins a brief series at Anglican Connection.
Is the Reformation still necessary?
“All over the world people are gearing up for a year of celebrations commemorating 500 years since Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg.
There is still an academic debate about whether the theses were actually ever nailed to the door, though the tide has certainly turned back in favour of saying that he did. Not that it matters much. No one doubts that the theses that ignited the Protestant Reformation were sent to his local bishop on October 31, 1517. That Reformation transformed the religious landscape in ways that continue to resonate in 2017.
Yet is it still a cause of celebration? Is it still necessary? Today some voices – including apparently Pope Francis himself – consider it is all over. The Reformation has ended. But has it, and should it?”
— Moore College Principal Mark Thompson at SydneyAnglicans.net. Read it all.
Related: John Piper on why we celebrate the Reformation.
The uglier side of humanity
“Tolerance and acceptance is important for a nation’s well-being but tolerance and acceptance is a lot easier when people are respectful. This is particularly important in the current climate of debate on issues of human sexuality and marriage.
Before people misunderstand or misquote me, by tolerance and acceptance I do not mean that I agree with all the sexual choices people make. …”
— Bishop of Armidale Rick Lewers writes on the need for genuine civility.
Freedom of Religion and Balancing Clauses in Discrimination Legislation
“An article of mine on “Freedom of Religion and Balancing Clauses in Discrimination Legislation” (2016) Oxford Journal of Law and Religion, doi: 10.1093/ojlr/rww045, has just become available. Those who are interested can download it from the Oxford website…”
– More helpful resources from Neil Foster at Law and Religion Australia.
The New ‘Jerusalem’ Papyrus: Not so Fast…
“Here are some things to remember, as this Jerusalem Papyrus garners attention:
The fact that the papyrus itself has been carbon dated to the 7th century BCE certainly does not mean that the writing on the papyrus is ancient In fact, it really means nothing. After all, ancient papyrus is readily available for purchase online (check the web and see!), thus, no modern forger worth his or her salt would forge an inscription on modern papyrus. …”
– Dr. Christopher Rollston, at George Washington University, shares his thoughts on the Papyrus which is making news.
Thanks to George Athas for the link.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…