Good Disagreement in the Church of England?
“We live before a watching world.
Jesus did say: ‘By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another’ (John13.35). So there is no excuse for rudeness or cavalier attitudes to each other.
Paul, in the chapter that begins to work out the implications of the gospel for our daily living and relationships, writes: ‘Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honour’ (Romans 12.10). So in that sense ‘good disagreement’ is a healthy and desirable thing to aim for.
But the concept of ‘good disagreement’ is becoming something that is applied in a much broader way. It is being used to promote a ‘live and let live’ approach to important doctrinal issues and sexual ethics in particular. Unity is appealed to in a way that trumps vital revealed truths. Is this helpful or right?…”
– Bishop Wallace Benn writes in Evangelicals Now. (Photo: GAFCON.)
Related: Reflections on a church that recently embraced egalitarianism – Denny Burk.
Philippians & Philemon: Joy in the Lord now available
Paul Barnett’s new commentary, Philippians & Philemon: Joy in the Lord, is now available from CEP.
You can check out some sample pages at this link.
Update: CEP tells us that that they have a 20% off everything sale – including this new commentary – from now until Friday 29 April.
The Reformation meets ‘Trellis and Vine’
Mark Dever interviewed Phillip Jensen at Together for the Gospel 2016 two weeks ago in Louisville, Kentucky.
In an enjoyable and encouraging interview, Phillip introduces his hearers to Sydney Anglicans and the English Reformation, explains why Anglicanism is the way it is now, and much more. Phillip also speaks of the latest from Matthias Media – The Vine Project, by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne. (The book will be available during May.)
Bathrooms and discrimination
“The use of public bathrooms has become a topic of fierce debate in recent days, in connection with the rights of transgender persons. I want to mention a few of the issues raised in the United States before discussing the situation in Australia…”
– In his latest informative post, Neil Foster, Associate Professor in Law at Newcastle, maps out some of the legal background for the controversy in the USA, as well giving a perspective on where the laws in Australia stand.
Shakespeare’s Bible?
On the eve of the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare (died 23 April 1616, at the age of 52), Bible Society Australia has released this video of a Bible they believe was his.
Dr. John Harris explains, at this link.
Moore College Open Events coming up in May
Here’s a good opportunity to learn about Moore College – especially if you are contemplating being better equipped for mission and ministry –
Open Night – Monday 2 May 7:15pm – 9:00pm.
Open Week – Monday 2 May – Friday 6 May.
Stott Bowdlerised
“Recently I bought a copy of John Stott’s brief and famous exposition of the Christian gospel, Basic Christianity, which I intended to give to a friend.
The book was first published in 1958 and has sold several million copies. It is at once simple and refined, gentle and uncompromising, and many people in the Anglophone world can trace their conversions to reading Stott’s little masterpiece. If any “spiritual classics” were published during the second half of the twentieth century, Basic Christianity surely is one. …
The Basic Christianity people are buying and reading today is a bad imitation of the original.”
– A disturbing observation from Barton Swaim at First Things. (via Tim Challies.)
Update: Here’s a response from Eerdmans.
SMBC celebrates Centenary
Sydney Missionary and Bible College at Croydon is this weekend celebrating its Centenary, beginning with a Thanksgiving Service on Friday night April 15 2016.
Principal Stuart Coulton introduced past Principal, and now Presbyterian Moderator General, David Cook. Preaching from Hebrews 1:1-4, David exhorted his hearers to hold fast to the Bible, the revealed word of God, and to be constantly vigilant against drifting from the truth.
The Centenary celebrations will continue on Saturday April 16 with an Open Day.
A highlight of the day will be the launch of the College’s centenary history, Out of Darkness, by Academic Vice Principal Anthony Brammall (pictured).
The book is available from the College.
Transgender issues under Australian Law — an overview
“The question of legal and social recognition of the rights of transgender persons is becoming a very hot topic of discussion. The recent debate in Australia on the content of the material provided for schools by the “Safe Schools Coalition” is one example. …
This post cannot deal with all the current issues. But I thought as a preliminary exercise it would be helpful to briefly review the current Australian law around the topic, to set the scene for future discussions. I will also offer a few comments on recent proposals for change to the criteria adopted for changing a person’s legal gender identity.”
– More useful legal background from Neil Foster, at Law and Religion Australia.
Journal of Australian Church History – new issue
“Students in their fourth year of the Bachelor of Divinity degree at Moore Theological College have the opportunity to research and write a 5 000 word essay in Church History on some aspect of evangelicalism in Australia or Britain (post-1600). The excellent quality of some of these essays has encouraged the Church History Department to seek a way to share the fruits of the research and writing of these students with a broader audience.”
– Check out Volume 3, currently highlighted on the Moore College website.
New book from Paul Barnett — Philippians & Philemon: Joy in the Lord
Coming soon is a new book from Paul Barnett, Philippians & Philemon: Joy in the Lord.
Details and pre-order info from CEP.
You won’t be late
“I have had punctuality bred into me, even now, if I am meeting my sisters, I know they will be at least 10 minutes early and sometimes I am even earlier.
Some people are habitually late, I am habitually early.
Oscar Wilde said that he was always late on principle, the principle being that punctuality is the thief of time. Evelyn Waugh believed punctuality to be the virtue of the bored, those who have nothing better to do than to be on time.
The writer of Hebrews says that there is an appointment we will all meet, none will be either early or late…”
– A concise reminder of the truth, from David Cook.
Back to Basics Part 5 — The power of the gospel
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. That is what the Bible tells us. We are commanded to enter the kingdom of God by entrusting ourselves to Christ as our Lord and Saviour. That is, we enter and continue through repentance and faith.
The Canterbury meeting of the Primates made space for the summons to repentance to be heard once more.
Why is this so vital?…”
– GAFCON General Secretary, Dr. Peter Jensen, shares the fifth of six reflections on January’s Primates’ Meeting in Cambridge.
New 9Marks Journal — April 2016
“Church documents are a prosaic topic, to be sure. But they facilitate unity. They protect a church from being governed by the passions of the moment. And they force a congregation and its leaders to be careful, deliberate, reflective, and, hopefully, biblical. Not bad, for a boring old administrator’s job.
To put it another way, church documents are kind. It is kind to tell people what you think up front. It is kind [to] say what you will expect from them or how disagreements will be resolved…”
– The latest issue of 9Marks Journal is out. The theme is “Confessions, Covenants, and Constitutions”.
Justin Mote on Applying the Bible
In the latest Preaching Matters from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, Justin Mote speaks about applying the Bible – including five tips on things you can do to make application better.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…