Liberation Letter
“Nowhere is the chameleon-like character of Mormonism on display more than at Christmastime.
After a richly-orchestrated, pitch-perfect ‘O Holy Night,’ one of the Mormon ‘apostles’ is now preaching. He started out by awarding Luke a brief honorable mention for providing us an account of the Christmas story, but after dispensing with this lip service, he went on to ‘another record’ in The Book of Mormon. It was some of Joseph Smith’s make-believe about Samuel the Lamanite and the Nephites in America at the time of Jesus’ birth, etc., etc.
The blind leading the blind, and the ditch here that they’ve fallen into is lined with Christmas lights, yet it is horribly dark.”
– Tim Keesee of Frontline Missions shares his experiences of his trip to Salt Lake City, and also a letter of liberation from a former Mormon, now his sister in Christ.
See Tim’s photos here.
Related: Unveiling Grace: Wonderful news for Mormons.
Nexus 16 registration open
Registration for Nexus 16, on Monday May 23, 2016, is now open. Details here.
RefNet: 24/7 streaming audio
We mentioned this back in 2012. Here’s a reminder – stream it at your desk, on your phone, in your car…
Justin Taylor writes: “Ligonier Ministries is making available a resource that I hope spreads far and wide: a free, always-streaming, 24-hour Christian internet radio featuring solid biblical teaching and preaching.”
Can be streamed via a web browser or the RefNet iOS app. Worth checking out.
Star Wars and the Ancient Religion
“The appearance of a new episode of the Star Wars film series is an important moment for Christian witness. To be sure, we can shrug our shoulders, since Star Wars is old news. …
However, in examining Star Wars’ account of the mystery and nobility of human life, the Bible’s answer, in comparison, emerges with incomparably more convincing power.”
– At Ligonier Ministries, Peter Jones asks his readers to consider the worldview of the hugely popular movies.
Hearing both Sides of the Argument
“In a nation where all things in politics seem possible, some things still amaze me – or perhaps the word should be ‘stagger’ me.
It is always dangerous for a man of the cloth to make political comment. While I appreciate the separation of church and state, that does not exclude the church and the sum of its members from entering national debate. So as a citizen of this great country, who happens to be a Bishop of the Anglican Church, I write.
Occasionally, the foolish thoughts of politicians expressed in emotive and seemingly protective and manipulative rhetoric should be exposed. …”
– Bishop of Armidale, Rick Lewers, responds to reported comments by the Leader of the Opposition about a plebiscite on same-sex marriage.
Do More Better: A practical guide to productivity
“Do More Better is the most clear and concise book on productivity I’ve read.”
– Andy Naselli reviews Tim Challies’ new book, Do More Better.
Oak Hill’s Commentary magazine Winter 2015
The Winter 2015 issue of Oak Hill’s Commentary magazine is now up on their website.
It’s available as a 19MB PDF file – or read it online.
You may have missed — 14 Dec 2015
Here are some recommended posts you may have missed:
Dick Lucas on the Letter to the Galatians (and a full English breakfast).
The Diocese of North West Australia’s December 2015 Northwest Network.
Peter Williams on ‘Does the Bible support slavery?’
Glen Scrivener’s new Christmas video you can use.
Charles Raven on the Archbishop of Canterbury’s upcoming Primates’ meeting.
To Mend the Net?
“The Archbishop of Canterbury has taken a major risk in calling together the Anglican Primates in January next year and he has already achieved what his predecessor was unable to do with the announcement that the Anglican Global South and GAFCON Primates will attend.
For these Primates, the decision of the Dar es Salaam Primates Meeting of February 2007 must be one of the great ‘What if’ moments of recent Anglican history and they might well want to revisit it. What if Rowan Williams, then Archbishop of Canterbury, had stood by the Primates’ collegial mind to subject TEC to discipline if it failed to give assurances by 30th September 2007 not to authorise Rites of Blessing for same sex unions nor to consecrate persons in such relationships as bishops?
As it happened, Rowan Williams set aside the Primates’ decision by inviting the TEC bishops to the 2008 Lambeth Conference before the deadline. This led directly to the utterly unprecedented withdrawal of over two hundred bishops from the conference and to the first Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) in Jerusalem, out of which the Anglican Church in North America was birthed.
But there is another and now largely forgotten ‘What if’ which is just as relevant…”
– Charles Raven reminds us of some not-that-distant history, at Anglican Ink. (h/t Anglican Mainstream)
Does the Bible support Slavery?
Dr. Peter Williams, Warden of Tyndale House in Cambridge, recently spoke at the Lanier Theological Library in Houston, Texas.
His topic: “Does the Bible support Slavery?”
The fascinating 57 minute address (followed by 18 minutes of questions) is well worth your time. You may be surprised by some of the conclusions he draws.
Watch it here. (Note that the HD video is just over 1GB in size.)
10 questions to ask at your Christmas gathering
Any Christmas gatherings (work parties, BBQs, etc) coming up? At the Southern Seminary blog, Don Whitney has some ideas –
“Here’s a list of questions designed not only to kindle a conversation in almost any Christmas situation, but also to take the dialogue gradually to a deeper level.”
C.S. Lewis — a secret Government Agent?
“As I browsed eBay not long ago, I came across a 78 rpm recording of a lecture by C. S. Lewis.
I assumed that it was a mistake or that the seller was trying to defraud an unwitting public. I knew Lewis well enough to know that he had never made a 78 rpm recording for general distribution, much less one produced by something called the Joint Broadcasting Committee…”
– News of an interesting discovery, from Christianity Today.
(Image: Christianity Today.)
Four Kinds of Christmas — video
Glen Scrivener in the UK has done it again, with another thought-provoking Christmas video.
You can use it in church – and pass it on to your friends.
See it at, as well as previous videos, and an evangelistic e-book, at fourkindsofchristmas.com.
Here’s a direct link to the 33MB mp4 file (to download, right-click and Save As.)
Free speech and religious freedom even for ADF members
“The Federal Court has recently handed down a very important decision on free speech, with connections to religious freedom, in Gaynor v Chief of the Defence Force (No 3) [2015] FCA 1370 (4 December 2015). It encouragingly reaffirms the right of Australians, even members of the Defence Force, to be able to speak their minds, even when their views are not popular…”
– Associate Professor Neil Foster bring us up to speed on another legal ruling – this one with important implications for free speech in Australia.
New Master of Arts (Theology) subject at Moore
From Moore College:
“The Master of Arts (Theology) program at Moore College is aimed at providing continuing education in theology for graduates in full-time ministry. In 2016 we are offering a new subject in this postgraduate degree program…
In September 2016, Professor Daniel Block from Wheaton College, world-renowned for his work in Ezekiel and Deuteronomy, will be delivering the MA unit Recovering the Gospel According to Moses…”
– Info here.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…