Matters of life and death
“One of the most vexed questions for Christians today is how we apply the truth of what we know to a fast changing culture. This is especially true in the area of ethics. Things that were not even possible 10 years ago, and scarcely considered, are now on the radar. Christians have to react quickly and think carefully.
That’s why John Wyatt’s one hour session at this year’s EMA was gold dust. John is a practitioner, which means every day he is having to put his carefully thought through theology into real life situations, and it’s well worth hearing his conclusions.”
– Thanks to Adrian Reynolds at the Proclamation Trust for the link.
The wages of spin: death of truth?
“Revisionist leaders talk a lot about their desire for unity in the Church. But more often than not, the only unity they are interested in is with the world, joining with the briefings of the secular culture against orthodox Christianity.
Here is what happened on Thursday, on the BBC Radio 4 ‘Today’ programme, where the Bishop of Manchester, David Walker, and myself were in separate studios to discuss Justin Welby’s recent invitation to the Primates of the Anglican Communion to attend a meeting in January…”
– Anglican Mainstream’s Andrew Symes writes of his experience last week on BBC Radio – and looks at lesson we can learn. (Image: Christian Concern.)
Perspective on the New Perspective (1)
“Because part of my job involves teaching Paul’s epistles, I am frequently asked what I think about the ‘New Perspective’ on Paul.
This is a hard question to answer because the New Perspective is not a monolithic movement. We should perhaps more accurately speak of new perspectives (plural) on Paul since the people associated with this ‘movement’ (for want of a better word), people like James Dunn and Tom Wright, actually have very significant differences in how they read Paul. …”
– Dr. Peter Orr at Moore College identifies a key verse in understanding the New Perspective — at The Gospel Coalition Australia.
Free to live by one’s beliefs
“Many Australians are uncomfortable talking about religion or God. Sometimes we are surprised when one of our sporting heroes, like Jarryd Hayne, comes straight out and says: ‘All the glory goes to God, because without him none of this is possible.’ Some commentators are quick to criticise.
But there are many Australians who are very serious about religious belief. …”
– Associate Professor Neil Foster (who runs the Law and Religion Australia blog) has this opinion piece in today’s Newcastle Herald, ahead of a conference at the University of Newcastle on Friday September 25th. (Conference programme.)
‘The Anglican Communion is already divorced’
“Is the Anglican Communion about to split over different views of sexual ethics?
You might think so after reading headlines about the archbishop of Canterbury’s proposal to “loosen” the structures of the Communion — a way of retaining his relationship to the liberal wing of the Western churches as well as the traditional Anglicans of the Global South.
But to interpret the archbishop’s recent announcement as a split over sexuality is to miss the bigger picture. First, the impending dissolution of Anglicanism as it currently exists institutionally is over much more than sex. Second, the divorce has already taken place, just not formally…”
– At Religion News Service, Trevin Wax gives the Archbishop of Canterbury’s call for a Primates’ meeting some context.
‘Allow me to die!’ — SBS Dateline
On 2CH in Sydney last night, Dominic Steele interviewed SBS journalist Brett Mason and Moore College’s Lionel Windsor, about the SBS TV Dateline programme “Allow me to die!”.
The Dateline programme follows two people who have decided to end their lives.
Related:
The hardest story I’ve told – Brett Mason, SBS.
Dr Megan Best’s speech on euthanasia at Sydney Synod in 2010.
Give Me Liberty and Give Me Death: Belgium’s Brave New Euthanasia Regime – Public Discourse.
Graeme Goldsworthy on the Gospel, Atonement, Satisfaction and Justification
“Graeme Goldsworthy, former Moore College lecturer, is a highly influential theological thinker and author of recent times. His “trilogy” is available on Amazon Kindle right now for the stunning price of 20 cents. [14 US cents on the US store – ed.] It includes three key works: Gospel and Kingdom, Gospel and Wisdom, and The Gospel in Revelation. …
Goldsworthy’s life work is built on integrating the grand sweep of biblical narrative with its central theme, the gospel. The gospel, for Goldsworthy, has at its very heart the amazing truth that Christ died as a satisfaction for sin (in doctrinal terms, “penal substitutionary atonement”).
I thought it would be worth providing a few select quotes from Goldsworthy in his chapter on “Justification by Faith in Revelation” to illustrate this. Here he is seeking to integrate the historic reformed articulation of the gospel with the biblical narrative of Christ’s victory in the book of Revelation. …”
– Lionel Windsor has some really helpful quotes at his blog, Forget the Channel.
What brings us together
“Early this week Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, announced that he was inviting the leaders of the Anglican Communion to gather, reflect and pray over the Communion’s future. We later learned through his ‘aides’ that he was open to the Communion moving to a looser federation-like structure. Ruth Gledhill, a long-time reporter on Anglican events, gave a hearty endorsement of this possibility …
While I like Ruth Gledhill’s writing, I don’t share her enthusiasm for the Archbishop’s ‘vision.’ Why can’t I get on board with it and just ‘let go and let God?’ Because that would mean I ‘let go’ of the truth. …
What brings us together as Anglicans isn’t shared mission or endless indaba.”
– At the American Anglican Council, Canon Phil Ashley sees problems with the Archbishop of Canterbury’s hope of holding the Anglican Communion togther.
Archbishop Davies on the Syrian Crisis
“The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, has called for each church in Sydney to adopt and love one of the refugee families that are to come from Syria to Australia.
But how might this be done?
Last Sunday night on 2CH, Dr Davies, joined me in the studio to take talkback callers about how his plan might be rolled out…”
– Dominic Steele has been filling in for Kel Richards on 2CH on Sunday nights. Last Sunday night, Archbishop Glenn Davies joined him to speak about the Syrian refugee crisis.
Update: video of the conversation has been added.
Knowing your Bible is key to OT narrative
“One of the things that struck me about 1 Kings 1 is how the original readers’ Bible knowledge would have made a great difference to their reading. To us, the story is full of colour and detail but it doesn’t really resonate with the 2 Samuel story as it should…”
– Adrian Reynolds at The Proclaimer points out a problem for which a remedy is needed – know your Bible better.
Loyalty
“Of the two qualities largely lacking in our political leaders, one is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and the other is the fruit of our Christian hope. …
Our earthly leaders let us down and leave us no example to follow, but the perfect God/man, the Lord Jesus, set his face steadfastly to Jerusalem to suffer and die for undeserving rebels.”
– Presbyterian Moderator General David Cook lifts our eyes above the events in Canberra.
Anglicare Sydney launches Syrian Refugee Crisis Appeal
Anglicare Sydney has launched The Archbishop’s Syrian Refugee Crisis Appeal.
Read about it, and donate, here.
A Journey through Romans – infographic
From Lionel Windsor –
“Here is the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, summarised in a single infographic. This is based on a mini-lecture I gave at Moore Theological College.” See it here.
Sooner Count the Stars – new Sovereign Grace album on the way
A new album from Sovereign Grace is on the way and is available for pre-order. Details here.
‘What shall I render unto the Lord?’ — Richard Johnson’s text
In his farewell address before leaving the office of Prime Minister of Australia, Tony Abbott quoted from Psalm 116, the text read by Chaplain Richard Johnson during the first Christian service in Australia.
Who was Richard Johnson? What was his passion? Learn about him here – and read of his concern for the inhabitants of the Colony in his parting message (PDF) –
“I have told you again and again, that Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and that there is no coming to God with comfort, either in this world, or in that which is to come, but by him. He has told you so himself. And the apostle assures you, that there is no other name under heaven, given unto men, whereby they can be saved. Look unto him, and you shall be saved; if not, you must be damned. This is the plain truth, the express declaration of the Bible. Life and death are set before you.
Permit me then, as your minister, your friend, and a well-wisher to your souls, to press these serious and weighty considerations home upon your consciences once more. I hope and believe that I have asserted nothing, but what can be proved by the highest authority, the word of the living God.
They certainly deserve your closest and most careful attention, since it is plain beyond a doubt. that upon your knowledge or ignorance, your acceptance or rejection of this gospel, your everlasting happiness or misery must depend.”
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…