Thinking about the Thirty Nine Articles
“The doctrine of the Church is grounded in the Holy Scriptures and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In particular, such doctrine is to be found in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, the Book of Common Prayer and the Ordinal…”
– Thus the Jerusalem Declaration at the conclusion of GAFCON called Anglicans back to the Thirty Nine Articles. But who is familiar with the Articles these days?
At his blog Thirty-Nine, Michael Jensen is writing a response to and commentary on the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion. He’s has begun working through the Articles and is currently up to number 4. Check it out – you may like to start with the Introduction.
Mark Dever interviews Os Guinness
Mark Dever interviewed Os Guinness earlier this year – the audio is now online at Nine Marks.
He speaks on his life and shares fascinating insights on his time with Francis Schaeffer at L’Abri.
Direct link to 28MB / 62 minute mp3 file.
Choosing a children’s Bible
At Nine Marks, Justin Taylor reviews his three favourite children’s Bibles – including one that draws on Graeme Goldsworthy’s Gospel and Kingdom.
– see the review at Nine Marks.
(The Big Picture Story Bible is available from Moore Books – as is Graeme Goldsworthy’s Gospel and Kingdom.)
Jesus: Made in America
Last week’s broadcast from The White Horse Inn features an interview by Michael Horton with Stephen Nichols, author of Jesus: Made in America, published by Inter-Varsity Press.
The interview is helpful (especially for Australians unfamiliar with the American landscape) in understanding some of the historical reasons so much US “evangelicalism” isn’t at all evangelical.
The audio (37 minutes long) is available from One Place.
Related: This 1995 article by Michael Horton, The Legacy of Charles Finney, is also well worth reading. Charles Finney (1792–1875) is regarded as the Father of the Altar Call –
“one need go no further than the table of contents of his Systematic Theology to learn that Finney’s entire theology revolved around human morality…”
Whirlwind tour of the Anglican world
David Virtue’s weekly summary of goings-on in the Episcopal and Anglican world makes sobering reading –
“It was not a good week for The Episcopal Church especially in the Diocese of Virginia. For the third time, a judge ruled in favor of 11 churches in that diocese who had decided to depart for greener spiritual pastures. …
The next big speed bump for the House of Bishops is the deposition of the Rt. Rev. Bob Duncan at the HOB meeting in Salt Lake City Sept 16-19. Mrs. Jefferts Schori is planning on installing her bishop within days after the vote…”
– from VirtueOnline.
Charles Simeon: Prince of Evangelicals
“Much has been written about Charles Simeon by biographers, historians, and ecclesiologists that it may appear unnecessary to write more. But in dealing with his ministry, achievements and widespread influence, the spiritual principles that motivated his life and character may be largely by-passed.
It is needful to ask, What made him the man and Christian he was as outstanding preacher, servant-leader of countless students, co-founder of missionary societies, voluminous correspondent, and counsellor of many who were in need? …”
– Church Society has republished this 20-year old Churchman article by Canon Arthur Bennett. Good weekend reading – available as a 260kb PDF file (direct link).
Mark Driscoll in Sydney
SydneyAnglicans.net have posted a 23 minute video interview with Mark Driscoll – conducted by Russell Powell.
Best commentaries
John Dyer, a graduate of Dallas Seminary, has produced a resource many will find very helpful. Using many published sources, he seeks to bring together information on the best Bible commentaries in the English language.
See it at bestcommentaries.com
Gerald Bray on Tertullian and the Early Church
Useful resource:
Professor Gerald Bray examines the history of the early church with particular reference to the great Latin theologian, Tertullian.
Audio file: 8MB / 74 minutes, from The Theologian.
God and the Artist – New College Lectures
The New College Lectures are coming up in early September (2, 3 and 4) – Professor Trevor Hart, Professor of Divinity and Director of the Institute of Theology, Imagination and the Arts at the University of St Andrews, Scotland is this year’s speaker.
Download an invitation (100kb pdf file) with all the details from New College.
Confessions of Augustine – free audiobook
Step back 1600 years. The Confessions of Saint Augustine is available as a free audiobook until the end of this month (August 2008) at Christian Audio.
The unabridged recording – with the English voice of Simon Vance – is a 350MB mp3 download (i.e. if you are on a 300MB / month broadband plan, you may want to think twice).
To receive it, go to Christian Audio and use the coupon code AUG2008, before August 31.
(Who was Augustine of Hippo? See this summary and links at CCEL.)
Moore College School of Theology: Deliver us from Evil
“With a revival of the notion of evil in our world what does the gospel have to say? As the postmodern world is more open to evil forces and beings at play with individual lives and in society, what kind of solution does Christ offer? As the Christian sub-culture continues to witness the re-emergence of strategies and ministries of direct dealing with the devil and his forces, is this a good thing to be welcomed, or something to be discouraged? As ordinary people struggle to live with all their fears within, and fears without, what does it mean to say, ‘deliver us from evil’?”
– Read about the Moore College School of Theology – September 17 and 18 2008.
Test Revival with Doctrine
“Lee Grady, the editor of Charisma, one of the main charismatic magazines, has written a lament and critique of the Lakeland ‘revival’ which is now in a tailspin over the leader’s announced separation from his wife.
Grady’s summons to pray for the church and our nation is right, and among his commendable questions and observations are these…”
– Read John Piper’s comments at Desiring God.
And from the Charisma article to which he refers –
“Why did God TV tell people that ‘any criticism of Todd Bentley is demonic’?
This ridiculous statement was actually made on one of God TV’s pre-shows. In fact, the network’s hosts also warned listeners that if they listened to criticism of Bentley, they could lose their healings.”
Chappo’s book reviewed
Mark Tubbs reviews Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life by John Chapman – at Discerning Reader –
Chapman’s calling as an evangelist informs this book from cover to cover. He presents the good news of the crucified Christ in clear and accessible ways, and quotes large swaths of Scripture, knowing that the Word of God alone has the power to convict and save. Using the parable of the rich fool, Chapman hits hard early on, showing how Jesus labels the person who fails to consider the next life a fool. …
Want to buy multiple copies to give to your friends and relatives? (Of course you do.) See Matthias Media, Moore Books or Evangelism Ministries. (The other place has them too.)
Open Evangelicalism, NEAC 2008 and the future of the Church of England
The Church of England Evangelical Council website is now advertising ‘NEAC 2008’ – a consultation in continuity with the previous ‘National Evangelical Anglican Consultations’. Meanwhile, on the Fulcrum website, there are rumblings about whether this is going to be truly ‘representative’ of the current state of Anglican Evangelicalism in England. …
Fulcrum was founded in reaction to the direction being taken during the organizing of the last residential NEAC, at Blackpool in 2003. … Since then, Fulcrum has claimed the ‘Evangelical Centre’ and, simultaneously, has steadfastly opposed more Conservative groupings such as Reform, and initiatives such as GAFCON. In effect, therefore, it has formalized the divisions in Evangelicalism between its Conservative and Open strands.
Thus Evangelical unity in the Church of England is probably at an all-time low since the end of the Second World War. …
– John Richardson provides an insight into the state of ‘evangelicalism’ in the Church of England at The Ugley Vicar.
What seems like an age ago (1993), we published this article by John on the then state of UK Evangelicalism – in the ACL’s newsletter.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…