Why I love the Apostle Paul
“The apostle Paul has been hated for 2000 years by many men and women, with endless papers, books and talks about how awful he was and how he got things so wrong.
But that’s not the whole story. There are also many of us – including many women – who love him. …”
– Jane Tooher writes at The Australian Church Record.
The named Jew and the name of God: A new reading of Romans 2:17–29
Lionel Windsor at Moore College has something to exercise your thinking:
“I’ve just had an article published in the journal Novum Testamentum. In the article, I provide a detailed defence of a new reading of Romans 2:17–29.
Most commentators don’t spend much time in this passage. They tend to concentrate much more attention on the previous passage (Romans 2:1–16). This means commentators tend to be far too quick to make assumptions about what Romans 2:17–29 is “all about” (i.e. the topic), and so – I argue – end up misconstruing what Paul is actually trying to say in the passage (i.e. the argument). English translations of the passage tend to reflect these assumptions and so perpetuate the misconstruals. …”
Review: Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen
“To Machen, liberalism was not simply a different style of churchmanship, or a rival Christian theology. It was an entirely different, and man-made, religion founded on a sentimental and superficial view of God. …”
– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Andrew Prideaux commends an excellent book, J. Gresham Machen’s Christianity and Liberalism.
(Free versions of the book are available for download at Monergism.)
The significance of sex — can it be recovered through consent alone?
“Responding adequately to the sad news of the Kambala sexual assault petition — the latest spotlight on the sexual assault epidemic — is a sobering challenge for us all. Leading educators in our secondary schools, depressed by the recent revelations and struggling to find solutions, are themselves revisiting calls for better “consent training” for students. But, as others have argued, “consent training” is bound to be an inadequate response on its own.
Why is “consent training” not enough to combat the toxicity of what we are seeing in relations between the sexes? Why have so many young women been hurt, and why are so many young men insensitive to the seriousness of sexual assault? The answer to these questions will require some preparedness to challenge a number of deeply held and culturally popular assumptions about the nature of sex itself. …”
– At ABC Religion and Ethics, Dr. Emma Wood provides a very helpful (secular) engagement with the ‘consent’ approach to sexual assault. Worth reading.
Also see:
Do we have a boy problem? – Marshall Ballantine-Jones writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.
History’s Biggest Hoax? What the Resurrection Means for Us
“For us, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 is a precious historical source-document. For the Corinthians, it was an embarrassing and pointed re-telling of the basics. It would be like going to a prestigious university to hear a lecture from an eminent theologian, only to have them begin with a verbatim recounting of Two Ways to Live, complete with the cartoon drawings.
You see, the problem in Corinth wasn’t what they believed about Jesus; it was what they believed about us. Their issue wasn’t Jesus’ resurrection, but ours. They managed, somehow, to simultaneously affirm the resurrection of Jesus and deny the resurrection of believers. We still have the same problem. …”
– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Rory Shiner looks at the implications of The Resurrection.
Image from The Pastor’s Heart.
What would a conversion therapy ban mean for gay Christians like me?
“As a gay Christian, I’m worried about the calls to ban ‘gay conversion therapy’.
Of course, it’s right that gay people are protected and some of the practices referred to as conversion therapy are deeply wrong. But there’s a danger that badly-drafted legislation could make life impossible for those working in churches when gay people come to us for help. …”
– Ed Shaw writes at The Spectator.
Photo courtesy Living Out.
Anglican Aid: See the grace of God overflowing to a world in need
Anglican Aid has produced this short video to introduce their work.
God’s Plan for Corporate Worship – podcast
From Crossway’s podcast series:
“In this episode, Matt Merker discusses the central importance of corporate worship for the life of the Christian. He shares his thoughts on the effect that the COVID-19 pandemic could have on church gatherings in the future, explains why the concept of a church liturgy is a good and necessary thing, and offers encouragement to the person who may be toying with the idea of not returning to church once the pandemic is over.”
– This podcast episode is a real encouragement – for pastors and congregational members.
There’s also praise for Reformation Worship: Liturgies from the Past for the Present, the fruit of much painstaking work by Jonny Gibson and Mark Earngey.
Related:
On how the Reformation changed Sunday gatherings.
We ask Mark Earngey about ‘Common Prayer for Homes’.
“He Will Hold Me Fast” — The Story Behind the Song.
Photo of Matt Merker: Together for the Gospel.
Moore College Open Events 2021
Here are some dates for your diary from Moore College.
A Tale of Two Liturgies
At The Gospel Coalition website, Justin Taylor draws attention to “An insightful excerpt from Matt Merker’s new book, Corporate Worship: How the Church Gathers as God’s People, 9Marks, Building Healthy Churches series (Crossway, 2021).”
He quotes Matt Merker who writes,
“…imagine two different church gatherings. Each congregation is the same size. They use the same musical instruments: keyboard, guitar, bass, and drums. More importantly, they affirm the same basic theological beliefs. But their liturgies differ in consequential ways. …
What do these different liturgies communicate? What values do they reveal? …
Look at the structure of your church’s most recent gathering. What is the “story” that it tells through the arrangement of the various elements? Is it a story worth instilling in your congregation, week after week?”
– Read it here.
Not Gathering with the Church Hurts You Spiritually
“Some will think this is insensitive, some will think it’s overdue, but I want to make sure it’s said: not physically gathering with the church hurts you spiritually.
So, pandemic-weary Christian, work to gather again with your church, even if your church continues to offer a virtual option.
Likewise, pandemic-weary pastor, gently encourage your pandemic-weary congregation to gather as soon as they can. …”
– Timely words from Jonathan Leeman at 9Marks.
Help or Harm: The Gospel Coalition Australia’s planned campaign
In the latest edition of The Pastor’s Heart, Dominic Steele speaks with Akos Balogh and Bill Salier from The Gospel Coalition Australia about a social media campaign being launched this week.
These brothers each want to see people saved and Christ glorified. We are thankful for them all. Their discussion might help you think through how to best speak of the Lord Jesus in the public square.
Book Review: Born Again This Way
“Rachel Gilson’s book Born Again This Way is what I wish I’d read about 25 years ago when a Christian friend shared with me that she was same-sex attracted and she didn’t know what to do. Neither did I, and at the time, praying with her was the only thing I could think to do.
Fast forward to 2021 and this conversation is far more common. Today, there are a number of books on the subject of Christians and same-sex attraction. What makes Gilson’s book stand out is the way it combines a careful treatment of the topic with her own deeply personal story. …”
– At Equal but Different, Victoria Colgan commends Born Again This Way by Rachel Gibson.
God, the Bible and Mardi Gras
“The 2021 gay and lesbian Mardi Gras held at the Sydney Cricket Ground was quite a spectacle. It was colourful, loud, celebratory and was reported by various media outlets as being the best celebration yet (as it is every year). And yet, the Scriptures teach us that what they were celebrating was in fact part of God’s judgement. …”
– At The Australian Church Record, Ben George takes us to Romans chapter 1.
But be sure to read the full article.
“… Knowing that we are all in the same boat, all equally rebellious against God, all equally deserving of death, and all equally in need of Jesus who saves, then it is in fact loving and good that Christians reach out to all communities, including the LGBQTI+ community, with the gospel.”
John Piper’s Magnum Opus on the Providence of God
“Joe Rigney sits down with John Piper about his magisterial new book on Providence, a volume over 700 pages that is a culmination of his life study and work.”
– Watch the video and read about it from Justin Taylor at The Gospel Coalition.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…