PrayerMate in 2017: Giving Thanks

Andy Geers at PrayerMate gives thanks for the way the app has been used this year, and foreshadows new content for 2018.

If you don’t use PrayerMate, be encouraged to check it out.

New book by Paul Williamson makes it into IVP’s Top 10 of 2017

“Dr Paul Willamson’s latest book has just been published.

Based on the material he presented at the Annual Moore College Lectures in 2016, the book is titled: Death and the Afterlife: Biblical perspectives on ultimate questions. It has been published as the most recent volume of the New Studies in Biblical Theology series, edited by D.A. Carson.”

– Good news from Moore College to round out the year.

See IVP’s top ten books for 2017 listed here.

Religious groups and employment of staff

“Can a Christian secondary school require that its teachers not openly advocate a sexual lifestyle that is contrary to the Bible’s teaching? Can an Orthodox Jewish preschool ask its teachers to live in accordance with Orthodox moral principles? Can a Protestant church refuse to hire someone to act on its behalf in political advocacy when that person does not share their religious beliefs?

These are all issues that have come up in recent months. Two of them are dealt with in decisions in connection with judicial proceedings, one in the UK and one from the European Court of Justice. One has been raised by media reports in Australia. In this post I want to flag these three cases briefly and to comment on the issues they raise for religious freedom, and how they should be resolved. …”

– Valuable resources from Assoc. Professor Neil Foster at Law and Religion Australia.

Meet the Nativity Episode 4 released

See it, and the earlier episodes, at meetthenativity.com, and be encouraged to share the link.

Is that all God’s got to say?

“I’ve struggled with anxiety in different ways all through my life. … As it turns out, I’m not alone. …

At the primary level, we need to remember that our relationship with God is not dependent on our performance but on God’s grace to us in Christ. And I think that the Bible’s teaching on adoption is extremely important here. …”

– Paul Grimmond helps us think through anxiety from a Biblical perspective. Very helpful with the stresses of Christmas coming up! Read it all at SydneyAnglicans.net.

History-based Faith is Scientific

“Richard Dawkins attacks ‘faith’ as it is not evidence based science and thus irrelevant and dangerous. But the practice of history is ‘scientific’ because it is evidence based.

The New Testament makes a distinction between ‘the faith’ and ‘faith’. The latter is an expression of trust, but it is directed to the former, which is ‘evidence based’. Faith –> the Faith

This can be illustrated by two texts embedded in Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians written from Ephesus early in 55 …”

– Bishop Paul Barnett writes to emphasise the historical basis for what Christians believe.

Hold on to the Good, Reject what is Evil: Headship and Submission in a World with Domestic Violence

“How do you feel when you hear the words ‘domestic violence’ and ‘headship and submission’ together? Uneasy? Embarrassed? Apologetic? There was a time when I felt all those things. Before coming to Moore College, I would have tended towards burying my head in the sand when it came to engaging with the doctrine of headship and submission as it came up in relation to the terribly confronting issue of domestic violence. How can we address the terror effectively while still holding to this doctrine?

Of course, domestic violence is utterly incompatible with the doctrine of headship and submission. That is a truth with which many convinced complementarians are (rightly) very familiar. Nevertheless, this doctrine is despised by the world and is often used against us, being viewed as something that actually fuels abuse.

Now more than ever we need to be ready to give a reason for the hope that we have—that the truth found in God’s word is not only still applicable and relevant, but also good. I can say from my experience as a former student and wife of a current student that Moore College – this firmly complementarian institution – has been a guiding light in thinking hard about how to deal with the evil of domestic violence in light of God’s good design for men and women. …”

– The Australian Church Record published this opinion piece by Kirsten McKinlay in October. It’s still relevant.

‘5 Most Ridiculous Books to ever become Christian Bestsellers’

“If you were to scan the lists of the best selling Christian books of all time you’d see some truly amazing books there. You’d see some books that have helped us better understand who God is and books that have instructed us. and how we as Christians can live lives of obedience to Him, and like you, I’m genuinely thankful for these books.

Sadly though, you’d also see some truly flat-out awful books. Today I’ve narrowed down that list to the five most ridiculous books to ever become Christian bestsellers…”

– Tim Challies provides his list – with reasons.

Related (sort of): The Babylon Bee’s Top Ten Books Of 2017 (satire).

Episode 3 of Meet The Nativity

Episode 3 of Meet the Nativity is now available.

Consider how you could use the series to help friends understand the real meaning of Christmas.

What is Meet the Nativity?

Hoping Christmas is Good News

“The decorations at the stores and shopping malls tell us that Christmas is just around the corner.

We are about to begin again the round of carol Services and Nativity plays. The Christmas card list is dusted off for another year and, in my case, I scan to see if any of my friends who appear there are no longer alive. I debate yet again if I will make my own ‘cards’ or buy those ones that help some good cause. All in all there is quite a bit to be done at Christmas time. …”

– In this article from the vault of The Australian Church Record, dear departed Chappo reminds us that Christmas involves an announcement of news. Will it be good news or bad news for you?

Related: The Chappo Collection.

Christians in the Community of the Dome by Julian Mann — review

“This is a fascinating, creative and insightful little book which you should not read if you wish to remain undisturbed, feeling secure behind the rose tinted spectacles that many evangelicals, especially in the Established church, are now wearing.

The Dome referred to in the title, is the Millennium Dome, built under the guiding hand of Peter Mandelson, Prime Minister (‘Call me Tony’) Blair’s chief advisor and the main architect of the rebranding of the Labour Party as ‘New Labour’. …

This highly readable, thought provoking and penetrating book is to be highly recommended …”

– At Anglican Mainstream, Melvin Tinker has reviewed Christians in the Community of the Dome by Julian Mann.

There’s another review – by Rob Slane – at The BlogMire:

“So where are we heading? Towards the end of the book, Julian gives us three fictional scenarios which imagine this.

The first gives us the Islamic future, in which Britain officially becomes an Islamic State with a Wahhabi ideology in 2040.

The second, written by Andrew Symes of Anglican Mainstream, pictures a Britain which – largely due to the feebleness of the 20th Century Church versus the ferociousness of the Cultural Marxists – has become both totally secular, and utterly draconian.

The third scenario sees Julian imagining himself as an old retired minister in 2050, both surprised and thrilled to see a genuine revival of Christianity, together with the undoing of a massive amount of destructive social changes that had occurred throughout his lifetime.”

And our earlier post.

This book may be far more relevant to Australia than you might imagine.

Christians in the Community of the Dome by Julian Mann, ISBN 978-1783972104, is available from a variety of booksellers. These prices include shipping to Australia.

More Australian same sex marriage implications — the “monitum” and “rogue priests”

“With the commencement of the legislation adopting same-sex marriage for Australia today, 9 December, it seems worthwhile to note some more implications, following my initial comments on the change.

The two I would like to address here are the changes to the ‘monitum’, the summary of Australian marriage law required to be recited by some celebrants; and the possible issues surrounding what I will call “rogue priests”, clergy in one of the mainstream Christian denominations who may wish to solemnise same-sex marriages when their denomination adheres to the historic Christian position that marriage is only between a man and a woman. …”

– At Law and Religion Australia, Assoc. Professor Neil Foster considers further implications of the decision to legalise same-sex marriage.

Australia adopts same sex marriage: law and religion implications

“Legislation re-defining marriage to include same sex couples passed its final third reading stage in the Commonwealth House of Representatives this evening Australian time, December 7. The Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Bill 2017 will soon become law when it receives the Royal Assent.

In this post I want to start exploring some immediate implications for religious freedom and other ‘law and religion’ issues. …”

– Associate Professor Neil Foster shares some insights into the same-sex marriage legislation passed today.

He also addresses the idea that Bible-believing ministers should “‘hand in their license’ and no longer participate in solemnising any marriages for the purposes of the Marriage Act.”

Moore College: Challenging Domestic Violence

“In light of recent reminders in the news about domestic violence among ministry families, Moore College wishes once again to affirm our strong commitment to tackling domestic violence and doing all in our power to ensure that all of our students and their spouses are both safe and equipped to deal with the issue.