Truth Be Told — Lionel Windsor on God’s Story Podcast
With current world events, there’s a great need for truth, and plenty of propaganda to mislead.
Moore College lecturer (and ACL Council member) Lionel Windsor speaks with the God’s Story Podcast about his forthcoming book Truth Be Told: Living Truthfully in a Post-Truth World.
“How do we live truthfully in a post truth world? Why are we in a post truth world and what is a post truth world anyway?”
Among other things, Lionel explains why the printing of his book has been delayed. It illustrates the theme of the book!
– Listen here. 30 minutes.
The Bible’s answer to poverty – with David WIlliams
A thought-provoking episode of The Pastor’s Heart:
“Poverty is fundamentally relational says David WIlliams.
What might a theology of caring for the poor look like?
The Bible’s terms for the poor (widow, orphan and alien) are all relational terms which describe someone who has lost relationships and as a result have lost connection with the land.
David and his wife Rachel started serving as missionaries in Nairobi, Kenya in 1999. David now serves as Principal of the Australian Church Missionary Society Training College St Andrew’s Hall, where Australian missionaries are trained for six months, before heading out to the field.
David has just given a provocative paper at the Anglican Aid conference at Sydney’s Moore Theological College and has agreed to come in and discuss it.
The issue for David is not just academic, with his first significant engagement with poverty, starting when working in the slums of Nairobi 20-plus years ago.”
Related:
What’s your Hope? — Revelation 21 and 22
As the Moore College academic year (its 167th) draws to a close, Principal Dr. Mark Thompson preached on Revelation chapters 21 and 22 at the last College Chapel Service.
He lifts our eyes to God’s ultimate purposes. Most encouraging.
Related:
The Summer 2023 edition of Moore Matters is now up on the College website.
The Priscilla & Aquila Annual Conference 2024 – Following Christ as men and women
From Moore College:
“Our 2024 P&A annual conference theme is ‘Following Christ as men and women’. Moore faculty member Andrew Leslie will unpack this topic in our morning plenary sessions. Understandably, much of our interest in the Bible’s teaching about men and women is centred on what it means in practice. In the morning plenary sessions, Moore College faculty member Andrew Leslie wants to take a step back from these practical concerns and reflect on the wisdom of this teaching. He’ll begin by exploring how the depiction of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden echoes the pattern of creation itself set out in Genesis 1. Reflecting on this pattern will shed much light on the nature of God and the complementary vocation he has given us as his image bearers. In his second talk, Andrew will take us to the New Testament where the same pattern underlays its description of Christ’s relationship to his people and the life of the church itself.
Our afternoon electives will further unpack the theme of ‘Following Christ as men and women’, with Clare Deeves sharing her PhD research about things to consider when men and women work together on a ministry team. Moore’s dean of Women Susan An and Senior Pastor of The Bridge Church Paul Dale will look at when we disagree with each other about complementarianism while being on the same staff team. Other electives include gender considerations in South Asian ministry; fatherhood; teaching the woman at the well in John 4; and if there are reasons for making different theological decisions than the Apostles.”
– See the details and book via the College website.
The blood that brings peace
“As the Israel-Gaza war rages, with all the tragic death and suffering it entails, many pressing concerns naturally spring to our minds.
Why is the situation so dire?
Who is to blame for the suffering?
And what are our political leaders doing about it?
I can’t begin to answer all these questions in this short article. But I want to point us to something that will help us: the cross of Jesus Christ. How does it help? I’m convinced that the message of the cross gives us a deep foundation and a vital framework for making sense of issues of conflict in our world as well as in our lives. …”
– A timely reminder – from Lionel Windsor at The Australian Church Record.
On Sexuality, Justification, and Sanctification
“There were many speeches made in favour of the Prayers of Love and Faith at the November session of the General Synod which raised my eyebrows. The prize for the most ludicrous, however, goes to …”
– Michael Hayden clears up some nonsense which was evident at the Church of England’s General Synod earlier this month.
In doing so, he points us to the beauty of the gospel.
Image: John Calvin by Hans Holbein the Younger
Getting the time right
“It’s awful when you get the time wrong. Missing a meeting, a party, a flight. I’ve done all those things at various points and it’s not a nice feeling!
It’s important to get the time right. There’s no point applying for a position which has already been filled, or waiting for a bus which has already gone.
But imagine getting the time wrong, not just for little things like that, but for your lifetime: living one’s whole life prioritising one thing, when actually the purpose of that lifetime was something else entirely. It is something which is very possible to do and many, many people have done it. …”
– Annabel Nixey writes at The Australian Church Record.
The promise of life — some thoughts on 2 Timothy
“What is the primary role of the Christian pastor?
The question might yield a variety of different responses today. For the definitive answer, however, we need look no further than 2 Timothy.
As Paul sends final instructions to his ‘child’, his own execution imminent, priorities are set forth with unequivocal lucidity.”
– St. Helen’s Bishopsgate has published the latest audio reflection on 2 Timothy by Dick Lucas. An encouragement for pastors as well as members of churches. 14 minutes.
(Dick turned 98 last month. Do give thanks for him and pray for him in his continuing ministry of gospel encouragement.)
Related – from ten years ago:
Judgement, Salvation & the Living and the Dead – Dick Lucas Sermon Jam
D. A. Carson’s Theological Method
“In 2011, the Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology published my article ‘D. A. Carson’s Theological Method.’
In 2023, Crossway has published a book of essays by D. A. Carson in which I update my 2011 article, and Crossway has graciously granted me permission to upload a PDF of my updated essay on my website…”
– See Andy Naselli’s updated article at his website.
Interrogating identity: From philosophical theories to Biblical wisdom – with Chris Watkin
From The Pastor’s Heart –
“We traverse the historical landscape of identity, starting from Descartes’ cogito ergo sum or ‘I think, therefore I am,’ to the current age where identity has become a commodity.
Chris Watkin, the award-winning author of Biblical Critical Theory, helps us understand possessive individualism, starting with John Locke, expressive individualism, and how both terms help us grapple with modern identity formation.
Plus, we probe into the delicate balance between dignity and humility in the context of human identity.”
Related:
Andrew Moody reviewers Biblical Critical Theory at The Gospel Coalition Australia.
The book is available from Christian booksellers, including The Wandering Bookseller.
The Reality of Evil in an Age of Confusion: Moral Clarity in the Wake of Barbarity
In today’s episode (Wednesday 11 October 2023) of The Briefing, Albert Mohler speaks about the attacks in Israel and the reality of evil.
He asks, “what (or who) can overcome evil on this scale?”.
And what does our acknowledgement of evil say about reality?
Related:
Anglican pastor chased by mob after waving Israeli flag outside church – 3AW.
‘Your truth’ and the true story: How the gospel of Christ transforms our decision-making
“For many people in our world, what matters most is not some ‘objective’ truth that can be found in history and facts. Instead, what matters most is our own internal emotional experience. This is what the world call ‘your truth’. That is why emotional distress is now considered one of the greatest evils in our world, to be avoided at all costs. This is a crucial reason why personal stories of suffering are so powerful (and saleable). Indeed, personal stories of suffering are increasingly becoming one of the most effective ways to sway public opinion and to affect policy change. …”
– At The Australian Church Record, Lionel Windsor argues we need a better understanding of suffering – and it is found in the gospel.
Gravity Waves and Singing Stars
“Back in June, scientists announced the discovery that the universe is vibrating with low frequency gravity waves. Music analogies proliferated. It was a ‘cosmic bass note’, a ‘hum’, a ‘chorus’, the ‘background sound of the universe’. …”
– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Andrew Moody notes the temporary re-enchantment brought by modern astronomy.
Image: James Webb Space Telescope.
Catechising – A short introduction
“Believe me, Sir, the Church of God will never preserve itself without a Catechism, for it is like the seed to keep good grain from dying out and causing it to multiply from age to age.”
“So wrote the Genevan reformer John Calvin to Lord Protector Somerset during the reign of King Edward VI in 1548. He wanted to stress the importance of instructing the youth so that gospel ministry would go from strength to strength during the English Reformation. In other words, it was about children’s and youth ministry. In particular, it was the importance of catechising.
But what exactly is catechising? In short, it is verbal instruction (institutio viva voce). In the context of Christian ministry, it is a way of teaching the gospel to the next generation of God’s people to know, love, and serve the Lord. …”
– At The Australian Church Record, Mark Earngey reminds us why the Reformers thought catechesis was so important and challenges us to teach our children (and ourselves) well.
The power and pain of perseverance — CCL event
On 18 October 2023, Moore College Principal Dr Mark Thompson is speaking on “The power and pain of perseverance” at a Centre for Christian Living event.
Watch the 55 second promo video, and register here (it’s free!).
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…