Gambling and Coveting
“I know that Aussies love to have a ‘punt on the ponies’ but it’s becoming a massive community problem that can’t be ignored. For example, in the state where I currently live, the Anglican Church of Tasmania has published an excellent report which makes for sobering reading.
Here’s a quick snapshot of what their research found …”
– Mark Powell writes at AP, the national journal of the Presbyterian Church of Australia.
Related:
Other posts on our website on gambling (there are quite a few).
Living in Love and Faith: what now for those who cannot ‘agree to disagree’?
“Yesterday the Bishop of Leicester, Martyn Snow, tried to reset the ongoing Living in Love and Faith (LLF) debate, asking the General Synod of the Church of England ‘to be reconciled with God and show this by being reconciled to one another’.
He talked of the missionary imperative of the Church finding a way to ‘agree to disagree’ and pleaded for Synod to avoid “a series of speeches simply saying, ‘Synod needs to agree with me’, or others just need to change their mind”.
But the problem facing the Church is, as Ed Shaw said, ‘We do not all believe the same things when it comes to identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage.’…”
See also:
What do we mean by reconciliation? – Martin Davie.
“The problem with the LLF/PLF debate in the Church of England at the moment is that the majority of the bishops are promoting a truncated form of reconciliation, a form of reconciliation which emphasises quite rightly the virtues of humility, patience and love, but also gives liturgical recognition to sexual immorality in the form of the blessing of same-sex sexual relationships and same-sex marriages and the ordination of those involved in them. …”
Image: Bishop Snow’s call for reconciliation despite holding contradictory beliefs.
The magnificent beauty of God’s design for men and women – with Andrew Leslie
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“Andrew Leslie is encouraging us to first take a step back from practical concerns and reflect on the beauty and wisdom of the Bible’s teaching about manhood and womanhood.
In much contemporary debate about gender we focus on practical questions about what different people can do.
However the head of Moore Theological College’s Doctrine Department says the picture of gender in the beginning is not an arbitrary divine imposition that comes with its own set of arbitrary rules and instructions. Rather, the man and the woman together – and only together – irreducibly different and yet one inconceivable without the other, created a microcosm of God’s own very being and character and glory, summing up the wisdom and creative word of God.”
Old Testament case law today
“Friends in Christ, following historic Anglican patterns, at the Cathedral, we are committed to the public reading of Scripture, from both Old and New Testaments.
Our preaching generally seeks to expound (i.e. explain and apply) our systematic readings through one book of the Bible.
The other reading comes from the other Testament. This other reading is not generally selected to complement the sermon passage, but simply to expose us to another part of God’s inspired Word, the Bible.
After all, when Paul wrote that ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness’ (2 Timothy 3:16), he was speaking with special regard to what we now call the Old Testament (since the New Testament was still being completed). Timothy had known these ‘Holy Scriptures from infancy’, and Paul said they were ‘able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus’ (2 Timothy 3:15).
But often parts of the Old Testament strike the modern person as far removed from our current culture and expectations. …”
– Sandy Grant, Dean of St. Andrew’s Cathedral Sydney, writes to the cathedral congregation about the key place of the Old Testament Scriptures.
The Distorting Power of the Prosperity Gospel
“No one wants to suffer. In my culture, and in most African cultures, suffering is seen as a sign of bad luck; or proof that you did something wrong. Interestingly that was exactly the same thinking as Job’s friends. For example, Eliphaz says this about Job’s situation: “Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off?” (Job 4:7-8). His point? The innocent don’t suffer.
Everyone wants their best life now. And most would simply settle for a materially better life too.
This view of suffering explains the success of the prosperity gospel across Africa. …”
– At The Gospel Coalition Africa, Thomas Endjala at Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary, outlines how the “prosperity gospel” ruins faith.
(Link via Tim Challies.)
Truth Be Told: Sample chapter and pre-order
From Rachel at Matthias Media:
“The book on truth they tried to censor
It became painfully clear during the production of Truth be Told, Lionel Windsor’s new book encouraging Christians to stand out in the world because of their honesty and integrity, just how much it was needed. …”
– Read a sample chapter and pre-order the book.
Lionel Windsor spoke about his book late last year.
Church Matters from 9Marks: Vol 4, Evangelism
The latest issue of Church Matters from 9Marks focusses on the question of evangelism –
What is a biblical understanding of evangelism?
Is every Christian expected to evangelise?
Does expository preaching speak to unbelievers as well as believers?
This and much more in the latest edition, available from 9Marks.
The 39 Articles Are A Beautiful Guide To Orthodoxy — If Only The Bishops Agreed
“I’ve recently been in correspondence with a bishop who is quite influential in the process surrounding the Prayers of Love and Faith. It has led to a revealing conversation around Article 26 of the 39 Articles of Faith.
The 39 Articles are a brief and condensed statement of what Anglican Christians believe and teach. The English Reformers compiled these carefully summarised statements of biblical theology to guide and guard our identity in Christ.
Adopted by the Church of England in 1571, the 39 Articles assist believers in thinking, discussing, applying, and sharing “the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 3). These theological principles remain relevant for our spiritual health and maturity as we follow Jesus Christ today.
The discussion arose because a parish passed a resolution …”
– This opinion piece at Anglican Futures by “a member of the clergy in the Church of England” is a reminder of the importance of the Articles of Faith, and reading them in context.
See also:
Mr Facing Both Ways
“In his book The Pilgrim’s Progress John Bunyan refers to a character called ‘Mr Facing Both Ways.’
As I reflected on the events of the past year and where they have left the Church of England it struck me that Bunyan’s name for this character is also an apt description of the current position of the Church of England.
On the one hand, the Church of England officially continues to adhere to (a) the traditional Christian doctrine of marriage and sexual ethics, and (b) the traditional Christian doctrine that visible holiness of life should be required of Christian ministers.
On the other hand, since 17 December last year it has contradicted (a) in terms of its liturgical practice. Furthermore, it seems certain that action by the House of Bishops will mean that in the coming year the Church of England will contradict traditional Christian doctrine further in area (a) and will also contradict it in area (b) as well. …”
– Martin Davie looks at the current situation in the Church of England and suggests how orthodox Evangelicals should respond.
Defining Moments: My Copernican Revolution (Ephesians 1)
Moore College’s Dr Lionel Windsor spoke at Auckland Evangelical Church on Sunday evening. His topic?:
“Defining Moments: My Copernican Revolution (Ephesians 1).”
– Listen here, and also see the slides.
The Desecration of Man
“This year marks the eightieth anniversary of the lectures that became C. S. Lewis’s book The Abolition of Man.
Speaking to an audience at the height of the Second World War, Lewis identified the central problem of the modern age: The world was losing its sense of what it meant to be human. As man’s technological achievements were once again being used to destroy human life on an industrial scale, Lewis pointed to the dehumanization that was occurring all around. And as the war continued, the Final Solution and the atomic bomb served to reinforce his claims.
Yet modern warfare was not the only problem. As Lewis argued, the intellectual and cultural currents of modernity were also culpable. The war was as much a symptom of the problem as a cause. Modernity was abolishing man. It represented nothing less than a crisis of anthropology. …”
– There’s a great deal to contemplate in this essay from Carl Trueman at First Things.
This essay was originally delivered as the 36th Erasmus Lecture at Grove City College on 31st October 2023.
Photo: Carl Trueman, courtesy Grove City College.
Why Jesus Came — Devotional from John Piper
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. (Hebrews 2:14-15)
“This, I think, is my favorite Advent text because I don’t know any other that expresses so clearly the connection between the beginning and the end of Jesus’s earthly life — between the incarnation and crucifixion.
These two verses make clear why Jesus came …”
– A wonderful reminder, via John Piper.
Image: Ornaments by Lacewing Creative in Sydney.
It’s more awkward to reject the virgin birth
“Around this time of year, you will begin to find folks who insist we don’t need to believe in the virgin birth. After all, the Hebrew word almah, found in Isaiah 7:14 pointing forward to the coming Messiah, can mean maiden or young woman. So, can’t we just accept that the Messiah would be born to a young woman and avoid all the awkwardness of defending weird stuff like virgin births?
There are a number of problems with taking this line. …”
– At Building Jerusalem, Stephen Kneale, minister at an evangelical church in Oldham, near Manchester, affirms the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus.
Link via Tim Challies.
Why the Post-Christian West is eagerly pursuing ‘Skynet’-Level AI
“OpenAI (chatGPT’s parent company) exists to develop ‘Skynet’-level Artificial Intelligence. Or more specifically, a safe version of AI as intelligent as Skynet. In their founding charter, they write:
OpenAI’s mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AGI)—by which we mean highly autonomous systems that outperform humans at most economically valuable work—benefits all of humanity. We will attempt to directly build safe and beneficial AGI.
And if the recent ousting then return of OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman is any indication, they’re making progress. The ABC reported on Sunday:
Ahead of Altman’s ousting, several staff researchers wrote to the board of directors warning of a powerful discovery that they said could threaten humanity, according to Reuters. …”
– Akos Balogh writes at The Gospel Coalition Australia.
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.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…