Trinity now and then

Mark Thompson makes some interesting observations on the Trinitarian thought of the Church Fathers…

“Patristic trinitarian thinking had a more overtly doxological element than much modern writing in this area. Writers such as Athanasius and Augustine, not to mention the Cappadocians and later Eastern writers, were very aware that they did their theologising in the presence of God and in service of the church. It was not, and could never be, a simply abstract and intellectual endeavour…”

– read it all at Theological Theology.

The story of ‘Amazing Grace’

The John Newton Project’s Marylynn Rouse helps tell the story of John Newton’s hymn Amazing Grace in this 15 minute feature on Vimeo. (h/t Gary Ware.)

Paul and Mission in a Pluralistic World

“Religious pluralism, which has become new to us in western culture in recent times, was not new in the broader historical background of the New Testament era. It was, in fact and in particular, a distinguishing mark of the Graeco-Roman culture of the world in which the heralds of Jesus went forth to proclaim him as the unique Lord and Christ…”

– Bishop Paul Barnett looks at the world in which Paul preached the gospel.

Knox/Robinson for today

“You might be unfamiliar with the term ‘Knox/Robinson’, but you may well have come across the substance of these two men’s teaching if you’ve ever looked into the doctrine of church.

Observers of Anglicanism in Sydney have often remarked on a confident and distinctive approach to the nature and purpose of church, led by such men as Howard Mowll, TC Hammond, Marcus Loane, Donald Robinson and Broughton Knox. The source of this approach is undoubtedly the teaching of Donald Robinson and Broughton Knox at Moore College from the early 1950s until the early 1980s, though both men denied they were teaching anything unusual and could point to others who were saying similar things.

For us, nearly thirty years after the last published piece by either of them, how should we respond to the theological legacy of Donald Robinson and Broughton Knox? …”

– Read Mark Thompson’s paper at The Briefing.

The Lure of Rome

Dr. Robert Godfrey, Professor of Church History at Westminster Seminary California, speaks about why some evangelicals and other Protestants in the US are becoming Roman Catholics.

35 minute interview here. (h/t Ligonier Ministries.)

New Evidences the Gospels were Based on Eyewitness Accounts

In March 2011, Dr Peter Williams, Warden of Tyndale House in Cambridge, gave a public lecture at The Lanier Theological Library in Houston.

His topic: New Evidences the Gospels were Based on Eyewitness Accounts. The 62 minute video is well worth watching.

Christmas — Myth or History?

Bishop Paul Barnett responds to an article in last weekend’s newspaper.

“So don’t let the sceptics and atheists take away your hope.”

“You cannot but be impressed with the zeal of the modern sceptic and reciprocally unimpressed with the lethargy of the contemporary Christian. Right on track the Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Weekend (3rd December, 2011) has a lengthy and well-researched article, ‘Divine Intervention’ (Fenella Souter) in which she debunks the historical basis for the first Christmas.

Her two main arguments are that there are only two gospel accounts and that they are contradictory, with the addition of many fictional details…”

– Read the full article on Paul Barnett’s website.

Update: If it comes in handy, here’s a PDF version formatted to suit a double-sided A4 sheet.

From Reformation to Revival

Lee Gatiss has been speaking in Cambridge at the ‘Saturday School of Theology’ on the theme ‘From Reformation to Revival’.

The audio of the first two sessions is now available, with the third to come. Below are the descriptions of each session:  Read more

The Sydney Family Album — 8, Howard Mowll

“It really is rather hard to overplay the contribution of Howard Mowll to the shape and character of the contemporary Anglican Diocese of Sydney.

His election as Archbishop in April 1933 was a critical moment in the diocese’s history, a decision for its evangelical heritage rather than the more eclectic theology others were advocating at the time. His tenure of the office during World War II and the equally critical post-war years set directions, embedded principles and fostered a new generation of leaders who enabled Sydney Anglicanism to remain unambiguously Protestant and evangelical while engaging seriously with the challenges of a new era…”

– Mark Thompson continues his series on those who shaped Sydney Diocese.

Some recent books on Church History

“It remains as important as ever for the church not to lose sight of where it has come from, to be inspired by the great examples of the past as well warned by the mistakes that we are in danger of repeating.”

– Lee Gatiss reviews seven recent books on church history to see how solid and how useful they might be for the church, in Churchman.

His Story is History and History is His Story

“Tacitus the great historian of First Century Rome leaves us in no doubt about the main historical outlines of the New Testament. Tacitus, a leading politician and a provincial governor, reports that the ‘Christians’ took their name from a person called ‘Christ’ who was executed by Pontius Pilate in Judea in the era of Tiberius Caesar.

Tacitus expected the movement to die with its founder but instead it spread to Rome where, by the time of the great fire in AD 64, it had become ‘immense’.

Tacitus’s history tell us (a) Jesus was known as ‘Christ’, (b) that he was therefore a genuine figure of history, (c) when and where he was executed, and (d) that in spite of his death as a disgraced felon within thirty years his movement spread from Palestine on the edge of the empire to its heart, Rome…”

– Read it all – at Dr Paul Barnett’s blog.

The Sydney Family Album — 7

Mark Thompson has returned to his theme of Sydney’s Family Album with the story of Nathaniel Jones, Moore College Principal 1897–1911:

“Jones’ legacy was a determined evangelicalism, determined equally to live out the faith in quiet godliness and to resist the liberalism (a.k.a. modernism) that would seek a foothold in the diocese over the next two decades.”

Nathaniel Jones, Principal of Moore College from 1897 until 1911, must be included in any reckoning of those who shaped contemporary Sydney Anglicanism. He influenced a generation of Sydney clergy during his fourteen years as principal of the college. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the Katoomba Christian Convention. It would be Jones’ men who would promote Howard Mowll for Archbishop in 1933.  Read more

Why God became Man

“The title of this post is the translation of one of the most famous books in the history of Christian theology: Cur Deus Homo by Anselm of Canterbury. In it he expounded the biblical doctrines of Christ’s incarnation and atonement, demonstrating their fundamental connection. The one who died was God the Son become fully human. God the Son became fully human in order to die.

The necessity of the incarnation arises from both God’s character of holy love and determined purpose to have human beings for himself even in the face of the monumental attack upon God and his character that is human sin. …”

– ACL President Mark Thompson writes at Theological Theology.

Abandon the Reformation, Abandon the Gospel

“There they sat. Relics. Lots of them. There was a cut of fabric from the swaddling cloth of baby Jesus, 13 pieces from his crib, a strand of straw from the manger, a piece of gold from a Wise Man, three pieces of myrrh, a morsel of bread from the Last Supper, a thorn from the crown Jesus wore when crucified, and, to top it all off, a genuine piece of stone that Jesus stood on to ascend to the Father’s right hand…”

– At The Gospel Coalition, Matthew Barrett writes for Reformation Day (October 31).

Archbishop Cranmer’s immortal bequest

In the run up to Reformation Sunday (October 30), Church Society has republished a 1992 article from Churchman – ‘Archbishop Cranmer’s Immortal Bequest: The Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England: An Evangelistic Liturgy’ by Samuel Leuenberger. (PDF file.)

Worthwhile reading for a sense of where the Book of Common Prayer comes from, especially so as Sydney Diocese discusses liturgical revision.

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