If life has meaning, death is an outrage
“It has been a good couple of months for the celebrating of life at memorial services. First, there was the celebration of Michael Jackson’s life and then there was Ted Kennedy, enfant terrible turned elder statesman. Both men, in their different ways, were proof positive that, in modern America, you only need to love your own kids and then at some point die in order to atone for any sins you may have committed against other people’s beloved sons and daughters…”
– Carl Trueman’s latest commentary at Reformation21 is well worth reading. How might reflection on these things help our conversations? (Photo: Westminster Seminary.)
David Letterman and cosmic captivity
“The Scripture says that Satan’s reign over this present order is by holding us captive through the slavery of the ‘fear of death’ (Heb 2:15). And why are all humans afraid of death? Because, like Letterman’s letter in the back of the car, our conscience is pointing us to judgment, with a ‘black box’ of evidence of our guilt (Rom 2:15-16).”
– Russell Moore at SBTS writes on ‘What David Letterman can teach us about the Gospel’. (h/t Tim Challies.)
“In human terms we lost” — Bp Bob Duncan
“We lost. In human terms we lost. Bishop and Standing Committee, together with Board of Trustees, thought we understood the document that was signed on our behalf in 2005 that ended the first phase of the Calvary lawsuit. But yesterday, the judge found against us on the basis of that document. …
We will take a time for further counsel and prayer, seeking God’s guidance on whether to file an appeal. …
The gospel for this Sunday is Mark 10:17-31, the rich young man. In the passage Jesus promises that those who are willing to leave everything to follow him “will receive back a hundredfold.” Jesus is speaking to us and to our situation. Now is the moment we are called to trust Him at His word. I am willing. Your leadership is willing. Are you?”
– from Bishop Robert Duncan’s Pastoral Letter on this week’s court ruling against the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh (Anglican).
Diocese told to surrender assets
“An Allegheny County court awarded the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh more than $15 million in endowments, bank accounts and other assets that a secessionist diocese had sought to retain…”
– Latest on the moves by TEC to retain property claimed by the (Anglican) Diocese of Pittsburgh headed by Bishop Bob Dunbcan.
Story from The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Engaging with our culture
The BeThinking.org website, run by the UCCF, has been around for a while. It contains a wide range of helpful talks Christians “understand, defend and communicate the Christian faith”.
Preaching resources from the Diocese of Tasmania
The Diocese of Tasmania website has recently added some helpful and encouraging notes on preaching.
Diocese of Niagara financial appeal
From the Diocese of Niagara in Canada:
“The purpose of this letter is to invite you to show your support to Bishop Michael [Bird] and our Diocese by participating in a new initiative called ‘Passion for Justice’. This initiative is a simple, quick and direct way to appeal to all the people who have struggled for and in some cases, voted to move forward with blessing of same gendered marriages and ask for your financial support.” (original emphasis)
The money apparently is needed due to the cost of legal proceedings against ‘a small group of extremists’. – Anglican Essentials Canada blog has the letter here.
What should faithful Lutherans in the ELCA do?
“Simply put, would you stay in perpetuity in a denomination that officially sanctioned adult-consensual incest, adultery, and polyamory (i.e. concurrent multiple-partner unions) and even set up as leaders of the church persons who engaged unrepentantly in such immorality? If the answer is “no,” consider this:…”
– Robert Gagnon at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary offers some biblical advice. (PDF version.) h/t Anglican Mainstream.
Benny Hinn prevented from entering UK
“Benny Hinn was meant to be evangelising the UK as I write, with three days booked from last night until 3 October at Excel in London’s Docklands. But his attempt to enter the country at Stansted Airport was unsuccessful. According to sources he took his private jet to Paris and then tried a second time, at Luton Airport. That attempt failed too, and tonight, Friday, he is on his way back to France. …”
– Ruth Gledhill writes at Times Online. (Image: Benny Hinn Ministries.)
Related: US Senate examines ‘TV evangelists’ and Word of Faith preachers.
The Emerging Church and more with Kevin DeYoung
Mark Dever recently interviewed Kevin DeYoung (co-author of Why We’re Not Emergent) on the Emerging Church – but begins with a discussion on paedobaptism and also eldership in the Reformed Church in America.
This interesting interview was recorded in May and has just been made available at 9Marks. The 47MB mp3 file runs for 68 minutes.
Canterbury: Covenant adoption limited to Provinces
“The Archbishop of Canterbury has welcomed an endorsement of the first three sections of the Anglican Covenant by the Diocese of Central Florida’s board and standing committee, but said only provinces can officially adopt the covenant. …”
– George Conger reports for The Living Church. However, see this 2007 letter. (h/t Stand Firm.)
Cuppa for Cancer in Broome
Quite apart from being an outreach idea, this story from The North West Network is a wonderful testimony to the gospel of Jesus at work in the Diocese of North West Australia. (Used by permission.)
“Why do I have cancer? Is it because I am bad and deserve it? What if I die – am I ready? How will I handle the dying process? What do I really think will happen to me after I die? If I don’t die how do I want to spend the rest of this fragile life?”
These were some of the questions that Helen Morrell, a breast cancer survivor, put to a group of over 70 women who gathered in the grounds of the Broome Anglican Church. Read more
Counterfeit Gods
“To contemporary people the word idolatry conjures up pictures of primitive people bowing down before statues…
Our contemporary society is not fundamentally different from these ancient ones. Each culture is dominated by its own set of idols. Each has its “priesthoods,” its totems and rituals. Each one has its shrines—whether office towers, spas and gyms, studios, or stadiums—where sacrifices must be made in order to procure the blessings of the good life and ward off disaster.”
– From the Introduction to Tim Keller’s soon-to-be-released book, “Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters”.
Read the full introduction at Westminster Bookstore (PDF file). The book is released later this month. (h/t Between Two Worlds)
With Calvin in the Theatre of God
The Desiring God National Conference was held in Minneapolis last weekend with the theme “With Calvin in the Theater of God”.
Through the generosity of Desiring God, audio and video files of all the messages are now available online. (Note: The video files are around 150MB each.)
Continue the ‘conversation’ and keep giving your money
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson has issued an impassioned plea for unity in his denomination via two videos on the ELCA website – (update: This wmv file is one of them)
“My heart aches when I hear ELCA members express a feeling of abandonment because of the decisions on human sexuality taken by our church-wide Assembly. I deeply concerned when ELCA members and congregations are being encouraged to signal that disagreement by withholding financial support…”
Meanwhile –
“Conservative Lutherans from congregations throughout the country voted on Saturday to begin deciding on whether to go their separate ways from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. … ‘We are forming a churchly community because our prior churchly community has walked away from the faith off the one holy catholic and apostolic Church,’ said Ryan Schwarz, a member of the Lutheran CORE (Coalition for Reform) steering committee.”
– from a report in The Christian Post.
Related: Lutherans adopt statement on sexuality.
Wearing the disguise of Faithfulness.
Lutheran Coalition for Renewal.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…