Freedom is the issue
“Any expression of the view that marriage is between a man and a woman is held to stigmatize those who believe that marriage is gender neutral.
Such alternative views are claimed to be prejudiced, to stigmatise others, and to be the source of unhappiness and searches for “change”. Such stigmatization has to be banished from society by the state.
Therefore even holding such an opinion is wrong – or rather causes offence and hurt, and must be eliminated. Even if the state admits diversity and plurality, certain pluralities cannot exist. …”
– The American Anglican Council has published an important article from the UK by Vinay Samuel and Chris Sugden. Read it all here.
(images via Anglican Mainstream and GAFCON.)
The first step is always a study committee
‘How Denominations come to tolerate, accept, and then endorse homosexuality’ – that’s the title of a brief post by Kevin DeYoung at The Gospel Coalition.
“Tom Oden, writing in his book Requiem way back in 1995, explains how it happens. The first step is always a study committee…”
Related:
How Revisionist Activists Subvert the Church – at Stand Firm.
Aberdeen church breaks away over gay ministers row – The Scotsman.
Prizes and Consumables
Carl Trueman draws attention to a very thoughtful piece by Matthew Vos. Prizes and Consumables: The Super Bowl as a Theology of Women.
The American Super Bowl might not be big in Australia, and there are differences in our cultures, though perhaps the differences aren’t as great as we might think.
Mohler on the Boy Scouts of America
“The announcement this week that the Boy Scouts of America may soon rescind its national policy prohibiting the participation of openly homosexual members and leaders fell like a thunderclap. The B.S.A. national board is expected to approve the change early next week, just six months after that same board had announced that no change would be made…”
– Albert Mohler writes on the capitulation of the Boy Scouts of America.
The temptation to keep quiet
At The Gospel Coalition, Thabiti Anyabwile shares an honest but encouraging story about personal evangelism. (h/t Tim Challies.)
Epiphany – Five Reflections from a Lifetime
Bishop Paul Barnett spoke at the Mere Anglicanism Conference in Charleston, South Carolina this morning.
He’s posted his fascinating and encouraging talk on his blog. Even without the accompanying slides, this is worth reading and passing on.
Ichabod
In July 2009, we linked to this article by David Robertson, Minister of St. Peter’s Free Church in Dundee.
“More than a century of theological liberalism being taught in and through our churches has finally come home to roost. If anyone doubted how sick the Church in Scotland has become, the recent events in the Church of Scotland General Assembly have provided more than enough proof.”
– Three and a half years later, it’s worth re-reading as a reminder of the context of the departure of The Tron, and also as a reminder to pray for Scotland.
The article was an editorial in The Monthly Record of the Free Church of Scotland. (PDF – pages 3-5.)
Teaching Historical Sense
“I was asked last week why some evangelicals convert to Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism.
Reasons vary, I am sure, but I commented that one theme I have noticed over the years is the fact that evangelicalism lacks historical roots. That is not to say that it has no history; rather it is to say that a consciousness of history is not part of the package. …”
– Carl Trueman has some excellent ideas you can use in your church – Ref21.
Lanced
“I find that there are many uncomfortable reflections that the Armstrong story continues to raise: questions about hero-worship, self-justification, self-righteousness and our powerful urge to find scapegoats. …”
– Nick Tucker at Oak Hill College in London sees the Armstrong confessions as a lesson to us all.
‘How much do you have to hate someone to not proselytise?’
“The Penn and Teller show is a favourite of mine, so I was interested to watch this video of Penn, an atheist, speak about being evangelised. …”
– Steve Kryger at Communicate Jesus links to a very thoughtful video.
Four things Christians can learn from the Lance Armstrong debacle
“The rise and fall of Lance Armstrong should serve as a reminder for us all as to how easy it is for us to allow sin to destroy all that we have.” – Ed Stetzer comments.
‘Why Steve Chalke is mistaken and the liberality of liberals cannot be trusted’
“Before the vote, there were many people telling the ‘traditionalists’ that they were ‘valued’, that they should be ‘enabled to flourish’, ‘respect’ and so on. …
Unfortunately, when the vote went the ‘wrong’ way, what we saw was not an acknowledgement that the flourishing of traditionalists would have to be sought another way, but an outbreak of something little short of rage and the heaping of opprobrium on those, especially those evangelicals, who had dared to mess things up.”
– John Richardson in the UK reflects, not so much on this week’s announcement by Baptist Minister Steve Chalke affirming same sex relationships, as on words and intentions.
Related:
Steve Chalke affirms same sex partnerships.
The Bible & Homosexuality: a response to Steve Chalke – Evangelical Alliance UK.
‘It is no empty word for you, but your very life’ (Deut. 32:47)
At Theological Theology, Peter Bolt, Head of New Testament at Moore College, presents his third and final post responding to recent publications on women preaching to mixed congregations of men and women.
The Public Inauguration of a New Moral McCarthyism
“The Presidential Inaugural Committee and the White House have now declared historic, biblical Christianity to be out of bounds, casting it off the inaugural program as an embarrassment. By its newly articulated standard, any preacher who holds to the faith of the church for the last 2,000 years is persona non grata…”
– Albert Mohler on the latest from the thought police.
Related:
The Louie Giglio Moment: Are Evangelicals (and about 4 of 10 American Adults) No Longer Welcome in the Public Square? – Ed Stetzer.
“Simply holding the view held by every Roman pontiff and by every congregation and synagogue in the world until very recent days is enough to make one “radioactive” in public.” – Russell Moore.
What’s happening to our preaching?
“On Boxing Day 2012, a series of electronic booklets called “Fresh Perspectives on Women in Ministry” was released by Zondervan. One of these booklets was written by John Dickson, a highly respected Australian evangelist, writer, researcher and Anglican minister…
In light of these claims, we need to do whatever we can to promote gospel unity and avoid an unnecessary “taking of sides”.”
– Lionel Windsor writes a brief initial response to one of the three e-books recently published by Zondervan.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…