A Mormon President?
In January, Michael Horton spoke with Adam Christing, writer and director of a documentary about a relatively unknown aspect of the life of Joseph Smith, namely his candidacy for President of the United States.
Whatever the outcome of the US elections this week, this programme gives some useful insights into what Mormons believe. Hear it via this link.
Christianity and the Dark Side
“The coming of Halloween is a good time for Christians to remember that evil spirits are real and that the Devil will seize every opportunity to trumpet his own celebrity…”
– Al Mohler looks at the American institution which is increasing being imported into Australia.
The pain threshold
“Is the New Testament pattern of normal Christian witness, ‘Always be ready to invite your neighbour to an evangelistic barbecue’? ‘Go into all the world and get them to hear someone else make disciples’?”
– Chris Green, Vice Principal of Oak Hill College in London, has a point. Read it here.
Jesus Is …Beyond Fiction
“I cannot believe how often educated people pull out the claim that Jesus probably never existed. Except that it’s not PC to say so, it really deserves the title of Old Wives Tale!
Down in my neck of the woods, Gospel for the Gong has been running a ‘Jesus Is ________.’ month of mission. …”
– Sandy Grant shares some resources – as well as news of a terrific evangelistic initiative – at The Briefing.
How to wreck a church
“What is it about false teaching? First it dazzles, finding its ways into magazines and onto TV news programmes and book displays. It also deceives – drawing the unwary half a degree off course. It then distorts, for the principle of the ever-widening angle will eventually see church members ten years down the line embracing teachings that are far removed from Scripture. And, finally, it destroys.”
– Timely reminder from Richard Bewes – at Anglican Mainstream.
Why Catechesis now?
“The church in Western culture today is experiencing a crisis of holiness. To be holy is to be ‘set apart,’ different, living life according to God’s Word and story, not according to the stories that the world tells us are the meaning of life.
The more the culture around us becomes post- and anti-Christian the more we discover church members in our midst, sitting under sound preaching, yet nonetheless holding half-pagan views of God, truth, and human nature, and in their daily lives using sex, money, and power in very worldly ways. …”
– Tim Keller lays out the need for a new Catechism to be launched next week by The Gospel Coalition.
Related: Grounded in the Gospel – J I Packer on The White Horse Inn.
Why Archbishops must lead Theologically
The latest issue of The Australian Church Record (number 1906 / October 2012) is now available for download at their website.
Here’s the Editorial – Read more
The Power of overlooking an Offense
“In her masterful biography of Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, Doris Kearns Goodwin records an interesting story in the mid-1850’s, when Lincoln was in the middle of his career in law. The story shines light on Lincoln’s ability to overlook major personal offenses. …”
– Trevin Wax gives an illustration with wide contemporary application. (h/t Tim Challies.)
The hermeneutics of homosexuality: A response to Michael Kirby
“In his winsome way, the Honourable Michael Kirby introduces his recent Marshall Memorial Lecture with a surprising autobiographical account of his Sydney Anglican Protestant credentials, given the more Melbourne Anglo-Catholic audience…”
– On the ABC’s Religion and Ethics website, Gordon Preece (co-editor of Sexegesis) responds to a lecture by Michael Kirby, also published on that website.
The Land of the Lost Weekend
Dean of Sydney Phillip Jensen reminds us what this long weekend is all about –
“This long weekend celebrates Labour Day, but most 21st century Australians do not give it a second thought. We have forgotten the struggle of the 19th century when twelve hour shifts for six days a week was the normal lot of the worker.”
– Read it all at Phillip Jensen’s website.
Why I am a Complementarian
“God is graciously moving his universe towards the goal of all things being summed up under Christ (Eph 1:9-10). But this ultimate state of life has already begun, as the Father brings people to the Son, and unites them together under Christ as their head (Eph 4:1-16). …”
– Read Jane Tooher’s essay at the Moore College website.
‘Christians in the QandA fiery furnace’
“It takes courage to stand up for one’s faith… even when you’re the Archbishop of Sydney confronting an audience of unbelievers and a panel of atheists on ABC’s Q & A program. …”
– Dale Stephenson of Crossway Church in Melbourne gives his take on that recent episode of Q&A – from Eternity Newspaper – at The Bible Society website.
‘Staying in His Lane’
“The appearance of Osteen and Chopra together was a priceless demonstration of the fact that the New Thought positive thinking philosophy that drives them both can be grafted onto either Christianity or Eastern religion. In the end, it all sounds the same. Chopra’s New Age spirituality and Osteen’s updated version of the word-faith movement end up as the same message, only with different trappings.
O’Brien then shifted the topic to homosexuality, as would be expected. …”
– Albert Mohler writes on “the total theological bankruptcy of the word of faith movement and the gospel of positive thinking”. (Image: CNN.)
Carl Trueman on being different
“Every now and then I find myself reminded of just how much the world has changed. One such moment came for me on Saturday. I was up in Boston…”
– Read Carl Trueman’s witty but serious thoughts on living for Christ in a changing world – at Reformation21.
Related: When even Joel Osteen is Treated as a bigot – Justin Taylor.
The Devolution of Marriage
“Weddings and marriage have been in the news a lot recently. Same sex marriage and revising the wedding vows are not unrelated issues but reflect the community’s confusion about the nature of marriage and the place of weddings.
Over the last 30 years Anglican wedding services have evolved steadily away from the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer. This change in theology and liturgy has undermined the minister’s ability to teach the faith and help couples to understand marriage. …”
– from Dean of Sydney Phillip Jensen’s weekly column.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…