AI as God, Deepfakes, and The Resurrection — John Anderson speaks with John Lennox
From JohnAnderson.net.au:
John Anderson “… speaks with Oxford Professor John Lennox about the intriguing connections between science, religion, and modern cultural shifts.
Lennox reflects on how figures like Jordan Peterson have opened the door for renewed dialogue between Christianity and science. He argues that historical scientific pioneers were driven by their faith in a divine lawgiver, a perspective that has regained traction in modern intellectual discussions.
The conversation also touches on the ethical challenges of artificial intelligence and society’s growing struggle with truth in the age of deepfakes. \
Lennox emphasises the unique hope Christianity offers through the resurrection of Jesus, contrasting it with secular movements like transhumanism, which promises immortality but fails to address deeper human questions.”
– The video on YouTube has timestamps for ease of navigation.
The death of Jesus — Matthew 27:1-66
St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in London has published a new audio reflection by Dick Lucas – on The Death of Jesus – from Matthew 27:1-66. It was recorded in March this year.
In discussing the passage, Dick seeks to prepare Christians for what happens when the gospel is proclaimed, and shares a sobering story of his first days at St. Helen’s in 1961. (Dick served as Rector from 1961 to 1998.)
We can give great thanksgiving to the Lord for Dick. Born in 1925, Dick attained the age of 99 on Tuesday (September 10). St. Helen’s posted this Happy Birthday message on their Facebook page.
St. Helen’s has more than 1700 talks by Dick available on their website.
The purpose of the Lord will stand — Australian Church Record Journal for Synod 2024
The Australian Church Record has published a special edition of their Journal to coincide with the meeting of Sydney Synod starting this weekend.
Whether or not you are a member of Synod, this is well worth downloading, reading and sharing.
Highlights include interviews with Robert Tong and Laurie Scandrett, but much else to see too.
Coercive control in Christian families and the impact on children – with Jenni Woodhouse
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“How do we help children in Christian families escape and recover from the devastating effects of domestic abuse?
Pastoral consultant Jenni Woodhouse says there is a hidden epidemic of coercive control where a parent with narcissism or borderline personality disorder makes life impossible for their both their spouse and children.
We also explore the impact of domestic abuse on children of all ages, from teenagers to toddlers.
What responsibility does the church have? What should a church leader do?
How can we as church leaders detect and address these issues in the congregation?
Jenni Woodhouse is a pastoral care consultant with the Church Missionary Society.”
Paul’s prayer for the persecuted
“Christians need the spiritual and moral strength for which the Apostle Paul prayed in the Prayer Book Epistle reading for today, whatever the political conditions of the nations in which they find themselves.
Paul, a prisoner for proclaiming Christian truth, was writing to the Christians in 1st Century Ephesus …”
– At The Conservative Woman, Julian Mann reminds us that we need to be praying for the persecuted church too.
Why read John’s Gospel?
“I hope to remind us of old truths, perhaps prompt some new thoughts, but above all stimulate us to read and preach this wonderful part of God’s word.
Here are five reasons to read John’s Gospel for your consideration.…”
– St. Andrew’s Cathedral is hosting a reading of the entire Gospel of John, and AFES is using that Gospel in its Meet Jesus campaign.
Helpfully, Bill Salier shares the first in a series of reflections on the Gospel of John, at The Gospel Coalition Australia.
CLASS and the Evangelical Church in England
From Church Society:
“Evangelicals in Britain are overwhelmingly white and middle class. Of course, it is always good when any group of people come to know the living God and worship him in church; and it is good that the intense efforts to evangelise the university-educated over the past century have borne fruit.
However, there are problems. When any group is dominant in any setting, it easily assumes that its own way of doing things is normal. The way things are done becomes not just the right way, but the only way. It is very easy in such contexts to be oblivious to the way in which the majority way actually excludes people who come from a different group.
Many evangelicals are aware of this, and in some cases actively fight against it. Yet despite understanding all this, and despite their determination for class not to be an issue, evangelicals seem to have been singularly ineffective in eliminating the boundaries.
Class and the Evangelical Church in England by Kirsten Birkett surveys recent research on this topic and discusses some of its implications. We want to reach the whole country with the gospel: what can we do to prevent class from being a barrier?”
– Ordering details for Kirsten Birkett’s new book here.
She spoke about her research in this Church Society podcast in June 2024.
Interview: The Christian Church and Porn
From AP, the national journal of the Presbyterian Church of Australia –
“In this episode of AP’s Profiles in Christian Living, host Mark Powell sits down with Dr. Marshall Ballantine-Jones to discuss the sensitive and pervasive issue of pornography.
Dr. Ballantine-Jones, who holds a doctorate on the societal impacts of pornography, shares his personal faith journey and presents alarming statistics about the prevalence of pornography in the Church and wider community.
The discussion delves into the harmful effects of porn on individuals, relationships, and society, and offers hope through practical solutions and spiritual guidance. Learn more about the Resist program, a course designed to help people break free from pornography addiction.”
– Watch here.
Latest issue of Themelios (49/2) now available
The latest edition of Themelios (volume 49, no. 2) is now available for download – or to read online – from The Gospel Coalition.
Includes a book review by Moore College’s Lionel Windsor (that’s also available here).
– Download or read online the full issue here.
A prayer for the displaced
“I’m sure that, like me, many of you are deeply concerned about the ongoing civil war in Sudan, which is being increasingly covered by the international news media.
The deteriorating situation means the country is facing what the UN has described as “one of the worst humanitarian disasters in recent memory.” There are now 10.5 million internally displaced people (IDPs)* in Sudan, making this the largest displacement crisis in the world. Almost all of these IDPs are in areas with acute levels of food scarcity.
And it’s not just Sudan that is seeing an increase in IDPs.…”
– Canon Tim Swan, CEO of The Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid, writes to encourage you to pray – and offers a prayer you could use.
The terrible scourge of Female Genital Mutilation and what Christians are doing about it
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“The terrible scourge of Female Genital Mutilation and what Christians are doing about it.
Plus how the Tanzanian Church has been built through the labors and prayers of Australian Christians, and why prosperity gospel preachers are as wicked as witch doctors!
We are joined by Bishop Mwita Akiri from Tarime in rural Tanzania, Judith Calf who served as a missionary in theological education in Tanzania for 20 years, and Tim Swan who leads the Anglican Aid Ministry here in Australia.”
Singleness book wins Christian book of the year
From SydneyAnglicans.net:
“The SparkLit Australian Christian Book of the Year for 2024 has been won by Sydney Anglican the Rev Dr Dani Treweek for her book The Meaning of Singleness: Retrieving an Eschatological Vision for the Contemporary Church. …”
– Read here.
Related:
Singleness in the Church Today: An Interview With Dani Treweek – Jacob York speaks with Dani Treweek for The Gospel Coalition Australia.
The book is available now from The Wandering Bookseller.
Epic Reading of the Gospel of John coming to St. Andrew’s Cathedral
From the Cathedral:
“On Saturday 7th September, at 3:30pm, St Andrew’s Cathedral will host an ‘Epic Reading’ of the entire Gospel of John, in our atmospheric Chapter House, off Bathurst Street, Sydney.
The expert reader will be Melbourne actor and author, Simon Camilleri, well known already for illuminating various books of the Bible by his public readings.
Thirty years ago, reading the Gospel of John was part of what changed Simon’s life.
In the same way that you can’t really understand the Lord of the Rings by watching a few short YouTube clips of the movie, Simon says some things can only be appreciated by seeing and hearing the whole. …”
– Read it all here – and see a video of Simon Camilleri with a sample.
And the Dean of Sydney, Sandy Grant, invites you to be there:
Freedom for Faith 2024 Conference
Videos of the talks given at the Freedom for Faith 2024 Conference, held earlier this month, have now been made available at the Freedom for Faith website.
Do check them out.
Growing Up in the Pastoral Spotlight: Insights into the lives and wellbeing of Ministry Kids – with Valerie Ling
From The Pastor’s heart:
“What impact does growing up in a pastoral family have on ministry kids?
Valerie Ling from the Sydney Centre for Effective Living joins us to unpack the ‘Ministry Kids Wellbeing Survey,’ revealing what Australian ministry children, say about their upbringing.
They tell of heightened responsibilities and an acute awareness of adult realities plus concerns about feeling different from their peers.
We explore the broader impacts of pastoral life on children, and explore displacement, constant mobility, difficulties in forming lasting friendships and achieving a sense of belonging.
Comparisons are made with the experiences of diplomats and defence ministry kids, emphasizing the common struggles and the critical role parents play in providing stability.
Plus we talk the importance of empathy and creating safe spaces for doubts.”
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…