What does the Bible really teach about Homosexuality? — Repost
Posted on May 27, 2015
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“If I had to choose only one book to recommend to someone (whether a Christian or non-Christian) who wanted to read a basic overview of what the Bible says about homosexuality and what that means for today, this is it.”
– Andy Naselli on “What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?” by Kevin DeYoung.
You can download a 36 page sample and study guide via Andy’s site, and order a copy from various booksellers.
Update: See Kevin DeYoung speak on this topic (March 2015) at a special event at College Church in Wheaton, Illinois. 63 minutes.
See also the panel Discussion after the address – 54 minutes – with thanks to Crossway.
Related: Human Sexuality and the ‘Same Sex Marriage’ Debate, from The Sydney Doctrone Commission.
The upside-down cross
Posted on May 27, 2015
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At GoThereFor, Tony Payne reflects on Simon Manchester’s talk at the recent Nexus Conference.
Read Tony’s highlights and watch the whole address here. Well worth your time.
Bill Shorten to introduce private members bill to legalise ‘same-sex marriage’
Posted on May 26, 2015
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“Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has confirmed Labor will move a bill to legalise same-sex marriage next week. …
In a statement, Mr Shorten said the time had come for Parliament to debate marriage equality and that he found it unacceptable current laws excluded some individuals.”
– Report from ABC News. (Photo: billshorten.com.au)
Update: The Australian Christian Lobby has issued this media release –
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s same-sex marriage bill fails to consider the consequences of changing the definition of marriage in law, according the Australian Christian Lobby.
“It is disappointing that Australia’s alternative prime minister is legislating a family structure which requires a child to miss out on their mum or dad.
“Many Australians are watching with great concern as florists, photographers and cake makers in other countries are being legally punished simply because they prefer not to participate in a same-sex wedding.
“I wonder if Mr Shorten has considered the consequences of changing the definition of marriage,” Mr Shelton said.
“We urge parliamentarians to vote against the bill.”
Praying for Nungalinya College
Posted on May 26, 2015
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Nungalinya, the Combined Churches Training College for Indigenous Australians in Darwin, has posted their 2014 Annual Report online.
Grab the 3.6MB PDF file here. Fuel for prayer.
Update – Schools, Scripture, Banning of Books and Sexual Orthodoxy
Posted on May 25, 2015
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“My previous post mentioned that some books used in Special Religious Education (SRE) in NSW had been summarily banned by the Department of Education and Communities, apparently on the grounds that they conveyed classical Christian teaching about sexual morality.
In that post I said:
It is to be hoped that on review the Department will realise both that the way this was done is entirely unacceptable, and also that the content of the books concerned is not as harmful as it has been alleged to be.
One of those hopes has been realised, but the other has not…”
– at Law and Religion Australia, Associate Professor in Law, Neil Foster revisits the SRE ‘book banning’ in NSW. His comments are well worth reading in full – and be sure to follow the links.
The Failure of Winsomeness
Posted on May 25, 2015
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“The United States has avoided Europe’s fate for a long time, but the churches here have finally lost the ability to coast on cultural momentum. The churches that don’t retrench around building their internal strength and coherence around orthodoxy – and that requires far more than catechesis, but it requires at least that: teaching our story to our children – and evangelizing from that position of strength, aren’t going to survive. The overculture is just too strong. The forces of atomization and desacralization are very hard to resist.
This is a reality that many Christians, Christians of all kinds, do not want to face. …
… if we believe that being winsome and likable and all that is going to earn us any points with the overculture, we are making a dangerous mistake. Assimilation is not going to be allowed absent giving up what makes Christians distinctive from the rest of the culture.”
– at The American Conservative, Rod Dreher urges Christians to prepare for the long night ahead.
The troubled conscience
Posted on May 24, 2015
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“Does God speak through our conscience? Does changing your mind really change your behaviour? Should we follow our head or our heart?
At our next [Moore College] Centre for Christian Living (CCL) event Tony Payne and Peter Bolt will explore two concepts that shape the Bible’s teaching about these matters: ‘conscience’ and ‘mind’.”
– Tuesday 26 May at Toongabbie Anglican.
GAFCON Chairman’s Pentecost Letter 2015
Posted on May 23, 2015
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“One of the great lessons of the East African Revival was that a genuine movement of the Spirit will impress on our hearts that the Scriptures really are the inspired and authoritative Word of God.
We cannot separate the Spirit from the Spirit-inspired Scriptures. The gift of the Holy Spirit is given to enable Christians to grow in biblical holiness and to equip them with gifts to build up the church in a hostile world.
It is therefore a tragedy when Christian leaders whose minds have been captured by the spirit of the age commend the values of the world to the Church and claim they are led by the Spirit of God. …”
– Read the full letter from Archbishop Eliud Wabukala here.
(Photo: Diocese of Kenya.)
Stories you may have missed — 23 May 2015
Posted on May 23, 2015
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Here are a few stories you may have missed:
Dr Stuart Piggin spoke on revival in rural Australia at a conference at Goulburn Cathedral. (Link to audio.)
Anglican Priests ‘beaten to stupor’ by agents of the state government in Enugu State, Nigeria, over a land dispute.
Canon Phil Ashey of the American Anglican Council remembers growing up at St. James’ Newport Beach in California and reflects on reports the site is to be sold for $15 million.
Christians flee Aleppo in their thousands after fresh fighting in Syria, and Iraq’s Christians wonder where to flee after Islamic State militants take Ramadi city – reports from Barnabas Fund.
Reaching Islam (Part 1 & 2)
Posted on May 22, 2015
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In the latest training videos from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, Rob Scott speaks about understanding and loving our Muslim neighbours.
Church of England launches ‘GraveTalk’
Posted on May 21, 2015
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“The Church of England is launching a new national resource to help churches get people talking about death and dying.
GraveTalk, provides resources for a café space in which churches provide a relaxed environment for people to explore questions about death and dying, funerals and loss…”
– Report from the Anglican Communion News Service.
The accompanying website mentions the Lord Jesus, though the main message seems to be how flexible Church of England funeral services can be. You can also light a virtual candle.
Related: ‘All you need to know about christening’ — without mentioning…
‘Our mother church has tragically left the family home’
Posted on May 21, 2015
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Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, David Cook, reports on fruitful ministry in the United Kingdom – and why he was unable to attend this year’s General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. (h/t Gary Ware.)
Related: Kirk sidelines Bible to ‘play for the team’.
Book ban Reversed
Posted on May 19, 2015
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“A ban on two Anglican resources used in Special Religious Education (SRE) has been reversed after talks between Archbishop Glenn Davies and the Education Minister Adrian Piccoli…”
– Story from SydneyAnglicans.net.
More: Minister for Education lifts Christian book ban. Earlier: Schools, Scripture and Book Banning in NSW.
Newport Beach Episcopal church to be sold
Posted on May 19, 2015
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“The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles is nearing the end of negotiations to sell St. James the Great Episcopal Church in Newport Beach to real estate developers.
Bishop J. Jon Bruno announced the sale to congregants Sunday, Diocese spokesman Robert Williams said. The sale of the church could bring in roughly $15 million …
A majority of congregants in 2004 voted to disaffiliate with the Episcopal Church for theological and ideological reasons and later aligned with the Anglican Church.”
– See the full report from The Orange County Register. Earlier related stories.
(Photo: J. J. Bruno, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.)
Kirk sidelines Bible to ‘play for the team’
Posted on May 17, 2015
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“The Church of Scotland has voted in favour of allowing people in same sex civil partnerships to be called as ministers and deacons.
The historic decision was made by the General Assembly on the Mound in Edinburgh today, where the motion was passed by 309 votes in favour and 182 against. …
In a speech later today the outgoing Moderator Very Rev John Chalmers is expected to say: ‘There’s something else that we have to learn as a Church and that is the power of harmony. … It’s time to play for the team.’ …
Because the debate predates the legalisation of gay marriage the proposed change mentions only civil partnerships, not same-sex marriages. The Assembly will be asked on Thursday to consider amending today’s new Church law to include ministers in same-sex marriages.”
– Press release from The Church of Scotland. (Images: Church of Scotland.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…