‘Another day, another reason to dislike WikiLeaks’

Posted on December 12, 2010 
Filed under Opinion Comments Off on ‘Another day, another reason to dislike WikiLeaks’

“Listening to Radio 4’s Sunday programme this morning, there was an interview with Andrew Brown from the Guardian in which he said something like this: that the reason the WikiLeaks cables were so useful was that, unlike journalists, they could disclose their sources, because those who sent them assumed that they were speaking confidentially — “But of course, they were not.”

Now this was interesting, coming as it did from a journalist…”

– This last week John Richardson has been posting some thoughtful comments on the Wikileaks saga – at The Ugley Vicar. Today’s is no exception.

Roger Nicole (1915–2010)

Posted on December 12, 2010 
Filed under News Comments Off on Roger Nicole (1915–2010)

Yesterday, Ligioner Ministries posted an online appreciation of Dr Roger Nicole on his 95th birthday.

“Widely recognized as one of the great Reformed theologians of the last seventy years, we want to honor the 95th birthday of Dr. Roger R. Nicole. A native Swiss Reformed theologian with an M.A. from Sorbonne, a Th.D. from Gordon Divinity School and a Ph.D. from Harvard University, Dr. Nicole has long been regarded as one of the preeminent theologians in America.”

Late this morning, Australian time, they posted an update: “We have learned that Dr. Nicole went home to be with the Lord tonight (Saturday) at 7:40pm.”

Justin Taylor has a tribute at Between Two Worlds.

New Themelios online – Volume 35, Issue 3

Posted on December 10, 2010 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on New Themelios online – Volume 35, Issue 3

The latest issue of Themelios (Volume 35, Issue 3) is available as a free download from The Gospel Coalition. Articles include:

Editorial: Contrarian Reflections on Individualism – D. A. Carson
Minority Report: Terrible Beauty, Beauty, and the Plain Terrible – Carl Trueman
Fiction and Truth in the Old Testament Wisdom Literature – Daniel J. Estes.

Spiritual Warfare 101

Posted on December 10, 2010 
Filed under Theology Comments Off on Spiritual Warfare 101

“Several years ago I read David Powlison’s book, Power Encounters: Reclaiming Spiritual Warfare. (Sadly, no longer in print—though I believe a second edition may be forthcoming.) I found it extremely helpful and persuasive. I took notes, and thought it might be worth posting them…”

– Justin Taylor’s notes are indeed helpful and worth reading.

‘The Anglican Church League’

Posted on December 8, 2010 
Filed under Opinion Comments Off on ‘The Anglican Church League’

“In his book The Chosen Ones – The Politics of Salvation in the Anglican Church journalist Chris McGillion paints a somewhat unflattering picture of the inner workings of the diocese of Sydney over the 1993–2001 period. Crafted chiefly from interviews with some of the protagonists, it is a story of manoeuvrings, tactics, parties and vote-counting…”

– Michael Jensen writes about Sydney and the Anglican Church League – at The Blogging Parson.

Part 2.

The latest from Canberra & Goulburn

Posted on December 8, 2010 
Filed under News Comments Off on The latest from Canberra & Goulburn

Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn, Stuart Robinson, has posted the latest Stutube – for December 2010.

The Lord’s Supper in Human Hands — Epilogue

Posted on December 8, 2010 
Filed under News Comments Off on The Lord’s Supper in Human Hands — Epilogue

Available now from The Australian Church Record.

“Sydney’s discussion of lay and diaconal administration of the Lord’s Supper has occurred for some forty years. After a related legal question was referred to it, the Appellate Tribunal handed down its opinion in August 2010. This legal opinion needs to be set within its proper context, and the biblical-theological discussion about the issue needs to continue.”

How churches lose the plot

Posted on December 7, 2010 
Filed under Opinion Comments Off on How churches lose the plot

“I have spent the last few weeks reflecting on the general question as to why churches lose the plot and end up going liberal. Of course, the simple answer is, ‘Because of human sinfulness,’ but that is not particularly helpful as an explanation of why particular churches lose the plot at particular points in time.

Thus, over the next few days I want to offer a series of posts, in no specific order of priority, about more particular, immediate causes for the phenomenon of theological decline within churches. I should add that my reflections are avowedly Presbyterian, and I make no apologies for that; but I do believe that the causes I outline have their parallels within other Christian ecclesiological traditions such as evangelicalism etc.…”

– Carl Trueman has been exploring the question at Reformation21.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.

Reading Sibbes Aloud Project

Posted on December 5, 2010 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on Reading Sibbes Aloud Project

“The Reading Sibbes Aloud Project provides a growing collection of sermons of the Puritan Richard Sibbes. The great value of Puritan writing continues to be its depth of scriptural insight and timeless application. Please join Mark Dever as he reads through the works of the ‘Prince of the Puritans’ Richard Sibbes.”

– at Capitol Hill Baptist Church. (h/t Faith by Hearing.)

Moore Bolt

Posted on December 3, 2010 
Filed under History Comments Off on Moore Bolt

“Peter Bolt, the brilliant Head of New Testament Studies at Moore College, has published again. It is fascinating the way he has followed the same trajectory as another great New Testament teacher at Moore, Donald Robinson (who would later become Archbishop of Sydney). Like Bishop Robinson, Peter has taught and published landmark works on the New Testament. His The Cross at a Distance: Atonement in Mark’s Gospel (Nottingham: IVP, 2004) comes to mind.

But lately he has added a new passion: study of the early colonial period in Sydney, and in particular the influential gospel men who laid the foundations of Australian evangelicalism…”

– Mark Thompson writes at Theological Theology.

North West Australia prayer notes — Dec 2010 & Jan 2011

Posted on December 2, 2010 
Filed under News Comments Off on North West Australia prayer notes — Dec 2010 & Jan 2011

The latest Prayer Notes for the Diocese of North West Australia – and Bishop David Mulready’s Letter – are now available on their website.

Please be encouraged to use them to pray for those who serve Christ, and those who hear of him, in the North West.

Something funny is happening to our Bible readings

Posted on December 2, 2010 
Filed under Opinion Comments Off on Something funny is happening to our Bible readings

“Something funny is happening to our Bible readings at church. I noticed it last week.

We use the NIV at St Michael’s for our public reading of Scripture and preaching. … Everyone on our reading roster knows we use the NIV.

But last week some of the readings were different from what we had in front of us. And others noticed too. What was going on?…”

– Sandy Grant at St. Michael’s Wollongong writes about the changes to the NIV – at The Sola Panel.

Tending the Flock of God

Posted on December 1, 2010 
Filed under News Comments Off on Tending the Flock of God

“We gather in this Cathedral to ordain twelve persons as priests in the church of God at a time when there is sustained criticism of leadership in our culture. In both the corporate and political worlds leaders have been accused of looking after their own interests and being out of touch.

By way of contrast the readings at this service paint a radically different picture of what leadership should be like in the household of faith. The readings reflect on both the nature and manner of pastoral leadership…”

– Bishop Trevor Edwards preached this sermon at an ordination at St Saviour’s Cathedral in the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn last weekend.

New Pauline Commentaries

Posted on November 30, 2010 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on New Pauline Commentaries

“Many of us probably do not realize how spoiled we are these days with so many competent evangelical exegetical commentaries. Such was not the case 50 years ago. This is a grace — a gift — for the church that we should not take for granted…”

– Justin Taylor provides a brief rundown on some new Pauline commentaries, including the Pillar New Testament Commentary on 1 Corinthians, by Roy Ciampa and Brian Rosner.

The Sarum Mass compared with the 1549 Prayer Book

Posted on November 29, 2010 
Filed under History, Theology Comments Off on The Sarum Mass compared with the 1549 Prayer Book

Church Society has republished one of the old Church Association Tracts – this one comparing and contrasting the mediaeval Sarum mass and the 1549 Prayer Book.

“Compared with the Missal, the First Book was a highly Protestant production: yet it was, after all, ‘a compromise which satisfied nobody.’”

The 1549 Prayer Book (the First Prayer Book of Edward VI) is well recognised as an important step towards Cranmer’s enduring legacy in the much more reformed book of 1552.

Interested in learning more? The Tutorial Prayer Book by Neil and Willoughby – (reprints from various sources, including Book Depository, also second-hand – and online) – is worth a look.

← Previous Page — Next Page →