Permanence before Experience — The wisdom of Marriage

Posted on March 4, 2010 
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In the current Southern Cross Newspaper (March 2010 – available in Sydney churches from this Sunday), Jeremy Halcrow writes about cohabitation versus marriage (page 13).

On the same topic, Albert Mohler writes, “many young adults … do not know that what they are actually doing is undoing marriage”.

StuTube for March 2010

Posted on March 3, 2010 
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Bishop Stuart Robinson, of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn, has posted online this month’s video message for the members of the churches in his diocese.

Philippe, The Postmodern Evangelist

Posted on March 3, 2010 
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“Once there was a man named Philippe. He was a spiritual guide in an emerging community. One day he decided to go on a journey. So, he did. As he was walking along the road, focusing on the journey and not the destination, he found himself alongside the chariot of an African official…”

– A parody from The Sacred Sandwich. Funny but serious.

Free Audiobooks for March 2010

Posted on March 2, 2010 
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Christian Audio in the US is offering two free audiobooks this month – using the

1.) The Cost of Discipleship – Dietrich Bonhoeffer (using coupon code MAR2010A).
2.) Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die – John Piper (using coupon code MAR2010B).

(Note that Piper does not read his book himself – but you can listen to a sample before downloading.)

As usual, you’ll need to sign up for a free account to download the audiobooks. Start here.

J I Packer blows the whistle

Posted on March 2, 2010 
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Dr J I Packer:

“In the sixteenth and seventeen centuries, the Reformers – the Puritans – the evangelicals, seemed to know their Bible backwards. They could quote it, appropriately, and apply it, in relation to just anything that came up in conversation. We simply aren’t like that. And yet we think we’re being loyal to the Reformational heritage. I want to blow the whistle here.”

On this week’s White Horse Inn broadcast (‘Grounded in the Gospel’, February 28 2010), J.I. Packer and Gary Parrett, discuss their soon-to-be-published book Grounded in the Gospel: Building Believers the Old Fashioned Way.

The challenge to us is – Are we actually catechising the people in our churches?

Worth listening, and then prayerfully considering what to do. (Image: Anglican TV.)

Why I am Orthodox

Posted on March 1, 2010 
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Would you call yourself ‘Orthodox’? Rhys Bezzant, at Ridley College in Melbourne explains why he insists on using that label for himself –

“I am an Orthodox Christian. In a place like Melbourne, calling myself Orthodox could of course easily be misunderstood: people might think I mean Greek or Russian or Serbian Orthodox. Calling myself Orthodox is however more than tracing an ecclesiological line back to Eastern Europe.  Read more

Peter O’Brien on Hebrews — coming soon

Posted on February 28, 2010 
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From Don Carson’s preface to Peter O’Brien’s forthcoming commentary on Hebrews in the Pillar series –

“Among commentary readers Dr. O’Brien is doubtless best known for his commentaries on Paul’s prison epistles, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. The volume on Ephesians, of course, is published in the Pillar series, and it has become one of the “standard” works on that letter, not least for those preparing to teach and preach the text. Here Dr. O’Brien branches outside the Pauline corpus. The most recent six years of his life have been devoted to Hebrews, a book not always easy to understand but demonstrably important for Christians who want to know how first-century believers read the old covenant Scriptures. Such inquiry is the first step in building up a profoundly biblical theology, a profoundly canonical theology. It would be difficult to find a more helpful guide than Dr. O’Brien, or a guide better endowed with his combination of competence and genial wisdom. It is a pleasure to commend this work by a dear friend.”

– It’s worth reading all of Dr Carson’s comments, in the 77 page excerpt from the book on the Westminster Books website (PDF file).

(h/t Andy Naselli via Michael Bird. Photo: Ramon Williams.)

Update: Justin Taylor writes:

“Here’s one tried and true rule of thumb for buying New Testament commentaries: If it’s written by D.A. Carson, Douglas Moo, or Peter O’Brien, buy it. It’s never failed me yet.”

Recycled lies in time for Easter

Posted on February 28, 2010 
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ACL President Mark Thompson writes –

“We’ve become quite used to sensationalist denials of central Christian truths at Easter…

No surprise then that Philip Pullman should time the release of his new book The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ (Edinburgh: Canongate, 2010) for Easter this year. …

Christians have absolutely no need to be concerned that these suggestions are being rehearsed yet again. The recent historical work of Richard Bauckham, Paul Barnett and John Dickson all demonstrate that the evidence moves entirely in the opposite direction…”

– Read Mark’s full post about the same old tired assertions.

Colin Buchanan UK Tour 2010

Posted on February 26, 2010 
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Readers in the UK may be interested to know about Colin Buchanan’s UK Tour – starting next week.

Details here. (Don’t say you weren’t warned! Great for kids, fun for their parents. Highly recommended.)

J. Gresham Machen: Christianity and Liberalism

Posted on February 26, 2010 
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Reformed Audio has made available audio recordings of J. Gresham Machen’s important 1923 book Christianity and Liberalism.

Hear or download it all here. Much that is relevant today.

Related posts.

(Image of J. Gresham Machen: The Theologian. h/t Reformation21.)

Wired for Intimacy

Posted on February 26, 2010 
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Tim Challies reviews Wired for Intimacy.

“Much has been written in recent years about pornography. But new to store shelves is a book that is different from all the others, at least all of the other books targeted at a Christian audience. William Struthers’ Wired for Intimacy looks not primarily to the heart but to the brain. He shows how the male brain is hard-wired for intimacy and relationships and how pornography affects the male brain…

Wired for Intimacy is a book we need. With pornography increasingly reaching epidemic proportions, this book helps us understand it at a whole new level. And it calls us to deal with human sexuality in a way that acknowledges all of its dimensions—moral, ethical, psychological, spiritual and physical. I give Wired for Intimacy my highest recommendation.”

– The book is not widely available in Australia just yet, but Moore Books has some copies for $22.95.

Related:
Review by Albert Mohler.
‘Anti porn posters and DVDs’ – Eternity newspaper on the coming poster campaign from Outreach Media.

When will Gay Couples be able to take vows in the Church of England?

Posted on February 25, 2010 
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“Events in England this week have underlined the wisdom of envisaging an alternative focus of leadership for the Anglican Communion. As regular readers of these articles will know, I believe that the current Archbishop of Canterbury is promoting an illusory unity which accommodates false teaching and endangers the whole Communion.

But there is another reason for calling into question the role of Canterbury and the Lambeth institutions which is not so much to do with Rowan Williams himself, but with the relentless erosion of orthodox faith in the Church of England by the deeply secularized culture of the liberal establishment…”

– Charles Raven writes at SPREAD. (Photo: Church of England.)

Depth and Weight: Augustine’s Sermon Illustration

Posted on February 25, 2010 
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“Augustine suggests that Paul is like a loving father who breaks open the nuts for his children to eat—his teaching is the nut cracker that unlocks scripture’s mysteries. Augustine’s appreciation of Scripture’s depth was the foundation of his theological approach to sermon illustration…”

– In this article from Churchman, Spring 2008, republished online by Church Society, Peter Sanlon argues that preachers need to be a lot more thoughtful in their sermon illustrations. Worth reading (PDF file).

Albert Mohler: Developing a Christian response to Islam

Posted on February 25, 2010 
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Last week, Dr Albert Mohler spoke at Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, Kentucky, on ‘Developing a Christian Response to the Challenge of Islam’.

The very helpful and informative 71 minute talk is available from the iTunes Sojourn Church podcast – link here. (Photo by Chuck Heeke, h/t Justin Taylor.)

Backwards Christian Soldiers

Posted on February 24, 2010 
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“The cause for biblical Christianity took a backward step in the General Synod of the Church of England this past week, or rather exposed itself as having already departed from biblical truth and practice. The General Synod passed a motion awarding pensions to civil partners of deceased clergy…”

– Bishop Glenn Davies writes at SydneyAnglicans.net

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