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[Chaplain]

New Resources:

Video: Tom Price - Why is religion so divisive? How do we keep conversations civil? - Critical Witness (11/26/20)

Tom Price is a lecturer and a public communicator about Christian belief. He was made an Archbishop’s Evangelist in 2019. He studied Philosophy at university and later completed an MA in Christian Apologetics, and is currently undertaking doctoral research in theology, philosophy and film. In recent years Tom has spoken to a variety of audiences in Hong Kong, Europe, South Africa, USA and other places across the world. In the UK, he has provided teaching for major conferences such as New Wine, Keswick, The Stewards Trust and Spring Harvest and organisations including; the Baptist Union, HTB: School of Theology, 24/7 prayer, UCCF, Scripture Union and L’Abri. Tom has also undertaken a variety of media work, appearing on BBC1 Songs of Praise, the BBC World Service, Local BBC radio and Premier Christian Radio’s ‘Unbelievable?’ show.

Video: Karen Swallow Prior & RC Sproul Jr - How should the church respond when Christian leaders fall? (11/27/20)

In recent years, numerous high-profile Christian leaders have resigned following revelations of moral failure, including Carl Lentz, Jerry Falwell Jr, and Bill Hybels. Others have posthumously been subject to allegations of sexual misconduct, including Jean Vanier and Ravi Zacharias (an independent investigation is ongoing). Karen Swallow Prior who resigned her position at Liberty University over the Falwell affair, and RC Sproul Jr, who has written about his own moral failures, discuss what’s gone wrong in evangelical leadership and whether we are forgetting the female victims in many cases.

Video: He Came Down || Special Needs Nativity || A Powerful Christmas Story

"Welcome to all of you, please take a seat, We want to now share a nativity treat."

Edited

 

[#Phonepunk#]

started reading Orthodoxy today. i had ordered a collection of G.K. Chesterton after hearing his name so much on the Babylon Bee. it showed up a week or so ago but i was almost finished with Dune so it took me a while to get to it.

what can I say? wow, what a life changing book! it's like every paragraph is a full chapter's worth of ideas in itself. his writing on "The Suicide of Thought" in particular felt like someone time traveled from the 19th century and somehow accurately laid bare all the cultural and philosophical ruins of 2020. it is fascinating because i feel like the corruption of the modern world has Redpilled me towards Christianity in a very similar way that then-current anarchy, Jacobism, Existentialism, Nihilism, and proto Marxism did for him over 100 years ago. he sees all through all these liberal philosophies as self destructive and self negating, all the false humility, the violence and chaos, and by contrast, the rock of Christianity itself and the idea of God that constantly upheld as the only thing that makes sense and lasts and is reasonable. love this bit on anarchists and experimental-ism in art:

All the will-worshippers, from Nietzsche to Mr. (John) Davidson, are really quite empty of volition. They cannot will, they can hardly wish. And if any one wants a proof of this, it can be found quite easily. It can be found in this fact: that they always talk of will as something that expands and breaks out. But it is quite the opposite. Every act of will is an act of self-limitation.

To desire action is to desire limitation. In that sense every act is an act of self-sacrifice. When you choose anything, you reject everything else…Every act is an irrevocable selection and exclusion. Just as when you marry one woman you give up all the others, so when you take one course of action you give up all the other courses…It is the existence of this negative or limiting side of will that makes most of the talk of the anarchic will-worshippers little better than nonsense.

Anarchism adjures us to be bold creative artists, and care for no laws or limits. But it is impossible to be an artist and not care for laws and limits. Art is limitation; the essence of every picture is the frame. If you draw a giraffe, you must draw him with a long neck. If, in your bold, creative way, you hold yourself free to draw a giraffee with a short neck, you will really find that you are not free to draw a giraffe. The moment you step into the world of facts, you step into a world of limits. You can free things from alien or accidental laws, but not from the laws of their own nature.

You may, if you like, free a tiger from his bars; but do not free him from his stripes. Do not free a camel of the burden of his hump: you may be freeing him from being a camel. Do not go about as a demagogue, encouraging triangles to break out of the prison of their three sides. If a triangle breaks out of its three sides, its life comes to a lamentable end. Somebody wrote a work called “The Loves of the Triangles”; I never read it, but I am sure that if triangles ever were loved, they were loved for being triangular. This is certainly the case with all artistic creation, which in some ways is the most decisive example of pure will. The artist loves his limitations: they constitute the thing he is doing. The painter is glad that the canvas is flat. The sculptor is glad that the clay is colourless.


it is not often that i feel so closely aligned intellectually and value wise with a writer from another time period! it's hard to put into words and even thoughts! heavy stuff that perfectly illuminates the need for Christian morality, the belief in Truth, that which keeps us sane. i love his appreciation for fantasy, the use of symbolic language in mythology and the eternal truths it reveals, etc. he has a nice stream-of-consciousness way about his writings. very very good stuff! highly recommended!

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources:

Video: Confidence in Christ: Proclaiming the Unique Jesus in Century 21 - John Kirkpatrick, Paul Coulter

In this session, we consider who Christ is and how His claims challenge other religions and worldviews. We conclude with a call to keep Him at the centre as we look towards our next steps in apologetics.

Video: Rupert Sheldrake || Materialism, Dogma, and Science Set Free

In this episode, Glen Scrivener talks to Professor Rupert Sheldrake, author of Science Set Free. Professor Sheldrake is one of TED Talks' most controversial speakers. In this episode he explains the controversy and the dogmatic nature of some scientific defenders of naturalism.

• The "dark ages" is a kind of mythology invented by dogmatists of the enlightenment. The so-called "dark ages" was the seedbed for many great developments, including the scientific revolution. — Materialists behaving badly in complete consistency with their materialism is of course relevant for assessing the worldview.
• The scientific revolution of the 1700s happened in a Christian context and for Christian reasons. (see my interview with Prof. John Lennox for more on this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBWNw5HEbVU)
• 300 years is nothing compared to the riches of the biblical tradition. And, once again, the scientific revolution is one of the evidences for the fruitfulness of the Christian worldview.
• Consciousness does not come from the material. It seems that the material comes from consciousness.

Seventy-Five Years Ago in Silesia

Titled The Martyrdom of Silesian Priests, 1945–46, it was published in 1950 by the Kirkliche Hilfsstelle of Munich. Remembering the plaques in Trier, I assumed it was about more priests killed by Nazis. But then I realized: The scores of clergymen whose stories appeared inside were victims of Communist Russia’s Red Army as it marched into Germany toward the end of the war. I’d like to share three of the many stories from this book, copies of which are available in only a few libraries and which are hard to come by otherwise.

Wounded Lessons

Religious people sometimes make use of similar teaching opportunities. When a person is crumbling under the weight of his or her own sin, crying out over a life of brokenness, or agonizing over a certain sting of consequence, someone inevitably steps in to offer some after-the-fact instruction. This person’s objective may be well-meaning. There may even be nothing wrong with the words or wisdom offered. But there is undoubtedly a wrong time to offer them. Before we give a lesson on all that makes us bleed, the wounded need to know there is a physician.

Critical race theory: a ruling-class ideology

CRT’s obsession with racial categorisation and white privilege leaves little room to consider the impact of social class on people’s life chances. Indeed, in the rush to construct intersectional hierarchies that position people of colour as oppressed victims of entrenched white superiority, the experiences of wealthy, highly educated, well-connected black people are overlooked. And rather than promoting solidarity between working-class people of all skin colours, poor white people must be taught to recognise their privileges.

Edited

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources


Video: First Sunday of Advent: Hope Came Down | Max Jeganathan (11/28/20)

"2020 has been a turbulent year, and it has led to many feeling disillusioned, jaded, and lost. This Advent, as we reflect on the meaning and significance of this season, what does it mean for us that #HopeCameDown? Can we have hope for what we have not seen? Max Jeganathan shares how biblical hope is not mere wishful thinking but found in the revealed person of Christ."

Sermon: The Angels of God - Hebrews 1 (11/28/20)

Philosopher John Frame wrote: In a surprising number of passages, Scripture teaches us to take our angelic “environment” into account when making ethical decisions.

• a. The doctrine of angels rebukes the smallness of our cosmology.
  • i. The modern cosmology leaves little room for angels.
    • a) In one sense, it is relatively easy for modern man to deal with God: He makes God so utterly transcendent that his existence is irrelevant to the world.
    • b) Angels, however, cannot easily be eliminated by the transcendence route.
  • ii. Though the modern cosmology is often said to be much broader than the biblical one, much larger, it is actually smaller in its view of rational beings. The modern view sees man as the only rational being on earth and the vast reaches of space (save some enclaves on other planets) as devoid of intelligent life. In Scripture, however, the universe is filled with great multitudes—legions—of angels. Thus:
  • iii. Scripture teaches that the visible world is only a small part of God’s kingdom, only a small part of the intelligent life of the universe. II Kings 6:17teaches us that we need a larger perspective than the visible word affords.
    • a) Our spiritual struggles are part of a much larger warfare.
    • b) The warfare is in one sense far bigger and more complicated than we would ever suppose apart from revelation.
  • iv. The doctrine of angels also emphasizes the personal character of God’s providence. Not only is the world governed by a divine person, but that divine person typically works, not through impersonal “law structures,” but through personal agents. This is important, for impersonal determinism militates against ethical responsibility. God does not press buttons—not often at least; rather, he sends messengers.
• b. The doctrine of angels shows us something of the dimensions of our ethical warfare.
  • i. Angels participate in the kingdom warfare.
    • a) Bad angels—Satan and his hosts—tempters, accusers, etc.
    • b) Good angels—ministering spirits for us (Hebrews 1:14).
    • c) The fight one another, as well as against and for us (Daniel 10:13, 21; Jude 9; Revelation 12:7).
    • d) Thus, Scripture urges us not to underestimate the difficulty of the struggle, as if we could succeed with human resources alone, Ephesians 6. Not only are men involved, but also beings which are terribly strong, intelligent, numerous, and, to us, exceedingly mysterious.
    • e) On the other hand, we ought not to overestimate the difficulty either; for there are angels fighting on our side, II Kings 6:15-17.
    • f) The main point: Do not base your hopes or fears merely upon the empirical situation. The really decisive issues in life are religious and ethical, even if “experience” suggests otherwise; for it is our religious and ethical equipment alone that will prevail over the hosts of evil. Use the armor of God!
  • ii. Angels are witnesses to human salvation. Luke 12:8f.,15:10; I Corinthians 4:9; Ephesians 3:10; I Timothy 3:16; I Peter 1:12;Revelation 14:10.
    • a) Although in one sense angels participate in the redemptive drama, there is another sense in which they are spectators rather than participants. Redemption does not extend to them. Unfallen angels need no redemption, and fallen angels receive none (cf. Hebrews 2:16).
    • b) Thus, the angels are somewhat bewildered by the process of redemption. They are amazed at what God has done for humanity.
    • c) Remarkably enough, they learn the redemptive wisdom of God through the church, Ephesians 3:10! It is our privilege to teach angels by our words and life! (Consider this as an ethical motivation.) d) Beyond this, the angels also serve as “witnesses” in a more official sense (Luke 12:8f., etc.).
  • iii. The doctrine of angels is a measure of the greatness of our salvation in Christ; for that salvation lifts us above the angels.
    • a) According to Hebrews 2:9, Jesus was made a little (or “for a little while;” the temporal expression brachu is used) lower than the angels for the suffering of death. He is then again exalted above them.
    • b) The passage implies that Jesus’ brethren share that exaltation with him. Thus, Psalm 8 is fulfilled. Although we do not yet see everything subject to man, we see this dominion in Jesus (2:8). c) Thus, the angels minister to us, not vice versa, Hebrews 1:14.
    • d) The world to come is not theirs, but ours, 2:5ff. (Cf. Paul’s odd statement that we shall judge angels, I Corinthians 6:3.)
    • e) Thus, angel worship is a great delusion from which Christ has set us free, Colossians 2:18f., Revelation 19:10, 22:8f.
    • f) Because of Christ, Satan is a defeated foe. We may resist him, and he will flee, I Peter 5:8f.; James 4:7.
    • g) Salvation is for man alone, God’s image, not for angels (Hebrews 2:16) [cf. ii., above].

Video: Glory to God Alone | Session 6: Echoes of the Reformation

In this video, Albert Mohler, Kevin DeYoung, and Trevin Wax discuss what holds all five of the “solas” of the Reformation together—glory to God alone.

Video: Honest Evangelism - Rico Tice

From the 2020 European Leadership Forum, Rico Tice shows a straight-forward approach to one-on-one evangelism. He asserts we need to consider our lives as a "river" and not a "reservoir." Every Christian is not a Bible-teacher, but all can be Bible-sharers. We preach Christ, God opens blind eyes. Using a practical step-by-step approach, you will have what you need to get started.

 

[Newly Vacant]

Chaplain
I don’t know how you keep up with all of these videos and articles. I have so many posts saved, as to go back at watch them later. I don’t know if I’ll ever catch up.

 

[Chaplain]

Chaplain
I don’t know how you keep up with all of these videos and articles. I have so many posts saved, as to go back at watch them later. I don’t know if I’ll ever catch up.

My hope is that these resources will be of interest to many on here and help equip all of us in sharing the gospel with those in our lives. Also, regarding videos, I tend to watch them at 1.75 playback speed during lunch or dinner to make the most out of my time. Articles are read mainly right before bedtime.

Edited

 

[BigBooper]

My hope is that these resources that I share will be of interest to many on here and so that it will help equip all of us in sharing the gospel with those in our lives. Also, on videos, I tend to watch them at 1.75 playback speed during lunch or dinner to make the most out of my time.

They have been beneficial to me. I see something I want to watch or read in almost every one of your posts. Thanks for your service.

 

[Chaplain]

They have been beneficial to me. I see something I want to watch or read in almost every one of your posts.

Great to hear! ^_^

 

[deafmedal]

I won't pretend to know your life story, but I'd say based on what you've posted here, that you and I are very similar. I grew up in an extremely "anti-God" environment, but I've always felt a connection to God. As a kid I kept it to myself, read the Bible on my own, but outwardly didn't show what I felt inside. Faith was something I found great comfort in, when the other facets of my life weren't good.

Entering adulthood, I had no real connection to other Christians, but little by little found myself turning toward a religious path. It's been a very good thing to happen in my life, and in the lives of my kids. I strongly encourage you to start taking small steps in your life toward becoming a more "active/practicing" Christian.

Ok, here's my reply. I've spoiled it as it's a tad long and i don't want to muss up the thread. It may not be popular but it's my truth, have a look if a peak in my brain seems like fun...

Spoiler

Fair warning, some ideas may be offensive. All "you's" assumed to be the royal you.


I tend to have issues with authority. I’m not so daft as to harass/disobey LEOs or anything like that and grasp the concept of rules and systems and, more importantly why they work. I would gather this may be attributed to my childhood and the lack of any meaningful, consistent authority figure as I’ve never seen my father’s face. My mother was just that, the woman who brought me into the world. As the first born grandchild in my grandfather’s family great effort was put into keeping me out of the system and it worked saved a few minor instances. I do have a relationship with my mother to this day but I reckon I don’t have the same parental bonds that most people do.

That’s not to say I had a bad childhood, it was filled with all sort of experiences for better and worse. Church was always around growing up, I’ve been to many sorts of differing denominations' services- some protracted, some only once. As a result, I have no connection to any church the way a Catholic might after after years of study. I tend to view my life as a melding of experiences, a true American born and moulded by the great melting point of our society(s) and as I had to figure many things out by myself why would my relationship with The Father be any different?

As a curious person I enjoy asking questions and working through problems. I like taking things apart and reassembling them. Anything that can manage to capture my attention is granted large swathes of it and I try to challenge myself when subjecting myself to anything. Not really a fan of telling anyone else that their relationship with God is wrong or that *this* must be done like *that*. Not one of us can truly know what someone else does, we all walk through life in our own way and who are any of us to claim someone is wrong with what they choose to do or who to worship if there is no personal or societal harm that arrises?

Unfortunately it seems we as a people can’t always be trusted to do what’s right, fair. Religious authority offers something for those who seek it, to deny it’s positive benefit due to it’s negative aspects like anything in life is short sighted. On a personal level I have no utility for any “Church” or complex rules and regulations or prolonged guilt from transgressions. I have made my peace (piece) with The Father and my relationship and wisdom are just that, mine. I find the entire concept of some glorious treasure waiting at the end of the road to possibly lead to missing how amazing the Gift of Life is, I’m not promised tomorrow so I deal with now and strive to do better as I move forward, learning from my mistakes and others and resisting hedonistic and unfulfilling 'happiness'. Am I wrong? Who are you to tell me? Man has no authority over my heart and soul, only The Father can judge me. And that line of thought is my burden to bear, not anyone else’s. I reject the notion that if some certain criteria isn’t met then you did it wrong and off to hell with you.

I do generally think Christianity gets it closest but that may be bias from my experience in church as a child. The basic tenets are sound, Christ's teachings and the Commandments are fantastic rules to follow. I've adhered as best as possible and accept that I will fail, learn from it and do better next time. Observing the Sabbath is one I've particularly taken to heart. Over the past couple years I've found myself breaking it where in the decades preceding I was quite rigid. I see what 18+ days of straight labor does to me and I hate it. I know I should push back at my employer, unfortunately the work ethic instilled in me and my loyalty/resolve (not to mention the money...) often override what I know to be wrong. We have a goal and this job is the best way for me to reach that goal. I'll pay the price.

I don’t discount anything- what I know, I know and everything else is supposition. Due to experiences in my life I know people have the ability to access that which cannot be measured. There’s The Voice, usually calm and mostly silent, always speaking in a language unknown to human tongue. Never wrong but not listening never leads to anything good. The times I’ve seen things that haven’t happened and when they do a perfect moment of clarity is observed… foresight is a phenomenon that greatly interests me. I don’t really talk about it, hurr durr lottery numbers isn’t worth a pile of salt. The thing that I try to keep in mind when exploring this sort of thing is how do you explain that which you’ve seen and know to be truth when viewed through eyes who’ve not seen such things? Did Noah build an actual boat and collect animals or was it a spaceship with dna samples? Was the Tower of Babel a society more advanced than ours? Birds and dragons, fire and such… how would someone from 1500 years ago describe a vision of WWII?

I won’t beleaguer the point, I’m not here to argue or to try and change anyone’s mind. There’s always been this feeling lurking underneath that I would witness transformative actions that affected most, if not all. The moments of clarity happen with greater frequency and now I’ve reached a point in my life where I don’t feel ‘asleep’ I look at various rumblings around the world and I’m overwhelmed at times with what I’m seeing and connecting dots with thoughts, readings and knowledge… every inch of my soul screams at me that this Fourth Industrial Revolution, this Great Reset leads only to despair, a destruction of our souls. I could be wrong. Maybe it won’t come to pass or it’ll lead to some utopia for mankind. All I know is when The Voice is screaming listening has never done me wrong. Hence, some of my recent postings around the board and my initial foray into this thread- the emotion I was going through last Monday/Tuesday was a direct result of everything I was subjecting myself to: long work days with little down time, worry for my family being half way across the country, *all* the machinations of man...

This stuff is bad news. Sure, I *may* be a nutter but trust me, it’s far better if that’s the case

Thankfully I was able to see my wife briefly and hold her. She is my rib, my missing piece, my moon and stars. My gift. We walk together with The Father on our own path, at our own speed, hopping over puddles and working to remove obstacles and avoiding pitfalls. It sucked leaving home so quickly and moving forward this project can function without me working 15 hours a day, after day, after day. Gotta try to stay leveled so I don't come across as a complete loon, better to stick to measured responses and crappy jokes

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources:

Video: 1 Beginning a Journey

The first in a series of twelve videos in which Alister McGrath explains how and why he made the transition from his teenage scientific atheism to Christianity. The series is entitled "The Island of Faith", and uses the image of discovering and exploring a strange island to explain his journey through science, faith, and doubt. The series explains how McGrath adopted an aggressive scientific atheism as a teenager in the late 1960s, and his discovery of Christianity while studying science at Oxford University.

Video: Best Bible

Study Bibles abound! There are a TON of competing editions of the Bible floating around out there, and wading through it all can be pretty overwhelming, so I set out to sort through it with a review video. I spent six months collecting recently published Bibles, and going through them in the course of my normal daily reading and research. Here's my report back on what I found, and I hope it helps you pick what your next Bible might be or what Bible you might like to give someone else. This video is unsponsored - no one paid me to review any products and no one paid me to say nice things about their stuff.

When The Government Harms People To Help Others

These lockdowns are supposedly designed to help people, but they’re actually harming people. COVID-19 is dangerous to vulnerable people, but the government has been more threatening to us all. In Canada, COVID-19 has killed twelve-thousand people, but the government has killed millions of livelihoods.

A Grief Endured

So I write as we are all now in this terrible season of death and loss. I write as I fear that so many are so alone and so lost in their unutterable sadness. I write because while those who mourn may, indeed, be blessed, all too rarely, if ever, are they comforted. I write because we all need to realise that many who grieve are barely holding their lives together. As importantly, to the degree that I can give assurance to any other person, I want those who now mourn and grieve — especially those who feel so incapacitated by their loss — to know that there is nothing — absolutely nothing — wrong with their profound feelings of loss and of pain, now or even many years later.

Where are the working class?

The Church of England’s most enduring problem of the city has been its relationship with the working class’ (ACUPA, Faith in the City, London: Church House Publishing, 1985, p 28).

What Did Jesus Wear?

We may imagine Jesus in long robes with baggy sleeves, but this is far from how he would have dressed.

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources:

Video: Behind the Scenes with William Lane Craig (12/2/20)

Everybody loves a good story! William Lane Craig is one of the leading philosophers in the world, but in this interview, he shares some personal experiences and wisdom from his life. Here's some stories you probably haven't heard.

Video: Suffering: Does God Care?

Vince Vitale speaks on "Why Suffering?" as part of THINK Conference 2018 at College Park Church.

Video: Carols Night-In (12/2/20)

You are invited to a Carols Night-In!! You may be stuck in your room, but we will bring Christmas to you! Get in the festive spirit with carols, readings and a short talk!

Video: Douglas Murray and His Continuing Fight against the "Madness of Crowds” (12/1/20)

A little over 18 months ago, we interviewed author and columnist Douglas Murray about his then new book The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race and Identity. That show was one of our most-watched interviews of 2019, so we thought it was time to sit down with Douglas again and get an update on where things stand with regard to, as Douglas describes in his book, “the interpretation of the world through the lens of ‘social justice,’ ‘identity group politics’ and ‘intersectionalism’ . . . the most audacious and comprehensive effort since the end of the Cold War at creating a new ideology.” We also discuss European politics, examine Boris Johnson’s tenure as UK prime minister, and take a sobering look at American politics from the perspective of a very sharp observer.

Video: Give Me an Answer - "I Don't Need God, I Will Make My Own Reality" (12/1/20)

Cliffe Knechtle has a great conversation with college students at a campus in the southwest US. Recorded Nov. 2019

Were Early Christian Scribes Untrained Amateurs?

The copies of early Christian manuscripts from around the second century CE were utilitarian. They were generally on papyrus rather than the more expensive and durable parchment. They lack the signs both of being written by a professional scribe and of being intended for public recitation (255).

 

[Hudo]

Is the New Testament more like a remake or a remaster of the old one?

 

[showernota]

I was fortunate to get a Thompson Chain Reference as a gift this year. It's bound in water buffalo leather which is pretty gnarly. Church Bible Publishers makes great Bibles, I highly recommend them.

 

[Ornlu]

Is the New Testament more like a remake or a remaster of the old one?

Neither! It's mostly the story of Jesus through several viewpoints, then a collection of letters among the early Church.

 

[borborygmus]

Is the New Testament more like a remake or a remaster of the old one?

It's a separate work and is self sufficient but considers the Old Testament as background material. The OT doesn't have Jesus, and chronicles what is now considered Torah Judaism. A significant idea in the OT is that the stage is being set up for something greater.

The NT is about Jesus and claims that Jesus is the "something greater" that the OT was a prelude to. Except there's a twist. Many were expecting a God-King supremacist warlord Messiah. Instead we got someone who symbolically sacrificed himself for all of us and asked only that we accept his gift.

One thing to note about the NT is that it's a compilation of 27 books, but the real core of it is the 4 synoptic gospels, which tell the story of Jesus. Some, including myself, would argue that only these 4 books are Christianity, and everything else is just interesting material written by Christians. There is also a highly contested book, Revelation, which is where 666 and a lot of the goofier stuff comes from. It is almost certain that 666 or 616 refer to Nero in Roman numerology. Personally I would ignore this book completely.

Christianity is at its core a very simple, decentralized and accessible religion. I'm sure this will upset people of various denominations here, so I won't debate it in detail, but I will say that the NT does not have robe-wearing dudes like popes and bishops nor any real concept of church that is akin to what we have now. "Call no man on Earth Father" says Jesus. But at least everyone can agree that the 4 synoptic gospels are the core of what the NT is, and that's the story of Jesus.

A recurring theme in Jesus' career in the NT is his use of parables with the irony that the arrogant would likely struggle to relate to, while the simple sinner would get it, so there are a lot of parables in the NT.

 

[Hudo]

Neither! It's mostly the story of Jesus through several viewpoints, then a collection of letters among the early Church.

It's a separate work and is self sufficient but considers the Old Testament as background material. The OT doesn't have Jesus, and chronicles what is now considered Torah Judaism. A significant idea in the OT is that the stage is being set up for something greater.

The NT is about Jesus and claims that Jesus is the "something greater" that the OT was a prelude to. Except there's a twist. Many were expecting a God-King supremacist warlord Messiah. Instead we got someone who symbolically sacrificed himself for all of us and asked only that we accept his gift.

One thing to note about the NT is that it's a compilation of 27 books, but the real core of it is the 4 synoptic gospels, which tell the story of Jesus. Some, including myself, would argue that only these 4 books are Christianity, and everything else is just interesting material written by Christians. There is also a highly contested book, Revelation, which is where 666 and a lot of the goofier stuff comes from. It is almost certain that 666 or 616 refer to Nero in Roman numerology. Personally I would ignore this book completely.

Christianity is at its core a very simple, decentralized and accessible religion. I'm sure this will upset people of various denominations here, so I won't debate it in detail, but I will say that the NT does not have robe-wearing dudes like popes and bishops nor any real concept of church that is akin to what we have now. "Call no man on Earth Father" says Jesus. But at least everyone can agree that the 4 synoptic gospels are the core of what the NT is, and that's the story of Jesus.

A recurring theme in Jesus' career in the NT is his use of parables with the irony that the arrogant would likely struggle to relate to, while the simple sinner would get it, so there are a lot of parables in the NT.

Thanks, guys. Learned something new today.

 

[showernota]

It's a separate work and is self sufficient but considers the Old Testament as background material. The OT doesn't have Jesus, and chronicles what is now considered Torah Judaism. A significant idea in the OT is that the stage is being set up for something greater.

The OT does 'set up' something greater by protypes and direct prophecy (and appearances) of Jesus. The rock that brought forth water (first by being struck, then by asking for it), The bronze snake (Nehushtan), a bronze snake erected on a pole which God told Moses to construct, is clearly Christ crucified. There's no question about that.

He personally appears numerous times. That list isn't exhaustive, either. I especially like His appearance to Joshua before the assault on Jericho.

Then there's the numerous, detailed crucifixion prophecies. It''s difficult to understand how the Jews were so adamant about their king messiah.

The NT is about Jesus and claims that Jesus is the "something greater" that the OT was a prelude to. Except there's a twist. Many were expecting a God-King supremacist warlord Messiah. Instead we got someone who symbolically sacrificed himself for all of us and asked only that we accept his gift.

He was a literal sacrifice, though.

One thing to note about the NT is that it's a compilation of 27 books, but the real core of it is the 4 synoptic gospels, which tell the story of Jesus. Some, including myself, would argue that only these 4 books are Christianity, and everything else is just interesting material written by Christians.

Interesting material being words from the Holy Spirit written using men as the instrument.

There is also a highly contested book, Revelation, which is where 666 and a lot of the goofier stuff comes from. It is almost certain that 666 or 616 refer to Nero in Roman numerology. Personally I would ignore this book completely.

Telling someone they can just completely ignore an entire portion from the divinely inspired book of God is presumptuous.

You could just ignore Daniel's goofy prophecy regarding an expansive empire brought about by a he-goat that doesn't touch the ground, then realize he's accurately foretelling Alexander the Great and Rome.

 

[mcz117chief]

It's difficult to understand how the Jews were so adamant about their king messiah.

Well probably because there were a lot of other prophets we don't have in the Bible, the general need to be liberated from the Romans and because David was a tough cookie (they expected David 2.0).

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources

Video: Should We Cancel Christmas? || LIVEcast 3rd December 2020

With Christmas looking to be a little different his year, Glen and Paul discuss whether we should just cancel it this time round. Emma Scrivener also shares good news for your mental health during lockdown and Michael Ots shares his thoughts on evangelism this Christmas time.

Video: Your Questions: Special Q&A session with Andy Bannister and Gareth Black



Video: How were the letters of the New Testament copied? With Clark Bates



Does Religion Poison Everything?

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, the Russian novelist and political commentator, who survived the Russian gulags and wrote with amazing insight into the human condition, once famously said this: "The dividing line between good and evil runs right through the middle of every human heart." What the world needs, as an answer to violence and injustice, poverty and pain, is not a clever philosophy, not a religious system, not a new politic, not more money, more education—none of these will fundamentally change anything. Rather, it needs individual transformation, a radical transformation of the human heart. Only Jesus Christ offers that possibility if we are willing to surrender our lives to him.

The transgender treatment of young people

There is of course a huge concern about how this will affect children and young people and their families, especially those who have already embarked on social transition and regard puberty blockers as their only option. There is an urgent need to look at how these highly vulnerable children are supported in the community as well as in schools and in mental health services. What part can we as churches play?

Ellen Turns A New Page

Ideology is a specious way of relating to the world. It offers human beings the illusion of an identity, of dignity, and of morality while making it easier for them to part with them. As the repository of something suprapersonal and objective, it enables people to deceive their conscience and conceal their true position and their inglorious modus vivendi, both from the world and from themselves. It is a very pragmatic but, at the same time, an apparently dignified way of legitimizing what is above, below, and on either side. It is directed toward people and toward God. It is a veil behind which human beings can hide their own fallen existence, their trivialization, and their adaptation to the status quo. It is an excuse that everyone can use, from the greengrocer, who conceals his fear of losing his job behind an alleged interest in the unification of the workers of the world, to the highest functionary, whose interest in staying in power can be cloaked in phrases about service to the working class. The primary excusatory function of ideology, therefore, is to provide people, both as victims and pillars of the post-totalitarian system, with the illusion that the system is in harmony with the human order and the order of the universe.

Defending Free Speech at Cambridge

A recent poll of British students reveals why: Two in five students have observed cancellation increasing on their campus; the same proportion feel their careers would be adversely affected if they expressed their own beliefs; almost half feel that their lecturers would treat them differently if they expressed their views on important issues; and, most worryingly, more than a quarter confessed to self-censorship because they felt their views did not align with those of the university itself.

 

[showernota]

Well probably because there were a lot of other prophets we don't have in the Bible, the general need to be liberated from the Romans and because David was a tough cookie (they expected David 2.0).

If the Tanakh was codified pre-Jesus it shouldn't have mattered what other prophets had said.

 

[mcz117chief]

If the Tanakh was codified pre-Jesus it shouldn't have mattered what other prophets had said.

Right, I meant that the general feeling was like that and you could have had a ton of loons and interpreters running around town giving it their own spin. Just saying that hindsight is always 20/20.

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources:

Video: The COVID-19 Vaccines: A Conversation with Dr. Francis Collins

"This morning we hosted a discussion about the COVID-19 vaccines with Dr. Francis Collins, the Director of the National Institutes of Health. During our event he shared insights about the development of the vaccines, misconceptions about them, and what it will take to get our church life back to "normal." (12/3/20)

Video: Technology and Humanity: What the Digital Age is Doing to Our Soul - Andy Bannister

With digital technology accelerating ever faster, with more and more of us living our lives plugged 24/7 into the web, how is technology changing how our friends and neighbours think about life and humanity? What are the challenges for the gospel? How can Christians engage well with the questions that technology raises?

Video: Mike Austin - God, Guns, Philosophy and Character - Critical Witness

Today we're talking with Mike Austin about his book God and Guns. We'll also be discussing a bit about his lecturing in philosophy and the importance of character in the Christian faith.

Video: Dan Barker v Martin Kuhrt: Is the biblical God a malevolent, misogynistic, sadomasochistic bully?

Richard Dawkins famously describes the God of the Old Testament as ‘jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully’. Dan Barker and Rev Martin Kuhrt have both published books defending and refuting Dawkins’ description. They debate three of the charges on today’s show.

Video: Story Sustains Us || Malcolm Guite || RESET

In this episode, Glen Scrivener talks to Professor Malcolm Guite: priest, poet, rock n roller and chaplain of Girton College, Cambridge. They discuss the great Scriptural sweep from Genesis to Revelation and the way we can entrust ourselves to the story if we come to trust the Storyteller.

One Bible, many versions

So why are there so many options now? How did the King James get dethroned? Which translation is best for the modern reader? With so many different translations, are any of them actually faithful to the original? These are all valid questions, and in order to address them, we will need to step back a little to get a “big picture” perspective of the situation. To start, we simply need to ask the question, “Why are there so many English versions of the Bible?”

Edited:

 

[Chaplain]

More resources:

 

[showernota]

Great theology focused praise and worship

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources

Audio: Should Christians Fear the Lord in the Same Way as Unbelievers?

So, we are to fear God as Christians. We never outgrow the fear of the Lord. It’s the first step into the kingdom of heaven. No one enters the kingdom of heaven giggling. We enter really with a broken heart and with a sober heart. And as we progress in our Christian life, we don’t grow out of fearing God. We grow deeper in the fear of the Lord. We have greater reverential awe for God, as we grow to see how much greater He is than we ever thought that He was. And so, the fear of God is a mark of a true Christian, as a true believer.

Video: Online Conversation | CRISPR, Gene Editing, and Human Flourishing with William Hurlbut

On December 4th we were grateful to partner with the Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention to host Stanford neurobiologist Bill Hurlbut. Bill, a physician, research scientist, ethicist and Trinity Forum Senior Fellow discussed exciting advancements in the field of gene editing, and the moral and social implications of this technological achievement. Hurlbut has referred to CRISPR technology as “the Swiss Army knife of genetics,” noting that it has opened exciting possibilities for the treatment, even eradication of various genetic diseases. At the same time, it has made urgent deep and thorny ethical dilemmas, such that Hurlbut has also called it “the deepest challenge our species has ever faced.”

Video: Our Place in Babylon: Lessons from the Book of Daniel | Alanzo Julian Paul | Government Series

Alanzo Julian Paul speaks on "Our Place in Babylon: Lessons from the Book of Daniel" during RZIM Canada's Government Series, hosted by Christian Hill Fellowship

Video: Navigating The Challenges of Integrity in the New Normal | Daniel Gilman | Government Series

Daniel Gilman speaks on "Navigating The Challenges of Integrity in the New Normal" during RZIM Canada's Government Series, hosted by Christian Hill Fellowship

Video: Christ and the Cancel Culture | Abdu Murray | Government Series

Abdu Murray speaks on "Christ and the Cancel Culture" during RZIM Canada's Government Series, hosted by Christian Hill Fellowship

Video: Making Sense of a Post-pandemic Marketplace | Max Jeganathan | Government Series

Max Jeganathan speaks on "Making Sense of a Post-pandemic Marketplace" during RZIM Canada's Government Series, hosted by Christian Hill Fellowship

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources:

The Godless Gospel by Julian Baggini review – Jesus as a moral teacher

God is dead, but not all that many people seem to have turned up for the funeral. Nor do you need religion as a kind of nebulous poetry to keep the masses in order. There are secular ideologies that can do that perfectly well, not to speak of water cannon. Yet we have now reached a point with postmodern culture in which the very idea of conviction smacks of dogmatism.

The search for the secular Jesus

The search for the purely “ethical Jesus” is probably as old as Christianity itself. For over a century now, biblical scholars have posited the existence of an early source text, which they entitled Q, on which Matthew and Luke’s gospels seem to have drawn. Never discovered, although heavily hypothesised and reconstructed, Q is supposed to have been a collection of Jesus’s teachings, direct and parabolic, shorn of their biographical context. This ethical Jesus, so the argument goes, was combined with Mark’s narrative gospel, to produce the Technicolor image that passed into canonical form.

Precious Words from a Dying Apostle

If you feel spiritually empty, or sluggish, it’s no great surprise. God actually does something for us and in us and through us as we gather together. To one degree or another, we all are feeling the spiritual effects of these six months dispersed. Will we coast? Will we reengage? We’ve come to a very important moment in the life of our church.

Video: Second Sunday of Advent: Love Came Down

As we look through human history, people have consistently written, thought, and sung about love. We see it in the works of Shakespeare to Beyoncé, and everyone in between. But have we ever stopped to consider the nature and quality of love? This #Advent, as we reflect on the significance of this season, what does it mean for us that #LoveCameDown? RZIM speaker Max Jeganathan shares about the incredible qualities of biblical love in the revealed person of Christ.

Video: “Satan: His Meaning, Minions, and Methods” Luke 10:17-20 (12/5/20)

"Satan has chosen to bring the world and humans to death is sin; and sin is the rebellion of humankind against the vocation to reflect God’s image into the world, the refusal to worship God the Creator, and the replacement of that worship and that vocation with the worship of elements of the created order, and the loss of image-bearing humanness which inevitably results." (New Testament Scholar N. T. Wright)

Video: Songs of Hope: A TGC Advent Concert (12/6/20)

‘Songs of Hope: A TGC Advent Concert’ is a concert of Christ-centered songs, spoken word poetry, and Scripture to offer hope in a difficult year.

In these stay-at-home days, we hope this event will offer some hope, comfort, and joy in this season of weariness. As we sing in “O Holy Night” (which will be performed in the concert twice), “the weary world rejoices” because “yonder breaks, a new and glorious morn.” Join us in Advent worship as we together reflect on the “new and glorious morn” of God coming to us, and redeeming us, in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Edited

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources:





You Asked: What Is the Unforgivable Sin?

Ambrose and the Didache understand the unforgivable sin to be opposing the Spirit’s work—not just in Jesus’ day, but continuing through his Spirit-inspired prophets in the contemporary church. Many in the church connected this saying with the “sin unto death” of 1 John 5:16, understood as an unforgivable post-conversion relapse, while others interpreted it more generally as a rejection of the gospel. Augustine, who dedicated at least one whole sermon to this topic, is typical and influential in arguing the blasphemy isn’t a specific act but a state of enmity and impenitence lasting unto death. It’s a hardness of heart that, if not repented of in this life, will prove to be unforgiven. In this sense, then, the blasphemy is understood simply as unbelief that persists throughout life.

PDF: Sins against the Holy Spirit by Dr. Graham A. Cole

In this study we explore a subset of the doctrine of sin. Our focus is on sins against the Holy Spirit of God. Two categories of such sins will be considered. We first deal with sins of the outsider (the unbeliever). These include blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and resisting the Holy Spirit. Next we treat sins of the insider (the believer). In the following section our focus will be on quenching the Holy Spirit and grieving the Holy Spirit.

Video: Dr. John Lennox Interview - TUND



Video: GENESIS – With and Without an Apology! With special guest Dr. Joe Boot (12/7/20)

In this episode of the GREAT Conversations Podcast, host Calvin Smith (the Director of Answers in Genesis CA) sits down with special guest Dr. Joe Boot (Apologist, Debater, Philosopher and Author, and founder of the Ezra Institute for Contemporary Christianity) to discuss the cultural implications of a society that has abandoned Genesis as it’s foundation.

Video: Is your church teaching New Age Ideas? With Melissa Dougherty (12/6/20)

Ex-New Ager Melissa Dougherty joins me to discuss certain New Age ideas that are being marketed to the church as "Christian." What are the buzzwords, catch phrases, and teachings that are coming to a church near you?

What are the chances that God is actually good?

"If there's all this evil in the world, maybe God can't prevent it. Then he's still all powerful, he just logically can't prevent it. The problem there is it turns out that God would be less powerful than we are because we can prevent lots of evil. Now if God is stuck in a logical possibility while we're only stuck in a causal one, then he's so much less powerful than us. The traditional God can't be less powerful than we are."

A Certain Cure for Hypocrisy, Part 2

Being a hypocrite has far more serious implications, eternal ones. Religious hypocrites who pretend to know God, who pretend to have spiritual truth, who pretend to know the way to conquer death and enter heaven, spiritual hypocrites who pretend to be good, pretend to be holy, pretend to be righteous, pretend to speak for God, to represent God, pretend to have some power over evil that others don't and pretend to have the ability to convey all that to those who will follow them. Those kinds of hypocrites are the most dangerous liars of all because they do not have what they say they have. They are not what they say they are. They do not do what they say they do. And they cannot give what they say they can because they do not have what they say they have.

A Certain Cure for Hypocrisy, Part 3

How do you avoid the disaster of being a hypocrite? How do you come to the truth? By believing and honoring God as holy, sovereign judge, by honoring the Son as holy, sovereign Lord and Savior and by honoring the Holy Spirit as holy, sovereign revealer of truth. You cannot come to Christ but by the Spirit's testimony. You cannot come to God but by Christ.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

I finished The Unseen Realm by Heiser. It was solid and was surprisingly hands-off on some of the more controversial subjects. The main crux of the book -- that God has a heavenly court / family of lesser beings with whom He brought about the events of the OT and NT -- is well argued. Now I'm working through St. Maximus the Confessor's On The Cosmic Mystery of Jesus Christ. Good material in here that is not only foundational to christian thinking, but is echoed in many later philosophies and secular sciences.

 

[Karunamon]

Hey folks, hope it's okay to ask this ITT.

I'm a baptized Catholic, formerly a JW. Lots of thought and research went into that particular transition.

The problem is that further research has led me to a couple of conclusions:

1. Applying the "judge the tree by its fruits" test leads to Catholicism failing *hard*.
2. I'm finding it increasingly difficult to believe in God as described in the bible.

I get that Aquinas made the original, and pretty solid, philosophical arguments for the existence of a creator. I don't have an issue with those - I'm not atheist.

Where I'm having difficulty is determining why that creator has to be the one described by the bible and by Christianity as a whole. One thing that keeps coming up over and over again is that the faith a Christian has is not blind - it is backed and driven by reason. It feels like I'm missing a few pieces of the puzzle. With what I have right now, I can't come up with a good reason I should be Christian as opposed to Buddhist, Zoroastrian, or just plain gnostic deist.

Has anyone ever been in this situation? What would you suggest for someone who's questioning the faith they grew up with?

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Hey folks, hope it's okay to ask this ITT.

I'm a baptized Catholic, formerly a JW. Lots of thought and research went into that particular transition.

The problem is that further research has led me to a couple of conclusions:

1. Applying the "judge the tree by its fruits" test leads to Catholicism failing *hard*.
2. I'm finding it increasingly difficult to believe in God as described in the bible.

I get that Aquinas made the original, and pretty solid, philosophical arguments for the existence of a creator. I don't have an issue with those - I'm not atheist.

Where I'm having difficulty is determining why that creator has to be the one described by the bible and by Christianity as a whole. One thing that keeps coming up over and over again is that the faith a Christian has is not blind - it is backed and driven by reason. It feels like I'm missing a few pieces of the puzzle. With what I have right now, I can't come up with a good reason I should be Christian as opposed to Buddhist, Zoroastrian, or just plain gnostic deist.

Has anyone ever been in this situation? What would you suggest for someone who's questioning the faith they grew up with?

If you're open to reading a book, try Mere Christianity by CS Lewis.

if you're open to another suggestion, pray and ask God to answer this for you. "Draw near to me and I will draw near to you" and "whatever you ask for in prayer you will receive if you have faith". The God of the bible makes a bold claim as the Living God, a god who is not sleeping but who hears his believers. It is not faithless to cry out to this god and hope for an answer.

 

[showernota]

Hey folks, hope it's okay to ask this ITT.

I'm a baptized Catholic, formerly a JW. Lots of thought and research went into that particular transition.

The problem is that further research has led me to a couple of conclusions:

1. Applying the "judge the tree by its fruits" test leads to Catholicism failing *hard*.
2. I'm finding it increasingly difficult to believe in God as described in the bible.

I get that Aquinas made the original, and pretty solid, philosophical arguments for the existence of a creator. I don't have an issue with those - I'm not atheist.

Where I'm having difficulty is determining why that creator has to be the one described by the bible and by Christianity as a whole. One thing that keeps coming up over and over again is that the faith a Christian has is not blind - it is backed and driven by reason. It feels like I'm missing a few pieces of the puzzle. With what I have right now, I can't come up with a good reason I should be Christian as opposed to Buddhist, Zoroastrian, or just plain gnostic deist.

Has anyone ever been in this situation? What would you suggest for someone who's questioning the faith they grew up with?

It seems like you're questioning a lot of aspects... I'm going to suggest you go straight to the source. Grab a Bible (not a JW version) and read through Genesis -> Exodus -> Mark -> John. Alternatively, you could start with Mark and then into Genesis. Before you start reading ask God to reveal Himself to you through His word, and have faith He will. Try to read the text without any preconceptions of what you've been told at church. The main piece of the puzzle of Christianity is Jesus. The recurring theme of the Old Testament is faith, sacrifice, and forgiveness/redemption, foreshadowing what culminates at Golgotha. It's the personal relationship with God the Father through Christ, God the Son, which differentiates Christianity as a 'religion.'

Hopefully this helps.

 

[BigBooper]

Hey folks, hope it's okay to ask this ITT.

I'm a baptized Catholic, formerly a JW. Lots of thought and research went into that particular transition.

The problem is that further research has led me to a couple of conclusions:

1. Applying the "judge the tree by its fruits" test leads to Catholicism failing *hard*.
2. I'm finding it increasingly difficult to believe in God as described in the bible.

I get that Aquinas made the original, and pretty solid, philosophical arguments for the existence of a creator. I don't have an issue with those - I'm not atheist.

Where I'm having difficulty is determining why that creator has to be the one described by the bible and by Christianity as a whole. One thing that keeps coming up over and over again is that the faith a Christian has is not blind - it is backed and driven by reason. It feels like I'm missing a few pieces of the puzzle. With what I have right now, I can't come up with a good reason I should be Christian as opposed to Buddhist, Zoroastrian, or just plain gnostic deist.

Has anyone ever been in this situation? What would you suggest for someone who's questioning the faith they grew up with?

I agree with the two posts that already answered you. Pray, read and read your Bible. I'm guessing that doesn’t sound like a particularly satisfying answer, but faith is not so direct that I can give you proof. You have to accept things on faith at some point.

I had similar thoughts when I was younger. Would I just believe in a different religion entirely if I were born somewhere else? How can I be sure that Christianity is the correct religion? Without any condemnation intended, I wonder how seriously you have been taking your relationship with God? Why do you believe another religion is true instead?

Any religion eventually comes down to faith. For me even setting aside the faith in supernatural, Christianity has history, observable benefits to society and a tremendous depth of accumulated wisdom.

For Catholicism I can't offer much. I've been studying some about the Roman Catholic Church and it's not for me. If you believe strongly in the authority of apostolic succession, then from my understanding Vatican 2 recognized the possible salvation of Christians outside the Catholic church. So, it might be worth visiting some other churches to see if you connect with a particular church more. Be warned though that I think unlike Roman Catholic churches, Protestant churches can have wide differences in their teaching, and some are antichristian, though they may claim to be Christian.

 

[Bolivar687]

Hey folks, hope it's okay to ask this ITT.

I'm a baptized Catholic, formerly a JW. Lots of thought and research went into that particular transition.

The problem is that further research has led me to a couple of conclusions:

1. Applying the "judge the tree by its fruits" test leads to Catholicism failing *hard*.
2. I'm finding it increasingly difficult to believe in God as described in the bible.

I get that Aquinas made the original, and pretty solid, philosophical arguments for the existence of a creator. I don't have an issue with those - I'm not atheist.

Where I'm having difficulty is determining why that creator has to be the one described by the bible and by Christianity as a whole. One thing that keeps coming up over and over again is that the faith a Christian has is not blind - it is backed and driven by reason. It feels like I'm missing a few pieces of the puzzle. With what I have right now, I can't come up with a good reason I should be Christian as opposed to Buddhist, Zoroastrian, or just plain gnostic deist.

Has anyone ever been in this situation? What would you suggest for someone who's questioning the faith they grew up with?

If you kept reading Aquinas, I'm sure you would find your answer. But the problem seems to me to be sin - how do you you make up for it and persevere against it? The question of why we should not be Buddhist or Zoroastrian is the same question as why did Jesus have to die. You shouldn't follow those religions because the Son offered himself as a sacrifice to the Father for the forgiveness of our sins. We've already been purchased, whether we accept it or not. Fidelity to Christ is not only honest and just but also entails a time-tested gameplan for holiness.

I in turn have questions for you if you don't mind! When you scrutinize the Catholic Church according to its fruits, as we should, do you also give it credit for the hospitals, universities and homeless shelters? For fulfilling the divine mandate and baptizing continents? For persevering across millennia against the Arian heresy, the Mohammedan conquests, the Protestant reformation, the Enlightenment bloodbaths, and now continuing to hang on by one last thread against the errors of modernism? The four marks of the Church of Jesus Christ are found at the end of the Nicene Creed. This Church is One - the papacy is a living sign of its unchanging obedience to a single vicar of Christ, rather than a temporary and contingent agreement among members. It is Holy because, for all our moral failings as men, the Church is not allowed to change the things divinely instituted by our Lord, such as the way Protestants disavow the sacraments or disagree with Christ that divorce and remarriage is adultery. It is "Catholic," or Universal, because every country in the world has some form of a Catholic assembly, even if it's only underground or confined to embassies. And it is Apostolic because our ordinations derive from the twelve disciples, not from people who decided to start something new on their own. Some Christian communities have some resemblance of these four categories, but none of them in the same way the Catholic Church does, and certainly not all of them.

 

[Karunamon]

I've read all the previous posts, and thank you DunDunDunpachi , showernota , Bolivar687 . I've got some reading (and praying ) to do. Not going to quote those here because this one post is pretty big.

I may have more questions for your questions here, but please understand they are given in good faith. I'm not trying to sound like a flippant protestant or fedora-tipper here.

I in turn have questions for you if you don't mind!

When you scrutinize the Catholic Church according to its fruits, as we should, do you also give it credit for the hospitals, universities and homeless shelters?

Certainly I do, but the RCC holds no monopoly on Christian-originated charities or corporeal works of mercy. This is table stakes. Any church following Christ's teachings should and does do the same.

For fulfilling the divine mandate and baptizing continents?

I always had a problem with this concept, as baptism requires consent of the will.

For persevering across millennia against the Arian heresy, the Mohammedan conquests, the Protestant reformation, the Enlightenment bloodbaths, and now continuing to hang on by one last thread against the errors of modernism?

The actions of the current pope would seem to indicate that thread has been severed, at least inasmuch as the RCC is the current manifestation of Christ's church. This position has a name - sedevacantism. Jesus didn't, and can't lie, but the RCC has turned rotten.. how and when?

Popes have, in the past, been guilty of gross, disgusting, manifest personal sin, but this is the first time to my knowledge that there are significant systemic problems of this magnitude. Systematically covering up child sex abuse, scandals involving finances, idol worship and "yoking with unbelievers" in the Basilica, an unwillingness to speak out against sin.. the list goes on. The church as a centralized organization (so anything north of your local church on the org chart) has significant problems.

At what point does it reach the level of heresy? When the pope's teachings lead people to believe that sin isn't sin? That's happening right now.

The four marks of the Church of Jesus Christ are found at the end of the Nicene Creed. This Church is One - the papacy is a living sign of its unchanging obedience to a single vicar of Christ, rather than a temporary and contingent agreement among members.

I have to stop you here, because I'm not approaching this from a standpoint of "I'm a questioning Christian and need reasons the RCC is The Right One", I'm approaching from a standpoint of "I'm questioning Christianity as a whole", and from that lens, the Nicene Creed (and the bible, and its contents and derived teachings) holds no more validity than any other proclamation of any other church. Why Christian and not something else?

It is Holy because, for all our moral failings as men, the Church is not allowed to change the things divinely instituted by our Lord, such as the way Protestants disavow the sacraments or disagree with Christ that divorce and remarriage is adultery.

Does the pope "opening the door" to non-Catholics receiving the sacrament of the Eucharist count as a change of something divinely instituted?

 

[Bolivar687]

I've read all the previous posts, and thank you DunDunDunpachi , showernota , Bolivar687 . I've got some reading (and praying ) to do. Not going to quote those here because this one post is pretty big.

I may have more questions for your questions here, but please understand they are given in good faith. I'm not trying to sound like a flippant protestant or fedora-tipper here.


Certainly I do, but the RCC holds no monopoly on Christian-originated charities or corporeal works of mercy. This is table stakes. Any church following Christ's teachings should and does do the same.


I always had a problem with this concept, as baptism requires consent of the will.


The actions of the current pope would seem to indicate that thread has been severed, at least inasmuch as the RCC is the current manifestation of Christ's church. This position has a name - sedevacantism. Jesus didn't, and can't lie, but the RCC has turned rotten.. how and when?

Popes have, in the past, been guilty of gross, disgusting, manifest personal sin, but this is the first time to my knowledge that there are significant systemic problems of this magnitude. Systematically covering up child sex abuse, scandals involving finances, idol worship and "yoking with unbelievers" in the Basilica, an unwillingness to speak out against sin.. the list goes on. The church as a centralized organization (so anything north of your local church on the org chart) has significant problems.

At what point does it reach the level of heresy? When the pope's teachings lead people to believe that sin isn't sin? That's happening right now.


I have to stop you here, because I'm not approaching this from a standpoint of "I'm a questioning Christian and need reasons the RCC is The Right One", I'm approaching from a standpoint of "I'm questioning Christianity as a whole", and from that lens, the Nicene Creed (and the bible, and its contents and derived teachings) holds no more validity than any other proclamation of any other church. Why Christian and not something else?


Does the pope "opening the door" to non-Catholics receiving the sacrament of the Eucharist count as a change of something divinely instituted?

Those are fair answers, to address some things:

On baptism, I also agree it requires consent of will, and Aquinas wrote the same. The more I look into the history, the more I find forced conversions were not really a thing, at least not on the magnitude of real missionary work done by clergy like de las Casas.

Regarding Pope Francis's statements and his "door opening" on the Eucharist, those have been openly questioned through formal canonical procedures by the highest members of the hierarchy and they are currently still unresolved. I agree with you that things have become very widespread but scale alone is not enough because the Arian heresy had a similar scale but it ultimately failed to engulf and change the Church.

I recognize you are looking at things from a much farther-out lense than that of a practicing Christian, and the earlier part of my post was directed towards that. However, you brought up the test left behind by Christ, of scrutinizing clergy by their fruits. I was not intimating the Catholic Church had a monopoly on charity, I was genuinely curious whether you had applied that standard thoroughly in good faith with all evidence.

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources:

Video: Is Mormonism Defensible Today? A Conversation with Eric Johnson. (12/9/10)

Over the past few years, the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been releasing a number of essays in response to the biggest challenges to the church (DNA studies, the book of Abraham, plural wives of Joseph Smith, etc.). Do these essays sufficiently answer the challenges? Sean interviews Eric Johnson of the Mormon Research Ministry (mrm.org).

Video: A Christmas Worth Singing About | Logan Gates | Capture the Wonder (12/9/10)

Singing is something we do at Christmas. It’s a way of expressing joy! But this year, isolated and uncertain about the future, we may find singing a little harder. Singing at Christmas has a long history, going back to the “Magnificat” – Mary’s song in response to Gabriel’s announcement of the birth of Jesus. What did Mary sing about? This year, even as we’re surrounded by discouragement, is Mary’s song still one that we can sing in our hearts? How can we re-envision Christmas this year as something worth singing about?

Video: Richard B. Hays on Books, Writing Habits, and Biblical Scholarship (12/9/10)

In this interview, Richard B. Hays talks about his favorite books, his reading and writing habits, and how he thinks about research.

Video: How Can I Know God Exists? (12/8/20)

When Vince Vitale arrived to study philosophy at Princeton, he thought the phrase “reasonable faith” was an oxymoron and that all faith had to be blind. But when friends and teammates challenged him to read the Bible for himself, Vince was surprised to find that the New Testament frequently used words like “convincing,” “debating,” and even “proving” in reference to Jesus’s resurrection and divinity. He found that the Bible wasn’t asking him to check his brain at the door before considering faith; it was actually asking him to love God holistically—with all of his heart, soul, and strength, yes, but also with all of his mind. One night, Vince reasoned that if God had really made him and had given him his inquisitive mind, then God would also want an honest intellectual search for Him to point in His direction. Over time, that is exactly what Vince found. To hear some of the reasons why, we hope you’ll watch this message on “How Can I Know God Exists?” from Remind 2018.

Video: What Can We Learn From 2020? || Christians React To Russell Brand (12/8/20)

Glen and Paul react to Russell Brand's thoughts on the continuation of Black Friday sales throughout a worldwide pandemic. Is Russell onto something? Can the world and the church learn something from 2020?

Video: Ask William Lane Craig anything livestream Q&A (12/8/20)

Renowned Christian philosopher William Lane Craig joins Justin and Ruth for a livestream taking audience Qs. Just ask a question in the comments.

Video: Reverends speak out on the cost of C-19

On November 29, 2020, Reverends Mike Thiessen, Joe Boot and Aaron Rock spoke at the “Stand Together Worship Protest” outside the Ontario Legislative Assembly at Queen’s Park, Toronto. They spoke to a large, mostly maskless crowd of about 1,000 people on the inequitable state of Covid-19 measures that shut down churches while leaving big box stores open, as well as onthe the constitutional right and need for churches to remain open. The reverends joined Bright Light News’ Lucya Almeida to discuss the reasons for their protest, government accountability and a way to forward for all shuttered houses of worship, including temples, mosques and synagogues.

Video: Who Is God? Understanding His Divine Attributes (12/7/20)

It’s the most important question we can ask: Who is God? Misconceptions about God abound—His nature, His character, and His attributes. But we need not submit to perplexity or error, for the Maker of all things has made Himself known in His Word. In these messages, Dr. Steven Lawson teaches that God has revealed Himself sufficiently in the Bible, illuminating the attributes that define Him. While we finite creatures can never fully comprehend the infinite majesty of God, we can know Him truly in His Word and should study what He has said.

Audio: Just Thinking Podcast - EP # 106 | A Biblical Exposition of Unity (12/8/20)

Subsequent to the presidential election held in the United States on November 3, 2020, many evangelical leaders, primarily on social media, began exhorting Christians to come together in a spirit of unity around the presumed incoming administration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Notwithstanding that, officially, the outcome of the aforementioned contest had yet to be determined, a fundamental question remains: What kind of unity is acceptable to the church and, more importantly, to God? In their final episode of the 2020 podcast season, Darrell Harrison and Virgil "Omaha" Walker answer that question expositionally—and unequivocally—from Scripture.

Audio: RZIM - How Could God Allow Miscarriages? (12/9/20)

If God values human life so much that He made us in his image, how could He permit the death of so many unborn children? In this week's episode of Ask Away, Jo and Vince look at this question from a deeply personal perspective, sharing their story of loss and how God showed them His loving kindness in the midst of grief. It is their hope and prayer that this episode helps those who are walking through sorrow sense the presence of God even in times of immense sadness.

Edited

 

[Ornlu]

Video: Is Mormonism Defensible Today? A Conversation with Eric Johnson. (12/9/10)

Instant answer:

"Hell naw"

 

[showernota]

I love stuff like this. For anyone who thought that Genesis 5 was the most boringest due to the genealogies. If you take the meaning of each of the names (though Lamech doesn't have an exact meaning, or was lost), or inference from the verse, it becomes a message of Jesus.

Genesis 5
1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;
2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth:
4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:
5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.
6 And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos:
7 And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:
8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.
9 And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:
10 And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:
11 And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.
12 And Cainan lived seventy years and begat Mahalaleel:
13 And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:
14 And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.
15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:
16 And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:
17 And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.
18 And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:
19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.
21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:
22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:
24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
25 And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech.
26 And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:
27 And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.
28 And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:
29 And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.
30 And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:
31 And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.
32 And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Spoiler: Their meanings, in order

Adam = Man
Seth = Appointed
Enosh = Mortal
Cainan = Sorrow
Mahalalel = The Blessed God
Jared = Shall come down
Enoch = Teaching
Methuselah = His death shall bring
Lamech = The despairing
Noah = Rest

The Hidden “Verse” about Jesus in Genesis 5

The more I learn about God’s Word, the more I stand in awe at how amazing God is. To think, that the book of Genesis, a book written over 1,400 years before Christ was even born, contains spe…

theologetics.org

 

[Bolivar687]

I love stuff like this. For anyone who thought that Genesis 5 was the most boringest due to the genealogies. If you take the meaning of each of the names (though Lamech doesn't have an exact meaning, or was lost), or inference from the verse, it becomes a message of Jesus.

Spoiler: Their meanings, in order

Adam = Man
Seth = Appointed
Enosh = Mortal
Cainan = Sorrow
Mahalalel = The Blessed God
Jared = Shall come down
Enoch = Teaching
Methuselah = His death shall bring
Lamech = The despairing
Noah = Rest

The Hidden “Verse” about Jesus in Genesis 5

The more I learn about God’s Word, the more I stand in awe at how amazing God is. To think, that the book of Genesis, a book written over 1,400 years before Christ was even born, contains spe…

theologetics.org

 

[mcz117chief]

I love stuff like this. For anyone who thought that Genesis 5 was the most boringest due to the genealogies. If you take the meaning of each of the names (though Lamech doesn't have an exact meaning, or was lost), or inference from the verse, it becomes a message of Jesus.

Spoiler: Their meanings, in order

Adam = Man
Seth = Appointed
Enosh = Mortal
Cainan = Sorrow
Mahalalel = The Blessed God
Jared = Shall come down
Enoch = Teaching
Methuselah = His death shall bring
Lamech = The despairing
Noah = Rest

The Hidden “Verse” about Jesus in Genesis 5

The more I learn about God’s Word, the more I stand in awe at how amazing God is. To think, that the book of Genesis, a book written over 1,400 years before Christ was even born, contains spe…

theologetics.org

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources:

Video: Prof John Lennox gives a Christmas message for 2020. (12/9/20)



Video: John MacArthur lists the effects of COVID & Lockdowns (12/6/20)

The reality of what happens during a lockdown has been recorded and John MacArthur has the numbers from around the world. For example, there have been more suicides this year in Japan than COVID deaths. The catastrophic results of the lockdowns and government tyranny are laid out for all to see in this 23-minute exercise in Truth.

Video: What Does God Think of Our Questions? (12/9/20)

What does God think about our questions? In this talk, Dr. Vince Vitale shares the role that asking questions played in his faith journey and suggests that God, far from discouraging us from asking questions, invites us to seriously explore Christianity's claims.

Video: Overcoming the Sins of Our Fathers | John Connell (12/10/20)

Are the orthodox “truths” of Christianity epistemologically variable according to the ethnicity or gender of the person applying the principles of hermeneutics to Scripture. Furthermore, are the sins of our Fathers the sins of sons? Dr. John Connell of Countryside Baptist Church in Clearwater, Florida tackles these questions and more in this spirited and engaging presentation.

Video: A Pagan Christmas | Daniel Gilman | Capture the Wonder (12/10/20)

A familiar image of the Christmas Scene are the three magi of the East who came bearing gifts. While many people are used to seeing that image, it is profoundly surprising that God reached out to them by a star. History and anthropology tell us that Eastern Maji practiced astrology. God chose to woo them in a language they would understand: a star. How is God speaking into our 21st-century lives today?

No Divine Law Equals No Moral Obligation

Christians face a variety of ethical challenges in the days ahead. We seem daily to watch the codification of secular humanism, not only in legal statute but also in the nation’s cultural ethos. As Richard Weaver warned many years ago, Ideas Have Consequences. Pagan ideas are not exempt from finding their way down to the day to day of human life. As Judeo-Christian foundations continue to erode, believers in the resurrected King of Kings are left with the challenge of determining whether society’s laws, customs, and expectations are indeed just or not.

Video: The Gospel in Dorothy L. Sayers: Novels, Plays, Letters & Essays | Presentation by Crystal Downing (12/10/20)

In "The Gospel in Dorothy L. Sayers," renowned murder mystery writer Dorothy Sayers is shown to tackle faith, doubt, human nature, and the most dramatic and greatest story ever told. For almost a century, a series of Sayers's labyrinthine murder mysteries have kept fans turning pages hungrily as Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane discover whodunit, again and again. Detective novel enthusiasts may not know that for almost as many years, Christian thinkers have appreciated the same Dorothy L. Sayers for her acumen as an essayist, playwright, apologist, and preeminent translator of Dante’s "Divine Comedy." Now, "The Gospel in Dorothy L. Sayers" brings together the best of both worlds, and Dr. Downing shows how the selections uncover the gospel themes woven throughout Sayers’s popular fiction as well as her religious plays, correspondence, talks, and essays. Clues dropped throughout her detective stories reveal an attention to matters of faith that underlies all her work. Those who know Sayers from her nonfiction writings may wonder how she could also write popular genre fiction. Sayers, like her friend G. K. Chesterton, found murder mysteries a vehicle to explore the choices characters make between good and evil. Along with C. S. Lewis and such other Inklings as Charles Williams, as well s T.S. Eliot and others, with whom she maintained a lively correspondence, Sayers used her popular fiction to probe deeper questions. She addressed not only matters of guilt and innocence, sin and redemption, but also the cost of war, the role of the conscience, and the place of women in society. None of these themes proved any hindrance to spinning a captivating yarn. Her murder mysteries are more reminiscent of Jane Austen than Arthur Conan Doyle, with all the tense interpersonal exploration of the modern novel.

Edited:

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources:

Americans' Mental Health Ratings Sink to New Low

"Gallup Mental Health Study: the only people in America doing better this year than last are weekly church attenders." (December 7, 2020)

Video: We've run off a cliff || Rebecca McLaughlin || RESET

In this episode, Glen speaks to Rebecca McLaughlin, the author of Confronting Christianity: 12 hard questions for the world's largest religion. In this interview she talks about whether the story of Christianity has run out or whether that's a parochial, western view of things.

The End of the World as We Know It?

The most sophisticated, cross-disciplinary science emerging from academia appears to tell us that the ancient Mosaic wisdom of the Judeo/Christian tradition, to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” is exactly the correct progressive prescription for the continuation of human well-being. And failing to do this is what the end of the world actually looks like.

A Christmas letter from St. Nicholas to the accidental Arians of 2020

I slapped Arius at the Council of Nicaea, according to the story you like to tell. I can neither confirm nor deny this, since the first rule of Nicaean Fight Club is not to talk about Nicaean Fight Club. It is also the second rule. But whether or not I did what you say I did, I will say this: I would like to slap you.

If God Hates Abortion Why Do So Many Occur Spontaneously in Humans?

Questions surrounding spontaneous abortions and miscarriages are painful, indeed. But they also expose profound philosophical and theological problems with far-reaching implications for the Christian faith. The high rate of spontaneous abortions during human pregnancies raises questions about God’s goodness and also impacts the creation/evolution controversy and the abortion debate.

The Anthropology of Expressive Individualism

Man has lost the sense of himself as a limited point in the universe, albeit one possessed of free will. He began to deem himself the center of his surroundings, adapting not himself to the world but the world to himself. And then, of course, the thought of death becomes unbearable: It is the extinction of the entire universe at a stroke. (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn)

Francis Schaeffer Warned Us About 2020

Published exactly 50 years ago, the particulars of this short volume can be quite dated—reflected in the unsightly cover of my copy from 1970—yet its themes are surprisingly contemporary. Schaeffer speaks to the loss of truth and personal responsibility, the collapse of authority, and the growing threat of violence. He warns of impending ecological disaster and scientific manipulation, even the possibility of nations developing and weaponizing a deadly virus.

3 Blessings of Seeing Our Sin

Suffering exposes the sin in our hearts in a way that few things can. When our lives are trouble free, we can confuse personal satisfaction for faith. We can think that God is good, and we are pleased with him, though we might be pleased less with him than we are with the ease of our lives. Then, when life is hard—especially when life remains hard—the allegiances of our hearts become more apparent. Suffering will reveal sin that still “clings so closely” to us (Heb. 12:1), and sin weighs a lot.

3 Dangers of a Successful Vaccine

As I’ve meditated about this, it seems that the Bible warns of three dangers that might accompany a successful vaccine—and therefore three spiritual warnings. These, I suspect, are not so obvious. They’re certainly not in our newsfeeds.

New Cambridge Element by Olli-Pekka Vainio. Free download for the next two weeks!

What does it mean to use language religiously? How does religious language differ from our ordinary linguistic practices? Can religious language have meaning? Among others, these questions are part of the so-called problem of religious language, which originates from the peculiar object of many religious claims, that is, the transcendent, or more precisely, God.

Video: Freedom From Victimization Panel - What Killed Michael Brown? (12/11/20)

"A spirited panel discusses "Freedom from Victimization," a discussion inspired by the critically acclaimed documentary, "What Killed Michael Brown?" Shelby Steele (Filmmaker), Bob Woodson (1776 Unites), Pastor Corey Brooks (Project H.O.O.D.), Varney Voker (Ex-Black Disciples gang member), and Varmah Voker (Ex-Black Disciples gang member) discuss how Post-60s liberalism destroyed black agency and how the black underclass can break free and move forward."

Edited

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources:

"Our affluent culture looks for ease in everything. Comfort is prized more than anything else. In his book, The Challenge of Affluence, Professor Avner Offer makes the observation that moral prudence is required in order to build up affluence and wealth. However, affluence gives rise to temptation. Temptation, if not morally recognized and resisted, gives rise to indulgence. Indulgence eats up wealth. Hence, the “rewards of affluence produce the disorders of affluence." (Michael Ramsden, Finish the Mission, 79)

• Audio: Affluenza: The Effects of Affluence on the Soul and Society and How to Overcome Them - Part 1
• Audio: Affluenza: The Effects of Affluence on the Soul and Society and How to Overcome Them - Part 2

Video: Manhood and Affluence

Affluence, whether reputational or financial, does not provide a dependable foundation on which to build your manhood, says Max Jeganathan, Asia-Pacific Regional Director, RZIM, during his talk at the Getup and Get Going meeting held online on November 3, 2020. Manhood is discovered in and through a personal relationship with our Creator, through the person of Jesus Christ, the perfect Man, the ultimate manifestation of manhood.

Video: #19 Dr Jocelyn Downey - Vaccines, COVID and Christian responses - Critical Witness (12/13/20)

Is the vaccine the mark of the beast? Does it change your DNA? Is it owned by Bill Gates to track and trace the world? These questions and more serious ones answered by an actual doctor of molecular biology with a career in immunology, working at the following institutions: Imperial College London, Cambridge University, The National Institute for Medical Research and The Scripps Research Institute.

Video: Healing Prayer Under the Guidance of the Holy Spirit - Rustin Rossello (12/13/20)

How can New Testament teachings and pastoral experience combine to help us follow the Holy Spirit's guidance when praying for individuals in need, whether one-on-one or in small groups? This seminar will also discuss questions about miraculous spiritual gifts today, how to affirm both subjective perceptions of guidance and the sufficiency of Scripture, praying for physical healing and other needs, and praying for non-Christians as well as for Christians. (This session will include a lecture, Q&A, and some time spent in prayer for one another. In addition, we will explore one model of how this practice can be encouraged in a local church).

Video: Fifty Years of Marriage and Ministry Life Lessons and Passions - Tom and Judy Streeter (12/13/20)

Marriage and ministry came concurrently for the Streeters in 1964 when Tom was ordained, accepted a church position and then married Judy. Side by side through the years in several different churches, the Streeters have seen their calling as a high privilege as they have worked together as a team. Marriage and family have been an integral aspect of their ministry, interwoven with the body life of the church. Life lessons have become passions in areas of meaningful relationships, worship, disciple-making, the life of the mind, the beauty of God’s created order, consistent study, reading, and authentic living. In this workshop, the Streeters will summarize the important lessons they have learned and the passions that guide and motivate them.

Video: What the Magi Mean to Christmas, Part 1 (12/13/20)

Essentially, the word “magi” is not a word that can be translated, although it has come to mean something associated with magic and magicians. Magi was just the name of a tribe, a tribe. It happened to be a priestly tribe, a very religious tribe from which there were priests that arose to very significant prominence. It appears that this tribe is extremely ancient. Some would trace this tribe back to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees and see them as an extremely old tribe, a kind of wandering, meandering, nomadic tribe during the time of Abraham. Not all historians would push them back that far, but all agree that they are a very ancient people. They appear in the time of the Babylonian captivity. They appear in the Medo-Persian Empire, which followed the Empire of Babylon, and they’re still around in very significant positions of influence and power at the time of the birth of our Lord.

Video: Answering Progressive Christian Memes: Is it a Sin to Cuss, Be Gay, Have an Abortion? (12/13/20)

Recently, a progressive Christian meme made the rounds that stated 22 beliefs about God, Christians, the nature of heaven and hell, and the exclusivity of Christianity. I asked Mike Winger to join me to help us think through these statements and analyze them through a biblical lens.

Video: "An Evening with C.S. Lewis" Featuring David Payne | Stage Play Excerpts & Interview w/David Theroux (12/13/20)

This video presents a specially excerpted version of “An Evening with C.S. Lewis: My Life’s Journey," the acclaimed one-man play by and starring David Payne. Afterward, Mr. Payne is interviewed by C. S. Lewis Society Founder and President David Theroux, followed by Q&A with C. S. Lewis Society Book and Film Club participants. The setting for the video is the year 1962, and in this enthralling one-man show, the world-renowned author C.S. Lewis has agreed to host a group of curious American writers in his home near Oxford, England. He reminisces on the events and people that shaped his life, including his childhood, his education, his career at Oxford and Cambridge, his spiritual journey to embrace Christianity, his books, and the American woman who turned his life upside down. What ensues is an inspiring performance that has captivated audiences worldwide. Full of humor, this critically acclaimed and engaging show offers fascinating and highly entertaining insights into the man whose work is available in over 100 books, including "The Screwtape Letters," "Mere Christianity," "The Space Trilogy," "The Abolition of Man," "The Four Loves," "The Problem of Pain," and "The Chronicles of Narnia."

Edited

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources

Video: How to Live in a Crooked and Perverse Generation



Video: Bible Questions and Answers, Part 76



Audio: Why Bother with Culture?

How important is it to look into the themes in Culture? Does it have anything meaningful to offer us? In this podcast, Jacob Cheriyan talks about why engaging with culture is a worthwhile and meaningful endeavor for a Christian.

The Questions of Pluralism

The Christianization of Western culture has sometimes resulted in us projecting the destination of intimate friendship with God onto other religious worldviews. But in fact this is distinctively Christian. In Buddhism and some traditions of Hinduism, the destination of Nirvana is the cessation of self and the elimination of desire, two essential components of personal relationship. According to tradition, it was on the very night that his son was born that Gautama Buddha left to pursue his life of detachment from anything or anyone that could cause him suffering. Contrast this with Jesus Christ, who did everything He possibly could to attach Himself to our suffering in His pursuit of relationship with us.

Audio: Is theology theological? Herman Bavinck answers

Herman Bavinck has become a household name for many in the reformed, evangelical world. But who was he? How did he conceptualize his role as a theologian in the 19th and 20th centuries? What goes into making the renaissance man that was the enigmatic Herman Bavinck? In this episode of the Credo Podcast, Matthew Barrett and James Eglinton answer these questions and discuss Bavinck’s theological formation, his convictions and methodology, his impressions of the United States, and even his ministry in light of Nietzsche.

Christ-centered Apologetics

RC Sproul describes apologetics as “pre-evangelism”. I like that definition because it clarifies the address of every apologetic endeavour. Apologists must start with the head but should eventually and inevitably aim for the heart. In every conversation, ministry, lecture, and article we should aim to transform from apologist to evangelist. Ultimately, we must navigate the tough questions to eventually plug in the coordinates of Christ. Everyday apologetics will typically start with questions on ethics or observations about current events. Yes we may stop there to handle rational pit stops. Still we must remember the finish line will always be Christ.

Tom Holland’s Dominion – A Review By Timothy Keller

Tom Holland has written a book that is not so much a history of Christianity, but a history of the complex role Christianity has had in the formation of modern western culture. He rightly calls that influence “paradoxical” because, first, the Christian church has often spectacularly failed in its ideals, and other times it has been disastrously divided over what those ideals actually were. Holland gives us all the gory details. He is no apologist for the church and despite his considerable respect for certain aspects of the Christian faith, he does not profess personal faith.

C. S. Lewis, Atheism, and Meaning in Life By Peter S. Williams

Today’s neo-atheists are of course building their lives upon the same scaffolding (much of which can be traced back to Scottish sceptic David Hume, whose writing Lewis much admired). Some build with the same attitude of nihilistic ‘true grit’ that once attracted Lewis. Thus William B. Provine writes as what Lewis called ‘a consistent pessimist’, stating: ‘There are no gods, no purposes, and no goal-directed forces of any kind. There is no life after death. When I die . . . That’s the end of me. There is no ultimate foundation for ethics, no ultimate meaning in life, and no free will for humans, either.’ Peter Atkins likewise affirms that (from his naturalistic perspective) when the sun dies: ‘We shall have gone the journey of all purposeless stardust, driven unwittingly by chaos, gloriously but aimlessly evolved into sentience, born unchoosingly into the world, unwillingly taken from it, and inescapably returned to nothing.’

Three surprises for Christmas by theologian Ian Paul

We read the story of the Nativity from the point of view of our individualistic society and we read into it on the basis of our own experience. The problem is that the Bible was written a long time ago in a country far, far away. We need to read and understand the Bible in its own context before applying it to ours.

The importance of giving offense

After the 1517 publication of his famous 95 Theses, raging against the Church’s sale of ‘indulgences’ that purported to pardon sin in exchange for money, Luther had been denounced by Pope Leo X in a papal Bull. This accused him of (among other things) saying things that were ‘offensive to pious ears’. Luther then burned the papal Bull on 10 December 1520, giving further offence. He was excommunicated the following year. Make no bones about it: Martin Luther intended to offend.

 

[mcz117chief]

Video: How to Live in a Crooked and Perverse Generation

Man I wonder if there ever was one that wasn't. The more I read about history the less progress I see we have made as a species and as Christians.

 

[Jada_Li]

Man I wonder if there ever was one that wasn't. The more I read about history the less progress I see we have made as a species and as Christians.

Well let's see we are here on this Earth because....
Therefore it is commonplace to see effects of that division.
Christians, not the ones who play church and God says he knows them not, are always making progress in this world as God makes sure of it as the remaining prophesies will fulfill.

Generally speaking:

Beware of listening to man instead of God. All the answers, all the information, the whole story: The Past, The Present, The Future is in The Bible.
23But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. (Mark 13 :23)

God warns about those who say they are Christian/from the tribe of Judah but are not and are from the synagogue of Satan. Don't be deceived because it's your soul at stake. Satan is very clever and a charming sweet talker you know. If you want to be fooled then by all means God will make sure of it since the truth you refused.
10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12)

There are only 2 churches that God is pleased with. Smyrna and Philadelphia. (Revelation 2 & 3)

Only 2 out of 7 churches teach God's truth and the 5 will lead you away from God and deliver your soul into eternal damnation.

Anyone seeking the truth...seek God not man.

Of course, we all need help understanding so ask God to lead you to the truth in either Smyrna or Philadelphia. BTW, it's not about the names of those churches but about the content they teach. If it's God's truth then it is in one of those two churches. How will you know? Because God has many ways of communicating with you as long as you seek Him.
8And the LORD, he [it is] that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

We are in the last generation since Israel became a nation in 1948. Do you understand the parable of the fig tree?

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources:

Giving as Gain

...Jesus had more to say about money than almost any other subject. Prior to issuing this warning about the inability to serve two masters, he tells a story about a shrewd money manager having to account for his use of money before his very wealthy boss. Initially, he is squandering what has been entrusted to him, and it is his careless ways that prompt the call to account for his use of another's possessions. He quickly goes and collects a portion of what is owed by those who were in debt to the wealthy owner. And the wealthy owner, even though he does not collect all of what is owed to him, praises this man for his shrewd action.

Video: Where is God in All the Suffering? An interview with Amy Orr-Ewing

"Love seems to be at the absolute core of why suffering feels like it does. Suffering feels so wrong to us because of our love for another person who is in distress. We instinctively rage against injustice because we feel that people deserve love and dignity. And when I suffer, the question I am struggling with at the deepest level is this: Am I loved? And if I am truly loved, how could this be happening to me? When we ask these kinds of questions, we are making an assumption: that people have inherent and sacred value by virtue of being human; that I have value because I am human."

Video: Debunking Christmas Humbug (with Ash Cunningham)

It's Christmas time, which can only mean one thing - the re-emergence of memes claiming that the Christmas story is just a rip off of the story of the Egyptian God Horus. Is this true or not? Or is the Bible ripping off Mithras instead? Glen & Paul chat to Ash Cunningham to find out.

Video: What it REALLY Means to be a Skeptic (feat. Liz Jackson)

Philosopher Liz Jackson joins me to discuss the philosophy behind skepticism. We also discuss the differences between historical skepticism and contemporary skepticism and present a challenge to religious skeptics.

Video: Silent Nights? Navigating loneliness and longing in a COVID Christmas

We are joined by pastor, author, and speaker Ed Shaw for a look at the special difficulties of living with loneliness. For single people, the bereaved, and those isolated by lockdown, Christmas can be a particularly challenging time. How can our relationship with God help us thrive? Hosted by Gareth Black.

The Evaporation of Empathy

A major consequence of the fact that the majority of us live on the internet is ever-increasing polarization. All kinds of ingredients have melded together to create the white-hot polarization so many of us feel, and one of the most prominent of those ingredients is the evaporation of empathy. But why has empathy evaporated? Like with polarization, there are likely a handful of contributing factors that have led to the evaporation of empathy, but perhaps the most prominent of those is our unending thirst for personalization.

Professor NT Wright on whether the Nativity stories can be trusted

There are no accounts of Jesus Christ’s birth beyond Luke and Matthew’s Gospels. So, how can we trust that the Christmas story happened the way they describe? English New Testament scholar NT Wright shares his thoughts. You can hear more on the Ask NT Wright Anything podcast.

 

[showernota]

After the construction of the Tabernacle, God gave Moses exact specifications regarding the encampment of Israel in the wilderness.

Judah occupied the greatest area which was on the eastern side facing the tabernacle entrance behind the tents of Aaron. To their right was the tribe of Issachar and on the other side Zebulun. The tabernacle itself was always found in the very center of the camp with the tents of the various tribes set up at a certain distance. Judah (with Issachar and Zebulun) on the east numbering 186,400 men. Reuben (with Simeon and Gad) in the south numbering 151,450 men. West was Ephraim (with Manasseh and Benjamin) numbering 108,100 men. On the north side was Dan (with Asher and Naphtali) numbering 157,600 men. This brought the total count of men twenty years and upwards to 603,550. Not including the tribe of Levi.

Bible History, Maps, Images, Articles, and Resources for Biblical History

Bible History Images and Resources for Biblical History. Resources, Free Bible Software, Bible Art, Biblical History Topics and Study, and ancient Bible maps of Rome, Greece, and ancient Near East.

www.bible-history.com

One way of picturing it is

However, if you take the numbers of each side of the camp and draw it out (which I did in Desmos lol) it comes up like so:

Spoiler: Guess what it looks like!

Imagine being on a mountain in Moab at night, and seeing a camp holding over a million Israelites being lit up by torches like that.

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources:

Waiting on a Child

In this strange and trying advent season, Dr. Jo Vitale reflects on the harrowing experience of losing a child and finds new hope in the anticipation of our coming Lord and Savior.

Video: We Must Tell Better Stories

In this episode, Glen chats with Esther O'Reilly, a writer, academic, and cultural critic. She has been dubbed the 'female Douglas Murray'. They talk about the current meaning crisis. Esther urges Christians to reclaim the term humanism as well as telling better stories.

Video: Making ethical decisions that value human life webinar

For many of us, this might be the first time we have had to identify and consider ethical questions around the development and use of vaccines and it can be difficult to know where to turn to for trusted information. How can we be well informed and act ethically, as we wrestle with our responsibilities to love God and our neighbour in this moment? David Smyth, head of Evangelical Alliance Northern Ireland and Dawn McAvoy, co-founder Both Lives Matter hosted this webinar with experts from the fields of medicine, medical ethics, public policy and conscience protection.

Video: Jay Smith - Responding to Islam and the Quran

This is our last conversation before taking a break over Christmas. We get to talk to Jay Smith about recent conversations about Islam, responses to Yasir Qadhi and the "holes in the narrative" discussion and anything else that comes up in conversation! Jay has been engaging with Muslim apologists for a couple decades and is recognised from his debates at speakers corner and his unique polemic style that remains winsome even while being direct!

Video: Atonement and the Death of Christ | Greg Koukl and William Lane Craig

Greg Koukl interviews Dr. Craig about his recent book and deep dive into the doctrine of the atonement.

Video: The Difference the Incarnation Makes | Basil McLaren | Capture the Wonder

Humanity entrusted with power so often misuses that authority. So what is the difference Jesus’ birth makes to the state of our humanity? As a society, we seem stuck in ruts of racial, economic, and spiritual hopelessness. Christmas tells us that God meets us where we are at, but he's not content to leave us there. Nothing is more evident than the fact that we can’t upgrade to humanity 2.0 on our own steam. Therefore, Christmas is the story of humanity’s upgrade to its true-self found in connection to God himself.

Vaccination for the Nation? by (Dr. Fenske, Clinical Professor with the Division of Cardiology at the University of Alberta, 12/17/20)

...with the discussions of warp-speed COVID-19 vaccine development mounting to a fevered pitch, and with Big Pharma vaccines all vying for position to be the next big thing, flying under the radar seems less of an option for any of us. So, while I’m not against vaccinations, I do appreciate the raised concerns, particularly in reference to the COVID-19 vaccine development and projected implementation. The following is an attempt to address these matters through a Christian lens, and provide some clarity and equipping for the conversations ahead, as we each endeavor to reconcile all things under the Lordship of Christ.

"Diseases caused by a litany of pathogens – including poliomyelitis, pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella, influenza, invasive Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), hepatitis A and B, rotavirus, varicella, herpes zoster (shingles), Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and human papillomavirus (HPV) – have all been brought under manageable control. All of these serious diseases – estimated to have caused over 39 million infections during the twentieth century in the United States alone – are now largely preventable with our contemporary vaccination protocols. In fact, the impact of vaccination on the health of the world’s population is hard to exaggerate. With the exception of improvements in water supply and sanitation, no other intervention, not even antibiotic development, has had a greater reduction on mortality and allowed for greater global human flourishing. To be sure, vaccines represent the single most cost-effective life-saving innovation in all of medical history. The enormous success of this public health intervention derives not only from the laborious identification of effective vaccines, but also from a multi-disciplinary infrastructure for vaccine manufacturing, rigorous regulatory and safety oversight, and streamlined approaches to delivery. With this in mind then, vaccines can be considered a manifestation of God’s grace, originally developed by members of His church, for the blessing of all humanity."

Before live-attenuated viruses can be safely administered to an otherwise healthy population, they need to undergo extensive safety testing to confirm they are free of contaminants, assess for potential side-effects, and ensure they don’t revert to an active (wild type) infection. As well, if virus-like particle vaccines are to be developed in a timely fashion, particularly on a global scale, then several recombinant proteins would need to be simultaneously produced, increasing the manufacturing costs substantially.

Although the safety standards have improved considerably since earlier times, these unfortunate events stand as a monument to our limitations, and underscore the importance of rigorous clinical testing and safety analysis for all vaccines. This is particularly the case for novel platforms like the next generation vaccines, which lack a safety track record. Not surprisingly, many are asking if the COVID-19 vaccine will be worth the risk. After all, only one such next generation vaccine to date – directed against the Ebola virus – has received FDA approval. So, while the development of a COVID-19 vaccine may help bring an end to the pandemic and possibly even allow us all to return to some semblance of normality, caution remains essential. Panicked desires to roll out a vaccine using emergency approval measures need to be met with uncompromising safety and efficacy demands. Concerns have already been raised about how early vaccine approval and deployment may compromise the ethical principles of scientific validity, which guide clinical research, and social value, which balances overall risks and benefits.[13] As well, preclinical experience with certain Corona virus vaccines have suggested they may worsen existing lung disease, either directly by producing so-called vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory disease, or as a result of antibody-dependent enhancement as observed in earlier animal models.[14] In addition, the polyethylene glycol (PEG) used in some of the vaccine preparations has the potential to cause antibody-mediated allergic reactions.[15] Furthermore, the spike protein, which has been chosen as the target antigen for the COVID-19 vaccine contenders, resembles a protein essential to human placenta formation, known as syncytin-1.[16] Although this homology doesn’t involve the active binding site of the spike, which many of the vaccines have targeted, some concerns remain that an immune response against the placenta could be triggered, potentially causing infertility in vaccinated women.[17] Since animal reproductive toxicity studies have not been completed, it’s been recommended that pregnant women not receive COVID-19 vaccination in the United Kingdom’s initial roll-out.[18] As well, it’s been advised that pregnancy be excluded for women of childbearing age before vaccination, and that women should avoid becoming pregnant for the first two months after vaccination. To address these and other issues, more information is needed, information that will take time to carefully gather. In order for questions about long-term efficacy and safety to be properly answered, tried-and-true methodical study is required, and patience on our part is needed.[19] As the apostle Paul admonished, “test everything and hold fast to what is good” (1 Thess. 5:21).

The human cell lines in question are historical lineages. They were derived from abortions dating back to 1962 (WI-38 cell strain), the early 1970s (MRC-5 and HEK 293), and 1985 (PER.C6), and that the abortions were not performed for the purpose of vaccine production. The abortions were wrong, to be sure, but weren’t done in order to make the cell lines. To be clear then, vaccines aren’t “chopped up aborted babies” as some decry. The descendant cells being used in vaccine manufacturing today are not the cells of the aborted child, and never, themselves, formed a part of the victim’s body.

Different diseases require varying degrees of population immunization to achieve herd immunity. In the case of COVID-19, it’s been estimated that approximately two-thirds of the population would need to receive the vaccination in order to attain this goal.[24] Based on past immunization programs implemented around the world, this significant number of immunizations would likely be unattainable unless vaccinations were compulsory. This is especially the case if a second booster vaccination is required in a timely fashion, and particularly if adverse symptoms like a headache or fever commonly occur.

Aside from the logistical nightmare of a mandatory vaccination program, one of the problems with this strategy is that it exposes the entire population, even those at very low risk of significant illness, to the potential side effects of the vaccine. This is a point worth reflecting upon when novel vaccine platforms are being promoted as the “light at the end of tunnel,” to the point where critical long-term safety testing gets bypassed. And of equal concern, this type of draconian implementation infringes upon civil liberties, and places people’s fundamental right to bodily integrity in serious jeopardy.

Edited:

 

[Chaplain]

New Resources:

Video: Unbelievable? The Christmas story: fact or fairytale? Lydia McGrew vs Jonathan Pearce (12/18/20)

Atheist blogger Jonathan Pearce is the author of ‘The Nativity: A Critical Examination’. He believes the birth narratives in Matthew and Luke are pious fiction. Christian thinker Lydia McGrew, author of ‘The Mirror or the Mask?’ defends the historicity of the Nativity accounts.

Video: True Peace in a World of Chaos | Tanya Walker | The Saturday Session | RZIM (12/19/20)

“I find that I am constantly shocked by the Bible. It repeatedly forces you to re-examine your paradigms, and it was no different for the people who heard it first. In the Gospel of Matthew, the announcement of the birth of Jesus is accompanied by these words; that the baby is to be called Jesus, in the Hebrew meaning, ‘God saves.’”

Video: When the Invisible Becomes Visible | Sylvia Woods, Alanzo Julian Paul | Capture the Wonder (12/18/20)

We warmly welcome you to join us as we close our Advent series with a thought provoking interview with Canadian artist Sylvia Woods. Here we will explore some of her most recent paintings that not only capture our wonder but our hearts as she paints inspired by topics such as grace, transparency, lamentation, and so much more.

Video: Agents of Hope - Are We? - Charles Joseph, Speaker & Trainer, RZIM Christmas Cheer in a Skewed Year (12/18/20)

Hurting people tend to hurt others. Charles Joseph invites you to respond with gentleness and be an agent of Hope

Reflections on John’s Prologue

...John’s prologue is a feat of christological midrash on Gen 1:1, intentionally merged with scriptural witness to God’s creative speech-acts, primitive confessions of the pre-existent Son of God, Jewish Hellenistic wisdom traditions, messianic discourse, and fashioned in such a way as to deliberately resource and resonate with tropes in Greco-Roman philosophy. In effect, John takes the Logos, a malleable yet popular concept in Greco-Roman philosophy for cosmic rationality, and he baptizes it in Jewish wisdom traditions and re-codes it with christological meaning. The assertion is astounding as Schnelle notes: “John is expressing a universal claim: the Logos Jesus Christ has come forth from his original unity with God, he is God’s own creative power, he is the origin and goal of all being, and in the Logos Jesus Christ the religious and intellectual history of antiquity reaches its goal.”

Church Fathers Who Denied the Immaculate Conception

Recently I had the privilege of participating in a discussion with some Catholic brothers over at the Reason and Theology channel on our respective views of the virgin Mary...I thought it might be useful to compile some of the quotes I referenced that I regard as countervailing data among the church fathers with respect to the third Marian dogma, the immaculate conception of Mary. That way those following the debate can look them up for themselves.

When My Sister Had COVID-19

On hearing my sister was sick, my first reaction was to cry out, “How long, O Lord?” How long will my sister face continued hardship? So many trials plague her. This feels like too much! I was reminded of Psalm 13 and of David’s same cry as he faced overwhelming trials. And I found myself praying through it. How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? (Ps 13:1–2)

Burnley's Pastor Mick - from dangerous drug dealer to lifesaver

Two weeks ago, millions of people watched Pastor Mick Fleming and Father Alex Frost on BBC News, feeding and clothing the poor in Burnley. Many were moved by their work, and since then they have received more than £250,000 in donations.