Category Archives: Unity

Review: One Forever

Resource Talk, Review

| |

Sam Freney: Your new book One Forever: The transforming power of being in Christ is about ‘union with Christ’. This is a topic that theologians get excited One Foreverabout, but why should the rest of us care? (more…)

Playing the man and not the ball

Life, Thought, Sola Panel

| | 10 comments

I’ve been pondering the unwelcome reality of disagreements with friends.

My recent Briefing review of Michael Jensen’s book on Sydney Anglicanism* reflects a difference of opinion between Michael and me that we are still in the midst of discussing. I’m also in the process of writing something in response to John Dickson’s ebook on women and sermons, and this too will highlight disagreements with John about some important issues. (more…)

The shock of disunity

Life

|

Christians regard unity as being of primary importance, reflecting a theme that runs through the Scriptures: unity is where God bestows his blessing (Ps 133); Christian unity testifies to Christ’s identity and his love for his church (John 17:23); unity in the church glorifies God (Rom 15:5-6); and we are commanded to be united because there is one body and one Spirit (Eph 4:3-6). In fact, unity in the faith is the goal of Christian ministry and edification in the church (Eph 4:11-16). (more…)

On being generous

Thought, Sola Panel

| | 24 comments

I keep hearing calls for a ‘generous orthodoxy’—one that is kind and open-minded towards those who differ, and that doesn’t come down hard on every mistake or variation in doctrine. This is a useful and attractive idea, as well as a dangerous one, of course (Carl Trueman has commented insightfully on the issues over at Reformation21). (more…)

Anglican family

|

You can’t split a marshmallow. You can melt it—you can even cut it—but marshmallows are too malleable to be split. Something has to be brittle to split. (more…)

Fight the good fight (part 1): A time to break down and a time to build up

Life, Sola Panel

|

Are Christians these days too critical of each other, too ready to oppose and too ready to be negative? You could certainly find plenty of evidence to support this claim. Then again, are Christians these days so polite, inoffensive and unwilling to stand for the truth, they end up being nicer than Jesus? A fair-sized dossier could be assembled in support of this contention as well. So which is it be, nasty or nice?

(more…)