As a child, I found the architecture of heaven a little baffling. What puzzled me was John 14:2: “In my Father’s house are many mansions” (KJV). According to the Macquarie Dictionary, a ‘mansion’ is “an imposing or stately residence”. A ‘house’, on the other hand, is a suburban cottage—the sort of place I lived in with my parents and brothers. So how do you fit mansions into a house? Is heaven like Dr Who’s Tardis—bigger on the inside than the outside?
A different Jesus
Thought
The prosperity gospel promises health, wealth and success this side of heaven. Its message is dangerous, but not just because it raises unrealistic expectations. Andrew Heard argues that the real problem lies in its representation of Christ.
Chocolate and chips
Couldn't Help Noticing, Life, Sola Panel
If my kids were given the run of the place and were allowed to set the rules, what would their day look like? Apart from the absence of school, I’m guessing their activities would involve a copious diet of computer gaming, MSN (if you don’t know what this is, ask someone under 20), music downloads, TV, chocolate and chips.
Dawkins’ dilemmas
Thought
A vicar was travelling on the train one day when a scientist happened to sit next to him. The scientist was an astronomer, and he smiled as he saw the vicar reading his Bible. He said, condescendingly, “I like to think that religion can be summed up by the words, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’”. The vicar, having discovered the scientist’s profession, replied, “Yes, and I like to think that astronomy can be summed up by the words, ‘Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are’”.
Two Ways to Live: Box 1
Audio
Download the MP3 (13:30; 6.1MB)
Is the Reformation over?
Thought
Mark Noll and Carolyn Nystrom contend that because differences between Roman Catholics and evangelicals have lessened,the Reformation is basically over. Are they right?
Beware that bandwagon
Couldn't Help Noticing, Sola Panel
I love a bandwagon as much as the next man. There’s a certain satisfaction to be gained from jumping on board the happy caravan as it passes by, to the cheers and back-slapping of your new fellow passengers. And as you join in shouting to the onlookers that they should jump on board too, there’s a delicious feeling of belonging to the righteous brotherhood of the truly aware. (more…)
The Twilight of Atheism
Review
The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern World
Alister McGrath
Rider Books, London, 2004, 306pp.
Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code
An interview with Paul Barnett. Originally published in Australian Presbyterian (August 2005). Reproduced by permission.
Dr Paul Barnett is the former Anglican bishop of North Sydney, Australia, and is currently a teaching fellow at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, and a part-time lecturer at Moore Theological College and the Presbyterian Theological Centre, Sydney.
The Gospel, the Whole Gospel and Nothing But the Gospel
The Protestant Faith radio broadcast, 23 February 1975.
On more than one occasion, Jesus said that those who follow him would not be popular. “If they have hated me, they will hate you also”, were his words. They have proved true. Christian believers and Christian clergy are constantly under ridicule. In other societies such as Russia, they are actively persecuted. On the other hand, we all like to be popular with our fellows, so there is a constant temptation for Christians to play down the gospel message of salvation. For the message is about the awful judgement of God and of Jesus, the only saviour. This message is resisted by the conscience of the hearer, and so there is a temptation to change it into something more acceptable, for example, into a call to set right wrongs and injustices.
Helping a friend with depression
Everyday Ministry
Biography
Thought, Word Watch
Are the four Gospels biographies of Jesus? At one level, this can be answered by New Testament scholars who study the genre of biographical writing in the first century. But there is also a linguistic answer to this question—and linguistically, all four Gospels are most definitely biographies.
The authority and inspiration of the Scriptures
The following short essay was originally published in the Westminster Teacher, September 1889. The electronic edition of this article was scanned and edited by Shane Rosenthal for Reformation Ink. It is in the public domain and may be freely copied and distributed.
Thomas Cranmer’s Preface to the Great Bible, 1540
A prologue or preface made by the most reverend father in God, Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury, Metropolitan Primate of England
For two sundry sorts of people, it seemeth much necessary that something be said in the entry of this book by the way of a preface or prologue, whereby hereafter it may be both the better accepted of them which hitherto could not well bear it, and also the better used of them which heretofore have misused it. For truly some there are that be too slow and need the spur, some other seem too quick, and need more of the bridle; some lose their game by short shooting, some by overshooting; some walk too much on the left hand, some too much on the right. In the former sort be all they that refuse to read or to hear read the scripture in the vulgar tongue; much worse, they that also let or discourage the other from the reading or hearing thereof. In the latter sort be they which by their inordinate reading, indiscrete speaking, contentious disputing, or otherwise by their licentious living, slander and hinder the word of God most of all other, whereof they would seem to be greatest furtherers.