I recently read a news article in Evangelicals Now about a unique new college being set up in Oxford with Christian aims and ethos. Unfortunately, the article left unsaid a lot of crucial things about the college. I had a closer look at the website and here are some things that should concern you before… Continue reading Checking out a new “Christian” higher education college -is it all as it seems?
Author: faithrootsdw
Are our views of right and wrong influenced by personality?
My friend Steve Kneale writes here about how it’s relationships not arguments that win people over. I think he has a good point here. It’s not apologetic debating that will lead people to Christ. We may win the argument but not the person. In fact, what you tend to find is that if you prove… Continue reading Are our views of right and wrong influenced by personality?
Are Christians meant to keep the Sabbath?
This question has divided opinion even amongst reformed evangelicals and the differences go back to the early days of the Reformation. Whilst there seems to have been a particularly “pro-Sabbatarian amongst the Puritans, reflected in the Westminster Confession, a more continental approach tended towards the view that the Sabbath pointed forwards to our eternal rest… Continue reading Are Christians meant to keep the Sabbath?
When Saturday comes: between death and resurrection
One of the themes we recently picked up on over Easter was that the whole of history is death and resurrection shaped because it is centred on, points to and is shaped by the death and resurrection of Jesus. This means that our lives are death and resurrection shaped too. This is both in the… Continue reading When Saturday comes: between death and resurrection
Scripture Alone or Scripture and Liturgy
Writing in the book “On Classical Trinitarianism” Christopher Hall asks and answers: “Exactly what are we saying and doing when we recite the Nicene Creed as members of Christ’s body, the church? We are affirming our trust in the Holy Spirit’s guidance and empowerment of the church as it studied, contemplated, and articulated the meaning… Continue reading Scripture Alone or Scripture and Liturgy
The blessings of the ascension
The conclusion to Luke’s Gospel helps us answer two important questions. Where is Jesus? And in response to this, where are we meant to be? Where is Jesus? The simple answer is that he is ascended. He is now in heaven. It’s that little, overlooked but crucial day in the Church calendar, perhaps because it… Continue reading The blessings of the ascension
Summer and winter, springtime and harvest
Reflecting not just on the Quiet Revival report but on anecdotal responses, one of the leaders in our group of churches commented recently that it feels as though something is happening, that summer is here.[1] He was talking about knowing the times and seasons. If we are in the summer time, then the kinds of… Continue reading Summer and winter, springtime and harvest
Time to celebrate? Another Sabbath factor
Something struck me from Graham Alexander’s comments after Bradford City got promoted. He was asked if it would be down to business for the next season on the following Monday. He said that no, the players would enjoy the civic celebrations, have a short holiday together.and observe the fire memorial. Then it would be back… Continue reading Time to celebrate? Another Sabbath factor
Is the empathy debate really just about “untethered empathy”?
I’m interested to see that Joe Rigney’s book “The sin of empathy” is continuing to generate a lot of passion. New Testament scholar, Robert Gagnon has posted a short article on facebook reacting to an article under the headline “Christian nationalists decided empathy was a sin, now it’s gone mainstream”. He complains about the … Continue reading Is the empathy debate really just about “untethered empathy”?
Have we tried too hard to be “unchurchy” when people want “churchy-church”
Steve Kneale raises an interesting question for us here. Have we been too focused on attempting to be less “churchy” when that is exactly what people ar looking for, something that looks, feels and sounds like we expect church to be. This is a helpful question, coming at a point when reports, anecdotal evidence, and… Continue reading Have we tried too hard to be “unchurchy” when people want “churchy-church”
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