Latest Ideas

• 1 January 2010

The word ‘Torah’ (which is what the Jews call the first five books of the Bible) means ‘instruction, regulation or law’. It occurs throughout key passages in Leviticus (e.g. Lev 6:14, 25; 7:1, 7, 11, 37). Leviticus follows Exodus 40, where Moses sets up the tabernacle according to God's instructions

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• Steve Cree
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• 1 January 2010

Church government, with its talk of elders, deacons, overseers and offices, can be bewildering. But as Steve Cree argues, perhaps that’s because we’ve lost sight of the mission of Christ. Have you ever noticed the defining factor in most denominational names—Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Congregational, Pente­costal, Inde­pendent? It’s a particular understanding

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• Guan Un
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• 1 January 2010

Guan’s story so far in four sentences: Guan likes self-deprecation, but isn’t very good at it. He is ever so slightly obsessive about his iTunes collection, he is married to M,1 and at the time of writing (2008), he has just started ministry training (MTS) at the University of New

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• Marty Sweeney
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• 1 January 2010

I am one of the few who doesn't regularly follow the worldwide hit show 24. My days are certainly not as action-packed as Jack Bauer's. But I know that Bauer's work isn't as important as what I've been involved in over the last 24 hours of my life. Here are

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• 1 December 2009

“Did you want to ask any questions?” It’s mid-afternoon and I am sitting with Jason[1. Not his real name.] in the visitors’ courtyard of Villawood Detention Centre, Sydney, Australia. Boxes of Thai food grow cold on the table. Behind us, two Africans share a cigarette by the play equipment; beyond

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• 1 December 2009

Oblivious I learned to pray mnemonically. From repetition, songs and games, I learned to speak about God with big words and concepts. At a young age, I memorized almost the entire script of the Roman Catholic Mass—even the priest’s words. My friends and I played ‘pretend church’, and took turns

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• Guan Un
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• 1 December 2009

Guan's story so far, in four sentences: He is currently a writer for The Briefing—since, at least, the start of this paragraph. As of the time of writing (2008), he's 26, looks about 13 (blame the Asian genes), is married to the amazing Mary,1 and is about to start MTS

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• 1 December 2009

I appreciated the interview with Grant Retief in the October Briefing. He has certainly done a significant work on university campuses in Durban and in the recruiting and training of apprentices. His analysis of the South African Christian scene is also perceptive—and provocative. According to the 2001 Census, nearly

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• Paul Grimmond
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• 1 December 2009

I have a friend who has an adolescent daughter. Surprisingly, there are moments when the relationship is more rocky road than dairy milk, if you follow me. As he described his current set of frustrations, it suddenly occurred to me that adolescence is the new black. Here are the two

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• 1 December 2009

Most of us evangelicals know that we’re not brought into God’s presence by singing songs over and over again until our eyes roll into the backs of our heads. And we know we’re not brought into God’s presence by sitting in a stone building with colourful windows. Instead, most of

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