Down-under round-up: 24 February 2016

Issue of the week

We’re overweight in social issues and underweight in discipleship this week…

‘Is socialism satanic? Why has the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals gone all political?’ Scotland’s David Robertson responds to a post by Rick Phillips, pleading with his American brothers and sisters to stop identifying Christianity with their own particular politics and economics.

North American politics does interest some Australians too. And to my mind, one of the more interesting things happening with the US presidential candidate primary season has been conservative Christians who do not much like Donald Trump’s style, policies or theology nevertheless trying to explore why he has so much appeal. It forces you out of your established, middle-class ways of thinking, considering how out of touch you might be with significant sections of society. Rod Dreher is a biblically orthodox, conservative Orthodox Christian whose writings in this area I often find insightful (albeit sometimes lengthy).

A 17-year-old female prefect who was actually there writes ‘In defence of the Archbishop (and why the Bible isn't sexist)’.

People who disagreed were quick to accuse her of being brainwashed, so Murray Campbell reflected on how such debates proceed in society. He appeals especially to Christians to avoid aggressive speech or caricaturing opponents in ‘Lessons in how to disagree with popular opinion’.

And still on gender issues, here is what I consider some exceptional (and entirely secular) long-form journalism by Gay Alcorn on an issue our society grapples with: ‘Australians are being told that gender inequality is the root cause of domestic violence. But is it?’. Read the entire piece if you are concerned about this problem. Don’t assume she means that gender issues are unimportant either; however, she insists the evidence suggests there are other important factors. A chaplain I know commented in response that a robust doctrine of sin helps us in understanding here. 

Making disciples of Jesus

 Joe Thorn reminds pastors of some better ways of thinking about the sheep in the flock they tend on behalf of Christ, with help from a Puritan: ‘The sheep aren’t stupid’.

A friend of Matthias Media, Kevin Halloran, wonders if Screwtape might be advising any these strategies be used against you.

Tim Patrick acknowledges the realities of online learning, but sounds some caution—rooted in apostolic testimony about face-to-face teaching and the ‘wrench of distance’—in ‘Theological education with low relational contact’.

Jason Helopoulos’ advice to young pastors can also be revisited with profit by more experienced ones: ‘6 ways pastors can use their time well’.

I found this article by Michael Kruger fascinating: ‘Where are all the heretical bishops in the second century? He’s taking on the idea that early Christianity was not unified in around an apostolic gospel deposit, but was full of divergent heresies that were only stamped out by the orthodox warriors of the third and fourth centuries.

Image of the week

1 Timothy 1:15—a favourite ‘comfortable word’.

(And by the way, a good text for a Christmas sermon, that is unlikely to be as well-worked over as the usual nativity narratives.)