The Times has an excerpt from Doing Theology in Altab Ali Park a new book by Kenneth Leech, A street theologian outside the city gates.
The Times also has: Fearless in the face of tyranny by Simon Caldwell about Abp Pius Ncube of Bulawayo, and Time to stand up for our beliefs by Cormac Murphy-O’Connor.
The Guardian has Mark Vernon writing about Thomas Aquinas in Face to Faith.
In the Telegraph Christopher Howse reminds us that Church of England bishops once banned the English Hymnal.
And from the USA, this column in USA Today When religion loses its credibility by Oliver “Buzz” Thomas.
The article in the Telegraph by Christopher Howse has reminded me of a complaint written against new fangled worship with modern tunes and arrangements, and modern language. The complaint was that all this trendiness was irreverent. … it written some 250 years ago about Isaac Watts When I survey the wonderous cross” 🙂
Oliver “Buzz” Thomas’s piece is *outstanding* (and in “USA Today” no less—will wonders never cease?!)
When the church speaks up and a company like BA reviews their rules I hardly think the church has lost its credibility, on the contrary. The article in USA today seems to be saying that the church is out of touch because of homosexuality because science has proved it. Same-sex sex went on at te time of Genesis and at the time of Jesus so I dont think science was doing so good proving it. Science actually hasnt proved anything, no gay gene or anything. The church that knows same-sex sex is wrong is growing!. Its growing becuase Jesus Christ… Read more »
Dave W observed: “The church that knows same-sex sex is wrong is growing!” At the risk of being repetitive, two points (1) the BNP appears to be growing in popularity as well: does that also connote divine approval? Presumably not, and the easy identification of growth and righteousness is to be avoided. (2) The old one, ‘post hoc is not propter hoc’. It is quite a leap of faith to assert that the reason evangelical churches are growing is down to their take on the gay issue (and I think most evangelical Christians would be quite upset to think that… Read more »
Dear mynsterpreost, You ask “well: does that also connote divine approval? Presumably not, and the easy identification of growth and righteousness is to be avoided.” Christians believe that Jesus has become our righteouness 1 Corinthians 1:30 “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption” You also wrote “..that the reason evangelical churches are growing is down to their take on the gay issue (and I think most evangelical Christians would be quite upset to think that the only thing that they had to… Read more »
DaveW, Some churches are growing because it is comforting to be told that God approves of one’s comfortable middle class lifestyle, hates the things you hate and loves the things you love. At least here in North America, that would seem to be a lot of what is assumed, if not overtly preached, in a lot of self-styled Evangelical churches. Even when they take on social issues, it’s with this viewpoint. Take the environmental movement in Evangelicalism. One of their slogans is “What would Jesus drive?” Now, I’m not pooh-poohing their attempts to bring together Environmentalism and Christianity, but it… Read more »