The wrath of God was set aside?

It is Holy Week. On Friday we commemorate the death of Jesus of Nazareth. His death has occasioned many reflections. Here is one of my own. Then let's look at one of St Paul's.

Gospels v Epistles

Preparing for a sermon this Palm Sunday past, I was struck by the way in which the gospels set out to explain how an innocent man died on a cross according to ordinary historical explanation: Jesus clashed with the authorities, provocatively rode on a popular wave of support into Jerusalem and then engaged in a protest action in the Temple, the heart of the political establishment of the elite leadership of Israel.

We look for the gospel writers' explaining Jesus death in terms of a theology of the cross but the signs are sparse. They offer us a history of the cross.

The epistles, however, offer virtually no history of the cross but plenty of theology of the cross. From the perspective of hindsight Jesus died on the cross because of God's great redemptive plan for humanity. Christ died for our sins. It matters little in terms of the theology of the cross which Jewish rulers shopped Jesus to the Roman authorities, whether Jesus was betrayed or denied, and why any of these actions took place (save as further examples of the sins for which Jesus died).

St Paul: Jesus was our substitute

'But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God.' (Romans 5:8-9)

Recently In Christ Alone has been sung at services of significance in our Diocese, mostly with the following verse unmodified,

"Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live,"

Often when singing this verse I have a bit of a debate in my mind. Perhaps you do too. It is a debate that was well rehearsed on ADU a few years back.* Is the line 'the wrath of God was satisfied' justified? If so, why and if not, why not?

I have no problem talking about God's wrath. It is a recurring theme in the Bible, in both Old and New Testaments. But talking about God's wrath is one thing (talk means we can have a discussion, offer some explanation, cite some supporting arguments, etc). Singing about it is another: we sing a line and move straight on to the next without time for questions.

I realise (now) that the word that makes me uncomfortable is 'satisfied.' Again, if we talk about it, we can tease out what is going on here. For instance we could talk about (from memory) Anselm and talk of satisfaction of God's honour. We could discuss whether 'satisfaction' of God's wrath is a biblical concept.

But does singing the line and moving on to the next one leave the impression of an angry God who will only be appeased by satisfaction? If so, does the line smack more of God's wrath motivating the death of Christ on the cross than the love of God?

Reading in Romans recently, I was struck by Romans 5:8-9 cited above.

Paul clearly states that:
- God's love is proven for us by Christ dying for us while we are sinners
- the effect of the death of Christ is that 'we have been justified by his blood'
- since we have been justified 'we will be saved through him from the wrath of God.'

Does any of this amount to 'the wrath of God was satisfied'?

In one sense at least, we do see God's wrath satisfied: the wrath of God is the punitive response of God to sin and to sinners - I am summarising the Bible in saying this (e.g. Deuteronomy 9:7; Nahum 1:2-6; Romans 12:17-21; Ephesians 2:3; Colossians 3:6).

God is just and thus not indifferent to sin and to sinners. God responds to sin But the death of Jesus imputes a new status to us sinners: 'we have been justified by his blood'.

Thus the wrath of God is satisfied at least in the sense that God has no need to respond to our sin since we are now viewed through Christ as justified.

But if we think of the wrath of God being satisfied in a different sense, the sense that the wrath of God is not satisfied until (say, noting a line in the song cited above) 'every sin on Him was laid', or the sense that it is an unappeased wrath which is only appeased by some mighty appeasing action (such as Jesus being punished instead of us being punished), then Romans 5:8-9 is not itself a text in support of some appeasing (= satisfying) action.

The blood of Jesus speaks of God cleansing us through the death of Jesus, rather than of God's wrath being appeased or satisfied.

One further point is notable in this Pauline text. Although the word 'substitute' is not used, the logic of the verses is crystal clear: if Christ had not died for us, we would remain dead in our sins, subject to the wrath of God. In his death Christ is our substitute. He dies in our place so that we might be justified through his blood and saved from God's wrath.

What then of the words of this famous and popular song, In Christ Alone?

Hesitantly I wonder if Romans 5:8-9 leads us away from 'The wrath of God was satisfied' to 'The wrath of God was set aside'.

What do you think?

* In 2010 there were five posts: one, two, three, four, five.

ADDENDUM
A masterly post by Ian Paul is published here with intensely interesting discussion following.

Australia Rules World Cricket

It is the nature of Kiwis, even Christians, to fervently wish for the defeat of Australia on the sporting fields of our dreams. Yesterday, however, a great and wonderful Kiwi dream died: our dream of being the world champions of cricket. To make the dashing of the dream more painful we need to acknowledge the following facts:
- we were playing Australia in the final
- we did not play well
- Australia bowled outstandingly and batted assuredly
- the better team won and (noting form all summer, save for a narrow loss to NZ a few weeks ago) is the BEST team in the world.

Spiritual and Sacred Links - Monday 30 March 2015

Supplied by me: Bloopers of the week, courtesy Doug Chaplin.

Noted on Taonga: a series of reflections for each day of Holy Week from the pen of John Bluck. Taonga is here. The reflection for Monday is here.

Supplied by a UK colleague:

SERMONS AND TALKS

1. The Grace of God - Andrew Wingfield Digby - St Andrew's Oxford Audio [Ephesians 2:1-10 & John 3:14-21]

http://tinyurl.com/qab8cqp

2. Discipleship, Holiness & Revival - Bishop Hwa Yung - St Andrew's Singapore Audio

http://tinyurl.com/o39vmo5

3. Pain: Illusion or Truth? = Professor John Lennox and Daniel Lowenstein - Veritas Forum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5tBqtQ2dPM

4. Our Inheritance - Dr Ashley Null [Cranmer and the Mission of the Church]

http://tinyurl.com/nnkodkr

Commentary

5. The Sunday Readings - Rev Stephen Trott

https://laworgospel.wordpress.com/

6. Preaching Ideas and Commentary - Rev Peter Carrell

http://preachingdownunder.blogspot.co.nz/

7. Continue reading the New Testament in a year with Rev Andrew Goddard

http://www.sjtl.org/category/reading-nt/

WORSHIP

8. The bells of St. Olave's, Hart Street in London - BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05ns8p8

9. Choral Evensong from St John's College and Gonville and Caius College Combined Choirs from Cambridge

http://www.sjcchoir.co.uk/webcasts/5February2015

10. Sunday Hour - BBC Radio 2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05ns9zk

11. Choral services from the chapels of King's College Cambridge

http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/choir/webcasts.html

and St John's College, Cambridge

http://www.sjcchoir.co.uk/webcasts

and Trinity College, Cambridge

http://trinitycollegechoir.com//webcasts/listen-again/

and New College, Oxford

http://www.newcollegechoir.com/webcasts.html

PRAYER

Please pray for the Church of England, for Christians and all facing persecution and crime in Syria and Iraq and during the Nigerian elections going on now; for the persecuted church and in particular in China; for peace in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza; and for the Diocese of South Carolina.

12. Topical Prayers - Church of England

http://tinyurl.com/6wnk2pk

Prayers for the Church of England from Lent and Beyond

http://tinyurl.com/mvux2u3

Iraq/Syria: Assyrian Christians flee jihadists to southeast Turkey - WWM

http://tinyurl.com/njffgzc

Nigeria: Nigeria vote runs into second day after glitches, killings - Reuters

http://tinyurl.com/pdta99n

How churches are responding to Boko Haram - Christian Today

http://tinyurl.com/oxs95vl

China: Chinese Court releases 8 Christians after pleading guilty over church protests - Christian Today

http://tinyurl.com/pnvz6gv

South Carolina: Prayers from Lent and Beyond

http://tinyurl.com/kssn33y

CURRENT AFFAIRS

13. Sunday Programme - with Edward Stourton - BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05ns8pg

Food for thought

14. What Palm Sunday Means: God's Street Theatre Comes to Jerusalem - Bishop Tom Wright

http://tinyurl.com/obzo2ta

Who the unchurched really are - Gene Veith

http://tinyurl.com/q59cx8q

Best Paid Cleric - CEN

http://tinyurl.com/nlee644

The Dance of Suffering and Love - Mark Galli - Christianity Today

http://tinyurl.com/o9uz2le

FINALLY

15. Paul Mealor in conversation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEBQW7csqPc

16. Ubi Caritas - Paul Mealor - Royal Holloway Choir

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QETjHFe4_g

17. Birds Flew Over the Spire - Gary Ryan - About Sound

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2O6FVpVk4I

God bless you

Anglican Future Conference Down Under

460 conferees, including 40 Kiwis are meeting together in Melbourne, Wednesday to Friday this week to hear about and to discuss the future of Anglicanism, with special reference to Anglican churches Down Under.

David Ould posts here. With an interview of keynote speaker Ashley Null here and interview of Archbishop Eliud Wabukala of Kenya here.

Sydney Anglicans posts a report here.

During the conference the Australian branch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans was launched, at an event generously sponsored by the Anglican Church League.

As an observation from a distance - and I am regretful that I could not be at the conference myself - I am intrigued at the emphasis on the Anglican church being reformed, protestant and evangelical in the ACL report on the launch of the FCA (Australia), Gavin Poole says,

'We promote ministry that is reformed, protestant and evangelical.

By reformed we mean ministry that has its genesis in the sixteenth century reformers who recaptured the Biblical faith that we are saved through faith in Christ alone and that God is sovereign in life and salvation.

By protestant, we protest Biblical aberrations, name and warn against false teaching. Our unity is in the gospel, not structure and institution.

By evangelical, we fully trust in the powerful gospel of Jesus Christ which provides the only solution to human rebellion. The gospel is not just one of many messages but our only one.'

On the one hand, this is a simple truth about Anglicanism: we are not (say) Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox because we took a specific pathway in the 16th century which led us to be a reformed yet episcopal, protestant yet established, and evangelical yet inclusive of other streams church.

On the other hand, I wonder about the emphasis on the genesis of Anglicanism in the genius of the 16th century. Was not the reformation a cry of 'ad fontes'? A determination to re-find the genesis and genius of the church in the first century writings of the apostles as they witnessed to Jesus Christ as Son of God?

I cherish our heritage in the 16th century and there remain theological tendencies and errors which the Reformers help us to combat, but as an evangelical I would love to see the first two emphases above in a new evangelical Anglican movement for the 21st century being:

- evangelism: a Spirit empowered apostolic witness to Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord;
- renewal of the Anglican church: our love for our church as Anglicans fuels our desire to see us being the best church we can be for God, a desire which on occasions will lead to protest but which will also lead to faithful service within our 'structure and institution'.

To be quite blunt: I do not see how Anglicans with an Anglican ecclesiology can divide 'gospel' from 'structure and institution'. If we are not united in gospel, structure and institution, we are not united as Anglicans. Anglicanism is a package deal: gospel proclaimed in the context of 'structure and institution'.

New Woman Bishop with a Twist [Updated]

Scanning the headlines on Twitter this morning I noticed that the new Bishop of Hull is to be the CofE's second woman bishop, Alison White.

Delving further I notice that her husband Frank is already a bishop.

So this must be the world's first husband and wife set of bishops!

UPDATE

And then there were (will be) three as a new Bishop for Gloucester is announced, the first woman to be a diocesan bishop in the C of E.

A note about 1 Timothy

Introduction
'
In comments recently here I have asked the question whether those who use 1 Timothy 2 as an argument against women being ordained as presbyters or bishops, or against women teaching mixed gender congregations also implement the instructions on widows in 1 Timothy 5.

My point in raising the question has been 'defensive' because commenters raised questions about my consistency on certain issues. But I realise it is likely to be read as aggressive (e.g. in the sense that raising the question could be interpreted as 'I dismiss your claims about 1 Timothy 2 if you do not consistently follow through on 1 Timothy 5').

So let me walk through the important point about looking at 1 Timothy 5 in comparison with 1 Timothy 2, a point which I hope is beyond any need I feel to be defensive. I hope also, especially in respect of the Epilogue below, that I demonstrating an awareness of and appreciation of arguments for male leadership and thus that this post is eirenic in both intention and delivery.

Note on 1 Timothy

One of the questions I have long had about the prohibition in 1 Timothy 2:12 is whether it is sufficient to bear the weight of applying to the life of the church through every generation in every culture and in every context.

Is it a universal law of the church or a command for a particular occasion, an occasional law? The occasion in 1 Timothy would then - in my view - be the occasion when the church is under threat of false teaching damaging or even destroying it

When a well supported understanding of the word authentein is 'to usurp authority' (interestingly, the translation of the KJV), the question arises whether women are being prohibited from being appointed to positions of authority in the church - appointed that is by proper authority in a church (such as a council or synod).

In terms of the question of whether a universal or occasional law of the church is being laid down in 1 Timothy 2:12, the word authentein meaning 'to usurp authority' implies the verse is setting out an occasional law, a law for the occasion when a woman usurps authority with a view to teaching error.

That is, 1 Timothy 2:12, on this logic, is not laying down a universal law which forbids any woman from ever having authority in the church in any and every generation, culture, context. Also, on this logic 1 Timothy 2:12 is not a law forbidding an authorised council or synod of the church making an appointment of a woman otherwise bound by the terms of her appointment to teach true doctrine.

This approach, thinking of 1 Timothy 2:12 as an occasional law and not a universal law is strengthened when we consider what is said about widows in 1 Timothy 5.

In this chapter Paul continues from earlier chapters to set out his views on how Timothy should order the church in Ephesus. Mostly what he sets out about widows can readily be ascribed to universally (e.g. in terms of respect for widows (5:3), family obligations to care for family members being fulfilled (5:8)) but some aspects warrant closer inspection in respect of what might be occasional.

In 5:4, for instance, those Christians privileged to live in a welfare state are likely to ask if they continue to have an obligation to monetarily provide for their widowed mother or grandmother when the state may take care of that obligation.

In 5:9 Paul speaks of a 'list' on which widows' names are to be put 'if she is not less than sixty years old and has been married only once' (with further conditions in verses 10-11, and see also 16). Anecdotally (and confidently) I would say that no church in New Zealand keeps such a list. I would further suggest that if we did start keeping such lists we likely would argue among ourselves about '60' and about 'married only once'! In other words, I suggest that what Paul instructs in verses such as 5:4 and 5:9 is an occasional law regarding widows in the church and not a universal law.

Things get even trickier when we move down to 5:14. Recognising some difficulties re younger widows living, shall we say, a gadding about and gossipy lifestyle, Paul says (with an "I" familiar from 2:12), "So I would have the younger widows marry, bear children, and manage their households ..."

Again, this on closer inspection is difficult if we take it as a universal law of the church: it speaks to younger widows of child bearing years who have opportunity to marry but it fails to speak to younger widows of child bearing age who do not have opportunity to marry; it also, in conjunction with 5:9, fails to set out what a middle aged widow younger than sixty, either beyond child-bearing age, or old enough to prefer not to bear a child is to do. It seems reasonable to understand this instruction re younger widows marrying as an occasional law of the church, when given the opportunity to marry, they should. But this is not a universal insistence that all younger widows must remarry nor that the church should ensure this happens.

I would go further and also suggest that when churches are not troubled by gadding about and gossipy younger widows, then the occasion for Paul's instruction here might not arise

Obviously much here can be discussed and debated, both about 1 Timothy 5 and about 1 Timothy 2, to say nothing of other laws laid down by Paul in other parts of each of these chapters and in other chapters.

What I hope I might have raised here with some plausibility as well, I hope, with grace, is the question of how we read, understand, and apply the laws of the church laid down in 1 Timothy given the changing nature of church life in variable societies.

An important question I am advancing here is whether Paul is laying down in 1 Timothy universal or occasional laws for the church in respect of various matters of order in the life of the church.

Epilogue

I want to acknowledge that various arguments can be advanced in favour of an exclusively male leadership or headship of the church which are not underpinned by 1 Timothy 2:12.

A Roman Catholic (and now only rarely Anglo-Catholic) argument for a male priesthood concerns the representational character of leadership in the church: Christ was a male so his presbyters/priests also ought to be male.

Closely associated is an argument from a presumed pattern of leadership authorised by Jesus himself: leaders such as bishops and priests/presbyters in the church today are successors to the apostles who were exclusively male. That Jesus had women disciples, that Mary Magdalene had an apostolic role to the apostles and that 'apostle' as a general term could attach to a woman such as Junia (Romans 16), on this argument, only heightens the fact that Jesus chose twelve men to be 'the apostles' who would found, lead and guide the church. If women were intended to lead the church today, so the argument goes, Jesus would have signalled his approval by choosing at least one woman among the twelve.

A headship argument drawing on 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 and Ephesians 5:22-33 proposes that men should lead the church because (a) the church as the body of Christ should be led on earth by men who fall into an ordering God/Christ/men/women, and (b) the church is a household of faith and men are to be heads of households.

Another 'pattern of leadership' argument draws on the creation story in Genesis 2: Eve is formed from Adam to be Adam's 'helper.' Understanding that 'helper' is a significant role since God himself is 'helper' of Israel and not in any way shape or form a demeaning role, the creation mandated role for women in relation to men is for women to 'help' or support men in their roles and thus not for women to lead men.

I am happy to be corrected if I have misrepresented these arguments.

Sacred and Spiritual Links - Monday 23 March 2015

From a UK colleague:

I hope some of this may be of interest, including some late Lent links.

#1 Vaughan Roberts puts on his spectacles; #2 Kendall Harmon looking for God; #3 Mark Russell in the firing line; 4 Bishop Tom Wright puts up his dukes; #9 great evensong from York Minster; #12-15 a selection of Lent links, delayed due to earlier illness. #16 Please pray for Christians being massacred in Nigeria and Pakistan and persecuted in Iran, China and Burma and for the Diocese of South Carolina. #20 Allegri's Misere Mei Deus newly released by the choir of King's College, Cambridge.

I hope all is well and prayers for you during the coming week.

SERMONS AND TALKS

1. Where is your focus? - Vaughan Roberts - St Ebbes Audio

http://tinyurl.com/lxdz4r3

2. My God, My God why has Thou Forsaken me - Dr Kendall Harmon

http://tinyurl.com/q2vn6n7

3. Facing the Canon: Mark Russell, Chief Executive of Church Army - J John

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RGjQHNyEJM

4. Good God - A Conversation with Professor NT Wright at Duke - Veritas Forum Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjdLatKLo1k

Commentary

5. The Sunday Readings - Rev Stephen Trott

https://laworgospel.wordpress.com/

6. Preaching Ideas and Commentary - Rev Peter Carrell

http://preachingdownunder.blogspot.co.nz/

7. Continue reading the New Testament in a year with Rev Andrew Goddard

http://www.sjtl.org/category/reading-nt/

WORSHIP

8. The bells of St Mary's, Wambrook in Somerset.- BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05mpwf3

9. Choral Evensong from York Minster - BBC Radio 3

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05204y8

10. Sunday Hour - BBC Radio 2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05mpt75

11. Choral services from the chapels of King's College Cambridge

http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/choir/webcasts.html

and St John's College, Cambridge

http://www.sjcchoir.co.uk/webcasts

and Trinity College, Cambridge

http://trinitycollegechoir.com//webcasts/listen-again/

and New College, Oxford

http://www.newcollegechoir.com/webcasts.html

LENT ROUNDUP

12. Daily Readings

Trinity School for Ministry

http://www.tsm.edu/lent2015/devotion

Archbishop of York

http://tinyurl.com/k5ohy5e

Essential Journey to the Cross - daily reading from Scripture Union USA

http://tinyurl.com/pxfjnhj

13. Lent Courses and Teaching

The Art of Examen - 24-7 Prayer

http://www.24-7prayer.com/podcasts

or on Youtube

http://tinyurl.com/n9ntbad

40 Days with George Herbert – Church Society

http://churchsociety.org/blog/entry/george_herbert_on_pastoral_ministry/

Diocese of Winchester Lent Course with a Benedictine Theme

https://winchesterlent.wordpress.com/

Lent series from Bishop Julian Dobbs on Vimeo

https://vimeo.com/channels/876573

14. Lent Books

Gratitude and Grace: Through Lent with John by Peter Carrell and the late Lynda Patterson - still available from Theology House

http://tinyurl.com/pepos9p

The God of Life - Bishop John Harrower

http://tinyurl.com/pwhvwhs

John Piper has two books available to purchase or which can be downloaded as free pdfs:

A Hunger for God: Desiring God through Fasting and Prayer

http://tinyurl.com/mw6drpv

pdf

http://tinyurl.com/lkb9yvp

Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die

http://tinyurl.com/lqfhzmv

pdf

http://tinyurl.com/mknp4cc

15. More Links

Lent and Beyond

http://tinyurl.com/mat8cgl

Evangelical Alliance

http://tinyurl.com/aemxsan

Diocese of Durham

http://tinyurl.com/qh2x74u

PRAYER

Please pray for the victims and families of bombings in Lahore, Pakistan of Christ Church reportedly part of the Anglican Church of Pakistan and St John's Roman Catholic Church; those affected by cyclone devastation in the islands of Vanuatu in the Pacific, formerly known as the New Hebrides; for the Church of England, for Christians and all facing persecution and crime in Syria and Iraq including The Christians being held hostage and for refugees facing winter and hunger; for the persecuted church and in particular in India and Iran; for peace in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza; and for the Diocese of South Carolina.

16. Topical Prayers - Church of England

http://tinyurl.com/6wnk2pk

Prayers for the Church of England from Lent and Beyond

http://tinyurl.com/mvux2u3

Nigeria: Gunmen kill 100 Christian villagers in central Nigeria - WWM

http://tinyurl.com/m9evbeh

Boko Haram headlines hide persecution of Christians in mid-Nigeria, too - WWM

http://tinyurl.com/p3omojy

Report referred to

http://tinyurl.com/mvmr7jm

Iraq/Syria: The Christians who are defying ISIS - Christian Today

http://tinyurl.com/mpzbe4o

Forgiving ISIS: Christian ‘Resistance’ Videos Go Viral in Arab World - Christianity Today

http://tinyurl.com/pdygzrz

Pakistan: Suicide Bombers Attack Sunday Services in Pakistan's Largest Christian Neighborhood - Christianity Today

http://tinyurl.com/pfwp5jt

Volunteers died to save others - Open Doors

http://tinyurl.com/nclgyuf

Paris Mayor awards Asia [Bibi] Honorary Citizenship - Change.org

http://tinyurl.com/ocxop4t

Iran: Iranian Christian prisoner who refused to hand over Bible “insulted” prison imam - Barnabas

http://tinyurl.com/m5kmb6x

China: Bishop says China has ordered an end to church demolitions - UCA News

http://tinyurl.com/m6pv63p

Burma: Defamation laws suggest decline in freedoms - CSW

http://tinyurl.com/nshw648

South Carolina: Prayers from Lent and Beyond

http://tinyurl.com/kssn33y

CURRENT AFFAIRS

17. Sunday Programme - with Edward Stourton - BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05mpwf9

Food for thought

18. Technology and the Christian Life - Dr CJ Williams

http://tinyurl.com/kfeeljf

Budget 2015: fixing the (church) roof while the sun shines - Frank Cranmer

http://tinyurl.com/peyckug

Religious Voting Intentions and Other News - Clive Field - BRIN

http://tinyurl.com/nf7w7bn

Church of England defends sale of assets for recruitment plan - Ruth Gledhill - Christian Today

http://tinyurl.com/muf2p4k

From Evidence to Action - CofE thinging about what is needed to grow churches [Is anything missing?]

http://www.fromevidencetoaction.org.uk/

Balancing Acts: Tim Keller and Andy Stanley explain what it takes to get ministry right - Christianity Today

http://tinyurl.com/9jx3374

Magna Carta - British Library

https://vimeo.com/channels/staffpicks/121986760

FINALLY

19. Is there a Future for Confessional Anglicanism? — conference audio [Talks from AB Glenn Davies and Dr Mark Thompson]

http://acl.asn.au/acl-2015-conference-audio/

20. Misere Mei Deus - Allegri - Choir of King's College, Cambridge [Psalm 51 - railse quality with cogwheel lower right]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX1zicNRLmY

21. Kingdom Come - Beth Croft - Premier

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMy0EY13WfI

22. Solar Eclipse 2015 - BBC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9GdfL_ToU

God bless you

Synthetic Children, Traditional Families and the Leading of the Spirit

This past week has seen a storm of words over Dolce and Gabbana's claim about traditional families constitute the only families:

"“The family is not a fad,” Gabbana told the interviewer. “In it there is a supernatural sense of belonging.” 

Procreation “must be an act of love.” Children born through artificial insemination or egg donors are “children of chemistry, synthetic children. Uteruses for rent, semen chosen from a catalog,” Dolce said.

“The only family is the traditional one. No chemical offsprings and rented uterus: life has a natural flow; there are things that should not be changed.”"

You probably read about Elton John's reaction (he and David Furnish have two sons) but here is another which is worth noting, if only for signs of political unity in the GLBT community unravelling as the politics of capitalist society exerts itself.

Picking up on my post of a couple of days ago about the Spirit at work among us, I wish to raise the question of the leading of the Spirit about family life.

I suspect we can all agree that there is a degree of plausibility to the claim that the Spirit is leading the church to support gay couples. (Note this is not the same as saying we all agree with the claim itself). The plausibility lies in recognition that social life is important, that the community of two is less likely to be lonely than the community of one, and that God blesses and supports friendship. We can see that if the Spirit is leading the church at this time in a new direction then it is in the direction of the better (e.g. safer, more secure, mutually supportive) life which comes from partnership.

Dolce and Gabbana's comments about the traditional family in respect of children and about the way in children should be intentionally brought into the world in the context of the traditional family lead me to ask:

Is it plausible to think that the Spirit of God is leading the church beyond the embrace of same sex partnerships to bless the intentionality of (say) two men bringing children into the world via a surrogate mother, knowing that the children will from the beginning have no mother?

Answers on a postcard to Box ... no, seriously: could answers to this question not only offer a Yes or a No but also some reasons for saying Yes or No. That is, reasons which explain how we would know as a church that this is, or is not the leading of the Spirit.

My argument here is that claims to know the leading of the Spirit in respect of new ethical situations are easily made and initially may even have a popular hearing. But very quickly we get to situations where the claim to know that the Spirit is leading in such and such a direction is less likely to have a popular hearing. Not - dear Elton John - because of bigotry but because of uncertainty as to how on earth we might establish the claim. If you have ideas on how the church might establish such a claim, send them in via comments.

Now for those who vigorously want the church to oppose Dolce and Gabbana's vision of the family and affirmation of the importance of children born to a mum and a dad, there is another route forward: a straight ethical argument which does not invoke the Spirit of God.

My argument here is that pressing the church forward on the basis of what some see as the leading of the Spirit is a fraught pathway which quickly runs into shoals and reefs.

A note to North American Readers

Bryden Black, a regular commenter here, observes:

"Wow! Have you in the NE of US copped a bad winter or what! So glad to hear Spring is springing - see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-31909353"

There is no doubt that the world's climate is going through change. Down Under in recent days we have had a devastating storm destroy most buildings in Vanuatu. Let us pray for one another through these and other trials troubling our world.

Sacred and Spiritual Links - Tuesday 17th March

From a UK correspondent:

Somewhat late due to family commitments including my parents' 63rd wedding anniversary which we celebrated today along with Mothering Sunday.   

#1 Vaughan Roberts has a remarkable overview of the Bible.  Please pray for Vanuatu wrecked by cyclone damage and for Pakistan where Anglican and Catholic churches have been bombed today.

I hope all is well and prayers for you during the coming week.

SERMONS AND TALKS

1. God's Big Picture: an overview of the Bible, showing how the different parts of the Bible fit together under the theme of the kingdom of God - Vaughan Roberts - St Andrew's Oxford Audio

http://tinyurl.com/lozpbmt

2. What does the Bible really teach? - Hugh Palmer - All Souls Langham Place Audio

http://tinyurl.com/lqwbcsk

3. Values for money: morality and financial markets after the crisis - Donald Hay - St Andrew's Oxford Audio

http://tinyurl.com/mopz7z4

Commentary

4. The Sunday Readings - Rev Stephen Trott

https://laworgospel.wordpress.com/

5. Preaching Ideas and Commentary - Rev Peter Carrell

http://preachingdownunder.blogspot.co.nz/

6. Continue reading the New Testament in a year with Rev Andrew Goddard

http://www.sjtl.org/category/reading-nt/

WORSHIP

7. The bells of St. Petrock, South Brent in Devon - BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b055dttq

8. Choral Evensong from Salisbury Cathdral- BBC Radio 3

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05204yq

9. Sunday Hour - BBC Radio 2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b055f08r

10. Choral services from the chapels of King's College Cambridge

http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/choir/webcasts.html

and St John's College, Cambridge

http://www.sjcchoir.co.uk/webcasts

and Trinity College, Cambridge

http://trinitycollegechoir.com//webcasts/listen-again/

and New College, Oxford

http://www.newcollegechoir.com/webcasts.html

PRAYER

Please pray for the victims and families of bombings in Lahore, Pakistan of Christ Church reportedly part of the Anglican Church of Pakistan and St John's Roman Catholic Church; those affected by cyclone devastation in the islands of Vanuatu in the Pacific, formerly known as the New Hebrides; for the Church of England, for Christians and all facing persecution and crime in Syria and Iraq including The Christians being held hostage and for refugees facing winter and hunger; for the persecuted church and in particular in India and Iran; for peace in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza; and for the Diocese of South Carolina.

11. Topical Prayers - Church of England

http://tinyurl.com/6wnk2pk

Prayers for the Church of England from Lent and Beyond

http://tinyurl.com/mvux2u3

Deadly blasts hit Pakistan churches in Lahore

http://tinyurl.com/mlxs4te

and Reuters report

http://tinyurl.com/m7mkxrk

India: Indian police beat Christian evangelists - WWM

http://tinyurl.com/myejgsz

Vanuatu cyclone: First aid reaches islands ravaged by Pam - BBC News

http://tinyurl.com/jvnc33r

Live Updates from TVNZ

http://tinyurl.com/n4bzo6w

Iran: Iranian President’s broken promises to minorities - WWM

http://tinyurl.com/lw94z4u

UK Christians in Parliament Report referred to [pdf]:http://tinyurl.com/n7gxj4h

South Carolina: Bishop Lawrence Mark Lawrence's Report

http://tinyurl.com/l4d4lqt

Prayers from Lent and Beyond

http://tinyurl.com/kssn33y

CURRENT AFFAIRS

12. Sunday Programme - with Edward Stourton - BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b055dttx

Food for thought

13. Did Jesus Rise From the Dead? [Infographic] - Josh Byers

http://tinyurl.com/lwk694q

Resources for engagement with Scripture - Biblegateway

http://tinyurl.com/mxoap32

50 Shades of Boundaries - J John - CEN

http://tinyurl.com/msgbbff

Portraits and Stories of African-American ex-Slaves: 1936-1938

http://tinyurl.com/kycztpd

Is there room for forgiveness in the Middle East? - Jeremy Moody - CEN

http://tinyurl.com/klj8828

'Jerusalem 3D' zooms in on power of ancient city with Imax intensity - LA Times

http://tinyurl.com/kosacxo

John Rutter on The Lord Bless You and Keep You - Classic FM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNYvdQmzdQ8

FINALLY

14. Do You Know What You Believe? - JI Packer - Crossway Video

http://tinyurl.com/lla9ckp

15. O Salutaris Hostia - Ēriks Ešenvalds - Trinity College Choir, Cambridge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blUTC7zzzRI

16. Your Love Remains - Worship Central NZ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztTVN9OwZx4

17. A Behind-The-Scenes Look at the Making of JERUSALEM 3D

https://vimeo.com/98289038

God bless you

What is the Holy Spirit doing in our day?

Is there confusion among the comments to my last post about the role of the Holy Spirit as we are led into all truth according to Jesus' promise?

I think there might be.

Let's see what we can make of our understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit in our day. Naturally, I am not confused about this (!?!).

(1) The very least but perhaps also the very most we can make of the promise of Jesus that the Spirit would lead us into all truth is that the Spirit will lead believing disciples into the fullness of understanding possible this side of glory as to who Jesus the Son is in relation to the Father and to the Spirit. Not to put too fine a point on it, it is very arguable that the doctrine of the Trinity is the outcome of Jesus' promise about the role of the Spirit in relationship to 'the truth.' That doctrine is our words to express the fullest and deepest understanding we come to as a church about the meaning and implications of all the Scriptures say about God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

(2) Another relatively untroubling claim about the Holy Spirit working in our day is the claim that the Spirit is leading us forwards in the mission of God. From the Scriptures themselves witnessing to the leading of the Spirit in the apostolic mission to the promptings and visions which have led apostles in other ages forwards (think: Celtic saints, Francis of Assisi, Hudson Taylor) the church has been little troubled by the thought that the Holy Spirit continually works as our Paraclete, the One who walks alongside us and guides us forward in obedience to the Great Commission.

(3) I understand that John speaking in chapters 14-16 of the ongoing work of the Spirit of truth leading the disciples into all truth (the only evangelist who does this) is (among other things) justifying his own different-to-the-others gospel. How can John present Jesus in such a different mode to Matthew, Mark and Luke? How does John get to present a Jesus whose discourses penetrate more deeply than the others into the mystery of God, especially into the mystery of God the Father and God the Son? Answer: through the Spirit of Father and Son who has led John into this deeper truth.

(4) Things get more controversial when we examine claims that the Spirit is speaking through contemporary prophets who bring a direct message from God to the church. Can we say in response "Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church"? On such matters disagreements during the 'charismatic renewal' could get quite heated. Partly that may have been because disputing that such a prophetic claim could come with all the subtlety of an power establishment suppressing any kind of novel speech. Easy to respond that the church authorities were 'quenching the Spirit'. How dare they!? Of course, it was also because some claims of prophetic speech were bizarre. But, more importantly, the controversy often involved a debate as to whether such claimed speech from God accorded with God's revelation in Scripture.

This observation takes us close to a different set of controversies in this period. Is the Spirit leading the church into change over X or Y or Z? Is the proposed change in accord or out of accord with the message of Scripture? By what authority do we recognise the voice of the Spirit leading the church in a new direction? By what authority do we recognise a new interpretation of Scripture as a leading of the Spirit, or, affirm the continuation of a traditional interpretation of Scripture?

In respect of controversies over women in church leadership or blessing of same gender unions, it is easy to set up a self-contradictory position. I may have been guilty myself here on the blog of saying or effectively saying, "The Spirit is leading us to a new position on women in leadership" AND "Scripture is clear on same gender relationships so all claims to a new leading of the Spirit are nonsense."

If I am guilty of such sloppy thinking then I wish to sharpen up.

Here goes.

I want to suggest, in accord with (1) to (3) above, that the Holy Spirit leading us into all truth is not leading us into 'new truth' (if by that we mean something which contradicts Scripture - see example below*) but leading us into deeper understanding of what has been revealed to us through Scripture.

The question we may ask of women leading in church is whether the Spirit is leading us into deeper insight into what is revealed to us in Scripture (noting, to give but one example, the significance of Galatians 3:28).

The question we may ask of blessing of same sex unions is whether the Spirit is leading us into deeper insight into what is revealed to us in Scripture (e.g. regarding marriage, friendships, blessing, same sex sexual relationships).

Before we lash ourselves in comments about how we go about answering such questions and whether we are able to be consistent in our answers (especially in the circumstance of answering one question one way and the other question another way), I would like to point out some ways in which the Spirit does appear to be leading many Christians of all persuasions in response to these questions.

On women in leadership:

I note that no commenter here has ever objected to women being on Anglican vestries (though once upon a time women were not permitted to be on Vestry). I also note that even in the Diocese of Sydney, women are ordained to the diaconate (when once they were not) and no commenter here has ever dispute that decision. One could roll out some other examples of women advancing in leadership roles which once were not so but which are in fact accepted by many if not all, even as disputes continue about 'priesthood', 'episcopacy' and 'teaching mixed gender congregations'. Is this the Spirit leading us forward in appreciation of deeper insight into the place and status of women in the life of the church?

On same sex partnerships:

I note that the many disputes here in the comments do not obscure the many points of agreement among us about same sex partnerships. No one here, for example, is arguing that sexual acts between men should be re-criminalised in the penal codes of the countries we belong to (most commenters seem to be in NZ, Australia, Canada, the States and the United Kingdom). No one here is arguing for prejudicial laws which would (say) prohibit a same sex partner from being the next of kin of a dying person. What we have in common, it could be argued, is an agreement that the Spirit is leading us forward in deeper appreciation of the basic rights of human beings to be treated with dignity and respect, in accordance with the revelation in Scripture that men and women are both created in the image of God and redeemed by Christ.

Is it possible that we could all agree that in certain and various ways we see the Spirit of truth at work in our midst?

Don't worry, I am not about to leap on a bandwagon that then boldly declares 'and the Spirit is leading us specifically in this direction (even though few of the rest of you see that'!

But I do think it worth thinking about where the Spirit is leading us, perhaps even when we have not thought about it. Our lack of thought about what might be common ground on the Spirit's leading might even be a sign of the self-effacing Spirit's quiet work among us.

*In the difficult period of the 1930s for Christians in Germany, many Christians were swept along with enthusiasm (itself a form of 'spiritual' or 'spirited' leading) to embrace Nazism as a movement of divine power. But the critique of this sense that the Spirit was leading into new truth lay in recognising that Nazism represented a contradiction of the Scriptural claim that Jesus is Lord.

Sydney's version of Being Anglican under Stress? (UPDATED)

UPDATE Very interesting article now from Julia Baird in the SMH about responses to the issue, including the unprecedented (in my experience) of seeing a Sydney blogger backtrack!

(Incidentally, coming into my Inbox today was a link to this article, touching on areas involved in the issues of this post, but from a 'catholic' approach to thinking about connection between gender and liturgy. Not, in my view, First Things' finest article).

ORIGINAL Down Under internet trawlers over the last week or so might have noticed that SMH journalist Julia Baird has led something of a calling out on the doctrine of male headship/female submission, a doctrine which, diplomatically, we will say is not unknown nor un-taught in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. And, we must also say, it is taught in other churches around the globe (yes, I am thinking of you, John Piper).

A few days later this initial article was followed up with a personal story of abuse in a marriage. One anecdote does not make for anecdata, but apparently a few more stories are forthcoming, according to Johanna Harris Tyler, writing on the ABC website. Even then a series of stories at best may represent evidence of distortion of a doctrine otherwise sincerely held and lovingly maintained by couples mutually agreeing to live their marriage in a particular manner. That doesn't sound right ...is it submission if I mutually agree with my husband to embrace the doctrine of headship?

The better point to make (albeit with urgency in the light of personal stories of abuse) is whether the doctrine of headship is true or not. On that matter Johanna Harris Tyler makes a good case that the doctrine is certainly not incontestable and likely not true.

One question I have been pondering lately is this: why do we talk about headship of men and submission of wives leading to a description such as 'doctrine of headship' when we could as readily talk from the same Bible passages about the doctrine of sacrificial love (husbands for their wives)?

Clearly some vigorous discussion will be occurring around Sydney dinner tables, if not Lord's Tables. So we see a robust response to Julia Baird here by Sarah Colyer. David Ould has three posts on his site. (In part David's is technical, exegetical and if you want to comment on his exegesis, please do so there and not here.)

One problem. What Sarah Colyer writes looks like a doctrine of mutuality in marriage not a doctrine of headship and submission. Her happy marriage sounds like my happy marriage!

What I would like to see is an intelligent writer like Sarah engage with a response to this item in Johanna Harris Tyler's article:

"A forthcoming conference at the Priscilla and Aquila Centre, linked to Moore Theological College, entitled 'Submission and the Christian Life', only advertises male speakers, all of whom are strong advocates of female submission."

Is a smart woman who is able to speak publicly via the medium of the Sydney Morning Herald going to defend an all male line up for such an event?

What, incidentally, we might ask, is the difference between a woman teaching a mixed gender SMH readership about the doctrine of headship and a woman teaching a mixed gender congregation?

It is from this kind of observation that I suggest the greatest stress will fall on Sydney Anglicans who continue teaching headship. To continue to teach the doctrine is (I predict) to increasingly provide examples of the doctrine being problematic.

Here is another instance. Sandy Grant, senior minister in Wollongong cathedral, offers a rebuttal to Julia Baird which in substantial part is a clarion call to understand that the doctrine of headship involves many exceptions to the teaching that the husband is head of the wife. Abuse exempts a wife from submitting to her husband, and 'abuse' is widely defined by Grant so there are many exceptions to the application of the doctrine:

"Often we've just not been explicit enough in naming 'domestic violence' and the fact it refers not only to actual violence, but to threats, verbal abuse, restrictions on movement, and other emotional or psychological abuse.

So let's be clear for any Christians who missed the memo. The Bible says any abuse or aggression from one spouse to another, whether physical or verbal, is wrong."

But nowhere do the Bible verses which are used to teach the doctrine offer such exemptions. In rightly pointing out that husbands who abuse their wives are doing wrong, Grant in fact is trumping one doctrine (headship) with another doctrine (do no harm). In making this theological judgment, Grant is being a theologian, not a Bible exegete. He is offering a fuller theology of marriage than the doctrine of headship itself gives.

Further, he highlights that the doctrine of headship is problematic because it needs rescuing whenever it goes wrong. It needs to be propped up against misunderstanding and distortion.

Are we not heading into the territory of the absurd?

Absurdity is difficult to defend.

It may take decades, or it might be achieved with the election of the next archbishop, but I predict that the doctrine of headship in Sydney will die a quiet death and become a slightly embarrassing footnote in future histories of the Diocese.

It is much easier to teach (what I call) the doctrine of mutuality in marriage, a doctrine which draws together both texts on marriage, texts on respect for other people, and texts on responsible action in relationships to teach marriage as a relationship of mutual love and responsibility between spouses and for any children in the marriage.

The interesting observation about Sandy Grant and Sarah Colyer's contributions to the debate to which I have discussed above is that they more or less teach the doctrine of mutuality in marriage while straining to retain the subject heading of 'headship'. They are half way there :)

Sacred and Spiritual Links - Monday 9 March 2015

Supplied by a UK colleague ...

A brief offering this week: #1 Alister McGrath on CS Lewis; #2 No worries from Vaughan Roberts.

I hope all is well and prayers for you during the coming week.

SERMONS AND TALKS

1. CS Lewis: 'A Prophet for Contemporary Christianity' - Professor Alister McGrath - LICC Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPWgZR7peJk

2. Why do you worry? - Vaughan Roberts - St Ebbe's Audio [Luke 12:13-21]

http://tinyurl.com/o4oz2yd

Commentary

4. The Sunday Readings - Rev Stephen Trott

https://laworgospel.wordpress.com/

5. Preaching Ideas and Commentary - Rev Peter Carrell

http://preachingdownunder.blogspot.co.nz/

6. Continue reading the New Testament in a year with Rev Andrew Goddard

http://www.sjtl.org/category/reading-nt/

WORSHIP

7. The bells of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Hanbury in Worcestershire. - BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b054p93v

8. Choral Evensong from King's College, Cambridge - BBC Radio 3

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05406wk

9. Sunday Hour - BBC Radio 2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0546dbk

10. Choral services from the chapels of King's College Cambridge

http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/choir/webcasts.html

and St John's College, Cambridge

http://www.sjcchoir.co.uk/webcasts

and Trinity College, Cambridge

http://trinitycollegechoir.com//webcasts/listen-again/

and New College, Oxford

http://www.newcollegechoir.com/webcasts.html

PRAYER

Please pray for the Church of England, for Christians and all facing persecution and crime in Syria and Iraq including The Christians being held hostage and for refugees facing winter and hunger; for the persecuted church and in particular in North Korea and Iran; for peace in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza; and for the Diocese of South Carolina.

11. Topical Prayers - Church of England

http://tinyurl.com/6wnk2pk

Prayers for the Church of England from Lent and Beyond

http://tinyurl.com/mvux2u3

North Korea: Canadian Christian pastor goes missing in North Korea - Christianity Today

http://tinyurl.com/omlbz7f

Iran: Saeed Abedini 'shaken' by execution of fellow prisoners - Christianity Today

http://tinyurl.com/l7slez9

South Carolina: Prayers from Lent and Beyond

http://tinyurl.com/kssn33y

CURRENT AFFAIRS

12. Sunday Programme - with Edward Stourton - BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b054p941

Food for thought

13. Opening the Bible for Everyone - James Catford, Bible Society - CEN

http://tinyurl.com/l6gx3tb

What You Probably Don’t Know about ‘The Least of These’ - Andy Horvath - Christianity Today

http://tinyurl.com/knost4m

FINALLY

14. Kyrie from Mozart's Litaniae Lauretanae - Choir of New College Oxford

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9nEbc6lk60

15. O Lord, We seek your face - Worship Central NZ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-4Q4kXfv84

World's ransom, blessed Mary's Son (UPDATED)

When I studied at Durham University in the 1990s, the legendary giants of its 20th century contribution to NT study, C.K. Barrett and Charles Cranfield, were long since retired.

I see that Charles Cranfield has died at or about the age of 100 years!

Michael Bird has some thoughts here.

You will have to click on one of the articles about Cranfield linked there to find out why I have ended up with a Shakespearean phrase as the title to this post!

UPDATE

Some guy, recently dismissed as a non-scholar (as regular readers here will recall from a few weeks ago) by a scholar no one ever heard of, has written an erudite, learned, scholarly, respectful, indeed delightful obituary and evaluation of Charles Cranfield and his contribution to scholarship.

Why whistle when a flautist is at hand?

There is no need for a post from me today. Nick and Tessa's Ugandan blog does a better job by far than anything I could do.

I found this uplifting and I hope you do too!

Sacred and Spiritual Links - Monday 2 March 2015

Supplied by a UK colleague:

SERMONS AND TALKS

1. What do you value? - Vaughan Roberts - St Ebbe's Audio [Luke 12:13-21]

http://tinyurl.com/q72z4fe

2. Father Forgive them for they know not what they do - Dr Kendall Harmon

http://tinyurl.com/qhrwp3k

3. Private Life in a Public Arena - Andrew Wingfield Digby - St Andrew's Oxford Audio [Matthew 6:5-18]

http://tinyurl.com/onfy58a

Commentary

4. The Sunday Readings - Rev Stephen Trott

https://laworgospel.wordpress.com/

5. Preaching Ideas and Commentary - Rev Peter Carrell

http://preachingdownunder.blogspot.co.nz/

6. Continue reading the New Testament in a year with Rev Andrew Goddard

http://www.sjtl.org/category/reading-nt/

WORSHIP

7. The bells of Exeter Cathedral - BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b053s8z1

8. Choral Evensong from St David's Cathedral in Wales - BBC Radio 3

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05305pq

9. Sunday Hour - BBC Radio 2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b053zn8b

10. Choral services from the chapels of King's College Cambridge

http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/choir/webcasts.html

and St John's College, Cambridge

http://www.sjcchoir.co.uk/webcasts

and Trinity College, Cambridge

http://trinitycollegechoir.com//webcasts/listen-again/

and New College, Oxford

http://www.newcollegechoir.com/webcasts.html

PRAYER

Please pray for the Church of England, for Christians and all facing persecution and crime in Syria and Iraq including The Christians being held hostage and for refugees facing winter and hunger; for the persecuted church and in particular in Nigeria, Egypt and Libya; for peace in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza; and for the Diocese of South Carolina.

11. Topical Prayers - Church of England

http://tinyurl.com/6wnk2pk

Prayers for the Church of England from Lent and Beyond

http://tinyurl.com/mvux2u3

Syria: 72 Assyrian Christian families captured, 50 besieged by IS after Syria attack - WWM

http://tinyurl.com/l5lyfcb

The greatest weapon against ISIS? Forgiveness - Martin Saunders - Christian Today

http://tinyurl.com/pm38j63

What ISIS Really Wants - Graeme Wood - Atlantic

http://tinyurl.com/o3tn7p7

Who are the Assyrian Christians? - Carey Lodge

http://tinyurl.com/oe7akrg

Bishop accuses Turkey over Syrian Christians - AFP

http://tinyurl.com/psyt2zf

Libya: Copt Church forms committee to evacuate Egyptians from Libya - Agencia Fides

http://tinyurl.com/p3yurq6

Egypt: Prayers for persecutors answered - Open Doors

http://tinyurl.com/pqozbew

Nigeria: 'Tireless' missionary kidnapped in Nigeria - WWM

http://tinyurl.com/qxw9ew5

South Carolina: Prayers from Lent and Beyond

http://tinyurl.com/kssn33y

CURRENT AFFAIRS

12. Sunday Programme - with Edward Stourton - BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b053sbq7

Food for thought

13. Who wrote the Bible? - Jeffrey Kranz

http://tinyurl.com/nm22aqy

A Pattern Among Fallen Pastors – Lessons for Us All - Garrett Kell

http://tinyurl.com/o5gh4g4

What is 'the Common Good'? Community, Communication and Personal Communion - Oliver O'Donovan

http://tinyurl.com/l4rbawd

One-Third of Audience for Christian Books, Radio, TV, and Movies Is Unchurched - Christianity Today

http://tinyurl.com/nd6g8yj

Do Digital Decisions Disciple? - Christianity Today

http://tinyurl.com/lpvvu2a

FINALLY

14. Lord, For thy tender mercy's sake - Richard Farrant - Kampen Boys Choir, NL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rKBC0YkB1k

15. Name above - Nikki Fletcher

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvX91-VUolk