Sacred and Spiritual Links - Monday 10 November 2014 (including Remembrance Day links)

(Supplied by a colleague in the UK)

SERMONS AND TALKS

1. True Love - Vaughan Roberts - St Ebbes Audio [Ezekiel 16:8-19 and Revelation 2:1-7]

http://tinyurl.com/l43nzab

2. Growth through Hardship - Bishop Rennis Ponniah - St Andrews Singapore Audio [Psalm 63]

http://tinyurl.com/m3qduza

3. The Legitimacy of Political Authority - Donald Hay - St Andrew's Oxford Audio [Romans 13:1-7 and Mark 12:13-17]

http://tinyurl.com/m5wuhmq

4. Heaven - Billy Graham video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6twEXynopo

more

https://myhopewithbillygraham.org/get-started/

5. Three talks from Bishop Ken Clarke of SAMS Ireland - South Carolina Clergy Conference Audio

The Double Vision of Jesus with an introduction from Bishop Mark Lawrence

http://tinyurl.com/lsr39v3

Failure is not Final

http://tinyurl.com/mrg6tou

Do you love me?

http://tinyurl.com/n7yx9f3

Commentary for Sunday 9th November

6. The Sunday Readings - Rev Stephen Trott

http://tinyurl.com/n22eang

7. Preaching Ideas and Commentary - Rev Peter Carrell

http://tinyurl.com/lwxagkn

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY WORSHIP November 9^th

8. The bells of St Lawrence, Towcester in Northamptonshire - BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04nqs3w

9. Remembrance Sunday Worship from Camp Bastion and Northern France - BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04nqs46

10. Ceremony of Remembrance from the Cenotaph - BBC Radio 4 - 10:30 am London Time Sunday [5:30am Eastern Time]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04nqs4d

Coverage on BBC One TV [UK only] starts at 10:25 am BST Sunday

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04ph21c

and highlights on BBC Two TV [UK Only] at 5:30 pm BST Sunday

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04pcmyy

11. Sunday Hour for Remembrance - BBC Radio 2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04m4gff

REMEMBRANCE DAY November 11^th

12. Live coverage from Trafalgar Square - Royal British Legion Livecast

http://tinyurl.com/konyv3k

OTHER WORSHIP

13. Choral Evensong from Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford broadcast in 1974 - BBC Radio 3

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04n5ttj

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

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

and Trinity College, Cambridge

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

and St John's College, Cambridge

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

and New College, Oxford

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

PRAYER

15. Prayers for Remembrance Day - Church of England

http://tinyurl.com/avl7bvu

and the Armed Forces

http://tinyurl.com/mdhwlsl

Prayers from [Australian] Defence Anglicans

http://tinyurl.com/ammf8n9

Prayer for Veterans Day [US]

http://tinyurl.com/ay5klrp

6. A Prayer from the Royal British Legion

Remember, 0 Lord, all those who have died the death of honour and are departed in the hope of resurrection to Eternal Life, especially the Officers, Men and Women of our Sea, Land and Air Forces, to whom it was given to lay down their lives for the cause of Freedom and Justice In that place of light, whence sorrow and mourning are far vanished, give them rest, 0 Lord, the Lover of Men. Grant this for Thine only Son, Jesus Christ’s sake.

Amen.

http://tinyurl.com/av2r3y3

Please pray for the Ebola Crisis and for those working for a cure; for Christians and all facing persecution and crime in Iraq; for the persecuted church and in particular in Nigeria and Pakistan; for peace in Ukraine, Egypt, Israel and Gaza; and for the Diocese of South Carolina.

17. Iraq Region:

Kurdish children detained, tortured and forced to watch beheading videos by ISIS - Christian Today

http://tinyurl.com/o3hzbrm

more Media Reports from FRRME

http://frrme.org/media-summary-6-november-2014/

18. Topical Prayers - Church of England

http://tinyurl.com/6wnk2pk

Nigeria: Christians tortured and killed in Mubi - Open Doors

http://tinyurl.com/jwbd366

Pakistan: Into the Fiery Furnace: Christian Couple in Pakistan Burned for Blasphemy - Christianity Today

http://tinyurl.com/koaf52e

South Carolina: Prayers from Lent and Beyond

http://tinyurl.com/kssn33y

CURRENT AFFAIRS

19. Sunday Programme - current affairs with Edward Stourton - BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04nqs42

Food for thought

20. Anglican Clergy Poll - BRIN and follow the links for original research

http://tinyurl.com/oqnhsme

We need more Christians in politics say MPs - Gillan Scott

http://tinyurl.com/phbdxj5

Billy Graham at 96: what we can learn from the great evangelist - Christian Today

http://tinyurl.com/qdtlhtj

Mental Illness, the Church, and a Helpful Resource - Christianity Today

http://tinyurl.com/ka9y4om

Toward Viral: What Exponential Growth Might Look Like: New Life Community Church - Christianity Today

http://tinyurl.com/l5a94pg

21. Remembrance Sunday in today’s world - Rev Stephen Trott

http://tinyurl.com/ldxhr93

Making the Poppies - HRP video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58aX_EBwzr4

Installing the Poppies

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

First World War sculpture unveiled in Trafalgar Square – RBL

http://tinyurl.com/koza3kr

FINALLY

22. Andy Grant - Help for Heroes Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7j8Gsz-esw

23. Tower of London's sea of red poppies from the air – BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29845111

In pictures

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-29935592

24. My soul, there is a country - Hubert Parry - Royal Holloway Choir

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsSlv2Rd3u4

Jesus likes Connecticut Episcopalians

A while ago, perhaps on another site, perhaps here, I have made the point that we should not use the title 'Father' for priests because Jesus expressly taught against it (Matthew 23:9). Vigorous response was the reply. Paul likened himself to a father to new converts, etc.

Anyway, some Anglicans 'get it'. Step forward the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut. You can read their resolution seeking the abolition of gendered titles here.

Sorry, Fr. Ron. It is just going to be plain 'Ron' from now on :)

Give Up Your Small Ecumenical Ambitions - a Warning

Jesus basically said that nothing much about the Christian life would be easy. Even he prayed for ecumenical unity. If unity just happened, he would not have prayed for it to happen!

So today's continuing preliminary skirmish on ecumenicity, preliminary to some, hopefully, more meaty thoughts about what makes up the ecumenical sandwich in the 21st century, is a Warning to follow yesterday's Preface.

The warning comes via Damian Thompson, arguably the youngest looking curmudgeon in the Roman blogosphere. In this post and comments below it, we have a neat view of how division among Christians breaks out, even in the otherwise monolithic Roman church. One thinks one thing, another thinks differently, a third challenges the authority of the leadership, either because it supports one thing or it fails to support that thing, then threats are made that a new church may need to be schismatically formed in order that one thing (or another thing) is fostered, with the bonus of being free of the supporters of the other thing which is so disagreeable.

Occasionally (as in the comments to Damian's post) someone steps out of the battle to observe that (e.g.) this is all about a relatively few remarried divorcees receiving communion. No one is proposing to increase the Trinity to four or deny that Jesus was fully human.

Meanwhile, in the battlefield now littered with  metaphorical corpses, a few people plaintively, if not foolishly, ask whether we might not do better at unity. The sight of the corpses is a warning about how hard the road to perdition unity is.

All is not unwell. Bosco Peters reminds us of an item recently circulating in the news: friendly relations between Old Catholics and Roman Catholics. Given the full communion existing between Anglicans and Old Catholics, this has to be good ecumenical news!

Give Up Your Small Ecumenical Ambitions - a Preface

Last week at St John's College I made a brief presentation on giving up our small ecumenical ambitions for the sake of an ambition to answer Jesus' own prayer that we may be one.

I want to write more about that - sometime - but a way into thinking further about how ecumenical gains could be made in this century is to read a report by Paul Butler (H/T Fr Ron Smith).

Previously noted here, +Paul (Durham) was an Anglican observer at the recent synod in Rome. In this report he ranges from personal experiences of worship, informal hospitality and presence in the synod. His experiences touch some of my own (e.g. the presence of genuine Biblical exposition in the Mass, representing a move away from citation of the Magisterium).

Ecumenism at the very least is the converging of church theology and practice into a mutual conformity to the teaching and example of Christ. Whether or not you or I urge greater moves, or for that matter resist them, the Spirit is at work among us.

PS Incidentally, the kind of ecumenical development noted within +Paul's article is very much 'evolutionism' rather than 'creationism'. Is it a clue as to how God works in all spheres of life?

I am with the Christians who pray to Allah ... oh, and Katy Perry's Guide to Karl Barth

Sometimes I have been asked, Should Christians in Arabic countries translate God with 'Allah'? The concern being that Christians using 'Allah' might convey a wrong understanding of the God of Jesus Christ. It would be better, of course, to ask Arabic Christians what they think. But in a twist to the question, Christians in Malaysia want to use 'Allah' for God and are banned for doing so.

The NYT has a challenging report on the issue facing Christians in this predominantly Muslim country. The ban from using their common word for 'God', that is, 'Allah', applies anywhere outside of churches. This has implications for the publication of Bibles. But is it all a political ploy to magnify minimal threats to Islam? And is it making Malaysia the laughing stock of the Islamic world?

Sticking with Islam, Steve Bell's blog publishes an article on the roots of Islamism worth a look. It makes an important point about the power of ideas and consequentially on the best way to respond to warring ideologies.

I note via Taonga that one aspect of warring ideologies, fighting between Shi'ites and Sunnis, appears to be erupting on the streets of Sydney. Don't go to Syria. Syria is coming to you.

Sometimes Catholics and Protestants have been at war too, both with bullets and with ideas. But Pope Francis is keen to discuss ideas. On the question of the day, marriage, he has invited Protestants to a colloquium. Can you guess which leading Prots are going? Answers here.

Katy Perry, who greets me most mornings in a fetching - that's code for "not many clothes on" - outfit via a poster on my daughter's bedroom wall, is the daughter of Pentecostal pastors (we may recall). What we may not know is that she is a metrical guide to the theology of Karl Barth. Well, sort of. Ace theologian Michael Bird has de-coded the hidden meaning of "I kissed a girl and I liked it." The translated version is here.

Will Anglican conservatives be left behind? Are Roman conservatives the new Pharisees? (2)

One reason why Anglican conservatives are Anglican conservatives is that other forms of conservative Christianity have their downsides.

The extraordinary story of the growth of the Mars Hill churches under the leadership of Mark Driscoll - an example of one man bandist conservatism?- has now become the story of ballooning growth followed by sudden deflation as the network announces it is dissolving itself following Pastor Driscoll's resignation.

An obvious virtue of the "mainline" denominations, slightly boring though they may be in the face of Mars Hill type stories during their growing phase, is that they never fall over when one person resigns or retires.

But what is the future of Anglican conservatism both locally (your patch or mine) and globally? Is the direction Rome is heading towards provoking conservatives to think carefully lest we get "left behind"? And I am not talking about the Rapture!

Consider. Under Francis as Pope the direction of Rome is towards being a church which both holds on to formal doctrine and extracts as much freedom within that framework to express mercy in the practice of the church's life, with special reference to fellowship at the Lord's Table. Let's call this direction "truth-and-mercy."

Is this a direction Anglican conservatism is heading in? Locally and globally?

Somehow, you see, Francis is managing to offer a text which says 'truth is unchanging' and a sub-text which says 'nevertheless I am going to work for mercy in its application.' Under his papacy Rome is attempting to speak about 'truth and mercy.'

A question we Anglicans should ask (IMHO) is whether the 'text' we offer is truth and the 'sub-text' conveys mercy or whether we offer a 'text' about truth which has a 'sub-text' which shows no mercy.

I find myself these days listening to fellow conservatives saying things re matters such as 'what the Bible teaches on human sexuality' (not terrifically different from Rome), 'if the church changes formally what is teaches through canons and constitution then ...' (i.e. locally, the Motion 30 debate in ACANZP), and 'we love and welcome gay and lesbian people in our congregations' (again, very similar to Rome).

Textually I understand what is being said, it is pretty much what I say myself, and it is consistent with the "truth" part of "truth-and-mercy."

But I wonder about the 'sub-text' of such talk.

If Anglican churches here and elsewhere, in the end, announce a 'text' concerning departure from established national/trans-national Anglican churches such as ACANZP because something changes about freedom to conduct blessings of same sex partnerships, what will the sub-text be?

No matter what the words of the 'text', will the sub-text of an announced departure be, "Gays and lesbians not welcome here"?

Or, will all be well?

All my questions here are questions for discussion. I am not a foreseer of the future. But my personal hunch is that I and other conservatives will not be departing because we cannot see how departing expresses mercy.

Spiritual and sacred links - Monday 3rd November 2014

One link I supply myself is to a Timaru Herald article about a new vicar being inducted (a service led by me in Bishop Victoria's absence). Another is to an interesting reflection on a possible Anglican Congress by Mark Harris at Preludium. Notable also is this sermon which makes reference to the ministry of my bishop, +Victoria Matthews.

The following links have been supplied by a UK colleague:

I hope some of this will be of assistance and use.   #5 Vaughan Roberts on encountering Jesus; #6 a brief talk from Andrew White's recent US church visits; #9-12 and #16 Some prayer talks and an interview from Tim Keller, prayer sites and information on the International Day/s of Prayer for the Persecuted Church; #15 reports on Christianity in Britain and China, commemoration of 800 years of Magna Carta and with recent church resignations for infidelity some thoughts on why this is happening.

Prayers for you this coming week.

WORSHIP

1. The bells of St. Leonard's, Streatham in London - BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04n2fmc

2. Choral Evensong from Gloucester Cathedral with the Royal School of Church Music Millennium Youth Choir - BBC Radio 3

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04mbmzb

3. Sunday Hour - BBC Radio 2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04lp052

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

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

and Trinity College, Cambridge

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

and St John's College, Cambridge

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

and New College, Oxford

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

SERMONS AND TALKS

5. Face to face with Jesus - Vaughan Roberts - St Ebbes Audio [Daniel 10:1-9 and Revelation 1:9-20]

http://tinyurl.com/nv3fdqb

6. Dr Andrew White Sermon - All Saints Chevy Chase video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79RLUVol4Js

Commentary for Sunday 2nd November

7. The Sunday Readings - Rev Stephen Trott

http://tinyurl.com/oojyev9

8. Preaching Ideas and Commentary - Rev Peter Carrell

http://tinyurl.com/prhkzgv

PRAYER

9. Five talks on aspects of prayer from Tim Keller

How to pray the psalms

http://tinyurl.com/ktvcdf2

Fighting for solitude

http://tinyurl.com/mwdfl3g

Joy, sorrow and the healthy prayer life

http://tinyurl.com/ljl9azo

We pray to a father

http://tinyurl.com/ohmqlsg

Prayers that don't work

http://tinyurl.com/l6dg9wp

Interview: 10 questions on prayer with Tim Keller

http://tinyurl.com/l3fjsoc

Some prayer sites:

10. Daily prayer from the Church of England

http://tinyurl.com/necfzae

Lent and Beyond - Topical Anglican prayers

http://tinyurl.com/n3cwtf8

Pray as you go - helpful Ignatian ecumenical daily prayer from UK Jesuits

http://tinyurl.com/pnmkxtj

Prayers and songs from Taize - follow the links on the left

http://tinyurl.com/y89vt6

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

11. Christians Urged to Gather on International Day of Prayer as Persecution Reaches Unprecedented Levels – CP

http://tinyurl.com/q4wmbah

International Day of Prayer site – WEA

http://idop.org/en/

CSW

http://www.csw.org.uk/idop

Please pray for the Ebola Crisis and for those working for a cure; for Christians and all facing persecution and crime in Iraq; for the persecuted church and in particular in Iraq, Sudan, Nigeria and Argentina; for peace in Ukraine, Egypt, Israel and Gaza; and for the Diocese of South Carolina.

12. Iraq Region:

Christian refugees 'have lost everything' - Open Doors

http://tinyurl.com/kkrw42h

more Media Reports from FRRME

http://frrme.org/media-summary-30-october-2014/

13. Topical Prayers - Church of England

http://tinyurl.com/6wnk2pk

Egypt: Request for prayer from Bishop Mouneer Anis

http://tinyurl.com/q66kren

Sudan: Prayers after 5 children from same family killed in bomb attack in Nuba Mountains - Christian Today

http://tinyurl.com/mb3jsqd

Nigeria: 90 more abducted, 17 killed - Open Doors

http://tinyurl.com/oa4mngn

Boko Haram leader says they have not agreed and ceasefire and teh schoolgirls abducted have been married off - Christian Today

http://tinyurl.com/nv8rc4h

Argentina: Attempted murder of Baptist pastor – CSW

http://tinyurl.com/o3z5t38

South Carolina: Prayers from Lent and Beyond

http://tinyurl.com/kssn33y

CURRENT AFFAIRS

14. Sunday Programme - current affairs with Edward Stourton - BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04n2fmq

15. Food for thought

The British Election Study 2015: Religious affiliation – BRIN

http://tinyurl.com/oyeg94m

Religion in China: Cracks in the Atheist Edifice – Economist

http://tinyurl.com/oerakqy

Six reasons why I believe Halloween is far from harmless - J John – Mirror

http://tinyurl.com/ls3qgza

Magna Carta Octocentenial site

http://magnacarta800th.com/

British Library online copy and translation

http://www.bl.uk/magna-carta

A Magna Carta for 2015 - Rev Stephen Trott

http://tinyurl.com/q2kjzx5

Why Are So Many Middle-Aged Men Falling Into Sexual Sin? - Larry Tomczak - Charisma News

http://tinyurl.com/os5fgld

Part 2

http://tinyurl.com/osyuq49

Five reasons to trust the Gospels - Heather Tomlinson

http://tinyurl.com/qjy4a4q

FINALLY

16. International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church - IDOP Vimeo

http://vimeo.com/103113861

17. Let all the world in every corner sing - Rodolphus Choir

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV5Zg1M9iF0

18. Surfing at 1000 frames per second - Chris Bryan Vimeo

http://vimeo.com/108799588