Each of the four Gospels presents a unique perspective on the life of Jesus. The distinctiveness of John’s Gospel is well known. Of the three Synoptic Gospels, Luke shares many similarities with Matthew and Mark, but much is distinctive about Luke’s portrayal of Jesus. Four points deserve comment. First, only Luke explicitly identifies his purpose in …
Seven stanzas for Easter
By John Updike Make no mistake: if He rose at allit was as His body;if the cells’ dissolution did not reverse, the moleculesreknit, the amino acids rekindle,the Church will fall. It was not as the flowers,each soft Spring recurrent;it was not as His Spirit in the mouths and fuddledeyes of the eleven apostles;it was as …
A dead man’s dream
by Carl Wendell Hines Jr. Now that he is safely dead, Let us praise him. Build monuments to his glory. Sing Hosannas to his name. Dead men make such convenient heroes. For they cannot rise to challenge the images That we might fashion from their lives. It is easier to build monuments Than to build …
Should the church shun released prisoners?
On 19 May 2015 I was asked by a leader of a large NSW Baptist Church to provide advice on possible "biblical grounds" for a request by the church to exclude a person from attending services and other local church events. The person in question (let's call him "Dave") was formerly an active member of …
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John Wesley’s ‘Directions for singing.’
John Wesley (1703-1791) was an Anglican minister and founder of the Methodist denomination. On the last page of the hymn book, Select Hymns: with Tunes Annext, published in 1761, he set forth seven principles to guide Christians as they sing. As well as offering practical advice, they indicate aspects of his theology of worship, and his ecclesiology. …
