Bridge of Reason

by Jon Taylor Background A decade ago, Zondervan published Rob Bell’s first book ‘Velvet Elvis’ i which caused quite a stir amongst evangelicals although that was just a ripple compared with the tidal wave caused by his 2011 publication ‘Love Wins.’ ii In particular, John Piper was deeply concerned about Bell’s thoughts on penal substitution and the atonement. iii Rob Bell usually writes in a mysterious and provocative style, appealing to a postmodern audience, often leaving questions unanswered before raising another issue. There is typically a lack of clarity leaving the intended meaning open to discussion. Although not expressly stated in the respective texts, both books have come under criticism for either bordering Universalism or presenting Universalist ideas. At the time of authoring ‘Velvet Elvis’, Rob Bell was the Pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Michigan which is not to be confused with Mark Driscoll’s former church, Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington. In fact D...

A Weekly Bible Reading for Bridge Builders The Richmond Briefing has been a weekly feature of the Reachout web site for five years and is now available on the blog. To find out more and read earlier briefings go here Reading – The Snare of Legalism (Matthew 19:1-12) The Chambers Dictionary defines legalism as “strict adherence to law...the tendency to observe letter or form rather than spirit, or to regard things from the point of view of law.” It also helpfully illustrates the definition with a reference to the opposing doctrines of salvation by works and salvation by grace. I do like The Chambers Dictionary and commend it to you. But what is wrong with keeping the law? Surely as Christians we believe in being law-abiding? There is certainly enough in the New Testament about obedience to authorities. We are instructed, “obey your parents in the Lord” (Eph.6:1); obey your earthly masters with respect” (Eph.6:5); obey your leaders and submit to their authority” (Heb.13:17...

A Weekly Bible Reading for Bridge Builders The Richmond Briefing has been a weekly feature of the Reachout web site for five years and is now available on the blog. To find out more and read earlier briefings go here Reading – The Law Falls Short of God’s Ideal (Mark 10:1-16) The law is a useful thing to have by you at times of compromise and accommodation. When you’re in a tight spot a good lawyer can make the law say all sorts of things that those who originally drafted it never intended. Socrates was dead set against writing things down for that very reason. He argued that writing conveyed content without context and can therefore, in a different context, mean something quite other than what was intended. We see this at play in this passage. The Pharisees were trying to catch Jesus out on a subject about which he had already said a good deal. Each of the gospel writers reports Jesus’ teaching on marriage so his views must have been well known. This works out rather similar ...

Do you keep up with the news to know at least what is happening to churches in Britain, if not wider afield? If you do you must, like me be concerned at how Christianity is being treated by many of those in authorities? Here is the latest example: Male nurse of 40 years is sacked after urging 'patient' to go to church (in a training session) Andrea Minichiello Williams, Director of Christian Legal Centre commented: "How is it possible that a nurse who has served the public for 40 years should find himself dismissed because in a training exercise he advised someone to go to Church? To seek to censor and suppress this kind of language and belief is the first fruits of a closed society". As I always ask in these situations, "What would have happened if the Muslim had suggested they got to the Mosque?" Is not the church an established part of Society? Should not folks be given the opportunity to find out if such actions could help? The Very Rev John Hall, the...

We are living in days when more and more 'doom' prophecies are being published. This article will not say that they are all wrong; many of them will be in line with the events that Scripture predicts. My concerns here are not with the actual content of the prophecies but with the timing and our reaction to them. (A longer article will appear on www.reachouttrust.org in a couple of weeks dealing with the testing of prophet and prophecy too) Reaction to doom prophecies The reaction to these prophecies, by some Christians, is panic and fear. The latest David Wilkinson prophecy is such a one. He begins: "I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to send out an urgent message to all on our mailing list, and to friends and to bishops we have met all over the world. AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE - EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US. For ten years I have been warning about a thousand fires coming to New York City. I...

Is it not time for Christians to make their voice heard. Britain seems to be 'hell-bent' (literally and figuratively) on sidelining Christianity but accepting every other belief as ok. Has anyone stopped to ask why? Has anyone bothered to check out the beliefs of Christianity as compared with other religions? Do they really have the same to offer as Christianity? These are the questions I would like to ask the various council, hospital and school authorities. They are taking away the right of free speech but even worse they are taking away the right to eternal life. What do you think about the following? Christian foster mother struck off after Muslim girl converts Would a Muslim be struck off if a Christian child converted? Surely they are seeking to take away the fundamental right of freedom of religion to a girl who is seen in the eyes of the law to be an adult? NHS staff face sack if they discuss religion Just what does constitute preaching? Showing total care for...

Rick Warren being chosen to pray at the President's inauguration upset some members of the party but he is causing more controversy – this time with some Christians. Daniel Cordell of Love for Truth takes issue with praying in the name of 'Isa' What do you think?

Many may know that a battle raged in California last year over what is known as Proposition 8, an amendment to local legislation designed to confine marriage to relationships between men and women. I commented on it a little while ago in earlier post . The Mormons threw themselves into the "Yes" campaign along with Catholics, Evangelicals and others. However, the Mormons drew most of the rage felt by the gay community and liberals in general putting them near the top of many news reports for the wrong reasons. Anyway, the "Yes" vote won and traditional marriage values have prevailed, much to the chagrin of those who wished to call by the name of marriage anything that suited them. Inevitably, someone must be to blame and the Mormons seem to be getting all the attention again but this time their methods and integrity are being seriously challenged and, it would seem, there is some substance to the charge that they have broken the law. The article I have linked to is ...

California is in the middle of a constitutional battle over the issue of same-sex marriage, with liberals asserting that they have every right to do as they please in this matter without let or hindrance and conservatives insisting that everyone has the right to do it their way. The liberal argument is a familiar one – the greatest degree of freedom (read licence) with the least amount of interference from any particular (read religious) viewpoint. The conservative argument is as familiar – the greatest degree of responsibility for the greatest number of people to create the widest possible security for society by maintaining the Christian foundations on which that society was established. I am not a resident of California, neither am I American so my interest in this issue has been what you might call concern from a distance. As a Christian of the conservative variety my sympathies lie with those who wish to strengthen Christian values. What has caught my attention, however, is the wa...

Below is a copy of a letter, from the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, that was read to all Watchtower Congregations at the end of the Watchtower Study during the week of April 21 - 27, 2008. It gives an insight into the way that the Society change policy so easily and wrap it up as new light instead of just an administrative decision. What was looked upon as a very serious issue and an indication that you were not a loyal member of the Society - not regularly coming to the Book (sorry Bible) Study - is now not an issue at all. In fact they will have put three meetings together and they will be 75 mins than the 3 individual ones used to be. Maybe it shows that Jehovah Witnesses were not attending as many meetings as they should or that because they were attending the meetings it was was affecting the reaching out on the doors. Reading it though I cringed when they say they are fully aware of the mounting pressure on YOU precious sheep. Really? Then why are they still putting ...

We all know by now that the Archbishop of Canterbury seems to have turned native and proposed the adoption of Islamic Sharia law as an "enlighted" move that all reasonable people are bound to applaud. It's the kind of thing that makes you shocked though not entirely surprised and causes you to ask "what is the Archbisop of Canterbury for exactly?" Here are some links to key articles that sum up what the man has said and help us cut throught he spin his office has put on this story in recent days, as well as useful information about the exact implications of what he is suggesting. It really is important to know what is being proposed, sometimes even already accomplished in our name in the UK and to make our feelings known. In an excellent article in the Mail on Sunday Peter Hitchens comments: "I know of nowhere else where those most richly rewarded by a free society are so anxious to trash the place that gave them birth and liberty. " http://www.mailons...

The following is the Introduction to the Reachout Trust Book – Always Being Ready . It is an invaluable help to get you ready to communicate with those that you meet who have a different faith. The full product can be ordered direct from the Reachout Trust website at: http://shopping.reachouttrust.org/Shopping/reachout.nsf/(ProductsByCode)/I008 Or it can be downloaded as an eBook from: http://www.powells.com/s?kw=always+being+ready Introduction When we first published this book in 1996, there was some debate over its title; in the end we settled for Open the Door because that is what we wanted people to do. However, as this Introduction shows, something needs to happen before we open the door: we need to get ready. 1 Peter 3:15 indeed shows we are always to be ready: “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defence to every one who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” Surely that is impossible! No,...

A British charity, the Amos Trust, has produced a traditional nativity scene with a political twist. Made by Palestinian carpenters with olive wood from Bethlehem, they have a dividing wall symbolising Israel's controversial security barrier. Established around the work of Garth Hewitt in 1985, the Amos Trust helps underprivileged people around the world. However, I wonder if, with this project, they have gone beyond Biblical truth? It is understandable to use an event that brought the message, ‘Peace to all men’, to highlight a wall dividing two communities. But I wonder if it needs to question whether a country is allowed to defend itself from suicide bombers? Injustices between the two communities will not be solved by taking this wall away; only by removal of the dividing wall of enmity mentioned in Ephesians 2, that Christ started to deal with in His birth and completed in His death and resurrection. However, what struck me most was the comment that this nativity is one where...

The Anglican Church of Canada continues to Haemorrhage bishops as retired Anglican Bishop Malcolm Harding of Manitoba became the second bishop in a week to align himself with the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, which takes in most of South America. He followed Bishop Donald Harvey of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador, who announced last Friday he would come out of retirement to offer pastoral guidance to conservative Canadian Anglicans. James I. Packer, Professor of Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, author of "Knowing God" and widely regarded as one of the most important Protestant theologians today, has said the Anglican Church of Canada has been "poisoned" by a liberal theology that "knows nothing of a God who uses [the Bible] to tell us things and knows nothing of sin in the heart and in the head." He said the Church is being ruined by its attempts to "play catch-up with the culture" by adopting whatever ...