Dawkins - dazzling but dishonest

Richard Dawkins is a fanatic anti-supernaturalist anti-religionist who writes clever books. I suspect he is playing to his own gallery of fans rather than seriously discussing with anyone but here is a pretty fair minded review of his latest diatribe

http://ship-of-fools.com/Features/2006/dawkins.html

John MacArthur - from the horses mouth (well, keyboard I suppose)

The afformentioned Gent has caused a stir among the reformed by insisting that real faith is always born with real repentance and none lives in the renewed heart without the other. I think he is right but some have claimed he is smuggling in “works righteousness” which is an offence worse than selling your children in the eyes of some.

Here is a link to his current blog if you are interested (and I think you ought to be if you are in ministry).

Common questions about the Lordship position-part 1

Blatant cut and paste plagiarism

“Naturally the common people don’t want war… But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them that they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”  - Hermann Goering at the Nuremberg Trials

I cut this straight from a website called:

http://www.spinwatch.org

I hope they will forgive this gross plagiarism since I have inserted this link.

Just to remind you -

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”   - Jesus

“The Didache” - a very early guide to Christian living

This little text is from very early in the life of the churches - it might well be from the middle years of the first christian century and contemporary with the Apostolic writings.

Like the New Testament, it is written in the common “man in the street” kind of language rather than proper Greek.  Unfortunately, most of the well known English translations go for “thees” and “thous” and a false exalted tone.  I stumbled across one version which feels more right and here is the link:

http://ivanlewis.com/Didache/didache.html

The instructions are fascinating - obviously based on the sermons on the mount and plain - and show that the early church took Jesus’ ethical teaching and a consistent holiness very seriously.  The re-write of the “ten commandments” for the Roman context is bold and interesting.
People say it is legalistic and lacking in grace.  That is a fair criticism but it seems to be designed to answer the question “How do disciples behave”.  Any answer to that will be culturally conditioned and directive.  This is how one group of very early believers discipled each other.

How does God speak through the Bible?

This question must be one of the most important questions for a preacher. It will affect how and why he speaks in his sermons. It is also a live question in the minds of his hearers and they deserve a good answer.

I am currently reading “Scripture and the Authority of God” by N T Wright which gives a good but not completely convincing answer.

A Google search threw up a Gem of an article by Don Carson which reviews this and other recent books. I am grateful for people like Carson who read stuff and then summarise it and comment on it so well. It means I don’t have to

Here is the article:

http://www.reformation21.com/Past_Issues/May_2006/Shelf_Life/Shelf_Life/181/vobId__2926/pm__434/

and you might well like to check out the whole Site:

http://www.reformation21.org/