South Park vs Terry Gilliam

Night rider series two

 

This was a shot taken at night of a B-double with lateral movement of the camera plane.

A little something from Nietsche I picked up in Prison

The life I touch for good or ill will touch another life and that in turn will touch another, until who wknows where the trembling stops or in what far place my touch will be felt.
Fredriech Nietsche

Measureing the Load

Its easy to sit in the sunshine and talk to the man in the shade,
It's easy to sit in a well made boat and tell others where to wade,
Its easy to tell the toiler how best to carry his pack, but you'le never know the weight of the load till the pack is on your back
Anonymous

A little something from John Wesley

“I have thought I am a creature of a day, passing through life as an arrow through the air.
I am a spirit come from God, and returning to God, just hovering over the great gulf, till a few moments hence, I am no more seen; I drop into an unchangeable eternity!
I want to know one thing—the way to heaven, how to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end He came from heaven.
He has written it down in a book. O give me that Book at any price,
give me the Book of God”

John Wesley

The day of the dust storm

 

Revival this Easter

The Joke

Prince Charles was being shown around a Scottish hospital.

At the end of his visit, he is shown into a ward with a number of patients who show no obvious signs of injury. He goes to examine the first man he sees, and the man proclaims:

Fair fa' yer honest, sonsie face,Great chieftain e' the puddin' race!Aboon them
a' ye tak your place, painch tripe or thairm:Weel are ye wordy o' a
grace as lang's my arm.

The Englishman, somewhat taken aback, goes to the next patient, and immediately the patient launches into:

Some hae meat, and canna eat,And some wad eat that want it,But we hae meat and
we can eat,And sae the Lord be thankit.

This continues with the next patient:

Wee sleekit cow'rin tim'rous beastie,O what a panic's in thy breastie!Thou need
na start awa sae hasty, wi' bickering brattle.I wad be laith to run
and chase thee, wi' murdering prattle!"

"Well," Prince Charles mutters to the scottish physician, "I see you saved the psychiatric ward for the last."

"Nay, nay," the Scottish doctor corrected him, "this is the Serious Burns unit."

The Atonement and Penal Substitution

“That Christ stood in our place, was our substitute when he died, is clear in
many places in Scripture. This is strongly denied by some students, and it
cannot be said to be a wildly popular view in modern times.”[1]

Introduction

Few casual observers could have failed to miss the ongoing debate between various Christian apologists, most notably Alistair McGrath and evolutionary biologist and outspoken atheist Richard Dawkins. Among Dawkins’ many objections to religion in general and Christianity more specifically, he attacks the central tenet of our faith, the atonement.

He had this to say;

“I have described atonement, the central doctrine of Christianity, as vicious,
sado-masochistic and repellent. We should also dismiss it as barking mad,
but
for its ubiquitous familiarity which has dulled our objectivity. If God
wanted
to forgive our sins, why not just forgive them, without having
himself tortured
and executed in payment - thereby, incidentally, condemning
remote future
generations of Jews to pogroms and persecution as
‘Christ-Killers’: did that
hereditary sin pass down in the semen too?”[2]

This essay will not be going to any great lengths to refute Richard Dawkins, which has been far more effectively, eloquently and succinctly done by others. I do give him credit for saying that the atonement is the central doctrine of Christianity, and that it can be described as vicious. It is however far from being sado-masochistic, it is the most loving act to give up one’s life for ones friends.

Richard Dawkins portrayal of God is as far removed from the picture painted of God in the Bible, as a hawk is from a handsaw.[3] Dawkin’s delusion begins by taking only two extreme views of theology, those of the ultra conservatives and those of the ultra-liberal camp, and morphing them into a manmade monster. He ignores the vast majority of theologians, and concentrates on the fringe. Dawkins therefore makes fundamental errors in how he approaches theology. He is clearly no theologian. Had he made better use of the broad scope of theological data available to him he may have come to very different conclusions.

This essay seeks to demonstrate how theological sources of data are used to develop an integrated and consistent understanding of an issue within Soteriology, or the study of salvation. More specifically, under the spotlight will be the penal substitutionary theory of the atonement. It is the vicious nature of this doctrine which raises the hackles of many of its critics.

We will begin by looking at the nature and use of theological sources and then examine the doctrine of penal substitution in more detail.


Theological sources

Any approach using theological sources inherently faces certain ontological difficulties. While all sources of theological data do not carry the same weight, there is some agreement over how sources should be weighted. So much has been written about salvation over the centuries, and the debates concerning the atonement have been so varied, that for the purposes of this essay some selections have had to be made. Inevitably something has to be left out.

Given the object of theological study (God), our point of departure cannot be the object Himself. God is not in a test tube in a laboratory where he can easily be examined. Humble theologians will acknowledge that all true theology is the study of God’s revelation of Himself. This has several implications;

· Our study of theology will always be incomplete.
· Revelation is continual and ongoing, and therefore not static.
· Revelation is consistent with and influenced by the nature of the revealer.
· We can only study what He has revealed, primarily in the Bible.



1. The Book of Books

John Murray, Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Westminster, in Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania points to the centrality of scripture when examining the atonement when he writes;

There is only one source from which we can derive a proper conception of
Christ’s atoning work. That source is the Bible there is only one norm by which
our interpretations and formulations are to be tested. That norm is the Bible.
The temptation ever lurks near us to prove unfaithful to this one and only
criteria. No temptation is more subtle and plausible than the tendency to
construe the atonement in terms of our human experience and thus to make our
experience the norm.”[4]

How theological truth is drawn from the scriptures is a study within itself, called hermeneutics. The study of hermeneutics is however not the focus of this essay. It’s sufficient to say it is important for any student of theology to read God’s word for themselves, and draw conclusions about it. Within evangelical circles, the word of God is the primary source of all theological data. An understanding of its scope and skill in its use need to be a priority for those engaging theological issues. The basic tenet of Biblical interpretation is allowing the scripture to explain and interpret itself. An honest, humble and searching reading of scripture will lead the reader to greater understanding. (Psalm 119:97-112)

While evangelicals esteem the Bible as the highest authority, the Roman Catholic Church gives equal authority to the Bible, the Church and tradition.

Other sources of data include books. Ideas are important. People live and die by and for ideas. God has also commanded us to love Him with our whole mind, including our ideas. He has created us with a seemingly insatiable curiosity to explore and understand the world He created and placed us in. It’s almost like He wants to be found. He is in many ways the puzzle making God. We read in proverbs:

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the
glory of kings.” Pr 25:2 [5]

There are a broad range of resources relevant to the study of theology which would fit under the banner of publications. Given the branching here we need to look at types of publications involved these include;

· Theologies,
· Church histories and historical documents,
· Bible dictionaries
· Commentaries.
· Christian Biography

2. Theologians on Theology

In assessing the theological implications of the atonement we need to be wary of taking opinions from theologians verbatim, without cause to reference the source of the authority they lay claim to. It is all too easy to fall into the trap that some eminent scientists have of referring to any statement that a scientist (themselves in particular) may make as being the opinion of science as a whole.[6] What makes a Christian doctrine fundamental depends not on the authority it is given by theologians, as if they were a steady rock in a sea of ideas, but on the authority of God’s word, the Bible.

The written statements of theologians often correspond to debates which may cover a range of theological ground. They are usually a defense of a particular position from what they view to be heretical or deviant. For this reason much of the writing of theologians tends to be reactive. One type of theological writing which bucks that trend is when systematic theologies are written. These are generally carefully structured pieces dealing with a comprehensive range of issues. They are by no means inerrant, but seek to paint a broad picture of the landscape of theology. This is also not to say that they show no theological bias, but usually where such a bias is present, it is clearly and emphatically stated. At times it is unclear when they are asserting theological truth or when they are addressing theological deviancy in much the same way that we may struggle to differentiate when Christ was involved in evangelism or edification.

With academic works, the question is the quality of output. It not only concerns which universities have a higher output, or a larger fragment of intellectual throughput, but how many are read and referenced. The real impact is the quality of the output. Frequently there is a relationship between the quality of the output, the name of the institution and the volume of work produced. Unlike lightning strikes, a greater number of influential works tend to congregate together, in Bible colleges of distinction and at least in part due to the hothouse effect. Colleges such as Fuller theological seminary in the United States, or SMBC in Australia are good examples.

Frequently the more influential the work, the greater the chance that such a work may also end up in the public arena. Living with the underworld by Peter Bolt is just such a work, which started out as a master’s thesis through Moore College, and ended up being published through Matthias Media. Similarly much of the writing of John Piper, one of the most influential pastors of the last ten years, began life as a lecture or sermon. Data is not always written. One of the most outspoken defenders of substitutionary atonement has been Piper, a pastor whose life’s work is available to all on his website[7] in many and various forms, from Mp3 to PDF documents.


3. Church histories and historical documents,

Documents from Church history provide us with a map of theological thought, whereby we can trace the development of ideas, and get some idea of what impact they have had on the life and practices of the church. They are equally important for the sake of continuity in the church, and the protection of the church from heresy. When John Calvin and Marin Luther were accused of schism, and of bringing new and strange doctrines into the church, the two appealed to the testimony of scripture, but also of the church fathers. Luther was emphatic, his Christianity could be traced back to Augustine, and before to the apostles. This two prong attack was a stout defence against the Counter Reformation.

The doctrine of the substitutionary atonement has a long and tortured history beginning with the apostles and continuing through the writings of the Anti-Nicene fathers such as Justin Martyr (100-165).

“Then Trypho remarked, “Be assured that all our nation waits for Christ; and we
admit that all the Scriptures which you have quoted refer to Him. Moreover, I do
also admit that the name of Jesus, by which the son of Nave (Nun) was called,
has inclined me very strongly to adopt this view. But whether Christ should be
so shamefully crucified, this we are in doubt about. For whosoever is crucified
is said in the law to be accursed, so that I am exceedingly incredulous on this
point. It is quite clear, indeed, that the Scriptures announce that Christ had
to suffer; but we wish to learn if you can prove it to us whether it was by the
suffering cursed in the law.”

I replied to him, “If Christ was not
to suffer, and the prophets had not foretold that He would be led to death on
account of the sins of the people, and be dishonoured and scourged, and reckoned
among the transgressors, and as a sheep be led to the slaughter, whose
generation, the prophet says, no man can declare, then you would have good cause
to wonder. But if these are to be characteristic of Him and mark Him out to all,
how is it possible for us to do anything else than believe in Him most
confidently? And will not as many as have understood the writings of the
prophets, whenever they hear merely that He was crucified, say that this is He
and no other?”[8]

Augustine had much to say about the atonement, and defended the faith against the teachings of the Socineans, who advocated the atonement as example. Calvin’s advocacy of Substitutionary atonement is laid out in very clear terms in his institutes of the Christian religion. John Stott, longtime minister of All Souls Langham place, was a strong advocate for the substitutionary perspective, and expounded this succinctly in his book “The Cross of Christ.” D. Martyn-Lloyd Jones, who wrote a sermon series on Romans which went on to become the defining commentary on the book for our time was a firm believer in substitutionary atonement.

Noted scholar J.I. Packer writes;

“as Pauls writes in Galatians 3:13, (NIV) “Christ redeemed us from the curse of
the law by becoming a curse for us.” The reason why we do not have to bear our
sins is that Christ bore them in our place. This points to the thought of
substitution.

It was, then, by substitutionary, propitiatory
sacrifice on the part of the sinless Son of God that our reconciliation was
achieved. So much did Salvation cost; and it was for God’s enemies that the
price was paid.”[9]

For a more comprehensive pedigree of substitutionary atonement see Appendix one.

4. Bible dictionaries

In much the same way as Theologies are ordered and structured to represent theological truth, Biblical dictionaries are publications which expand on Biblical themes with articles arranged alphabetically. Particular emphasis may be given to a part of the Bible, such as Old Testament or New Testament, or the writings of Paul. Others focus on Biblical interpretation or biblical imagery, making useful parallel reading on the subject of the atonement. Frequently, as mentioned in Rev. Dr. Ken Chant’s notes for this subject, the use of analogy to illustrate spiritual truth makes such collections invaluable when examining complex doctrines such as the atonement.

5. Commentaries.

As the name suggests, commentaries are someone’s comments on the scriptures. The work of others in expounding the Bible differs substantially from those already discussed, in that direct interaction and wrestling with the text results in the form of the text changing the form of the commentators output. The Psalms with their definitive lyrical quality differ substantially from Paul’s letters, whereas there are parts of Genesis, and even the prophets where this quality is reflected again.

Commentaries, while not dealing with theology directly, serve to mould and expand a biblical understanding of the passage in view. With regard to the substitutionary atonement of Christ it is useful to know where passages such as Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 feature in the New Testament.

6. Christian Biography

Those who doubt the value of church history and the experience of individual Christians who have gone before do so at their own peril. We see the power of testifying about what God has done referred to in Johns account in Revelation.

“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their
testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death”. Rev
12:11

The same can be said of Christian biography. Theology can remain stale and lifeless on a dead page until it is enlivened in the heart, soul and life of a believer. This encouragement continues to spread, either from mouth to mouth, in the oral tradition, or if it is truly exceptional may be written down for the encouragement and edification of others. Lee Strobel shares his experience when he writes;

“It was my agnostic wife's conversion to Christianity and the ensuing positive
changes in her character that prompted me to use my legal training and
journalism experience to systematically search for the real Jesus. After nearly
two years of studying ancient history and archaeology, I found the evidence
leading me to the unexpected verdict that Jesus is the unique Son of God who
authenticated his divinity by returning from the dead. It wasn't the outcome I
was necessarily seeking, but it was the conclusion that I believe the evidence
persuasively warranted.”[10]

The Atonement

But what is the atonement? At the heart of the atonement is this question; “Why did Jesus have to die? What did His death achieve for us?”[11] It is the convergence of several major doctrines. It takes place at the nexus of the trigeminous God. It reveals our true identity as Christians. Our view of the atonement shapes our understanding of ourselves. His atoning work on the cross changes our relationship to the Father, makes possible the work of the Spirit in us. It sets us free from the power of sin and the devil.

Erickson points to the centrality of the atonement when he writes;

“The most reconisable symbol of Christianity is the cross. Its significance is
found in the atoning work of Christ. It is the doctrine of the atonement that
becomes the transition point from the objective doctrines of God, Humanity, Sin,
and the person of Christ, to the subjective doctrines. This transition point is
the key element in balancing Christian theology to make it relevant to the
believer.”[12]

J.I. Packer speaks of the atonement as reconciliation to Christ. He writes;

“Reconciliation means peace-making, and Christ made peace we are told by the
blood of the cross (Col 9:20) We were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.
(Rom 5:1-10)”

There are three major candidates in the debate surrounding the Atonement. These contenders all rightfully claim that the atoning work caused the results they postulate. Each has more than a soupçon of claim to the atoning work of Christ. Most theologians agree that this is the case. Where they disagree is on which one has precedence. While all doctrines are true, (doctrine is a synonym for truth) not all doctrines carry the same weight, and there are few weightier doctrines than the atoning work of Christ. The stakes in this debate are high. The atonement represents the ultimate deodate. It is Gods supreme gift to man.

The three main views are;

1. The penal substitutionary view (or Christ died in our place),

“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous,
to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the
Spirit,” 1Pe 3:18


“Now if we died with Christ, we believe
that we will also live with him.
For we know that since Christ
was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over
him.
The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives,
he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God
in Christ Jesus. Ro 6:8-11”

2. The Christus Victor view (or the atonement as victory over sin and evil)

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the
kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of
sins. Col 1:13-14

This view of the atonement argues that a ransom was paid not to God, but to the Devil, in order to set us free from the captivity we were under to him.

The Christus victor theory has been emphasized by two very different groups, those who practice sacramentarianism and some Pentecostal groups who express the summation of all theology as a battle between good and evil. This pervasive view has been accepted in the general populace as what constitutes the Christian message. Biblically, however it is not as central to the atonement as penal substitution.

3. The moral government view (or Gods wrath against sin)[13].

“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for
you.
I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than
his
master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that
you know
these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” Jn
13:15-17

This view sees man’s sin as an act of rebellion not against God as an individual, but as God as ruler, and developed in opposition to Socinianism.

Substitutionary atonement has come under fire from a number of different quarters, but no more so than at the present time. To illustrate and expand upon the arguments for and against substitutionary atonement would require a more significant space allocation than this essay allows. Suffice to say I will draw upon some of the conclusions of others to point us toward the conclusion of the matter.

It is interesting to see that the substitutionary atonement was on the list of fundamental doctrines the editors of “the fundamentals” chose to include. Clearly this would only be the case if the doctrine had experienced some criticism.

“To begin with, the departure from conservative theology became increasingly
pronounced during the early years of the century. One effort to combat this
tendency was the publication of a twelve-volume paperback set produced under the
successive editorship of A. C. Dixon, Louis Meyer, and R. A. Torrey (1910–1912).
Called The Fundamentals, these books especially upheld the virgin birth of
Christ, His physical resurrection, the inerrancy of Scripture, the
substitutionary atonement, and the imminent, physical second coming of Christ.
Millions of copies were distributed free, and those who subscribed to the
doctrines set forth in them came to be known as “fundamentalists.””[14]

This attack on the theology of penal substitution was recognized by a group of scholars writing for Intervarsity press. They stated;

“Since the 1980s a number of influential books critical of the traditional view
[penal substitution] have appeared, and now the trickle has grown into a river.
We believe penal substitution is thoroughly biblical, but it would not be good
enough simply to ignore our critics. We need to hear what they say, engage with
their objections and answer them in a thoughtful, coherent way.”[15]

They indicate through the book how substitutionary atonement aligns itself well with what we as theologians know about God, as He has revealed Himself.

“Penal substitution upholds the truthfulness and justice of God: it is the means
by which he saves people for relationship with himself without going back on His
word that sin has to be punished. In addition to the basic requirement that God
should not be proved a liar, there are several reasons why this is important… It
preserves our understanding of God as a perfect being…preserves what is often
called the doctrine of God’s simplicity… that all of God’s attributes are in
harmony with each other”[16]

They also conclude that penal substitution is not only one of the theories of the atonement, but its central tenet from which all others draw their referent power. Erickson, in his systematic theology comes to the same conclusion. He states;

“We observed… that each of the theories of the atonement contains a valid
insight. It is our contention that the penal substitution theory maintains those
valid insights. Beyond this we argue that those insights bear force only on the
basis of the substitutionary view.”[17]

Conclusion

In this essay we have examined various sources of theological data. We have recognized that all these resources are important and valuable in assessing the validity and scope of biblical doctrine. We have briefly examined the theories of the atonement, and concluded that substitutionary atonement is the central tenet of the Christian faith.

Christ’s death and resurrection have secured for us a future and glorious hope of life with him.

“Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Doth his successive journeys run.
His
kingdom stretch from shore to shore
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.”[18]

Appendix 1.
The Historical pedigree of Substitutionary atonement[19]

· Justin Martyr (c100-165)
· Eusebius of Caesarea (c275-339)
· Hillary of Poitiers (c300-368)
· Athanasius (c300-373)
· Gregory of Nazianzus (c330-390)
· Ambrose of Milan (339-397)
· John Chrysostom (c350-407)
· Augustine of Hippo (354-430)
· Cyril of Alexandria (375-444)
· Gelasius of Cyzicus (fifth Century)
· Gregory the Great (c540-604)
· Thomas Aquinas (1225-74)
· John Calvin (1509-64)
· Francis Turrentin (1623-87)
· John Bunyan (1628-88)
· John Owen (1616-83)
· George Whitefield (1714-70)
· Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92)
· D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981)
· John R. W. Stott (born 1921)
· J.I.Packer (Born 1926)


Bibliography
There are no sources in the current document.



[1] Morris, L. The Cross of Jesus. Biblical Classics Library. Paternoster Press. 1988.Kent
[2] Dawkins, R; The God Delusion. 2008. Mariner Books.
[3] With apologies to Shakespeare.

[4] Murray, J. Redemption Accomplished and applied. 1961. Banner of Truth Trust. London
[5] All scriptures included are taken from the New International Version. Pradis CD-ROM: Grand Rapids: The Zondervan Corporation, © 1973, 1978, 1984. Unless otherwise stated.
[6] Here I think of men of the ilk of Richard Dawkins
[7] www.desiringgod.org
[8] Martyr. J. Dialogue with Trypho. Anti-Nicene fathers Chap. LXXXIX. — The Cross Alone Is Offensive to Trypho on Account of the Curse, Yet it Proves That Jesus Is Christ

[9] Packer. J.I. 18 words: The most important words you will ever know. 2007. Focus Pubications. Ross-shire
[10] Strobel, Lee. The Case for the Real Jesus: A Journalist Investigates Current Attacks on the Identity of Christ.
[11] Boyd, G.A. Eddy P.A. Across the Spectrum.2002. Baker Academic. Grand Rapids
[12] Erickson, Millard. Christian Theology, 2nd edition. 1998. Baker Books. Grand Rapids.
[13] Boyd, G.A. Eddy P.A. et al
[14]Vos, Howard Frederic ; Thomas Nelson Publishers: Exploring Church History. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996 (Nelson's Christian Cornerstone Series)
[15] Jeffrey, S. Ovey, M. Sach, A. Pierced for our transgressions: rediscovering the glory of penal substitution. Intervarsity Press. 2007. Nottingham
[16] Jeffrey, S et al pg 138
[17] Erickson et al pg 836
[18] Hymn Quoted in D. Martyn-Lloyd Jones’ Faith tried and triumphant. Intervastity Press. 1987. London.
[19] Jeffrey. S et al

The Sentinel 2

The way home from work

A little Moonshine on the Gardens.

Night photography either plays havoc with colour or creates unusual subtle shades. This calm sunday night and not a ripple on the water.

Practicing night photography

The veiw from the bridge

No, the other Lagoon.

Fireworks tonight at the Lagoon

Living the Reality of the Royal Priesthood

Introduction

This essay seeks to describe the relationship between a fundamental theological truth to its practice in the Christian life. In particular, this essay will examine the nature and practice of the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. As this can also be referred to as every member ministry, the terms will be used interchangeably.

The importance of this doctrine cannot be overstated, in that where it is poorly understood, it is poorly practiced, and where it is poorly practiced Christian witness is weak and ineffectual. On the other hand where it is grasped, Christian witness and service increase, the church grows, and healthy communities of faith are formed. God always honours building when it is done to his design.

This essay will examine the causes of a gap between doctrine and practice; as such I will intentionally avoid overwhelmingly theological jargon, and focus on practical application. At heart the gap between practice and belief is the proverbial two-sided coin problem. On the one hand it is a leadership problem, and on the other it is a laity problem. The common ground, the coin itself, is Christian education also called discipleship.

It should be noted at the outset that there are many academics and people from all streams of life who are quick to criticize the church. Those in the church are not exempt; some have built their whole ministries on telling us what is wrong with the church. This is not the intention of this essay. Those who seek to criticize the church often fail to see it as it is, a body of believers, a royal priesthood. Their focus is on the institutions. They cannot see it from Gods perspective, for He always premises His view of the church with love.

While we shy away from anyone who would seek to criticize the church, we do believe there is tremendous value in taking a critical look at it (in the sense of careful consideration). We believe that if as believers we need to pause and take stock of our own lives, how much more so should we as the Church. In such books as the acclaimed “I believe in Church Growth” by Eddie Gibbs[1] the value in looking at the Church with fresh eyes is demonstrated.

We begin by examining the doctrine itself in broad terms, what it is, where it fits. We touch briefly here on the discrepancy between practice and profession. We describe its nature and tragic consequences.

Next we speculate as to some of the factors which may have contributed to the development of a gap. Was this inevitable? What portion of the responsibility should the church take for the present dilemma? We discuss in particular church history, church culture and leadership styles as influences.

Finally we offer some suggestions as to practical ways in which the divide between practice and theory may be overcome.

Let’s first examine what this doctrine encompasses, and where it fits.

The Priesthood of All Believers

The doctrine (a synonym for truth) of the priesthood of all believers is most clearly summarized in the book of first Peter.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a
people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who
called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1Pe2 : 9 0[2]

This sums up God’s plan to have a redeemed people who continue His work in the world, who offer to Him the sacrifice of praise, and who spend themselves in service of those around them for the sake of the gospel. Eugene Peterson makes the point that the church is an organization created for the benefit of its non-members. It all started at Pentecost.

“Then tongues of fire landed on everyone’s head. I have no clue what those
“tongues of fire” looked like, but they represented the coming of the Holy
spirit in full measure to the church. And the tongues sat not on the heads of a
select few but on everybody’s head.

From that moment on instead of a few select priests, filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit to act as go betweens with God, suddenly everyone of Jesus’ followers became a priest.”[3]

People, who understand their standing before God as a royal priesthood, yearn to bring the kingdom of God with them into their everyday lives. They represent Christ where they are as chosen ambassadors for Him. They long to share the joy they have with others, and operate with a sense of divine purpose, even destiny. For such individuals there is no secular profession. They are serving God where they are. Their mission is sacred.

“There is no New Testament basis for the clergy/laity ministry dichotomy that
relegates laypeople to a secondary role in ministry. Just as the Reformation put
the scriptures in the hands of the laity, there is now a realization that we
need to put ministry in the hands of the laity… The biblical doctrine of the
priesthood of all believers teaches us that we are all called to full time
ministry in our spheres of influence. As we cultivate our personal walk with God
and nurture others through discipleship and witness, we engage in the enduring
work of God.”[4]

A poor understanding of Soteriology, that is to say salvation, will give us a warped perspective on our identity as a new creation and also our role as a royal priesthood. It is fair to say that many Christians have a phenomenal understanding of how our salvation was bought. At best we have a very limited understanding of what we have been saved from and what we have been saved for.

“The conservative church became fixated on correct belief as the key to heaven
when you die – that became their gospel. Both sides lost the notion of life
transformation. Those of us who inherited the conservative church’s gospel were
taught that if you just preached correct doctrine that we’ve done our job. Now
decades later, we are seeing that there is more to the gospel than just getting
people ready to die.”[5]

As a priest, by Gods decree, we have access to His throne room. It is our responsibility to partake by faith in that privilege. Our primary function is to be priests to God, offering him our praise and prayers. As priests we are called to sacrifice, in many different ways. There is no priesthood without sacrifice. Two ways we can do so is by offering a sacrifice of praise to God, and through suffering for the good of the gospel and of others. This is not to somehow lessen the completeness of Christ’s sacrifice, as we cannot add or take away from it, but we are told to share in His sufferings.

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the
fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his
death,
and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the
dead. Phil 3:10,11

But rejoice that you participate in the
sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
1Pe 4:13

The royal priesthood takes its cue from the ministry of Christ demonstrated in the example of Melchisedek, who was prophet priest and king before God, rather than the Aaronic priesthood, which it supercedes. Many believers know this (at least intellectually) to be true. The main disparity between the practice and the pronouncement is participation by faith. Next we examine how this disparity has been exasperated.

Ecclesiastical Paradigms

Church history

The lack of participation in ministering to the world stems in no small part from history. The general illiteracy of bygone days is something frequently overlooked in our day and age. Schooling of any sort was a luxury few could afford. The newfound wealth created by organized agriculture led to feudalism. The wealth of the feudal lords also allowed for full time clergy who were able to study the scriptures.

It was this ability to read the scriptures and interpret them which led to the emergence of a priestly class during the middle ages. Through extensive land ownership the church became a political as much as spiritual force, frequently leading to Christ’s teaching being marginalized. It was discontent with this status quo which led some to seek a more radical holiness in monastic orders and isolated religious communities. In both instances the result was the same, a growing divide between laity and clergy.

“This history together with tremendous changes in developed Western society have
placed those who are ordained in a quite different position in relation to those
among whom they live and work.”[6]

Books like the Da Vinci code tend to highlight this view of the church, that it is manipulative, secretive and controlling, and anti-women. This is not the picture painted in the scriptures either of the church or God himself.

Traditional Views

Another key factor in understanding this divide is to examine how much of the church views itself. What it believes its identity to be. The traditional view of man as being a dirty rotten sinner barely saved by grace has so pervaded the thinking of the church that it has struggled to reconcile the glowing terms with which believers are addressed in the New Testament. It has failed to fundamentally deal with what the scriptures mean when they say that the church is the salt of the earth or the light of the world or scriptures which say;

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the
new has come! 2Co 5:17

“For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But
we
have the mind of Christ. 1Co 2:16

These may be mysteries which are deep and difficult to grasp, but like all Biblical mysteries, they are hidden in the open. They have been revealed, and worthy of being explored.

All too frequently Christians become bound up in legalism, not understanding that they live holy lives in praise filled response to Gods declaration of them as holy despite their action.

“Even though we have a new nature that is created in true righteousness and holiness, we still get confused. Some of the things we do don’t fall in line with our new nature. Some of the old habit patterns left behind by our sinful nature come to the foreground. When this happens, we instinctively think that this is who we are, and that we are failing to live up to the Christian standard. Our wrongdoing makes us question our identity.- “Are we truly Christian?””[7]

Holiness and service are therefore conveniently seen as the preserve of a professional clergy.

This is perhaps most aptly illustrated by the maxim; the clergy are paid to be good, the rest of us are good for nothing. For many in the church the clergy came to represent something akin to Douglas Adams’ electric monk;

“The Electric Monk was a labour-saving device, like a dishwasher or a video
recorder. Dishwashers washed tedious dishes for you, thus saving you the bother
of washing them yourself, video recorders watched tedious television for you,
thus saving you the bother of looking at it yourself; Electric Monks believed
things for you, thus saving you what was becoming an increasingly onerous task,
that of believing all the things the world expected you to believe.”[8]

Wayne Cordeiro puts it this way:

“But somewhere along the line we have forgotten who God created us to be.
Instead of fulfilling our own calling, we hire others to do it for us. We
interview a potential pastor, and if he can preach and do the business of the
church, we hire him. Then after a few years, if he has done an adequate job of
preaching, visiting the sick and performing weddings and funerals, we vote to
“renew his call”. He is the one who is to do the ministry, so we just step out
of his way.”[9]

This very broad brush paints a picture of what is occurring by and large in traditional churches in the western world, although there are encouraging signs that this is changing. [10]

Pentecostalism

All organizations exhibit an internal culture of some description. Frequently they are inherited and passed on from one generation to the next. Changing a church culture is a very deliberate and painful procedure, and one which many in church governance seek to avoid. Jopie van Rooyen in his conference paper on communicating in a changing organizational culture states;

“The concept of organizational culture is not merely a buzz word, but has
generally been accepted as a concrete reality which needs to be managed,
particularly in times of change.”[11]

Church culture is not inherently negative. On the positive side, Pentecostal churches have been proactive in teasing out and embracing what it means to be a new creation. As a result they have often been on the front foot as regards embracing every member ministry. That is not to say that there are some structural deficiencies within Pentecostalism which encourage the theoretical and practical divide.

Pentecostal churches by and large tend to be under the leadership of a single individual or family. This can be seen by careful examination of church history[12]. It is also evidenced by the strong association between the names of individuals and the churches or para-church organizations they lead.[13] The author has even heard within church leadership meetings autocracy justified as the only way in which to govern an assembly effectively.[14] That being said I have also heard from Pentecostal ministers further afield how they never make a church decision without the unanimous support of the eldership.

The net result of this penchant toward autocratic leadership can lead to one individual carrying an enormous workload, frequently taking responsibility for things which can be, and should be done by others. As the leader spends their personal energy and resources for the cause of the gospel, without good boundaries in place burnout can ensue.The net result is that the autocratic nature of Pentecostal churches, by and large tends to steer these churches and communities of faith away from the idea of every member ministry, despite a theological emphasis on the priesthood of all believers within evangelical Pentecostal circles.

The Academy

Perhaps one of the clearest barriers perceived by Christians today is that they do not feel that they are educated enough to minister. Most have not, and most will never attend a Bible college. In the west a degree in theology is the minimum requirement for pastoring a church, particularly among traditional churches. What of those who are called of God but are not academically inclined? Those who buck this trend often take the church into new and exciting territory.[15]

Clearly the disciples were ordinary people who ministered in great power.

“

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were
unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men
had been with Jesus”. Ac 4:13

But it would also be noted that Jesus taught them, coached them and instructed them for three years in a very deliberate way in order that they would be able to continue his work. The acquisition of wisdom and understanding is implicit in ones growth along the Christian walk.

Whatever its implications, the perceived divide between the academy and the laity compounds the every member ministry debacle.

Church governance and the need for local leadership

There are some who would say that if we are all priests what need do we have for having clergy or ordained ministers? Here we make a fundamental error in our thinking. We break the rule of the undivided middle. God ordains church leadership. If Ephesians is to be believed the people he assigns to various tasks are His gift to the church. For the body of Christ to function effectively we need pastors who pastor, elders who serve, deacons who “deak” and leaders who lead. We may differ on the model, but the need is clearly there until Christ returns. Those who minister need to have a clear call from God to do so, recognised by the local assembly and/or group of related churches. Without such a call no minister can remain in effective gospel ministry.

Vital, active church leadership is essential for the priesthood of all believers to function effectively. The five fold ministry makes sure the church has what it needs to fulfil its purpose. The troops need to be trained, guided, mentored, and coached. Without effective leadership there is no effective ministry in the body. These gifts are given for the equipping of the saints (the church) for the work of ministry. (Ephesians 4)

“God is at work in the church, manifesting himself through gifts of the Spirit.
The purpose of spiritual gifts is the common good of the church (1Cor. 12:7).
The gifts have nothing to do with personal ambition or career orientation. They
are not given to build individual reputations, to warrant superior positions in
the local church, or to demonstrate spiritual advancement. They are not
trophies, but tools. These tools are for touching and blessing others.”[16]

Christian education and Alternative solutions

In conclusion we touch briefly on some of the solutions to narrow the gap between principle and practice of the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. The conclusion we have come to is that a primary concern is Christian education, also called discipleship.

Radicalization and Reformation

By radicalization we are referring to the returning to the roots of the Christian faith. No clear understanding of the church can be gained without examining Christ, from whom our faith and priesthood springs.

By Reformation we infer that our approach to the scriptures be one of humble reverence, that we are continually applying ourselves to its understanding, without reaching the point where we feel that we have arrived or have a particular doctrine “nailed down”.

Discipleship

The need for a rediscovery of what discipleship means is paramount. Here I would refer you to the writings of Dallas Willard and Juan Carlos Ortis as they have spent significant time and thought teasing this issue out.

Alternatives to the Academy model

We need as denominations to generate alternatives to the Academy model. The apprentice model of discipleship works well in a local church context, and is certainly modeled in scripture. In ministry training we somehow overlook this as unworkable.

Ironically one of the most academic of all institutions in Australian theology circles was founded as an alternative to the Academy model. Broughton Knox sought to establish Moore College as a Bible college which would also function effectively as a community of faith. Some practical adjustments had to be made to accommodate this approach. The result has been a college which has seen some of the highest academic achievement.

The development of new technology has made distance education more workable, this is also true in a Bible college context. This has the advantage that leadership is not removed from the local church, placed into an artificial, academic environment for three or four years and then expected to lead and pastor a church well. As it is a relatively cheaper option than a residential college, more people have access to Christian education[17] and leadership training. Technology is reconnecting leadership to the local church context.

These few steps may go a long way in narrowing the divide between practice and doctrinal belief when it comes to the priesthood of all believers.

[1] Gibbs, Eddie, I Believe in Church Growth. 1981. Hodder and Stoughton. London (series editor Michael Green)
[2] All scriptures included are taken from the New International Version. Pradis CD-ROM: Grand Rapids: The Zondervan Corporation, © 1973, 1978, 1984. Unless otherwise stated.
[3] Hybels, Bill. The Volunteer Revolution. Zondervan. 2004. Grand Rapids
[4] Boa, Kenneth. Conformed to His Image. Zondervan. 2001. Grand Rapids
[5] Dallas Willard quoted in Leadership Magazine, Summer 2005. Pg 21,22.
[6] Grundy, Michael. Understanding Congregations. Mowbray. 1998. London
[7] Mulheran, Brian. Jesus: Author and Finisher. Synergy. 2002. Florida
[8] Adams, Douglas: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. William Heinermann. 1987. New York
[9] Cordiero, Wayne. Doing church as a team. Regal. 2001. Ventura
[10] http://www.sydneyanglicans.net/ and http://www.brf.org.uk/2954 and http://www.synergy.org.au/site.php?id=4
[11] Van Rooyen. J. Communicating in a changing organizational culture. Organizational Communication; a top priority. Human sciences research council. Pretoria. 1992.
[12] A prime example would be the transition within the CRC movement following the passing of Leo Harris.
[13] Numerous examples exist; Joyce Meyer ministries, the Pringle family, the Houston’s, Benny Hinn
[14] This is clearly refuted in scripture in that four distinct models of church government are noted, including single elder rule. For more on church government see Who runs the Church: four views of church government. 2004. Zondervan
[15] A prime example would be the movement began by John Wimber.
[16] Wimber, John. The Dynamics of Spiritual Power. Hodder & Stoughton. 1990. London
[17] Christian education is defined by Nevin Harner as “a reverend attempt to discover the divinely ordained process by which individuals grow in Christlikeness, and to work with that process”.

Princesses Album Cover

My album cover

For instructions on to make your own go to: http://planetlana.blogspot.com/2009/02/my-album-cover.html

.

The end of one more confirmed old batchelor. Well done Troy, now youre only confirmed as old.

Alfredo comes to visit

This friendly fellow is staying in our guests room downstairs. We have guests visiting but have not told them about Alfredo, so as not to make them panic unduly.

Close up on the most wanted taliban member on the Murrumbidgee - Have you seen this boy?

Frivolities at Troys Bucks night

Contravention of the Batchelor Act


Troy Cedric William Gahlager Murphy, You have been found Found Guilty by these persons here present that on the 14th of this month you intend wilfully and with heineous forthought to contemplate contrevavention of the batchelors act.

Where the Minister has reasonable and probable grounds to believe that an institution has contravened any of the provisions of this Act or the regulations, an inspector designated by the Minister in writing may at any reasonable time enter upon the premises of that institution to make an inspection for the purpose of determining whether or not the institution is in contravention of this Act or the regulations.

It is the finding of this here Kangeroo court specially convened for this purpose that you stand guilty as charged . (All who agree say aye, or too right mate)

The maximum penalty for this charge includes a free one way rail ticket to Kalgoorlie in a full body cast. Alternatively the maximum penalty may include dyeing of the offender in a smurf shade of blue from the waise down.
Todays proceedings however (in the light of woosie public prosecutors) and in due consideration of the impending fate of the accussed have decided on the following course of action:
Bailif, please read the courts decision:



(Bailif):
We the people Sentence you to:

· A life of penal servitude without the possibility of parole.
· Put up with stockings over the rail in the bathroom

· For the improvement of the accused left foot to take part in an immediate demonstration of the wedding waltz with this here replica. (given broom)

· That you be given a companion for this evening to carry with you to get you used to your new role. (give him ball and chain)


· should you be unable to answer 8 ellen/girl related questions you will be fed marshmallows until the words chubby bunny are indisciferable. You will not be permitted to swallow the marshmallows until instructed to do so.
Members of the jury do you have your questions?



· Are you ready for your questions:

1. What is Ellen’s favourite card game?
2. As a couple you have a “song” please sing the chorus?
3. If Ellen says which dress do I look better in, the blue one or the sage one, which would you pick?
4. When Ellen was a child she had a favourite doll named...? troco
5. What makes cooking chocolate different from normal chocolate?
6. What company makes the fragrance “organza”? (gevinchy)
7. What are chemical peels, cold beam lasers and dermabrasion? Beauty therapy skin treatments
8. Is the birthstone for August a sapphire, opal or moonstone?
9. What will be the date of your second d wedding anniversary?
10. What is the airspeed velocity of a fully laden swallow?

Polingalana Reserve during the Victoria Bushfires

From the sublime...

“Compassion is sometimes the fatal capacity for feeling what it is like to live inside somebody else's skin. It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you too.”

Frederick Buechner

“One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop."

G. Weilacher

“Quotation is a serviceable substitute for wit.”

Oscar Wilde

Sneezles

This Christmas has been one to remember for so many reasons, not least of which it was our daughters first. It was a blast catching up with friends from Canada, Melbourne and Wagga. Its also been eventful for other reasons. The last few weeks have seen me off to the emergency room twice, with significant dehydration, fever and all sorts of wierd and wacky symptoms. I have had more blood tests than O.J. Simpson.

The good news is that I have found out that I am generally disgustingly healthy, have lower cholestrol than a galapagos tortoise, but have what seems to be a case of glandular fever, with the result that I have spent the last three weeks flat on my back resting, drinking gatorade. Those of you who know me know how much I enjoy just resting, so I would personally like to thank the South African cricket team for making my recuperation more pleasant and for stopping me from going stir crazy and climbing the walls.

Thank you also to our church St Pauls who have been a God send, both in prayer and practical ways. I just couldnt help including the following poem from A.A. Milne. It sums up my last few weeks well.


SNEEZLES -A.A. Milne

Christopher Robin had wheezles and sneezles,
They bundled him into his bed.

They gave him what goes with a cold in the nose,
And some more for a cold in the head.
They wondered if wheezles could turn into measles,
If sneezles could turn into mumps.
They examined his chest for a rash,
And the rest
of his body for swellings and lumps.
They sent for some doctors in sneezles and wheezles
To tell them what ought to be done.
All sorts and conditions of famous physicians
Came hurrying 'round at a run.
They all made a note of the state of his throat,
They asked if he suffered from thirst;
They asked if the sneezles came after the wheezles,
Or if the first sneezle came first.
They said, "If you teazle a sneezle or wheezle,
A measle may easily grow.
But humor or pleazle a sneezle or wheezle,
The measle will certainly go."
They expounded the reazles for sneezles and wheezles,
The manner of measles when new.
They said, "If he freezles in draughts and in breezles,
Then PHTHEEZLES may even ensue."
Christopher Robin got up in the morning,
The sneezles had vanished away.
And the look in his eye seemed to say to the sky,
"Now, how to amuse them to-day!"

Canberra Trip November December

The past four days have seen us away in Canberra, we had a meeting to attend but this provided a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and wonder why the heck we ever left the place.

Canberra is a great place for raising a family. It has also become a bit of an I.T. Hub for Australia. Many people working in Canberra work for the defence department. According to a recent Attenborogh documentary on wildlife and animal behaviour in the Australian Capital Territory "those who work for defence can be differentiated from those who work for the army by not responding to being called dogface".

Prince Charles remarked of the 'Berra that it is a city without a soul. On one level, and perhaps at that time he may have had a point. But things change.

With a growing population of sports mad young people, and more importantly a growing number of people who have been born in Canberra and surrounds living in the city it has taken on a life and a flavour al of its own. Not to mention the fact that it has the highest number of restuarants and coffee shops per capita than any other Australian city, town or hamlet.

Some of the best reasons to visit Canberra can be found here: http://www.wvbc.com.au/ and here http://www.crossroads.asn.au/view.php?page=Home.

Pehaps the best thing about Canberra, other than the fabulously well educated people who wouldn't know how to fix the kitchen sink, is the opportunity the place affords for photography. I have included in the last few photos some examples.

Bush Capital

James Cooke Memorial, Canberra

 

The Sentinels