||Book Summary|| Thompson’s book provides nine introductory tours into the history of interpretation of difficult parts of Bible, and gives directions for those who wish to strike out and explore the interpretive landscape of the past for themselves – and for their church.
Author: Chris Northcott
When we look for the restoration of human destiny, we can see it rekindled in Jesus.
“Who is church for?” It is a question I have heard discussed and debated numerous times. I have myself. I have noticed that opposing answers are frequently affirmed without clarifying what the other answer is attempting to preserve.
||Book Summary|| The vast majority of current Bible study books and methods aim to help the reader understand what biblical texts meant for their original audience so that its message can be faithfully applied to modern audiences. This process is essentially a two-way dialogue: there is the text, and there is the reader. David Parris’ Reading the Bible with Giants promotes the value of a third voice. This third dialogue partner is the history of interpretation that stands between us and the original writing of the text.
||Short Article|| Compelling motivations exist for Christians not to promote conspiracy theories. Even the ones that they are certain are true.
Donald Trump’s photograph outside a forcefully-cleared church entrance while holding up a Bible has brought new shame on Christianity.
||Book Summary|| This book offers some probing questions for how Christians think about issues surrounding same-sex attraction. It also suggests ways that Christians can help those who struggle with same-sex attraction.
This Sunday will be the first time our church has gathered together since March 15. That’s eleven Sundays ago. The time has come when we may reopen the doors of our churches and sit again on each other’s couches, and return to face-to-face fellowship.
New Zealand appears to have dodged a bullet and gotten off lightly in this pandemic, yet many Christians are berating the government because we cannot gather as churches under Lockdown Level 2. But there is a high cost which I doubt we are counting.
The excellent book The Trellis and the Vine finishes on a note that is strikingly relevant for our present context.
Chris Northcott 