Archive for the ‘Provocateur’ Category

Posted on November 11, 2011 - by Chris Lazenby

The End of God? (BBC4 at 8pm, 10th November, 2011)

As is often the case with modern documentaries on science and religion, this one seemed designed from the outset to try and destroy any remaining faith people may have in a supreme being. Dr Thomas Dixon, the presenter, informed us at the very outset that: ‘in the battle between science and religion, it would seem that science has won the war. Is there any room left for God.?’

Naturally, we were treated to the story of Galileo and his telescope proving the church wrong. His telescope, said Dixon, was ‘more reliable than the bible’. This is because ‘at the heart of scientific knowledge are observation and logic’. Scientists ‘make hypotheses and test them time and again against the evidence’. For poor old faith, there is just ‘revelation – direct communication from God.’ (more…)

Posted on September 13, 2011 - by Chris Lazenby

THE SILENT HOLOCAUST

In the UK, at the time of writing there has been much coverage over the proposals by Nadine Dorries MP and Frank Field MP to change the way counselling about abortion takes place. As far as I’m aware, Nadine Dorries claims to be a Christian, and so some of us were hopeful about the possibility of an MP taking up the gauntlet in this area.

However, it turns out that Ms Dorries is quite firmly ‘pro-choice’. Her desire is not to see the number of abortions in the UK reduced (from the horrendous figure of 200,000 per year). What she is actually after is ‘independent help’ for mothers seeking abortion, rather than counselling from any organisation with a vested interest in the performing of abortions. ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14822710 ). (more…)

Posted on July 8, 2011 - by Chris Lazenby

High Street Evangelism

I had a rather unusual experience (for me) today, in that I got involved in a discussion about ‘religion’ in the middle of the busy hight Street in Skipton, North Yorkshire (which is near to where we live). A dear old saint who is there week by week, handing out little tracts and telling people that ‘Jesus loves you’ seemed to be having a hard time with a young, well educated man, who had stopped and was arguing (in a rather loud voice) about the age of the universe, carbon-dating, miracles and so on. I couldn’t help but overhear and wandered a little closer where I gradually got drawn into the discussion. (more…)

Posted on April 23, 2011 - by Chris Lazenby

An Easter ‘thought for the day’.

In Ephesians 1:18-20, St Paul wrote:

‘I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honour at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms’ (New Living Translation).

No words of my own could suffice so well as an Easter ‘thought for the day’ than these! Christ is risen! And his people rise to new life with him, and this life is eternal (Romans 6:23). It’s incredible to ponder the fact that the same power which brought Christ back from death can be at work in us too.

I’d like to wish all staff and students with KEDS (and anyone else reading this) a blessed and joyful Easter.

Christ is risen: he is risen indeed, Alleluia!

Posted on February 10, 2011 - by Chris Lazenby

An update on the Church of England and baptism

Those of you who read my piece on the 18th January may be interested in a story in today’s Daily Telegraph (10th February 2011). It seems that members of the General Synod have now voted in favour of ‘updating’ the texts for use in baptismal services in the Church of England. For those of you who are not in the know, these texts usually come from Common Worship (2000) which itself is an update of The Alternative Service Book of 1980. So we are not talking about updating archaic language here. We are talking of – according to the Telegraph – more ‘Eastenders than the Bible.’ (more…)

Posted on January 20, 2011 - by Chris Lazenby

A more tolerant Britain?

I was saddened on Tuesday (18th January 2011) to read that Peter and Hazelmary Bull have lost the case brought against them by two gay men who wished to stay in a double room in the their guest-house. It has been alleged that the men deliberately targeted a Christian guest house and that the whole thing was a ‘setup’ by gay activist group, Stonewall, to try and make a point. Whether that’s true or not, I don’t know, but what I do know is that in the UK in 2011, if you don’t go along completely with the homosexual agenda, then you’re up against the law of the land. (more…)

Posted on January 18, 2011 - by Chris Lazenby

Baptism and the Church of England

I came across a short piece on page 11 of today’s Daily Telegraph (18th January 2011) conveying the news that clergy in the Church of England are calling for simplified language for services of baptism ‘to help non-church goers.’

Now, I wouldn’t particularly have a problem with using simple language for the many non-Christians attending such services who make up the congregation if it were not for one thing; the service is not for them! It is for the baptism of the candidate and the promises being made by the candidate and his/her sponsors in the context of worship directed towards almighty God. How can non-Christians be worshipping almighty God? (more…)

Posted on December 16, 2010 - by Chris Lazenby

Tinsel, Santa and the Incarnation

Each Christmas, over the past few years, I’ve read through Karl Barth’s little book Christmas. The chapters are adapted from articles he wrote for publication in German newspapers between 1926-33. In the final chapter of the book, Revelation, Barth reminds us that although God is ‘eternal and invisible and spiritual’ he is also ‘temporal, visible and a physical person.’ He points out too, that it is no longer left to us to construct a God of our imagining; to attempt to ‘seek him somewhere in “infinity”’ and then come up with our clever theories about him. Rather ‘He has come to us (without ceasing to be infinite) in finiteness’ (emphasis mine). In other words, the revelation contained in the Christmas story sweeps away our preconceptions and makes the nature of God real as the ultimate mystery is revealed in time and space. (more…)