eChurch Blog

I don’t care if this is an April fools or not, it’s worth it just for Fr. Z’s pun: “McPenance”.

It was inevitably going to be spun this way.

And what happens when if Gaddafi wins?

I know some years back, in some Church of England diocese,  the Lay Reader course was connected with – and accredited through – the University of Wales, Lampeter. However, I don’t know if this still holds true.

This is an interesting development nonetheless, especially given that this University is the oldest in Wales (possibly 3rd oldest in UK), and is renown for its theology department which validates degrees internationally.

THE University of Wales could face an inquiry into an allegation it is breaching a new equality law by validating degrees at Christian fundamentalist colleges run by groups that believe homosexuality and sex outside marriage is sinful.

A number of senior academics in Wales intend to make a formal complaint about the university’s involvement with such colleges to the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

On Tuesday, Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 comes into force. It introduces a public-sector equality duty which imposes on public authorities a legally enforceable obligation to “have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under this Act”.

One of the “protected characteristics” defined in the Act is sexual orientation. Public bodies that fail to comply with the equality duty can face action in the civil courts.

….continue reading

Tomorrow (1st April) Peers in the House of Lords will spend the whole day debating recent events in Libya and the wider Middle East.

Charles Reed – Church of England advisor on foreign policy issues – has the complex task of ensuring the Church of England Bishops are properly briefed.

Happily for us, over the last week, Charles has blogged his thoughts and here are the links, starting with the oldest post:

Brief A Bishop – Libya and Operation Odyssey

Brief a Bishop: Egypt

Brief a Bishop: The Middle East Peace Process

Location, Location, Location

Brief a Bishop: Making Sense of Libya and The Arab Spring

OK, the final briefing can be found here on the Church of England website.

And for those of us who don’t have the time to read the final briefing, Charles has been kind enough to provide us with a brief synopsis, which I’m reproducing here with kind permission:

Whatever the initial justness of the intervention, the allied coalition is now in danger of acting irresponsibly by employing a level of force that is disproportionate to the original aims of UNSCR 1973. Unless there is greater clarity as to the operation’s objectives then the prospects for a just and lasting peace in Libya is far from certain.

The process of political transition in Egypt is unlikely to remedy the initial grievances and concerns that spurred protesters to overthrow the Mubarak regime. More could and should be done to invest in conflict prevention measures such as investing time and resources in helping to build up those institutions that might usefully protect the democratic space in Egypt.

On the Middle East Peace Process the briefing suggests that the regional crises should be seen as an opportunity to press head with peace negotiations rather than as an excuse to defend the status quo. Negotiating in such a fluid environment poses short term risks to Israel, but these need to be judged against the long terms risks should a two state solution no longer prove viable.

The following is an email I received today, and I would ask that if you happen to read this post, that you’d spare the time to send up a prayer. God knows who they are.

My husband committed suicide on 20 March. He was a wonderful man, I love him dearly and wish I could have him back. But as I cannot have him back, my only wish is that he be at peace with God. Please pray for him. He deserves love and prayers.

I don’t often foray into the world of theology on this blog, and there’s a good reason for that, namely, I’m pants at it.

However, as I’m feeling uncharacteristically emboldened today, instead of simply secretly lurking like a midget amongst the theological giants, I’m going to participate.

Marc Cortez has an interesting post discussing Brian LePort’s paper, presented last month at the Evangelical Theological Society. Within the paper Brian looks at the eschatological future of this present earth and asks if it will be burned up and destroyed, or renewed and redeemed?

Brian – quite rightly – proposes viewing the New Testament in light of the Old Testament – specifically Genesis – and far from concluding a discontinuation between this world and the one to come, Brian argues for some sort of continuation. Or to put in a rather crude form, the earth will not be utterly destroyed by fire, but will be redeemed and restored.

I’m in agreement with Brian, as I also suppose a form of continuation, redemption and restoration of the earth. Eschatologically – in a Wrightesque fashion – I view this as consummated when Heaven joins with the realm of the earth – or visa versa – at the end of the age.

I’d like to add that this represents a 180 degree turnaround from my previous conviction, of everything being consumed and destroyed in a cataclysmic fire-ball.

So why am I blathering on about this? Because, this 180 degree turnaround has had some implications.

When I assumed a ‘fire-ball’ end of the universe, I had no regard for ecological concerns. What did it matter if we abused the earth? Its days were numbered anyway.

In light of this eschatological shift, I’m now having to – and am still in the process of – re-evaluating my ecological outlook.

However, I’m still troubled with an overemphasis on eco-concerns, which I’ve noticed can trip over into – for want of a better term – a kind of Christian Gaia worship.

If you’re wondering what I’m referring to, then I ask if you have ever come across the term “eco-ecumenical theology”?

Neither had I, until today:

Towards an eco-theology

Is this taking things too far?

Brian was kind enough to comment in response to these thoughts and had this to say:

I have often wondered about this as well. For instance, Paul corrects the Corinthians for law suits because he is upset that their inability to judge amongst themselves now may reflect poorly on people preparing to judge angles in the age to come. So there is some sense in which we train now, and live now, with the next age in view.

If we are going to reign with Christ over the redeemed/redeeming planet than why wouldn’t we be preparing now for this as well. Paul said we should take care of our bodies now even though the resurrection is going to occur. Why not this planet now, even though its resurrection is to occur?

Indeed.

And Marc Cortez had this to say:

There’s definitely a lot of bad theology in the ecology movement. But, I’m glad that you’re re-evaluating, because we don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. We can affirm that God’s creation is good, that it has lasting value, and that we should therefore treat it as something precious, without lapsing into some form of idolatrous creation-worship.

Again, indeed.

Quite coincidentally Professor J. R. Daniel Kirk has an excellent post which again touches on this theme of “cosmic restoration.” Well worth taking the time to hop over and have a read.

And whilst we’re on the subject of creation, T.C.R has a post looking at Ken Ham’s desire to turn the Genesis account into an almost existential salvific issue.

Oh, and while I’m about linking, I enjoyed Seven Whole Days thoughts on predestination and election, and hasn’t Leila just about summed it all up in her blog post today.

The Jesus Way is something that often gets left out of our theological discussions and disagreements. In omitting it from our conversation about God, we miss a current that runs right through the biblical narrative: the way of God and the way of Jesus as opposed to the ways of the world (e.g. the ways of “the other nations” in the OT, the way of the Pharisees in the NT). The difference between the church and the world is not merely in what we believe; it is also in how we live, how we orient ourselves to that belief. The Jesus Truth, only when it is wedded to the Jesus Way, produces the Jesus Life.

SOURCE

What kind of war is it, when a week after it begins, the NATO commander admits that he’s examining the possibility that maybe we’re actually fighting for Al-Qaeda. Our main enemy in that other war, which we’re neglecting in order to begin a war on yet another front. The very minimal condition for any war should be to make sure that we aren’t fighting on the same side as our enemies. The only condition lower than that would be to make sure we aren’t pointing the guns at ourselves. A war where we can’t do that is a very bad war indeed.

SOURCE

Cranmer has a post today relevant to this.

This war has cost the US half a billion dollars in just 11 Days! I wonder what it has cost the UK so far? And that’s just monetary, what will be the real cost to us all of this bloody war?

I know this is preposterous and trivial, but I just can’t pass it up, it’s my nature. I’m sorry.

The group is asking translators of the New International Version (NIV) to remove what it calls “speciesist” language and refer to animals as “he” or “she” instead of “it.”

[.....]

PETA is hoping the move toward greater gender inclusiveness will continue toward animals as well.

“When the Bible moves toward inclusively in one area … it wasn’t much of a stretch to suggest they move toward inclusively in this area,” Bruce Friedrich, PETA’s vice president for policy, told CNN.

Friedrich, a practicing Roman Catholic, said, “Language matters. Calling an animal ‘it’ denies them something. They are beloved by God. They glorify God.”

“God’s covenant is with humans and animals. God cares about animals,” Friedrich said. “I would think that’s a rather unanimous opinion among biblical scholars today, where that might not have been the case 200 years ago.”

Friedrich, who is also a vegan and suggests the Bible promotes vegetarianism, puts a religious face on PETA’s ethical arguments.

[....]

PETA’s Friedrich said his group’s position has been bolstered by the creation care movement, in which many evangelicals are becoming more conscience about the environment.

“The creation care movement is certainly helpful,” he said.

Whether their arguments will be enough to sway the translators is yet to be seen. Friedrich said he has yet to hear back from the Committee on Bible Translation.

….read all

Lovely thoughtful post on Christian blogging.