Emphasis on Christian Education

We have allowed the progressives (This is their current self identification. They have also been known as liberals and relativists) to define themselves as "mainstream" or "moderate." They insult historical Christianity by labelling it as backward, racist, reactionary, homophobic, sexist, intolerant,  irrelevant to the modern world, judgmental, imperialistic, sexist, anti-intellectual, etc., etc., etc. Yada, yada, yada. Blah, blah, blah. You get the picture.

Historical Christianity is none of these things. Part of the reason that this insulting situation has arisen is that many churches have not adequately fulfilled their function to hand on the faith to the following generations. A helpful start would be a renewed emphasis on Christian education in history, doctrine, interpretation,  apologetics, and application of the Christian message in day to day life. We need to be equipping modern day Christian warriors. (Ephesians 6:13-18)

(... but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; 1 Peter 3:15)

Historical Christianity is the "mainstream." Those who wish to redefine the faith are the ones who are creating another doctrine. Many have already crossed the threshold and have effectively left the mainstream historical faith.

"Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®,
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973,
1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

Amazing Grace on a Wind-up Metal Musical Church Box

Little boxes such as these are often seen as children's toys. What a wonderful teaching tool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrctnKULkx0

Definition: Casuistry.

Yesterday, I spoke about casuistry in relation to Mark 7:10-13. The word, casuistry, is derived from the Latin word casus, which means “event” or “case.”  The benign definition of casuistry is that it is a discipline within ethics which deals with ambiguous issues of right and wrong.  The most common use of the word today is more sinister: it is described as sophistical reasoning used in matters of ethics.

Sophism (from the Greek word Σοφία = “wisdom”) comes from the ancient Greek Sophists who developed elaborate philosophical and rhetorical arguments to teach excellence and virtue to young men.  The catch was that they charged for their teachings.

Socrates refused to take any money for teaching and considered the practice by the Sophists to be deceptive and specious.  From this developed the modern English use of the word: a specious argument used to deceive and to obscure one’s true intent.  There are many modern examples of this practice.

Film Comment: KJB: The Book That Changed the World

KJB: The Book That Changed the World (2010) is a sort of narrated documentary drama. Modern actor John Rhys-Davies walks among the actors portraying persons from the late Sixteenth and early Seventeenth centuries.  The film documents the events which led to the creation of the King James Version of the Bible, a masterpiece of scholarship, translation, and literary English.

The film concentrates on the childhood and education of James Stuart, who, as James VI,  became King of Scotland in 1567, when he was thirteen months old.  When James was named as her successor by the childless Queen Elizabeth, he became also James I, King of England.  James was superbly educated by his tutor, James Buchanan and became a writer, linguist, intellectual, and theologian.  KJV depicts his political maneuvering for power and respect.

 

The actual places are shown where the fifty scholars spent seven years producing the English translation of the Hebrew and Greek documents.  Checks and double-checks and strict rules of translation were practiced.

The KJV was not instantly accepted and James did not live to see its worldwide acceptance.  His historical reputatiop as a king has been highly controversial but respect for his rule has grown in recent years.

I very much enjoyed this film as history.  I would personally like to see the producers make a sequel which focused on the translators.

Are You Bored With Your Life?

If we are bored with life there is something wrong with our concept of God and His involvement in our daily lives.  Even the most dull and tedious days of our lives are ordained by God and ought to be used by us to glorify Him."  Jerry Bridges, The Navigators

Every job is meaningful, every life is meaningful.  God may have you in place to perform one action in His plan for the life of one person, or numerous persons.  You may never know what you have done.  How do you know that you have not already done it?

Joseph probably was not thrilled when his brothers sold him into slavery.  He was being placed into a position in which he could save his people.  Esther probably was not thrilled to be forced to become essentially a sexual slave for a brutal king.  She was in position to save her people from genocide. Brother Lawrence was an uneducated man not suited for any monastery duties except cooking and washing dishes.  He cheerfully devoted his duties to the Lord and became known worldwide for his pious example.

Freedom of Religious Association

At his Religion Law Blog , British attorney Neil Addsion discusses the legal case, Fernandez-Martinez c. Espagne .  This is a case before the European s in which a Roman Catholic Religious Education teacher (Jose Antonio Fernandez Martinez) at a State school brought a lawsuit against a Roman Catholic bishop for his refusal to renew the teacher’s contract because the teacher was an advocate of “pro-optional celibacy.”

This is an interesting legal case which concerns the issues of freedom of religion and freedom of association for religious groups.  Similar issues are currently being hotly discussed in the United States over the issue of whether or not religious groups can be forced to provide for their employees insurance coverage for contraception and/or abortion.  A secondary issue in the United States is whether or not church-sponsored schools, health clinics, food ministries, etc. which are not directly “religious” in nature are also “church;” whether or not these institutions are also covered by the same freedoms and guarantees as are literal churches.

Laws from one nation are not directly applicable to another since each country or group of countries is autonomous, but rulings in one country can establish a precedent which can be taken into consideration in deliberations in another.

“ … the teacher was submitted to an increased obligation of loyalty because of the special nature of his position. …  The judgment is undoubtedly important in the sphere of Human Rights jurisprudence and could strengthen the position of Faith Schools in the UK in relation to ensuring that the conduct of teachers conforms to the beliefs of their religion.”  Neil Addison

Without approving or disapproving of the action of the bishop in this case or any other, it is clear that the real underlying issues are far more fundamental than they, at first, seem to be.

The New Testament Church

"The primitive Church had no new Testament, no thought-out theology, no stereotyped traditions.  The men who took Christianity to the Gentile world had no special training, only a great experience - in which "all maxims and philosophies were reduced to the simple task of walking in the light since the light had come."  Burnett Hillman Streeter (1847-1937), British biblical scholar and textual critic, educator, educational administrator.  He wrote on religious philosophy and comparative religion.

Ignorant of the Bible

"No educated man can afford to be ignorant of the Bible." Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), President of the United States of America (1901-1909).

Book Comment: Think

Think.  The Life of the Mind and the Love of God (2010), by John Piper, is a book which challenges Christians to use their minds.  "My goal is to encourage you to make serious thinking an important part of the way you pursue the knowledge of God." In the book Piper opposes prideful intellectualism, Christian anti-intellectualism, and the poison that is relativism.

Relativism, the philosophy that there is no universal external standard for judging the truth or falsehood of any statement, is seen by many Christians as a cancer on the world.  Piper goes further, he declares relativism to be evil (2 Timothy 4:3-4) and a treason against God.  Piper attacks the relativist philosophy, showing its gaping logical inconsistencies and exposes it for what it really is, a glorification of the self in opposition to God, which is what all sin ultimately reduces to.

Pastor Piper is no kinder to Christian anti-intellectualism.  One subchapter heading is Not Thinking Is No Solution for Thinking Arrogantly. "I we abandon thinking, we abandon the Bible, and if we abandon the Bible we abandon God."  Rather than being suspicious of deep thinking, we need to learn a humble way of thinking deeply.

"... the main reason God has given us minds is that we might seek out and find all the reasons that exist for treasuring him in all things and above all things.  He created the world so that through it and above it we might treasure him."

Book Comment: Faith Reads

Faith Reads. A Selective Guide to Christian Nonfiction (2008), by David Rainey, is a library reference book published by Libraries Unlimited. It reviews hundreds of books, sorted into the following categories: Life Stories, Prayer, Worship, Spiritual Growth, Christian Self-Help, Evangelism, Arts, Culture, and Education, Business and Leadership, Science and Nature, and Bible and Theology.

Just to read this book would be boring, but if you are looking for a specific type of Christian non-fiction, this is a good place to start your search.

Christianity is Not Anti-Intellectual

     What do Glenn Beck, Bill Gates, Walter Cronkite, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Robert Novak, and William Safire all have in common?  Yeah, they were/are all white American men.  What else?  This: none of them graduated from college.  And yet, all of them attained great success in their individual fields, all of which required "smarts."

     Christianity is often accused of being anti-intellectual, a totally ludicrous charge.  In fact, during the Dark Ages, the only educated people were the clergy.  The names of Christian intellectuals are too numerous to mention but they include the Apostle Paul, Thomas Aquinas, Augustine of Hippo, Karl Barth, and C. S. Lewis.  

     Christian wisdom is attained by studying the Word of God under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  A college degree is not required but advanced education can do nothing but enhance the Christian's abilities to make informed judgements.

     Numerous places in the Bible the value of education and knowledge is affirmed.

Education is for everyone.

"7"Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, [even] to Benhail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.

8And with them [he sent] Levites, [even] Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests.

9And they taught in Judah, and [had] the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people. 2 Chronicles 17: 7-9.

Knowledge is of more value than money.

For wisdom [is] a defence, [and] money [is] a defence: but the excellency of knowledge [is, that] wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
 Ecclesiastes 7:12.