[...] Prospect - the intellectuals' favourite monthly magazine - seems to think so. It has an influence out of all proportion to its tiny circulation and a reputation for its rigorously highbrow approach and its front page recently carried the pretty unambiguous headline: "God returns to Europe".
Dr Eric Kaufmann of Birbeck College, who wrote the piece, based on largely demographic evidence, said there is a religious revival "that may be as profound as that which changed the course of the Roman empire in the 4th century". Heady stuff if you are one of the believers. Mildly worrying if you're not. Seriously worrying if you are scared that what has happened in the United States might possibly be happening here.
Admittedly, that seems unlikely. Until the last congressional elections almost half the senators and congressmen were claimed by the religious fundamentalists as their own. Even if the politicians had wanted to they could not disown the religious Right. Read more
Saturday, 3 March 2007
John Humphrys: The return of God?
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It was pages 21 and 22 in the Daily Telegraph Saturday 03/03/2007 - I was interested in John Humphreys' comment about Craig v Wolpert: "They might as well have been talking in different languages" - OK, it's good to hear biblical apologetics, but at the end of the day the answer is FRUIT - e.g Matthew 7:20. I mean what is the fruit produced by the Bible? Instead of the Bride awesome and beautiful
(Who is she that looketh forth as the morning
Fair as the moon
Clear as the sun
And terrible with an army with banners)
we see something people treat with contempt and scorn
"by schisms rent asunder" "by heresies distressed"
I don't think we are going to persuade people to believe Genesis unless we can persuade Christians to believe the New Testament - set aside cherished traditions that divide and yield to God's Word - the fruit will be one visible gospelCommunity conformed to God's Word - "a purchased people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past not a people, but now the people of God, etc" (1 Peter 2:9-10)
That would be more persuasive (and convicting) that intellectual words in a lecture theatre - 2 Corinthians 3 - not words of approval but "ye are our epistle, written on our hearts, known and read of all men" - see Deuteromony 4:6-8 where the outside world can see for itself - or the unity in John 17:20-23 which commends the gospel
There you go - the priority then is to build such a people - Nehemiah looks at the ruins of Zion - Ephesians 4 looks at the ministries needed to build such a people - Our Lord (Matthew 9) asks us to pray for labourers - gospel ministry
The Lord’s Prayer - just a quick gander
Heaven - Ephesians 2:6 – The Church co-seated with God in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus
So – “Thy will be done in earth as in heaven” – primarily the church awesome and beautiful – visible on earth
Attractive – draws the nations – John 17:20-23 and Isaiah 2 – the answer to “Hallowed be thy name”
The other Lord’s Prayer is the means – Matthew 9:38 – gospel ministry being multiplied
Is there a God? Well if it's proof yer after, the proof of the fruit pudding is - wait for it - fruit. Matthew 7:20
So how about this for fruit!
= = =
HAPPY the souls who first believed,
To Jesus and each other cleaved,
Joined by the unction from above,
In mystic fellowship of love!
Meek, simple followers of the Lamb,
They lived and spake and thought the same;
Brake the commemorative bread,
And drank the Spirit of their Head.
On God, they cast their every care:
Wrestling with God in mighty prayer.
They claimed the grace, through Jesus given;
By prayer they shut and opened heaven.
To Jesus they performed their vows:
A little Church in every house,
They joyfully conspired to raise
Their ceaseless sacrifice of praise.
Propriety was there unknown,
None called what he possessed his own;
Where all the common blessings share,
No selfish happiness was there.
With grace abundantly endued,
A pure, believing multitude!
They all were of one heart and soul,
And only love inspired the whole.
what an age of golden days!
what a choice, peculiar race!
Washed in the Lamb’s all-cleansing blood,
Anointed kings and priests to God.
= = =
Greatest of gifts, thy love, impart,
And make us of one mind and heart!
Join every soul that looks to thee
In bonds of perfect charity:
Now, Lord, the glorious fullness give.
And all in all forever live!
= = =
Jesus, from whom all blessings flow,
Great Builder of thy Church below,
If now thy Spirit moves my breast,
Hear, and fulfill thy own request!
The few that truly call thee Lord,
And wait thy sanctifying word,
And thee their utmost Savior own,
Unite, and perfect them in one.
= = =
The holy seed, the royal race,
The standing monuments of thy grace.
let them all thy mind express,
Stand forth thy chosen witnesses!
Thy power unto salvation show,
And perfect holiness below:
The fullness of thy grace receive,
And simply to thy glory live;
Strongly reflect the light divine,
And in a land of darkness shine.
In them let all mankind behold
How Christians lived in days of old;
Mighty their envious woes to move,
A proverb of reproach—and love.
make them of one soul and heart,
The all-conforming mind impart;
Spirit of peace and unity,
The sinless mind that was in thee.
Call them into thy wondrous light,
Worthy to walk with thee in white;
Make up thy jewels, Lord, and show
The glorious, spotless Church below.
From every sinful wrinkle free,
Redeemed from all iniquity.
==
Charles Wesley 1707-88 – appropriate as this is the 200th anniversary of 1707
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