Questions for Hitchens #1
So I recently watched Collision (a must watch) and also an interview on a tv show about the Bible in the UK.
His response to the question – “Where does morality come from?” – is to say that morality is inate in all humans.
Does anyone else see the massive hole in this point of view if you also ascribe to an atheistic evolutionary worldview??
I love Hitchens rhetoric, but his arguments are full of inconsistencies.
Read More2 New Blogs
You should definitely check out two new bloggers who would be fun to read. They may be medical students, but contrary to the stereotype they’re actually quite interesting.
Also, both Northerners, which causes amusement for me when they read the Bible. They love Jesus and as you can see love swimming…
Read MoreBeginning with God
When I started to flick through this new book from The Good Book Company, I was excited by the thought of getting into the Bible, even though this book is aimed at families with pre-school children, it just looks great fun!
This is a new series of Bible study notes for parents to do with their children. Each session consists of an ‘appetiser’ introduction with ideas for chats and games, a main course with prayers, Bible story, and sticker time, and a snack time, a little nugget to keep kids thinking.
There’s a page at the back where you can photocopy and cut out the little snack nuggets and take them out with you during the day… I’m 24, and I think this sounds fun… in fact I might just have to start making babies (after getting married) so I can do it with my kids!!
The notes are written by Alison Mitchell and Jo Boddam Whetham, and produced by The Good Book Company. They’re just £5, which is a bargain with the stickers and fun stuff to do. You can get your hands on one of these from the 1st February… do it!
Read online sample (pdf)
Read MoreBible Cross-References
Apparently there are 63,779 cross-references in the Bible… if you showed that visually it would look like this…
Biblical Cross References
Postmodern Condition
Recently at Cornhill we had Mark Meynell from All Souls lead some sessions on Postmodernism. Here’s a few little quotes or references which I liked…
“My secret is that I need God–that I am sick and can no longer make it alone. I need God to help me give, because I no longer seem to be capable of giving; to help me be kind, as I no longer seem capable of kindness; to help me love, as I seem beyond being able to love.”
Douglas Coupland - Life After God
“Simplifying to the extreme, I define postmodern as incredulity towards metanarratives.”
Lyotard - The Postmodern Condition
Read MoreThe Panopticon
A heart that’s full up like a landfill,
a job that slowly kills you,
bruises that won’t heal.
You look so tired-unhappy,
bring down the government,
they don’t, they don’t speak for us.
I’ll take a quiet life,
a handshake of carbon monoxide…Radiohead - No Surprises
Bruised Reed
An update from Matt Chandler, including this quote from Richard Sibbes, The Bruised Reed:
Read MoreNay, after conversion we need bruising, that reeds may know themselves to be reeds, and not oaks; even we need bruising by reason of the remainder of pride in our nature, and to bt us see that we live by mercy; and that weaker Christians may not be too much discouraged, when they see stronger ones shaken and bruised. Thus Peter was bruised when he wept bitterly. This reed, till he met with this bruise, had more wind in him than pith. ” Though all forsake thee, I will not,” &c. Matt. xxvi. 35. The people of God cannot be without these examples. The heroical deeds of those great worthies do not comfort the Church so much as their falls and bruises do.
Convinced we’re Loved
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“Life’s greatest happiness is to be convinced we’re loved”
- Victor Hugo -
Hugo was a self confessed “Free Thinker”… he points to a deep human need, the desire, fulfillment and security that comes from being Loved.
He’s right. But there’s only one lover who loves perfectly, who doesn’t make us earn his love, doesn’t begrude or get bored of loving, who doesn’t love to be loved back.
Jesus is the lover who brings happiness, who convinces us, and secures our identity – Loved by Christ.