We long for peace. It seems out of reach. But it is possible.
Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash
I’m so glad Australian society has moved past that awful time when society was deeply divided over whether someone was a Prottie (or Proddie) or a Catholic. It was awful, divisive, caused real hurt and it did not represent the love of Jesus.
However, now the pendulum has swung the other way. Many Catholics and Protestants would say there are very few differences or, even, no differences between them. ‘We are all Christians together.’ ‘We all believe the same thing.’
This is a lovely sentiment. But is it true? Are there really no differences of significance?
I think there are many important differences between Protestants and Catholics and we ought to have long conversations with each other about these differences for each other’s sake for heaven and hell are at stake. And truth matters.
The aim of this article is to explore 3 significant differences between Catholics and Protestants (or evangelicals) so we might have those important conversations. Not fuelled by divisive hatred, but fuelled by love and a search for the truth.
Our church, Risen Church, is starting a new series on God’s word, the book of 2 Timothy. So, I’ve created a new Creed for our church!
Even to me that sounds dangerous: a new creed. I can see the heading now, ‘Local church in Brisbane falls into tragic heresy through new creed.’ However, the words to this Creed come straight from 2 Timothy.
We long for peace. It seems out of reach. But it is possible.
Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash
How should Christians date? They should seek an emotional connection. And yes, believe it or not, they could even hold hands. That’s right, I dare you, Christian zoomer, hold hands.
Here’s a short guide to Christian Zoomer dating.
K-Pop Demon Hunters is absolutely over the top, in the best possible way. The film is funny, delightfully quirky, and bursting with playful animation. The soundtrack is ridiculously catchy and the characters turn out to be more layered than you might expect. But given the themes of witchcraft, demons and idols should Christian parents let their children watch this movie? Many Christian commentators say No. But our guest review Elise Harden shows that great Christian truths shine through in this animated film.
How should Christians date? They should seek an emotional connection. And yes, believe it or not, they could even hold hands. That’s right, I dare you, Christian zoomer, hold hands.
Here’s a short guide to Christian Zoomer dating.
K-Pop Demon Hunters is absolutely over the top, in the best possible way. The film is funny, delightfully quirky, and bursting with playful animation. The soundtrack is ridiculously catchy and the characters turn out to be more layered than you might expect. But given the themes of witchcraft, demons and idols should Christian parents let their children watch this movie? Many Christian commentators say No. But our guest review Elise Harden shows that great Christian truths shine through in this animated film.
Can love conquer fear and monsters? The delightful movie, Love and Monsters says yes. But, this isn’t just an unrealistic answer from the fantasy of movie land. The Christian message says love can conquer fear and monsters.
‘Grim Property Outlook’. So warned the infotainment morning TV show yesterday morning. The property outlook was dark and foreboding. Poverty and austerity were the likely future. It was GRIM.
But when we consider the promises that will be true in Jesus, the property outlook isn’t grim. It is wonderful.
Photo by Daniel Barnes on Unsplash
Colin Apelt is an amazing guy. He is 92 years old and serves drinks in a palliative care unit in a Brisbane hospital. But what is really amazing about this story is how it avoids the topic of death.
Photo by Whitney Wright on Unsplash
Taylor Sheridan of Yellowstone fame is carving up our screens. I recently devoured the blood soaked Western 1883. Here's my reflections on it. This reflection is 100% spoiler because of the story telling arc of 1883 and the message behind it: freedom.
Dear Marc, though you feel nothing, that doesn’t mean you’re outside of God’s love.
Photo by Christopher Burns on Unsplash Edited
We like the idea of karma. But that’s just because we don’t really understand it. A universe operating according to karma or the law of reciprocity would be an awful place, even if it was fair. It is why we need to know God’s grace.
Photo by Mareko Tamaleaa on Unsplash (edited)
We’ve all heard it said, “It’s wrong to judge others.” Not that this seems to stop the human race from judging. Given that repeated admonitions not to judge don’t seem to be working. Perhaps going deeper into the reality of judging might help us.
Photo by Unsplash Rishabh Butola
Joy to the World is a song of such, well, joy! But here’s the thing. We’ve been killing its meaning. Joy to the World only has 4 verses. But most versions skip verse 3. Which means they’ve rob the rest of the song of its meaning. And so there’s no point in singing it. None!
Photo by Toni Cuenca on Unsplash
Grief and sadness will come by how can we face them and how can we can for those in the midst of grief and loss. This blog post shares how we might care for those grieving and experiencing loss and hardship in its many forms. This reflection sprang from the book of Proverbs and from facing my son’s battle with cancer and his death.
Photo by Claudia Wolff on Unsplash
AC Grayling’s essential argument is that the various good things of Western civilisation that we consider quite wonderful didn’t proceed from Christianity. They were already there in classical culture (Greek and Roman culture) and preceded Christianity. They aren’t Christian ideas at all. But on the issue of slavery his evidence doesn’t support his position at all.
The story we keep hearing is that traditional morality crushes and destroys us. If we can just recognise this we can find the new way of freedom, especially our sexual freedom. The surprise in the Bible is that it agrees with the problem of traditional morality.
Photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash
Apart from the horror of what’s been unfolding, the question that has been on my mind over the last two weeks is, ‘What could an atheist say to the Taliban?’
Photo by By VOA - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAg7egiXClU, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=109043891
Dear Disney, Marvel, sitcoms, romcoms and finding your true self dramas, could we please have another script? Because you’ve been using the same one for too many years and it is booooring. Even my youngest son is bored by it.
Photo by pan xiaozhen on Unsplash