Deus Misereatur

The Gospel in a Pluralist Society by Lesslie Newbigin My rating: 5 of 5 stars First time I read "The Gospel in a Pluralist Society" was in 2003, and now I have completed my second reading. A lot has changed in my experience and comprehension since my initial reading, and there are things I picked up this time I didn't before. Since there are loads of reviews of the book filling the virtual pages, I'll simply point out a few of the highlights I enjoyed being reminded of in my second reading of the book. To begin with, Newbigin sought to practice what he preached. This book came toward the latter end of his life and service as a missionary to South India, as well as his work in the ecumenical movement. He brings his talented perception to bear on the mission field of the West, and primarily the West shaped and formed by the Enlightenment. Primarily the greater part of the book is helping the reader to learn to be suspicious of the hermeneutics of suspicion. He does t...

{I'm taking a risk and posting this series on my blog as I preach them. I hope that it will be received properly. Here is the audio file . It would be best to listen to the sermon as you walk through the manuscript. May God bless your hearing and reading of this sermon. Mike} ---- Hell Pt 1: Matthew 5:27-30 Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal; we look to you to help us through this evening series we are beginning, and especially as we scrutinize what your Scriptures teach about the terrifying subject of hell. Have mercy on us, Lord; help us; and change in us what needs to be changed for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. [See Edward Donnelly’s “ Biblical Teaching on the Doctrines of Heaven and Hell ”] What in the world would possess me to do such an insane thing as to dive into this subject about hell publicly? Recently one of the teachers at my sons’ school asked me to talk about Jonathan Edwards’ sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” As she explai...

As William Abraham continues to tackle renewal movements in his book " The Logic of Renewal " (see my previous posts to get up to speed if you’re just joining in), he turns to the area of discernment; “5. This leads naturally to a fifth point. Like it or not, there is no firm calculus for making good judgments in this arena. Perhaps this is why some people stay clear of the whole business of renewal. They are acutely aware that, in thinking about renewal, what is ultimately needed is a very rich gift of ecclesial and spiritual discernment. It is easy to go astray; more specifically, it is easy to fall prey to a kind of utopianism. ( . . . ) On the one hand, people who crave for radical and substantial change often feel very incompetent and helpless. In such circumstances, they are liable to follow any leader who is confident enough to lead them to revival. On the other hand, there are leaders who are only too keen to become spiritual dictators. They can easily develop spu...