Comment for the week
July 19 - 25
I always seem to start with the weather. The weather today is mild and sunny. However, we have had a number of frosts this last ten days or so. I am noticing the days are getting longer which means summer is on its way.
I have a busy week ahead of me. Starting a week away our Alpha Course begins next Sunday evening. We have a number of guests already confirmed so are looking forward to making new friends. I am looking forward to being with these folk as we explore the basics of Christianity through the teaching of Jesus and the insights of those who followed him right down to modern times. I am looking forward to sharing the words of the gospel that are part of Alpha and then sitting back and watching these words work their miracle. The gospel is the power of God at work.
From Thursday to Saturday I am going to be in Auckland attending a Council of Assembly meeting for the Presbyterian Church. The Council is the governing body of our denomination between our bi-annual General Assemblies. We have about 2.5 days of hard graft as we look at what is going forward to General Assembly (GA10) at the end of September this year. One of the reports to be discussed is one I have been part of researching and writing over the last few
confidence in the gospel. In the papers I am ploughing through for the Council of Assembly meeting is the final draft of the new Focal Identity Statement that is being recommended to beome part of our sub-ordinate standards as a denomination. Not only is the staement interesting, but so too is the commentary that goes with it. In part the commentary says "The Scriptures assert that there is only one God who exists (is 44:6), who is alone worthy of worship and obedience (Exod 20:3). The one true and living God is revealed in Christ and the Scriptures. We acknowledge with respect the sincerity of many who believe in other gods and ideologies, and should relate to everyone with justice and mercy, but may confess no other God than the Triune God revealed in Christ."
Couldn't have said it better myself. So if the face veil debate ever comes to NZ, I suspect that PCANZ will be fighting hard for freedom of religion and practice, and I will be with them whole heartedly.
What do you think?
Have a great week!!
Peter.
months - the Strategic Plan document for PCANZ. I am hanging out for the reactions and feedback as I think it contains some things that will disturb as well as encourage in relation to the next decade.
Just before editing this website I was looking at some news items on the net. One that caught my eye was a growing move in Britian to follow France and ban the wearing of the face veil by Muslim women. I don't know what you think but this really worries me. Although the Christian Church has not always been good at it in history the ideal of freedom of religion and expression is a legacy of Christianity - strange as it may seem. Our service leader at our Waipu service this morning read out an editorial from the New Zealand Herald News Paper that was addressing the recent atheist advertising campaign on buses. I editorial reminded its readers that the freedoms we enjoy in the west are the result of Christian thinking and practice in society - and Ok it took a long time to get where we are.
I think freedom of religion and expression in general terms is something the Christian faith offers the world. Of course, some practices and maybe even beliefs may not be specifically acceptable. As a Christian I can hold this view quite positively because of my
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