Albert Mohler: The Inerrancy of Scripture: The Fifty Years’ War . . . and Counting

A thoughtful and thought provoking piece from Mohler on this important subject.

Back in 1990, theologian J. I. Packer recounted what he called a “Thirty Years’ War” over the inerrancy of the Bible. He traced his involvement in this war in its American context back to a conference held in Wenham, Massachusetts in 1966, when he confronted some professors from evangelical institutions who “now declined to affirm the full truth of Scripture.” That was nearly fifty years ago, and the war over the truthfulness of the Bible is still not over — not by a long shot.

Read it all.

For more info on The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, click here.

A Call for Prayer and Fasting for All Africa Bishops’ Conference

Received via email:

August 16, 2010

CALL FOR PRAYER AND FASTING FOR THE ALL AFRICA BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE

The Archbishop’s Cabinet of ACNA would like to let you know of a great need and opportunity. From August 23-31, the second All Africa Bishops’ Conference will be gathering more than four hundred African bishops. The first conference was held in Lagos, Nigeria. This time the meeting will be held in Uganda. Our Archbishop is one of very few Primates or Bishops outside Africa to be invited and will be attending.

It is an important gathering not only for Africa, but for the Anglican Communion as well. We are asking for clergy in and church members to join us in prayer and in various types of fasting from now until the end of the conference.

– The Archbishop’s Cabinet (The Most. Rev. Robert Duncan, The Rt. Rev. Keith Ackerman, the Rt. Rev. David Anderson, the Rt. Rev. Bill Atwood, the Rt. Rev. John Guernsey, the Rt. Rev. Don Harvey, the Rt. Rev. Charlie Masters, the Rt. Rev. Martyn Minns, the Most Rev. Leonard Riches)

From the Morning Scriptures

Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.

—John 5:19-29 (TNIV)

Here we have another apparent contradiction in the words of Jesus. How can he say that whoever hears his word and believes in God who sent him will have eternal life while also saying that those who have done what is evil will rise to condemnation?

But there is no contradiction here because as we have seen before, faith always manifests itself in good works because faith understands that good works are pleasing to God and faith always seeks to please the One whom it trusts. For example, if we go to a doctor we trust and he tells us to take a certain medicine to cure us, will we not do so because we trust that what the doctor tells us is true? This is faith manifesting itself in trust and obedience. It is likewise with our Lord and his Gospel.

Here we have the glorious Good News of Jesus Christ. Ponder these gracious words and give thanks for all that God has done for you in Christ.

George Herbert on Good Sermons

The country parson preaches constantly, the pulpit is his joy and his throne. The character of his sermons is holiness; he is not witty, or learned, or eloquent, but holy. [Holiness] is gained first, by choosing texts of devotion, not controversy, moving and ravishing texts, of which the scriptures are full. Secondly, by dipping, and seasoning all our words and sentences in our hearts, before they come into our mouths, truly affecting, and cordially expressing all that we say; so that the audience may plainly perceive that every word is heart deep. Thirdly, by turning often, and making many direct addresses to God, as, “O Lord, bless my people, and teach them at this point.”

The Country Parson 1652

George Herbert on God’s Revelation

This week I am going to post excerpts from one of my favorite Anglican writers and preachers, George Herbert. Enjoy.

God in all ages has had his servants, to whom he has revealed his truth; and that as one country does not bear all things, that there may be a commerce; so neither has God opened, or will open all to one, that there may be traffic in knowledge between the servants of God, for the planting both of love and humility.

The Country Parson 1652

Cyril of Alexandria on the Virgin Mary

That anyone could doubt the right of the holy Virgin to be called the Mother of God fills me with astonishment. Surely she must be the Mother of God if our Lord Jesus Christ is God, and she gave birth to him! Our Lord’s disciples may not have used those exact words, but they delivered to us the belief those words enshrine, and this has also been taught us by the holy fathers. In the third book of his work on the holy and consubstantial Trinity, our father Athanasius, of glorious memory, several times refers to the holy Virgin as “Mother of God.” I cannot resist quoting his own words: “As I have often told you, the distinctive mark of holy Scripture is that it was written to make a twofold declaration concerning our Savior; namely, that he was and has always been God, since he is the Word, Radiance and Wisdom of the Father; and that for our sake in these latter days he took flesh from the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and become human.”

Letter 1 (ca. mid-5th century)

Regarding the Gospel, the Church, and Doctrines

Only when we have come in touch with our own life experiences and have learned to listen to our inner cravings for liberation and new life can we realize that Jesus did not just speak, but that he reached out to us in our most personal needs. The Gospel doesn’t just contain ideas worth remembering, It is a message responding  to our individual human condition. The Church is not an institution forcing us to follow its rules. It is a community of people inviting us to still our hunger and thirst at its tables. Doctrines are not alien formulations which we must adhere to but the documentation of the most profound human experiences which, transcending time and place, are handed over from generation to generation as a light in our darkness.

—Henri Nouwen, Reaching Out

From the Methodist Hymnal

Come Thou Almighty King

Come, thou almighty King,
help us thy name to sing,
help us to praise!
Father all glorious,
o’er all victorious,
come and reign over us, Ancient of Days!

Come, thou incarnate Word,
gird on thy mighty sword,
our prayer attend!
Come, and thy people bless,
and give thy word success,
Spirit of holiness, on us descend!

Come, holy Comforter,
thy sacred witness bear
in this glad hour.
Thou who almighty art,
now rule in every heart,
and ne’er from us depart, Spirit of power!

To thee, great One in Three,
eternal praises be,
hence, evermore.
Thy sovereign majesty
may we in glory see,
and to eternity love and adore!

—Anonymous, 61