September 2024 

Re: Biblical foundations for discipleship 

A challenging and helpful piece. Thank you
Jackie (via Facebook)

Thanks Peter - really, really, helpful. Particularly as we are preparing for a preaching series on discipleship!
Graham (via Facebook)

Excellent Peter, thank you!
Susanna (via Facebook)
 

Re: Should your faith rely entirely on the Bible?

I totally agree with Chris Goswani in saying that the primary authority for our faith is Jesus. However we have a problem - for where do we encounter the stories of Jesus' life and accounts of his teaching? In the Bible; and indeed put into their final form by editors and leaders in the early Church.

So, while I believe it is right to regard Jesus as our highest authority, in practice the Bible (or, if we are going to be picky, the Gospel tradition) does end up having a leading role. If we don't let it do that, then we'll end up abandoning the historic Jesus or even making up a new Jesus in our own image!

Thank you, Chris.

Andrew Kleissner, Christchurch United Church, Llanedeyrn, Cardiff


In Chris Goswami’s article ‘Should your faith rely solely on the Bible?’ he writes that “As Baptists a well-rounded faith must be fixed on the person of Jesus and firmly rooted in scripture but should also acknowledge the value (and the biases) of our traditions and lived experiences, and the church meeting’s responsibility to discern.” However Jesus was the ‘The Word of God’ made flesh that came and lived among us. Jesus had a high view of scripture as the Word of God. He said that ‘the scripture cannot be broken’(John 10:35). He said ‘Your Word is truth’ (John 17:7).

Obviously our sole authority is the Lord Jesus Christ but you cannot separate His authority from the authority of the scriptures, hence the Reformation doctrine of ‘Sola Scriptura’. They are one and the same thing.

There are no ‘Red Letters’ in the New Testament. There is only the Word of God. We so often hear well known pastors claiming that they read the Bible only through ‘the lens of Jesus’, which usually means that they are willing to ‘park up’ parts of the Bible that do not align with their cultural or world view.

But the world’s view is not a biblical one. We must be very careful when we ‘acknowledge the value of our traditions and lived experiences’. I believe that it is precisely because many Christians today have allowed their ‘lived experiences’ to shape what they believe that we are in the sorry position we are today having departed from what the Bible teaches about various issues including human sexuality and gender.

Tom Taylor, Devonshire Avenue Baptist Church Portsmouth
 

Re: Is your church 'faith in later life' friendly? 
What concerns me about this is that it gives the impression that it is all about church doing things for and to older people.

I write as an older person. Older people are the church just as much as children, young people, young adults, middle aged adults. Older people have agency just as much or as little as people of younger ages.

How do we enable one another to take responsibility?
Simon, via Facebook


Simon, I take your point - it's essential that everyone has agency and is empowered to serve. However, one of the Faith in Later Life questions in is about this specifically:
9. Calling - Does your church actively encourage and help all older people to use their spiritual gifts?

Examples might include helping people to explore what their gifts are, how to adapt and use them in later life, and as circumstances change, and creating opportunities for unique types of service.
Through the Roof  

 

Re: Signing a joint letter urging the government to take action on inadequate incomes

The more government does, the worse things get. Just tell the government to stop. They are always the problem - never the solution. Can we get back to being the church?
Will, via Facebook

If DWP didn’t have to pay top ups to people working full time then the benefit budget could be better used for those that need it. It’s employers that don’t pay enough in spite of huge profits that are essentially being subsidised by DWP that cause the problem
Gavin, via Facebook

Shouldn’t churches do this first then? Lots of churches underpaying Youth and Children’s roles which makes it very difficult. Church staff also feel a struggle in asking for more money.
Alastair, via Facebook