An online survey of issues, events and ideas
Guan Un / 25th August 2004
Stirrings of the Soul, by Mike Raiter, was announced last night as the ACLS Australian Christian Book of the Year for 2004. 2nd Prize went to Tom Frame, and UNSW Press, for Living by the Sword. And Highly Commended was Going the Distance by Peter Brain.
An excerpt from the judges' comments about Stirrings of the Soul:
This is a timely treatment of a phenomenon that has been allowed to impact upon many Christians in various ways without a great deal of discerning thought; the new spirituality.
It contains a good survey of the New Age spirituality in its diversity; a thoughtful analysis of its appeal; a biblical critique of the nature of human seeking; a critical exploration of Christian mysticism; a balanced exposition of biblical spirituality, and useful practical advice for thirsty evangelicals.
Oh, and in case you need extra incentive, it's on special for the rest of the month, along with Going the Distance, and Prodigal World.
Gordon Cheng / 24th August 2004
Athens and Jerusalem are opposed. Athens is about grabbing Olympic glory in spades—glory for country yes, but (truth be known) glory for self is as great a motivation. Jerusalem, by contrast, was where one man, the Lord Jesus Christ, gave away all his glory for the sake of others, and his death was painful and shameful.
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. (2 Cor 8:9)
Olympic glory—the glory of Athens, fades. Too often it reveals greed, ambition, selfishness, and self-seeking in the fading. Heavenly glory, the glory of the new Jerusalem, increases to reveal a new and glorious creation with ourselves remade, by and through forgiveness, in the image of Christ.
Gordon Cheng / 23rd August 2004
During all the time that I have worked as an archaeologist, I have not seen or heard of any [ancient] document which contradicts a single sentence of the Hebrew Bible.
So said Professor Allan Millard yesterday, at an archaeology lecture for students at Moore Theological College. Professor Millard (who helped edit the third edition of the New Bible Dictionary) retired last year from his post at the School of Archaeology, Classics and Oriental Studies at the University of Liverpool.
Guan Un / 22nd August 2004
Of the seven books that have been nominated for the ACLS Australian Christian Book of the Year awards, we're pleased to say that we have three: Going the Distance, Stirrings of the Soul, and Prodigal World.
So, we're celebrating the way that any right-minded retailer celebrates: by giving these great books a great discount. We've even put all three books in a special bundle that'll save you more than twenty dollars. Party on, I say.
(The catch? The offer runs out at the end of August, and it's online orders only. Get clickin'.)
Gordon Cheng / 20th August 2004
When Christians pray for rain in time of drought, as they've been doing in recent times in Sydney and country NSW, they are sometimes asked why God would let it happen in the first place.
In Deuteronomy 28, it is one of the punishments on the nation Israel for ignoring and disobeying God. Next time a workmate talks about the drought, why not ask them if they've been ignoring Jesus?
