Couldn't Help Noticing

The longing and the library (May)

The Briefing Library

Recent additions to our online archives:

• How to survive your denomination (Briefing #13)
• The denomination as idol by (Briefing #13)
• The Relationship Between the Testaments: Church (Briefing #58)
• Why, where, and how should Christians meet? (Briefing #116)
• Factotum #1: The Ministry of the Pew by Colin Marshall (Briefing #131)

And, in relation to Briefing #355, more articles on music and church:

• Minor or Major?: The key to church music by John Woodhouse(Briefing #112)
• Choosing Songs by Rob Smith (Briefing #112)
• Are You Ready, Mr Music? by Phillip Jensen (Briefing #53)
• Pop goes the Gospel by David Miles (Briefing #11)

In addition, our new blog The Sola Panel has just been launched. Go on over and take a look!

Sydney Bible teaching

For our readers who are in or around Sydney, there is an upcoming opportunity for you to receive some great input from the Bible on the long weekend in June, right in the centre of the city. The details are as follows:

The Queen's Birthday Convention

When: Monday 9 June, 2008 from 10am to 5pm
Where: St Andrew's Cathedral (cnr George St and Bathurst St, Sydney)
Cost: From $15 (including morning and afternoon tea and all day parking). See the website for full details of cost.
Speaker: Phillip Jensen

Phillip will be speaking on Mark 9-16 (the sequel to his talks at the Australia Day Convention where he spoke on Mark 1-8). (Listen to the last talk from the Australia Day Convention.)

For more information and to register, visit www.queensbirthdayconvention.com.

Claire Smith on men and women

The Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood over in the US runs a blog. Currently there is an interview with Claire Smith on the subject of complementarianism in Australia. Claire says:

Many dioceses have proceeded to allow women to be ordained to the priesthood. Others, such as the Sydney Diocese, have sought to remain faithful to scriptural teaching and the Anglican tradition and have not changed the nature of ordained ministry; others, whilst having no real objections, have not as yet introduced women priests.

Read the full interview.

The power of evangelical Christianity

I read this report the other day in The Sydney Morning Herald: ‘Victim's family hugs accused’. Damien Peter Hopper was found to be not guilty of the murder of Hunuki Tamapeau who died after an altercation with the accused. The article said:

Both families declined to comment on the verdict, but the case officer, Detective Sergeant Cameron Templeton, said of Mr Tamapeau's family: “They are simply the nicest family I have ever encountered.

“They are a deeply religious and loving family who have heard the evidence—who had prayed constantly throughout the trial for not only Mr Hopper, but his family the judge, jury, the legal counsels and police.

“I have never seen anything like this in my career as a police officer. The ability of people to accept and forgive,” he said.

Before leaving the court, Mr Tamapeau's family joined hands in a room and held a collective prayer for Mr Hopper.

I don't know of any other religion in the world, apart from evangelical Christianity, that consistently shows its power in this way.

Hillsong, Pullman, Lewis and the Sydney Writers’ Festival

Sydney-siders may be interested in several events which are taking place next month at the Sydney Writers' Festival. Tanya Levin, author of People In Glass Houses, a book about Hillsong will be speaking at a free event at the Sydney Dance Company along with fellow writer Kathleen Stewart. In addition, Alan Jacobs, Professor of English at Wheaton College, author of The Narnian and guest speaker at the C.S. Lewis Today conference, will present his thoughts on Philip Pullman's debt to Lewis.