Articles, thoughts, essays, and content from Brian as well as students – our budding theologians.
Managing Monday with Jean Vanier
Jean Vanier (1928- ), founder of the L’Arche communities for people with developmental disabilities, is a theologian, philosopher and author. A champion for the rights of people with intellectual disabilities, Vanier has done the truly remarkable – he has demonstrated the value and beauty of imperfection. We will consider some of his insights over the next few Mondays… In the end, the most important thing is not to do things for people who are poor and in distress, but to enter into relationship with them, to be with them...
read moreRedeeming Emotions…
Most studies of emotion suggest that there are seven basic human emotions, and that in one way or another, all emotions fit within the categories of anger, anxiety, surprise, trust, grief, fear and love – well that’s Diane Raymond’s list. Humintell suggests they are anger, contempt, fear, disgust, happiness, sadness, and surprise – so there is some overlap, although they are hardly identical lists. Apparently a combination of basic emotions leads to secondary emotions. Thus another site (which suggests there are six...
read moreIs there a place for denominations?
It has become common to declare that we live in a post-denominational era. Increasingly church attenders are indifferent to the label a particular congregation might carry… Presbyterian, Baptist, Vineyard, Church of Christ… whatever. Indeed, many churches declare to the public that they are simply the local community church, sometimes using a verb to describe their ministry (Impact Church, Encounter Church, Dreambuilders Church…). Often these churches have a denominational allegiance, but prefer to downplay this, mentioning...
read moreManaging Monday with G.K.Chesterton, take 4
This is the fourth and (for now) final Managing Monday post on G.K.Chesterton. Noted for his ability to highlight the paradoxical, Chesterton was one of the intellectual giants of the 20th century. A significant Christian apologist, he often used his skills to defend the Roman Catholic Church. His love for the church comes across in his fictional detective-priest, Father Brown. Being our final Chesterton post, I have thrown in a few bonus quotes… The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and...
read moreWhat about fundamentalism…
Fundamentalism has become a dirty word in our day. It’s not hard to understand why. With ISIS and other Islamic extremist groups spreading terror and creating havoc, being in any way associated with extremism becomes something to avoid. Not that fundamentalism has to be viewed as bad. In the early part of the 20th century a version of Christian fundamentalism arose that initially simply wanted to defend the fundamentals of the Christian faith. In the wake of increasingly liberal interpretations of Christianity that increasingly denied...
read moreWhat about other religions? In conversation with Lloyd Porter
In my latest book, When Faith Turns Ugly one of the topics discussed is that of other religions. It is clearly a controversial subject, and some who oppose Christianity, and indeed any form of religion, often point to inter-faith conflict and see it as the source of much of the world’s division. They are consequently suspicious of anything that is seen as missionary activity or the attempt to convert people to faith – be it a conversion to the Christian faith or any other. Chapter 2 of When Faith Turns Ugly explores both...
read moreManaging Monday with G.K.Chesterton, take 3
We continue to enjoy some pithy insights from the great English novelist and Christian apologist, Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936), who authored the Father Brown novels. The worst moment for an atheist is when he feels a profound sense of gratitude and has no one to thank – G.K.Chesterton Psychoanalysis is confession without absolution – G.K.Chesterton When men stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing; they believe in anything – G.K.Chesterton Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love...
read moreOn opening a new building…
Four years ago Vose Seminary, where I serve as principal, decided to embark on a building program. It has been a faith stretching time. Last night saw the official opening of our new conference centre and lecture rooms, the John Olley Centre – named after our second principal, Dr John Olley. As I prepared my talk for the opening, it struck me that others might be interested in what was said and why we embarked on this project… So here is the talk… Thanks so much for joining us on this wonderful occasion – the opening of the...
read moreIs narcissism becoming a virtue – or whatever happened to humility?
Yesterday I led a professional development day for staff at Grace Christian School, in Bunbury. One of the topics we explored was the rise of narcissism, and ways Christian schools can help provide a corrective for it. Of course there might be some readers who wonder if a corrective is necessary. After all, pendulum’s tend to swing back and forth, and the current wave of self love has followed hot on the heals of too long an era where the need of the individual was always seen to be subservient to the needs of the group, and when any...
read moreManaging Monday with G.K.Chesterton, take 2
We continue to enjoy the insights of English poet, novelist and Christian apologist Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936), who amongst his many achievements could list authoring the Father Brown novels – currently enjoying a renaissance thanks to the TV series based on them. A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it – G.K.Chesterton Courage is almost a contradiction. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die – G.K.Chesterton Art is born when the temporary...
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