Managing Monday with Abraham Kuyper
The relationship between Christianity and politics is vexed, and for many (regardless if they know it or not) has been shaped by the thinking of Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920) who served as the 20th Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1901-1905. A journalist, neo-Calvinist theologian and statesman, his political and theological views continue to be influential, especially in Reformed circles, and his thinking has impacted the views of Francis Schaeffer, Cornelius van Til, Alvin Plantinga, Nicholas Wolterstorff, Chuck Colson and Tim Keller – to name a few. Sadly his influence can also...
Read MoreAndrew Murray (take 2)
Here is the second (and final) set of quotes from Andrew Murray (1828-1917), a key figure in the South African revival of 1860. Murray is remembered as an author, pastor and champion of mission. He is sometimes considered one of the forerunners of the Pentecostal movement because of his emphasis on faith healing and the continuation of the spiritual gifts. He also placed special emphasis on prayer. I recently read one of his classics – Humility: The Beauty of Holiness, and thought that a few insights from this and some of his others books were worth a few Managing Monday posts. Pride must...
Read MoreManaging Monday with Andrew Murray
Andrew Murray (1828-1917), a key figure in the South African revival of 1860, is remembered as an author, pastor and champion of mission. He is sometimes considered one of the forerunners of the Pentecostal movement because of his emphasis on faith healing and the continuation of the spiritual gifts. He also placed special emphasis on prayer. I recently read one of his classics – Humility: The Beauty of Holiness, and thought that a few insights from this and some of his others books were worth a few Managing Monday posts. Humility is nothing but the disappearance of self in the vision...
Read MoreManaging Monday with Evelyn Underhill (take 2)
This week we continue looking at some insights from Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941) who is remembered as a pacifist and for her writing on Christian mysticism, her best known book being Mysticism (1911). An Anglo-Catholic, she was doubtful of state religion and placed great store on the heart and experience. She led many spiritual retreats for the Anglican Church, was an active proponent of contemplative prayer, and served as a spiritual director to hundreds of people. If God were small enough to be understood, He would not be big enough to be worshiped – Evelyn Underhill Most of our...
Read MoreOn the death of a brother-in-law
My brother-in-law, Milner McPherson, died last night, the 21 April 2017. He had been in a deep coma for a few weeks, so was unable to anticipate what was about to occur, but if that had not been the case, he would have approached his departure cheerfully and indeed, enthusiastically. For some death comes as the enemy – for others, death is the friend. After years of poor health (cancer leading to the amputation of his right leg below the knee; brain tumour; Parkinsons; dementia), this 77 year old father of two and grandfather of five, was able to welcome death as the friend. Of course...
Read MoreManaging Monday with Evelyn Underhill
Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941) is remembered as a pacifist and for her writing on Christian mysticism, her best known book being Mysticism (1911). An Anglo-Catholic, she was doubtful of state religion and placed great store on the heart and experience. She led many spiritual retreats for the Anglican Church, was an active proponent of contemplative prayer, and served as a spiritual director to hundreds of people. Beauty is simply reality seen with the eyes of love – Evelyn Underhill For lack of attention a thousand forms of loveliness elude us every day – Evelyn Underhill God is...
Read MoreEaster: With head and heart…
Here are some Easter musings from my book Could this be God? Bumping into God in the Everyday. This entry is called Easter: With head and heart… I was a guest preacher last night (well, no longer last night by the time you read this), and had been asked to speak on what Jesus accomplished at the Cross. So how do you fit that into 20 minutes? I went a pretty traditional route, unpacked the reason for our creation (relationship with God), followed it up with the problem of our alienation from God and then explored how and why the Cross overcomes the barriers our rebellion against God has...
Read MoreManaging Monday with Charles Wesley
After a few weeks of John Wesley quotes, it only seems fair to give a voice to his brother, Charles Wesley (1707-1788), also a leader of the Methodist movement, and best know as the writer of over 6000 hymns, many of which continue to be sung. Keep us little and unknown, prized and loved by God alone – Charles Wesley Amazing love how can it be that Thou my God shouldst die for me – Charles Wesley Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees, And looks to God alone; Laughs at impossibilities, And cries it shall be done – Charles Wesley The person who bears and suffers evils with...
Read MoreManaging Monday with John Wesley (take 3)
Here are a final batch of John Wesley (1703-1791) insights – well, final for a while. Wesley was an Anglican minister who founded the Methodist church. His theology has a particular focus on holiness, though as you will see from the quotes, the scope of his interest was wide. When you do what you can, you do enough – John Wesley Earn all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can – John Wesley Once in seven years I burn all my sermons; for it is a shame, if I cannot write better sermons now that I did seven year ago – John Wesley Give me 100 preachers who fear...
Read MoreWhen “darkness is my closest friend”: Reflections on Psalm 88
I was in a meeting a while back where a man said that he and his family had been living in Psalm 88 for a fair while – especially in v18b. Naturally I had to look it up. The tone of his comment had alerted me to expect something that fell a long way short of cheerful, and my instinct was right. The psalm is hauntingly sad. While it starts hopefully (“you are the God who saves me” – v1), it finishes in a very different place, speaking about abandonment, rejection and suffering, before finishing with the sobering conclusion that “darkness is my closest...
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