The hidden content in ancient works could be illuminated by a light source 10 billion times brighter than the Sun. The technique employs Britain’s new facility, the Diamond synchrotron, and could be used on works such as the Dead Sea Scrolls or musical scores by Bach.
If you’ve had many conversations with Roman Catholics, you’re probably well aware that many like to compare the one, unified Roman Catholic Church with the divided and splintered Protestant church, which has spawned tens of thousands of denominations.
What started out as an interchange between Wayne Grudem and John Piper developed into a discussion involving 9Marks’s Mark Dever and Aaron Menikoff. The dialog—no longer really a back-and-forth debate—continues.
Abraham Piper raises the question of whether Baptists should consider paedobaptists as unrepentant sinners, which seems to be the necessary conclusion if, from the Baptist’s perspective, non-first-generation paedobaptists are failing to obey the Scriptural teaching to be baptized after conversion. It would seem logically that, if they are sinning unrepentantly, they are destined for hell.
Last week we highlighted the back and forth between Wayne Grudem and John Piper on the subject of baptism—particularly if Baptists should allow paedobaptists into membership.
The discussion was spurred by Grudem’s rewriting his section “Do Churches Need to Be Divided Over Baptism?” in his Systematic Theology. Piper didn’t like the changes that Grudem made. Grudem responded to Piper, holding his ground (even though his very own wife was on Piper’s side!).
He has since changed his position and rewritten the section—seeing the position of compromise at inherently problematic based on the fact that two views on baptism as mutually exclusive.
The Bible alone, and the Bible in its entirety, is the Word of God written and is therefore inerrant in the autographs. God is a Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each an uncreated person, one in essence, equal in power and glory.
The problems with such a broad statement became apparent (again) in Francis Beckwith’s recent reversion to Roman Catholicism, who, although he resigned, was convinced that in good conscience he could have continued to be a member.
Neste and Burk are proposing that the ETS merge its statement with the statement of belief used by the U.K.’s Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF), which is also the doctrinal basis for the U.K.’s Tyndale Fellowship.
The Bible alone, and the Bible in its entirety, is the Word of God written and is therefore inerrant in the autographs. This written word of God consists of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments and is the supreme authority in all matters of belief and behavior.
God is a Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each an uncreated person, one in essence, equal in power and glory.
The italicized text is the current ETS doctrinal basis. The second point is unchanged. The added statement to the first point would eliminate Roman Catholics, whose definition of the written word of God would encompass more than the the 66 books accepted by Protestants.
There’s been a lot of talk this week about the Pope’s comments regarding those outside of the Roman Catholic Church. Eastern Orthodoxy, even though separated, does warrant the label “Church.” Protestant bodies, however, are not properly called “Churches.”
The Pope’s comments came in response to five questions regarding the nature of the Catholic church and recent apparent changes in Catholic ecclesiological teaching.
Here are the questions with excerpts from the answers:
Did the Second Vatican Council change the Catholic doctrine on the Church?
The Second Vatican Council neither changed nor intended to change this doctrine, rather it developed, deepened and more fully explained it. . . .
What is the meaning of the affirmation that the Church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church?
Christ “established here on earth” only one Church and instituted it as a “visible and spiritual community,” that from its beginning and throughout the centuries has always existed and will always exist, and in which alone are found all the elements that Christ himself instituted. . . .
Why was the expression “subsists in” adopted instead of the simple word “is”?
The use of this expression, which indicates the full identity of the Church of Christ with the Catholic Church, does not change the doctrine on the Church. Rather, it comes from and brings out more clearly the fact that there are “numerous elements of sanctification and of truth” which are found outside her structure, but which “as gifts properly belonging to the Church of Christ, impel towards Catholic Unity.” . . .
Why does the Second Vatican Council use the term “Church” in reference to the oriental Churches separated from full communion with the Catholic Church?
The Council wanted to adopt the traditional use of the term. “Because these Churches, although separated, have true sacraments and above all—because of the apostolic succession—the priesthood and the Eucharist, by means of which they remain linked to us by very close bonds,” they merit the title of “particular or local Churches,” and are called sister Churches of the particular Catholic Churches. . . .
Why do the texts of the Council and those of the Magisterium since the Council not use the title of “Church” with regard to those Christian Communities born out of the Reformation of the sixteenth century?
According to Catholic doctrine, these Communities do not enjoy apostolic succession in the sacrament of Orders, and are, therefore, deprived of a constitutive element of the Church. These ecclesial Communities which, specifically because of the absence of the sacramental priesthood, have not preserved the genuine and integral substance of the Eucharistic Mystery cannot, according to Catholic doctrine, be called “Churches” in the proper sense.
Some have been shocked that the Pope would make such statements. Others have been shocked that anyone would be shocked. The former group sees this as a major step backwards in terms of ecumenical progress. The latter group sees this as consistent with historical Catholic teaching. I tend to think that it does seem to be slightly out of line with the recent trajectory of Roman Catholic ecclesiology.
Tens of thousands of Christians recently gathered in Nashville for united massive fasting and prayer for the nation—and the church—to repent and turn to God. The gathering was led by Lou Engle, visionary and co-founder of The Call, which describes itself this way:
The Call is not an event. The Call is a movement emphasizing prayer, worship and fasting for Spiritual breakthrough. It is a nameless and faceless movement joining the generations. Therefore, it will not be marketed as a convention of celebrities. The primary participants are young people. The musicians on stage are to be worshippers, not entertainers. The board of directors will not receive financial compensation, and speakers and leaders come at their own expense.
People should prayerfully consider fasting on the day that The Call gathering is in their city, region, or nation; no food will be provided. The Call is a grassroots movement. It is a cross-cultural and cross-denominational gathering. The Call espouses these definitive values: worship, unity, prayer, fasting, follow-up, transformation, repentance, reconciliation, impartation, equipping, revival, and a holy revolution.
Most who attended fasted for the gathering. Some even fasted for the 40 days leading up to it—devoting themselves to focused prayer for God to do an unusual work.
The sins of a nation drew an estimated 55,000 believers to Nashville July 7 to convene a “solemn assembly” and pray for spiritual awakening among America’s young people.
Christians from all 50 states and countries as far away as Nepal and Mongolia gathered in Nashville’s riverfront LP Field for The Call—12 hours of worship and prayer they hoped would spark a renewal movement that would sweep the country.
The nondenominational event marked 40 years since the “Summer of Love” in San Francisco unleashed a wave of sexual promiscuity, drug abuse, abortion on demand and pornography in the country and separated a generation of Americans from God, organizers said.
The Roman Catholic Church in China, which has an estimated 12 million adherents, has been estranged from Rome and the Pope’s authority since 1951. In an attempt to bring this wayward body back into full harmony with the rest of the Catholic church, including China’s own faithful Catholics in the underground church, the Pope submitted a 55-page letter to China and the Chinese Catholics “denouncing restrictions placed on Catholics in China” and “insisting that Chinese bishops, priests and worshipers be loyal to Rome,” but also stating “areas of potential compromise with Chinese authorities.”
From the beginning of his papacy, Benedict has been interested in the plight of Chinese Catholics and has been keen to heal the divisions in China. Saturday’s document is by far the biggest step to date in that campaign.
The history of the church in China is full of tumult and tragedy, from the expulsion of foreign priests soon after the communist takeover to purges during the Cultural Revolution.
Vatican officials say they believe they have an opening now, as China institutes some reforms and looks to gain acceptance in the West.
The pope said he perceived an increase in religious awareness and interest in China.
Quoting his predecessor, the late Pope John Paul II, Benedict said he hoped for a “great harvest of faith” in Asia in the third millennium.
The Pope hopes for the end of the nearly 1000-year divide between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.
Pope Benedict XVI told a visiting Cypriot Orthodox leader Saturday that he holds hope that the Catholic and Orthodox churches can be united, despite centuries of painful division.
. . .
Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus has offered to play the role of mediator to try to arrange a groundbreaking meeting between the pope and the Orthodox patriarch of Moscow, Alexy II. That encounter eluded the late John Paul II in his long papacy because of Catholic-Orthodox tensions following the demise of Soviet communism.
In a speech to the archbishop after their private session, Benedict said he held “firm hope” of uniting the two churches.
Here are today’s bullet points:
.
If you’ve had many conversations with Roman Catholics, you’re probably well aware that many like to compare the one, unified Roman Catholic Church with the divided and splintered Protestant church, which has spawned tens of thousands of denominations.
What started out as 
Last week 
There is an effort underway to amend 
There’s been a lot of talk this week about 
Tens of thousands of Christians recently gathered in Nashville for united massive fasting and prayer for the nation—and the church—to repent and turn to God. The gathering was led by 
The 
