A litmus test for orthodoxy

A litmus test for orthodoxy

The Evangelical Alliance’s decision to remove Steve Chalke’s organisation Oasis from membership raises the question of what defines an evangelical today. Justin Brierley reflects on why homosexuality has become the latest tipping point.

‘So where do you stand on homosexuality?’ asked the church leader I had met only five minutes ago.

We were attending a media event, and had reached the wine-and-canapés-hobnobbing part that inevitably follows. It’s the kind of question which, in any other context, would seem vastly inappropriate from someone you had just been introduced to. ‘Terrible weather we’ve been having...so what do you think about gay sex?’

There is an unwritten (and slightly depressing) rule in some evangelical circles that the quickest way to ascertain if a person is ‘sound’ is to find out what they think about sexuality. We live in a world of ever-increasing categorisation, and homosexuality seems to have become the de-facto crunch issue that can potentially mark you in or out of the evangelical fold.

Christian feminism is not an oxymoron

Christian feminism is not an oxymoron

"THAT is totally untenable!" my friend yelled over the party music. "You can't be a feminist and a Christian." She was a staunch atheist, and spent the evening telling me, as many have done before, that Christianity is unavoidably and embarrassingly patriarchal. She urged me to throw off the shackles of my misogynistic faith.

I am surprised at how frequently this happens at feminist gatherings. Regularly I find myself the only Christian present, treated like an anomaly in need of conversion to fully fledged, religion-free feminism.

Often it takes me a while sheepishly to admit my faith in these circles. Finally I pipe up that actually I do "believe in that stuff", between the tirades of "God is dead" and "Religion is the oppressor!" that usually emanate from the microphone. In years of attending feminist seminars and marches, one thing has become clear: you are about as likely to meet another Christian there as you would a vegan at a meat-feast buffet.

Occasionally I have found my faith welcomed by fellow feminists. But, more often than not, the confession of Christianity has been met with the sort of facial expression you would pull when opening an awkwardly disappointing Christmas present.

Can You Discern the Spirit Behind the Gospel of Reason?

Can You Discern the Spirit Behind the Gospel of Reason?

While many politicians—including President Obama—are embracing the National Day of Prayer, at least two members of Congress, as well as state and local officials, are swinging their support to the atheistic camp in the name of reason.

Indeed, Congressman Michael Honda, D-Calif., and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., are celebrating the National Day of Reason, which bills itself as an “observance promoting a more inclusive alternative to the religiously focused, government-sponsored National Day of Prayer.”

It doesn’t take a lot of spiritual discernment to figure out what group is behind this one. You guessed it: the American Humanist Association. This irreverent institution has worked hard to encourage elected officials to proclaim May 1 as the National Day of Reason, flying in the face of the political correctness for which they typically strive.

7 Inspiring Leaders and the Traits That Made Them Great

7 Inspiring Leaders and the Traits That Made Them Great

John Maxwell says everything rises and falls based on leadership. I agree.

But leadership was not something taught when I went to the University of Florida. I’ve had to learn it the hard way, mostly by trial and error. Here are seven traits of leadership I’ve learned by watching leaders who exhibited them:

1. Vision. This is the ability to see the future. The Bible says without vision, the people perish. I’ve learned to focus on one thing and simply work in that direction when I didn’t have any idea what do. Somehow, a way is found.

Christian Brits protected less than other religious believers

Christian Brits protected less than other religious believers

Christians are afforded less protection for their beliefs by the state compared to those who practise other religions, a new survey suggests.

Of the 2000 people surveyed exclusively for The Telegraph, nearly half thought British believers had less protection.

This figure rises to 62 per cent among those who identify as non-practising Christians.

Criticism

The poll also reveals that over half of the respondents – 56 per cent – believe Britain is a Christian country.

The survey comes amidst criticism from a group of atheists who lambasted David Cameron after he called Britain a Christian country during Downing Street’s Easter reception.

But several ministers have backed Cameron’s comments including Attorney General Dominic Grieve who said atheists who claim that Britain is not a Christian nation are “deluding themselves

What Does Jesus Really Think About Same-Sex Marriage?

What Does Jesus Really Think About Same-Sex Marriage?

One argument in favor of gay marriage made by professed Christians and unbelievers is “Jesus didn’t say anything about homosexuality.” Is this statement true? Yes and no.

It’s true that we have no record of Jesus specifically mentioning homosexuality during His earthly ministry, but He didn’t mention bestiality or molesting children either. Does this “argument from silence” (a logical fallacy) prove that Jesus was OK with these things? Of course not.

We do know, however, that Jesus affirmed marriage as between one man and one woman in a one-flesh relationship for life by appealing to creation. (Of course, Jesus is God the Son incarnate. He affirms the entire Old Testament. Yet even if I grant that Jesus’ words, the red letters, during His earthly ministry are more authoritative than the rest of Scripture, the argument still fails.) He essentially said, “It’s Adam and Eve, and not any other definition.” Thus, Jesus rejected every other so-called definition of marriage beyond what was given in Genesis 1:27 and 2:23-24.

PM rejects Clegg’s calls to disestablish Church of England

PM rejects Clegg’s calls to disestablish Church of England

David Cameron has rejected calls from the Deputy Prime Minister to disestablish the Church of England.

Nick Clegg, who is an atheist, was speaking on his weekly radio phone-in programme. He said: “In the long run it would be better for the Church, and better for people of faith, and better for Anglicans, if the Church and the state were over time to stand on their own two separate feet.”

But Cameron disagreed, explaining that “our arrangements work well in this country”.