WEEKLY CHURCH NEWS NOTES
Pastor Dale Morgan
April 29, 2007.
The Weekly Church News Notes is designed for use in churches.
*ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY REJECTS THE "FUNDAMENTALIST" APPROACH TO
SCRIPTURE*
In a lecture in Toronto, Ontario, on April 16, Rowan Williams,
Archbishop of Canterbury, rejected the "fundamentalist" approach to
Scripture, calling it "rootless" and "limited" in what "it can
contribute to the church." The lecture, "The Bible Today: Reading and
Hearing," was delivered at an event jointly sponsored by Wycliffe and
Trinity theological colleges. Williams said it is wrong to treat the
Scripture as an "inspired supernatural guide for individual conduct"
("Archbishop of Canterbury: Church Needs to Listen Properly to the
Bible," Anglican Church of Canada News, April 16, 2007). Williams
implied that the Bible is not in all parts equally "the Word of the
Lord." He gave two examples of the alleged wrong use of Scripture. The
first was John 14:6, which he said "could not be used simply as a trump
card in discussions with other faiths." The other was Romans 1:27, which
he said could not be used as a "definite proof text" against the
morality of homosexuality. In this lecture Williams quoted many heretics
approvingly, including Karl Barth and Soren Kierkegaard. He said that
critical biblical scholarship is an "underappreciated gift." Williams
said it is wrong to read the Bible in a fragmentary manner and to ignore
its context, but the fact is that the fundamentalist approach is not
guilty of this. We understand very well that the Bible must be
interpreted first by its context and second by comparing Scripture with
Scripture. These are foundational fundamentalist principles of Bible
interpretation. What Williams is promoting is something far different
from this. He is using historic theological terms but redefining them by
his liberal dictionary. When you remove the theological mumbo-jumbo from
his lecture, what you have is a man who does not believe that the Bible
is divinely inspired in a verbal-plenary, infallible sense. You have a
religious politician who wants to chart a compromising
middle-of-the-road course in the midst of end-time apostasy. "Having a
form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away"
(2 Timothy 3:5).
*YOUTH LEADER FOR HILLSONG CHURCH POSITIVE ABOUT CATHOLIC WORLD YOUTH DAY *
Phil Dooley, youth leader at the influential Hillsong Church in Sydney,
Australia, had only positive comments when interviewed in regard to the
Catholic World Youth Day that is scheduled for Australia in 2008. Dooley
was interviewed by The World Today, a news program aired daily on the
Australian Broadcasting Network, when it was announced that the Pope was
scheduled to attend the event. Dooley said: "I think anything that is
encouraging young people in their spirituality, and I suppose putting
Jesus up there in our state and in our city is a positive thing. Look, I
think just generally in church life you've got to be relevant to each
generation, and I think any church is understanding that if we want to Š
if our message is going to be accepted by the new generation then we've
got to relate to them in a way that they understand" ("Catholic Youth to
Congregate in Sydney for 2008 Festival," The World Today, Aug. 22,
2005). Hillsong Church is the home of Hillsong Music, one of the most
influential voices in contemporary worship music. Darlene Zschech is the
music director at Hillsong. It is unconscionable to have such an
opportunity as Dooley had and not use it to warn that the Roman Catholic
Church preaches a false gospel. John warned: "If there come any unto
you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house,
neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker
of his evil deeds" (2 John 10-11). To pretend that the Roman Catholic
Church's "spirituality" is acceptable before God and that its Jesus is
the Jesus of the Bible is to be partaker of its evil deeds. Dooley's
reply was not surprising, though, in light of the ecumenical philosophy
that has been exemplified by Zschech. She participated in Harvest '03 in
Newcastle, NSW. This ecumenical rock concert, which featured U.S.-based
evangelist Greg Laurie of Harvest Ministries, brought together a
hodge-podge of churches, including Presbyterian, Assemblies of God,
Anglican, Seventh-day Adventist, Church of Christ, and Roman Catholic.
*
CATHOLIC BISHOP IN ITALY THREATENED BY HOMOSEXUALS *
Angelo Bagnasco, the president of the Italian bishops' conference, was
placed under police protection after being threatened by homosexual
activists. Bagnasco recently issued a condemnation of the Italian
government's proposal to grant legal rights to homosexual couples ("Head
of Italy's Bishops under Police Protection," LifeSiteNets.com, April 11,
2007). He warned that it would lead to further breakdown of family life
and sexual morality. In response, warnings were spray-painted on the
cathedral and death threats were painted on nearby churches.
*
EINSTEIN STRUGGLED WITH GOD *
The following is from the Kathmandu Post, April 18, 2007: "Walter
Isaacson, the biographer of Ben Franklin and Henry Kissinger, is
tackling Albert Einstein in his new book Einstein: His Life and
Universe. According to Isaacson, Einstein, arguably the greatest
scientist of the 20th century, struggled with God. Isaacson: 'You know,
he was at a dinner party once in Berlin, and everybody assumed he was an
atheist and he said, "No. I have a deep feeling of faith, a deep
religiosity that comes from my appreciation of the way the Lord made the
universe," and everybody was stunned. He said he was like a child
walking into a library, and you see the books and you know somebody must
have written then, and you see them ordered and you know somebody must
have ordered them, and there's a sense of awe that's manifest in that,
where you kind of understand that there's an order underlying everything
and the more you appreciate it, the more humble you become in the face
of it, and the more you have a sense of what he called cosmic religion.
In some ways, his belief in God, that God had created an orderly
universe, informed his science. He believed that underlying everything,
there are laws.'" CONCLUDING NOTE: What Einstein expressed in the
previous statement is called "Intelligent Design" today. The existence
of a clock testifies to a clockmaker. Such reasonable and truly
scientific thinking is ridiculed by most of today's evolutionary
scientists, who think of themselves as so much advanced over their
benighted predecessors. It is sad that Einstein did not follow the light
of creation, which testifies of God's existence, to the greater light of
the Bible, which testifies of God's glorious salvation in Jesus Christ.
*
CHRISTIANS MURDERED IN TURKEY *
Three Christians working at a Bible distribution house in Turkey were
murdered by Muslims on April 18. The three were tied up and their
throats were slashed. Two were Turks who had converted to Christianity.
The third, Tilmann Geske, was a German missionary who had lived in
Turkey for 10 years. He was a father of three children ages 8 to 13. An
Associated Press report in the International Herald Tribune said, "Five
young men were detained and charged with murder; they allegedly said
they killed to protect Islam" ("A Murdered German Missionary Highlights
Christian Insecurity in Turkey," April 23). Protests had been made
against the publishing house for distributing Bibles. Turkey is 99%
Muslim, and Malatya is the hometown of Mehmet Ali Agca, who shot Pope
John Paul II in 1981 in Rome.
*
WAS THE VIRGINIA TECH MASSACRE A HATE CRIME? *
The following is excerpted from "Absurdity of Hate Crimes Legislation,"
Christian Newswire, April 19, 2007: "America is still reeling over the
horrific slaughter of students and faculty at Virginia Tech. The
shooter's actions have not been listed as a hate crime, but what makes
that heinous crime somehow less hateful or less important than a crime
of bias? No one doubts that there was a great deal of hatred on the part
of the gunman who shot so many people regardless of race, sexual
orientation or religion. Phil Magnan, directory of Biblical Family
Advocates says: 'What is striking about [this case] is that it shows the
amazing hypocrisy of those who want hate crimes legislation. How can
anyone say that it was not a hate crime for any of these students or
faculty to die the way they did? Where is their equal protection of the
law? The fact remains that all crimes are a crime of hate because real
love does no harm towards our neighbor. The existing laws should be
equally severe against anyone who does physical harm to any person. The
actions of criminals like the shooter have already clearly shown blatant
bias to disregard the safety of their fellow neighbors by choosing to do
them physical harm. Isn't that bias enough?' Magnan continued, 'Society
would do well to punish the crime and not the bias lest we begin to
punish people for their private beliefs or their words. And if mere
offense be the measure of the limits of free speech, then no one will be
able to speak. I am offended every day by the words of others, but I
will not take away their right to free speech in the public forum. We
should all be mature enough to take the disagreement of others, without
punishing them for not agreeing with us.'"
*
THE INTERFAITH CONVOCATION AT VIRGINIA TECH *
The following is excerpted from a blog by Jeff Riddle of
Charlottesville, Virginia. I am publishing this to illustrate the
paganism that has permeated higher education in America: "I watched part
of the convocation at Virginia Tech from Tuesday (April 17) and found
much of it to be very spiritually curious. How do you have a service of
mourning with no clear commitment to belief in any particular religion
or view of God? The painfully politically correct service was hard to
watch. Here are some reflections. Most disconcerting was the segment
when four leaders from the religious community [a Muslim, a Buddhist, a
Jew, and the Lutheran campus minister] were asked to speak. ... The
Buddhist informed us that 'the message of all religious teachings is the
sacredness and value of human life.' She also noted that 'we are born
into this world with an inherent good nature' and 'we must restore our
faith in humanity.' The mainline Lutheran told the audience that one of
their purposes for coming together was to 'drink deeply from religious
streams.' Note the plural. The 'all is one' spiritual philosophy was the
only view on display. He also affirmed what he called 'the sovereignty
of life over death' but said nothing of the sovereignty of the God of
the Bible. ... The Convocation ended with a poem by Virginia Tech
Professor Nikki Giovanni. This was one of the most surreal aspects of
this convocation. First, this 'Black Panther' poetess came to the podium
dressed as a man with a dark androgynous suit, white shirt and black
tie. Her poem, 'We are Virginia Tech,' was presented in the oratorical
style of a black preacher. She shouted, 'We did nothing to deserve it.'
(Contrast Jesus' reaction to unexpected evil in Luke 13:1-5 and his
challenge, 'I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all
likewise perish.') She said, 'We are better than we think.' And she
compared the human losses at VA Tech with a baby elephant losing its
family to ivory poachers! Wasn't the whole point of the convocation to
decry the devaluing of human life? When no preachers of the gospel are
allowed to speak, I guess a woman poet dressed up as a man is the best a
secular world can offer. ... The convocation was a fascinating look into
what human-centered spiritual life looks like without all the
encumbrance and strictures of the God of the Bible. As Jeremiah lamented
in his day, 'They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people
slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.' How do we find
real peace? See Romans 5:1: 'Therefore being justified by faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.'"
CONCLUSION: Friends in Christ, do not be discouraged by any of this. It
is God's will that we know the times (1 Ch. 12:32; Mat. 16:3) and that
we be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. These things remind us
that the hour is very late, and we need to be ready for the coming of
the Lord. Are you sure that you are born again? Are you living for
Christ day by day? "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time
to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we
believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore
cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not
in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on
the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil
the lusts thereof" (Rom. 13:11-14).
Pastor Dale Morgan
May 6, 2007.
The Weekly Church News Notes is designed for use in churches.
*"EMERGENT" SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCHES ROCKING IN TUCSON *
KVOA television in Tucson, Arizona, ran a report last
month on "non-traditional churches booming in Tucson." The Southern
Baptist Convention is planting churches in this city with names such
as "The Journey," "City Edge," "The Element," and "Epic." The music
is rock & roll, the atmosphere is "non-threatening," and the message
is positive. Sean Benesh, a "church planting strategist" for the
Southern Baptist Convention's southern Arizona association, said they
hope to open eight new churches this year. Jeremiah McDuffie, who is
starting a church called The Element, said the music is "modeled
after popular radio stations," testifying that "be not conformed to
the world" is irrelevant to their program. Mary Ann Schneider, who
attended a service at The Element, said: "Traditional church scares
people. ... People don't want to be judged" ("Non-traditional Baptist
Churches Booming in Tucson," KVOA.com). She also said that people
don't like "pulpit pounding." The Southern Baptist North American
Mission Board has 221 church planters working in the USA and Canada.
Obviously they aren't starting scriptural churches. It is impossible
to bring the world's music into the church and to provide a
non-judgmental message and be scriptural. Jesus Christ preached on
hell frequently and warned people to repent before it is too late. "I
tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish"
(Jesus Christ, Luke 13:3). Nothing is more "judgmental" and
"threatening" and "pulpit pounding" than preaching on repentance and
hell.
*
HATE CRIMES BILL HEARINGS *
The most dangerous legislation in America is HR 1592, the federal "hate
crimes" bill that is making its way through the Congress. Hearings
for the bill were held two weeks ago, and while homosexual rights
activists, the ACLU, and others spoke out in its favor many
Christians warned of its consequences. The bill would permit
punishment of individuals that perform "hate crimes" based on race,
color, religion, national origin, gender, and sexual orientation.
Wrong-headed laws like this have brought persecution against
Christians in Australia, Europe, and Canada. Janet Folger, president
of Faith2Action, called it "the most dangerous bill in America" and
suggested that it would be better named the "Hate Grandma" or "Hate
Free Speech" bill ("Hate Crimes Bill Hearings," Christian Post, April
18, 2007). The reference to "grandma" is to women who were arrested
in Philadelphia and charged with hate speech toward homosexuals. Brad
Caucus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute, testified about
the problems that have arisen over alleged "hate crimes." He cited
recent efforts of the Hindu American Foundation to silence Christian
missions and apologetics websites. He said: "HR 1529 is a smokescreen
for stifling dissent on important issues of national debate such as
sexual orientation, gender identity and religion. This so-called
'hate crime' legislation begins to lay the legal foundation and
framework for investigating, prosecuting and persecuting pastors,
business owners, and anyone else whose actions reflect their faith."
*EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT WARNS "HOMOPHOBIC" COUNTRIES*
The following is excerpted from LifeSiteNews, April
26: "In a disgraceful debate in the European Parliament (EP)
yesterday, Members of the European Parliament from France, the
Netherlands and Italy, among others, vilified Poland as 'hateful' and
'repulsive' for refusing to allow promotion of homosexuality in
schools. A vote was held today to approve an EP resolution chastising
Poland for 'homophobia.' The resolution -- adopted by 325 votes to
124, with 150 abstentions -- calls for a fact-finding mission to be
sent to Poland, for 'worldwide de-criminalisation of homosexuality,'
and for the Commission to take Member States to court if they breach
their EU obligations. At issue was a proposed law in Poland which
would forbid 'homosexual propaganda' in schools. Explaining the
legislation earlier this year, Roman Giertych, Poland's minister of
education: 'One must limit homosexual propaganda so that children
won't have an improper view of family.' ... Poland's Konrad Szymanski
said that the debate was evidence that the 'European Parliament can
be led by the nose by a group of extremist politicians.' ... Despite
such a spirited defence, comments by the leaders of EU governing body
indicated that there was to be no tolerance for ideas which would
view homosexual acts as unnatural."
*SBC PASTORS' CONFERENCE TO FEATURE ECUMENIST CHUCK COLSON *
The speaker's rostrum at this year's Southern Baptist
Convention Pastors' Conference includes radical ecumenist Chuck
Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship. Colson, who is scheduled to
speak at the first session on Sunday evening, June 10, is a Southern
Baptist married to a Roman Catholic. More than 70 percent of Colson's
Prison Fellowship chaplains are Roman Catholic (Calvary Contender,
Nov. 15, 1999). Colson wrote the foreword to Catholic Keith
Fournier's 1990 book Evangelical Catholics, saying, "But at root,
those who are called of God, whether Catholic or Protestant, are part
of the same Body. ... It's high time that all of us who are
Christians come together regardless of the difference of our
confessions and our traditions." In his 1993 book, The Body, Colson
said, "The body of Christ, in all its diversity, is created with
Baptist feet, Charismatic hands, and Catholic ears--all with their
eyes on Jesus." In 1994 Colson joined Catholic priest Richard John
Neuhaus and nine other Protestants and Catholics as originators of a
statement called "Evangelicals and Catholics Together: The Christian
Mission in the Third Millennium." The document stated: "We together,
Evangelicals and Catholics, confess our sins against the unity that
Christ intends for all his disciples." After meeting Pope John Paul
II in 1995, Colson described him as a great moral leader and a friend
of "orthodoxy," saying, "When my eyes met the pope's, we stared
across centuries of distrust and suspicion and found common ground"
(Religious News Service, Oct. 16, 1995). Colson's invitation to an
SBC conference demonstrates the commitment of even its most
conservative leaders to the New Evangelical philosophy and their
repudiation of biblical separation. Instead of giving this popular
but compromising man a hearing, they should be publicly rebuking him.
"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3).
*
EVANGELICALS AND ISLAM *
- BILLY GRAHAM has said, "Islam is misunderstood. ... Muhammad had a
great respect
for Jesus, called Jesus the greatest of the prophets except himself.
I think we're closer to Islam than we really think we are..." (quoted
from Dave Hunt, Judgment Day, 2005, p. 132). Graham's long-time
friend, ROBERT SCHULLER, has sponsored at his Crystal Cathedral in
Garden Grove, California, a joint Christian-Muslim Institute for
Peace. He told the Imam, Alfred Mohammed, that if all of his
(Schuller's) descendants became Muslims, it wouldn't bother him as
long as they weren't atheists. Two months after 9/11, Schuller, who
on Sunday mornings has the largest religious TV show in the world,
basked in the acclaim of Muslims at a Villa Park, Illinois, mosque.
Schuller co-hosted this "Evening of Religious Solidarity" with Imam
W. D. Mohammed. One of the honored guests, pseudo-Muslim Louis
Farrakhan, praised Schuller as a "mighty spiritual giant," whose Hour
of Power television program he watched with approval for about thirty
years (FinalCall.com, Nov. 14, 2001, quoted by Hunt, p. 133). When
Franklin Graham called Islam "evil and wicked," CHRISTIANITY TODAY
disagreed, saying that "Islam would not have become the second
largest world religion if it were ... as thoroughly evil as these
comments suggest" ("Muslim Phobic No More," Editorial, Christianity
Today, December 9, 2002, p. 28, quoted by Hunt, p. 133). In an
article titled "Allah Does Not Belong to Islam," HANK HANEGRAAFF'S
CHRISTIAN RESEARCH JOURNAL declared: "Allah is the God Arab-speaking
Christians worship. The Arabic Bible is replete with the word Allah,
beginning with Genesis and ending with Revelation. Jesus Christ is
even called the son of Allah in the Arabic Scriptures. ... Allah is
simply the word or term for God in another language ... equivalent to
... English God ... French Dieu ... Spanish Dios. ... We can join our
Arab brothers and sisters in Christ who often say, 'Allah be
praised!'" (Helen Louise Herndon, Christian Research Journal, vol.
25, no. 1, 2002, quoted by Hunt, p. 133).
*LEGISLATORS IN CALIFORNIA PUSHING ANTI-SPANKING BILL *
Democrats on a legislative committee in California
have advanced a plan that would make criminals of any parent who uses
"a stick, a rod, a switch" to discipline their child ("Parents Who
Spank Being Made Criminals," WorldNetDaily, April 19, 2007). The
proposal is by California Assemblywoman Sally Lieber of Mountain
View. Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and
Families, warns: "AB755 biases police officers, social workers,
district attorneys and juries to regard traditional methods of child
discipline as hateful, harmful abuse. This irresponsible committee
has passed a very irresponsible bill. Since juries already have broad
authority to convict and sentence child abusers, AB755 is
unnecessary. The real purpose of the bill is to transform good
parents who use traditional methods of discipline into suspected
child abusers in the eyes of the law." According to the bill, a
parent who spanks his or her child will be placed on probation for
four years, forced to attend a "nonviolent parental education class,"
and be the subject of a criminal court order "protecting the victim
from further acts of violence."
*STUDY PROVES THAT TV RATINGS ARE A SHAM *
A study by the Parents Television Council has demonstrated that
television ratings are a "sham." The study found that shows contained
offensive programming without the proper warning label 67% of the
time. (Labels include an "S" for sexual content, "L" for indecent
language, and "V" for violence.). The V-Chip technology is therefore
of little value, since it is based on the ratings. The study said:
"The ratings system is a sham meant to keep Congress at bay while
Hollywood continues to pump more and more of its toxic content into
America's homes" ("Study: TV Ratings a 'Sham,'" Baptist Press, April
24).
*
JESUS CHRIST, THE THEME OF SCRIPTURE, MEETS MAN'S DEEPEST NEEDS *
The following is from "The Unfolding Drama of Redemption" by W. Graham
Scroggie: "In another way
also may we see that Christ dominates the whole Biblical revelation,
and see also how the presentation of Him, alike in prophecy and
history, promises to meet, and does meet, man's deepest needs. Man
the sinner needs someone who will redemptively represent him; he
needs someone who will reveal God to him; and he needs someone who,
with authority and effect, will rule over him. In other words, man
needs a priest, a prophet, and a king; a priest to represent him
before God; a prophet to reveal God to him; and a king to take
control of, and to rule in and over the whole kingdom of his life. In
vain will man find such an one among his fallen fellows, but in
Christ the need is supplied in every respect."