Areopagus #4: Campolo on the Trinity

Used to be that if you got it wrong about the Trinity you could find yourself in some deep, hot water. So who better to jump into the pool and splash around creating a few waves about this ancient, but perplexing, concept than Bart Campolo?

He is the founder and chaplain of Mission Year, a Christian service program in the US that recruits young adults to join outreach teams that live and work in inner-city neighbourhoods.

In this episode of Areopagus Campolo tackles the three-in-one at Roots South in January 2005. To get started click on the photo.

Inversion of Power

A reflection on Luke 23:1-25, focusing on Jesus’ response to evil in life and death, by Eleanor Clitheroe-Bell

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esus is charged with three political charges: perverting the nation, forbidding the payment of taxes and claiming himself as the prophesied liberator from oppression. In a sense, these accusations are true. › Continue reading

Fact from Fiction

The Dying Art of the Novel, by Geoff Ryan*

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here are probably more novels being published annually than ever before. Computers have revolutionized the publishing industry, allowing independent presses to spring up and investing erstwhile vanity press publications with a respectability belying their origins. Today everyone and anyone can be a writer and the hottest ticket is fiction. We have more choice than ever, in every conceivable genre from historical to sci-fi, crime and mystery to action, romance and comedy. A reader’s paradise, one would think. Yet it is difficult finding a good novel to read these days. › Continue reading

A Spirituality of Otherness

Relationship with Christ is not a one-on-one experience, by Sherri Golisky

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ore than a word, “others”, these six letters together form the signature tune of The Salvation Army. This spirited theme of Salvationism comes to the fore in that popular story of William Booth who, in his later years, decided to send a motivational telegram to his officers. › Continue reading

Reflection on Sunday

a poem by Bramwell Ryan

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unday.
The debts and claims of our mortality lure us to this place.
And we come
carting our sin and anguish,
fear and longing,
sick of the despair that feeds on tired souls,
exhausted dreams,
frayed plans
deflated energy.
We prop our pride,
grudges,
and justification
at the door.
These canes that have supported us all week
aren’t needed.
Instead we limp in alone,
stumbling into the power of the story. › Continue reading

Areopagus #3

Although the written word is important (especially for people of the book) reading isn’t the only way to be challenged and learn. That’s why theRubicon offers Areopagus, a special section of audio presentations. These range from speeches and lectures to article follow-up interviews. Over time Areopagus will include music and material specially packaged for theRubicon. With any of the Areopagus episodes you can listen online or, once the entire QuickTime file has loaded, you can download it into your off-line media player (requires QT 7). Eventually we hope to have these podcasts on the iTunes store where they’ll also be available for free download.

Today’s presentation – the first Areopagus program after a summer hiatus – features a compelling and informative lecture by Salvation Army historian John Cleary given last year at ACC in Melbourne. To get started click on the photo of Cleary.

Mission Statements

Transforming whose relationship with Christ? by Dion Oxford

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run into numerous Christian ministries with mission statements that are quite one-sided. Please don’t get me wrong - there are many wonderful, effective ministries around doing what God has called them to do. But I wonder if we evangelicals have missed a very valuable and crucial element of what being in ministry is all about. › Continue reading

Father, Son & Holy Spirit

The emerging doctrine of the Trinity…biblical Perspectives, by Bruce Power

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magine the moment. The manuscript is unravelled and we read that bit which though undoubtedly authentic, had just somehow fallen out …

“And God said to Moses, ‘There are three persons in the Godhead – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – undivided in essence and co-equal in power and glory’.”

Such a text would simplify things so much … though we’d settle for:

“And Jesus said: ‘There is a Trinity. Three persons, one essence. That’s all you need to know!’” › Continue reading

Growing up gay in the church

Myths vs. personal experience

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rowing up in the church when you’re gay isn’t much fun. Actually, I’m convinced through conversations with my friends that growing up as a gay teenager isn’t usually fun whatever your background. It can be a very lonely and depressing experience. The whole world is constantly letting you know how unaccepted you are, and how wrong you are, how disgusting you are. › Continue reading

Satyagraha Salvationism

‘Truth-force’ and social justice, by Richard Munn

Introduction:

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defining moment in the development of The Salvation Army is the 1885 partnership of Bramwell Booth and W.T. Stead – editor of the prestigious Pall Mall Gazette – in the ‘The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon’ series that brought to light the prostitution of young girls in London. After the chaos – and imprisonment for Stead – what was the result? The legal age of consent was raised to sixteen. “In the long term, the trial helped the Army to gain recognition, and enabled the Army to further its social work objectives in Britain and overseas.”

Are we again being called to principled protest? Mahatma Gandhi propelled passive resistance – satyagraha (truth force) – onto the international stage in leading India to political independence during the late 1940’s. What are the great injustices that disturb Salvationists today? › Continue reading