Dale Appleby

An Anglican History Part 2. The Church in the West before Augustine 3 July 11

An Anglican History Part 2. The Church in the West before Augustine

[A fuller version of this article can be found here.]

In 312 Constantine adopted Christianity and in 324 became sole Emperor of the Roman empire.

Arianism and the Trinity

A dispute in Alexandria soon drew in the Emperor. A teacher in Alexandria called Arius said that the supreme God is one and that therefore Christ could not be eternal in the same way as God. His saying was, “There was when he was not.” Christ was not equal to the Father and had been created by the Father out of nothing, even though he was the highest of all God’s creatures.

Many in Alexandria supported him, but not the bishop. A council of bishops in Egypt condemned his teaching. The Emperor Constantine tried to stop this debate dividing the church and so causing trouble in the empire The Emperor called a Council at which he would preside – at Nicea

Read more: An Anglican History Part 2. The Church in the West before Augustine 3 July 11

6. Babel Genesis 11

Listen Now!

6. Babel Genesis 11

Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on 26 June 2011

(apologies for the audio)

Bible readings: Genesis 11.1-9; Psalm 2; Acts 2.5-12; John 10.14-18

Human plans for identity and security rather than God's plans and care. Sequel in Acts 2 and Acts 8

An Anglican History: Part 1. The Church in Britain before Augustine 26 June 11

An Anglican History: Part 1. The Church in Britain before Augustine

Christians came to Britain from as early as 200AD.  Some were traders and others were Roman soldiers. The first British martyr was Alban. He was a soldier who was converted after caring for a priest who was being persecuted. He later allowed the priest to escape and was killed himself. The traditional date of his death was thought to be about 304AD, in the time of the persecution under Diocletian, but recent research puts the date at 209 in the time of the Emperor Severus.

Although Augustine was the first Archbishop of Canterbury, a Celtic church had been in existence before Augustine arrived, and bishops from the church in Britain were present at the Council of Arles in 314.

In Ireland, especially, a strong intellectual life had been developing in monasteries.

Read more: An Anglican History: Part 1. The Church in Britain before Augustine 26 June 11

The Spirit in Indonesia 19 June 11

The Spirit in Indonesia

Last weekend I was in Jakarta and met informally with some Indonesian church leaders. One described the difficulties of finding land and being able to build a centre for meetings and worship. Part of the difficulty was the high cost of land, part the difficulty of finding a location where the local residents would not object to the building. This particular church has been meeting for many years in a series of rented or borrowed buildings, moving from one to another and losing members each time they moved.

Another leader spoke about the peacefulness of the location of a theological college. Although set in the middle of a community of the majority faith, it nevertheless had good relations with its neighbours and continued its very valuable work unharmed so far.

Read more: The Spirit in Indonesia 19 June 11

Who needs missionaries? 12 June 11

Who needs missionaries?

In a famous column in The Times in 2008 atheist Matthew Parris wrote “... I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa...”. His article gives a number of examples in which he claims that it is not just Christian aid work, but the living faith of Christians that transforms lives. He concludes his article:

“Those who want Africa to walk tall amid 21st-century global competition must not kid themselves that providing the material means or even the knowhow that accompanies what we call development will make the change. A whole belief system must first be supplanted.

And I'm afraid it has to be supplanted by another. Removing Christian evangelism from the African equation may leave the continent at the mercy of a malign fusion of Nike, the witch doctor, the mobile phone and the machete.”

The issue has been debated for a long time.

Read more: Who needs missionaries? 12 June 11

5. Two brothers: Choosing Good Genesis 4

Listen Now!

5. Two brothers: Choosing Good   Genesis 4

Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on 5 June 2011

Bible Readings: Genesis 4.1-16; Psalm 116; 1 John 3.1-18; Matthew 5.21-26

Choosing what is good according to God, why Cain's offering was not accepted and how it relates to our serving of Jesus