Warn them!

"It is too late, when the crisis comes, to begin telling a wife or husband or mother or friend, that your love all along had a secret reservation - "under God" or "so far as a higher Love permits". They ought to have been warned; not, to be sure, explicitly, but by the implication of a thousand talks, by the principle revealed in a hundred decisions upon small matters. Indeed, a real disagreement on this issue should make itself felt early enough to prevent a marriage or a Friendship from existing at all. The best love of either sort is not blind." The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis

Gospel adaptation and presentation

"Much of the pleading for adaptation of the gospel to the needs of this generation is suspect. For it is too often a plea for something other than the gospel. Far more important is the reminder that each generation must be adapted to the gospel. It is true, however, that the presentation of the gospel must be pointed to the needs of each generation. So it is with theology. A theology that does not build upon the past ignores our debt to history and naively overlooks the fact that the present is conditioned by history. A theology that relies upon the past evades the demands of the present."

From John Murray, writing in 1963. I'm reading articles and opening chapters to prepare notes for a lecture introducing systematic theology. Great fun re-reading stuff I'd forgotten.

Counterintuitive Calvin, No 1

Commenting on 1Cor.12v3, in his Commentary on 1 Corinthians:

"At this point someone asks whether unbelievers have the Spirit of God, when on occasion they sing the praises of Christ in glowing terms. I reply that there is no doubt that they have Him, in so far as that effect is concerned;..."

Calvin goes on to state the difference between regeneration and 'the gift of mere factual knowledge'. He continues his explanation by saying that only God the Holy Spirit can empower our tongues to praise God.

My Top 5 Tina Turner songs

Nutbush City Limits
River Deep Mountain High
We Dont Need Another Hero
What's Love Got To Do With It
The Best

My Top 5 Christmas songs

Driving Home For Christmas
Merry Xmas Everybody
Last Christmas
Fairytale of New York
Angels From The Realms of Glory

Special mention for O Come, O Come, Immanuel... not a real Christmas song but always a winner at this time of year.

Things I didn't know: No 21

The following connections...

Barbara Streisand has been married twice. Her first husband was actor Elliott Gould. Her second husband is actor James Brolin, whom she married on July 1, 1998. While they have no children together, Brolin has two children from his first marriage, including Josh Brolin, another top actor.

How To Find The Minister In You

The opening paragraph to my proposed new book.

“Life as a Presbyterian pastor can be hard. Pressures come from all sides. There is no end to the responsibility. It can feel like being a manager in any ordinary organization. And you even have to pretend that you actually believe in infant baptism. But deep down inside another you longs to be released. Somewhere your real identity is hidden. You want to be a minister. But you can't find that person. One thing is needful. You need to release the real you in you … If that is your current mindset this book is for you.”

I need to find a publisher. I need to write the book. I suppose I would also need to be a Presbyterian pastor, too. But, I'm beginning to realise that writing has got nothing very much to do with reality. So maybe, just maybe, one day I'll finally make it into print... David Shedden. Author.

My Top 5 Pulp songs

Live Bed Show
I Spy
Something Changed
Do You Remember The First Time?
Babies

Things I didn't know: No 20

The 1900 Galveston storm is to date the deadliest natural disaster in United States history.

My Top 5 John Shuttleworth songs

I Can’t Go Back To Savoury Now
Two Margarines
Betty Turpin
Incident On The Snake Pass
Mutiny Over The Bounty

...only at the cross...

"The love of God is seen in its fullness only at the cross of Jesus Christ. The intimations of God's love in creation and providence are somewhat ambiguous. There are earthquakes as well as beautiful sunsets, cancer and other forms of sickness as well as health. Only at the cross does God show his love fully and without ambiguity.

For that reason it is difficult to find a verse in the New Testament that speaks about God's love without also speaking in the same verse or in the immediate context about God's gift of his Son on Calvary."

p332, Foundations of the Christian Faith by James Montgomery Boice. IVP 1986

Things I didn't know: No 19

The Walker Brothers. Not real brothers.

My Top 5 Joni Mitchell songs

Big Yellow Taxi
California
River
Little Green
A Case Of You

Things I didn't know: No 18

I knew that a damp squib was not a damp squid.

But I didn't know that a squib is an explosive device.

My Top 5 Status Quo songs

Rock ‘N’ Roll
Down Down
Marguerita Time
Caroline
Pictures of Matchstick Men

Wars

Peter Hitchens writes,

“Wars – which can only ever be won by ruthless violence – are seldom fought for good reasons, even if such reasons are invented for them afterward. Civilized countries become less civilized when they go to war. And they hardly ever have good outcomes. In fact, I think it safe to say that the two great victorious wars of the twentieth century did more damage to Christianity in my own country than any other single force." The Rage Against God, 79-80

HT: Russell and Duenes

Things I didn't know: No 17

I did not know about John Cowperthwaite. He was Financial Secretary of Hong Kong in the 1960s, widely credited with creating the conditions for the subsequent economic success of Hong Kong. They make bronze busts of this guy to sell to rich people in China.

This fascinating Channel 4 documentary tells the story.

My Top 5 Elton John songs

Bennie And The Jets
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
I’m Still Standing
Daniel
I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues

Any Human Heart

Based on one of the few novels I remember reading with enjoyment, Any Human Heart begins on Channel 4 next Sunday. I hope the drama entices me to read the book again.

Things I didn't know: No 16

Claudia Winkleman is the daughter of Eve Pollard. I don't think there is any connection to Su Pollard.