NAVS STARTS AGAIN - SEASON 08/09Posted by Lincoln on September 17, 2008 on 6:29 pm | In Events | No Comments  Navs is starting on the first Monday of term (September 22nd) with a main meeting…. yey! We’re meeting at Morningside Baptist Holy Corner 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start. You are warmly invited and please do also warmly invite any friends who want to plug into a small group this year with the aim of sharing life together and knowing Jesus more. Monday evening will be a time for catching up, worshipping together, hearing the vision behind what we do in our small groups throughout the year, signing up for a group and getting bible study materials for the term. If friends want to just come and check it out, that’s cool. Will be great to see you there, Louise :) The Edinburgh FestivalPosted by Lincoln on August 5, 2008 on 6:47 am | In Events | No Comments EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL FAITH-ATHEISM DEBATE Saturday August 9th, 11am, Usher Hall: a special Edinburgh International Festival debate between Christian academic John Lennox and “new atheist” Christopher Hitchens on ‘The New Europe should prefer the New Atheism’. Would the new Europe be better off jettisoning its religious past and welcoming the new atheism? A discussion between a scientist who thinks God is great and a cultural commentator who doesn’t. Moderated by James Naughtie of Radio 4’s Today programme, journalist, political commentator and presenter. Tickets 10 pounds. Student/child only 5 pounds. Book online now at www.eif.co.uk or call 0131 473 2000; or buy tickets on the door. Bring friends! Arrive early! In association with Trinity Forum and Fixed Point Foundation. Dr John Lennox is Fellow in Mathematics and Philosophy and Chaplain at Green College Oxford. Christopher Hitchens is a journalist, author, television commentator and one of the ?New Atheists’. Summer Studies changePosted by Lincoln on July 28, 2008 on 11:56 am | In Events | No Comments Have just been trying to buy a couple of summer studies books and have found it almost impossible - amazon and book depository no stock… So, having discovered an alternative source (Abe books) we have bought a stash which should arrive by next Tuesday, so if you’ve been having trouble getting a copy please get in touch and we can arrange to get one to you somehow. They will cost £7. Considering we had planned to start this coming Thursday and we won’t have books till next week, we are postponing till the following Thursday (Aug 7th) for our first meeting so we have time to get our books and do the reading…. Sorry about the change-around, best to have the books though!! Hope that’s helpful - get in touch to pick up a book - OI3I 4665377 or mob O78I4 247O64. Hope you’re enjoying the extreme heat! Summer Navs in August (and a day in July)Posted by Lincoln on July 8, 2008 on 7:49 pm | In Events | No Comments It will be running on Thursday evenings for 5 weeks beginning July 31st.We will be reading ‘Still Bored in a Culture of Entertainment: Learning to Live with Passion and Wonder’ (Richard Winter)- students need to purchase themselves a copy -The Book Depository website and Amazon are the best places to look.We’ll have a few spares for folks who just turn up (10 max).Venue is yet to be confirmed…It’d be great if you would RSVP.Hope, y’all are well and, to see you soon,Colgilliescolin@hotmail.com Summer Conference rides again!Posted by Lincoln on May 11, 2008 on 6:44 pm | In Events | No Comments [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5FFlboefsg ] 9th Annual Navs BBQ at YellowcraigsPosted by Lincoln on April 22, 2008 on 6:26 pm | In Events | No Comments Glory, Glory, Hallelujah! For this 9 year anniversary we’re celebrating by going to the same beach, at the same time, on roughly the same date as ever. Hope to see you ALL there! Misc fact: It has never rained when we’ve been at the beach. Time and Place BBQ!Posted by Lincoln on April 16, 2008 on 6:44 pm | In Events | No Comments The annual Navs BBQ, at Yellowcraigs beach, is being held this year on the 16th of May. Please let your pod-leader know if you plan to come. Cost will probably be £5. It’s great every year and we fully expect this year to be the same or better. It is one of the events I look forward to most every year (others include: April 5th (Tax Returns!), the glorious 12th, FA Cup Final day and the start of the football season.) Can’t say anymore than that. Hope to see you there! But, Jesus never claimed to be GodPosted by Lincoln on April 16, 2008 on 6:38 pm | In Article | No Comments (This comes courtesy of Ian, former member of the Rozelle Pod.) This is a common claim made in discussions about Christianity. Some people are attracted to parts of the Christian message, but the divinity of Jesus is a massive sticking point for those who would like to believe that all religions are basically different roads to the same place. To be fair, many religions do seem to encourage similar virtues. But can you reconcile Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism, with the idea that Jesus was not simply a ‘prophet’, but God himself? Clearly not. So perhaps the simplest way to a multi-faith Shangri-la is to decide that Jesus never made such claims, and that this cornerstone of traditional Christian thinking is actually a big misunderstanding. Perhaps it is. But perhaps - being rational, reasonable people who take note of evidence - we might think it a good idea to examine what the historical records of Jesus’ life say about the subject before jumping to conclusions. So what does the Bible say about it? The following is adapted from Prime, 2001 (1), which gives a helpful index of relevant references (2). a) Jesus claimed to be the Messiah (e.g. Mark 14:61-64, Luke 22:66-71, John 4:25-6) In Mark 14:61-64, Jesus is being questioned before being handed to Pilate for trial. Note the high priest’s response to his answer: “But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” Why does the high priest accuse him of blasphemy, and later call for the death sentence? Because: b) A claim to be the Messiah, or Christ, was the same as a claim to be God. Isaiah 9:6, for example, is a classic verse of prophetic literature widely understood to be referring to the future Messiah, which makes this link: “For to us a child is born, See also Jeremiah 23:5-6. But Jesus’ claim to be God (i.e. the Messiah), and the interpretation of it by those who heard him, is seen even more explicitly in passages such as John 10:24-33: “The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” “We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” c) Besides these direct claims to divinity, Jesus also said other things that suggest, if not equality with God, at least an ego that makes the label megalomaniac sound like a profound understatement. E.g. He accepted Thomas’ declaration that Jesus was “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28-9) He claims to be able to forgive sins committed against God (Matthew 9:2-6, Mark 2:5-9, Luke 5:20-23, Luke 7:48) He claims to have lived a sinless life (John 8:46) Some other claims are quoted below. As you read them, ask yourself how it would sound if someone today spoke like this: “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35) “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-6), to which Martha replied: “Yes, Lord… I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” (John 11:27) And a classic passage, John 14:6-9: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father [i.e. God] except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Having looked at texts such as those listed above, it is hard to see any good reason for believing that ‘Jesus never claimed to be God’. On the contrary, it seems clear that he not only made this claim, he made it repeatedly, and based his other teachings on it to such a degree that the religious authorities saw fit to execute him. And what if Jesus did claim to be God? Of course, one’s response to such a claim is another matter. Some may read this and simply decide that, far from being even a prophet, Jesus was simply a lunatic, or – like the religious authorities of his day – that he was a spiritual fraud, an imposter. There is no space to discuss these options now, suffice to say that in my opinion neither of them seem to account for the evidence very well. Jesus’ question remains: “who do you say I am?” And since there is at least a chance (and more than that, I think) that he was telling the truth, it’s a question we should think very carefully about before answering. References (This comes curtesy of Ian, former member of the Rozelle Pod. Thanks!!) Discussion or Debate?Posted by Lincoln on February 17, 2008 on 9:56 am | In Events | No Comments Discussion actually! This is a joint event held by the University of Edinburgh Philosophy Society and the Christian Union. (admission: £1 on the door) Study = fun?Posted by Lincoln on February 11, 2008 on 11:56 am | In Old Testament | No Comments We study passages from the Bible each week at Navs. Usually this is very stimulating and challenging. Sometimes however it can seem a little dry when we don’t fully engage with the passage or don’t understand it. While we want to hear from God it can be hard to get excited about reading His word when it’s hard to understand or we just discuss seemingly unimportant “theology”. The aim of our study is not to be able to understand and express the meaning of a biblical text. That is only a means to a much more profound end, which is that we should respond appropriately in thought and action to what we have understood, in prayer, faith and obedience. Just as we are dependant on the illuminating power of the Holy Spirit to teach us the meaning of God’s written Word, so we are dependant on his energy and power, to put whatever we have learned into action in our lives, as faithfully as possible. That is why all our study of the Bible and all our use of helpful methods and techniques to understand its message must be preceded by prayer in which we consciously open our minds and hearts to the Holy Spirit’s teaching, express our dependance on him for all our spiritual understanding, and ask for his enabling to put whatever we discover into practice. The real test of any Bible study then is not an intellectual ‘buzz’, or a warm feeling inside, but a life of joyful discipleship. Maybe study is hard work sometimes but let’s not forget it’s purpose. Hopefully by keeping it’s purpose in mind we will find it easier and come to love hearing from God. Next Page » |
