True femininity

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Thanks Filip for sharing this!

NT Wright on evil & satan

Gateway: A Church for the emerging generation

Primoz Trubar, a Kingdom Story in Slovenia

Due to my professional engagements, I'm visiting the beautiful city of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. I am attending the First European Food Congress, where several subjects related to food such as health, nutrition, consumer behaviour, safety, etc. are being thorougly discussed.

Anyway, yesterday, on my way to the registration desk, I noticed that there was an exhibition in a nearby museum about a man called Primoz Trubar, and I could understand something about "protestant" in the title (my Slovenian is null). So, after registration, I visited the aforementioned museum. The guide told me the following story:

Primoz Trubar was a Bible believing Christian, who played a very important role in the history of Slovenia. He was very much influenced by the German reformers. The desire of his heart was that every Slovenian person could read the Bible (translated by Jurij Dalmatin). Therefore, he dedicated his life to the development of the Slovenian language. First he wrote a Catechism (a basic introduction to the faith), and he developed the first Slovenian alphabet (abecedarium). He didn't stop there. He founded several primary and popular schools where all children, boys and girls could go to learn the alphabet and other subjects like how to live decently in society. Moreover, Trubar was the pioneer of secondary education in Slovenia. Today's Slovenian language would not have existed if Trubar would not have taken the calling and contributed to the "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven". He was working FOR the Kingdom of God!

After few years, he was forced to exile in Germany ... the politics of the Austrian-Habsburgs in close collaboration with the RC Inquisition yielded in the persecution of this man. Tubar's work was prohibited and even the mention of his name was banned from all history textbooks until the early XX Century. In 2008 the Slovenian people celebrate the 500 anniversary of the birth of this man of God's Kingdom. Vindicated after centuries of forcedly being forgotten. The official Slovenian Government address can be read here. The official site of Trubar2008 is here with more detailed biographical information.

It was an inspiring visit!

Earliest Christian church: archeological findings on de divinity of Jesus

I found the following story at sydneyanglicans.net A documentary film will be released in 2009 including archeological and historical evidence of how early Christians worshiped, and their understanding of Jesus as God. I'm posting the first part of the article here, and it can be read in full here.

"The Life of Jesus film crew has gained rare access to an archaeological find that cements historical evidence early Christians worshiped Jesus as divine.

Dr John Dickson, the series’ host and co-founder of the Centre for Public Christianity, will guide viewers through the remains of an ancient prayer hall unearthed at Megiddo in central Israel.

“The inscriptions on the mosaic floor are remarkable,” Dr Dickson says.

“One of them names a benefactor called Gaianus who is described as a centurion. Another mentions a woman called Akeptous who ‘…offered this table in memorial of the God Jesus Christ’.”

The inscriptions cast more doubt on claims made by prominent atheists and popular authors that Jesus’ divinity was an invention by the fourth century church.

“Here is extraordinary physical evidence from the century before Constantine and the Council of Nicaea that Christians, including Roman officials, were worshipping Jesus as divine,” Dr Dickson explains.

THE FULL STORY CAN BE FOUND HERE.

Archbishop Venables in Lambeth

Decisive day in Lambeth: the 'S' day

Early this morning the BBC announced that today is THE day. Bishops will talk and reflect on human sexuality (that's why I called it the 's' day!)
The agenda for today can be found here. Even more, later today a theater play will be performed on the stories of gay Christians.

Funny enough, Bishops have been listening to one side of the story. But Peter Ould made the point in a recent post: the voices of those Christians who once were gay and today are not gay anymore have not been heard! He clearly mentions Andy Comiskey (the founder of Desert Stream Ministries, now in Kansans), Mario Bergner, an Anglican priest from Redeemed Lives Ministries. There are other Anglicans like Martin Hallet the founder of True Freedom Trust who deserve to be heard, or that should have had more room and space in all this process. Probably they were heard before.

A good article on the Anglican Crisis can be found here.

Again, let's pray, wait and see.

Faith Foundation? please!

Sunday mornings I normally listen to the BBC's reporting religion. Obviously, BBC reports from a very liberal, open minded and inclusive point of view. It is nevertheless something I like to listen, since in between the paraphernalia of all roads lead to god, there are often very good testimonies of Christians worldwide that obviously shine in between the philosophical mixture.

Last Sunday, the report focused on the former UK's Prime Minister Tony Blair's Faith Foundation. He is calling to all faiths to come to a kind of concerted action to tackle hunger, poverty, malaria, etc. And this man thinks that doing "good" will eventually bring the expected era of light. What was more shocking, was that Blair would always mention devoted Christians such as Martin Luther King Jr., and fill his mouth with the examples of such Christians bringing changes to their societies. I wonder why he could not find such examples in other faiths ...

I find still odd that when it is convenient, Christians and Christianity are used as 'examples', but when it comes to actually let Christians even the option to preach the good news of King Jesus, they are silenced and prohibited to preach. But actually, the only ones who can make changes for the sake of populations and the whole creation are those who believe that Jesus is actually the King and not the ruling system or the philosophies of the world.

Anyway, Blair is not necessarily someone who has any moral authority to bring faiths into conversation. He is an apostate of the Christian (Bible believing) faith, trying to play the game of " a bit of compromise here and there cannot harm", without realising that in the practice he is asking Christians alone to compromise to better understand the others. I wonder what our forefathers in the faith would have thought of these initiatives when they were being brought to the stake ...

Good intentions Mr Blair. But forget not that good intentions with no firm foundation on certain Rock, will be sooner or later overwhelmed by the storms and winds of a fundamentalism that denies the goodness of God the Creator, and the Rule of King Jesus.

Wonderings of the Anglican Communion

As most of my friends know, I came to the Christian (bible based faith) in the setting of a small Anglican Church in La Paz. As consequence, I always had a special heart for the Anglican Communion. It was normally refreshing to know that despite the hurricanes of doctrine that whipped Bolivia (e.g.Liberation Theology, Prosperity & Faith 'gospels', Dispensationalism, and lots of other mixtures), one could always count on the Bible based faith of the Anglicans. Even if the appointed leader were once "too liberal" (low Church) or the next "too backwards" (high Church), they normally kept the principle of honoring the Bible as final source of authority: the simple saying "Show me what is in the Bible and I will teach it. Show me that what I teach isn't in the Bible, and I will stop teaching it."

I recently found a post from the Unofficial Lambeth 2008 Website. They are already suggesting that Archbishop Rowan Williams should resign in order to keep the unity of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Anglicans are the largest non RC Christian denomination in the world, and in many places they are "the" reference of what Christianity is all about. Therefore, the unity of the Anglicans is a matter not only for the member but for the whole Body of Christ on the Earth.

And Michael Daly, boldly suggests that the well respected scholar, the Lord Bishop of Durham, may be the successor and the only move that could keep the Anglican Communion as a Unity. Hereunder his words:

“But, who will replace him?” you ask. I thought about that, too. While +Rochester would make a fine candidate (at least I think so), he would never fly with the rest of the Communion and it is doubtful that most British people (apart from the Evangelicals) would think much of it, either. Step back a bit, then and think about who in the English Church has been most outspoken recently about maintaining the structural integrity of the Lambeth Conference and the Anglican Communion? I’ll give you a hint: he’s another eminent scholar and has a seat in the House of Lords.

Putting this all together may seem a bit of a stretch, but it makes sense to my supper-addled mind, this evening. Could +Tom Wright be making a play for something the present Archbishop of Canterbury has already given up on? And would it necessarily be a bad thing?

Apparently all odds are pointing to NT Wright as the successor. As for me, I will simply keep praying for the Anglicans in the pain where they are now.

History and Resurrection

I found interesting to bring the following historical account. It was written by a non-believer historian, who had probably another agenda. Flavius Josephus gives an objective tone for the celebration of Easter. Jesus was risen from being dead as the witnesses reported. Hence, Jesus was indeed the expected Jewish Messiah since he fulfilled the old prophecies about him. Moreover, Josephus reports that Jesus begun a new "tribe", the so called "Christians" that were still alive and are still alive today all over the world.

Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day. (Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, Chapter 3, Paragraph 3)

I used the drawing "Resurrection" by Luc Freymanc (© Luc Freymanc 2001-2007) who allows specific free use for "Use on a non-commercial website or blog." Please visit Luc Freymanc drawings.

Holy Week 2008

At the end of this week, specifically on Friday, our Church has organised a small gathering for the celebration of the Communion. I've gotten the responsibility to prepare some thoughts, maybe a meditation on the Last Supper (or maybe the First Kingdom Celebration). I guess that there are many places where it has been done already, so it would not be anything new. However, I'm not planning to simply surf on internet and cut-and-paste some nice thoughts, even if it is really tempting.

King Jesus is amazing. He left us a simple meal, bread and wine to celebrate his Kingdom, and to announce out loud that he is indeed coming back. Somehow the "already-not yet" tension is manifested in this meal. We join together with Jesus in the upper room, we join together with all those who through history have celebrated King Jesus in the same way, and we anticipate the consummation of times, when Jesus will appear for ever.

What is also more important is that as we celebrate communion, as we share the bread and the wine with each other, we declare that there's no more division between "Jews and Gentiles", for both have been inserted in Jesus, the true Vine. We proclaim that forgiveness of sins is available for all those who welcome King Jesus in their lives, and that are made co-heirs of the Kingdom.

The Supper is also a symbolic representation of the lifestyle of love. Love is not at all a simple feeling. It is a lifestyle that embraces the other, that campaigns for social righteousness, that actively engages in the preservation of our heritage (the Earth), that longs for the end of poverty and hunger. Actually, Jesus said that his disciples were going to be known because they loved each other in a way that would put the social systems upside down.

My question today and that probably will remain: how do we embody as Church this love-vocation?

I found the image here.

Mourning for the victims

"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.

"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you." Matthew 5.38-48 (The Message)

Potter - Pottenbakker

The Dutch version: Pottenbakker



The English version Potter



Beautiful Lord, Wonderful savior
I know for sure all of my days are held in your hands
Crafted into your perfect plans

You gently called me into your presence
Guiding me by Your Holy Spirit
Teach me dear Lord to live all of my life
Through your eyes

I'm captured by your holy calling
Set me apart. I know you're drawing me to yourself
lead me, Lord. I pray

Oh Take me, mold me, use me, fill me
I give my life to the potter's hand

Oh Call me, guide me, lead me, walk beside me
I give my life to the potter's hand

You gently call me into your presence
Guiding me by your holy spirit
Teach me dear lord to live all of my life through your eyes

I'm captured by your holy calling
Set me apart. I know you're drawing me to yourself
lead me, Lord. I pray

Oh Take me, mold me, use me, fill me
I give my life to the potter's hand

Oh Call me, guide me, lead me, walk beside me
I give my life to the potter's hand

The Evangelical Crackup

Yesterday i went to watch the film "Jesus Camp". And I was very much impressed of the political content of it. It's already known that most US Evangelicals are skewed to the right in politics, but it was shocking to see how can they exaggerate and become non-biblical in their practices. When they brought a body size image of the US President to a prayer meeting, i felt like the times when people had to worship the images of the Roman Emperors! The sad part is that the label -and its implications- affects to all of us outside the US, who are proudly spiritual descendants of the Reformation.

However, there seems to be hope. In a New York Times article, the authors discuss objectively the shortcomings of the Christian right, and at the same time highlight that the younger generation of leaders are taking things with a renewed and probably more biblical approach. The following extract exemplifies the former statement:

Meanwhile, a younger generation of evangelical pastors — including the widely emulated preachers Rick Warren and Bill Hybels — are pushing the movement and its theology in new directions. There are many related ways to characterize the split: a push to better this world as well as save eternal souls; a focus on the spiritual growth that follows conversion rather than the yes-or-no moment of salvation; a renewed attention to Jesus’ teachings about social justice as well as about personal or sexual morality. However conceived, though, the result is a new interest in public policies that address problems of peace, health and poverty — problems, unlike abortion and same-sex marriage, where left and right compete to present the best answers.

Recuerdos/Memories

Some of these Christian songs are part of my early days as believer. I thought that they were appropriate to celebrate the Reformation Day.

Happy Reformation Day

On October 31st 1517, 490 y ago, Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses at the door of the Cathedarl in Wittemberg, Germany. Church doors functioned as bulletin boards in that period of history. These theses were an answer to the controversial selling of indulgences by the Roman curia to build the Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. This action has been considered as the igniting of the Reformation. Later on, Martin Luther translated the Bible to German language, and blessed eventually the whole Western World with the access to the Word of God in lay language. He changed the history of the Western World.

A scientist and a believer

Reformation heritage

Reformation Heritage



Fathers of the Reformation



Receive the challenge of their lives!

490 Years of the Reformation

Since on October 31st we commemorate the 490th anniversary of the day when Martin Luther boldly presented his 95 Thesis in Wittemberg, as a disputation on the power and efficacy of indulgences, i thought it would be appropriate to devote some posts to the roots of my Evangelical Faith. The film itself is worth of being seen.

Being raised as roman catholic, all the story of the Reformation and the price that was paid by my predecessors in the faith was unknown. I converted to Christianity at the age of 14y, by grace through faith, as one of the results of the faith of the Reformers. Their faith yielded in me having the option to meet Jesus in a personal way, to read freely the Word of God in my own language, and to worship God together with others all over the world. I'm really in debt to men like Martin Luther, John Calvin or Casidoro da Reina, who devoted their lives to serve Jesus in difficult times and in the midst of a pagan world. Not so different by the way to our world today!

Scary what some Christians are into ...

This is a video on how US Evangelicals influence their international policy. It's scary because instead of basing their theology and political action on the Bible, they are based on the fables of the dispensationalist rapture, and even worse they believe they have to keep their army in the Middle East. Scary.

I dream of the day when Bible based Kingdom Theology will guide political decisions.