Politics, the Church and Freedom
The church member was quite adamant. What a dreadful message – the minister should stay out of politics. To which most of us would say a hearty ‘amen’. The last […]
Secular Pharisees, Publicans and Puritans
As I listened to Dan Andrews explaining the rules again for Victoria, apart from losing the will to live, the thought struck me that the spirit of the Pharisees, Publicans […]
Tom Holland: How Christianity Gained Dominion and A Secular Historian Loses His Faith (In Liberalism)
Glen Scrivener is an Australian Anglican minister, film maker and evangelist. We didn’t do this deliberately, but it looks as though we have done an ‘evangelist swap’. Whilst the Scottish […]
Through All the Changing Scenes
“The providence of God is like Hebrew words – it can be read only backwards.” So wrote John Flavel. “Of making many books there is no end and much study […]
A Shore Thing?: Is Complementarianism to Blame for Laddish Behaviour?
There is a test of behaviour that Christian institutions need to have – ‘what would Jesus say? In a similar vein I was recently made aware of a lesser test […]
Is Church a Good Laugh?
“And you stand laughing, raising a laugh like women of the world who are on stage. This has overthrown, this has cast down everything. Everything we do is turned into […]
Come Let Us Sing?
Being back in a service of public worship last Sunday was lovely. The ‘social distancing’ is not too much of a culture change for this Scottish Presbyterian – although the […]
Who Cares for the Elderly?
“If you don’t have a computer you don’t exist in the eyes of the church”. It was a stunning statement from a ‘mature’ woman in her eighties. Devastating. But it […]
Presbyterian Evangelism
I enjoyed having a full and frank discussion with Mark Powell on AP’s excellent podcast. https://ap.org.au/2020/08/21/evangelism-interview-with-david-robertson-australian-christian-life-podcast-episode-4/ It’s now one I subscribe to – not because of this interview but because […]
Gospel Conversion Therapy
Queensland has just become the first state in Australia to ban Gay Conversion Therapy. Because of Covid 19 restrictions they beat the Victorian government to it, which in keeping with […]
Presbyterianism and Gospel Prosperity in Australia
“We don’t do denominationalism in Australia” – was the somewhat encouraging comment I was given upon arrival in ‘the lucky country’. Having come from tribalistic Scotland – where the clan […]
The Lucky Country?
My French hairdresser was quite adamant. She was so glad to have emigrated to Australia. Why? “because it’s a peaceful country and there is no violence”. I understood where she […]
The Wee Flea in Australia
‘How are you getting on in Australia? Get yourself in trouble yet? What are the Aussie Presbyterians like?” asked a friend from Scotland. “Fine….not yet but give me chance….don’t know […]
Don’t Follow the UK: Observations from a Short Sojourn in Sydney
There are few better places in the world for a Scotsman to spend a three-month Sabbatical than Sydney. As a general observation, Australia is in a much healthier position than […]