On 18 June 2018, the Synod of the Free Reformed Churches of Australia will convene in the Southern River church building. 18 February was the closing date for the material for the provisional agenda. After this date, no new items can be placed on the agenda. Churches can still interact with the material that is… Continue reading FRCA Synod 2018 – A Preview
Hungary has been in the news regularly in recent times because of defending Christian values, with Hungary’s Prime Minister as one of the vocal defenders of Hungary as a Christian country. He recently stated that Islam is advancing and Christianity is Europe’s last hope. This is not appreciated by the bureaucracy in the European Union.… Continue reading Too many smiling, dancing, white Christians
It seems as if the major part of the news that comes from Canberra and our federal government is mainly about scandals or about fighting between governing parties and opposition. They are constantly circling around each other and pounce as soon as they find something that might give them an advantage among the voters. It… Continue reading What about Barnaby Joyce?
On Friday, 2 February, the House of Congress in the USA released a controversial memo about practices of the FBI, concerning surveillance / wiretapping one of candidate and later President Trump’s team members. The release of this memo was preceded by heated discussions in the committee and between members of the House, as well as… Continue reading US House Memo released: Crime or not?
The persecution of Christians in India is getting more severe. Recently a pastor of a Christian congregation was found hanging from a rope in his home, adjacent to the church. Authorities were quick to rule his death a suicide, but there is so much that points in a different direction. This pastor had to endure… Continue reading Persecution In India
Christians are being persecuted. More Christians died in the past century alone than in the history of Christianity to that point. Persecution is not something new. It happens as long as the Christian Church exists. The Bible tells us that it will happen. We all know that it is happening. From time to time we… Continue reading Middle Eastern Christians in dire straits – but the West doesn’t want to know
(1) Pomfret, J, Xi Jinping’s quest to revive Stalin’s communist ideology, The Washington Post, October 16, 2017 (2) Chinese Journalist faces 7 years in jail for ‘leaking state document’s, BBC News, 5 April, 2015 (3) Fitzgerald, J, Human Dignity and its Enemies, Inside Story, October 2017
It is almost trite to observe that any education system – its structure and curriculum – closely reflects the values of the society in which it is formed. Thus in a democratic nation such as Australia, educational institutions are valued as places of academic freedom, critical inquiry and the preservation of freedom enjoyed by the… Continue reading Education and ideology in China
Among the many Christmas messages of numerous heads of state, government leaders and other leaders, it seems hard to find a few good ones which are worth listening to or reading. Last week I mentioned an editorial of the Canadian National Post. If you haven’t read it, I certainly recommend that you do. Towards the… Continue reading Hungary: PM Viktor Orban’s Christmas Message: Worth reading!
Christianity Today reports that after 70 years two articles written by C.S. Lewis and published in The Strand Magazine have been rediscovered. For many years they were forgotten. “A Christmas Sermon for Pagans” is quintessential Lewis at the height of his renown. “Cricketer’s Progress” is more of a mystery. The topic of ‘A Christmas Sermon for… Continue reading Christmas and Cricket: Two lost articles of C. S. Lewis rediscovered
Several newspapers will mention something about Christmas, even if it is only by writing about the nativity scene, or others by giving advice how to spend time with family and friends, or how to cook your Christmas dinner. Some heads of state, presidents, queens or kings, will have a special Christmas message. Most of the… Continue reading Merry Christmas: What Jesus, descendant of David, promises mankind
The Daily Mail (UK) reports that Tina Gibson and her husband Benjamin, living in East Tennessee (USA), adopted an embryo which had been frozen for 24 years. The child, Emma, was born on the 25th of November this year. Tina was not able to conceive naturally with Benjamin, because Benjamin is suffering from cystic fibrosis.… Continue reading Frozen embryo born after 24 years
The science on climate change is settled? 97 percent of all scientists agree? Apparently, it is all not so cut and dry as we thought. ‘The impact of changes in solar activity on Earth’s climate was up to seven times greater than climate models suggested according to new research published today in Nature Communications.’This is what… Continue reading Cosmic rays, solar activity have greater impact on climate models
On 15 December, the task of Dr. R.C. Sproul on earth came to an end. He was 78. Dr. Sproul was well known among many Reformed Christians in North America and beyond. He proclaimed the gospel to many. He is the founder of Ligonier Ministries. This organization writes in their announcement of the passing of… Continue reading RC Sproul relieved from his task on earth
One thing Satan is known to be very good in is: the lie. In John 8, the Lord Jesus calls him the ‘Father of lies’. ‘He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his… Continue reading Hate is called love
There is a phrase in the Address to the Parents, in our Form for the Baptism of Infants, that we may have overlooked a bit, even though we hear it every time when a child is being baptized. That are the words ‘as soon as he (she) is able to understand‘. What does that mean?… Continue reading As soon as they are able to understand
Our Parliament in Canberra is discussing the bill to legalise same sex marriage, as well as a number of proposed amendments. Two good speeches which are worth listening to or reading: Mr. Andrew Hastie, MP of Canning, WA. Mr. Scott Morrison, MP for Cook, NSW and Treasurer.
The one article after the other is being published about the ‘mess’ federal politics is in here in Australia. Granted, there is quite a bit going on, with PM Turnbull forced into appointing a Royal Commission, the discontent about the whole way he is dealing with ‘religious protection’ amendments to the Same Sex Marriage bill,… Continue reading The decline and fall of political culture
Another article about democracy. For centuries already we consider democracy as the most desirable form of government. However, more and more we discover that also democracy doesn’t escape the problems which plague other forms of government. We see that those who are in power, whether they are democratically elected or not, almost always get corrupted… Continue reading Scientists vs. democracy
Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.… This is… Continue reading Democracy on its way out?
