A 31 July 2013 Michigan Live article by Jim Harger titled “Grand Rapids Seminary Will Break Ground on $3 Million Addition” reports that Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary (PRTS) on 1 August 2013 broke ground on a US$3 million addition that will double the size of the seminary.

PRTS President the Rev. Dr. Joel Beeke delivered an address on Exodus 35, the text of which can be accessed here:

http://www.joelbeeke.org/2013/08/ground-breaking-for-prts-addition/

+ Michigan Live LLC, 339 East Liberty Street, Suite 210, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104, feedback@mlive.com

+ Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, 2965 Leonard Street Northeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525, 616-977-0599, Fax: 616-285-3246, info@puritanseminary.org

+ Heritage Reformed Churches, info@heritagereformed.com

[2] Reunion and Conference Will Investigate the Life of Reformation Martyr George Wishart

A 5 August 2013 The Courier article by Richard Watt titled “Reunion Will Investigate the Life of Reformation Martyr George Wishart” reports that fifty Wishart family descendants and twenty-five other people with interest in George Wishart and the Reformation will gather later in August 2013 in St. Andrews, Scotland for a family reunion and conference to celebrate the 500^th anniversary of George Wishart’s birth.

Wishart was from Pittarow House in the Laurencekirk area of Scotland, studied theology at Leuven in the Netherlands, received a Master’s degree in 1532, and then began his ministry in Montrose, Scotland. After teaching the New Testament in Greek, he was summoned by the Bishop of Brechin but fled to England, where he was captured by the Inquisition and released due to public demand. Wishart fled to Europe in May 1539 after being accused of heresy. While in Europe, Wishart translated the Helvetic Confession, which was printed after his death.

Wishart later preached at Corpus Christi College in Cambridge, England, then returned to a house near the church of Montrose in which he expounded the scriptures and travelled with John Knox to Perth, Fife and Leith, Scotland.

Archbishop Cardinal David Beaton captured Wishart in Ormiston, Scotland, brought him to St. Andrews, and had him burned at the stake. Beaton was murdered a few days after Wishart’s death, which galvanized the Scottish Reformation.

The conference is sponsored by the Society in Scotland for the Propagating of Christian Knowledge, the Hope Trust, and the Institute of Scottish Historical research, part of St. Andrews University.

+ The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL, Scotland, 01382 223131, courier@dcthomson.co.uk

+ KU Leuven, Oude Markt 13, Bus 5005 3000, Leuven, Netherlands, 016-32-40-10, Fax: 016-32-40-14, Contact Page

+ Corpus Christi College, Trumpington St., Cambridge CB2 1RH, England, 44-1223-338000, Contact Page

+ Society in Scotland for the Propagating of Christian Knowledge, c/o World Mission Council, 121 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4YN, Scotland, philip_h@madasafish.com

+ St. Andrews University, St. Andrews KY16 9AJ, Fife, Scotland, 44-0-1334-47616

[3] PCUSA Rejects Hymn after Authors Refuse Lyric Change from “On that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied” to “… the love of God was magnified.”

A 1 August 2013 OneNewsNow article by Charlie Butts titled “Reaction: Hymn Flap Indicative of PCUSA’s Scriptural Descent” reports that the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) Committee on Congregational Songs has rejected inclusion of the hymn “In Christ Alone” by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, because the songwriters refused the PCUSA’s request to change the lyric “On that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied” to “… the love of God was magnified.”

The songwriters refused the request because they wrote the song to tell “the whole gospel.”

“In Christ Alone” performed by Keith and Krystin Getty, can be accessed here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mPrqltkJyw

+ American Family Association, Post Office Drawer 2440, Tupelo, Mississippi 38803, 662-844-5036

+ Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky40202, 888-728-7228, Fax: 502-569-8005

[4] Retired South African Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu Endorses Hell over ‘A Homophobic Heaven’

Retired South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu has provocatively declared that he would not worship a God who is homophobic, adding that “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven… I mean, I would much rather go to the other place [hell].”

The Anglican archbishop was speaking at a United Nations’ Gay Rights Campaign function in Cape Town, South Africa.

Tutu is not the first South African Anglican bishop to make statements that are not in accord with more traditional Christians. In a 2008 Christmas message, Archbishop of Southern Africa Thabo Makgoba infamously declared that “Jesus is like a ‘bucketful of God'” — a statement seemingly at odds with church teaching about Christ being the exact imprint of God’s character in whom “the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.”

In a rare move, another Anglican archbishop — Archbishop Yinkah Sarfo of Ghana — strongly condemned Tutu over his comments.

“Archbishop Tutu is respected in the Anglican Church and around the world but this time he has misfired and all Anglican Bishops from Africa, Asia and South America condemn his statement in no uncertain terms,” Sarfo told Ghana’s Adom News.

Sarfo said Tutu’s comments were not the stand of the entire Anglican Communion, which is increasingly led by traditionalist voices from the Global South that adhere to a more conservative theological perspective.

“We [other African bishops] suspect that retired Archbishop Tutu may have collected some moneys from some of the western governments or from gay rights activists to do their bidding but the Anglican Church condemns gay practice,” Sarfo concluded.

IRD Anglican Program Director Jeff Walton commented:

“Tutu’s declaration demands that God operate on his terms. Tutu’s god is one that many will recognize — an idealized version of ourselves times 2 or 3. God operates on a whole different standard of holiness beyond this self-constructed deity.

“Tutu never speaks for the majority of Anglicans in Africa. The center of Anglican leadership on the continent has moved to countries like Nigeria and Kenya.

“Apart from Tutu’s dismissiveness, African Anglicans are very interested in spending eternity with God and want their neighbors to share in that, too.

“African Anglicans have quickly become the majority voice in the Anglican Communion. They focus on evangelism and discipleship, seeking to win souls for Christ rather than prioritize earthly political ambitions.”

+ Christian News Wire, 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20006, 202-546-0054, newsdesk@christiannewswire.com

+ Institute on Religion and Democracy, 1023 15th Street Northwest, Suite 601, Washington DC 20005-2601, 202-682-4131, Fax: 202-682-4136, info@theird.org

+ Anglican Church of South Africa, Post Office Box 61394, Marshalltown 2107, South Africa, 011-836-5825, Fax: 011-836-5782, publish@anglicanchurchsa.org.za

+ Anglican Communion, St. Andrew’s House, 16 Tavistock Crescent, London W11 1AP, England, 20-7313-3900, Fax: 20-7313-3999, aco@anglicancommunion.org

[5] East Synod of The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria Commends Nigeria’s National Assembly for Exacting Laws that Ban Same-Sex Marriage and Provide Criminal Penalties

A 4 August 2013 AllAfrica.com article by Adebiyi Adedapo and Anayo Okolie titled “Nigeria: Presbyterian Church Lauds National Assembly for Criminalising Same-Sex Marriage” reports that the East Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (PCN) has commended Nigeria’s National Assembly for outlawing same-sex marriage and providing criminal penalties for those who violate the law.

In a communiqué, jointly signed by Moderator of the Synod the Rev. Dr. Okeke Ndu and Synod Clerk the Rev. Chika Nwankwo, it was noted that same-sex marriage was as an end-time evil which is against the law of God and condemned by the Bible, the Quran and African traditional practices. The communiqué urged Nigeria’s federal government to maintain its stand against the evil practice in spite of the ill-advised support given it by the western world.

The [PCN] called on Nigerians to arise to this challenge and compliment the efforts of the government by giving information that would help security agencies to clamp down on offenders,” and said that tougher actions should be put in place to help in arresting the situation which is an affront to family life and a sin before God.

+ AllAfrica.com, 920 M Street Southeast, Washington DC 20003, 202- 546-0777, Fax: 202-546-0676

+ Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, 26 Ehere Road, Post Office Box 2635, Aba, Abia State, Nigeria, 082-234-780

[6] National Right to Life Pulls Support from Cleveland Right to Life over Same-Sex Marriage Opposition

A 6 August 2013 The Daily Caller article by Caroline May titled “National Right to Life Pulls Support from Local Pro-Life Group over Same-Sex Marriage Opposition” reports that the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) has officially withdrawn support from Cleveland Right to Life (CRTL) over CRTL’s position in opposition to homosexual marriage.

NRLC is a supporter of Ohio U.S. Senator Rob Portman who in March of this year announced his support for same-sex marriage.

CRTL president Molly Smith commented:

“To be quite honest with you, I don’t have a clue why they [have disaffiliated with us] because number one we have never been affiliated with them, so they disaffiliated with an organization that was never affiliated. So it seems to be a little bit of sending a message and obviously trying to put up something publicly to support Sen. Portman in Ohio.”

+ The Daily Caller, 1050 17th Street Northwest # 900, Washington DC 20036, 202-466-3004, media@dailycaller.com

+ National Right to Life Committee, 512 10th Street Northwest, Washington DC 20004, 202-626-8800, NRLC@nrlc.org

+ Cleveland Right to Life, Inc., 4427 State Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44109, 216-661-3000, Fax: 216-661-8958, lifenews@clevelandrighttolife.org

[7] News from the Deepest Recesses of Hell

— Facebook Group Claims “Virgin Mary Should Have Aborted”

— Pat Robertson Says Birth Control ‘Very Important’ to Limit Appalachian ‘Ragamuffins’

— MSNBC’s Roberts Calls Abortion Clinics ‘Choice Providers’

— CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens Now Selling Abortion-Inducing ‘Plan B’ off the Shelf

— 42nd U.S. Abortion Clinic Closed in 2013 Due to Filthy, Unsafe Conditions

— Chinese Woman Kidnapped and Forced Have Abortion at Seven Months

— New York Times Falsely Claims Fetal Pain is a Fake Medical Theory

— Journal for Professional Ethics in Oxford, England Green-Lights Infanticide

+ LifeSiteNews.com, Incorporated, 4 Family Life Lane, Front Royal, Virginia 22630, 888-678-6008, Contact Page

+ American Vision, 3150-A Florence Road, Suite 2, Powder Springs, Georgia 30127, 800-628-9460, Fax: 770-222-7269, Comments@AmericanVision.org

+ LifeNews.com, Post Office Box 270841, Fort Collins, Colorado 80527, news@lifenews.com

+ Clash Daily

[8] Headlines from Christian Concern

Headlines of the past week from Christian Concern:

— Soaring Rate of HIV Infection in Homosexual Men Reports Public Health England

— Controversial Irish Abortion Bill Passes into Law

+ Christian Concern, 70 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8AX, England, 020 7935 1488, Contact Page

[9] Headlines from The Christian Institute

Headlines of the past week from The Christian Institute:

— Homosexual Couple in England to Sue Local Church over Gay Marriage Opt-Out

— Ninety-Seven Percent of Abortions in England May Have Been Illegal, Says Charity Chief

+ The Christian Institute, Wilberforce House, 4 Park Road, Gosforth Business Park, Newcastle upon Tyne NE12 8DG, England, 44-0-191-281-5664, Fax: 44-0-191-281-4272, info@christian.org.uk

[10] Articles from LifesiteNews.com

Articles from the past week from LifesiteNews.com:

— American Academy of Pediatrics Says Pediatricians Should Decorate Office with Pictures of Homosexual Couples

— Same-Sex ‘Marriage’ Arrives In Minnesota and Rhode Island, Anti-Christian Bias to Follow: Leader

— Canadian Legal Professions: Christians Must Embrace Gay ‘Marriage’ To Practice Law

+ LifeSiteNews.com, Incorporated, 4 Family Life Lane, Front Royal, Virginia 22630, 888-678-6008, Contact Page

[11] Raging Heathen and Vain Imagining

Articles from the past week regarding kings and rulers setting themselves against the LORD and against his anointed:

— Culpepper, Virginia Police Officer Shoots Unarmed Woman Motorist to Death for Rolling Up Car Window – Later Convicted of Manslaughter and Sentenced to only Three Years

— Doctor’s Warning: Prepare for U.S. ‘Medical Meltdown’

— Trial Begins for Hemet, California Pastor Prosecuted for Reading the Bible Out Loud in Public

— U.S. Social Security Administration Now Hiring for Counterintelligence Operations