6 February 2014
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“But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.” [Ezekiel 33:6]
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” [Ephesians 6:12]
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Presbyterians Week Headlines
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[1] New Christian Observer Articles for February 2014
[3] Pakistani Blasphemy Death Penalty Leaves the Church of Scotland ‘Deeply Concerned’
[6] Scottish Parliament Votes 105-18 to Approve Homosexual Marriage
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[Editor’s Note: Due to a power failure caused by an ice storm, this edition of Presbyterians Week is being published a day late.]
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[1] New Christian Observer Articles for February 2014
New Christian Observer articles for February 2014 include:
— God’s Good Faith Promise Fulfilled: “Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?” Romans 3:3 Geneva Bible – Part 23 in a continuing series of articles by Christian Observer Contributing Editor David Brand – Part 23 in a continuing series examining the effects upon the church of the change in meaning of the Greek word pistis from faith to faithfulness by the English Revised Version Committee that began meeting in February 1870;
— The Lord is in Control, So Don’t Worry (and above all, don’t DO anything) – by Al Benson Jr., author of the revisedhistory blog – Why the fallacious concept that if God is in control of all things, which He is, then there are some areas where believers just don’t need to get involved, has weakened evangelical Christianity in the U.S.;
— Lesser Magistrates Have Authority to Defy Lawless Rulings from Afar – By Christian Observer Contributing Editor David Tulis – why the oaths to uphold federal and state constitutions by lesser magistrates such as sheriffs and county clerks give them the authority to reject unlawful orders from higher government powers;
— The Fallacy of Racial Discrimination in School Discipline – By Christian Observer Contributing Editor Dr. Joe Renfro – how categorization can be a delusive way for power obsessed people or groups within the educational establishment to impose their will on others;
Plus, regular features including weekly Sabbath School Lessons, and Daily Devotionals by T.M. Moore, dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe.
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+ Christian Observer, Post Office Box 1371, Lexington, Virginia 24450, christianobserver@christianobserver.org
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The 14th Annual Reformed Congregational Fellowship meeting is scheduled for 25-27 March 2014 at the Salvation Army’s Wonderland Conference Center in Sharon, Massachusetts.
The conference theme is “Are We Preaching the Gospel?”, and includes the following presentations:
— Tuesday 7 p.m. – What is the Gospel Promise? – Douglas Vickers, Hadley, Massachusetts
— Wednesday 8:45 a.m. – God’s Progressive Revelation of His Redemptive Purposes – Rick Daniels, North Carolina
— Wednesday 10:15 a.m. – The Regenerative Power of the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of the Old Testament: It’s Content, Efficacy and Parity to the New Testament – Gary George, Southbridge, Massachusetts
— Wednesday 1:15 p.m. – The Gospel as to the Substance of It: Preaching Christ, the Power and the Wisdom of God – Bob Hall, Bronx, New York
— Wednesday 2:30 p.m. – Expanded Discussion followed by a Business Meeting
— Wednesday 7 p.m. – The Significance of the Gospel vs. Discovering God in His Works – Tim Broberg, Cheltonham, Pennsylvania
— Thursday 9:00 a.m. – How God Uses Subjective Human Experiences in Bringing the Elect to Salvation – Jeff Evans, Perkasie, Pennsylvania
For further conference information including speaker biographies, costs, and directions, please see the conference brochure here:
http://christianobserver.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/RCF-Brochure-2014.pdf
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+ Reformed Congregational Fellowship
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[3] Pakistani Blasphemy Death Penalty Leaves the Church of Scotland ‘Deeply Concerned’
A 30 January 2014 Christian Today article by Michael Trimmer titled “Pakistani Blasphemy Death Penalty Leaves the Church of Scotland ‘Deeply Concerned‘” reports that in the wake of a ruling from Pakistan’s Federal Shariat Court that the death penalty is the only acceptable punishment for blasphemy, the Church of Scotland is “deeply concerned”.
In response, Kirk moderator the Rt. Rev. Lorna Hood wrote several open letters to several Scottish government officials and the High Commissioner of Pakistan Wajid Shamsul Hassan pointing out that Pakistani politicians have admitted that “blasphemy laws… are being used to settle personal scores”, and that “[t]he misuse of the blasphemy law is disproportionately used against non-Muslim minority faith communities.”
The moderator said that the proposed blasphemy law “goes against the traditions and teachings of Islam, and is at odds with the culture of the majority of Pakistanis.” She said that if the law is implemented, that “achieving justice could be more difficult” and that “victims from minority faith communities will become even more vulnerable than at present”.
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+ Christian Today, 200 Great Dover Street, London SE1 4YB, England, 020-7378-5705
+ Church of Scotland, 121 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4YN, Scotland, 0131-225-5722
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A 30 January 2014 Politics.hu article by MTI titled “Reformed Church Starts Procedure to Defrock Heged?s over Horthy Statue” reports that the legal counsel to the Reformed Church in Hungary (RCH) on 30 January 2014 asked that the Rev. Lorant Hegedus be defrocked for unveiling a memorial to Miklos Horthy, the Hungarian regent between WW1 and WW2, accusing the minister of holding a political event in violation of a decision by the RCH’s synod.
Charges against Hegedus were put forward by Gusztav Bolcskei, the head of the Reformed Church in Hungary in November 2013, after a bust of Horthy was unveiled by Hegedus and his wife, radical nationalist Jobbik lawmaker Eniko Hegedus, at the entrance to Hegedus’ church at Szabadsag Square on 3 November 2014.
The commemoration of Horthy, who led the country from 1920 to 1944, was attended by about 400 people, some of whom were wearing WWII military or gendarme uniforms or the uniform of the banned Hungarian Guard.
The World Jewish Congress noted that Horthy had been a close ally of Adolf Hitler, and during his rule over 500,000 Hungarian Jews were deported to Nazi death camps.
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+ Politics.hu, 36-30-370-3561, editors@politics.hu
+ Reformed Church in Hungary, MRE Zsinata1146 Budapest, Abonyi u. 21., Hungary, 30-3361-666, info@reformatus.hu
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A 31 January 2014 Stornoway Gazette article titled “Lewis Presbytery Disassociate from Church Submission on Religious Observance in Schools” reports that the Church of Scotland’s Lewis Presbytery met 30 January 2014 to discuss the joint submission by the Church of Scotland’s Church and Society Council with the Humanist Society Scotland to the meeting of the Public Petitions Committee, Scottish Parliament, recommending that all school religious observances be combined into one. Under the proposal, Protestant, Roman Catholic, and all other students would attend a single religious observance together.
In a statement the presbytery stated:
“The importance of Christian principles is acknowledged by the Presbytery which recognises that it adds value to the life and educational experience of pupils: a blessing, which under God’s hand, was experienced by previous generations, and provided them with a distinctive religious and cultural bed-rock upon which to build their lives.
“The Presbytery of Lewis also wishes to dissociate itself completely from the action taken by the Church and Society Council in making this joint submission to the Public Petitions Committee calling for ‘Religious Observance’ in schools to be replaced with a ‘Time for Reflection’, and for school chaplains to have to agree first with the equality and diversity policy of a school, or local educational authority, before being allowed access to a particular school.
“Presbytery also affirms that since the issue has not been discussed by and agreed upon by a General Assembly, the substance of this submission does not constitute the mind of the Church of Scotland as a whole.
“The Church and Society Council wish to see “a greater sense of equality for all beliefs”, and have the view that “no one particular belief system is valued over any other in Scottish Education”. While wishing to cooperate with all who aim to promote society’s well being, Presbytery believes the characteristic, unique Christian truths of God’s word and grace must be adhered to especially, in the public place; and that where these are, society’s ultimate well-being is assured.”
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+ Stornoway Gazette, 10 Francis Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis HS12XE, Scotland, 01851-702-687, newsdesk@stornowaygazette.co.uk
+ Church of Scotland, 121 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4YN, Scotland, 0131-225-5722
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[6] Scottish Parliament Votes 105-18 to Approve Homosexual Marriage
A 5 February 2014 ABC News article titled “Same-Sex Marriage: Scotland Becomes 17th Country to Approve Laws” reports that the Scottish Parliament on 5 February 2014 voted 105-18 to legalize the so-called “marriage” of homosexual couples. The law goes into effect 29 March 2014, and does not compel religious institutions to hold ceremonies on their premises.
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+ ABC News, 7 West 66th Street, New York, New York 10023, Contact Page
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