The thought for today is a quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer who wrote, "Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church."
Hello everyone! I am half way through the 5th week! Can you believe it?
Last Sunday night, I went to the Evensong Service at Christ Church College Cathedral. The music was just beautiful! As I walked out, I heard someone say "Mae Ann!" I turned around and it was Anna Thornton from Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville! Then out came Gif and their 4 kids! We were all so happy to see each other. They were on an English vacation with their family and Oxford was on their travel itinerary. They were just as surprised to see me and find out what I was up to!
This week we are being hosted and taught by Stuart McAllister and Os Guinness. Stuart serves as North American Regional Director and VP of Training at RZIM's headquarters in Atlanta. He was born in Scotland. He has served the Lord at Operation Mobilization, European Evangelical Alliance and the European Lausanne Committee. Os Guinness has written or edited more than 25 books. He is a social critic, who is a Senior Fellow at the Oxford Center for Christian Apologetics. He was born in China where his parents were missionaries. He received his D. Phil in the social sciences from Oriel College, Oxford. He resides in Virginia.
We have had an intensive week so far! I only have time to list the topics of discussion for you tonight:
1. Globalization and the Gospel
2. Spiritual Discipline of Solitude
3. Postmodernism
4. Jesus in a World of Cynics
5. Nietzche
6. The Saturated Self
7. The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
8. Using Film in Evangelism
9. The Rationality of the Christian Faith
10 Suffering
We all had a lovely night out together at the well known restaurant The Trout. Tomorrow our group will visit C. S. Lewis's homeplace, the Kilns.
Davis arrived on Monday night after class. He is on his way to Dublin, Ireland to premier his film, Good Piping on Sunday, July 1. He is putting the final touches on his film and will be heading on over to Ireland on Saturday. We are having a good time experiencing Oxford together inbetween his editing and my classes.
David arrives on Friday, the 29th! We will be attending together the RZIM Europe's Summer School for 1 week at Queen's College in Oxford. Next week also makes up the 6th week of training for my group of 10. The summer school has about 120 people coming in for an intensive week of exploring contemporary issues that challenge the Christian faith. More on this later!
Take care and love to all,
Mae Ann
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Visit to Blenheim Palace, Woodstock * How to Know Your Authentic Self So that You Can Be an Authentic Leader
"While there is tea, there is hope." Sir Arthur Pimero (In his play, 'Sweet Lavender' the character Horace, utters the famous line.
Yesterday, I took the bus out to Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, just a few miles out of Oxford. It was designated a World Heritage site in 1987. It was built for the 1st Duke of Marlborough in the early 1700s. A grateful Queen Anne rewarded John Churchill, the 1st Duke of Marlborough with a house to be called 'Blenheim' after his famous victory in battle there. It is also the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. The house is surrounded by 2000 acres of beautiful parkland landscaped by 'Capability' Brown in the 1760s.
I was particularly interested because my friend, Sue Marie Brown and I had visited the Newport Mansions in Newport, R. I. in the last few years. One of the houses we visited was called The Marble House. It was built as a 'summer house' for William K. and Alva Vanderbilt. He gave Alva the house for her 39th Birthday! William K. Vanderbilt is a grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt (the Commodore), who partially funded Vanderbilt University, thus the name. The Marble House was built between 1882 and 1892 as an opulent stone palace. Their only daughter was Consuelo Vanderbilt. Her mother, Alva, basically forced Consuelo to marry the 9th Duke of Marlborough because she wanted her daughter to hold a title. She would become Duchess of Marlborough. She was only 18 when they married in New York City in 1895. After the wedding, in the carriage, leaving the church, the Marlborough told Consuelo that he loved another woman and would never return to America. The reason that the 9th Duke of Marlborough married her was because he inherited Blenheim Palace in 1892. Blenheim was bankrupt and in bad condition. Because of his title, he was not allowed to work, so he was forced to find a quick solution. He had to marry money. So he agreed to marry Consuelo, an American railroad heiress for $2,500,000! This money went to remodel, restore, and replenish Blenheim Palace in the late 1800s. This Duke is credited with saving the palace. They had a loveless marriage, but produced two sons. Consuelo left Charles, the 9th Duke in 1906 and divorced him in 1920.
Now, where does Sir Winston Churchill come into play? Winston Churchill was born into the aristocratic family of the Dukes of Marlborough. His father, Lord Randolph Churchill was son of John Spencer Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough. His mother was Jenny Jerome, an American socialite, daughter of millionaire, Leonard Jerome. So, in review, the 7th Duke of Marlborough was Winston Churchill's grandfather. The 8th Duke was Winston's uncle and the 9th Duke, Charles, was his 1st cousin.
Winston Churchill was the British statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II. He was a great war-time leader. In 1940 he became Britain's Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. He was in this office till 1945. He remained a member of Parliament until 1964. He died in 1965 at 90. He was a great writer, historian and orator with volumes of history books that he wrote as well as volumes of his recorded speeches.
HOW TO KNOW YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF SO THAT YOU WILL BE AN AUTHENTIC LEADER: Information is taken from Bill George's book "True North."
There are 5 major areas of personal development that must be strong to be an authentic leader:
1. SELF AWARENESS: What is my story? What are my strengths and weaknesses?
2. VALUES: What are my most deeply held values?
3. MOTIVATIONS: What motivates me?
4. SUPPORT TEAM: Who are the people I can count on to guide and support me along the way?
5. INTEGRATED LIFE: How can I integrate all aspects of my life and find fulfillment.
* Knowing your authentic self is a journey of self-discovery and honest self appraisal. It takes time, self-exploration, deep introspection, feedback and support.
* We cannot be true leaders without gaining this self-awareness.
* When you know yourself, you can find the passion that motivates you.
* You can overcome almost any obstacle, unless you are the obstacle!
* To protect yourself from harm and pain, you may develop a false self by building protective layers and in so doing, become less authentic. You shut people out of your life. You don't want them to get to know you because you don't know yourself.
* Leaders with exceptionally high IQ get too intellectually involved and have trouble being tolerant of others. It can be an impediment to leadership.
* Leadership skill, interpersonal skill and teamwork is more important than extra points of IQ.
* True leaders know how to implement wisdom, humility and personal engagement with people.
* Why is self awareness so important? 1. The better you know yourself, the more likely you are to choose the right role for yourself 2. You become comfortable in your own skin--real self-confidence.
3. It teaches you how to be consistent 4. You become more open and transparent which includes sharing your vulnerabilities. 5. You can fill your "skill gaps" with colleagues that complement both your strengths and weaknesses.
* If you are not a self-aware person, you will have a greater chance of getting caught up in chasing external symbols of success rather than becoming the person you want to be.
* If you feel threatened or rejected, it is hard to regulate your emotions, control your fears and avoid impulsive outbursts.
* We must be aware of our vulnerabilities, fears, and longings, so that we can empathize with others who are experiencing similar feelings.
* Take time for continual self-exploration.
* Do you know someone who has painful childhood memories and as a result, they have shut themselves off from their feelings? So what they do is that they drive extremely hard to achieve success in the tangible ways that are recognized in the external world--money, fame, power, status. Their drive enables them to be successful for a while, but their lack of self-awareness can lead to major mistakes and errors in judgment.
* One of the most difficult things in becoming self aware is seeing ourselves as others see us. We need accurate feedback to identify our blind spots.
* The more stress you are under, the more you revert to your old patterns.
* We should adopt the power of storytelling. In these stories, we can reveal our life, fears, ambitions, and failures. These stories inspire others.
* Denial is the biggest challenge we face. The only way to overcome it is to be honest with ourself and not make up excuses.
* We all want to be stroked, admired, and complimented, but we have to be willing to listen to feedback we don't want to hear. That requires a strong sense of yourself.
* When we can see our mistakes and take accountability for them and are open to new ways of doing things, the change you can accomplish is almost unlimited.
* Perfection is not the goal of authentic leadership, but rather to be true to who you are.
* How do you peel back the layers of the onion of self discovery?
* The outer layers of the onion are the visible ways your present yourself to the world--how you look, your facial expressions, your body language, your attire and the way you express yourself.
* Understanding these outer layers provide the access to our inner core.
* What is the next layer made up of? Our strengths, weaknesses, needs and desires.
* What is the next layer made up of? Our values and motivations
* What lies around the core layer? Our vulnerabilities and blind spots.
* What is at the core of your being? What you believe and what you believe your purpose is on this earth.
* Few of us see the world as it sees us.
* Feedback helps you take the blinders off, face reality and see yourself as you really are.
* We can be on a "fast track" but it may not be "our" track.
* The ability to face reality and acknowledge that you can fail and still feel good about yourself is an important turning point in your self awareness.
* Will others accept us if we show our vulnerability? Will they think less of us?
* Self awareness is only half of the challenge. You still have to accept yourself.
* Do you love yourself unconditionally just as God loves us? We must have self-compassion. We have to accept the things that we like least about ourselves. We have to learn to love our weaknesses as much as we love our strengths.
* Our anger and emotional outbursts usually result when someone penetrates to the core of what we do not like about ourselves or still cannot accept.
* Free of having to pretend to be someone we are not, we can focus on pursuing our passions and fulfilling our dreams.
Sorry this was so long, but it is good stuff!
Yesterday, I took the bus out to Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, just a few miles out of Oxford. It was designated a World Heritage site in 1987. It was built for the 1st Duke of Marlborough in the early 1700s. A grateful Queen Anne rewarded John Churchill, the 1st Duke of Marlborough with a house to be called 'Blenheim' after his famous victory in battle there. It is also the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. The house is surrounded by 2000 acres of beautiful parkland landscaped by 'Capability' Brown in the 1760s.
I was particularly interested because my friend, Sue Marie Brown and I had visited the Newport Mansions in Newport, R. I. in the last few years. One of the houses we visited was called The Marble House. It was built as a 'summer house' for William K. and Alva Vanderbilt. He gave Alva the house for her 39th Birthday! William K. Vanderbilt is a grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt (the Commodore), who partially funded Vanderbilt University, thus the name. The Marble House was built between 1882 and 1892 as an opulent stone palace. Their only daughter was Consuelo Vanderbilt. Her mother, Alva, basically forced Consuelo to marry the 9th Duke of Marlborough because she wanted her daughter to hold a title. She would become Duchess of Marlborough. She was only 18 when they married in New York City in 1895. After the wedding, in the carriage, leaving the church, the Marlborough told Consuelo that he loved another woman and would never return to America. The reason that the 9th Duke of Marlborough married her was because he inherited Blenheim Palace in 1892. Blenheim was bankrupt and in bad condition. Because of his title, he was not allowed to work, so he was forced to find a quick solution. He had to marry money. So he agreed to marry Consuelo, an American railroad heiress for $2,500,000! This money went to remodel, restore, and replenish Blenheim Palace in the late 1800s. This Duke is credited with saving the palace. They had a loveless marriage, but produced two sons. Consuelo left Charles, the 9th Duke in 1906 and divorced him in 1920.
Now, where does Sir Winston Churchill come into play? Winston Churchill was born into the aristocratic family of the Dukes of Marlborough. His father, Lord Randolph Churchill was son of John Spencer Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough. His mother was Jenny Jerome, an American socialite, daughter of millionaire, Leonard Jerome. So, in review, the 7th Duke of Marlborough was Winston Churchill's grandfather. The 8th Duke was Winston's uncle and the 9th Duke, Charles, was his 1st cousin.
Winston Churchill was the British statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II. He was a great war-time leader. In 1940 he became Britain's Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. He was in this office till 1945. He remained a member of Parliament until 1964. He died in 1965 at 90. He was a great writer, historian and orator with volumes of history books that he wrote as well as volumes of his recorded speeches.
HOW TO KNOW YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF SO THAT YOU WILL BE AN AUTHENTIC LEADER: Information is taken from Bill George's book "True North."
There are 5 major areas of personal development that must be strong to be an authentic leader:
1. SELF AWARENESS: What is my story? What are my strengths and weaknesses?
2. VALUES: What are my most deeply held values?
3. MOTIVATIONS: What motivates me?
4. SUPPORT TEAM: Who are the people I can count on to guide and support me along the way?
5. INTEGRATED LIFE: How can I integrate all aspects of my life and find fulfillment.
* Knowing your authentic self is a journey of self-discovery and honest self appraisal. It takes time, self-exploration, deep introspection, feedback and support.
* We cannot be true leaders without gaining this self-awareness.
* When you know yourself, you can find the passion that motivates you.
* You can overcome almost any obstacle, unless you are the obstacle!
* To protect yourself from harm and pain, you may develop a false self by building protective layers and in so doing, become less authentic. You shut people out of your life. You don't want them to get to know you because you don't know yourself.
* Leaders with exceptionally high IQ get too intellectually involved and have trouble being tolerant of others. It can be an impediment to leadership.
* Leadership skill, interpersonal skill and teamwork is more important than extra points of IQ.
* True leaders know how to implement wisdom, humility and personal engagement with people.
* Why is self awareness so important? 1. The better you know yourself, the more likely you are to choose the right role for yourself 2. You become comfortable in your own skin--real self-confidence.
3. It teaches you how to be consistent 4. You become more open and transparent which includes sharing your vulnerabilities. 5. You can fill your "skill gaps" with colleagues that complement both your strengths and weaknesses.
* If you are not a self-aware person, you will have a greater chance of getting caught up in chasing external symbols of success rather than becoming the person you want to be.
* If you feel threatened or rejected, it is hard to regulate your emotions, control your fears and avoid impulsive outbursts.
* We must be aware of our vulnerabilities, fears, and longings, so that we can empathize with others who are experiencing similar feelings.
* Take time for continual self-exploration.
* Do you know someone who has painful childhood memories and as a result, they have shut themselves off from their feelings? So what they do is that they drive extremely hard to achieve success in the tangible ways that are recognized in the external world--money, fame, power, status. Their drive enables them to be successful for a while, but their lack of self-awareness can lead to major mistakes and errors in judgment.
* One of the most difficult things in becoming self aware is seeing ourselves as others see us. We need accurate feedback to identify our blind spots.
* The more stress you are under, the more you revert to your old patterns.
* We should adopt the power of storytelling. In these stories, we can reveal our life, fears, ambitions, and failures. These stories inspire others.
* Denial is the biggest challenge we face. The only way to overcome it is to be honest with ourself and not make up excuses.
* We all want to be stroked, admired, and complimented, but we have to be willing to listen to feedback we don't want to hear. That requires a strong sense of yourself.
* When we can see our mistakes and take accountability for them and are open to new ways of doing things, the change you can accomplish is almost unlimited.
* Perfection is not the goal of authentic leadership, but rather to be true to who you are.
* How do you peel back the layers of the onion of self discovery?
* The outer layers of the onion are the visible ways your present yourself to the world--how you look, your facial expressions, your body language, your attire and the way you express yourself.
* Understanding these outer layers provide the access to our inner core.
* What is the next layer made up of? Our strengths, weaknesses, needs and desires.
* What is the next layer made up of? Our values and motivations
* What lies around the core layer? Our vulnerabilities and blind spots.
* What is at the core of your being? What you believe and what you believe your purpose is on this earth.
* Few of us see the world as it sees us.
* Feedback helps you take the blinders off, face reality and see yourself as you really are.
* We can be on a "fast track" but it may not be "our" track.
* The ability to face reality and acknowledge that you can fail and still feel good about yourself is an important turning point in your self awareness.
* Will others accept us if we show our vulnerability? Will they think less of us?
* Self awareness is only half of the challenge. You still have to accept yourself.
* Do you love yourself unconditionally just as God loves us? We must have self-compassion. We have to accept the things that we like least about ourselves. We have to learn to love our weaknesses as much as we love our strengths.
* Our anger and emotional outbursts usually result when someone penetrates to the core of what we do not like about ourselves or still cannot accept.
* Free of having to pretend to be someone we are not, we can focus on pursuing our passions and fulfilling our dreams.
Sorry this was so long, but it is good stuff!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
The Theology of Work and The Discipline of Prayer
Thought for the day: INCREASE THE CIRCLE OF OUR FRIENDS ETERNALLY.
I can't believe how fast this week is flying by! This week we are concentrating on something we all know something about: Work. We are being taught by Professor John Lennox and discussions are led by Ian Smith and Rich Jasper. John Lennox is Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University and an Adjunct Professor at the Oxford Center for Christian Apologetics. He is also a Fellow in Mathematics and Philosophy of Science at Green-Templeton College, Oxford. His most recent books include 'Seven Days that Divide the World', 'Gunning for God', and 'Stephen Hawking and God'. He has debated a number of the world's leading atheists including Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and Peter Singer.
I am going to try to summarize the key points to our lectures and discussions that you might also find to be helpful and thought provoking. I love John's technique of interaction with our group.
First question: Why work? Because God himself is a worker. He created the universe. Genesis 2:2
"And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done and he rested on the seventh day from all of his work."
His highest work was the creation of man and woman, or human beings. Genesis 2:7 "and man became a living being."
God is still working for our and other's redemption. John 5:17 "Jesus answered answered them, 'My Father is working still, and I am working.'
What is life? What does it mean to be fully alive? We are more than just a physical being. What are some ways that we are more than just a physical being? What is the essence of being fully alive?
God took pleasure in his work. He said "It is good." Do we take pleasure in our work?
Why do most people work? Most people work to put food on the table and to have shelter, clothing, and pay the bills.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 says "If anyone will not work, let him not eat." Yet, Matthew 6:25 and 33 says
"I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, not about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well."
Do you work to live or live to work?
How do you resolve the tension between if you don't work, you don't eat and what Jesus says about not worrying about food, etc.?
The crucial issue for the Christian is attitude. Trusting God is at the heart of everything.
So, what is the Christian work ethic or motivation for work? 1. to see God work through us to establish or grow His kingdom in His world 2. our work experience is one of the ways that we learn about God's rule or kingdom work in our life and grow in His righteousness.
All work is sacred. God has given all work a supreme value.
Colossians 3:23 "Whatever your task (or work), work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men."
Proverbs 16:3 "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."
The workplace is the training ground for God's training in righteousness. Working teaches real responsibility before God and His ways.
So to summarize: There is the Christians's GOAL of work and then there are the BY-PRODUCTS of work:
GOAL of work: Experiencing and learning God's authority, morality and faithfulness in my life so that I can serve others. (Matthew 6:33)
BY-PRODUCTS of work: food, clothing, housing, other needs
THE DISCIPLINE OF PRAYER: Amy Orr-Ewing
4 types of prayer from the model of The Lord's Prayer in Luke 11
1. Contemplative prayer: Pray to our personal Father (Abba) Father; contemplate who God is and contemplate who we are; we are the adopted children of God; we belong to God (Our Father); we have become a new creation.
2. Petitionary prayer: We are asking for his agenda, not ours: "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done;" we are shaped by his agenda; idolatry is coming up with our own idols and asking them to bring things to us or for us, but they have no power.
3. Personal prayer: "Give us each day our daily bread;" I do not or will not rely on my intellect, my wealth, my looks, my ............; we recognize God's sovereignty, we relinquish our self-reliance.
4. Confessing prayer: "Forgive us our sins;" "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
Practical ways to pray:
1. Pray the scriptures: it's ok to pray the words of others
2. Prayer walking: retreating into God's creation--praying while you walk
3. Practical prayer: Practicing the Presence of God by Bro. Lawrence: finding joy in his presence.
4. Meditative prayer: Christian meditation is to meditate on God and who he is and his truth or you can meditate on a scripture passage or verse
5. The quiet time: daily time of prayer and the studied Word
6. Family prayers: Who are the people that make up my "household"?
7. Soaking prayer: a longer time in God's presence--maybe listen to a book of the Bible on recording, reflect and pray
8. Intercessory prayer: consistent and faithful prayer for people we know, naming them before God and praying over their situation
9. Prayer journaling: how God communicates with us; answered prayers
10.Corporate prayer: prayer at church, work, with others
I can't believe how fast this week is flying by! This week we are concentrating on something we all know something about: Work. We are being taught by Professor John Lennox and discussions are led by Ian Smith and Rich Jasper. John Lennox is Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University and an Adjunct Professor at the Oxford Center for Christian Apologetics. He is also a Fellow in Mathematics and Philosophy of Science at Green-Templeton College, Oxford. His most recent books include 'Seven Days that Divide the World', 'Gunning for God', and 'Stephen Hawking and God'. He has debated a number of the world's leading atheists including Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and Peter Singer.
I am going to try to summarize the key points to our lectures and discussions that you might also find to be helpful and thought provoking. I love John's technique of interaction with our group.
First question: Why work? Because God himself is a worker. He created the universe. Genesis 2:2
"And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done and he rested on the seventh day from all of his work."
His highest work was the creation of man and woman, or human beings. Genesis 2:7 "and man became a living being."
God is still working for our and other's redemption. John 5:17 "Jesus answered answered them, 'My Father is working still, and I am working.'
What is life? What does it mean to be fully alive? We are more than just a physical being. What are some ways that we are more than just a physical being? What is the essence of being fully alive?
God took pleasure in his work. He said "It is good." Do we take pleasure in our work?
Why do most people work? Most people work to put food on the table and to have shelter, clothing, and pay the bills.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 says "If anyone will not work, let him not eat." Yet, Matthew 6:25 and 33 says
"I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, not about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well."
Do you work to live or live to work?
How do you resolve the tension between if you don't work, you don't eat and what Jesus says about not worrying about food, etc.?
The crucial issue for the Christian is attitude. Trusting God is at the heart of everything.
So, what is the Christian work ethic or motivation for work? 1. to see God work through us to establish or grow His kingdom in His world 2. our work experience is one of the ways that we learn about God's rule or kingdom work in our life and grow in His righteousness.
All work is sacred. God has given all work a supreme value.
Colossians 3:23 "Whatever your task (or work), work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men."
Proverbs 16:3 "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."
The workplace is the training ground for God's training in righteousness. Working teaches real responsibility before God and His ways.
So to summarize: There is the Christians's GOAL of work and then there are the BY-PRODUCTS of work:
GOAL of work: Experiencing and learning God's authority, morality and faithfulness in my life so that I can serve others. (Matthew 6:33)
BY-PRODUCTS of work: food, clothing, housing, other needs
THE DISCIPLINE OF PRAYER: Amy Orr-Ewing
4 types of prayer from the model of The Lord's Prayer in Luke 11
1. Contemplative prayer: Pray to our personal Father (Abba) Father; contemplate who God is and contemplate who we are; we are the adopted children of God; we belong to God (Our Father); we have become a new creation.
2. Petitionary prayer: We are asking for his agenda, not ours: "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done;" we are shaped by his agenda; idolatry is coming up with our own idols and asking them to bring things to us or for us, but they have no power.
3. Personal prayer: "Give us each day our daily bread;" I do not or will not rely on my intellect, my wealth, my looks, my ............; we recognize God's sovereignty, we relinquish our self-reliance.
4. Confessing prayer: "Forgive us our sins;" "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
Practical ways to pray:
1. Pray the scriptures: it's ok to pray the words of others
2. Prayer walking: retreating into God's creation--praying while you walk
3. Practical prayer: Practicing the Presence of God by Bro. Lawrence: finding joy in his presence.
4. Meditative prayer: Christian meditation is to meditate on God and who he is and his truth or you can meditate on a scripture passage or verse
5. The quiet time: daily time of prayer and the studied Word
6. Family prayers: Who are the people that make up my "household"?
7. Soaking prayer: a longer time in God's presence--maybe listen to a book of the Bible on recording, reflect and pray
8. Intercessory prayer: consistent and faithful prayer for people we know, naming them before God and praying over their situation
9. Prayer journaling: how God communicates with us; answered prayers
10.Corporate prayer: prayer at church, work, with others
Monday, June 18, 2012
The Beginning of Week 4!
Hello to all! It's going to be brief today. It is Monday, June 18th. Our week was so full that there was little time to blog. I will try to give a recap of the week:
11th: Day trip to the Cotswolds! It was cold and rainy the entire day. Our host wanted us to see everything so we walked and walked in the rain. It took about 3 days for everything to dry out! But we had a great time anyway. We visited Churchill's grave in Bladen, Lower Slaughter, Burford, and Bourton on the Water. All were picturesque even in the rain.
12th: Study of Buddhism taught by Tan Kang San. He converted to Christianity from Buddhism. His brother is a Buddhist monk. The top 10 Buddhist countries are: Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Japan, Hong Kong, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea
p.m. Dinner at David Lloyd's home.
13th: We have been studying the Christian disciplines of Fasting, Hospitality, Giving and Prayer will be next week. Today Sharon Dirckx, OCCA tutor and speaker taught on giving.
Great thought: What does God give us? He gives lavishly--he gave his son, motivated by unconditional love. He lowered himself to come into our world and died the most undignified death..
He gives us a new heart, assurance of salvation, power, intimacy with himself, effectiveness in prayer, and deliverance from sin, evil and death..........to name a few.
Christian Hofreiter from Austria taught on "War in the Old Testament." How do we reconcile violence and genocide ("destroy every living thing" or "do not spare anything that breathed") in the OT with a loving God?
Michael Ramsden taught on Luke 15: the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son--a wonderful study of love and repentance!
I enjoyed sharing dinner and conversation with one of our teacher's wives: Celeste Small at Turl Street Kitchen.
14th: Dr. Ard Louis taught us today on the topic of Science and Faith. He is a professor in the Dept. of Physics at the University of Oxford. His parents were both biologists in the jungles of Africa. He grew up with a pet chimpanzee!
Alister McGrath led discussions this week on the life of C. S. Lewis and how he does apologetics in his writings. We reviewed texts of Mere Christianity.
15th: Today was a day trip to London by train! Ian Smith and David Lloyd were our hosts. The morning was spent with the organization CARE (Christian Action, Research and Education). It is a public affairs' team focusing on research and advocacy. They send briefings to members of Parliament to inform and affect voting on various bills. Lyndon Bowring is the Executive Chairman of CARE.
We spent the afternoon with Baroness Cox. She is a appointed member of the House of Lords in Parliament. We had a private session with her. She is a committed Christian making a difference in the public square. She also heads up a ministry called HART, Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust.
16th: On Sat. and Sunday, my friends, Peta and Rob Stanton, drove to Oxford and picked me up and took me to their home in Wootten for the weekend. What a lovely and relaxing visit. We had not seen each other since September of 2008. I enjoyed worship with them in their church.
17th: Yesterday when Peta and Rob brought me back to Oxford, we attended the 4:30 service at St. Ebbe's Church. After circling Oxford and trying to navigate the one-way streets and pedestrian areas, we finally drove the car to Jesus College where I will be living for the next 3 weeks. They helped me move my things in. This room is much smaller and compact, but has everything I need and more.
11th: Day trip to the Cotswolds! It was cold and rainy the entire day. Our host wanted us to see everything so we walked and walked in the rain. It took about 3 days for everything to dry out! But we had a great time anyway. We visited Churchill's grave in Bladen, Lower Slaughter, Burford, and Bourton on the Water. All were picturesque even in the rain.
12th: Study of Buddhism taught by Tan Kang San. He converted to Christianity from Buddhism. His brother is a Buddhist monk. The top 10 Buddhist countries are: Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Japan, Hong Kong, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea
p.m. Dinner at David Lloyd's home.
13th: We have been studying the Christian disciplines of Fasting, Hospitality, Giving and Prayer will be next week. Today Sharon Dirckx, OCCA tutor and speaker taught on giving.
Great thought: What does God give us? He gives lavishly--he gave his son, motivated by unconditional love. He lowered himself to come into our world and died the most undignified death..
He gives us a new heart, assurance of salvation, power, intimacy with himself, effectiveness in prayer, and deliverance from sin, evil and death..........to name a few.
Christian Hofreiter from Austria taught on "War in the Old Testament." How do we reconcile violence and genocide ("destroy every living thing" or "do not spare anything that breathed") in the OT with a loving God?
Michael Ramsden taught on Luke 15: the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son--a wonderful study of love and repentance!
I enjoyed sharing dinner and conversation with one of our teacher's wives: Celeste Small at Turl Street Kitchen.
14th: Dr. Ard Louis taught us today on the topic of Science and Faith. He is a professor in the Dept. of Physics at the University of Oxford. His parents were both biologists in the jungles of Africa. He grew up with a pet chimpanzee!
Alister McGrath led discussions this week on the life of C. S. Lewis and how he does apologetics in his writings. We reviewed texts of Mere Christianity.
15th: Today was a day trip to London by train! Ian Smith and David Lloyd were our hosts. The morning was spent with the organization CARE (Christian Action, Research and Education). It is a public affairs' team focusing on research and advocacy. They send briefings to members of Parliament to inform and affect voting on various bills. Lyndon Bowring is the Executive Chairman of CARE.
We spent the afternoon with Baroness Cox. She is a appointed member of the House of Lords in Parliament. We had a private session with her. She is a committed Christian making a difference in the public square. She also heads up a ministry called HART, Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust.
16th: On Sat. and Sunday, my friends, Peta and Rob Stanton, drove to Oxford and picked me up and took me to their home in Wootten for the weekend. What a lovely and relaxing visit. We had not seen each other since September of 2008. I enjoyed worship with them in their church.
17th: Yesterday when Peta and Rob brought me back to Oxford, we attended the 4:30 service at St. Ebbe's Church. After circling Oxford and trying to navigate the one-way streets and pedestrian areas, we finally drove the car to Jesus College where I will be living for the next 3 weeks. They helped me move my things in. This room is much smaller and compact, but has everything I need and more.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Tuesday, June 12 PICTURES!!
Today, Wong graciously helped me transfer my pictures from my camera to the blog. Thank you, Wong! Firstly, these are pictures taken with some of my professors:
Over the weekend, we celebrated with 24 OCCA students who are finishing one year of study in Oxford. These 2 pictures are part of the 6-week team and the musicians:
Tea at the Old Parsonage Hotel in front of the fire!
The Old Parsonage Hotel
The graduation feast at Wycliffe Hall
So many bicycles!
Sheldonian Theatre designed by Christopher Wren, a student at Wadham College and a Fellow of All Souls College. The Sheldonian was built in 1664. Oxford students have their graduation in this building. Out front on the fencing are the "bearded guardians."
I have a lot of my meals at the "common" table at Turl Street Kitchen.
Breakfast at Turl Street Kitchen.
Bridge of Sighs, Hertford College
New College Garden with part of city wall.
New College cloister garden with 200 year old Ilex tree (evergreen holm-oak). A scene from Harry Potter was filmed here in the Goblet of Fire.
I got to hear the boy's choir sing in the beautiful chapel of New College. Very worshipful for Evensong.
Quad of Lincoln College--Virginia Creeper on the walls.
Dining hall of New College.
A real tearoom with homemade scones--the Rose!
The grave of Winston Churchill.
A cold, rainy day in the Cotswolds.
With Alister McGrath
With Frog and Amy Orr-Ewing
With Keith and Celeste Small
With Mr. and Ms. Tan and Jon Goode
Over the weekend, we celebrated with 24 OCCA students who are finishing one year of study in Oxford. These 2 pictures are part of the 6-week team and the musicians:
Oxford Scenes
A class on Buddhism at Wycliffe Hall.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Sunday, June 10
We have had a big weekend! Our 6-week group was included in the activities for the 1st OCCA Alumni Reunion and Commissioning Day Service at St. Andrew's Church for the Wycliffe Hall students as well as the 24 OCCA 1 year students. The 24 OCCA students are from all over the world and they are receiving the Oxford Certificate in Christian Apologetics. They are in their twenties and early thirties. Many of them are already in a profession, (doctors and lawyers, investments, etc) and wanted to study apologetics in depth to be more effective in their Christian life, work and witness. We have enjoyed getting to know many of these young people. Last night OCCA threw a nice graduation party for them. We got to attend as well. They literally rolled out the "red carpet!"
I wanted to include today some thoughts by Os Guinness on the subject of "Why Does Truth Matter?"
1. Truth Honors the God of Truth: Our Lord is the one whose covenant loyalty may be trusted and the entire weight of our existence staked on Him.
2. Truth Reflects How We Come to Know and Love God: There are 3 main reasons why we believe:
One: We come to faith in Christ because we are driven by our human needs
Two: We come to faith in Christ because He seeks us and finds us.
Three: We come to faith in Christ because we believe his claims and the claims of the gospel are true.
Our faith goes beyond reason because we as humans are much more than reason. We are given a firm, clear conviction that it is true.
3. Truth Empowers Our Best Human Enterprises: Without truth, science and all human knowledge collapse into conjecture. Without truth, the vital profession of journalism dissolve into rumor. Without truth, the worlds of politics and business melt down into rules and power games. Without truth, all human relationships lose the bonding element of trust that is binding at their heart.
4. Truth can Undergird our Proclamation and Defense of the Faith: Truth is God's truth. We welcome all ideas and arguments and beliefs that pass the muster of God's standard of truth. Our stand for truth must begin in the church. We must resist those who downplay truth for methodology, activism, entertainment or seeker sensitivity.
5. Truth is Sufficient for Combating Evil and Hypocrisy: Postmodern thinking makes us all aware of hypocrisy but gives us no standard of truth to expose and correct it. For all who hate hypocrisy, care for justice and human dignity, and are prepared to fight evil, truth is the absolute requirement.
6. Truth Will Help Our Growth and Our Transformation in Christ: We are called to follow the way of Jesus. Not just to believe the truth or to know and defend the truth, but to so live in truth that truth may be part of our innermost beings, becoming people of truth. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
I wanted to include today some thoughts by Os Guinness on the subject of "Why Does Truth Matter?"
1. Truth Honors the God of Truth: Our Lord is the one whose covenant loyalty may be trusted and the entire weight of our existence staked on Him.
2. Truth Reflects How We Come to Know and Love God: There are 3 main reasons why we believe:
One: We come to faith in Christ because we are driven by our human needs
Two: We come to faith in Christ because He seeks us and finds us.
Three: We come to faith in Christ because we believe his claims and the claims of the gospel are true.
Our faith goes beyond reason because we as humans are much more than reason. We are given a firm, clear conviction that it is true.
3. Truth Empowers Our Best Human Enterprises: Without truth, science and all human knowledge collapse into conjecture. Without truth, the vital profession of journalism dissolve into rumor. Without truth, the worlds of politics and business melt down into rules and power games. Without truth, all human relationships lose the bonding element of trust that is binding at their heart.
4. Truth can Undergird our Proclamation and Defense of the Faith: Truth is God's truth. We welcome all ideas and arguments and beliefs that pass the muster of God's standard of truth. Our stand for truth must begin in the church. We must resist those who downplay truth for methodology, activism, entertainment or seeker sensitivity.
5. Truth is Sufficient for Combating Evil and Hypocrisy: Postmodern thinking makes us all aware of hypocrisy but gives us no standard of truth to expose and correct it. For all who hate hypocrisy, care for justice and human dignity, and are prepared to fight evil, truth is the absolute requirement.
6. Truth Will Help Our Growth and Our Transformation in Christ: We are called to follow the way of Jesus. Not just to believe the truth or to know and defend the truth, but to so live in truth that truth may be part of our innermost beings, becoming people of truth. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
June 7, Thursday
Saying for today: PEOPLE BECOME LIKE THE GOD/god THEY WORSHIP. Unknown.
It's official! Yesterday I realized that I am now a part of Oxford! 11 days to feel this way: the customs, the rain, the walking, the language, the diversity, the classes, the streets, Wadham College, the food, etc.
Even with all the rain and cool weather, it is so fun. My room has no heat (it is turned off for the summer), so you just put on another layer and a scarf and go on. I have a hot water pot and tea cups and tea in my room so I can warm up that way too!
We had a full day of classes yesterday on Hinduism by Brian Nelson. He lived in India for 10 years and now works with Hindus in West London. He adopted and raised 3 Indian children.
We finished the day out at the well-known pub called The Eagle and Child. This was one of C. S. Lewis' favorite places to meet with his friends called the Inklings, including J. R. R. Tolkien. They met informally every Tuesday a.m. to discuss the books they were reading and writing.
I will give some interesting points on Hinduism:
* They worship around 330 million gods.
* Some of the most important ones are: Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Ram, Krishna, Ganesh, Lakshmi
* Rituals and ceremonies are more important than doctrine or evidence. They are after "experience" such as universal consciousness.
* They believe All is One. We are but a "drop" in the ocean. We all merge together.
* There is no scripture for the average person--no authoritative scripture. Only the Vedas are for the priests.
* What you DO and SAY are most important. What you BELIEVE is not important.
* They believe that we live in a world of illusion--this life is not the ultimate reality.
* They believe that truth is relative.
* Hindu's are not readers--maybe a newspaper, etc.
* The caste system is 5000 years old. It is a sociological category. It has nothing to do with belief.
* The caste system is made up of the highest level: Brahmin - priests
then the next level: Kshatriya - warriors and rulers
then the next level: Vaisya - skilled traders or merchants
the lowest level: Sudra - unskilled workers called dalits--they are oppressed and untouchable
outcasts
* They can only change caste levels through reincarnation
* Karma: The overall effect of one's behavior to determine one's destiny in a future existence.
* Karma and reincarnation lead to salvation. It takes 8.4 million life cycles to get there.
* The terms "Christian," "conversion," and "missionary" carry extremely negative connotations for Hindus. We speak of ourselves as a follower of Jesus, his disciple.
* Many Hindus follow some type of guru, a spiritual teacher and guide, and may be open to a presentation of the Lord Jesus as the "true guru."
TODAY, IT WAS BACK TO THE STUDY OF ISLAM. Tanya Walker was our teacher. She was born into a Christian family in Iran. She has an undergraduate degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Christ Church College, Oxford University. She is finishing her PhD in Islamic Studies.
She gave us a comparison study of the Christian God and the Muslim God (Allah). I will briefly give the highlights. She was way over my head this afternoon speaking on the political front of the world as it relates to Islam. She is an amazing teacher and speaker.
1. The Christian God is relational. He created us to love him and glorify him. He created us to know him. It is the grandest love story. God created us out of the overflow of his love. He wins us by giving his life- the ultimate love.
The Muslim God is like Big Brother watching you. He is the master and you are the servant. There is no intimate relationship with Allah.
2. The Christian God has made himself known. Knowing and being known is the basics of love. Without the knowing and being known part, the relationship is only a fantasy. We can know God because of his consistency of character. Jeremiah 9: 24 "Let him who glories, glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practice steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things, I delight, says the Lord." John 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." Jeremiah 24: 7 "I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord." How has he revealed himself? Through the life and death of Jesus, his nature, and his Word.
Allah does not make himself known. The Qur'an does not revel his nature. Muslim's want to know Allah's will.
3. The Christian God is love. It is his nature and his essence. God put his image on us so that we could know his love. God is true to his nature. 1 John 4:16 "So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in loved abides in God, and God abides in him."
God loves everyone including the broken, the sinner, the outcast, etc. God is the initiator of this love.
We love him back. We worship him. Love must be freely given, no strings attached. You can not force love. You can't love someone that you don't know.
It is not required or possible to love Allah. Muslims are in bondage or submission to Allah. What about heaven? Your deeds are weighed on the scale. The Qur'an says "Only fools are assured of salvation." The fear of hell is an overriding feature for Muslims. Allah is not love.
4. The Christian God experiences suffering and grieves.
Allah cannot experience suffering or compassion. Suffering is considered weakness.
5. The Christian God is holy. He is set apart. He is morally perfect and cannot tolerate sin. Our sin separates us from God. He provides a way out through Jesus Christ. God sacrificed himself on the cross through the person of Jesus Christ.
Allah is not holy. He does not require holiness. He is deceitful and is a schemer.
1.
It's official! Yesterday I realized that I am now a part of Oxford! 11 days to feel this way: the customs, the rain, the walking, the language, the diversity, the classes, the streets, Wadham College, the food, etc.
Even with all the rain and cool weather, it is so fun. My room has no heat (it is turned off for the summer), so you just put on another layer and a scarf and go on. I have a hot water pot and tea cups and tea in my room so I can warm up that way too!
We had a full day of classes yesterday on Hinduism by Brian Nelson. He lived in India for 10 years and now works with Hindus in West London. He adopted and raised 3 Indian children.
We finished the day out at the well-known pub called The Eagle and Child. This was one of C. S. Lewis' favorite places to meet with his friends called the Inklings, including J. R. R. Tolkien. They met informally every Tuesday a.m. to discuss the books they were reading and writing.
I will give some interesting points on Hinduism:
* They worship around 330 million gods.
* Some of the most important ones are: Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Ram, Krishna, Ganesh, Lakshmi
* Rituals and ceremonies are more important than doctrine or evidence. They are after "experience" such as universal consciousness.
* They believe All is One. We are but a "drop" in the ocean. We all merge together.
* There is no scripture for the average person--no authoritative scripture. Only the Vedas are for the priests.
* What you DO and SAY are most important. What you BELIEVE is not important.
* They believe that we live in a world of illusion--this life is not the ultimate reality.
* They believe that truth is relative.
* Hindu's are not readers--maybe a newspaper, etc.
* The caste system is 5000 years old. It is a sociological category. It has nothing to do with belief.
* The caste system is made up of the highest level: Brahmin - priests
then the next level: Kshatriya - warriors and rulers
then the next level: Vaisya - skilled traders or merchants
the lowest level: Sudra - unskilled workers called dalits--they are oppressed and untouchable
outcasts
* They can only change caste levels through reincarnation
* Karma: The overall effect of one's behavior to determine one's destiny in a future existence.
* Karma and reincarnation lead to salvation. It takes 8.4 million life cycles to get there.
* The terms "Christian," "conversion," and "missionary" carry extremely negative connotations for Hindus. We speak of ourselves as a follower of Jesus, his disciple.
* Many Hindus follow some type of guru, a spiritual teacher and guide, and may be open to a presentation of the Lord Jesus as the "true guru."
TODAY, IT WAS BACK TO THE STUDY OF ISLAM. Tanya Walker was our teacher. She was born into a Christian family in Iran. She has an undergraduate degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Christ Church College, Oxford University. She is finishing her PhD in Islamic Studies.
She gave us a comparison study of the Christian God and the Muslim God (Allah). I will briefly give the highlights. She was way over my head this afternoon speaking on the political front of the world as it relates to Islam. She is an amazing teacher and speaker.
1. The Christian God is relational. He created us to love him and glorify him. He created us to know him. It is the grandest love story. God created us out of the overflow of his love. He wins us by giving his life- the ultimate love.
The Muslim God is like Big Brother watching you. He is the master and you are the servant. There is no intimate relationship with Allah.
2. The Christian God has made himself known. Knowing and being known is the basics of love. Without the knowing and being known part, the relationship is only a fantasy. We can know God because of his consistency of character. Jeremiah 9: 24 "Let him who glories, glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practice steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things, I delight, says the Lord." John 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." Jeremiah 24: 7 "I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord." How has he revealed himself? Through the life and death of Jesus, his nature, and his Word.
Allah does not make himself known. The Qur'an does not revel his nature. Muslim's want to know Allah's will.
3. The Christian God is love. It is his nature and his essence. God put his image on us so that we could know his love. God is true to his nature. 1 John 4:16 "So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in loved abides in God, and God abides in him."
God loves everyone including the broken, the sinner, the outcast, etc. God is the initiator of this love.
We love him back. We worship him. Love must be freely given, no strings attached. You can not force love. You can't love someone that you don't know.
It is not required or possible to love Allah. Muslims are in bondage or submission to Allah. What about heaven? Your deeds are weighed on the scale. The Qur'an says "Only fools are assured of salvation." The fear of hell is an overriding feature for Muslims. Allah is not love.
4. The Christian God experiences suffering and grieves.
Allah cannot experience suffering or compassion. Suffering is considered weakness.
5. The Christian God is holy. He is set apart. He is morally perfect and cannot tolerate sin. Our sin separates us from God. He provides a way out through Jesus Christ. God sacrificed himself on the cross through the person of Jesus Christ.
Allah is not holy. He does not require holiness. He is deceitful and is a schemer.
1.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Tuesday, June 5 This week we are studying Islam and other faiths.
Dr. Keith Small is our teacher. He is from Michigan, but has lived in England for the last 20 years with his family. He is a RZIM scholar and a visiting lecturer and associate research fellow at London School of Theology. He is a member of Avant Ministries and has 20 years of ministry among Muslims. His book we are studying is called Holy Books Have a History.
I will just review briefly some of the points we learned:
* Muhammad is their Prophet par excellence. They do not view him as God.
* They view Jesus as a prophet, but Muhammad is greater because he came after Jesus.
* The Qur'an is held to be the perfect revelation from God (Allah). It is held to be God's direct speech dictated to Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel.
* Muslims are taught that if they question either Muhammad or the Qur'an, they will go to hell.
* Shariah is the law of Islam, based on the teachings of the Qur'an, the sayings of Muhammad, etc. It is held in its essence to be revealed by Allah. This law gives the pattern of daily life for the Muslim. It covers every area of life from worship rituals and beliefs, personal hygiene, dress, marital relations, family, civil,criminal, commercial and international law. Obedience to it is held to be a divine requirement. They of course are trying to bring this law to the West.
* You are not to 'know' Allah, but rather do his will and obey as a good 'slave'.
* The public reputation of the family, tribe, community, or religion is more important than individual freedoms.
* Two of the most dishonorable things are immorality among Muslim women and conversion to another religion.
* They believe in honor killings for committing the above. It is not enough to just banish them; the shame has to be removed by killing
* Favor with Allah is obtained by rule-keeping and repentance and good works.
* Outward religious identity is very important to them such as headscarves for women, prayer caps for men, standards of dress, beard length for men............
.
* Non-Muslims are viewed as inferior morally, religiously, and culturally. Muslims believe Islam was sent to replace, correct and subdue all other religions.
* Christians are seen as needing correction, believing perverted doctrines and a corrupted scripture.
* Most Muslims cannot read the Arabic version of the Qur'an. Instead they are encouraged to recite passages.
* Muslims are taught many inaccurate things about Christians and Christianity. Their conviction of the truth and superiority of their views leads them into a conflict of ideas and truth at the outset of any conversation with Christians.
* In Islam, you are given a 'package of laws'. It is more important to keep these laws than to know Allah.
* They are taught not to engage or question their beliefs or beliefs of other religions.
* Christianity is a religion of profound beliefs with simple duties, Islam is a religion of simple beliefs and extensive duties.
* Their Allah is not portrayed as a God of love. There is no "God is love" statement in the Qur'an.
* The Day of Judgment is their motivator for correct behavior.
* Their aim is to spread political dominance, not conversions.
* Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca. One of the five pillars or requirements of Islam.
* Muslims believe that the crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection never happened.
* There has never been a better time for evangelism to Muslims. More Muslims are coming to Christ than ever before in the history of the Church. We are having a window of opportunity.
I will just review briefly some of the points we learned:
* Muhammad is their Prophet par excellence. They do not view him as God.
* They view Jesus as a prophet, but Muhammad is greater because he came after Jesus.
* The Qur'an is held to be the perfect revelation from God (Allah). It is held to be God's direct speech dictated to Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel.
* Muslims are taught that if they question either Muhammad or the Qur'an, they will go to hell.
* Shariah is the law of Islam, based on the teachings of the Qur'an, the sayings of Muhammad, etc. It is held in its essence to be revealed by Allah. This law gives the pattern of daily life for the Muslim. It covers every area of life from worship rituals and beliefs, personal hygiene, dress, marital relations, family, civil,criminal, commercial and international law. Obedience to it is held to be a divine requirement. They of course are trying to bring this law to the West.
* You are not to 'know' Allah, but rather do his will and obey as a good 'slave'.
* The public reputation of the family, tribe, community, or religion is more important than individual freedoms.
* Two of the most dishonorable things are immorality among Muslim women and conversion to another religion.
* They believe in honor killings for committing the above. It is not enough to just banish them; the shame has to be removed by killing
* Favor with Allah is obtained by rule-keeping and repentance and good works.
* Outward religious identity is very important to them such as headscarves for women, prayer caps for men, standards of dress, beard length for men............
.
* Non-Muslims are viewed as inferior morally, religiously, and culturally. Muslims believe Islam was sent to replace, correct and subdue all other religions.
* Christians are seen as needing correction, believing perverted doctrines and a corrupted scripture.
* Most Muslims cannot read the Arabic version of the Qur'an. Instead they are encouraged to recite passages.
* Muslims are taught many inaccurate things about Christians and Christianity. Their conviction of the truth and superiority of their views leads them into a conflict of ideas and truth at the outset of any conversation with Christians.
* In Islam, you are given a 'package of laws'. It is more important to keep these laws than to know Allah.
* They are taught not to engage or question their beliefs or beliefs of other religions.
* Christianity is a religion of profound beliefs with simple duties, Islam is a religion of simple beliefs and extensive duties.
* Their Allah is not portrayed as a God of love. There is no "God is love" statement in the Qur'an.
* The Day of Judgment is their motivator for correct behavior.
* Their aim is to spread political dominance, not conversions.
* Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca. One of the five pillars or requirements of Islam.
* Muslims believe that the crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection never happened.
* There has never been a better time for evangelism to Muslims. More Muslims are coming to Christ than ever before in the history of the Church. We are having a window of opportunity.
Monday, June 4, 2012
June 4 Monday The Long Awaited Pictures...
Wadham College-Where I'm living on arrival day
Me posing with my luggage
The beautiful Wadham quadrangle
Celebrating Stephen's birthday at Rose and Crown
Posing with the entire group on a field trip at Christ Church
Oxford students in exam-wear
Celebrating Sharon's birthday at Michael Ramsden's home
Me trying out punting on the Cherwell River
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Sunday, June 3
I will tell you about one of the Oxford traditions that I have learned about. It has to do with the academic side of things. The University's coat of arms shows a heavy book with seven clasps opened to reveal the earliest motto which was Veritas Vos Liberabit "The truth will set you free" John 8:32. The current motto is Dominus Illuminatio Mea "The Lord is my light" Psalms 27:1.
The academic year is divided into three terms. Michaelmas term runs from October to December. Hilary term runs from January to March. Trinity term spans April to July. Each of these terms has an eight-week period called Full Term, which represents the main undergraduate teaching period.
Matriculation, usually held in the Sheldoian Theatre celebrates a student's formal enrollment in the University. Until 1995, candidates for admission had to sit for an entrance examination and undergo an interview. Today, students no longer must take the entrance exams but must have excellent grades at A-level and they are interviewed by at least one college.
Oxford University has been bestowing academic degrees from the 12th century! Graduation degrees are awarded personally by the Vice-Chancellor in the Sheldonian Theatre. The ceremony, which is in Latin, retains all its ancient formality.
Academic dress for the undergraduates: black commoner's gowns, which are short and sleeveless, with a pleated streamer at each side. Stiff square black caps (like we are familiar with) are worn on the head. Scholar's gowns are longer, reaching to the knees. Under the gowns, they must wear black and white clothes. The picture that is coming soon will show students in their exam wear. They will not be able to take the exam unless they show up in the correct clothing. The guys have on black suits, white shirts and a white bow tie. The girls wear black skirts, white shirts and a black string tie around the neck. They wear different colored carnations on the robe lapel. I am not sure yet what the different colors mean yet.
This information was taken from the University of Oxford Official Guide by Christina Hardyment.
Have a great day! Tonight I will be attending St. Aldate's Church at 6 p.m.
Mae Ann
The academic year is divided into three terms. Michaelmas term runs from October to December. Hilary term runs from January to March. Trinity term spans April to July. Each of these terms has an eight-week period called Full Term, which represents the main undergraduate teaching period.
Matriculation, usually held in the Sheldoian Theatre celebrates a student's formal enrollment in the University. Until 1995, candidates for admission had to sit for an entrance examination and undergo an interview. Today, students no longer must take the entrance exams but must have excellent grades at A-level and they are interviewed by at least one college.
Oxford University has been bestowing academic degrees from the 12th century! Graduation degrees are awarded personally by the Vice-Chancellor in the Sheldonian Theatre. The ceremony, which is in Latin, retains all its ancient formality.
Academic dress for the undergraduates: black commoner's gowns, which are short and sleeveless, with a pleated streamer at each side. Stiff square black caps (like we are familiar with) are worn on the head. Scholar's gowns are longer, reaching to the knees. Under the gowns, they must wear black and white clothes. The picture that is coming soon will show students in their exam wear. They will not be able to take the exam unless they show up in the correct clothing. The guys have on black suits, white shirts and a white bow tie. The girls wear black skirts, white shirts and a black string tie around the neck. They wear different colored carnations on the robe lapel. I am not sure yet what the different colors mean yet.
This information was taken from the University of Oxford Official Guide by Christina Hardyment.
Have a great day! Tonight I will be attending St. Aldate's Church at 6 p.m.
Mae Ann
Sat. June 2 continued
TOM PRICE: Tom is an Academic Tutor at OCCA and an evangelist with RZIM Europe.
What is a worldview? A worldview is a set of ideas that we all have that help us make sense of our world around us. It is like a lens over our eyes that determines how to see or interpret things. Our worldview helps us to answer questions such as: What is reality? Who am I? Where did I come from? What am I doing with my life? What can I hope for? What can I know? What happens when I die?
What do people want to know about the gospel of Jesus Christ? Is it true? Is it for real? Will it work for me? Will it be what I am looking for in my life?
We were created in the image of God. That's why we can relate to and know God. That's why our hearts long for God. The human soul was designed in God's image. We are unfulfilled till we can know and relate to God. We will be restless until we relate to God. You might say, "You can't really know God, it's not possible." The Bible is the revelation of God and his son, Jesus Christ. It's through his Word, that we come to know him, not just about him. John 8: 31-32 says "If you continue in my word you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free." The truth spoken about here is Jesus Christ.
JOHN BECHTEL: Missionary to China for 40 years, spoke to us. "How Big is Your God?"
He says that in 1949 there were 1.8 million Christians in China
In 1979, the 1st church opened --400 invitations were sent out and 2000 people showed up. It was the first time they could openly sing a hymn!
The government now says there are 60 million Christians, but the house church says there are 120-130 million Christians. Chinese Christians are the future missionaries to the world. They want to take the gospel to the Middle East to the Muslims.
John wanted to build a camp (like Camp of the Woods Camp, USA) for kids to present the gospel in China in Hong Kong 40 years ago. He did not have the money. He met Walt Maloon of the ski boat company in Florida who was visiting Hong Kong with Billy Graham. John told Walt about his vision. Walt told John that he would raise the needed $240,000 for the land for the camp. As it turned out, Walt Maloon was unable to raise the needed money but he told him that he had a letter for him. Walt told John to buy the camp with the contents of the envelope. "Send this letter to your camp board" Walt told him. The letter was from a 14 year old named Belinda Holmes. She wanted John to have her money that had been her "ice cream" money for 2 weeks. The board was so moved by this letter they told John that he could buy the land for $1.00! Yes, $1.00. They opened the camp 40 years ago and it is still going strong. I believe he said that 1.2 million kids have come through the camp and many have come to Christ. The name of the camp is Suen Douh Camp, Hong Kong. Ten years later, John met Belinda Holmes in person! John Bechtel believes in a big God! He compared this story to the boy who gave Jesus the 5 loaves and 2 fish and Jesus multiplied it. John challenged us to ask ourselves this question: What do I have that I can put in the hands of the Master? He will use it and multiply it!
MICHAEL RAMSDEN: Michael is the European Director of RZIM Europe and is also Director of the Oxford Center for Christian Apologetics. Michael was brought up in the Middle East (Cypress) and later moved to England where he worked for the Lord Chancellor's department investing funds. While doing research in Law and Economics at Sheffield University, he taught Moral Philosophy and his numerous speaking engagements have included addressing leaders at NATO's headquarters and Members of the European Parliament.
Michael lives in Oxford with his wife and 3 children. Last week we all got to go to his home for a Greek feast! Michael is passionate, humorous, and informed--a great guy to be with.
These are some of his thoughts from one of his lectures:
* We are living letters read by many. How does your life read?
* Has our life been so watered down that no one is noticing that we are Christian?
* Thinking is not the enemy of faith.
* Biblical faith is not generated by me and is not kept up by me.
* True security is in Christ.
* The Christian faith has been reduced by many churches to either a system of do's and don'ts, experiences, or only thinking. Christianity is about "being" because God "is." It is about who we ARE. We are a new creation. The Christian faith does not ask anyone to accept a set of do's and don'ts, a set of feelings or a set of ideas. Rather, the Christian faith is a relationship with Jesus Christ. We gain a new identity and a new beginning.
* Good questions: Have you encountered Christ? Do you know him? Have you stepped into the "light?" What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it?
* Ask someone WHY they became a Christian, not HOW. It causes them to reflect on the gospel, not on what they did.
What is a worldview? A worldview is a set of ideas that we all have that help us make sense of our world around us. It is like a lens over our eyes that determines how to see or interpret things. Our worldview helps us to answer questions such as: What is reality? Who am I? Where did I come from? What am I doing with my life? What can I hope for? What can I know? What happens when I die?
What do people want to know about the gospel of Jesus Christ? Is it true? Is it for real? Will it work for me? Will it be what I am looking for in my life?
We were created in the image of God. That's why we can relate to and know God. That's why our hearts long for God. The human soul was designed in God's image. We are unfulfilled till we can know and relate to God. We will be restless until we relate to God. You might say, "You can't really know God, it's not possible." The Bible is the revelation of God and his son, Jesus Christ. It's through his Word, that we come to know him, not just about him. John 8: 31-32 says "If you continue in my word you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free." The truth spoken about here is Jesus Christ.
JOHN BECHTEL: Missionary to China for 40 years, spoke to us. "How Big is Your God?"
He says that in 1949 there were 1.8 million Christians in China
In 1979, the 1st church opened --400 invitations were sent out and 2000 people showed up. It was the first time they could openly sing a hymn!
The government now says there are 60 million Christians, but the house church says there are 120-130 million Christians. Chinese Christians are the future missionaries to the world. They want to take the gospel to the Middle East to the Muslims.
John wanted to build a camp (like Camp of the Woods Camp, USA) for kids to present the gospel in China in Hong Kong 40 years ago. He did not have the money. He met Walt Maloon of the ski boat company in Florida who was visiting Hong Kong with Billy Graham. John told Walt about his vision. Walt told John that he would raise the needed $240,000 for the land for the camp. As it turned out, Walt Maloon was unable to raise the needed money but he told him that he had a letter for him. Walt told John to buy the camp with the contents of the envelope. "Send this letter to your camp board" Walt told him. The letter was from a 14 year old named Belinda Holmes. She wanted John to have her money that had been her "ice cream" money for 2 weeks. The board was so moved by this letter they told John that he could buy the land for $1.00! Yes, $1.00. They opened the camp 40 years ago and it is still going strong. I believe he said that 1.2 million kids have come through the camp and many have come to Christ. The name of the camp is Suen Douh Camp, Hong Kong. Ten years later, John met Belinda Holmes in person! John Bechtel believes in a big God! He compared this story to the boy who gave Jesus the 5 loaves and 2 fish and Jesus multiplied it. John challenged us to ask ourselves this question: What do I have that I can put in the hands of the Master? He will use it and multiply it!
MICHAEL RAMSDEN: Michael is the European Director of RZIM Europe and is also Director of the Oxford Center for Christian Apologetics. Michael was brought up in the Middle East (Cypress) and later moved to England where he worked for the Lord Chancellor's department investing funds. While doing research in Law and Economics at Sheffield University, he taught Moral Philosophy and his numerous speaking engagements have included addressing leaders at NATO's headquarters and Members of the European Parliament.
Michael lives in Oxford with his wife and 3 children. Last week we all got to go to his home for a Greek feast! Michael is passionate, humorous, and informed--a great guy to be with.
These are some of his thoughts from one of his lectures:
* We are living letters read by many. How does your life read?
* Has our life been so watered down that no one is noticing that we are Christian?
* Thinking is not the enemy of faith.
* Biblical faith is not generated by me and is not kept up by me.
* True security is in Christ.
* The Christian faith has been reduced by many churches to either a system of do's and don'ts, experiences, or only thinking. Christianity is about "being" because God "is." It is about who we ARE. We are a new creation. The Christian faith does not ask anyone to accept a set of do's and don'ts, a set of feelings or a set of ideas. Rather, the Christian faith is a relationship with Jesus Christ. We gain a new identity and a new beginning.
* Good questions: Have you encountered Christ? Do you know him? Have you stepped into the "light?" What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it?
* Ask someone WHY they became a Christian, not HOW. It causes them to reflect on the gospel, not on what they did.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Sat. June 2 My "catch-up" day!
What a fantastic week it has been!
There is always something new going on, listening, experiencing. Yesterday in between classes on our walk to lunch, we came upon a serious car wreck between a cab and a car. The jaws of life took off the entire top of the cab to get the driver out. He was not moving so I don't know what his condition was. After class, we all went punting on the Cherwell River. Of course I took a turn. The pole is very long and heavy, but with some determination, I figured it out pretty well for the last bit back to the dock. It was a fun time together with the other folks in our group!
I have to talk about bicycles in Oxford! There are more bicycles than cars. People of all ages ride these things with great SPEED! They are not looking out for you. You must watch for them, all the time. When you step off the curb, you are "committed" at that point. I was always amused by the term "Death by chocolate," now my favorite is "Death by bicycle!" Don't worry. I am being VERY careful.
One day this week, one of the professors wanted to show us some of his favorite artwork in several museums. He kept speaking of Renai Ssance art. Two syllables. I thought, I don't know this artist. I went up to him and ask him who this was. He was confused. Then I understood he was saying Renaissane (one syllable to me). We had a wonderful laugh!
One of my favorite instructors is Alister McGrath. He is a theologian, historian, world-renoun Christian apologist, pastor and author. He has a PhD in Biochemistry from Oxford. He converted from atheism to Christianity. He was previously the Director of the Oxford Center for Christian Apologetics (OCCA) and was a professor of theology at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. Today he is professor of theology at King's College in London. He is known for his debates with Richard Dawkins, Oxford biology professor and outspoken atheist. He also debates Christopher Hitchens.
So what am I studying here? Apologetics with all it's dimensions. Apologetics is simply defending or commending our faith to others. 1 Peter 3:15 says "Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you--do it with gentleness and reverence."
Apologetics helps people to "make sense" of the Christian faith. It deals with the integrity of our faith. It shows how the gospel is "life giving." How it brings us to life, a life that is worth living, not just existing. It makes Christianity practical and understandable. People want answers to life questions. This does not convert them, God does that, but when the theological framework is broken down, it helps people to see that we all have a problem or sickness, (sin), but there is a cure. The cure, of course is an encounter with the living God. We are all looking for truths that TRANSFORM. Christian truth is trustworthy. It is a rock you can build on. Here are some good questions; Are you connected with
God? Do you know God? Is is possible to know God? Is Christianity true? Will it work? What are you looking for in life? Is the gospel relevant? What do you find that is trustworthy in your life? What do you find most satisfying in your life? What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it? Are you living the life you were created to live?
Those are some thoughts for now. I will try to pass on more as I can--It would be easier to write a bit each day--but over the weekend I will attempt to catch you up on the biggest concepts.
Off for shopping, touring and more reading (I have 6 books to read).
Love to all, Mae Ann
There is always something new going on, listening, experiencing. Yesterday in between classes on our walk to lunch, we came upon a serious car wreck between a cab and a car. The jaws of life took off the entire top of the cab to get the driver out. He was not moving so I don't know what his condition was. After class, we all went punting on the Cherwell River. Of course I took a turn. The pole is very long and heavy, but with some determination, I figured it out pretty well for the last bit back to the dock. It was a fun time together with the other folks in our group!
I have to talk about bicycles in Oxford! There are more bicycles than cars. People of all ages ride these things with great SPEED! They are not looking out for you. You must watch for them, all the time. When you step off the curb, you are "committed" at that point. I was always amused by the term "Death by chocolate," now my favorite is "Death by bicycle!" Don't worry. I am being VERY careful.
One day this week, one of the professors wanted to show us some of his favorite artwork in several museums. He kept speaking of Renai Ssance art. Two syllables. I thought, I don't know this artist. I went up to him and ask him who this was. He was confused. Then I understood he was saying Renaissane (one syllable to me). We had a wonderful laugh!
One of my favorite instructors is Alister McGrath. He is a theologian, historian, world-renoun Christian apologist, pastor and author. He has a PhD in Biochemistry from Oxford. He converted from atheism to Christianity. He was previously the Director of the Oxford Center for Christian Apologetics (OCCA) and was a professor of theology at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. Today he is professor of theology at King's College in London. He is known for his debates with Richard Dawkins, Oxford biology professor and outspoken atheist. He also debates Christopher Hitchens.
So what am I studying here? Apologetics with all it's dimensions. Apologetics is simply defending or commending our faith to others. 1 Peter 3:15 says "Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you--do it with gentleness and reverence."
Apologetics helps people to "make sense" of the Christian faith. It deals with the integrity of our faith. It shows how the gospel is "life giving." How it brings us to life, a life that is worth living, not just existing. It makes Christianity practical and understandable. People want answers to life questions. This does not convert them, God does that, but when the theological framework is broken down, it helps people to see that we all have a problem or sickness, (sin), but there is a cure. The cure, of course is an encounter with the living God. We are all looking for truths that TRANSFORM. Christian truth is trustworthy. It is a rock you can build on. Here are some good questions; Are you connected with
God? Do you know God? Is is possible to know God? Is Christianity true? Will it work? What are you looking for in life? Is the gospel relevant? What do you find that is trustworthy in your life? What do you find most satisfying in your life? What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it? Are you living the life you were created to live?
Those are some thoughts for now. I will try to pass on more as I can--It would be easier to write a bit each day--but over the weekend I will attempt to catch you up on the biggest concepts.
Off for shopping, touring and more reading (I have 6 books to read).
Love to all, Mae Ann
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)