WiseReader

This morning I was perusing the Spring, 2008 issue of BCM World, the mission publication of BCM International only to discover an absolutely fascinating story of effective prayer in a Bible Club held in an elementary school in Scotland.

The head teacher of the school did not want BCM worker, Steve Marr, to hold a Bible Club in his school, so insisted that one of the teachers sit in on Marr’s Bible Club in hopes of hearing or observing something that could be used to get the club kicked off the premises. Miss Roberts, the designated teacher sat through the classes, clearly unhappy about what was taking place.

Things really began to unravel after Steve taught a lesson on the life of Joseph. He gave the children a homework assignment to “talk to God about any problem and ask Him to sort it out.” He noticed Miss Roberts growing increasingly agitated. About three weeks after teaching that lesson, Miss Roberts ordered Marr into her office. He thought the end of his Club had arrived, but something totally amazing was about to unfold.

You can read God’s Grace Abounding in Scotland online. You won’t be sorry you took the time!

Why One Way? Defending an Exclusive Claim in an Inclusive World
John MacArthur
W Publishing Group, 2002
ISBN: 0849955580
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Postmodernism’s denial of absolute truth is seeping through the walls of the evangelical establishment and MacArthur, in the vein of all true shepherds, raises a warning for the church.  While acknowledging evangelicalism’s historical diversity, he notes there was a time when all evangelicals held one truth in common:  “They knew that Jesus Christ was the only way to heaven. ‘One way’ seemed an unshakeable belief that all evangelicals held in common.”

As the number of evangelicals flirting with postmodern relativism grows, MacArthur seeks to remind us of the gospel’s distinctive and exclusive claim - it alone holds the truth about life here and in the hereafter.

The Christian message is one of absolute truth standing outside ourselves.  It remains true whatever one makes of it.  Rooted in a rational revelation from God, it is a message of veracity, authority, and integrity.  It is, as MacArthur effectively demonstrates, incompatible with any and all messages rooted in worldly wisdom.

This pocket-sized book (74pp.) packs a major punch.  It is a great gift for university students, young pastors, and anyone needing an encouraging reminder that Jesus alone is still the way, the truth, and the life.

The Lost Gospel of Judas: Separating Fact From Fiction
Stanley E. Porter & Gordon L. Heath
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2007
ISBN: 0802824561
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We were just emerging from the cyclone of excitement around The Da Vinci Code when word of the Gospel of Judas hit the news stands. It seemed as if Christian history revisionists were on a roll. No doubt the wholesale support of media heavyweight National Geographic contributed to what Porter and Heath call “the Gospel of Judas’s meteoric rise to become the topic of choice at water coolers, newsrooms, and talk shows.

Of course, “cooler-talk” has moved on to other things, and while little is heard these days from The Gospel of Judas folk, it remains an important topic for Christians to understand. How should Christians view the Gospel of Judas? Is it really a “lost gospel” that should be embraced, or should it simply be relegated to the dustbin of failed attempts at subverting and undermining the Christian faith?

Stanley Porter, President, Dean, and Professor of New Testament at McMaster Divinity College (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) and Gordon Heath, Assistant Professor of Christian History and Director of the Canadian Baptist Archives at McMaster Divinity College, teamed up to provide a truly accessible book, helping us to put these matters into perspective.

Since the Gospel appears intent on rehabilitating Judas, Porter and Heath take chapter one to introduce us to Judas, outlining how the Scriptures present Judas, and how subsequent history has understood him.

Following this introduction to Judas, Porter and Heath give us a fascinating chapter on Gnosticism; defining it, tracking its spread and explaining why it was a problem for the Christian church. Not a household term among contemporary evangelical Christians, Gnosticism nevertheless is finding new life in our day via many routes, including the discovery of gnostic texts at Nag Hammadi (Egypt), and the above-mentioned Da Vinci Code novel by Dan Brown. With a brief overview of major aspects of gnostic teaching, readers learn that at least fifty-two gnostic texts sruvive from ancient times, along with ten manuscripts from seven church fathers who wrote to refute gnostic teaching.

For those wondering why the Gospel of Judas “disappeared” in the first place, Porter and Heath explore the early church response to this manuscript, providing good reasons for why the church rejected it along with the other gnostic writings of the time.

Other chapters assess the significance of this find; explore the content and authenticity of the document; and help readers understand how rehabilitation literature worked in ancient times.

If you have wondered what to make of The Gospel of Judas, I recommend this book as a great starting place. Thorough, succinct and accessible, the authors have provided a great resource.