An "appalling" truth

"One must face the fact that all the talk about His love for men, and His service being perfect freedom, is not (as one would gladly believe) mere propaganda, but an appalling truth. He really does want to fill the universe with a lot of loathsome little replicas of Himself – creatures whose life, on its miniature scale, will be qualitatively like His own, not because He has absorbed them but because their wills freely conform to His. We want cattle who can finally become food; He wants servants who can finally become sons. We want to suck in, He wants to give out. We are empty and would be filled; He is full and flows over.”

Screwtape Letters, CS Lewis

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The history of the Christian Church in twenty places

α. Jerusalem (30 or 33 AD) The place where Christ, the Son-of-God-become-man, died on the Cross, was raised from the dead on the third day, and from where he ascended back to heaven. This is also where the Holy Spirit was poured out on the first disciples. Sometime after AD 44 (Acts 12), Peter, John and other Apostles dispersed across the world to bear testimony to the risen Christ. 1. Ephesus (approx. 100 AD) The place where the Apostles, Paul and John, handed over to the next generation of Christian leaders, which included the “Apostolic Fathers”. One such “Apostolic Father”, Ignatius of Antioch, passed through Ephesus on his way to martyrdom at Rome, and addressed a letter to the church at Ephesus. 2. Athens (second century) The centre of Greek thought, which Justin Martyr and other Second Century Apologists addressed in their presentations of the Christian faith, proclaiming Christ as the Logos (the Word or principle underlying the universe). 3. Lyon (from 177) The church in ...

Hearing the "khutba" at Friday prayers, Noor-ul-Islam mosque in Bury

Yesterday, I was present for the " khutbah " (sermon) before Friday prayers at Noor-ul-Islam mosque on Yarwood Street in Bury. I was there by kind agreement of Imam Hassanat, a gifted Muslim preacher, whom I met a few months ago through a mutual acquaintance, and I was made welcome. Noor-ul-Islam is one of seven Sunni mosques in Bury, and follows the Sufi way, a more mystical interpretation of the Muslim faith. I have been present at Friday prayers on at least one occasion before (at a Shi'a mosque). I do not actively take part in the prayers, however, local Muslim leaders have allowed me to be present and observe. In this case, I was present for the preliminary "khutbah" which corresponds to a Christian Sunday morning sermon. For those not familiar with Friday prayers, this is the main weekly gathering of Muslims early on Friday afternoon to perform the prescribed prayer ritual together at one of the set times of prayer. At this time of year in this part of t...

Bury, Greater Manchester - Timeline of churches

979? First Church on the site of the present Parish Church (the picture below is an artist's impression of Bury parish church in 1485) 1585 Parish church (re)built in the gothic style . 1662+ Chapel on Bass Lane for Henry Pendlebury of Holcombe , supported by Richard Kay , and others ejected from the C of E (replaced in 1712 by Dundee Chapel, Holcombe) 1669 The vicar of the parish reported to the Bishop of Chester that he heard that several conventicles were 'constantly kept at private houses of Independents, Presbyterians, Dippers and other such like jointly, of the bset rank of the yeomanry and other inferiors.' 1689 The passing of the Toleration Act and services held openly by a congregation at Bast House, Walmersley, the home of Richard Kay, 1712 Edward Rothwell , became minister of what would become Bank Street Presbyterian Church, Bury. He ministered at ...

Crumbs from the Table

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