DOCSLIB.ORG

The-Roots-Of-Endurance.Pdf

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The-Roots-Of-Endurance.Pdf RootsofEndurance.44279.int.qxd 9/21/07 3:37 PM Page 1 T HE R OOTS OF E NDURANCE RootsofEndurance.44279.int.qxd 9/21/07 3:37 PM Page 2 OTHER BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR The Supremacy of God in Preaching Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism (edited with Wayne Grudem) What’s the Difference? Manhood and Womanhood Defined According to the Bible Let the Nations Be Glad: The Supremacy of God in Missions The Justification of God: An Exegetical and Theological Study of Romans 9:1–23 The Purifying Power of Living by Faith in Future Grace Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist A Hunger for God: Desiring God Through Fasting and Prayer A Godward Life, Book One: Savoring the Supremacy of God in All of Life God’s Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards The Innkeeper A Godward Life, Book Two: Savoring the Supremacy of God in All of Life The Legacy of Sovereign Joy: God’s Triumphant Grace in the Lives of Augustine, Luther, and Calvin The Pleasures of God: Meditations on God’s Delight in Being God The Hidden Smile of God: The Fruit of Affliction in the Lives of John Bunyan, William Cowper, and David Brainerd Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ The Dangerous Duty of Delight: The Glorified God and the Satisfied Soul The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God Brothers, We are Not Professionals: A Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry Counted Righteous in Christ: Should We Abandon the Imputation of Christ’s Righteousness? Beyond the Bounds: Open Theism and the Undermining of Biblical Christianity (edited with Justin Taylor and Paul Kjoss Helseth) RootsofEndurance.44279.int.qxd 9/21/07 3:37 PM Page 3 s a r e n a n o t s w i s l e e n h t t BOOK THREE theROOTS Enduranceof Invincible Perseverance in the Lives of John Newton, Charles Simeon, and William Wilberforce J OHN P IPER CROSSWAY BOOKS A PUBLISHING MINISTRY OF GOOD NEWS PUBLISHERS WHEATON, ILLINOIS RootsofEndurance.44279.int.qxd 9/21/07 3:37 PM Page 4 The Roots of Endurance Copyright © 2002 by Desiring God Foundation Published by Crossway Books A publishing ministry of Good News Publishers 1300 Crescent Street Wheaton, Illinois 60187 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechan- ical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided by USA copyright law. Cover Design: David LaPlaca Front Cover Photo: The Image Bank Back Cover Illustrations: John Newton & William Wilberforce, Courtesy of the Billy Graham Center Museum, Wheaton, IL Charles Simeon, Public Domain. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a divi- sion of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. First printing, 2002 Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Piper, John, 1946- The roots of endurance: invincible perseverance in the lives of John Newton, Charles Simeon, and William Wilberforce / John Piper. p. cm. — (The swans are not silent ; bk. 3) Includes bibliographical references and indexes. ISBN 13: 978-1-58134-427-1 ISBN 10: 1-58134-427-9 (alk. paper) 1. Newton, John, 1725-1807. 2. Simeon, Charles, 1759-1836. 3. Church of England—Clergy—Biography. 4. Wilberforce, William, 1759-1833. 5. Abolitionists—Great Britain—Biography. 6. Legislators— Great Britain—Biography. I. Title. BX5197 .P57 2002 283'.092'242—dc21 2002005324 LB 15 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 RootsofEndurance.44279.int.qxd 9/21/07 3:37 PM Page 5 To my grandfather Elmer Albert Piper who said, when he was almost dead and Daddy prayed for faith, one word: “Amen” RootsofEndurance.44279.int.qxd 9/21/07 3:37 PM Page 6 RootsofEndurance.44279.int.qxd 9/21/07 3:37 PM Page 7 Contents Preface 9 Acknowledgments 13 INTRODUCTION 17 The Biblical Roots of Endurance CHAPTER ONE 41 John Newton The Tough Roots of His Habitual Tenderness CHAPTER TWO 77 Charles Simeon The Ballast of Humiliation and the Sails of Adoration CHAPTER THREE 117 William Wilberforce “Peculiar Doctrines,” Spiritual Delight, and the Politics of Slavery CONCLUSION 163 The Imperfection and All-Importance of History A NOTE ON RESOURCES 168 Desiring God Ministries Index of Scriptures 171 Index of Persons 173 Index of Subjects 175 RootsofEndurance.44279.int.qxd 9/21/07 3:37 PM Page 8 A book by Richard Sibbes, one of the choicest of the Puritan writers, was read by Richard Baxter, who was greatly blessed by it. Baxter then wrote his Call to the Unconverted which deeply influenced Philip Doddridge, who in turn wrote The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul. This brought the young William Wilberforce, subsequent English statesman and foe of slavery, to serious thoughts of eternity. Wilberforce wrote his Practical Book of Christianity which fired the soul of Leigh Richmond. Richmond, in turn, wrote The Dairyman’s Daughter, a book that brought thousands to the Lord, helping Thomas Chalmers the great preacher, among others. E RNEST R EISINGER “EVERY C HRISTIAN A P UBLISHER” F REE G RACE B ROADCASTER I SSUE 51, WINTER 1995, P. 18 RootsofEndurance.44279.int.qxd 9/21/07 3:37 PM Page 9 Preface One reason “the swans are not silent” is that they all knew “the roots of endurance.” Charles Simeon (1759-1836) endured as a faithful, evangelical, Anglican vicar for fifty-four years in one parish through opposition so severe that his “pewholding” parish- ioners boycotted his services during the first twelve years. William Wilberforce (1759-1833) endured as a faithful evangelical mem- ber of the British House of Commons, battling relentlessly for thirty years for the first triumph over the African slave trade in 1807, and another twenty-six years (three days before he died) to see slavery itself declared illegal. John Newton (1725-1807) was himself one of those African slave-trading captains, but was saved by “Amazing Grace”—to which he wrote the hymn—and became one of the roots of endurance that nourished both Simeon and Wilberforce in their trials. Even if you have never heard of them, I urge you to get to know them. Together they are three of the healthiest, happiest, most influential1 Christians of the latter eighteenth and early nine- teenth centuries. My overwhelming impression, after seeing their 1 The influence of Newton is symbolized by the almost universal use of the hymn “Amazing Grace,” which he wrote. Wilberforce’s influence is summed up in the glorious triumph over the African slave trade in England. Simeon is less known. But consider these two testimonies. Lord Macaulay, who had graduated from Cambridge in 1822 when Simeon was in his prime at Trinity Church in Cambridge, wrote in 1844, looking back on Simeon’s entire influence, “As to Simeon, if you knew what his authority and influence were, and how they extended from Cambridge to the most remote corners of England, you would allow that his real sway over the Church was far greater than that of any Primate [bishop]” (Arthur J. Tait, Charles Simeon and His Trust [London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1936], p. 58). And Charles Smyth wrote, “[Simeon,] more than any other, inspired and promoted the ‘Evangelical Revival in the second and third generation of its course’” (quoted by Arthur Pollard, “The Influence and Significance of Simeon’s Work,” in Charles Simeon (1759-1833): Essays Written in Commemoration of His Bi-Centenary by Members of the Evangelical Fellowship for Theological Literature, eds. Arthur Pollard and Michael Hennell [London: SPCK, 1959], p. 181). RootsofEndurance.44279.int.qxd 9/21/07 3:37 PM Page 10 10 T HE ROOTS OF E NDURANCE lives woven together in preparation for this book, is the remark- able mental health they shared. Not that they were perfect or with- out dark seasons. But on the whole, they are extraordinary examples of deep and joyful maturity. Their lives—as one person said of Wilberforce—were fatal not only to immorality but to dull- ness.2 There was an invincible perseverance because there was invincible joy. So the song of these three swans is worthy of the story that I tell here for the third time to explain the title of this series, The Swans Are Not Silent. St. Augustine, the Bishop of Hippo in North Africa, retired in A.D.430. He handed over his duties to his humble successor, Eraclius. At the ceremony, Eraclius stood to preach as the aged Augustine sat on his bishop’s throne behind him. Overwhelmed by a sense of inadequacy in Augustine’s pres- ence, Eraclius said, “The cricket chirps, the swan is silent.”3 The assumption of this series of books is that he was wrong. You are now reading Book Three in the series. Book One is The Legacy of Sovereign Joy: God’s Triumphant Grace in the Lives of Augustine, Luther, and Calvin (Crossway Books, 2000), and Book Two is The Hidden Smile of God: The Fruit of Affliction in the Lives of John Bunyan, William Cowper, and David Brainerd (Crossway Books, 2001). As in the first two books, each chapter here is based on a message that I gave at the annual Bethlehem Conference for Pastors, which this year (2002) marked its fifteenth anniversary. I choose the word “message” intentionally—not “sermons,” since they are not expositions of Scripture, and not “lectures,” because 2 See p.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Soteriology 1 Soteriology
    Soteriology 1 Soteriology OVERVIEW 2 Sin and Salvation 2 The Gospel 3 Three broad aspects 4 Justification 4 Sanctification 5 Glorification 6 ATONEMENT 6 General Results 6 Old Testament Background 6 Sacrifice of Jesus 7 Atonement Theories 9 Extent of the Atonement 10 Synthesis 11 FAITH AND GRACE 13 Types of Faith 13 Christian concept of Faith 14 Rev. J. Wesley Evans Soteriology 2 Grace 15 Nature of Grace 15 Types of Grace 15 Sufficient and Efficacious 15 General effects of Grace (acc. to Aquinas II.I.111.3) 16 THE SALVATION PROCESS 16 Overview Sin and Salvation General Principal: The nature of the problem determines the nature of the solution Problem (Sin related issues) Solution (Salvation) Broken relationship with God Reconciliation and Adoption Death of the Soul (Original Sin) Soul regenerated, allowing the will to seek God Humans under God’s judgment Promise of forgiveness and mercy Corruption of the world, broken Future New Creation relationship with the natural world Evil and unjust human systems Future inauguration of the Kingdom of God Temptation of Satan and fallen angels Future judgment on evil The list above of the sacraments is my own speculation, it seems to “fit” at this point. Rev. J. Wesley Evans Soteriology 3 The Gospel Mark 1:1 The beginning of the good news [ euvaggeli,ou ] of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Luke 9:6 They departed and went through the villages, bringing the good news [euvaggelizo,menoi ] and curing diseases everywhere. Acts 5:42 And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim [ euvaggelizo,menoi ] Jesus as the Messiah.
    [Show full text]
  • The Two Conversions of John Newton: Politics & Christianity in the British
    Claremont Colleges Scholarship @ Claremont CMC Senior Theses CMC Student Scholarship 2018 The woT Conversions of John Newton: Politics & Christianity in the British Abolitionist Movement Megan Keller Recommended Citation Keller, Megan, "The wT o Conversions of John Newton: Politics & Christianity in the British Abolitionist Movement" (2018). CMC Senior Theses. 1873. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/1873 This Open Access Senior Thesis is brought to you by Scholarship@Claremont. It has been accepted for inclusion in this collection by an authorized administrator. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 1 The Two Conversions of John Newton: Politics & Christianity in the British Abolitionist Movement Megan Keller April 23, 2018 2 ABSTRACT This thesis interrogated the relationship between British abolition and the eighteenth-century evangelical revival through the life of John Newton. Newton, though not representative of every abolitionist, was a vital figure in the abolitionist movement. His influence on Hannah More and William Wilberforce along with his contributions to the Parliamentary hearings made him a key aspect of its success. How he came to fulfill that role was a long and complex journey, both in terms of his religion and his understanding of slavery. He began his life under the spiritual direction of his pious, Dissenting mother, became an atheist by nineteen, and then an influential, evangelical minister in the Church of England in his later adulthood. In the midst of that journey, Newton was impressed, joined the crew of a slave ship, was himself enslaved, became a slave ship captain, and then, eventually, a fervent abolitionist. Though he was influenced by any people and ideas, his development of an evangelical Calvinistic theology seems to have driven him to ultimately condemn the slave trade.
    [Show full text]
  • William Wilberforce: Triumph Over Britain’S Slave Trade
    William Wilberforce: Triumph Over Britain’s Slave Trade Abigail Rahn Senior Division Historical Paper Words: 2499 Rahn 1 History has shown that the road to societal change is often paved with hardship and sorrow. The fight to end the British slave trade was a poignant example of the struggles to reach that change. The British slave trade thrived for over two centuries and was responsible for transporting 3.4 million slaves, mainly to Spanish, Portuguese, and British colonies.1 This horrific institution was permeated with misery, corruption, and cruelty. The conditions on the ships were abhorrent. The male captives were shackled together below deck, unable to move, and forced to lie in their own filth.2 The women were allowed some mobility and stayed on deck but were exposed to sexual harassment.3 Yet the appalling trade was “as accepted as birth and marriage and death.”4 It was not until William Wilberforce decided to combat slavery within Parliament that slaves had true hope of freedom. William Wilberforce’s campaign against the British slave trade, beginning in 1789, was a seemingly-endless battle against the trade’s relentless supporters. His faith propelled him through many personal tragedies for nearly two decades before he finally triumphed over the horrific trade. Because of Wilberforce’s faith-fueled determination, the slave trade was eradicated in the most powerful empire in the world. After the trade was abolished, Wilberforce fought for emancipation of all slaves in the British empire. He died just days after the House of Commons passed the act to free all slaves, an act that owed its existence to Wilberforce’s relentless fight against the slave trade.5 1Clarkson, Thomas.
    [Show full text]
  • The Search for Real Christianity: Nineteenth-Century England for a Number of Lessons, We Have Been Looking at Church History In
    Reformation & Modern Church History Lesson 31, Page 1 The Search for Real Christianity: Nineteenth-Century England For a number of lessons, we have been looking at church history in America. Now we go back to the continent of Europe and to England for this lesson. The prayer I will open with comes from the prayer book of the Church of England, from what is called “The Lesser Peace and Fast.” One of the celebration days on the church calendar of the Church of England has to do with a man whose name will come up in today’s lesson, Charles Simeon. On that particular day in the prayer book, this prayer relates to the life and testimony of Charles Simeon. So, as we begin this lesson, I would like for us to use this prayer, thanking the Lord for Simeon and other faithful ministers whom we will be talking about during this time. Let us pray. O loving Lord, we know that all things are ordered by Thine unswerving wisdom and unbounded love. Grant us in all things to see Thy hand, that following the example of Charles Simeon, we may walk with Christ with all simplicity and serve Thee with a quiet and contented mind through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and with the Holy Spirit—one God forever and ever. Amen. As we think about the history of Christianity in England in the nineteenth century, we begin, of course, with the Church of England, and we begin with the Broad Church. In one of Henry Fielding’s novels, he has a character who says this, “When I mention religion, I mean the Christian religion and not only the Christian religion but the Protestant religion and not only the Protestant religion but the Church of England.” And that was probably the attitude of many people who were members of the church in England in the nineteenth century, particularly members of what was called the Broad Church or adherents to the Broad Church philosophy.
    [Show full text]
  • History of Saint Joseph Parish Burlington, Vermont 1830-1987
    History of Saint Joseph Parish Burlington, Vermont 1830-1987 Edited by Robert G. Keenan and Rev. Francis R. Prive Prepared by: The History Committee of Saint Joseph Parish- Burlington, Vt. COPYRIGHT 1988 by Saint Joseph Church 85 Elmwood Avenue Burlington, Vermont 05401 802-863-2388 First Printing Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 88-61302 Main entry under title: History of Saint Joseph Parish- Burlington, Vermont Bibliography: pp. 93-94 Includes table of contents, eleven appendixes, and index. Published by St.Joseph Church-Burlington, Vt.- U.S.A. All rights reserved. This book, or any part thereof, may not be reproduced or used without explicit written permis- sion of the publisher. ii Table- of Contents Page Dedication iv Special Acknowledgements V Letter from Bishop John A. Marshall vi Letter from Bishop Robert F. Joyce vii FOREWORD by Bishop Louis E. Gelineau ix PREFACE by Rev. Bernard H. Messier xi CHAPTER I FRENCH CANADIANS ENTER THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY 1 II A FIDCK WITH TWO SHEPHERDS 7 III FR. ANCE'S MISSION 15 IV HOPE THWARTED IS SHORTLY RENEWED 19 V THE FRENCH CANADIAN PARISH IS FORMED 23 VI THE PAS10RATE OF THE OBLATES 31 VII PARISH STABILITY ASSURED WITH FR. CARDINAL 35 VIII PARISH THRIVES DURING HALF-CENTURY WITH MSGR. JEROME CIDAREC 43 IX THE EXTENSION OF THE PARISH IN10 THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 57 X THE LATTER YEARS OF MSGR. CIDAREC'S PASTORATE 65 XI HOW THE PARISH REMEMBERS ITS CURATES 69 XII THE PAS10RATE OF FR. PROULX 71 XIII FIRST VERMONT NATIVE PASTOR 75 XIV VATICAN II INITIATES A TRANSFORMATION 79 xv THE WINDS OF CHANGE
    [Show full text]
  • Luke 2:25-40 David A. Renwick
    December 15, 3019 National Presbyterian Church “Fully Satisfied” Luke 2:25-40 David A. Renwick 25Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, 29‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; 30for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’ 33And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed —and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’ 36There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, 37then as a widow to the age of eighty-four.
    [Show full text]
  • From Nominal to Radical Discipleship: One Church’S Approach to Disciple Making
    FROM NOMINAL TO RADICAL DISCIPLESHIP: ONE CHURCH’S APPROACH TO DISCIPLE MAKING WAYNE BERK WALTERS A DISSERTATION Submitted to the Ph.D. in Leadership & Change Program of Antioch University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy May, 2011 Signature Page This is to certify that the dissertation entitled: FROM NOMINAL TO RADICAL DISCIPLESHIP: ONE CHURCH’S APPROACH TO DISCIPLE MAKING prepared by Wayne Berk Walters is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership and Change. Approved by: __________________________________________________ __________________ Carolyn Kenny, Ph.D., Chair date __________________________________________________ __________________ Philomena Essed, Ph.D., Committee Member date __________________________________________________ __________________ Joel Green, Ph.D., Committee Member date __________________________________________________ __________________ Donald Polkinghorne, Ph.D., External Reader date Copyright 2011 Wayne Walters All rights reserved Acknowledgements I wish to thank my chairperson, Dr. Carolyn Kenny, who guided me with gentle but instructive help along the journey of research and writing my dissertation. I also wish to thank my committee members, Dr. Philomena Essed, Dr. Joel Green, and Dr. Don Polkinghorne for their suggestions for improvements and for their support in this part of my journey in both this degree program and as I seek to continually better understand my role as a Christian and as a pastor. Most of all I wish to thank my wife, Christine Walters, for her consistent support and encouragement, and my children, Brenna, Christopher, Eric, and Joshua who found ways to take care of themselves as I had my head in books or was writing yet another chapter.
    [Show full text]
  • St. Stephen Parish
    St. Stephen Parish SaintStephenSF.org | 451 Eucalyptus Dr., San Francisco CA 94132 | Church 415 681-2444 StStephenSchoolSF.org | 401 Eucalyptus Dr., San Francisco 94132 | School 415 664-8331 Weekday Mass: 8:00 a.m. Reconciliation: Saturday 3:30 p.m. or by appt. Vigil Mass Saturday 4:30 p.m., Sunday Mass 8:00, 9:30, 11:30 a.m. & 6:45 p.m. Our Mission Statement We are a Catholic Community that is called by God to follow Jesus Christ. We believe that we are called to worship God together, to lead God's people along the path of hope laid down by Jesus, to share his message through preaching, through the education and formation of our people, young and old, and through caring ser- vice and sensitive outreach to those in need Rev. Tony P. LaTorre, Pastor PRESENTATION OF THE LORD At first this celebration may seem rather strange and out of sequence. We have long since taken down the Christmas decorations and put away the crèches. Indeed, two Sundays of Ordinary Time have passed during which the adult Jesus has been baptized, begun his public ministry and called his first disciples. This is where knowledge of Jewish custom and history helps us understand this momentary shift out of Ordinary Time and back to a feast. The Gospel, says, When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Jo- seph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. Mosaic Law set this time of purification as 40 days after the birth of a male child – and today is 40 days, inclusive, after Christmas.
    [Show full text]
  • Women with Jesus at the Cross and the Tomb Bible Study
    Women with Jesus at the Cross and the Tomb Bible Study [Please provide : musical accompaniment; Bibles, hymnals, and copies of the Bible study for attendees.] Beginning with Ash Wednesday and for 40 days following, we are in the period of the church year called Lent. It is a time to remember the suffering, death, and burial in preparation for the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As we approach and journey through Lent, let us focus on the women who were present when Jesus was crucified on Calvary and later at His tomb. Let us begin with prayer : Lord Jesus Christ, be with us as we study Your Word, meditating upon those women who were near You at the cross and the tomb. In Your holy name. Amen. Sing “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” LSB 425 or 426, TLH 175, LW 114 or 115 I. Standing Near the Cross – read John 19:25-27 • Four women are mentioned: o Mary, the mother of Jesus o His mother’s sister – tradition holds this is Salome, mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee o Mary, the wife of Clopas – the only time she or Clopas are mentioned o Mary Magdalene The women took a risk by being present at the cross. It took courage for them to stand there in the midst of the hatred and ridicule. Their attendance was intended to encourage Jesus. Jesus’ mother, Mary, is experiencing what Simeon had predicted years before in Luke 2:35. As she stood there, her grief must have been nearly unbelievable.
    [Show full text]
  • The Oracles of Simeon – Luke 2:28-35
    The Oracles of Simeon Luke 2:28-35 By William C. Nicholas, Jr. Term Paper BI 513 -- The Synoptic Gospels Professor: Fr. Mike Walsh, C.M. May 1993 1993, 1999, 2016 William C. Nicholas, Jr. All Rights Reserved The Oracles of Simeon, 1 of 12 Bill Nicholas BI 513 -- The Synoptic Gospels Fr. Mike Walsh, C.M. May 17, 1993 Exegesis: The Oracles of Simeon (Luke 2:28-35) The specific story on which I am concentrating this exegesis concern the Oracles of Simeon, during the event of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, found in the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke. The two specific passages on which I will focus this exegesis will be Luke 2:29-32 and Luke 2:34-35. I will discuss the Canticle of Simeon and its relation to the Prophecy of Simeon. I will discuss their place in the scene of Christ’s Presentation in the Temple, and how the two passages fit into the overall scheme of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. The setting of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem contains two oracles: The Canticle and the Prophecy of Simeon. A compilation of the translations presented by Joseph Fitzmyer (pp. 418, 428-430), Raymond Brown (439-441) and Luke T. Johnson (55-56) -- who present the closest English translations of the original Greek text -- states the Oracles of Simeon as follows: (Luke 2:28-32) “Simeon received him into his bent arms, and praised God, saying: ‘Now you are dismissing (releasing) your servant (slave), Lord (Mighty Master) in peace, according to your promise.
    [Show full text]
  • THE CLAPHAM SECT LESSON Kanayo N
    WEALTH AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE IN THE EXPANSION OF CHRISTIAN FRONTIERS IN CONTEMPORARY NIGERIA: THE CLAPHAM SECT LESSON Kanayo Nwadialor & Chinedu Emmanuel Nnatuanya http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/og.v12i s1.9 Abstract The business of the expansion of any religious frontier is highly demanding. It is a business that has both spiritual and physical components for its effectiveness in the society. Spiritually, it demands prayers while physically; material possessions like money and political influence become veritable tools in enhancing its effectiveness in the world. Historically, the declaration of the Christian faith as legal religion in the Roman Empire by Constantine in the fourth century played a major role in the expansion and the subsequent consolidation of the Church. Likewise, the Clapham sect of the 18 th and 19 th centuries played a significant role in the expansion of the Church beyond the shores of Europe. Their role shows that money and political influence are good vehicles for expanding the gospel of Christ in every part of the world. This work is aimed at a espousing the role of the Clapham sect in the expansion of Christianity in the 19 th century. The aim is to use it as a guide on the best way for Christians to use their wealth and influence towards the expansion of Christianity in contemporary Nigeria. Hence, the work will apply historical method in its evaluation and interpretation. Introduction It is now history that the 18 th century Europe witnesses a rise in the evangelization zeal of Christians in fulfilling the mandate of the great commission, - to take the gospel to the end of the world.
    [Show full text]
  • The Transatlantic Slave Trade
    Raw materials (sugar, cotton, tobacco) BRISTOL NORTH EUROPE AMERICA High among these was the work of dedicated Manufactured campaigners such as Granville Sharp, Thomas The Transatlantic THE goods CARIBBEAN WEST Clarkson and William Wilberforce, who AFRICA challenged slave traders in the courts, in Parliament, at public meetings, in the press Slave Trade SOUTH AMERICA Slaves and from the pulpit. They were joined by a grass-roots movement of thousands of people from all walks of life, black and white, appalled by reports of the callous treatment Map of the slave trade routes of the slaves. Slavery has existed since ancient (Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives). Evidence of this cruelty was gathered from times and continues in the modern many British sailors came down with fever. those with first-hand experience of the trade, They would aim to reach the Caribbean by world. A slave was defined by the including Olaudah Equiano, a former slave, the end of April the following year at sugar- and John Newton, writer of ‘Amazing Grace’ United Nations in 1927 as making time. and a former captain of a slave ship. Quobna someone ‘over whom any or all of Many profited from this lucrative trade, Ottobah Cugoano, a campaigner who had the powers attached to the right which contributed to Britain becoming one been kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1770 of ownership are exercised’. of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful at the age of 13, wrote in 1787: nations. However, on 25 March 1807 the Is it not strange to think, that they who ought Slave Trade Abolition Bill was passed and The Transatlantic Slave Trade, in which to be considered as the most learned and although slavery would officially continue in European states forcibly transported millions civilised people in the world, that they should the colonies until 1834, from this point in of African captives to the colonies, began in carry on a traffic of the most barbarous time no enslaved people could be traded in earnest in the early seventeenth century and cruelty and injustice, and that many..
    [Show full text]