october 2007 Lessons from history Iain Murray • Addiction • Darwin’s dogma GAA At The Coalface An introduction to Christian Presbyterian Eldership Education $6.60 Including 5 studies on 1 Timothy Resource Making Friends Centre for Life A workbook for friendship evangelism PTC Media, 10 studies in Philippians 684 Elgar Road, $8.50 Box Hill North 3129 Phone: 0400 880 515 The best selling Email: ptcmedia@ Westminster presbyteriancollege.org Confession of Faith for the (Please make all 21st Century — cheques payable to the Presbyterian Study Edition Church of Victoria) $15 + $3.50 pp — prepared by DJW Milne, Principal of PTC Melbourne. The Six Pack: for Sessions/Bible study groups 6 copies for $100 posted October 2007 No. 597 HISTORY’S LESSONS Fort Knox: Iain Murray . 4 Influential Scot: Mairi Harman . 10 editorial Hebridean hero: Peter Barnes . 12 s the study of history worthwhile? There has been no shortage of cynics who have questioned its value. Henry REFLECTION Ford is famous for his assertion that “history is bunk ”, while Voltaire demonstrated his jaundiced view of the We’re all addicts: Richard Phillips . 14 Ipast with his claim “that history is a pack of tricks that we play upon the dead ”. Others give nodding agreement to George BIBLE STUDY Hegel’s belief that the only thing that history teaches is that people and their leaders have learned nothing from history. If 20:20 vision Ford and his ilk are right, then the task of historical enquiry is 20 Bible studies in Psalms 79-89 and 2 Peter . 15 a fruitless exercise which yields nothing of lasting value. Fortunately, not everyone has succumbed to such despair NEWS about history. George Ladd reminds us that “the uniqueness of the Christian religion rests in the mediation of revelation 21 Across Australia . through historical events ”. Clearly, in Ladd’s mind, the fact Around the World . 22 that God broke into our world in the incarnation of Christ is confirmation that history, especially those events involving 24 On the Agenda . God’s work of redemption, is enormously important. Other Christian scholars have endorsed this view, albeit CHURCH for various reasons. Augustine saw history as a valuable disci - Church recycling: Barney Zwartz . 26 pline because it vindicated the historical events upon which Christianity is based. Bede believed that history had a didac - CULTURE WATCH tic function and helped believers to make better decisions and to act more honourably. Darwin’s dogma: Michael Ireland . 27 Earlier, of course, the apostle Paul told the Corinthians that learning from the mistakes of others through the study BOOKS . 28 of history is a lot cheaper and less painful than making them ourselves (1 Corinthians 10:6, 11). He later informed the Too Wise to be Mistaken, Too Good to be Unkind: Cathy Steere church in Rome that history was meant for “our learning” My Seventh Monsoon: Naomi Reed (Romans 15:4). While modern historians are sometimes reluctant to mine Let Christ be Magnified: J. H. Merle d’Aubigne the past for contemporary spiritual guidance, Christian his - An Exposition of the Epistle of St Paul to the Colossians: torians of previous ages have shown no such hesitation. In this issue of AP we share their optimism that we have much John Davenant to learn from other periods of church history. For one thing, we can discover particular principles which will help us to PRAYER . 30 spread the power and the influence of the gospel throughout our nation once again . Further, history serves to remind us LETTERS . 31 that in an age where the influence of the church has been mar - ginalised , the way forward is to “Remember the height from ESSAY which you have fallen !” (Revelation 2:5). ap Alone before God: Peter Barnes . 32 Peter Hastie THE AUSTRALIAN PRESBYTERIAN (ABN 81 498 399 755) : The national magazine of the Presbyterian Church of Australia. Editorial committee: Peter Hastie (NSW) Themes Editor; Barney Zwartz (Victoria) Production; Stuart Bonnington (West Australia) News Editor; Peter Hastie (NSW), World News Editor. Graphic Design: Sandra Joynt for A&J Moody Design: www.ajmd.com.au. Advertising and subscription inquiries: Michael Timmins, PO Box 375, Kilsyth 3137; Phone: (03) 9723 9684. Subscription: $38.50 a year inc. GST; bulk (etc) $35.20 each inc. GST. Office: PO Box 375, Kilsyth 3137. Phone: (03) 9723 9684. Fax: (03) 9723 9685. Email: [email protected] Printed by Adept Mail & Print Services, Boronia, Vic. Published: Monthly except January by the National Journal Committee of the Presbyterian Church of Australia; Convener Peter Hastie. Opinions expressed are those of the contributor and not necessarily those of the PCA, the editor or the committee. Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement. Contributions: Submitted articles are welcome. The deadline is the first of the previous month. Donations are always welcome. Print Post approved 34918100384. www.ap.presbyterian.org.au AUSTRALIAN PRESBYTERIAN October 2007 • 3 HISTORY ’ S LESSONS Fort Knox The Scottish tradition provides a titanic legacy. he Rev . Iain Murray was born in vast amount that we can learn when we Lancashire, England, in 1931, edu - Iain Murray plunge into old books . One of the things cated in the Isle of Man and at the talks to I have discovered from reading literature University of Durham , and from earlier periods is that where there Tentered the Christian ministry in 1955. Peter Hastie has been great spiritual blessing and He served as an assistant to Dr Martyn power in former times, Christians have Lloyd-Jones at Westminster Chapel history and their relevance for today. usually written lots of books about it. This (1956-59), at Grove Chapel, London is certainly the case with respect to (1961-69) , and St Giles Presbyterian Iain, you say in your book, A Scottish Scotland . Church, Hurstville, in NSW (1981-84). Christian Heritage , that you have Although Iain remains a member of the been significantly influenced by the What is it that’s peculiar about old Presbyterian Church of Australia under reading of Scottish Christian books. books as opposed to new ones? I the Presbytery of Sydney South, he How important is the reading of old mean, somebody could say “Well, the presently lives with his wife, Jean, in books, especially Scottish ones? newer books have the advantage of Colinton, Edinburgh. Iain has a prolific It’s been my experience that while being able to process much of the writing ministry and for many years recent books are extremely valuable, older older literature. Wouldn’t it be more served as the editor of the Banner of ones play a vital role in giving us a broader beneficial to read the newer books?” Truth. He also engages in extensive con - perspective on the whole history of the It’s true that a book is not necessarily ference ministry around the world, partic - gospel and the church. The problem is better because it ’s old. In the past there ularly to pastors and Christian leaders. that contemporary Christian thought is were lots of inferior books so it would be Iain has written a number of significant largely influenced by what we have seen wrong to say , “ I just want to read old books on the Christian life and church and experienced in our own day. If we are books ”. Further, we need to remember history. He is respected for his perceptive to overcome this limitation , we need to that human knowledge and insights have insights on past and modern spiritual get into another era that gives us tests , been developing over time , so that as his - trends within the church. His most recent standards and examples that stretch our tory moves on we can expect to discover book, A Scottish Christian Heritage , minds so that we can assess the present by more. explores key chapters in Scottish church the standards of another age. So, there is a We know that in different periods of 4 • AUSTRALIAN PRESBYTERIAN October 2007 church history God has revealed certain tury because biographies are a much later isn’t it? It leaves a definite mark on us . aspects of biblical truth with increasing development. Certainly, until the 18th clarity . So the Reformation , for example, century there were very few biographies Why is John Knox such a controver - rediscovered the great truths of justifica - or autobiographies in print. David sial figure these days? I mean, tion by faith, the priesthood of all believ - Brainerd’s Life , which was printed in 1758 , although he did so much for Scotland ers, and the doctrines of grace. The was one of the first Christian biographies. they have built a church car-park over Puritan period, with its emphasis on his grave at St Giles Cathedral! experimental Christianity, was particularly Is Scottish church history special in a I recently gave an address on John interested in the nature of true conver - way that other church history is not? Knox to some young people in sion. Puritans were concerned that many I mean, why have you specifically Edinburgh, and unbeknown to me there people who thought they were Christians chosen Scottish church history? was a lecturer from the university present. weren’t really converted at all . So, they In my preface to A Scottish Christian As soon as I had finished he was on his explored the question, “what is real con - Heritage I say that what makes Scottish feet claiming that Knox had persecuted version? What are the evidences of it? church history so valuable is not some - the Catholics. Naturally, it is impossible What is the difference between a real thing distinc - to consider Knox apart from his relations assurance and a false one? ” In that area , tively Scottish, to the Catholic Church.