My friend Jack recently gave me a copy of What God has made clean... by John Richardson. The sub-title sums up the issue: “...if we can eat prawns, why is gay sex wrong?” In it he argues for the continuing validity of the Old Testament prohibitions against homosexuality, even though the food laws have been abrogated.
Although I agree with his conclusions absolutely, his method of deriving them is not totally convincing. He rejects the distinctions the Westminster Confession and 39 Articles make between moral, civil, and ceremonial law. But he finds that he still has to divide up the Mosaic law code, so for reasons not really specified, he opts for moral, 'cultic' and 'cultural' law. He – quite correctly – want to see all OT law as fulfilled in Christ, but it's important to remember that fulfillment does not necessarily negate continuing validity. My own position is that Jesus perfectly obeyed all of God's law on my behalf, and so I am delivered from its penalty, but not released from the obligations of the moral law.
Richardson also has some interesting things to say about sex, interacting with Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury.
One of the great things about this book are the helpful side-bars containing summaries and questions, including this delightful one:
"What is above all things is so masculine that we are all feminine in relation to it." Is this statement by C. S. Lewis profound wisdom or profound nonsense?
It's my nephew's birthday today. Happy birthday Marc!
I finished another assignment yesterday, which leaves only two more - both due next Friday.
Exams start in two weeks from today! I'll be all done on the 17th of November, and then catch the boat to Tassie ten days later.
I have a body double! In the last few days I've had two independent witnesses tell me I look like Hamish. Hamish, if you're out there, get in touch...
I'll be supply preaching at Montrose Presbyterian Church over the summer, so if you're in the area (northern suburbs of Hobart), feel free to pop in. It's on the corner of Islington Rd and Walker St, and the service is at 10am.
Top Deck ice-cream is really nice.
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