The Lampstand Magazine – “don’t add or detract from this book”

Oh the irony.  The Lampstand Magazine and it’s principal backers have been instrumental in promulgating additional ‘explanatory statements’ to existing Christadelphian creeds.  Yet in the March 2020 edition (Vol 26#2) they decry such activity.  bro Brian Luke has an article entitled “The Last Appeal of our Lord”.  The article is the second in a series decrying open fellowship and emphasising the need for pure doctrine & practice.

7,200 year old mudbrick village which survived the Flood is washing away in rain

In and around Israel it is not unknown to see old brick contructions which are over 10,000 years old.  Jericho for example.  We wonder how these things survived a global flood but current heavy rains are washing them away!  Read the article here for a host of practices interesting sites and insights.  Of course it might be hard going for literal creation types.  Sorry.

The pathway to unity – Enfield Bible class 12 February 2020

Having considered the relevance of Robert Robert’s article “General Principles and Uncertain Details”, and largely used it to set up an attack on evolutionary creationists, the second and final Bible class at Enfield in the series was called “The pathway to unity”. It was a thinly veiled swing at evolutionary creationists and a call for accommodation of them to be abandoned.

True principles & uncertain details – an Enfield Bible class

As part of their ongoing agitation against the evident facts which contradict their reading of Genesis, the Enfield ecclesia in SA recently ran two bible classes. The first was based around Robert Roberts 1898 Christadelphian Magazine article “True Principles and Uncertain Details” – a great article worth reading. While Robert’s article was covered, the class was also setting up a belting of evolutionary creation.

Reply to The Lampstand Magazine on “Fellowship & the Statement of Faith (Part 1)”

Bro. James Mansfield’s recent article in The Lampstand entitled ‘Biblical Fellowship and the Importance of the Statement of Faith’ [Vol 26.1] has merit, but falls short in a number of ways. This response is intended as constructive criticism rather than a refutation.

A 7,000 year old well

Archaeologists in the Czech republic have uncovered the oldest wooden structure ever found – an old wooden well.  Built in the Neolithic period the age of the artefact was confirmed generally by the pottery styles and specifically by dendrochronology (tree rings) and carbon dating.  The tree ring record enabled the scientists to estimate the season in which the wood was cut.

A pattern of suppression

Also since the publication of the First Edition, a tendency, already evident, to create confusion and division within the community by censure, boycott, and other forms of hostile activity, has grown even more marked. This could not be ignored. Any who favour such suppressive activity could well be reminded of the sentiments expressed by the brother whose views they profess to follow. When he had to endure a campaign of denigration he wrote in “EUREKA: An Exposition of the Apocalypse” the following timely words:

“Great efforts were made to suppress both the author and his writings, till at length they so far succeeded as to prevent their flocks from reading them and listening to his discourse. Alas, for any people reduced by crafty and designing men to such a case! How can the truth enter those whose eyes and ears are closed?” (John Thomas, Eureka II, page 668)

So wrote Alfred Norris in the introduction to his 1983 book “Apocalypse for Everyman: Answers to critics”.  Bro Alfred espoused an alternative interpretation of Revelation.  His comments on the reaction and behaviour of the “defenders of the faith” sounds familiar.  True faith shouldn’t be threatened by discussing hard questions, nor should its adherents need to supress exploration and debate.