dCyPl's Discipleship

Phillip Jensen of the Sydney Anglican Diocese has been nominated to give the 2005 Boyer Lectures. This prestigeous series is aimed at stimulating debate on topical issues.... this year, it seems to be Christianity.

For those of you outside the limited sphere of influence displayed by Australia on the world stage, Phillip Jensen is one of conservative envangelical Christianities greatest proponents, causing great strife among liberal and traditional anglicans alike. He is regularly interviewed on anything religious, and seems to represent a faction of Anglicanism more akin to an independant evangelical standpoint.


At this site it is possible to listen to streaming audio of the speeches, or read transcripts.

His comments, as always, have given rise to a flurry of comments in the Australian blogsphere, (and elsewhere).

He states in one of his speeches....

DO YOU want this world to end, and a new one to begin? Rather surprisingly, the Australian Parliament begins proceedings with such a prayer. It goes something like this: "Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation."

and ends the speech with the following....

So, pray on, Federal Parliament; you have got it right. You are praying both for the kingdom of God to be manifest at the end of history, and inside history: your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven, asks the Speaker. You are praying for God's justice, both now, and then. Your prayer assumes that good things from the future kingdom have begun to grow in this world. The kingdom has been introduced into the historical process, as Jesus claimed.
In fact, many have been inspired to political and social transformation by the ideals of the kingdom which Jesus said was both present and future. Both of our great political traditions in this country are inspired to some extent by Jesus and His kingdom.

My mind isn't made up yet on the issues of politicians as Christians.... It's difficult to be humble and above reproach in the position.... but they start their procedings witht the Lord's Prayer? Do even a small minority of them believe it? Is it just part of the tradition? Hopefully this series of speeches, played on National radio, available online as audio files and full transcripts, and excerpted in National Newspapers such as the Sydney Morning Herald; hopefully this will get people thinking... hopefully they can see the real Jesus of the Gospels, not the one they imagine Him to be.

Whether you agree with Phillip Jensen's methods or his particular beliefs... the core of his belief is the true gospel, he believes in the Jesus presented clearly in the gospels and the epistles, Jesus, the Son of God.
Lets pray for a god-centred discussion forming from this series of speeches.