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Bishop Graham
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26 Jan, 2011 07:58 AM
Previously St Laurence School Bradford on Avon wrote:
What is the role of angels in your opinion?
Angels are spirits and messengers of God. In the Scriptures, there tends to be particular moments of focus for angels eg the vision of Isaiah in chapter 6 and the birth of Christ in Matthew and Luke. They worship God and delight in that and also rejoice when people come to faith in him - see the parables in Luke 15.
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Fourth live discussion Wed 19 January 2011, St Laurence School, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
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Bishop Graham
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19 Jan, 2011 11:21 AM
Previously St Laurence School Bradford on Avon wrote:
For some people, their God-given ability to reason and think rationally prevents them from believeing in God, so why does he give them this ability?
Thanks. But is it 'reason' or 'rationality' that prevents people from believing in God, or are there other factors? I think there are many others, such as circumstances in the family, social context, people's character, the mess the Church has sometimes made etc. Yes, God does give us minds to think through things, but faith is at the heart of a relationship with God.
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Fourth live discussion Wed 19 January 2011, St Laurence School, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
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Bishop Graham
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19 Jan, 2011 11:07 AM
Previously St Laurence School Bradford on Avon wrote:
Previously Bishop Graham wrote:
I am greatly looking forward to our fourth live discussion this coming Wednesday 19 January 2011 at the usual time of 11.00-11.30am. This week it will be with sixth formers at St Laurence School, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire.
If despite people worshipping God, natural evil such as earthquakes and hurricanes occur, then what is the point of praying for help?
Thanks. Prayer puts us in touch with God. It is about this relationship: so even when prayer seems not be answered, it really is still worth persisting in prayer which keep us in touch with God. For the question of natural evil, see my answer in the Gillingham school thread.
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Fourth live discussion Wed 19 January 2011, St Laurence School, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
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Bishop Graham
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19 Jan, 2011 11:24 AM
Previously St Laurence School Bradford on Avon wrote:
If God has a plan for our lives, and is all knowing and all powerful, do we really have free will? i.e. If God knows what we are going to choose, do we have a choice?
Thanks. This is a mystery and your question is well put. I deeply believe that these three things do exist, and the gift of free will is essential to humanity - otherwise we would be mere puppets. God is not a puppet-master. Only a free will allows a response of love to love, which is longed for by God. He does not force, but guides and leads and encourages and waits for a response in love.
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Fourth live discussion Wed 19 January 2011, St Laurence School, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
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Bishop Graham
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09 Mar, 2011 11:52 AM
Previously Canford wrote:
There are so many religions. How do we know that Christianity is the right one?
thanks. It more to do with Christ being unique rather than Christianity being right. Lots of things have happened in the name of Christianity eg Apartheid in South Africa , which are awful. But Christ is unique. No one else has claimed to forgive sins etc (see above) and led such an integrated life. To follow this huge question up further, if you wish, have a look here , 'Jesus Christ, Salvation and People of Other Faiths.'
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Ninth live discussion Wed 9 March 2011, Canford School, Wimborne, Dorset.
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Bishop Graham
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09 Mar, 2011 11:16 AM
Previously Canford wrote:
Good morning! We are in the classroom and ready to start when you are..!
Hi. Looking forward to your questions.
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Ninth live discussion Wed 9 March 2011, Canford School, Wimborne, Dorset.
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Bishop Graham
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09 Mar, 2011 11:26 AM
Previously Canford wrote:
Do you believe all the stories in the bible?
thanks. I believe that God wants to have in the bible what is in the bible, but the style of literature is very important to decide how to interpret the stories. parables are parables - eg the good samaritan is a parable rather than historical fact, but a great teaching story. I believe that the early chapters of Genesis are not historical fact or scientific but great truths about God and people.
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Ninth live discussion Wed 9 March 2011, Canford School, Wimborne, Dorset.
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Bishop Graham
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09 Mar, 2011 11:54 AM
Previously Canford wrote:
why if God created all the planets, there is no life on Mars, saturn and others? This is probably the last question today as we have to go to our next lesson. thank you so much for your time. We will log in again to see the other answers.
Thanks. God is God and he creates life. There may well be life in other parts of God's amazing universe - and it would be fun to learn about it. I reckon that the universe is much bigger and more complex than we can imagine. Same about God really.
thanks for all your deep questions.
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Ninth live discussion Wed 9 March 2011, Canford School, Wimborne, Dorset.
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Bishop Graham
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09 Mar, 2011 11:35 AM
Previously Canford wrote:
Do you believe that Jesus will come back down to earth? and linked to that....why hasn't Jesus come back down to from earth from heaven after he had been brought back to life?
Thanks. I believe that God will bring the history of the universe to a climax one day - no idea when it will be - and that that will involve the coming again of Jesus Christ. The is a lot of wonderful imagery about that event in the bible. The whole universe will be receated then - new heavens and new earth is the imagery. Jesus has not yet returned because we are in the period of sharing God's good news with all people everywhere.
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Ninth live discussion Wed 9 March 2011, Canford School, Wimborne, Dorset.
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Bishop Graham
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last modified
09 Mar, 2011 11:31 AM
Previously Canford wrote:
Do you believe in evolution?
thanks. Yes, but in theistic evolution ie that God creates humans and animals through the process of evolution.
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Ninth live discussion Wed 9 March 2011, Canford School, Wimborne, Dorset.
