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14 Dec, 2011 11:37 AM
Previously St Edwards Poole wrote:
Do you think war will ever stop?
Thanks. One day at the climax of history, when God remakes the whole universe, yes. till then, sadly not. But we need to be peace makers now.
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Thirteenth Live Discussion Wed 14 Dec 2011, 11.30-12.00: St Edward's RC and C of E School, Poole
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Bishop Graham
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last modified
14 Dec, 2011 12:06 PM
Previously St Edwards Poole wrote:
can you explain the main principles in situation ethics?
Thanks. Sort of. It depends on your situation - where's the smiley gone? Lost it... Basically, situation ethics focuses not so much on fixed rules and laws, but insists on adapting these to context, sometimes overuling rules - if you see what I mean - by context. I think context is very important in the whole of Christian life, but I also believe that key rules are cross cultural and sometimes counter cultural eg love your enemies is the most counter cultural thing Jesus said. Bonhoeffer, the great German theologian, wrestled with Do not murder, but in the end joined in the plot to assassinate Hitler (which, btw, failed). That could be seen as an example of situation ethics, with which I agree.
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Thirteenth Live Discussion Wed 14 Dec 2011, 11.30-12.00: St Edward's RC and C of E School, Poole
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Bishop Graham
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14 Dec, 2011 07:37 AM
Previously Abbeyfield School wrote:
Paul wrote: 'Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband has authority over his wife just as the Christ has authority over the Church.' (Ephesians 5:21) This implies that women are lesser than men. There are many stories in the Bible where females are very much the woman behind the central man in the story. However, the Bible also says, 'God created man in his own image... male and female, he created them.' (Genesis 1:27). This implies that all people are equal. How can two contrasting views exist in the Bible? Does this make you question the credibility of the Bible? Which view do you agree with?
Thanks. Great question. Women and men are designed to be equal - both are created in the image of God (Gen 1) and both are recreated in the image of Christ (Galatians 3:28). Sadly, there is sin in the world, and this leads to inequality. Women and men are different - thank goodness - in many ways. The teaching of the Bible develops throughout its period of writing and Jesus's attitude to women - of respect and welcome - is crucial.
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Twelfth live discussion Wed 16 November 2011, Abbeyfield School, Chippenham, Wilitshire.
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16 Nov, 2011 11:19 AM
Previously Abbeyfield School wrote:
Is it possible for God to make an object too heavy to lift? Can he lift it?
Thanks. Great conundrum! God can make anything, but can't deny his character. He doesn't lift things himself, since he is spirit and does't have arms and legs.
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Twelfth live discussion Wed 16 November 2011, Abbeyfield School, Chippenham, Wilitshire.
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Bishop Graham
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last modified
16 Nov, 2011 11:39 AM
Previously Abbeyfield School wrote:
Why do you think God lets evil exist? Do you think it is part of soul-making and evil makes us better people?
Thanks. God does not want evil to exist, but wants us to respond to him in love. For love to be genuine, it has to be freely given. If there is freedom, then people can choose evil rather than good. Therefore, having evil is - if you see what I mean - a lesser 'evil' than not having freedom. Ireneaus, and following him, John Hick (in recent times) have written about life as the valley of soul making. This works to some extent. Muscles grow through use and moving against pressure. People can learn from suffering and suffering sadly also turns many people away from life. I can only point to the cross and there we see God initmately involved in the suffering in his own world.
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Twelfth live discussion Wed 16 November 2011, Abbeyfield School, Chippenham, Wilitshire.
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Bishop Graham
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last modified
16 Nov, 2011 11:16 AM
Previously Abbeyfield School wrote:
What are your views on homosexuality? Surely living in a multi-cultural society where the church is less influential on peoples beliefs has to affect how you feel about it? Do you think as times are changing that you are becoming more accepting towards it, and understand that it is a part of society - or do you feel just as opposed about it as ever?
I person a lly think the Bishop s Guidelines in the Church of Engl a nd, 'Issues in Hum a n Sexu a lity', form a good a nd b a l a nced reference point. These st a te th a t those who a re g a y in their sexu a l orient a tion a nd wish to be vic a rs a re welcome to be vic a rs but should be celib a te. They do not s a y the s a me a bout l a y people in the church ie th a t they h a ve to be celib a te. In a ll professions, le a ders a re held to be more a ccount a ble th a n others: judges a nd police h a ve to h a ve a higher st a nd a rd of l a w keeping th a n others; te a chers h a ve to h a ve a higher st a nd a rd of beh a viour with young people th a n others; simil a rly a cccount a nts concerning fin a nci a l integrity. So, the a bove distinction between vic a rs a nd l a y people seems to m a ke sense to me. It is a lso worth looking a t P a ul's First Letter to Timothy ch a pter 3, where he s a ys le a ders should be the husb a nd of one wife ie there were cle a rly people with more th a n one wife in the congreg a tion, but those could not be le a ders.
Oliver O'Donov a n h a s written a fine book, ' A Convers a tion W a iting to Begin: The Churches a nd the G a y Controversy' (SCM Press, 2009)
http://www.scmpress.co.uk/bookdet a ils. a sp?ISBN=9780334042105
This is a book of his online ess a ys which m a y be seen here
http://www.fulcrum- a nglic a n.org.uk/p a ge.cfm?ID=130
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Twelfth live discussion Wed 16 November 2011, Abbeyfield School, Chippenham, Wilitshire.
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Bishop Graham
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last modified
14 Dec, 2011 07:42 AM
Previously Abbeyfield School wrote:
When you think of God, what image do you have of him? Is he male or female?
Thanks. Neither. He is God and God is beyond gender. Sure, in using language we need to have a personal pronoun and 'He' is traditional, but that does not make God male. Jesus of Nazareth was and is - now glorified - male (as well as Jewish) and he taught us to pray to God as 'Father', but there are also 'mother' images of God in the Bible eg 'as a hen gathers her chicks so...' I've experimented with 'she' language for the Holy Spirit in the following, just to explore the difference in language. http://www.fulcrum-anglican.org.uk/?434
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Twelfth live discussion Wed 16 November 2011, Abbeyfield School, Chippenham, Wilitshire.
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Bishop Graham
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23 Oct, 2011 03:01 PM
I am greatly looking forward to our twelfth live discussion on Wednesday 16 November 2011 with sixth formers from Abbeyfield School , Chippenham, between 11.00 and 11.30am.
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Twelfth live discussion Wed 16 November 2011, Abbeyfield School, Chippenham, Wilitshire.
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Bishop Graham
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last modified
16 Nov, 2011 11:47 AM
Previously Abbeyfield School wrote:
One of God's many attributes is being all good. However, in the Bible, the story of Abraham shows that God can make someone sacrifice their own son, and then stop him. It also says to stone homosexuals. If God cannot lie, how can he lie to Abraham? If he is all good, how can he say to stone homosexuals? How can he even allow Abraham to kill his own son?
Thanks. In the story of Abraham and his young son Isaac, God did not - in fact - make him sacrifice his own son. He told him to offer him as a sacrifice, - and Abraham could have refused - but in the end God provided a different sacrifice. This is a very deep, mysterious story, which also relates to Romans 8:31 and 32 concerning Jesus. Jews and Christians have pondered its depths for centuries. David Ford's book 'Christian Wisdom' considers it in particular. The text says, Gen 22:1 that God tested Abraham and he came through that test. As to the Old Testament commands to stone homosexuals, have a look at my article 'Dont Throw Stones: Deuteronomy and the Prodigal Son' http://www.fulcrum-anglican.org.uk/?251
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Twelfth live discussion Wed 16 November 2011, Abbeyfield School, Chippenham, Wilitshire.
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Bishop Graham
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last modified
16 Nov, 2011 11:03 AM
Previously Abbeyfield School wrote:
Do you believe that GOD is benevolent even when there's so much evil and suffering in this world ?
Yes. The strange thing is that God is all powerful and all loving (benevolent) and yet evil and suffering exists. I believe in all these three things. Can't explain it, and can only point to the cross of Christ which shows that God, in Christ, is deeply involved in the suffering of his world and doesn't just sit on the edge of the universe and twiddle his thumbs. He is deeply involved.
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Twelfth live discussion Wed 16 November 2011, Abbeyfield School, Chippenham, Wilitshire.
