In this article, focusing primarily on Romans 5–8, I will explore how this gospel foundation grounds our decision-making when we face stories of suffering. I am writing primarily for those who have roles in making decisions in difficult situations, especially those in leadership or governance positions in churches, Christian schools and other Christian communities.
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‘Your truth’ and the true story: How the gospel of Christ transforms our decision-making
Moore College’s New Curriculum
Moore College launched its new curriculum at the start of the 2023 Academic Year. Moore College Principal Dr Mark Thompson unpacks the key features of the new curriculum in this new video.
Here is what he says:
‘At Moore College, we are committed to regularly reviewing what we do.
We want to keep learning. We want to keep growing. We want to keep improving and refining the training that we provide for our students. We want our students to be thoroughly equipped for ministry in today’s world.
- Same Core, But Improved Delivery
One of the things that we’ve been doing over the last few years is looking at our curriculum. We have not changed the basic core of the curriculum. People will still be studying the Old Testament in depth, and learning Hebrew. People will be studying the New Testament in depth and learning Greek. There’s theological study, and church history, and ministry, and mission, and philosophy. All of those components of our study remain in place.
But what is changing is the way in which we present that material. We have worked hard at a closer sense of integration, where theory and practice are put alongside each other, to not only understand what the Bible says, but to communicate it clearly; not only understanding what Christian theology is, but being able to think theologically about your world and about the ministry that you’re exercising.
- A New Name for the Program
Another change is simply the name of the program.
Our four-year program now has exit points at every stage. If you study for one year at Moore College, you can receive the Advanced Diploma; after second year, an Associate Degree; in third year, a Bachelor of Theology. And in fourth year, the entire program is now a joint Bachelor of Theology/Master of Theology, the BTh/ThM. We think that change will be particularly helpful for those students who go and work on the mission field where mission agencies understand and require a Master’s degree in order to do some of the work that our students are preparing to do.
- Reduced Number of Subjects
We’ve also worked hard at trying to reduce the number of subjects that a student is studying at any one time, so that they can devote themselves to the subjects that are in front of them. And so, to make that possible, we’ve had a few more intensive units placed into our curriculum. And that’s changed the nature of our weekly timetable and a few things like that. But we think that they will enable our students to focus on the things in front of them, and to study well.
Preparing Students for Ministry in today’s world
So those kinds of refinements and improvements, the integration of the developments that we have made over the last few years in Intentional Ministry Reflection and things like that, make this program something that we’re very excited about. We were of course excited about our old program, but we’re excited that this program will help produce students who are well-prepared for ministry in today’s world.’
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Unravelling virtue in an age of virtue-signalling: Dr VanDrunen’s thought-provoking talk at Moore College
Moore College’s Centre for Christian Living hosted Christian ethicist Dr David VanDrunen, from Westminster Theological Seminary in the USA, at the recent CCL event “Virtue in an age of virtue signalling”. The event was held at Moore College on the evening of Wednesday 7 June, and was attended by students, faculty and guests.
Dr VanDrunen began his talk by clarifying the concept of virtue as a habit or character trait that inclines a person to think and act in specific ways. “Virtue equals moral habits that dispose us to think, feel and act in good moral ways. It characterises the kind of person you are,” he explained.
Addressing the interconnection of virtue with intellect, Dr VanDrunen stressed, “We are thinking creatures, but sin affects our minds. If we think poorly, everything suffers.” He underscored the necessity of intellectual virtues, such as prudence, wisdom and circumspection, to reorient minds towards good.
Virtue also directs our passions or emotions, he went on to say. He explained how virtues could help us channel our feelings and reactions constructively, even when they come upon us unexpectedly. For instance, courage allows us to experience fear and respond to it in the right way.
Furthermore, he pointed out, “The way God has made us, we act according to how we think and feel. Having virtues makes doing the right thing easier, more natural, and enjoyable!”
In the second part of his talk, Dr VanDrunen highlighted the importance of virtue: “God cares not just about what we do, but about the kind of people we are,” he shared, citing examples from Proverbs and Galatians. He stressed the complicated nature of human life, which necessitates becoming virtuous people, instead of merely following rules.
The seminar included a conversation between Dr VanDrunen and CCL Director Dr Chase Kuhn, along with time for questions from the audience.
Dr Kuhn expressed gratitude for Dr VanDrunen’s valuable contributions: “We feel truly privileged to have Dr VanDrunen with us. His insights into virtue and its role in our lives have enriched our understanding and deepened our commitment to living godly lives.”
Dr VanDrunen followed his time at Moore College with talks in Canberra with federal parliamentarians and the Lachlan Macquarie Institute.
For more resources from the Centre for Christian Living, including articles, podcasts, and previous and upcoming events, please visit ccl.moore.edu.au.
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Moore PTC 2023 Graduation Celebrates God’s Work
On the evening of Friday, 26th May 2023, Moore Theological College held its graduation for the Moore PTC.
The Preliminary Theological Certificate is our long-standing non-accredited course designed to help people from all backgrounds grow in their love and knowledge of God and his word. The live event, which was also livestreamed, celebrated the successful conclusion of three different levels of PTC studies for 68 graduands and showcased the benefits of studying the Moore PTC for people of many ages and stages of life.
These dedicated students, along with many of their loved ones and well-wishers, came from far and wide, filled with love and excitement for the gospel of the Lord Jesus. Despite differing backgrounds and experiences, they were united in their desire to grow in knowledge and love of God and his Son Jesus Christ, and a desire to serve him and share his word.
The keynote speaker for the evening was the Reverend Ken Noakes, Rector of Lower Mountains Anglican Parish and long-time supporter and advocate for the Moore PTC. His address was titled, ‘The Gospel We Proclaim’. He spoke from Romans 1:1–17, reminding those present of the glories of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the privilege it is to proclaim him. He urged the graduates to use what they had learned to proclaim Christ in their own situations.
The joyous focus of the night was the conferral of awards for the completion of 3 different stages, followed by interviews of 18 graduands, who told of their experience doing the Moore PTC. Six graduands, who studied the first Level of PTC over two years at Pacific Hills Christian School, spoke with fondness of classroom PTC discussions led by their teacher, Mr Tim Dawson. Michelle Dallimore, now a semi-retired teacher, had done four PTC units in 1989 at the encouragement of her Christian school. Now semi-retired and leading a Bible study group, Michelle restarted PTC with her church, more than 30 years later. She said ‘[…PTC has] helped me have confidence finding answers in God’s word and where to look in God’s word, just to pull things together more succinctly.’
Graduand Philip Trigge noted one of the major recurring themes of the night was that ‘you are never too old to learn’. Glen Wang said that God had been ‘nudging’ him to study the PTC for 20 years. ‘It was not until the last couple of years, I finally decided that it was time to start taking ownership of learning about God’. One outcome has been Glen’s ‘awareness of the realisation of how much I need Jesus’. One graduand, Vanessa Padgett, mentioned that PTC had given her a ‘sounder theological base’ which even impacts her song leading ministry at church.
Penny Dempster, a primary teacher who had travelled from Darwin to receive her Level 3 award, noted that PTC has helped her ’embed the word of God’ in her classroom teaching programs at her Christian School. It was a delight to have Carolyn Anetter, who does not have the privilege of hearing, share how the PTC has helped develop her understanding of the word of God so that she can live in a godly way. Oisin Friel, who has completed his final PTC award, said the PTC had supplemented what he’d heard from the pulpit and his Bible study and that it had ‘whetted my appetite for more’. Since completing the PTC, he has done a chaplaincy course and is now volunteering as a chaplain at his former hospital workplace, as well as enjoying Spurgeon’s sermons daily.
‘Moore PTC graduation nights are always a joyous occasion’, said the Rev Dr Lionel Windsor, the Academic Director of the Moore PTC. ‘Not only do we rejoice in the achievements of these outstanding men and women, but we also delight in witnessing God’s work in equipping individuals with a deeper understanding of God and his word. Moore PTC students can be found all over Australia, including NSW, the ACT, Victoria, Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia. This evening we had an attendee all the way from Darwin – and several graduands from even further afield joined us on the livestream!’ This formal, wonderful work in shaping the lives of individuals through his word.
As the hymn Be Thou My Vision filled the hall, the audience and graduates finished the evening with thankful hearts for God’s work in and through the Moore PTC.
A recording of the event is available here:
Moore College gives thanks for the life and ministry of Tim Keller
Christians all over the world are indebted to the ministry of Tim Keller, the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. A gifted preacher, insightful apologist, tireless encourager of others, Keller was called home by his Lord on Friday 19 May 2023.
We at Moore College are saddened by his loss but deeply grateful for his ministry. Tim Keller modelled careful, intelligent engagement with those caught up in the confusion of what some have labelled the “post-Christian age”. He understood their questions, commitments and concerns and with consummate skill demonstrated how the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ provided better answers than those they had embraced.
Tim was keen to see the gospel lived out with a concern for justice and compassion. As a result, the ministries he started during his 28 year service at Redeemer Presbyterian covered a wide range of activities. Very significantly, he was one of the founders of The Gospel Coalition and helped to draft its foundation documents. His was a powerful and influential voice in the contemporary religious landscape.
We are thankful to Tim for his faithfulness and to our God for calling him and providing him with opportunities to use his extraordinary gifts for the benefit of others all around the world. Many have been profoundly shaped as they have read his books, listened to his sermons in person or online, or been practically helped by one of the ministries for which he was ultimately responsible.
We pray especially at this time for his wife Kathy and their three sons as they grieve their husband and father in the knowledge that the man they loved was loved by many others throughout the world and most of all by his God and Saviour.
Here are two articles paying tribute to Tim Keller from those who knew him well:
- Don Carson pays tribute to Tim Keller (by Don Carson)
- I met my hero, Tim Keller (by Collin Hansen)
Where does Mark end? Handling snakes and ancient manuscripts.
The majority of surviving Greek manuscripts include Mark 16:9–20 at the end of the Gospel, and the majority of Christians throughout church history have received these verses as God’s word. Nevertheless, both external and internal evidence suggest that Mark likely ended his Gospel at verse 8, however abrupt the conclusion may seem. Externally, the earliest Greek manuscripts omit the longer ending, and a key early witness weighs against it. Internally, the shorter ending offers the more difficult conclusion and, therefore, the more likely reading. Either way, nothing in the longer ending contradicts the other Gospels, and Christians may still read the material as helpful commentary, even if not as inspired Scripture.
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