Dr Paul Allen

English: The inside of an Orthodox church. Greek Orthodox Church. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Jeremiah 6:1–15 “They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace” ( v. 14 ). Throughout history men have appeared who would become famous for seeking peace at any price. Perhaps the greatest twentieth-century example of such a figure is the British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain who in 1938 proclaimed that he had achieved “peace in our time” with Adolf Hitler even as he was preparing to unleash his blitzkrieg on Europe. Chamberlain’s aversion to hostility was so great that Hitler played him for a fool. Conflict is something that most people, when given the opportunity, try to avoid. Peace is so desirable that significant differences between individuals and groups are often ignored, and unity is sought under the lowest common denominator. When peace is sought under these auspices, it can be easy to ignore the importance of truth altoge

The Third Station (1024x768) (Photo credit: jdwarrick ) John 17 “ Holy Father , keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one” ( v. 11b ). John 17 , which records the longest prayer in the New Testament , provides some of the most important teaching on the church. As we can see in this chapter, Jesus is concerned with the unity of His people, praying for His disciples and all those who come after them to be one in purpose and mission even as He and His Father are one ( vv. 11b , 22–23 ). It is therefore regrettable that the church of Jesus Christ in our day evidences little visible unity. There are hundreds of different Protestant denominations , including dozens of varieties each of Presbyterians , Baptists, Lutherans , and so on. Faced with this scandalous reality, there has been a tendency in the twentieth century and now, in the twenty-first century, to try and correct this problem. As a result of the ecumenical movement, many new

Jesus giving the Farewell discourse to his eleven remaining disciples, from the Maesta by Duccio, 1308-1311. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) John 17 “ Holy Father , keep them in your name, which you have given me, that  they may be one, even as we are one” (v. 11b). Our study of Matthew 18 now complete, we have seen how the church is to exhibit pastoral concern, guard the church’s holiness, and readmit to communion all those who, though they have broken fellowship, turn from their sins and seek restoration. Before returning to Matthew’s gospel , however, we need to look at the nature of the church in order to understand why discipline and forgiveness are needed to preserve the purity of the church.  John 17, which records the longest prayer in the New Testament , provides some of the most important teaching on the church. As we can see in this chapter, Jesus is concerned with the unity of His people, praying for His disciples and all those who come after them to be one in

Jesus is considered by scholars such as Weber to be an example of a charismatic religious leader. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) John 17 “ Holy Father , keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one” ( v. 11b ). According to  Matthew 18 , we can see how the church is to exhibit pastoral concern, guard the church’s holiness, and readmit to communion all those who, though they have broken fellowship, turn from their sins and seek restoration. However, we need to look at the nature of the church in order to understand why discipline and forgiveness are needed to preserve the purity of the church. John 17 , which records the longest prayer in the New Testament , provides some of the most important teaching on the church. As we can see in this chapter, Jesus is concerned with the unity of His people, praying for His disciples and all those who come after them to be one in purpose and mission even as He and His Father are one ( vv. 11b , 22–23 ).