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Last Thursday (March 27th) I returned from a busy but blessed week in Melbourne. I had been asked to speak at the annual Ministers Conference of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria held at the Presbyterian Theological College at Box Hill, a suburb of Melbourne. It entailed me delivering four (eventually 5 – an extra session was added) addresses to a group of around 50-60 ministers and students for the ministry. The weekend before the conference I was also able to present a seminar on 2 Thessalonians and preach twice at the South Yarra Presbyterian Church. The enterprising and energetic pastor of that church, Stuart Bonnington, became a good friend in the course of the week.
There were a number of things that made the trip memorable, but one thing stands out as a special highlight. It was the inspiring opening address of the Ministers’ Conference delivered by Professor Douglas Milne, Principal of the Theological College. In recent years it has become a custom for Professor Milne to launch the Conference with a keynote address. Participants look forward to these addresses eagerly. After hearing this year’s address, I can understand why.
Professor Milne based his remarks on the 12th chapter of Luke’s gospel, especially verses 54-56. He spoke about the uniqueness of the times introduced by Jesus’ coming and the failure of the vast majority of people to recognize what was happening. Jesus’ coming, he said, was the central event in history, the event that “illumines all times”. With his coming Jesus inaugurated the everlasting Kingdom of God. All that happens in world history needs to be seen in that light.
From this platform, Professor Milne moved on to ask how this fact helps us understand our own times. And in particular, how does it help us understand two striking characteristics of our times – the spread of militant Islam in the West, and the explosion of evangelical Christianity in the South? Here’s how Professor Milne interpreted these phenomena.
First, he sees the upsurge of militant, Islamic Jihad movements – especially since September 11th – as God’s discipline upon a decadent western culture. Part of the aggression of Islamic movements is a response to the threatening effect of western decadence on their own culture. Globalization is exposing the Muslim East to the moral corruption of the West, provoking an indignant and hostile response. While this is not all that lies behind Islamic aggression, it is nevertheless a factor in it. And the resulting militancy can be considered as a tool God is using to judge the West - including a worldly church in the West - much as Assyria and other pagan nations were his agents for chastening apostate Israel.
Second, Professor Milne saw the explosion of evangelical Christianity in the southern hemisphere as a powerful demonstration of the continuing spread of Christ’s kingdom in the world today. The Lord Jesus is building his church, gathering it from nations such as Africa, Asia and South America, nations deprived of gospel light for long periods in the past. Significantly, three factors in the developing church make resemble the Christianity of the first century. The first is its suffering – many members of the growing church in the regions noted have to endure acute suffering for their faith. Second, the expanding church of the South is growing especially among the poor, just as it did in first century times. Then thirdly, just like the early church, it has a strong emphasis on supernaturalism. So striking is the resemblance with the Christianity of apostolic times that one recent writer speaks of how the church in these regions has helped him “see Christianity for the first time.”
How are we to respond to these two major movements? Professor Milne challenged us to do so in two ways. First, we ought to recognize humbly that the church in the West is indeed decadent and in need of chastening. This is not to condone Islamic aggression, but to acknowledge that Islamic moral outrage is not without cause. Second, we ought make a deliberate point to redirect our attention to the church of the South and be prepared to learn from it. In particular, as Christians from these southern regions migrate to our societies – as they are doing in increasing numbers – we ought cultivate relationships with them, sharing our greater knowledge, but learning from their freshness and faith.
Everyone at the Conference was helped and challenged by Professor Milne’s address, whether or not they agreed exactly with his interpretation of world events. It made me realize just how much we need the insight of scholarly and gifted men like the Professor. Men like him are special gifts to the church and we need to be alert enough to recognize that and humble enough to learn from them.
And with that, we will take a break for a week or two from our regular weekly insights. As I write, students are preparing for another exam and after that they will enjoy a well-earned rest for two weeks. During that time I will be busy working on my research, preparing for the new term, and writing new “Insights” for the weeks to come – this time relating to the theme of evangelism. Look for the first of these to appear on your computer screens some time during the week beginning 21st April.
Andrew Young