Church of All Nations

Delivered by Rev Dr John Evans
Sunday 11 September, 2011

Genesis 3: 14-19; 4: 8-16
Psalm 139: 7-12
Romans 5: 12-17
Matthew 12:38-40

This is the second of our Sundays reflecting on God’s creation. Today we consider the earth, the land.

Now I suggest there are a variety of ways in which may think about the earth. Each way is interrelated – but sadly for us in the West one way has dominated, and we have been left the poorer.

Let me explain.

The earth, land can be considered to be just a part of creation itself. You might call this the Genesis 1 approach.  Earth could be the planet itself. Alternatively it could the earth, the land, as opposed to the sea. Indeed in the mythology of the Ancient Near East, reflected in Genesis – it was only on day three of creation that the dry land, called earth, was separated from the primordial waters. Above the earth was the dome of the sky, and below was Sheol. The earth in this way was all wrapped up with the very act of creation itself. Earth and land are a part of God’s creation.

However, in the great sagas of the ancients, and also of our indigenous brothers and sisters, this earth can be seen in a different light. It is this earth which then gives life – or as …

Delivered by Rev Dr John Evans
Sunday 28 August, 2011

• Exodus 3:1-15
• Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b
• Romans 12:9-21
• Matthew 16:21-28

During the week I was reading a book by the great Russian author, Leo Tolstoy. (This is the problem of living in Carlton – you can wander into Readings bookstore and end up buying all sorts of interesting books.) In this book of Tolstoy’s religious writings, he makes these observations:

A person can use their reason to decide on the necessity, the desirability of a certain action, or actions, and then acts on their reason or spiritual impulse. Alternatively a person can perform actions under the influence of their emotions, and then invent intellectual justifications for them.

I sure that is all obvious and little too simple, however, Tolstoy goes on and says that in the first instance of  where a person reaches conformity between action and reason, this is typical of those who profess some kind of religion. They act on the basis of its doctrines as to what they should or should not do. The second is typical of the majority of non religious people who lack this general standard by which they can evaluate the worthiness of their action.

Why was I excited when I …

Delivered by Rev Dr John Evans

Sunday 14 August, 2011

• Genesis 45:1-15
• Psalm 133
• Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
• Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28

It has been a turbulent time recently. The world economy is up and down, and though at the moment it would seem to be more down than up! But also some basic assumptions have been shattered. Norway, for example. Who would have thought Norway would be the scene of such horrific carnage and loss of life as Anders Braevik set about destroying government offices and killing young people at a youth camp. And as for Britain over this last week. Who would have thought we would have seen such widespread looting, rioting and damage  – at times seemingly unrestrained. As I said, our various assumptions about the stability of the world economy, or of what we expect to happen in Norway or England,  have been sorely tested.

We have also witnessed a story of two Prime Ministers. We have seen the Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, and then David Cameron, the British Prime Minister, respond to these challenges to our normal understandings and expectations. Now in Norway, by the way, per capita the richest nation on this planet, we have seen remarkable outpourings of grief and …

Students dining at Wolfson College, Cambridge

delivered 31 July 2011
by Rev. Dr John Evans

Genesis 32:22-31Psalm 17:1-7, 15Romans 9:1-5Matthew 14:13-21

Today I want to talk about food and meals.

When I was a principal of a university college, people would ask me what was a residential college. I had a simple answer – we, the residents, eat together. Of course other things happen – but we ate together. Usually the most impressive space in a university college, perhaps apart from the chapel, will be the dining hall.

It used to be the case that to be admitted as a barrister in England, one had to eat a certain number of diners in one of the several inns of court. Over a meal one learns a lot.

Not only is food basic to life, sharing food at a meal-time is the most basic of human pleasures and a significant point of social interaction. More is the pity we have forgotten how to eat together, and experience all of this.

delivered 24 July 2011
by Rev. Dr John Evans

Genesis 29:15-28
Psalm 105:1-11, 45b
Romans 8:26-39
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

In the great 8th chapter of Romans Paul explains and indeed extends his vision of the impact of Jesus Christ on our life in this way:

We know the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. (22-23)

Even the whole of creation is groaning; an image which today must surely apply to this small green planet on which live. It is groaning – under our weight; and our sinfulness and our greed, and our selfishness. And yet we are struggling to even acknowledge this and look to the future and see that God’s creation is at risk. There is a significant issue of our faith at stake!

Jonathan Boston

While in New Zealand one public lecture at the Centre of Theology and Public Issues that has stuck in my mind was given by Professor Jonathan Boston, who until recently was the Director of the New Zealand Public Policy Institute at Victoria University, …