Faith

The Answer is Not 42

If you know anything about the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy you’ll know that the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything is 42. Not surprisingly, it’s not an answer that really satisfies anyone at a deeper level.

We all want to know why we’re here and if there’s something more to life than the daily routine. Is there really something bigger than us or is God simply a concept that humans have created?

What started as a course for the church members of Holy Trinity Church, Brompton, to explain the basics of the Christian faith has become a worldwide opportunity for people to discover what Christians really believe. Over 16 million people have now experienced the Alpha Course. The course is designed to let people discover faith and the meaning of life in a very non-threatening atmosphere. Participants discuss issues over a meal and a coffee and develop great friendships in the process. No one is pushed to ‘sign up’ to anything or join a church.

If a faith is worth embracing it won’t be afraid of the tough questions and a big part of the course is allowing people to discuss their own thoughts and beliefs. No questions are too simple or too hostile.

A name synonymous with the course is Nicky Gumbel. I had the pleasure of catching up with Nicky during my morning radio programme on 98.5 Sonshine FM today. You can listen to our chat by clicking the play button at the bottom of this post.

Have you been through the Alpha Course? Did it help answer any of your questions about the meaning of life and your place in this world? What were your experiences?

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What’s with Wicca?

Jun 1st, 2011

by Rodney Olsen.

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It’s said to be one of the fastest growing forms of spirituality in the western world. So what’s Wicca all about? What’s the attraction?

Wicca is particularly attracting many young female followers. What is it about Wicca that attracts those who are not interested in what might be understood as more traditional faith expressions?

With a strong emphasis on connection to the earth, is Wicca drawing strength from the growing concern about the health of our planet?

Wicca is a specific Neopagan religion. Its adherents are referred to as Wiccans, though the terms Witches or Crafters are also used. Developing in England in the first half of the 20th century, Wicca was popularised in the 1950s and early 1960s by a Wiccan High Priest named Gerald Gardner, who at the time called it the “witch cult” and “witchcraft,” and its adherents “the Wica.” From the 1960s onward, the name of the religion was normalised to “Wicca.”

Wicca is typically a duotheistic religion, worshipping a goddess and a god, who are traditionally viewed as the Triple Goddess and Horned God. These two deities are often viewed as being facets of a greater pantheistic godhead, and as manifesting themselves as various polytheistic deities. – Wiki

My regular Wednesday morning guest on 98.5 Sonshine FM is Rev Dr Ross Clifford who is the Principal of Morling College in New South Wales. Each week we chat about a range of issues relating to spirituality and belief.?

Today we looked at Wicca and asked why it continues to grow in popularity. Are there elements of Wiccan spirituality with which we can identify? Are there dangers of which we need to be aware? Could Wicca actually be pointing towards a higher truth?

You can hear our discussion by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

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Soul Surfer

May 24th, 2011

by Rodney Olsen.

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I really wasn’t sure what to expect of the movie Soul Surfer, the true life story of Bethany Hamilton, but last night we headed to a preview screening. What a wonderful movie.

So often in life we meet people who allow circumstances to drag them down and give them reason to give up. The story of Bethany Hamilton should inspire people to overcome whatever life throws their way.

Through determination and a strong Christian faith, Bethany overcame the loss of her arm to get back in the water and continue surfing at the highest level. I’m not a surfer but I still loved this movie.

Bethany has become a source of inspiration to millions through her story of determination, faith and hope. Born into a family of surfers on February 8, 1990, Bethany jumped on the board at a young age. Bethany entered her first surf competition—winning both the short and long board divisions at age eight. On Halloween morning 2003, Bethany was attacked by a 14-foot tiger shark, which bit off her left arm and seemed to end her career as a rising surf star. After losing more than 60% of her blood and undergoing several surgeries, Bethany began her recovery with an unbelievably positive attitude.

Miraculously, just one month after the attack, Bethany returned to the water. Two months later, Bethany placed fifth in the Open Women’s division surf competition and just over a year after the attack she won her first National Title. In 2007, Bethany realized her dream and turned pro. Bethany has since participated in numerous Association of Surfing Professionals and World Tour Events with her major highlight being a second place finish in the ASP 2009 World Junior Championships. “It has been an incredible journey for me and now, I’m just so excited to share it!” says Bethany.

The cast includes AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt and Carrie Underwood.

If you’re looking for inspiration, don’t miss Soul Surfer.

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A Resilient Life

Apr 26th, 2011

by Rodney Olsen.

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If I had the money, I’d put this book into the hands of just about everyone I know. A Resilient Life: You Can Move Ahead No Matter What by Gordon MacDonald is a book that speaks gently yet firmly into so many areas of life. It gives caring rebuke when needed but overall provides incredible hope. While it spoke to me throughout my reading, I kept thinking how this book would be helpful for so many others.

I read A Resilient Life over a period of about two weeks but I figure I’ll spend the rest of my life tapping into its wisdom as I seek to live my own resilient life. MacDonald talks about inheriting a ‘quitter’s gene’, a natural inclination to give up when the going gets tough. I reckon we all have some of that gene and so a book that helps us to overcome it to live a life of honour is a welcome addition to any bookshelf.

Gordon MacDonald has been a pastor and author for more than forty years. A former chairman of World Relief, he presently serves as editor-at-large for Leadership Journal. His most recent books include Who Stole My Church, A Resilient Life, and Ordering Your Private World. MacDonald can often be found hiking the mountains of New England or Switzerland with his wife, Gail, or their five grandchildren.

Our Best Years are Still Ahead

In a society that values the new, young and latest, MacDonald is keen to remind us that the second half of life can be the time that our lives make the most impact. That’s not to say that this book is only for those of middle age and beyond. While I appreciate everything in the book for the stage of life I’m now at, I so wish I could have thought through a lot of the ideas he presents when I was younger. The book gives hope for those of us in our forties and older but provides valuable insights for younger people as they begin to carve out the shape of their lives.

Finishing Well

A major theme of the book is ‘finishing well’. History is littered with stories of people who started life well but who fell along the way and came to the end of their lives full of regret. There is much we can do right now to set ourselves up to finish the race of life well. If you think you’ve already messed up your chances of living out a resilient life, MacDonald will be quick to remind you that there is healing and a way forward. He has experienced moral failure but has found his way back to make his life count for something far bigger than himself. His message is that you can too.

Self-mastery

The book recommends healthy self-assesment, not the kind that becomes morbid introspection, as well as talking about self-mastery. Self-mastery or self-control is absolutely necessary if we are to live a resilient life. It’s no wonder that the apostle Paul talks about training as an athlete for the Christian life. We need to work on creating a resilient life. It doesn’t just come from wishing or from reading a few good books. It’s a practical, daily exercise.

A Happy Few

As you get deeper into the book you find that MacDonald has a lot to say about cultivating a ‘happy few’. The concept is that of developing deep friendships with a small group of people; the kind of friendship that means that someone is there for you no matter what. He talks of a closeness that allows those people to not only celebrate the good times with you but to call you to a higher standard when required.

If you want to build some depth into your life and want to finish well, let me recommend taking some time to read A Resilient Life: You Can Move Ahead No Matter What and then begin the long journey of putting Gordon MacDonald’s wisdom into action.

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Christian Carnival Returns

Apr 4th, 2011

by Rodney Olsen.

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Would you like the opportunity to have your blog promoted? Have you published a post that you’d like read by a wider audience?

I’m having some friends drop in to my faith blog, Beyond Belief, this week for the next Christian Carnival. They’ll be visiting from all over the world and you’re invited to join us.

The weekly Christian Carnival is an opportunity for Christian blog writers to share their best posts from the previous week. The topic of the post doesn’t necessarily have to focus on Christianity but it must reflect a Christian worldview, and the writer must be Christian to qualify. You may wish to consider that the readership of the Christian Carnival will be more varied than your usual readership, and you might do better contributing a post with broad appeal.

I’ve already received a number of contributions and I’m looking forward to offering readers of Beyond Belief some great links when the carnival is published.

If you’re a Christian and you’ve never contributed before, or if it’s been a while since you have, how about having a look through your posts for this week and choosing something to contribute. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, just a post that outlines your point of view or is designed to get others thinking. Being part of the carnival could be a great way to gain a little extra traffic at your blog.

The easiest way to get involved is to submit your article through the Blog Carnival Submission Form. Otherwise, you can email the submission address.

The deadline for submissions is Tuesday evening at midnight, Eastern (US) Standard Time. That means it’s midday Wednesday here in Perth, Western Australia.

I’ll let you now when the carnival is published at Beyond Belief.