Reverend Michael Cocks an Anglican Minister from Christchurch writes, again challenging some of the understanding of the Church Fathers through the centuries.
Reverend Michael Cocks 82 years young says the following -
How can this Anglican clergyman follow Jesus, yet study the strange things found in his The Ground of Faith?
I have been a priest for 65 years, love my church and its liturgy, its tolerance of varying theologies, I love its hymns and those worshipping with me. My aim is to love God with heart, mind, soul and strength, and my neighbour as myself. Yes, I am human, and can fail in my aims.
My church, your church, whatever it may be, presents us with the Gospel of Jesus from the point of view of one tradition. Praise God!
But of course Jesus taught that God is the Father –Parent of all humankind without exception. God’s love is for all, regardless of race or religion.
For that reason it’s good to be grateful for one’s church, on the one hand.
On the other it’s also good to image our church has glass walls and roof with the rest of God’s universe in view. (The fact that you are reading this article in “Christian Today” shows that you are agreeing about these “glass walls”)
We look through these glass walls in the present issue of The Ground of Faith, We read about a child prodigy Alma Deutscher, who at the age of 11 has already composed a piano concerto, and has written a opera “Cinderella “ which is to be performed in the Vienna Opera House. See and hear her in the very act of composing in YouTube vudeos. Ask yourself where this music comes from? Where else but from the spirit of a God who is in all, through all, above all.
For centuries
For some centuries Christian faith has been under attack from universities accepting the Materialist interpretation of the Universe of Isaac Newton. “The universe is a mindless, purposeless machine, where all happens by random chance.” Arch skeptic Richard Dawkins has been loud in defending such a view. There is a chorus of loud voices agreeing with him.
What everybody should say to him, is this: “As former Oxford Professor for the public understanding of science, you know that science consist of open-minded investigation. Now there is a large number of Nobel Prize winning physicists, who would disagree with your every word. They agree with the founder of quantum mechanics, Max Planck, that the universe is not a great machine, but a great thought. The basis for everything is mind, consciousness, spirit. Science is open-ended, and you, professor, may be right. But you never mention these physicists.
Could you not calmly explain why the science of quatum mechanics (the very science that investigates the nature of reality, has got it so wrong?”
Many great physicists write on synchronicity, spirituality, and give spiritual leadership. (See my article on Will Keepin)
As I look through the current issue of The Ground of Faith, I find several places which may challenge the reader’s boggle threshold. Reincarnation will be one of them. It is a fact that some early Christians accepted its reality. We note that Jesus was asked whether John the Baptist was a reincarnation of Elijah. Jesus did not reply that that would be nonsense. In any case the question was put to a vote by clergy under the Empress Theodosia (died 548 CE) . A majority voted No to the question. Such is the way a church doctrine can be decided!
Similarly I write about conversations with Stephen the Martyr. His teaching was close to that of the Gospel according to St John, and the mysticism of St Paul. Two bishops, two linguists, and other scholars affirm that they consider the conversations to be genuine. But I agree that the claim is hard to accept.
Keep close to your community of faith! Your church! But may your church have glass walls!
Michael Cocks
Reverend Michael Cocks is an Anglican Minister from Church and who has served in many distinguished overseas roles.
Dr Mark Tronson - a 4 min video
Chairman – Well-Being Australia
Baptist Minister 45 years
- 1984 - Australian cricket team chaplain 17 years (Ret)
- 2001 - Life After Cricket (18 years Ret)
- 2009 - Olympic Ministry Medal – presented by Carl Lewis
- 2019 - The Gutenberg - (ARPA Christian Media premier award)
Gutenberg video - 2min 14sec
Married to Delma for 45 years with 4 children and 6 grand children