by Michael Ovey

(June 1992)

Presuppositions matter in any debate. This paper looks at a presupposition sometimes held in the debate over women’s ordination, that God could not by His nature restrict certain roles in churches to men. In the light of the relationship between God the Father and God the Son, it will argue that this presupposition is mistaken.

by A. J. Rivers

(December 1992)

The English blasphemy law is often criticised for being anachronistic. This paper argues for a two-tier approach. This would involve the creation of a new offence of incitement to religious hatred, which would encompass all faiths, while retaining a distinct and specifically Christian blasphemy law.

by Paul Mills

(March 1993)

Financial disasters are currently everyday occurrences. Many are attributable to the workings of a debt- and interest-based economy. Rather than argue the case for and against the biblical prohibition of interest from the texts themselves, this paper attempts to demonstrate the injustices and problems that have arisen because we have ignored traditional Christian teaching on finance. In so doing, a pragmatic case is made for taking seriously what the Bible teaches on this aspect of economics, rather than dismissing it as an ancient irrelevancy.

by Mark E. Dever

(June 1993)

There is an assumption in society, and increasingly in the church, that the events of our lives cannot be placed in a larger context of meaning. This paper considers the obvious moral problems raised by Christian claims to meaning, and suggests some biblical guidelines which may help us to ‘read’ events.

by Michael Ovey

(December 1993)

This paper aims to describe how the new literary theory of deconstruction works, the way it abolishes the idea of a speaking God, and to examine some ideas for rejecting it.

by Christopher Townsend

(June 1994)

Christians today hold divergent views on homosexuality. This paper reviews the key biblical material on homosexual practice and considers scientific and theological explanations of the origin of same-sex attraction. Finally, an indication is given of the multi-faceted response of the gospel to the needs of those with same-sex attraction and the importance of Christian churches being communities of acceptance and friendship.

by Michael Schluter

(September 1994)

In an earlier Cambridge Paper (Reflections on Providence: Can We ‘Read’ Events?) Mark Dever raised the question of whether it is possible to move beyond seeking god’s hand in our personal circumstances to ‘reading history’ in the rise and fall of nations. This paper addresses that question.

Christian empiricists, we shall agree, seek to understand historical events through processes of cause and effect, but find the key explanatory factors in biblical moral law. The rise and fall of nations, in political or economic terms, can be traced at least in part to the impact of relational factors in a society’s culture, and specifically to the way organisations operate. |This puts the onus onto Christians to contribute towards the reform of the society to which they belong.

by Julian Rivers

(December 1994)

Any discussion of religious establishment raises fundamental questions about the nature and relationship of church and state. Before addressing specific issues within the establishment debate, this paper seeks to identify the Christian understanding of these two institutions and discusses various models for their interrelationships. It concludes that while some reforms are desirable, the principle of Christian establishment is correct.

by Pauls Mills

(March 1995)

This paper is the first of two concerned with financial management from a Christian perspective. The paper confronts the tension in biblical teaching enjoining both the exercise of personal faith and prudence with respect to wealth. The paper then addresses some of the practical issues involved in determining the appropriate level of savings and insurance. A subsequent paper will discuss the relative ethical merits of the variety of savings instruments available, including bank accounts, shares, pension funds and housing.

by Michael Ovey

(June 1995)

This paper examines contemporary problems surrounding human identity and discusses their causes and consequences. It analyses the claim that trinitarian doctrine is now redundant and argues that, far from being a mere parlour game, it alone allows the perfect personal characteristics of the God revealed in the Bible to be fully expressed. The doctrine also confronts the tendencies both to individualism and uniformity which characterise western societies, thereby providing an essential justification for the identity and value of humanity.

by Denis R. Alexander

(September 1995)

This paper examines the contemporary relationship between science and Christianity. The exaggerated claims of secular scientists and Christians concerning the nature and scope of scientific and religious knowledge occasionally lead to conflicts. Overall, however, it is concluded that science and Christianity are mutually supportive. historically the scientific enterprise has strong Christian roots and Christians have a firm commitment to truth-telling about God’s world.. Most importantly, both science and Christianity are sceptical about relativist theories of knowledge, a shared scepticism which has been brought into sharp focus by the rise of post-modernism. The inroads of such relativism into western thought stimulate the provocative question: ‘Can science survive without Christianity?’

by Michael Schluter

(December 1995)

Western society at the end of the twentieth century values individual mobility as highly as any in history. Christians in the past have not questioned that mobility is desirable. If anything, the New Testament (NT) seems to endorse a culture which holds lightly to place, and to encourage Christians to find their roots in Christ and in the fellowship of believers. However, the Old Testament (OT) appears to teach that ‘roots’ in place are important for personal identity and social stability.

This paper will argue that Old and New Testament perspectives on roots are compatible. Christians must hold in tension the practice of roots in their personal lives and the promotion of roots through public policy whilst recognising that Christ may require them at any time to leave home and even family to follow his calling.

by Peter Walker

(March 1996)

In the light of Old Testament history and prophecy many would argue that Jerusalem continues to have a central role within God’s purposes today. yet the New Testament offers a radically new perspective on the city, pointing to Christ as the true temple and the one in whom the promises of restoration were fulfilled. Jesus himself predicts the imminent end of the temple. The consequences of this biblical teaching prove to be far-reaching —both for the church’s mission in the world and for religious and political issues in Jerusalem today.

by Paul Mills

(June 1996)

Who should you trust with your savings? Is the highest return all that counts or should this be sacrificed to moral principle? This paper discusses the appropriate ways for Christians to save and invest by outlining general and specific biblical instruction on the subject. Although there are few forms of saving that can be wholly endorsed, biblical principles offer far more discriminating guidance on financial investment than is commonly supposed.

by John Coffey

(December 1996)

The French intellectual Michel Foucault (1926-84) was one of the most influential thinkers of the twentieth century. His books on madness, medicine, knowledge, punishment, and sexuality have had a major impact across a wide range of disciplines, and become set texts on undergraduate courses throughout Britain and America. His life, moreover, reflected some of the most significant cultural trends fo the past thirty years: the rise of the gay subculture, the new openness to the non-rational, the growing experimentation with sex and drugs, the fascination with the body and the self. This paper suggests that Foucault was driven by an intense desire to find a substitute for communion with God.

by Christopher Townsend

(March 1997)

The moral foundation of punishment is a problematic issue which has prompted several competing views. A biblical perspective is anchored in the principle of retribution: punishment is deserved in proportion to the seriousness of an offense. However, the biblical endorsement of retribution is qualified and carefully nuanced. The fundamental aim is not to inflict suffering on offenders but to reassert the existence of the moral order that governs human life. That moral order emphasizes the connections between justice, right relationships and seeking after community wellbeing. For this reason, punishment should normally aim both at making reparation to victims and restoring offenders into the community. \taken together these priorities highlight shortcomings in our criminal justice system and suggest directions for reform.

by Denis Alexander

(June 1997)

This paper provides a brief summary of genetic engineering (GE) and considers some ethical issues raised by applications of GE to humans. GE is distinguished from novel reproductive technologies, such as cloning, which are not discussed. The doctrines of Creation, Fall and Redemption provide a Christian framework within which to evaluate the appropriate goals and limitations of GE. As God’s ‘earth-keepers’ Christians have a responsibility to use all the tools he has provided to tackle disease and feed a hungry world. But knowledge of the world’s fallen state also makes Christians wary of exaggerating the benefits of new technologies, and acutely aware of their potential for evil.

by Julian Rivers

(September 1997)

This paper considers the current tendency to talk about justice in terms of rights. It analyses biblical material and suggests that in spite of the immoral tendency of right-language, rights can perform a useful role in identifying aspects of human dignity. After briefly considering the proposed Bill of Rights for the UK, it concludes with three strategies for dealing with rights.

by Michael Schluter

(December 1997)

This paper tells the story of my search over the last 20 years to find an alternative social paradigm which is closer to biblical norms than democratic capitalism or market socialism. Biblical teaching on this issue is found in Old Testament law where God provides a normative framework for Israelite society. Jesus says that the Law hangs on the twin commands to love God and love neighbour. Love is not a term of economics or finance, but the language of relationships. Hence the term Relationism. The principles of biblical law, interpreted in relational terms, provide a coherent basis for public policy and personal lifestyle decisions. So Relationism holds great promise for broad-based reform of society, provided it is not severed from its roots in biblical revelation.

by Paul Mills

(March 1998)

This paper reviews the biblical witness that God is both transcendent over time whilst acting within it. Theological challenges to this view, including the development of ‘free-will theism’, have recently been allied to the findings of chaos theory and quantum mechanics. However, the traditional view of God’s relation to time can accommodate these developments and remains the most satisfying solution to the puzzle of time. The results are a renewed appreciation of God’s sovereignty over the universe, greater confidence in prayer and assurance about the future.

by Ranald Macaulay

(June 1998)

Failure properly to relate the Gospel Commission of the New Testament to the Commission of Genesis (the Creation Mandate) lies behind much of the Evangelicalism’s current weaknesses and internal conflicts. The New Testament, when clarifying the radical nature of the gospel, appears at times to disparage the created order within which we now live. But this is to misunderstand it. The gospel must in fact be understood in terms of Christ’s restoration of creation. the supreme evidence of which is the resurrection of the body, rather than the immorality of the soul.

by Paul Mills and Michael Schluter

(December 1998)

On 1 January 1999, the ten currencies of the eleven countries entering the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) become denominations of the euro at irrevocably fixed exchange rates. Whilst monetary unions have been attempted in the past, this is by far the most ambitious project of its kind in history. Its success or failure will determine the prosperity, and perhaps the peace, of Europe for decades to come. This paper examines what the Bible has to say about monetary systems and then derives biblical principles to evaluate political and economic developments of this kind. EMU is assessed against these principles. The paper concludes that because the euro is unlikely to succeed without political integration, Christians should be wary of giving their support.

by John Coffey

(March 1999)

The relationship between church and cinema has often been one of mutual suspicion. Hollywood has flouted Christian values; Christians have responded with condemnation and censorship. Yet from the earliest days of motion pictures, filmmakers have been attracted to religious subjects and spiritual themes. Christians today have much to gain from critical engagement with cinema. At their best, films are works of art that provoke ethical reflection and provide a vital point of contact between believers and unbelievers.

by Denis R. Alexander

(June 1999)

Scientific naturalism is the view that only scientific knowledge is reliable and that science can, in principle, explain everything. This paper surveys the inherent weaknesses in this philosophy, illustrated by the naturalistic attempt to extract ethics from biology. Different Christians responses to naturalism are considered. It is argued that the Christian world-view provides a more coherent explanation than naturalism for the properties of the universe and for the richness of human experience. Ironically, naturalism itself puts at risk the future health of science.

by Christopher Townsend

(September 1999)

This paper focuses on the doctrine of hell, examining the main features of the Bible’s teaching, and considering a number of debated issues, notably the argument over annihilationism and eternal punishment. The paper goes on to explore the apologetic challenges and opportunities which arise from the doctrine of hell, and reflects on the ‘strange silence’ of the modern church on this topic.

by Julian Rivers

(December 1999)

This paper summarises the biblical teaching on international order, considers the way in which Christians have appropriated that biblical teaching, and evaluates recent developments in international relations. In the light of events in Kosovo and East Timor, it considers the justification and limits of the use of force in ‘humanitarian intervention’ and the development of international criminal law.

by Michael Ovey

(March 2000)

Is Christian thinking best done in isolation from secular thought? Or in dependence on it? This paper argues that neither is right, but instead Christian understanding can benefit from the genuine insights of secular thought, and, to achieve this, must put secular thought into the context of the doctrines of creation and redemption, both to evaluate it and to preserve its coherence. An illustration of this process is found in the secular thought of Baudrillard: his claims that was live in a society dominated by ‘image’ provide a deeper understanding of our culture’s current idolatry.

by Michael Schluter

(June 2000)

Limited liability is contrary to biblical teaching because, exceptionally in the law of contract, it allows that certain debts may be left unpaid. As a result shareholders, who retain rights of ownership, are excused responsibilities of ownership, while directors bear some of the responsibilities of ownership, and share some of the rewards, but carry few of the risks. |This flaw at the heart of corporate structure leads to problems in corporate governance, absence of corporate social accountability, and an unhealthy trend towards corporate giantism. Solutions lie, it is argued, in policies that restore shareholder liability, and incentives for business not to incorporate.

by Paul Mills

(December 2000)

The basic economic problem is that the incentives needed to promote efficiency and growth also lead to inequality. Biblical law sets out an economic model that shares contemporary concerns for economic efficiency and fairness while avoiding the problems faced by the current Western model. In the process it achieves what economists have been aspiring to for the past 250 years and yields a number of innovative ideas for reform. The beauty of its conception from an economic point of view has rarely been appreciated.