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The Free Church Youth Conference

by Editor

The Scripture Union Centre at Lendrick Muir played host to the Free Church of Scotland Youth Conference earlier this year. Once again, Solas had the privilege of taking part in the seminar streams which formed part of the Saturday programme. Around 180 young people, from late teens, students and folks in the early twenties came from the length and breadth of the country for an encouraging weekend of worship, fellowship, and teaching.

Our friend Andy Pearson the minister of St Peter’s Free Church in Dundee led the main teaching sessions, taking the young people through an engaging and thorough whistle-stop tour of the biblical Covenants which was great. The sung worship at the Free Church always inspires me – because in my church we regularly read the Psalms; but don’t sing them enough! Years ago when I did a degree course on the Psalms with the wonderful scholar Geoffrey Grogan, he insisted that we begin each class by singing a Psalm; ‘remember friends, these are lyrics’ he would say – before we set about analysing them. Hearing almost two hundred young people singing them with intense devotion and soaring harmonies was both beautiful and moving.

The young people had a choice of seminars to attend during the day and my one was entitled, “Sovereign God; Human Responsibility?” One of the dilemmas that we often face (have been asked about in Q&A’s and have written about on our website here) is that people sometimes think that God’s sovereignty means that we are in some way excused from the task of evangelism. In his great little book “Evangelism and Sovereignty of God”, J. I Packer tells the story of a young William Carey sharing his vision for taking the gospel to India and being rebuked by an older minister who said, “Sit down young man, God will save the heathen when he wants to, without your help or mine!” This is clearly a gross distortion of the biblical mandate for mission.

So, we looked together at how we should handle this issue more faithfully. In groups we studied scriptures which related to God’s sovereignty and to human responsibility – and summarised what we found. We then looked at some extreme ways people have sought to reconcile these, by undercutting one set of biblical truths or the other! And then at the way that Paul in the New Testament outworked it. In short, he gives us much of our New Testament theology of God’s sovereignty, but was radically, and self-sacrificially missional. If our lives don’t look like his, maybe we haven’t grasped his doctrine! Obviously as a Solas seminar, we focussed on evangelism – but the same principles apply to our prayer lives, our walk with The Lord, sanctification and building the church.

My hope and prayer is that the young people who came to this seminar will have left with a strong sense that it is the sovereignty of God which compels us, and empowers us to go forward in mission; confident that the ultimate victory is His and that He gives us real, meaningful and significant to work to do here – as He outworks His purposes.   

Does Christianity Uniquely Answer The Big Questions?

by Solas

Where do we come from? What’s gone wrong with the world? How do we fix it? Three huge questions that many religions and philosophies attempt to answer. So does Christianity offer anything different? Steve Osmond from Solas explains how the Christian story offers unique and satisfying answers to these questions (and more!)

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Confident Christianity at Broughty Ferry

by Editor

Gavin, Steve and Andy – chatting about the day they spent doing Confident Christianity at Broughty Ferry Free Church, near Dundee. The sharp-eyed will notice that the backdrop to this video is not in fact Broughty Ferry, but the hills near Keswick, where the whole team met for a retreat a few days after we were in Broughty!

What Happens When Non-religious People Try Praying?

by Solas

“Why don’t we write a prayer guide for people who aren’t religious and who don’t do church?”

If you could inspire people across the country to pray, what would be the result? In this episode, we hear from David Hill, who runs a ministry that is doing just that. For many this has led to unexpected and profound experiences of God – moments of revelation and transformation. How have so many people found a deeper connection to God in this way? Tune in as we explore the ways in which the power of prayer is breaking down barriers and leading to extraordinary spiritual breakthroughs. Could a simple invitation to pray be the first step for someone near you to experience God?

Try praying yourself at trypraying.org or find campaign resources at do.trypraying.org

What happens when non-religious people try praying? – PEP Talk

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Our Guest

Father of four, somewhat self-effacing, slightly entrepreneurial with occasionally a good idea.  David Hill is the author of trypraying, a prayer guide for people who are not religious and don’t ‘do’ church. He was a staff member with Agapé for 23 years working with students and initiating a unity project for churches called There Is Hope. His main thing has been to help churches engage in united prayer and evangelism. Trypraying has become a church project and a multi-church project across towns and cities in several countries. He is a Yorkshire man living and working in Scotland for over thirty years.

About PEP Talk

The Persuasive Evangelism Podcast aims to equip listeners to share their faith more effectively in a sceptical world. Each episode, our hosts chat to a guest who has a great story, a useful resource, or some other expertise that helps equip you to talk persuasively, winsomely, and engagingly with your friends, colleagues and neighbours about Jesus.

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Lab Notes From The Faithful: Dr Dongjae Jun

by Editor

Steve: Professor Dongjae Jun, thank you so much for agreeing to chat to me today.

Dr. Jun: I really do appreciate it. I’ve been looking forward to this interview for a while after we met in Cambridge at a really wonderful conference and we spent, oh, what was it, about three weeks together, I think it was.

Steve: Yes, that was great fun. And, that’s where I heard you talk about some of your work in the sciences, and so I really wanted to hear from you on this very big topic of faith and science because I know it’s something you’re also very interested in.

But before we jump into all of that wonderful stuff, would you mind telling me a bit about your family, your background, and where you live now?

Dr. Jun: By birth I’m Korean, but I moved to the United States in 2009 with my wife, Ran, and my daughter. We then had two boys after moving to Dallas. My daughter is going to college this year, and my two sons are still a bit younger. It’s been great being here and I feel God has been gracious to our family. I also serve at a Korean Community Church in the area nearby.

Steve: That’s fantastic. When I was doing a bit of reading up, I see that you met your wife in church, but it also turns out she’s also a PhD scientist! Is that right?

Dr. Jun: Yes, that’s right. Her major is immunology and we did both a PhD in the same institution in South Korea – it’s called Pohang University of Science Technology. It’s very good in science and engineering. I did my PhD there focussing on Cell Biology, Endocrinology, and Neuroscience.

Steve: What was it that led you to study the sciences and pursue this career?

Dr. Jun: Well, at the very beginning I think it’s related to the kind of questions I had. I really hated all the other subjects I studied. I just don’t like any other subject, but there’s something that sparked my curiosity in science, especially biology.

I had lots of questions, and biology triggered me to continue to ask questions and found great satisfaction in finding answers and good explanations. Biology has a lot of information, complexity, beauty and harmony. There are lots topics and subjects that make me appreciate the beauty, logic and complexity of nature. And for me, science always went beyond my imagination. I found I was always asking if there was something new. And as much as we keep discovering, there is always still something new. I love that about science. It’s what keeps me really interested in the field.

Steve: Can you explain a bit about the work that you are doing now and the area of research that you’re in?

Dr. Jun: Sure. When I did my PhD , I was working on two topics. The first was metabolism, which is a very broad subject, but it basically includes our appetite or food. The other topic I was working on was neuroscience. They are not really separate things, but as I studied both I had to decide which area I should go into after my PhD. I searched for a postdoctoral fellowship in the United States, and I found two high-profile scientists, Dr. Michael Brown and Dr. Joseph Goldstein—they are Nobel laureates who discovered the LDL receptor—and I applied to work with them and I got accepted. That’s how I ended up at UT Southwest Medical Center and I spent almost 15 years there. And then I really delved into the history of cholesterol metabolism, and I was very fortunate because I was part of a great team working on this. I ended up publishing a couple of papers and then I discovered a compound that potentially can be used as a remedy for a very rare disease called Schneider Cornea Dystrophy. I found this research really interesting—it’s a kind of unbiased genetic screening, and it worked very well. Last year it was patented.

Then after 15 years at UT Southwestern I left and then I moved here to Dallas Baptist University, which is a Christian University, which is great because I am also a Christian.

Steve: I want to ask you a little bit more about the science side of things in a moment, but let me touch on your faith as a Christian that you’ve mentioned there.

There is a quote in yout biography about you putting your faith in Jesus which says: “there are no necessary prerequisites. His generous invitation into his love, rather than theology or apologetics, opened my heart and I began my Christian walk”.

Tell me tell me more about that and what does that faith look like for you today?

Dr. Jun: People often talk about unconditional love—because that’s exactly what God offers. He paid everything through Jesus. There’s nothing I can do to earn it—no good works, no payment. I just needed to accept what Christ has done for me by faith. Many think they must earn God’s love to become a Christian, but the truth is, God already paid it all. More and more, I’m coming to understand that the things I did not earn through effort far surpass those I have achieved on my own. “God’s salvation is not free—it is a priceless sacrifice and an undeserved grace that we could never earn.”.

And when I looked around at the world, it wasn’t hard to see how broken and corrupt human nature is. The Bible speaks plainly and seriously about that—and I saw it clearly for myself. When I looked around at all the different kinds of evil in the world, it wasn’t hard for me to admit that those things are real. And in that honesty, I found myself drawn to the Bible—because it didn’t sugarcoat anything. It described reality as it is, and that honesty attracted me.

I used to wonder, What am I supposed to do about this? I thought maybe I had to become someone holy or behave like a saint. But that’s not what Christianity is really about. What I came to understand is that God accepts me as I am, just like the father embraced the prodigal son. That’s why I say I didn’t come to Christ because of theology, rituals, or some deep biblical knowledge. I came because of God’s generous invitation: “Come as you are.”

That simple phrase stayed with me—“Come as you are.” I couldn’t shake it. It disturbed me, in a good way. That small voice kept nudging me toward Christ. And finally, I surrendered. That was the beginning of my walk as a Christian. What it means to “come to Jesus as you are” is that you recognize your self-righteousness is dead. You don’t bring anything to earn His love. You simply come, expecting to start a journey of faith, to be shaped by Him, to resemble Christ, and to grow into the person God is calling you to be.

Steve: I think you articulated that really well because so often we can misunderstand the core message of God’s grace and invitation to all people to come to Him as they are instead of thinking they need to clean themselves up before they can have a relationship with Him.

Okay, so that was the start of the journey then as a Christian. Reading further in your bio it says that you serve as a ‘Mokja’ in your church. What is that—I’m not familiar with the term?

Dr. Jun: Ah, yes. It’s a Korean word which means something like a ‘shepherd’—someone who takes care of sheep or cattle, something like that. I’m basically a small group leader in the church, like a Bible study, but more than that. We eat together and have fellowship, and worship God. We get lots of different people, and some are a bit skeptical about the Bible and have questions, but others have been Christians for a long time.

Steve: That actually brings me on to the next question quite nicely. You mentioned skepticism toward faith there. We also sometimes see a lot of skepticism toward faith in the sciences world. You’re a Christian, and you’re also a professional scientist with many published research papers and even a patent now. But, lots of people would say you can’t have those two things. This idea that science and God just don’t mix. The idea that God is outdated because we have science. How do you respond to that?

Dr. Jun: It’s a very good question, but here’s the thing I think they don’t understand. As a start, I think they probably have the wrong definition of a faith. Faith comes from Latin ‘fides’. That faith is trust or loyalty—something more like that. If you have a child, think about how you might let somebody else take care of your child. It takes trust and loyalty, right? There’s common ground.

Faith is like that common ground. And the common ground between faith in God and science is reason. I love the definition C.S. Lewis gave for faith. He said faith is the art of holding on to things your reason once accepted in spite of changing mood.

So in this context, what is the enemy of a faith? The enemy of faith is emotion or mood, because it’s fluctuating. But faith can be holding on to something that your reason once accepted without, or regardless of your mood and emotion. So I think that’s a really rational definition, and it requires, or must be associated with, fact and evidence. Faith is not religious term. It’s a routine, daily term. And so I think without faith, without evidence, without reason we cannot live even a day.

Steve: I agree, faith is so often very misunderstood, especially in the world of science. In your bio you say that the discoveries in science often shape our worldviews and are linked with our philosophy and theology. How do you see that overlap happening? To me that’s one of the big questions. People think that these are—to use the technical term—non-overlapping magisteria. That the realm of science never meets the realm of theology. But I think what you’re saying here is these these two actually do seem to meet and overlap. Is that right?

Dr. Jun: Yeah, it is so obvious, actually. It’s not that difficult to see. Say you bought a Tesla and then you see that there’s all this complexity going on, but you want to ignore that Elon Musk exists. We don’t want to do that, right? It doesn’t make sense. It’s not rational.

So look what science has discovered; think of something like the DNA sequence. In 1953 Watson and Crick discovered the structure of DNA. We are now living in the era of synthetic biology. Recently one company successfully brought back a type of wolf that has been extinct for a long time. The point is that we’re living in an incredible era, scientifically, a revolutionary era, but still there is the question of where did this incredible information is coming from. Just like the information and intelligence it took to make the Tesla, from the mind of engineers, the same applies to the world around us.

It’s very clear that DNA information cannot be completely explained by Darwinian evolution because evolution only starts after first cell is there. But if you take a closer look at DNA information, it’s all about the sequence. The sequence is information and information always points to a mind.

There’s also the fact that the universe is so fine-tuned from the beginning, pointing out that there must be some cause which must be an immaterial, spaceless and timeless entity. To me this is pointing to God as well.

So as I’ve studied science, philosophy and theology, I see there must be some contact point and I cannot help thinking about the creator—a creative, incorporeal, intelligent being—which is God.

Steve: How would you say your faith influences the motivation for your scientific work then?

Dr. Jun: I believe that God has planned for me to be in this world, and has a plan for me. I think that my task, the homework, whatever you call it, is to know and follow that plan. And then I view this as my vocation. So I think of this vocation as worship—it’s a part of worshipping God.

Nowadays the problem is that many people tend to view worship in a very narrow way. Like it’s only something that happens when you go to a  church and join in the praise and prayer. I don’t think that’s what the Bible talks about. Because, if worship is every moment in my life, then whatever I face is part of worship. So I want my vocation to be part of worship. So when I engage my students, even my readings or my thinking, then everything can be material to be utilized to glorify God.

Steve: That’s a great point about worship. It’s every part of life—even sitting in the lab doing research and exploring God’s world.

One last question: what who would you say to a young Christian who’s maybe sitting across the table from you and they’re saying “I’m a Christian, and I want to study in the sciences”, but they’ve heard this idea that if you’re a scientist, you can’t believe in God. What advice would you give to someone like that?

Dr. Jun: I already mentioned that I think science and faith have common ground, which is called reason. Reason is not a human invention. It’s God’s invention. It’s given to us. It’s inscribed in our mind and in our heart, because God allows us to use it to believe in Him rationally and spiritually.  It can be utilized to explore material reality, and so we have the same principle at work for both. Think about some of the smartest, greatest scientists in history—people like Copernicus, Galileo Galilei and Newton—they were devout Christians. They studied, and they wanted to know more because they believed the whole of nature was God’s creation. They believed there must be legislator, or a law giver behind it all. I think they are a good example. So science and faith do not conflict.

Think of it this way: imagine you pass somebody riding bicycle, heading westbound. You can describe what kind of bicycle it is, and the direction they’re going, and what speed they’re travelling at. But you never know the intention of the bike rider. But let’s say she stopped and then revealed her will, or intention, to you. Maybe they say “Oh, my sister has arrived in town, so I’m heading to meet her.” They revealed their intention, and then you can understand it. This is a picture of science and faith working together. You knowing her intention does not come into conflict what we observe. It enhances our understanding, but science can’t get us there. So I think science and faith reciprocal—and they both operate with the same principle of reason.

Steve: I agree. There are some things the material sciences are really good at, but other things that it just turn out to be the wrong tool for.

Dr. Jun, thank you  so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk about science and faith with me today, I really do appreciate it.

Dr. Jun: Thank you, Steve. Thank you for having me.

___

Dr. Jun was born in Seoul, South Korea. After earning a Ph.D. in Cell Biology, Dr. Jun worked at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Texas for 15 years, researching cholesterol metabolism and genetic diseases. During this time, he discovered a potential therapeutic molecule for Schnyder Corneal Dystrophy, which was later patented. He currently holds the position of Associate Professor of Biology. He believes science and faith complement each other in understanding God’s creation. Dr. Jun and his wife, Ran, attend New Song Korean Community Church with their three children, where he serves in various ministries.

Tough Questions with Dundee University Christian Union

by Editor

It was something of a trip down memory-lane for me, when I was invited to speak at Dundee University Christian Union recently. They still meet in the same place (The Dundee University Chaplaincy Centre) that they did in the early 1990s when I was an undergraduate and member of the CU! My time in the Dundee University Christian Union was formative for me, and I can still vividly remember some very profound talks I heard there from people like Jim Clarke (then of Central Baptist Church, Dundee) on Psalm 32 and the late Dominic Smart on the ‘parable of the wise and foolish builders’. It was also the place where I met my wife, almost three decades ago – so many reasons to be grateful and nostalgic!

One of things that was most heartening for me was to see that student Christian witness on the campus is still alive and well, and in good hands! I left the CU there in 1996, and that means that seven ‘generations’ of students doing four-year degrees have come and gone since I was there. What was exciting to see was that just as the baton had been passed to our cohort by the people like Ian Gall (Riverside Evangelical Church, Ayr), and Jamie Grant (Highland Theological College) who went before us; so it has been passed on, and on and the flame has not gone out. This little glimpse of local ‘church history’ is perhaps more moving to observe than the young might appreciate. I know that when I was a student, hearing such things would have made me dismiss the speaker as being too sentimental! But perhaps with age comes a little insight!

DUCU were in the middle of their build up to their Events Week, their major outreach for the year; featuring our friend Michael Ots as the main speaker. As such, I was asked to speak about how we go about answering tough questions. The aim of the session was to help the students to have the courage to speak about their faith – and not to fear the ‘killer-question’ which stifles open faith conversations.

The approach we took was certainly not original to me, but was based on work by people such as Solas’ Andy Bannister, Glen Scrivener, Randy Newman and others. We have come to call this approach “the 5 Re’s” as the steps we work through are:

  • Relate: feel the weight od the objection, reach the person
  • Reflect: expose any flaws in their worldview
  • Reframe: place the issue in a biblical worldview
  • Retell: tell the gospel story through the issue
  • Resource: admit what we don’t know and recommend good resources

The CU students then went into a series of discussion groups to look at the great question of suffering and God. Each group thought about one of the five steps and then thought through the implications for the problem of pain and fed back their conclusions to the whole room. We only had 45 mins for all of this, so it was rushed; but hopefully beneficial.

The students seemed to be in good heart, very up for mission and engaged well with our session together. Our hope and prayer at Solas is that sessions like these will help to equip the CU for more effective mission on the campus.

Why Not Stay Agnostic?

by Solas

If it’s impossible to establish Christianity as hard scientific fact, surely we’d be better off staying agnostic, wouldn’t we? Unfortunately, science doesn’t have a monopoly on truth – otherwise we’d have to be agnostic about things like history, music or our personal relationships. Fortunately, there is plenty of wonderful evidence for the truth of the Christian worldview, from history, personal experience and even science!

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Scotland’s Mountains – Grandeur that speaks to our souls

by Editor

Scotland’s mountains are not high by world standards, but they are stunningly beautiful. There are only 282 Munros (peaks above 3000ft), yet – they are accessible, visually stunning and so varied that people come from all over the world to walk, climb, cycle and photograph them.

Since arriving in Scotland, I have been ‘Munro-bagging’. For the uninitiated, this means climbing each of country’s 3000ft+ peaks. I am of course aware this hobby is in one sense as pointless as it is arbitrary! There are many fine mountains which don’t exceed 3000ft and that demarcation is irrelevant in the landscape. If health and fitness were the only aim, I could have joined a gym. Equally, if being sociable were the only goal, I could have gone to the pub.

Yet – something draws me back to the Munros again and again. In fact, this week with a crowd of friends and family, I climbed my final one. Steadily ticking off hill names on Munros tables has taken me through high waterfalls in spectacular gorges, to soaring peaks towering over distant lochs. I have waded peat bogs and crossed rivers; cycled mountain tracks and dangled from ropes. I have scaled the ridges and precipices of the western mountains, and the lofty glacial plateau’s of the East; scrambled over the Black Cuillin of Skye and trekked into lonely Knoydart where golden eagles soar. I have slept under canvass and listened to Stags roaring through the mist in the high Corries of Argyll.

And I am not alone. The hills are alive – with the sound of hillwalkers. People are irresistibly drawn to the beauty of nature, and here in Scotland we have an embarrassment of riches. The Highlands are full of people who cannot resist the mountain’s draw.

SIZE

There is something which seems to move us quite viscerally when we are confronted by the size of the mountains and then our own smallness. The sense of wonder it provokes is captivating, and some would say even spiritual. Sitting on top of mighty Slioch and gazing out over the vast wilderness of Fisherfield is an overwhelming experience – and something medieval cathedral builders invoked when they flung their vast structures skywards. In the busyness of our lives and introspective tendencies, the physical act of climbing a mountain upon which one appears the size of ant; makes us look out beyond ourselves.

Professor Alister McGrath, once described two men arguing about whether there was life beyond the desert island upon which they lived. One day they found a message in a bottle washed up on the shore. They debated its meaning and concluded that it didn’t prove the existence of others – but it was a clue that someone was probably out there. The point is that that gazing down the Lairg Ghru from on high – that great glacial trench through the Cairngorm plateau, we are not meant to merely take a photo and move on as if that were the end of the matter; but receive it as sign of something greater, or a message in a bottle.

BEAUTY

The Scottish landscape is irrepressibly beautiful. Landscape photographers do a great trade in prints and calendars; with that most photogenic mountain, Glen Coe’s Buachaille Etive Mor, being a perennial favourite. When the summit of Skye’s Bla Bheinn is reached, and the sight of the Black Cuillin over Glen Sligachan assaults the senses – mouths hang open where adjectives and superlatives fall short. But again, why does beauty move us so deeply? Why is bleak functionality not all that matters to us? What is it about beauty, especially unspoilt natural beauty that provokes a response in all of us that makes the A9 to the North so overwhelmed with traffic all summer?

Again, I am unpersuaded that naturalistic, atheist answers to this question do not reduce us to being mere machines, and that attempts to posit merely some evolutionary advantage to our aesthetic responses hacks away at something of the very core of what makes us human. It seems to me that this is yet one more message in a bottle washing up on our shore, pulling us towards the conclusion that there is something, indeed someone more than we can see; calling to us from afar. The alternative is a grim reductionism that sees music as ‘only’ vibrations in the air, great art as ‘some paint’ or love as little more than a breeding arrangement; a way of seeing the world which falls such a long way short of our experience of being human.

This view of beauty is embedded in the Bible. One little known part of the creation narrative says of a fruit tree that God made it both good for food and pleasing to the eye. Think about that for a moment; the claim is that the world is made deliberately functional and beautiful; and that you and I are designed to both function and to know and respond to that beauty. We are hard-wired to appreciate the beauty that creation possesses.

I think too that while much of our daily experience is of a world polluted; of graffiti, of litter in a scarred world; mountains speak to us about the way it was meant to be; indeed ought to be. Surveying the Mamore hills near Fort William from the summit of Sgurr a Mhaim is an undiluted delight. The Mamores are perhaps my favourite range of hills which I have climbed many times, in all seasons. Steep, shapely – with curves, ridges, shoulders, gorges, hanging-valleys, waterfalls, surrounded by deep glens; The Mamores are dramatic mountain architecture presented in sumptuous style.

There is something in natural beauty that we instinctively know is right. The regenerating native woodlands on the north side of Glen Affric teem with life; insects, tiny birds, and raptors and blaze with colour as the bio-diverse landscape is allowed to flourish. It is good and beautiful in a way that fly-tipping is wrong and ugly.  But such categories assume that there is a way that the world ought to be; which can differ from the way that it often actually is. Such an is/ought distinction in our world is instinctive and necessary; but doesn’t make a huge amount of sense if the natural world is all there is. When we see ugliness, injustice, pain and evil and think ‘this isn’t right’ we make a deeply Christian response, whether we acknowledge it or not. I know no one who looks at these things and sighs, “ho-hum this is just where we have evolved up to presently”. Natural beauty calls to us deeply, for it presents us with the ought, in a world that is often distorted. The Christian story is that God created a good world, but it has been marred, and the creative intent often hidden, leaving us railing against ugliness, sensing that something precious has been lost. I don’t think like Richard Dawkins that the universe is ultimately characterised by “blind pitiless indifference”; rather that natural beauty is another message in a bottle washing up on the shores of our perception.

TIME

The mountains we walk through are also incredibly old: we are dwarfed not merely by their size but also by their age. The majestic peaks of Torridon are founded on Lewisian Gneiss; amongst the oldest rocks in Britain. Geographers tell us that the ice which carved the great U-shaped valley in which Loch Avon sits behind Cairngorm did its work 18,000 years ago. To walk through this landscape is to be confronted with our own finitude and mortality. Our lives in contrast, the Bible likens to a morning mist, which might arrive with the appearance of permanence but is gone by the time the walkers have left the car park and started to climb.

When I left Inverlochlairig to climb my final Munro, I was delighted that so many family and friends were able to join me. I was also deeply aware that two hillwalking companions who I once assumed would be there for my final hill were tangibly absent. I climbed Ben More from the same car park with David – lost to pancreatic cancer many years ago.

Kevin was a hillwalking legend, an outdoor athlete with a big heart and a huge grin; with whom days in the hills were always a joy. Kevin was one of the most truly alive people I ever met – and yet a decade ago a brain tumour took him from us.

My conversations with Kevin in the hills were wide ranging and fascinating. We planned and schemed all manner of future hill walks; most of which were never to be. We looked at maps and bothies and mountains – and dreamt up all kinds of future trips, and I always just assumed that Kevin not just be present for my final Munro, but be the life and soul of the party; the prankster, the ring leader and the schemer-in-chief.

Kevin was a doctor who knew he was dying; and he spoke about this too. Our last hill together was Ben Wyvis. As we sat and had lunch on the shoulder of the hill looking out over the vastness of Scotland, he pointed out that smoke billowing from the Norbord factory chimney on the other side of the Moray Firth was the landmark with which to line up where his house and his family were. Then he said to me. “I believe God can take care of my wife and children, and I would love to be part of that. But even if I can’t; I still believe that God can take care of them.” I was struck by the profundity of his faith. I knew Kevin was a man of deep Christian conviction, and was both troubled by his words and heartened by the way in which such deep faith in Christ proved itself in life’s darkest valley. Kevin walked through the valley of the shadow of death – and there found that Christ walked with him. Before I had much of a chance to respond, Kevin was on his feet with a smile. “I think we have a hill to climb” – and so we did.

How many countless generations have these hills seen come and then depart? We come, we go – but the hills seem to remain. These ancient rocks not only humble us with our physical finitude; but also with our tragic temporariness. But again, what can it mean? Why do we lament loss? Is bereavement just a necessary part of the survival of the fittest as the species marches on; or is the loss we sense when we bury our friends something more? I am persuaded that this too is a message in a bottle; washing up on the beaches of our experience calling to us about a far bigger reality than one we have yet encountered. Death is a tragedy, not just a biologically necessary mechanism; because human death is grotesque intrusion into God’s good world. Again, the biblical story is of death being the fall-out from humanity’s descent into sin. The appearance of permanence we see in the great hills calls out to us because we were initially intended for such. The Christian hope I shared with Kevin is that through the death and resurrection of Jesus – we can be restored to eternal life with him; if we will but call out to him and receive his forgiveness.

BOTTLES EVERYWHERE

As Munro bagging has taken me all over Scotland – through so many seasons and conditions with a cast of colourful characters; I have been pondering what makes the mountains so magical, so alluring, so almost mystical. I think that it is something to do with their size, their beauty and their age – and that these things communicate deep spiritual truths to us about ourselves and the nature of reality. I am struck by Alister McGrath’s notion that all these things are like messages in a bottle, washing up on the island of our experience. And while each bottle is not itself a knock-down mathematical proof of the Christian faith; more and more bottles are washing in on the tide. Beauty, music, truth, justice, altruism, love, and our desire for hope, are just some of the bottles that arrive. If we are willing to open these messages, and see where they lead and what makes sense of the world and ourselves, we’ll find Christ; the saviour who has in fact been looking for us the whole time.

With Chris McBurney

by Solas

Gavin and Kristi hear from Chris McBurney about how students in Ireland are responding to the gospel in different ways across very different contexts in the north and south of the island. Reflecting on the rise in spirituality, coupled with muddied worldviews, the beating heart of evangelism for young people still seems to remain rooted in authentic relationships. As leader of Christian Unions Ireland, Chris shares his passion for this type of ministry.

The Atheist Who Didn't Exist (with Andy Bannister) – PEP Talk

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Our Guest

Chris McBurney is the Director for Christian Unions Ireland. He lives in Comber with this wife Katie and two girls, Orla and Ava. Having become a Christian at university in Canterbury, he’s spent the last 10 years working in student ministry both in England and across the island of Ireland.

About PEP Talk

The Persuasive Evangelism Podcast aims to equip listeners to share their faith more effectively in a sceptical world. Each episode, our hosts chat to a guest who has a great story, a useful resource, or some other expertise that helps equip you to talk persuasively, winsomely, and engagingly with your friends, colleagues and neighbours about Jesus.

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Islamophobia, Blasphemy Law and Evangelism!

by Editor

Andy Kind was the host for a fascinating discussion about Islam in Britain today. Andy Bannister from Solas and Tim Dieppe from Christian Concern were in the host seats, answering Andy Kind’s questions.

Some parliamentarians are discussing the possibility of an Islamophobia Council. What will the effects of such a body be? What is Islamophobia, and how might back-door Islamic blasphemy laws be applied? What would the implications be for freedom of speech and religious freedom? Could critical engagement with controversial and problematic aspects of Islamic theology be classified as ‘racism’? All this and more in this stimulating and wide-ranging discussion which you can watch above.

Ministry in Kilmarnock

by Editor

Central Evangelical Church in Kilmarnock is a fellowship that Solas has had a relationship with for a long time. Andy Bannister has spoken there several times over the years, and they were very involved in the Keswick in Ayrshire group who hosted our Confident Christianity conference in West Kilbride a few years ago.

I had never been to Central before though – so was delighted to receive and invitation from their pastor Burt Garrick, to preach there morning and evening recently. They graciously allowed me to tell the church a little about Solas and our work too.

Both my talks that day were related to the gospel work that Solas is engaged in. In the morning we looked at 1 John 1 7-21 which contains the famous phrase, “God is Love”. We explored what John meant (and didn’t mean) in that great saying, and how it demands a response from us.

In the evening we turned our attention to the apostle Paul and looked at his courage in the book of Acts. We looked particularly at Acts 23:11, a key moment in Paul’s ministry. In that verse we meet Paul in protective custody as the crowd were trying to kill him. The spiritual encounter he had with The Lord there in that cell, explains why he didn’t give up in the face of opposition and what we need to seek from The Lord in order to be braver, bolder, more consistent witnesses for him in the face of a culture which routinely opposes us.

The morning message on 1 John can be viewed here.

The evening message on Acts can be viewed here:

At Solas we love working we local churches, all over the country. Every week Solas speakers are found in churches all over the country, preaching the gospel and equipping and encouraging congregations in sharing their faith. We also enjoy sharing the vision of Solas with Christians and developing partnerships in the work we do. If a Solas speaker might be useful for you in your church, please do get in touch using the ‘Connect’ button above. Along with sermons like the two in this news report, we are also very happy conducting seminars, discussions, and Q&A style events which meet the needs fo different churches.

What Does the Qu’ran Say About the Bible?

by Solas

Perhaps it comes as a surprise to you that the Qur’an repeatedly affirms the Jewish Torah and Christian Gospels (Injeel) as holy books from Allah. Yet the Qu’ran denies some of the most important things contained in the Gospels—such as the crucifixion of Christ. So how can Muslims get out of this cycle of logic that cannot be resolved? Andy Bannister suggests that the Bible stands head and shoulders above the Qu’ran in its historic accuracy and reliability, therefore the Bible is where Muslims need to turn in their search for truth.

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Short Answers is a viewer-supported video series: if you enjoy them, please help us continue to make them by donating to Solas. Visit our Donate page and choose a free book as a thank-you gift!

Celebrating 1,700 Years of the Nicene Creed

by Editor

Author Angela Mackenzie, with Dr Joy Clarkson ar St Mellitus College

Growing up in the Pentecostal tradition, I learned much about God, Jesus, His death and resurrection the Holy Scriptures and the power of the Holy Spirit, but not too much church history; it was more about what God is doing right now, with the exception of the 1906 Azusa Street revival. I am very grateful for how that shaped me to be open and sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

Recently, I’ve begun diving more into church history and exploring how God has worked through believers over the last two thousand years. There are so many significant moments that have influenced our faith. The Council of Nicea in 325AD, The Edit of Milan in 313AD, The Reformation in 1517, the King James Bible in 1611, the revivals led by George Whitefield and John Wesley in the 1700s and 1800s all stand out. Also the Welsh and Hebrides revivals of the 20th century. Each of these events has played a crucial role in shaping the faith we hold today.

Rev Canon Professor Trevor Hart at the Nicene Creed lecture

This year, 2025, marks the 1,700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed, a cornerstone of Christian orthodoxy. Tonight, I enjoyed an evening lecture from Rev Canon Professor Trevor Hart from the University of St Andres was in Scotland at St. Mellitus College in London, sponsored by the MacDonald Agape Foundation. It was a fascinating lecture and I was delighted to see a dear friend, Dr. Joy Clarkson, who teaches theology and arts at Kings College London.

The Nicene Creed is a profession of faith that communicates the essence of Christianity. It reads:

 

We believe in one God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten, Begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not made, of one essence with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontus Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; whose Kingdom shall have no end.

The oldest extant manuscript of the Nicene Creed, dated to the 6th century | By Council of Nicea – http://enriqueta.man.ac.uk/luna/servlet/detail/ManchesterDev~93~3~23150~100963:Nicene-Creed#, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32768752

This declaration was crucial in unifying the early Church and clarifying essential beliefs about Christ’s divinity, shaping the course of Christian doctrine for centuries. My theology professor at Biola once said that all false theology lies squarely on the wrong interpretation of the Holy Trinity and the nature of Christ; and every generation must contend for the true faith

The Creed (statement of faith) established vital affirmations of truth: that Jesus is “true God from true God,” “begotten, not made,” and “of one substance with the Father.”

It was written especially in response to Arianism (an interpretation of scripture which denied the full divinity of Christ). Arian refers to Arius, a Christian priest from Alexandria, Egypt, who lived in the early 4th century (c. 256–336 AD).

Here are five reasons why the Arian perspective is theologically erroneous:

  1. Biblical Witness to the Divinity of Christ: The New Testament provides compelling evidence of Jesus’ divine nature. For instance, John 1:1-14 states that “the Word was God” and became flesh in Jesus, directly contradicting the Arian assertion that He was merely created.
  2. The Doctrine of the Trinity: Central to Christian orthodoxy is the doctrine of the Trinity, which teaches that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one in essence yet distinct in persons. The Nicene Creed emphasizes the co-equality and co-eternity of the Son with the Father, while Arianism undermines this unity by claiming Jesus is of a different substance.
  3. Christ’s Redemptive Work: The effectiveness of Christ’s atoning sacrifice relies on His divine nature. As the God-man, Jesus has the authority to reconcile humanity with God. If He were merely a created being, His sacrifice would lack the infinite worth needed to satisfy divine justice and holiness.
  4. Early Church Consensus: The rejection of Arianism reflects the consensus of the early Church, as articulated in the Nicene Creed. The Council of Nicaea affirmed the deity of Christ as foundational to Christian belief, highlighting the theological significance of this understanding for orthodoxy.
  5. Nature of Worship: Worship is due to God alone, and the New Testament clearly indicates that Jesus is worshiped (e.g., Matthew 28:17, Revelation 5:12-14). If Jesus were a created being, worshiping Him would violate the first commandment, which emphasizes exclusive worship of God.

While Arianism itself is not widely held today, some contemporary religious movements and groups may share similar beliefs regarding the nature of Jesus. Here are a few:

  • Mormonism: Mormons believe Jesus is divine and the Son of God, viewed as the firstborn spirit child of God the Father, which aligns with the idea of Jesus being created in a spiritual sense.
  • Jehovah’s Witnesses: Jesus is the Son of God and a created being, distinct from God the Father. They hold that Jesus is not part of a Trinity and that he was created before the world began.
  • Unitarian Universalism: While this movement encompasses a wide range of beliefs, some Unitarian groups reject the notion of the Trinity and view Jesus as a significant prophet or teacher, but not as co-eternal with God.
  • Islam: While Islam does not align directly with Arianism, it shares some similarities in that it regards Jesus (Isa) as a revered prophet and messenger of God, but not divine or the Son of God in the Christian sense. In Islam, the unpardonable sin is known as shirk, which is the act of associating partners with Allah or attributing divine qualities to anyone or anything other than Him. From an Islamic perspective, the Trinity cannot be reconciled with the belief in God’s oneness; the two views represent fundamentally different understandings of the divine nature.

Icon of St Athanasius | Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=611837

Athanasius of Alexandria, an influential early Church Father and theologian, provides profound insights into Jesus Christ, particularly in his work “On the Incarnation.” Key points about Jesus according to Athanasius include:

  • The Incarnate Word: Athanasius emphasizes that Jesus is the Word (Logos) of God made flesh. He argues that the Word is not merely a messenger but fully divine, embodying God’s essence, which is essential for humanity’s salvation.
  • True God and True Man: He asserts that Jesus is both fully divine and fully human, eternally begotten of the Father, not a created being. This dual nature is crucial for understanding how Jesus mediates between God and humanity.
  • Saviour and Redeemer: Athanasius teaches that Jesus came to save humanity from sin and death. By assuming human nature and suffering, He reconciled us to God, demonstrating divine love and justice.
  • Victory over Death: The resurrection of Jesus is central to Athanasius’s theology. By conquering death, Jesus offers hope for eternal life and affirms the promise of resurrection for all believers.
  • Revelation of God: Athanasius believed that in Jesus, the fullness of God’s character is revealed. Through His teachings, actions, and sacrificial death, Jesus shows us who God is and invites us into a relationship with Him.

In summary, Athanasius portrays (as did the apostles and writers of the New Testament) Jesus as the divine Word who became incarnate—fully God and fully man—who saves humanity through His death and resurrection, revealing God’s nature and love. Additionally, Hebrews 4:15 declares that we have a high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses, affirming Christ’s full humanity and divinity, which highlights His unique role in our salvation.

As we celebrate the 1,700-year milestone of the Nicene Creed, let us reflect on its importance in shaping a cohesive Christian identity and fostering unity among believers. It’s a powerful reminder that every generation must contend for the true faith. The early Church stood firm in defending the divinity of Christ and the oneness of the Trinity, setting a foundation that still shapes Christian belief today. In a world where theological confusion persists and where groups still question Christ’s nature, it’s more important than ever to know what we believe and why.

Have you ever explored the history of the faith beyond what you were taught growing up? How has learning about church history or studying the Nicene Creed deepened your understanding of Christ? Do you see parallels between the theological debates of the past and challenges facing believers today? Do you have questions about these key Christian ideas? We’d love to hear from you at Solas, or contact Angela, the author of this article here.

Angela MacKenzie | European Leadership ForumThis article was first published on Angela Mackenzie’s website, angela.org here. and is republished by Solas with her kind permission. We are very grateful to Angela Mackenzie for allowing us to republish this article – as well as for her many years of service as a Solas trustee. Her website contains lots of articles as well as information about her extensive music ministry and TV programmes.

Is faith blind? Steve, young people, and big questions in Ayr.

by Editor

The evening before our major Confident Christianity conference in Riverside Church, Ayr – I was invited to speak at a Friday night youth event. At Solas one of our ambitions is to do an outreach event every time we do a training event for Christians, and Riverside wanted something for their young people. Combining those two aims, made for a very enjoyable Friday evening youth outreach.

The title I was given was “Is Belief in God Just Blind Faith?”, a topic I looked at from various scientific, philosophical, historical, and biblical perspectives. Around fifty teenagers were there, from several churches around the town, because the churches seem to have good relationships with one another in Ayr! Judging by the questions and conversations I had, most of the people who were there, were already Christians, or at least in churches. One or two responses were definitely from young people who were still in the process of checking-out the Christian faith for themselves.

We had a good and very wide-ranging Q&A session with the young people, which lasted about 25 minutes, following my 20-minute talk. It was interesting to see that they focussed in on the ‘science’ ‘part of my talk more than anything else. One young man then asked a very deep and profound question, which was a real challenge – but a joy to respond to. I tried to directly engage his question, but also to weave the gospel into my answer as it’s really the framework which it provides which is a ‘better story’ in these contexts. It was really encouraging to hear from several people on the Sunday how much that young man had appreciated having his question taken seriously and responded to in depth. This is a reminder, that we really must engage with people’s genuine heartfelt questions, and not dismiss them – and that it is vital that we address the mind as well as the heart. We are often told that young people want things ‘dumbed-down’, but it isn’t true. They have serious and important things to say, and big questions which are worthy of thoughtful responses which they invariably appreciate. It certainly mattered a lot to this one young man.

We’d love to come to your church and your town to do some evangelism and some evangelism-training too, like this event in Ayr. We work all over the country – and no church is too small! So please get in touch if you’d like to find out more about what we can offer.