Over 110 delegates gathered for a week with The Wilberforce Academy, held at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge in September, to be equipped to speak of Jesus Christ in the public square.
One delegate described it as a challenging, eye-opening and influential course.
A foundational discussion of the week was how to create a Christian culture today. God the creator’s law is not only for everyone, but it is the only law that brings true freedom.
The week’s devotions highlighted the importance and goodness of the Ten Commandments and inspired listeners to love his law more. A ‘do whatever you want’ approach is harmful to the individual and others.
Bystander church
A perhaps contentious lecture was on social justice by Dr Joe Boot. One of his arguments was ‘social belief that triumphs becomes justice’. God defines and executes justice, not people, our environment or society as a whole. If the church fails to promote godly and right justice, she takes the role of bystander in an already humanist-dictated social order.
Dr Boot also challenged the doctrine of entitlement. Biblically we are not entitled people, not even to food if we do not work for it. God’s justice and order is that we work to meet our needs, so, for those who can’t work, we need to show compassion through the grace and kindness of God. He said the question of the state’s role in meeting such needs is as a result questionable with regard to poverty, health and education provision.
