The Basis of Union – What is it?  Why should we care?

On Thursday 16th November (for the final instalment of the third Spiritual Survival Guide, offered by our Discipleship & Education Committee) Geoff Thompson reminded us of the importance of the Basis of Union as the foundation document of the Uniting Church. We read through and discussed paragraphs 3 & 5 in details, such extraordinary and beautiful words. Geoff worships at BUC and teaches systematic theology at Pilgrim Theological College.  He blogs about ξενίζοντα: strange things

Geoff comments:  For those interested the full text of the Basis can be found here. This is the key part of paragraph 3 on which we focused last night: “Jesus of Nazareth announced the sovereign grace of God whereby the poor in spirit could receive God’s love. Jesus himself, in his life and death, made the response of humility, obedience and trust which God had long sought in vain. In raising him to live and reign, God confirmed and completed the witness which Jesus bore to God on earth, reasserted claim over the whole creation, pardoned sinners, and made in Jesus a representative beginning of a new order of righteousness and love. To God in Christ all people are called to respond in faith. To this end God has sent forth the Spirit that people may trust God as their Father, and acknowledge Jesus as Lord. The whole work of salvation is effected by the sovereign grace of God alone.”

A recording of the session is available here.