'Is Scripture Enough?': Trinity’s Sydney Theology Intensive

In early July the Warden, the Dean of the Theological School Tim Gaden and two other members of the School’s faculty, Dorothy Lee and David O’Brien, flew to Sydney to conduct an intensive day’s thinking on the question of “Is Scripture Enough?”

The day-long intensive took place on 4 July at St Paul’s College, University of Sydney, as part of the teaching programme offered by the St James King Street.

Demand for the day far outstripped the available places. The Warden argued in front of a capacity crowd that “the Bible is God’s Word written, not the whole of God’s Word. Only a Christological understanding of the canonical scriptures and more importantly of revelation itself, of the Word, can protect the Church from sliding from the distinctively Christian understanding of the God revealed in Christ to a God who is very good at revelation. He went on to warn that 'When, as so often, “God’s word” is used simply and exclusively as a shorthand for  the Bible, this risks making the Bible itself rather than Christ the centre of witness.' (See also 'Andrew's Version' blog.)

Dorothy Lee likewise argued that, even in the face of the current controversies facing the Anglican Church world-wide, Scripture is enough if it is interpreted with the help of the Holy Spirit, in the light of Christ, the Living Word and within the whole community of the Church.

Michael Jensen, a lecturer in doctrine at Moore College in Sydney later took part in a plenary discussion forum which explored the issues further. Seminars dealing with the place and authority of Scripture in the New Testament, in the Early Church and in Christian Ethics rounded out the day. (See also Michael's blog)

The next day Trinity faculty preached in four Sydney parishes – St James King Street, Christ Church St Laurence, St Alban’s Epping and St George’s Paddington – most of whom sent theological students to the School over the years. Dorothy Lee had the opportunity to preach to the Prime Minister, who was in the congregation she addressed that morning.

The event was a great success. conversations about a repeat performance, perhaps next year, are already underway.

The Revd Dr Tim Gaden
Dean of the Theological School