Lambeth Conference to go ahead ‘with most of the bishops present’
“Seventy per cent of bishops have said yes to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s invitation to attend this year’s Lambeth Conference. …”
Full report from The Church Times
GAFCON Travel Plans?
“We have heard that GAFCON has aroused considerable interest and enthusiasm. We would encourage those who are planning visits to the Holy Land to coincide with GAFCON to await the announcement of the venue and the exact start and finish dates before making final plans.
The GAFCON Leadership Team.”
Latest news from the Global Anglican Future Conference website.
J I Packer on the state of the Anglican Communion
Widely respected theologian J I Packer has spoken about the current state of the Anglican Communion in an interview with VirtueOnline.
“I expect congregations in TEC and the ACIC being fed on liberal theology will continue to wither on the vine as they have done for the last half century. Liberal theology, without the gospel, proves to be the smell of death rather than of life.”
Giving thanks for Richard Johnson
This Australia Day long weekend, pause to give thanks to the Lord for the Rev. Richard Johnson, Chaplain to the First Fleet and first Chaplain to the Colony of New South Wales.
220 years ago this weekend, the First Fleet arrived at Farm Cove. 220 years ago next weekend, Johnson preached at the first church service at Farm Cove.
Read about Richard Johnson and pray that the Lord will call many into the service of Christ’s gospel in our land.
A Case Study in American Religion
Dr. Michael Horton and friends at The White Horse Inn broadcast are asking, ‘Why is Joel Osteen [Pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston] so popular?’
In their online series on ‘Christless Christianity’, this week they examine the teaching given at one of America’s largest churches. Listen online at ‘The White Horse Inn’.
John Piper on A Common Word
John Piper from Desiring God discusses a loving Christian response to the “A Common Word Between Us and You” letter written by Muslim scholars in October 2007.
You can read the ‘Common Word’ letter here, and watch John Piper’s response here (9 minutes).
CoE complaint about churches with no Bibles
“They may be found in every hotel bedroom, and are widely available in prisons and hospitals, but members of the clergy claim one of the last places you will find a Bible is in a church.
The absence of the Word of God from the pews is of such concern to the Church of England that it is to debate the issue at the next meeting of its General Synod, or “Parliament”, next month. The complaint was raised by Tim Cox, a Synod member from Blackpool, who said he had been dismayed to discover that churches he visited “all too often” had no Bibles for worshippers to follow the readings and the sermon. …”
Full story from the UK Telegraph.
Evangelical Religion – J C Ryle
Written 130 years ago, Bishop John Charles Ryle’s tract on “Evangelical Religion” is still essential reading. The first Bishop of Liverpool in the UK, Ryle fought valiantly for the authority of the Scriptures in the Church of England.
“Since many religious disputes have arisen solely because there has been a lack of accurate definition, I am beginning this paper by explaining exactly what I mean by ‘Evangelical Religion’.”
The precise challenges faced by Ryle have changed, yet the need to ground the Christian life in the Bible remains. You can read his tract here.