New province is a sad reflection on Canterbury & co
“Last week the GAFCON Primates met in London to deliberate on a number of significant issues. However, the most far reaching of their decisions was to recognise the new Province of the Anglican Church in North America. … However, none of the so-called Instruments of Communion have been involved in the formation of this new province in North America.”
– Bishop of North Sydney, Glenn Davies, writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.
(Photo of Glenn on the Mount of Olives by Russell Powell.)
Some thoughts on Discipleship
Bishop Peter Brain contributed these challenging quotes in The Link – the magazine of the Diocese of Armidale –
JESUS said:
– “Go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19)
- “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.” (Luke 9:23-2)
- “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is near.” (Matthew 4:17)
- “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)
- “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
What follows are some words of Christians over the years that might challenge and encourage you on the discipleship path. Read more
Watch The Gospel Coalition Conference live
The Gospel Coalition‘s 2009 National Conference in Chicago begins tomorrow (Wednesday) morning Australian time – and video of the main sessions will be streamed live on the web.
Chicago is 15 hours behind Sydney, so, for example, John Piper’s address at 4:00pm CDT can be seen live at 7:00am Wednesday in Sydney. To watch Don Carson’s closing address, you’d need to tune in at 2:00am Sydney time on Thursday. (Or hope for a replay!) Details here.
Re-imagining God in the Shack
“It was at a Maundy Thursday service at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Manhattan, in 1984, that a four-foot bronze statue of Jesus on the cross was unveiled. But to the shock of the congregation, the image of Christ on the cross was, in fact, an image of Christa. It portrayed Christ as a woman, complete with undraped breasts and rounded hips. …”
– Mary Kassian, well known to Sydney Anglicans from her visits in the 90s, adds her concerns about The Shack. At Girls Gone Wise. (h/t/ Tim Challies)
No cheap grace
John Piper:
“Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a gift to my generation of students. I pray that his costly message will be rediscovered in each generation. …
Bonhoeffer’s book was a massive indictment of the “cheap grace” that he saw in the Christian Church on both sides of the Atlantic. He believed in justification by grace through faith. But he did not believe that the faith that justifies could ever leave people unchanged by the radical Christ they claim to believe. That was a cheap response to the Gospel. …”
– From Chapter 4 of John Piper’s book “Don’t Waste Your Life”.
Available online in PDF format and for the iPhone.
(And, while you’re at it, listen to this challenging message.)
Resources for Bible teachers
The Proclamation Trust recently made available more audio resources – sermons and lectures – as an aid and encouragement for those whose ministry is to open God’s word for others.
See what’s available (much of it without charge) at the Proclamation Trust media website.
Lambeth / GAFCON forum for Newcastle
On Tuesday May 12th, the Bishop of Newcastle, Brian Farran, will be joined by Robert Forsyth, Bishop of South Sydney to disuss the recent Conferences of Lambeth and GAFCON.
In an open forum to parishioners and clergy they will discuss:
• How and why these conferences came about?
• Why some chose to attend one and not the other?
• Is there any concern as to a fracture within the Anglican Communion in Australia?
• How we can understand the different thoughts of each area and where our points of agreement meet?
Where: All Saints’ Church, New Lambton, (Cnr St James Road and Regent St)
When: Tuesday 12th May. Time: 7pm.
– from the Diocese of Newcastle.
Stephen Hale to move to St Hilary’s Kew
From Anglican Media Melbourne –
“Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Philip Freier, has announced that two Melbourne assistant bishops, Bishop Stephen Hale and Bishop Barbara Darling, are soon to take up new appointments within the Diocese. Read more
April 2009 Australian Church Record online
Latest issue of The Australian Church Record is now online – at the Church Record website. Included in this issue are some interesting nuggets of information recently discovered about the first Chaplain to Botany Bay, the Rev. Richard Johnson.
Issue number 1896 of The Australian Church Record is available as a 700kb PDF download.