ACL Statement on developments in the Diocese of Gippsland
“The Anglican Church League expresses its dismay at the appointment of an openly homosexual man as priest in charge of a parish in the Diocese of Gippsland as announced in the December 2011 issue of The Gippsland Anglican.
The teaching of Scripture about appropriate sexual behaviour for disciples of Christ and the appointment of elders who are ‘beyond reproach’, is quite clear. Resolution 1.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference, the Jerusalem Declaration of 2008, the professional standards embodied in the document Faithfulness in Service (a document approved by the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia) and the express commitment of the General Synod on a number of occasions to uphold the biblical teaching on marriage and human sexuality leave no room for ambiguity. Appointments like this put unwanted strain and tension upon relationships between the various dioceses of the Anglican Church of Australia. It also contributes to the fragmentation of the Anglican Communion.
For the sake of the parish, the diocese and the Anglican Church of Australia we call upon the Bishop of Gippsland to rescind this appointment. We also call on him to make clear his commitment to the teaching of Scripture, to Lambeth 1998 Resolution 1.10, to the standards embodied in Faithfulness in Service and the various resolutions of the General Synod of the Anglican Church on this issue.
Mark Thompson Robert Tong
President Chairman. ”
Bishop of Gippsland: “There is no obstacle” to Same-sex Blessings. Is Brisbane next?
“In his recent Presidential Address to the Diocesan Synod, Bishop Richard Treloar has told his diocese that there is no longer any bar on the blessing of same-sex marriages. …
Having summarised the position, Bishop Treloar then makes his announcement, presenting this as a fait accompli that he has no power as bishop to resist …
Gippsland is the first of what may be many dioceses taking similar steps; simply acting as though the matter is now decided rather than passing the relevant motions at their synod. Next up is the Diocese of Brisbane which begins tonight.”
– David Ould shares the latest from Gippsland and speculates on what might be announced at the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane.
Bishop of Gippsland supports Synod motion endorsing extra-marital relationships
“The Diocese of Gippsland, at its recent synod, has voted to change its own version of Faithfulness in Service, the national church’s guidelines for standards in ministry, to remove the classical definition of chaste relationships (marriage between a man and a woman) and replace it with a more ambiguous definition of ‘committed and monogamous relationship’.
The resolution came from Bishop-in-Council and was endorsed by Bishop Richard Treloar in his Presidential Address. …”
– Report from davidould.net.
See also:
Bishop Treloar’s Presidential Address, 2021. (PDF file.)
The Gippsland Anglican, June 2021. (PDF file.)
A statement from GAFCON Australia: (June 01 2021, on Facebook)
“Gafcon Australia
Please find below a Statement from Gafcon Australia concerning a resolution of the synod of the Diocese of Gippsland.
In May 2021, the Synod of the Diocese of Gippsland made the following resolution:
1. In accordance with Section 7 of the Professional Standards Act 2017 and subject to the qualification that:
– Clauses 7.2 and 7.4 of Faithfulness in Service are to be understood and applied in the context that a member of the clergy or church worker who is in a committed and monogamous relationship with another person is not to be regarded as being in breach of Clauses 7.2 and 7.4 only because that relationship does not have the status of a marriage solemnised according to an Anglican marriage rite;
– Faithfulness in Service (November 2016 version) is otherwise affirmed and adopted as the Code of Conduct for observance by Clergy and Church workers in the Diocese.
2. The registrar shall amend the version of Faithfulness in Service published on the Diocesan website by inserting the qualification below the heading “Preamble” to section 7 of Faithfulness in Service and include the following note: –
(Faithfulness in Service was qualified by this paragraph when adopted by the Diocese of Gippsland as the Code of Conduct for observance by Clergy and Church workers in the Diocese.)
It grieves the Board of Gafcon Australia that the Bishop-in-Council of the Diocese of Gippsland promoted a motion to their Synod, which amended the operation of Faithfulness in Service, the National Code of conduct for church workers, in their Diocese.
The effect of this resolution is to sanction sexual relationships outside of marriage, as the Anglican Church of Australia has received it and continues to uphold. It is regrettable that by removing the possibility of any disciplinary action against a member of the clergy or lay church worker in such a sexual relationship with another person (whether of the same sex or opposite sex) the Diocese’s Code of Conduct is now in breach of the teaching of Scripture (Hebrews 13:4 Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral) and the teaching of marriage that our Church upholds.
Gafcon Australia supports those Anglicans in Gippsland who are likewise grieved by this development.
From the Board of Gafcon Australia.”
Image: Diocese of Gippsland.
‘Embrace pluralism’ — Gippsland Bishop-elect
“Bishop-elect Richard Treloar says Anglicans can offer the wider world a more relational understanding of truth as an alternative to binary thinking that accentuates differences …”
– The Bishop-elect of the Diocese of Gippsland speaks to The Melbourne Anglican about his ‘inclusive’ thinking.
Related: New Bishop for Gippsland.
Sydney Synod “grieved” by actions of Bishops of Gippsland and Wangaratta
“Wednesday night’s [Sydney] synod ended with the passing of a robust motion responding to the actions of Bishop Kay Goldsworthy and Bishop John Parkes in undermining the Biblical doctrine of marriage and human sexuality.
The final motion, which was passed overwhelmingly, reads as follows…”
– Read the full text as posted by David Ould.
See also page 5 of the September 2015 edition of The Gippsland Anglican (PDF file).
(Image credits – Photo of Bishop John Parkes: Diocese of Wangaratta. Photo of the Rev. David Head and Bishop Kay Goldsworthy: Diocese of Gippsland.)
Prayers urged for Bishop of Gippsland, John McIntyre
We’ve heard from several sources (among them. BCA on FaceBook, and David Ould’s website) that the Bishop of Gippsland, John McIntyre, is very ill. Please be encouraged to uphold John and his family in prayer at this time.
Sad news: VCC Mourns Bishop John McIntyre.
Synod notes Gippsland actions with ‘grave concern’
“Synod has repeated Standing Committee’s concern about the actions of the Bishop of Gippsland in appointing a clergyman openly living with a male partner. …”
– SydneyAnglicans.net has the report. Related posts.
Sydney Standing Committee motion on Gippsland ‘breach of trust’
“The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Sydney has expressed ‘dismay’ at what it calls ‘a breach of fellowship and trust’ with the Bishop of Gippsland who has appointed a partnered gay man to a ministry position in his diocese.
The appointment was announced earlier this year in the Gippsland diocesan newspaper. The resulting controversy led to the adoption of an Australian bishops’ protocol on sexuality.
Now, Bishop John McIntyre has announced his intention to continue such appointments, saying to his Synod “I will appoint to office in our diocese those whom I believe God is calling to minister among us…….. I am willing to live with any consequences that may arise from remaining true to that commitment.”
The Standing Committee resolution ‘notes its dismay’ at the Bishop’s comments from which, it says, “it is reasonable to infer his intention to appoint, amongst others, practising homosexuals to ministry roles in his Diocese and support same-sex marriages.”
The resolution continued “Standing Committee considers that Bishop McIntyre’s earlier appointment of a practising homosexual to a ministry office and his May 18, 2012 statement represent – Read more
The Gippsland Crisis
At Theological Theology, Dr Mark Thompson, puts the recent developments in Gippsland in their wider Anglican context. We’ve reproduced his comments below, and added links to some related material at the end.
“This all too brief history is widely known. In particular it is known by all the Anglican bishops in Australia. None of them is in the slightest doubt about the volatile state of the communion and the issue which lies at the heart of the turmoil.”
“It is no secret that global Anglicanism is being torn apart over the issue of homosexuality. Actually, homosexuality is just the current presenting issue of a very deep and long running divide between liberal revisionists in the denomination and those who remain committed to the teaching of Scripture and the theological character of Anglicanism as represented in the Thirty-nine Articles, the Homilies and the Book of Common Prayer. However, it is the presenting issue, the point at which gospel faithfulness is currently being tested. Read more
Kay Goldsworthy elected Archbishop of Perth
An announcement from the Diocese of Perth:
“I write to share with you the highly anticipated announcement of the election of the eighth Archbishop of Perth. Read more
VCC Mourns Bishop John McIntyre
An exceedingly sad announcement from the Victorian Council of Churches –
“We stand with our Anglican Community today as we mourn the passing of a beloved, Bishop, Ecumenical companion, family man and friend.”
Please be encouraged to join in prayer for John’s family and friends, and also for the churches of the Diocese of Gippsland.
See also: The Gippsland Times.
Update: David Ould has some information about plans for John’s funeral. (It seems previous information was incorrect.)
Photo: Diocese of Gippsland.
New Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral Sale
“On Friday November 5, 2013 the Reverend Steve Clarke was inducted and installed as the new Dean of the Cathedral of St Paul and Rector of the parish of Sale.
Steve Clarke began his professional life as a jazz musician in Sydney. Following a ‘chance’ encounter with a traveling preacher, Steve came to faith and felt a strong calling to Christian ministry.”
– News and photo from the Diocese of Gippsland.
Christmas messages from around Oz, 2012
We’ll post Christmas messages from Anglican leaders around the country, as we discover them.
Please pray that all who speak in the name of the Lord Jesus this Christmas will do so with great clarity and faithfulness to his gospel.
Here are the messages so far –
Archbishop of Melbourne, Philip Freier. (video)
Bishop of Tasmania, John Harrower. (video)
Bishop of Canberra-Goulburn, Stuart Robinson. (video)
Dean of Riverina, Robert Harris. (text)
Bishop of Wangaratta, John Parkes. (2.5MB PDF – page 3 of The Advocate.)
Bishop of Gippsland, John McIntyre. (14.5MB PDF – page 3 of The Gippsland Anglican.)
Bishop of Ballarat, Garry Weatherill. (video)
Bishop of Willochra, John Stead. (PDF)
Bishop to the Australian Defence Force, Len Eacott.
And from the leaders of other denominations (via the National Council of Churches in Australia), messages are mixed – but that from David Jones, Moderator General Presbyterian Church of Australia, stands out:
Cry of a Tiny Baby
Bruce Cockburn the Canadian singer and songwriter describes the birth of Jesus beautifully in the chorus of one of his Christmas songs
“Like a stone on the surface of a still river
driving the ripples on forever
Redemption rips through the surface of time
In the cry of a tiny babe”
Something happened at Bethlehem that has sent ripples throughout the history of the human race.
If you have ever been robbed of something precious, you will want the culprit caught and punished and you will want your property returned to you. God has been robbed. He made us in his image and likeness but that has been defaced by sin.
Jesus has come to right the wrong done to God by his creatures, to pay the price of our sin and rebellion. But God wants back what is rightfully His. He wants his picture back. He wants his image and likeness restored. That is why Jesus came among us. That is the meaning of Redemption. That is the message of Christmas.
“Redemption rips through the surface of time”
“And the message is clear if you’ve got ears to hear
That forgiveness is given for your guilt and your fear
It’s a Christmas gift you don’t have to buy
There’s a future shining in a baby’s eyes”
(Second photo: Pilgrim Hill.)
Nationwide launch announced for Sexegesis
“On June 14, senior clergy of the evangelical church in Australia will make statements in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Perth and Adelaide (June 19), with an online launch in Canberra.”
– Download the full media release here (PDF) via the Diocese of Tasmania.
Related:
An important contribution to a vital debate.
Bishops publish protocols.
Sydney Standing Committee motion on Gippsland ‘breach of trust’.
Bishop McIntyre breaks ranks on homosexuality.
The Gippsland Crisis.
Bishop defends gay priest appointment.
Bishop McIntyre breaks ranks on homosexuality
How does this square with the Australian Bishops’ Protocol?
The Synod of the Diocese of Gippsland met in Sale, 18–20 May 2012. In his Presidential Address, Bishop John McIntyre spoke of the “new place” to which he had come in his understanding of homosexual people and the church. He said –
“I will appoint to office in our diocese those whom I believe God is calling to minister among us … and I am willing to live with any consequences that may arise from remaining true to that commitment.”
Read the full text of his address – linked from the diocesan website (PDF) – also quoted at length in The Gippsland Times (“Anglican Bishop enters gay marriage debate”, 19 May 2012).
Related posts. (Photo: Diocese of Gippsland.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…