Church of England is blasted for trying to hire £36,000 a year ‘anti-racism’ officer to ‘deconstruct whiteness’

Posted on March 4, 2024 
Filed under Church of England, Culture wars

“The Church of England has been blasted for hiring an ‘anti-racism’ officer to ‘deconstruct whiteness’ – with critics accusing it of ‘drinking the critical race Kool Aid’.

The £36,000-a-year and 35-hours a week role is part of a new 11-person ‘racial justice unit’ being set up by the Diocese of Birmingham to work across the West Midlands.

The job advertisement, published on Tuesday, described the role as ensuring that ‘structures, practices and behaviours’ throughout the church allow UK minority ethnic people to ‘flourish’. …”

– Story from Mail Online.

Embrace Compassion as the World Rejects Life’s Sanctity — Archbishop Kanishka Raffel writes

Posted on March 4, 2024 
Filed under Culture wars, Sydney Diocese

“In the past five years, two momentous decisions have been taken by our State Parliament, both under the banner of ‘right to choose’.

The first, the abortion liberalisation in 2019, was a change against which Sydney Anglicans, led by my predecessor Dr Glenn Davies, took a firm stand.

The other was in 2023. On November 28, the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2022 (NSW) (the Act) came into force in this State, enabling eligible people to choose to access euthanasia in accordance with the regulations and guidelines stipulated by the Act.

This watershed shift in medical practice and community expectation marks the final abandonment of one of the cornerstones of Western civilisation over the past two millennia: the sanctity of life. …”

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.

The article includes two helpful links.

The Bible Matters Podcast — an encouraging new resource

Posted on March 3, 2024 
Filed under Encouragement, Resources

The Bible Matters Podcast – an initiative of St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in London – is sure to be a real encouragement – especially (but not only) to preachers.

Launched at the end of January, the first two interviews are with Dick Lucas.

See what’s been published so far at this link.

Is there a glimmer of hope?

Posted on March 2, 2024 
Filed under Church of England, Culture wars

“The conduct of the House of Bishops has been deceitful and dishonest and disgraceful – concealing legal advice and the game plan. …

To believe there are glimmers of hope is not to prepare for the end of evangelical ministry in the Church of England. Such ministry is being squeezed out and it is naive not to see it, not say it, and not help others prepare for it.”

Anglican Futures has published this honest assessment from a clergyman in the Church of England.

Do continue to pray for Bible-believing Christians in the CofE.

Introducing the Global Anglican Podcast

Posted on March 2, 2024 
Filed under GAFCON

Terrific new resource from GAFCON.

It’s in the Fridge!

Posted on March 1, 2024 
Filed under Encouragement, Resources

“‘The sauce is on the middle shelf of the fridge’, so says my wife, but for the life me, I can’t see it.

My wife goes to the fridge and finds the sauce immediately.

Is it a man thing, an age thing or just a human thing?

Recently, I have been working on Luke 7:36-50, Jesus, Simon the Pharisee and the sinful woman.

I went through the whole process of sermon preparation and wrote out the sermon manuscript, but I knew I had not cracked the passage. I preached the sermon to my preaching club and knew it still was not right, so did they.

I prayed over it, I read and reread the passage, there was something I was not seeing…”

– At The Expository Preaching Trust, David Cook encourages us to look for what may be staring us in the face.

See also:

Preaching Conferences 2024.

We cannot agree to disagree, says CEEC’s John Dunnett

Posted on February 29, 2024 
Filed under Church of England, Culture wars

From The Church of England Evangelical Council:

The meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England concluded on Tuesday.

Commenting on the debate on the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process, Revd Canon John Dunnett, National Director, Church of England Evangelical Council, CEEC, said: “The decision taken by General Synod to move to next business [before the end of the debate] is demonstrative of widespread dissatisfaction with how the bishops have been progressing the LLF process. The one thing that Synod could largely agree on was that neither side could support the proposals that would emanate from the motion, as tabled at Synod.  We believe that GS2346, as presented at Synod, is riddled with confusion and ambiguity, contains proposals we could never support, and outlines inadequate structural provision.

“Significantly, the move to next business is also evidence that we cannot ‘square the circle’ in the debate, as currently framed. This issue is not adiaphora – we cannot agree to disagree.

“This is why we continue to call for a legal and structural settlement without theological compromise, which we believe is the only way forward. We will gladly work with Bishop Martyn Snow to explore this route further. Between now and July, we will be calling on churches and their leaders to articulate their support for this.

“Many feel that the fabric of the Church of England is tearing as a result of the Living in Love and Faith process and that structural differentiation is the only way of maintaining any degree of unity.”

Source.

My battle with Cancer, how God healed me — Kwashi, Anglican Archbishop

Posted on February 29, 2024 
Filed under GAFCON, People

“Anglican Archbishop, The Most Revd Benjamin Kwashi has recounted how he was afflicted by cancer to the point that he bought a coffin, prepared his funeral programme, and waited for death.

Kwashi was archbishop of Jos Province of the Anglican Church. He retired as Bishop of Jos in 2023 after putting in 31 years as bishop so he could face his orphanage which had about 400 children and also serve in the Global Anglican Future Conference.

He shared the testimony in a programme aired on Advent Cable Network on Tuesday, February 27. …”

Church Times Nigeria shares Archbishop Kwashi’s testimony.

Image: GAFCON.

Living in Love and Faith: what now for those who cannot ‘agree to disagree’?

Posted on February 28, 2024 
Filed under Church of England, Culture wars, Theology

“Yesterday the Bishop of Leicester, Martyn Snow, tried to reset the ongoing Living in Love and Faith (LLF) debate, asking the General Synod of the Church of England ‘to be reconciled with God and show this by being reconciled to one another’.

He talked of the missionary imperative of the Church finding a way to ‘agree to disagree’ and pleaded for Synod to avoid “a series of speeches simply saying, ‘Synod needs to agree with me’, or others just need to change their mind”.

But the problem facing the Church is, as Ed Shaw said, ‘We do not all believe the same things when it comes to identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage.’…”

Susie Leafe continues to analyse the debates at the current meeting of the Church of England’s General Synod.

See also:

What do we mean by reconciliation? – Martin Davie.

“The problem with the LLF/PLF debate in the Church of England at the moment is that the majority of the bishops are promoting a truncated form of reconciliation, a form of reconciliation which emphasises quite rightly the virtues of humility, patience and love, but also gives liturgical recognition to sexual immorality in the form of the blessing of same-sex sexual relationships and same-sex marriages and the ordination of those involved in them. …”

Image: Bishop Snow’s call for reconciliation despite holding contradictory beliefs.

The magnificent beauty of God’s design for men and women – with Andrew Leslie

Posted on February 28, 2024 
Filed under Encouragement, Resources, Theology

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Andrew Leslie is encouraging us to first take a step back from practical concerns and reflect on the beauty and wisdom of the Bible’s teaching about manhood and womanhood.

In much contemporary debate about gender we focus on practical questions about what different people can do.

However the head of Moore Theological College’s Doctrine Department says the picture of gender in the beginning is not an arbitrary divine imposition that comes with its own set of arbitrary rules and instructions. Rather, the man and the woman together – and only together – irreducibly different and yet one inconceivable without the other, created a microcosm of God’s own very being and character and glory, summing up the wisdom and creative word of God.”

Watch or listen here.

Field Notes from Kenya

Posted on February 27, 2024 
Filed under Resources, Sydney Diocese

From Anglican Aid in Sydney:

“On Monday 4 March [from 5.30-7pm], Anglican Aid is holding a special event, “Field Notes From Kenya” to hear from Norm Gorrie, our partner from Kenya. All are welcome!

Norm will be sharing the latest updates from Marsabit, Kenya about recovery after the East Africa Hunger Crisis, a clean water project called ‘Generate‘, and the Bible Leadership program there.

We would love to see you and any of your friends there! There is no cost to attend, but please let us know you are coming…”

– Details and links at Anglican Aid’s website.

Church of England is ‘standing on the brink of a precipice’

Posted on February 26, 2024 
Filed under Church of England, Culture wars, Opinion

“As the General Synod of the Church of England gathered once again in London on Friday, Rev Ian Paul, a member of the Archbishops’ Council challenged the agenda in forceful terms.

Suggesting that Synod had made ‘avoiding reality a bit of an art form,’ he claimed that the Church of England is ‘standing on the brink of a precipice’. A precipice which could leave the next generation with nothing but a ‘heap of ruins’ to fight over. …”

Susie Leafe writes at Christian Today.

See Ian Paul’s challenge last Friday (link should go to 01:31:28 in the video).

“The Church of England – a heap of ruins for the next generation.”

Expository Preaching Trust’s Preaching Conferences 2024

Posted on February 26, 2024 
Filed under Encouragement, Resources

Encouragement from The Expository Preaching Trust:

“The Expository Preaching Trust is sponsoring two Preaching Conferences in 2024.

The conferences offer an identical program, both will feature 6 sermons on the book of Acts and each delegate will be allocated to a preaching group for individual preaching mentoring.

The main speaker will be Simon Manchester who will preach three sermons and lead a preaching group.

David Burge, David Cook and Jim Mobbs will each preach one sermon and lead a preaching group, Janet Riley will also lead a preaching group for women preachers.

First Conference: Armidale

The Dates: Monday-Tuesday, 6-7 May at St Peter’s Anglican Cathedral, Armidale.

This conference will be co-chaired by the Bishop of Armidale, Rod Chiswell, and David Cook.

The conference will be fully catered.

Full cost $50.

Second conference: Wahroonga 

The second conference in Wahroonga will be co-chaired by the Bishop of North Sydney, Chris Edwards, and David Cook, and the dates are, Monday-Tuesday, 12-13 August.

Venue Wahroonga Presbyterian Church. This conference will be fully catered.

Full cost $50.

The Monday night

The Monday night of each conference will be open to the public and both Simon Manchester and David Cook will preach on Acts 7 and Acts 8-9 respectively.

Venues: Armidale Cathedral 6 May; St Andrew’s Anglican Church Wahroonga, Water St, Wahroonga, 12 August – each evening begins at 7:30 pm.

These conferences are offered for all preachers and the Trust is delighted to offer them so economically as it seeks to promote expository preaching which is both faithful and engaging.

Links to register for either conference are on this page – and additionally for the Armidale conference here.

Jesus on prayer

Posted on February 25, 2024 
Filed under Resources

St. Helen’s Bishopsgate has published the latest talk from Dick Lucas – Jesus on Prayer:

“Why bother with prayer? And how should it be done?

Jesus’ instruction is concise yet all-encompassing, embracing the eternal purposes of God, the daily needs of his wayward children and the reality of evil. It is an invitation to intimacy between the perfect father and the imperfect, but forgiven, child.”

Listen here.

Evangelism for the terrified

Posted on February 24, 2024 
Filed under Encouragement, Evangelism, Sydney Diocese

“I don’t know about you, but I find evangelism utterly terrifying.

It didn’t start that way. After becoming a Christian in my late 20s, one of the things God did in my heart immediately was help me see that following Jesus and sharing the news of Jesus were two sides of the same coin.

“How hard could it be?” I thought. Very hard, as it turned out. …”

Dave Jensen begins a regular column in Southern Cross magazine.

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