A New Evangelical Anglican Vision?
“Just this past term I have had the great pleasure of co-teaching – with Professor Ashley Null, the renowned Cranmer scholar – a MA unit offered here at Moore College entitled ‘Anglican Identity’. In it we made careful study of the development of the English reformation and the works of leading figures like Fisher, Cranmer and Hooker.
A highlight was reading the moving testimony of Catherine Parr, last wife of Henry VIII, to her conversion to the gospel of justification by faith.
I was curious, however, as to why so few Sydney clergy thought this was a subject that might interest them, or that the study of the founding documents of our denomination might be well worth their while…
More than ever, we need to renew our vision of what it means to be an evangelical Anglican. My conviction is that not only is being evangelical the most authentic way of being Anglican – we’ve been saying that for years – but also that being Anglican is a great way of being evangelical.”
– Read Michael Jensen’s full post at The Blogging Parson.
ACL Centenary Dinner Address
The Rev. Ed Loane gave this reflection on the history of the Anglican Church League at the ACL’s Centenary Dinner on Thursday 3rd September 2009:
I’ve been asked this evening to offer some account of the work of the ACL over the last 100 years. So I humbly put on my amateur historian hat – and amateur should be read in capital letters in light of present company – and I offer these reflections…
It has often been claimed that Sydney Diocese, with its pervasive and dominant conservative evangelicalism, is unique within the Anglican Communion – particularly within western Anglicanism. One of the chief questions that this situation raises is ‘how did this come to be?’ Read more
Restructuring planned for Sydney Diocese
Archbishop Peter Jensen has announced a number of changes, designed to help keep Sydney Anglicans focussed on sharing the good news of Jesus despite the challenges brought by the global financial crisis –
“As soon as it became apparent that we would have far less money available in the next three years, the Mission Strategy Committee and the Mission Board began to think and pray about our options. They have been working for several months and have now presented their proposals to Standing Committee before advancing them to the Synod. …
Part of the complexity is that it is not only the Synod money which is affected, but also the money from the Endowment of the See. …
Given the magnitude of the change, tinkering is not enough: we have to restructure. The key is to do it in such a way that we are looking to the future and driven by our mission.”
– Read the Archbishop’s message, “Looking Within, Above and Ahead” and related articles in Southern Cross, available at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Mark Dever interviews Phillip Jensen
While in Sydney, Mark Dever conducted an interview for 9Marks with Phillip Jensen. Both Phillip and Mark speak about bringing change in a church.
Video of the interview, which runs for 16 minutes, is posted at phillipjensen.com.
Chappo and the Hallway challenge
Much loved evangelist John Chapman has recorded a two minute video to encourage you to pray for your unsaved friends, and to use the resources available for Connect09.
The video is available at SydneyAnglicans.net and would be ideal to play in church.
As always, Chappo reminds us what it is really all about:
“People who are apart from Christ are lost. Their plight is desperate. They need to be forgiven. And they need to find Jesus as a Friend – as a Saviour. They need to know that he’s died so their sins can be forgiven.”
Tip: You can download the video files from SydneyAnglicans.net, but if you have problems playing them (we did), the 76MB mpeg4 file can be downloaded from Vimeo. You’ll need to register with Vimeo if you haven’t already, and then on this page, the download option is on the very bottom right (“Download Quicktime version”).
Our thanks to the team at Anglican Media Sydney for making these videos available.
Cuts at Anglican Media
At SydneyAnglicans.net, Jeremy Halcrow reports on the changes at Anglican Media Sydney –
“Anglican Media has been forced to retrench Mr Hadley and two other senior staff, while three full-time positions will be made part-time, in the latest round of job cuts caused by the Diocese’s financial losses.”
– and Mark Hadley reflects on the personal implications of “seeking first the kingdom”.
Please continue to pray for all affected by the global financial crisis.
Al Stewart to head Evangelism Ministries
A media release from the Diocese of Sydney –
Archbishop Dr Peter Jensen has announced the appointment of Bishop Alan Stewart to spearhead a major diocesan church planting initiative.
Dr Jensen says “Connect09 has challenged us to move from maintenance to mission. The fact that I have released Bishop Stewart from his valuable ministry in Wollongong is an indication of how high church planting is on our mission agenda.” Read more
Anglican losses in global finanical crisis
The ABC reports on the financial losses affecting Sydney Diocese’s investments – on ABC Radio’s AM programme.
Also Archbishop Peter Jensen has sent this letter to ministers and Russell Powell writes about the implications – at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Connect09 Prayer Day planned
A Day of Prayer for Connect09 is being planned for Friday May 22nd in the Chapter House of St. Andrew’s Cathedral – from 10:00am–2:30pm.
As the Lord Jesus reminded his disciples, ‘apart from me you can do nothing’. Details here. Video message from the Archbishop here.
Church Record editorial: Diocesan Mission Midpoint Report
“We’re half way there! The half way point of the Sydney diocesan mission is a good time to take stock. We have had enough time to see whether our plans are working and it’s not too late to change. The Midpoint Report was prepared by the Mission Board Strategy Committee. …
Given the significance of this report it is surprising that there has not been more written or said about it. …”
– Thought-provoking Editorial from the current issue of The Australian Church Record.
Phillip Jensen’s tribute to Sir Marcus Loane
How strange is the death of one of God’s people. The Psalmist says: Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints (Psalm 116:15).
“The clergy of my generation had an unreserved admiration of him. His very distinctive manner of speech was often impersonated. His memory for details was legendary. But it was his willingness to courageously stand for the truth, without fear or favour, which won our deep veneration.”
– Read the Dean of Sydney’s tribute to Sir Marcus Loane at the Cathedral website.
The Archbishop who walked Kokoda
Sir Marcus Loane, who was Anglican Archbishop of Sydney for 16 years to 1982, was the first Australian-born Primate of Australia and the first archbishop to walk the Kokoda Trail.
Loane, who died on Tuesday at 97, was a conservative evangelical credited with healing divisions within the Anglican community after a period of instability. His shy manner contrasted with the certainty of his belief. …
– Bishop John Reid, with Alan Gill, in The Sydney Morning Herald.
Funeral and Thanksgiving services for Sir Marcus Loane announced
Anglican Media Sydney reports that a funeral service will be held for Sir Marcus Loane on Tuesday April 21 at St James’, Turramurra at 2:00pm.
A Diocesan thanksgiving service will be held next month — on Wednesday May 13 at St Andrew’s Cathedral at 10:00am. (Photo: SydneyAnglicans.net)
NSW mourns Sir Marcus Loane
Press Release from the NSW Council of Churches
“He was a wonderful Bible teacher who expounded the Scriptures and made them clear to us.” – Deaconess Margaret Rodgers.
The NSW Council of Churches extends its condolences to the family of the Most Reverend Marcus Lawrence Loane KBE, former Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, who died on Monday in Sydney, aged 97.
Ordained in 1935, Sir Marcus was the first Australian-born Archbishop of Sydney, serving from 1966 to 1982, and was Primate of Australia from 1978 to 1982. He was vice-principal of Moore Theological College from 1939 to 1953, and Principal from 1954 to 1959. He served as Chaplain to the Australian Imperial Forces in New Guinea from 1942 to 1944. Read more
Photo tribute to Sir Marcus Loane
Christian Photojournalist Ramon Williams has assembled a web album of some of his photos of Sir Marcus Loane. You can see them here.
(Photo: Ramon Willams.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…