Why I Left the Church of Rome

Posted on January 17, 2025 
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“I grew up in a devout Roman Catholic family and attended private Catholic schools for both my primary (St John’s Riverstone) and secondary education (Oakhill College, Castle Hill) both in the Western Suburbs of Sydney, NSW. While nothing is perfect, I really enjoyed my upbringing and even aspired to becoming a De La Salle brother, which is kind of like a ‘teaching monk’.

All that changed though when I received a sporting scholarship to the United States to play tennis on the college circuit. In the providence of God, I ended up in a Missouri Synod Lutheran University in Southern California, formerly called ‘Christ College Irvine’ but is now Concordia University. My world was about to be turned upside down. …”

– At AP, Presbyterian minister Mark Powell shares the wonderful news he heard, and how it changed his life.

New Year, New Habits?

Posted on January 16, 2025 
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“We are creatures of habit. Our bodies thrive on routine—we get hungry at roughly the same times, we generally like routines, and we naturally form habits. This is by God’s design. Neuroscience confirms that repetition ingrains behaviours, creating neural pathways that make actions automatic.

While we wait for our eternal home in the new creation, we want to harness our natural habit-forming tendency—for good. …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Bronwyn Windsor writes to encourage us to consider what sort of people we should be.

Does the ideal Archbishop of Canterbury exist in the current Church of England?

Posted on January 16, 2025 
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“A letter in the Church Times from a frontline parish minister deserves to be at the top of the agenda for the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) as it decides who should be the next Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Rev James Dudley-Smith’s list of personal and spiritual qualifications for the ideal candidate in the January 10 edition of the paper are worth citing in full …

James serves as Rector of St John’s Church in Yeovil, Somerset, and is the son of the celebrated evangelical hymn writer, Timothy Dudley-Smith (1926-2024), a former Bishop of Thetford in Norfolk.”

– Julian Mann writes at Christian Today.

Lord for the Years: A tribute to Timothy Dudley-Smith

Posted on January 15, 2025 
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BBC Radio 4 last week aired an edition of “Sunday Worship” with a tribute to Timothy Dudley-Smith.

It’s available on their website for a limited time.

(Image from a 2020 message from Bishop Dudley-Smith to the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland.)

“100 Ministry Stories from Moore College” — Dan Lee

Posted on January 15, 2025 
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Moore College is continuing its “100 Ministry Stories from Moore College” – this one features Dan Lee:

“Dan Lee came to know Jesus at the end of high school through a local youth group where he first experienced Christian community and read the Bible for himself. After completing a ministry apprenticeship, he chose Moore College to deepen his theological understanding, particularly gaining a richer grasp of the Trinity. Now leading a new campus of MBM Church in Parramatta, Dan encourages all ministry apprentices to pursue theological education, equipping them to serve effectively—whether in paid ministry or as active church members.”

Indigenous Australians and the Christian Gospel – with Michael Duckett

Posted on January 14, 2025 
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From The Pastor’s Heart:

“As we approach ‘Aboriginal Sunday’ (19 January) we focus on the progress of the gospel among the indigenous in Australia.

What are the cultural changes and what openness to Jesus Christ among Indigenous Australians?

Where are we seeing growth? What are the roadblocks and opportunities for the growth of the gospel among the indigenous communities? How much has to do with the soil.  How much has to do with things that we can change?

Michael Duckett leads the Anglican Indigenous Ministry at Macarthur/Campbelltown in the far south west of Sydney and Chairs the Sydney Anglican Indigenous Ministry Committee.”

– Watch or listen here. Food for your prayers!

Related:

William Cooper – Wikipedia article.

Melbourne Anglicans mourn former Archbishop of Melbourne Keith Rayner

Posted on January 13, 2025 
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“Australian Anglicans are mourning the death of a former Melbourne archbishop and pivotal figure in the ordination of women in the Church.

Bishop Keith Rayner died peacefully on 12 January 2025, almost eight weeks after his 95th birthday. …”

– From The Melbourne Anglican.

Photo: Stpeters-cathedral, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Archbishop of Sydney’s Statement on further Antisemitic attacks — 13 January 2025

Posted on January 13, 2025 
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Here is a Media Release from the Diocese of Sydney:

“Media release

Anglican Diocese of Sydney
Archbishop’s Public Statement
More antisemitic attacks

For the second time in two months, I am taking the step of expressing the dismay of many Sydneysiders at grotesque acts of antisemitism in our city.

The recent attacks on the Allawah and Newtown synagogues, which follow attacks on private homes and property, are reprehensible and utterly unacceptable.

Any attack on a place of worship is an attack on the principles of freedom of religion, association and conscience which are foundational for our multicultural and cohesive community. Such attacks must be comprehensively rejected.

Beyond that essential principle we also recognise that antisemitism has a particular history and shape, played out across the world. Over the centuries, this has included antisemitism perpetrated by professing Christians. The Christian scriptures give no warrant whatsoever for such hateful acts. Rather, Jesus commanded his followers to love our neighbours as ourselves.

Sydney Anglicans welcome and affirm the presence and contribution of Jewish Australians for whom Sydney is the home we share and whose peace, prosperity and harmony is our common commitment.

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel
13 January 2025.”

– Source: SydneyAnglicans.net. Also as a PDF file.

“100 Ministry Stories from Moore College” — Peter Sholl

Posted on January 13, 2025 
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Moore College is featuring this brief video from Peter Sholl, International Director of CMS Australia as part of its “100 Ministry Stories”:

“God used Peter’s time at College to equip him with a solid foundation in theological thinking and a heart for mission, preparing him for service as a CMS missionary.

Now serving as the International Director of CMS Australia, Peter supports missionaries around the world, encouraging gospel work across cultures.

Peter’s story attests to how God uses theological training to prepare men and women for global ministry.”

Anglican Aid’s 2025 Prayer Diary

Posted on January 13, 2025 
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Anglican Aid have published their 2025 Prayer Diary as a PDF file on their website.

If you don’t receive a printed copy at church, this is a great alternative.

And don’t forget that you can also subscribe to Anglican Aid’s feed in the PrayerMate app for the content from the Prayer Diary.

Australian College of Theology to become the Australian University of Theology

Posted on January 13, 2025 
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“The Australian College of Theology (ACT) is pleased that it has been registered as an Australian University by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). As a result, the ACT is changing its name to become the Australian University of Theology (AUT). The University has a specialised focus in the field of religious studies. The ACT was previously registered as a University College.

ACT Board Chair, the Reverend Dr Roger Lewis, explains, ‘A basic principle of what distinguishes an Australian University from other higher education institutions is that it undertakes research at world standard. We are delighted that ACT has been recognised for its world standard research in theology.’…”

– The latest developments in Australian theological education.

See also:

TEQSA registers Australian College of Theology as an Australian University.

Justin Welby: a professional obituary

Posted on January 12, 2025 
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“Monday 6 January marked the last working day of Justin Welby as Archbishop Canterbury.

His resignation was forced on him after his failure to act competently in the oversight of a devastating sexual abuse scandal. But it would be unfair to take that single act of incompetence and use it as a lens to judge his entire performance as Archbishop. Tragic though the end of his tenure was, we need to look at the other elements of the way he held office in order to assess it fairly. …”

– Gavin Ashenden – former Anglo-Catholic bishop and now member of the Roman Catholic Church – shares his personal evaluation of Justin Welby’s tenure as Archbishop of Canterbury. At Christian Today.

Photo: Archbishop of Canterbury’s website.

Major fire destroys parts of St Hilary’s Kew

Posted on January 12, 2025 
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“The Anglican community was distressed to hear that there was a major fire at St Hilary’s Kew (on the corner of John and Rowland Streets) in the early hours of Friday 10 January. …

Thanks to the quick action of the fire fighters, they were able to save the church and the hall (both original buildings on the site). …

Offices, the main kitchen, and other spaces were significantly affected. The church has sustained some smoke and water damage”

– Story at The Melbourne Anglican.

Photo via The Melbourne Anglican.

Dyslexia-Friendly Bibles now available in ESV & CSB

Posted on January 11, 2025 
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This video from Tim Wildsmith (who makes videos about Bible design) highlights the arrival of “Dyslexia-Friendly Bibles”.

These are typeset by 2K/DENMARK, who are well-known for their experience in Bible typesetting.

Here’s a promotional video from Crossway about their ESV Holy Bible: Dyslexia-Friendly Edition, due to be published in March 2025. (It can be pre-ordered from Reformers in Sydney, and, doubtless, other Christian bookshops.)

From Crossway:

“Approximately 17 percent of the global population has dyslexia, yet many do not have the proper resources to easily read God’s Word. The ESV Holy Bible: Dyslexia-Friendly Edition features a specialized typeface and typesetting to help those with dyslexia read the Bible with more clarity and comfort.”

(No, this is not an advertisement. Many people will benefit from these Bibles.)

‘The Woke Will Regroup’ — Albert Mohler interviewed on Dual Citizens

Posted on January 10, 2025 
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In the latest Dual Citizens podcast from David Ould and Stephen McAlpine –

“Steve and Dave speak with Dr. Albert Mohler to explore the implications of Trump’s re-election on American Christianity. He candidly shares his evolving stance on Trump, the persistence of ‘woke’ ideology, and the role of American evangelicals during a time of societal upheaval. He navigates the complexities of faith in a politically charged era, offering a beacon for Evangelicals in a changing landscape.

Dr. Mohler also engages with Christian nationalism, examining how faith and national identity can coexist without overshadowing the Gospel’s universal message. He invites us to ponder our dual citizenship, emphasising the eternal over the temporal.”

– Watch or listen here.

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