Lausanne – with Mark Thompson and Chris Edwards
Posted on October 16, 2024
Filed under Evangelism, Opinion, Theology
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“5,000 believers gathered from more than 200 nations last month in South Korea.
It is 50 years since Billy Graham and John Stott first launched the Lausanne movement in Switzerland.
Anglican Bishop of North Sydney Chris Edwards has described the congress as like an all you can eat buffet – ‘where some parts tasted amazing / fantastic and I kept wanting more and yet other parts even a mouthful made me feel nauseous’.
Principal of Sydney’s Moore Theological College Mark Thompson says there were some great highlights including a presentation by Vaughan Roberts on sexuality but also areas of concern.”
Related:
The photo of Billy Graham and Jack Dain mentioned in the conversation can be seen here on the Lausanne website.
Read the original Lausanne Covenant here.
Ridley’s Principal to deliver farewell lecture
Posted on October 15, 2024
Filed under Australian dioceses, People
“The Reverend Brian Rosner will deliver a public farewell lecture at Ridley College on Wednesday, 16 October, marking the conclusion of his more than 12 years as principal.
The lecture, titled Strengthened by the Gospel: The Purpose of Romans and the Future of Ridley College, will focus on the enduring role of the gospel in Christian life and ministry. …”
– Report and photo from The Melbourne Anglican.
And a good reminder to also pray for the College and for Rhys Bezzant as he takes up the reins in January.
Anglican Aid CEO Statement: Responding to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East
Posted on October 15, 2024
Filed under Sydney Diocese, World news
“When the terrible violence erupted in Israel and Gaza in October last year, I was genuinely appalled and saddened. At the time, I wrote a prayer pleading for God’s protection of the innocent and urging Anglican Aid supporters to pray. Now, one year on, I continue to grieve over this devastating conflict, which has now also spread to Lebanon.
As this conflict continues to escalate, Anglican Aid supporters may understandably want to give to provide aid to those who have been caught up in the crossfire. However, at this stage we are not launching an emergency appeal for Lebanon (or for Israel and Gaza), for two main reasons…”
– CEO of The Archbishop Of Sydney’s Anglican Aid, Canon Tim Swan, explains the current situation and asks for your prayers for peace.
Latest news from the Northern Territory
Posted on October 15, 2024
Filed under Australian dioceses
The latest issue of Top Centre magazine (issue 24.2) from the Diocese of the Northern Territory is available on their website.
The Good News in the Original Meaning of “Catholic”
Posted on October 14, 2024
Filed under Resources
“From within seventy years of Jesus’ death early documents show that his followers were keen to call themselves catholic. According to the Vatican in 2021 1.3 billion people called themselves Roman Catholic.
There is a significant difference between what the work originally meant and what it means today. There is good news in rediscovering its original meaning. …”
– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Mark Gilbert reminds us what being “catholic” is all about.
New Moore College Lecturer in Ministry and Dean of Students
Posted on October 13, 2024
Filed under Moore College, People
“Rev Malcolm York, currently Rector of St Andrew’s Roseville, has been nominated as Lecturer in Ministry and Dean of Students for Moore College starting in January 2025.
With a depth of experience in parish ministry Mal has the heart and the skills needed for this important teaching and pastoral role. …”
– Announcement from Moore College.
2024 Melbourne Synod wrap-up
Posted on October 12, 2024
Filed under Australian dioceses
The Synod of the Diocese of Melbourne has been held the last few days.
The Melbourne Anglican has several stories, as well as the text of Archbishop Philip Freier’s last Synod Presidential Address before his retirement.
Photo by Jenan Taylor / The Melbourne Anglican.
Moore College’s Annual Report 2024
Posted on October 12, 2024
Filed under Moore College
Moore College’s Annual Report for 2024 is now available to read online or download from their website.
A good reminder to pray for the College.
Where is our mission confidence?
Posted on October 11, 2024
Filed under Australian dioceses, Culture wars, Good News
“Last week, I enjoyed Xiao Long Bao with the family in a restaurant just behind Bourke Street in Melbourne City. On our way back to the car, we walked past two billboards casting their messages onto the famous Swanston and Flinders Street intersection.
The first billboard was hilarious; it advertised Melbourne’s Fringe Festival by emulating Paris’ Olympic Opening Ceremony with a Last Supper mock-up. Melbourne’s creatives apparently have the comedic and artistic flair of the inside of a vacuum: ‘Let stupidity repeat itself’! (no I’m not offended, except by the boorishness).
The second billboard stands outside St Paul’s Cathedral. This gothic lookalike sits on the busiest intersection in Melbourne’s CBD. It is a favourite spot for news reporters, city workers, protesters, and more. In every direction a tram is clicketing with passengers heading to the MCG or to theatre shows and the symphony.
With this kind of amazing frontage, which is probably unbeatable anywhere else in all of Melbourne, what message would you like to convey to the 100,000s people who pass by every day?…”
– Murray Campbell in Melbourne has some important observations for all churches.
Here’s another message, posted by private individuals, across from St. Paul’s Cathedral several years ago:
Masterful exploration of New Testament context
Posted on October 11, 2024
Filed under History, Resources
“For several decades, Dr Paul Barnett delivered lectures on the background to the New Testament to first-year students at Moore College. Generations of future ministers have thereby been exposed to his masterful examination of the geopolitical context in which the New Testament came into being.
Now, with the publication of his latest book, The Trials of Jesus: Evidence, Conclusions, and Aftermath, the fruit of his study of the sociopolitical background to the trials and subsequent crucifixion of Jesus is available for all. …”
– Bishop Glenn Davies reviews Paul Barnett’s latest book – at SydneyAnglicans.net. Anything Paul Barnett publishes is worth reading.
Bishop Darrell Parker’s Presidential Address to the Diocese of North West Australia
Posted on October 10, 2024
Filed under Australian dioceses
“The life saving and life transforming ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ continues steadily across the North West of Western Australia.
I’m deeply conscious that first and foremost, before we say anything concerning the details of that ministry, we must thank God for his mercies in what has been achieved. He surely is the one who makes this happen and empowers it by his Spirit, so it’s in sincere thanks, gratitude, and praise that I begin this Presidential Report to our Diocesan Synod.
If we together have achieved anything of eternal significance in this last year, our first instinct must be to humble ourselves before our Creator, Saviour, and King, and say ‘thank you’. I say this because ‘our’ works in gospel ministry are firstly ’The Lord’s’ works in gospel ministry. Our gospel acts of service belong to him well and truly before we undertake or even conceive of them. Paul reminds us of this truth in Ephesians 2:10,
…. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
This address is classified into three parts:
(1) Our Ministry Environment
(2) Diocesan Ministry Initiatives and Change
(3) Some Episcopal Observations …”
– Read it all here. A great reminder to pray for ministry in the North West.
Recovering our larger story helps know ourselves and our place in God’s world
Posted on October 9, 2024
Filed under Resources
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“Historical literacy is a critical tool for Christians, deepening faith and enhancing evangelism and discipleship.
Sarah Irving Stonebreaker says we’ve forgotten how to engage well with the past, we don’t know why the past might be relevant to us today, and we have missed out on being part of a larger story. …”
Dr Tony Payne to Lecture in Christian Thought at Moore College
Posted on October 8, 2024
Filed under Moore College, People
“The College is thrilled to announce the appointment of Rev Dr Tony Payne as Lecturer in Christian Thought (Ethics) from November 2024.
Currently serving at Campus Bible Study (CBS) in the University of New South Wales as a ministry trainer, Tony has previously served the College in a part-time capacity (2014–2019) as Director of the Centre for Christian Living.
For more than three decades, mainly through his work with Matthias Media, Tony has been regularly sharing reflections on what it means to live the Christian life through books, articles, podcasts and lectures. …”
– Read the news at the Moore College website.
Archbishop to Decide as Perth Synod Weakens Faithfulness in Service
Posted on October 8, 2024
Filed under Australian dioceses, Culture wars, Opinion
“The Synod of the Diocese of Perth met this last weekend amid ever-growing concern about the direction that the Diocese is heading under the leadership of Archbishop Kay Goldsworthy.
The matter which davidould.net has received most correspondence about is the proposed changes to Faithfulness in Service to effectively weaken moral requirements for church workers.
We’ll come to that in a moment but, perhaps to set the scene of what is happening in Perth, here is a fascinating set of answers to questions. All documentation for this article comes from photos provided by attendees at the synod since the Diocese of Perth no longer publishes any of their synod documentation online (including the Presidential Address). …”
– Do read the latest at davidould.net.
Photo: Diocese of Perth.
The Calculus of Christianity — breakfast seminar Oct 30
Posted on October 8, 2024
Filed under Resources
“For those who are in or can make it to Newcastle, I am speaking at a breakfast seminar on Wednesday Oct 30 (7:30-8:30 am) in the Newcastle CBD (Nuspace, the Uni city campus) x703. The topic is ‘The Calculus of Christianity’! Here is what it is about:
Both professionally and personally, we are constantly making calculations around risk. What would happen if we were to extend those calculations to the claims of Jesus Christ? Join us at our next Newcastle City Legal as Torts Lecturer Assoc. Prof. Neil Foster uses Wyong Shire Council v Shirt to do just that.
What would a “reasonable person” (for local purposes, the user of the Newcastle Light Rail!) make of the claims of Jesus, and how should they respond?
All welcome, but would be especially good to see local lawyers and anyone else interested in the law!”
– Assoc. Prof. Neil Foster writes at Law and Religion Australia.
Sounds intriguing. See this link to register.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…