Highlights, insights, reflections and things I learned in Africa – Dominic Steele

Posted on May 31, 2023 
Filed under GAFCON

Dominic Steele at The Pastor’s Heart:

“In almost every personal conversation I’ve had since returning from Africa I’ve been asked about my personal reflections on the almost four weeks that Catherine and I spent there.

How was Gafcon? What was significant? What stood out? How has Africa impacted you?”

– Watch or listen here. Most encouraging.

“We are the Anglican Communion; we represent 85% of all church-going Anglicans” — Bishop Glenn Davies

Posted on May 31, 2023 
Filed under Anglican Communion, Diocese of the Southern Cross, GAFCON, Global South

“We have a de facto re-ordered Communion now. We are not leaving the Anglican Communion, but reforming it along Cranmerian lines, where the Scripture is supreme and obedience to Scripture is essential; we represent 85% of Anglicans worldwide and are moving forward. …”

– David Virtue at VirtueOnline has published an interview with Bishop Glenn Davies.

Photo: Bishop Davies speaks at GAFCON IV in Kigali.

Legislation passes allowing ACT government to move ahead with plans to take over Calvary Public Hospital

Posted on May 31, 2023 
Filed under Australia, Culture wars

“The ACT Legislative Assembly has passed a controversial bill giving the government the power to take over Calvary Public Hospital in as little as 33 days. …”

– Report from ABC News.

See also:

Calvary forced into legal response to ACT Government’s legislation – Calvary, 30 May 2023.

Calvary to take legal action against ACT Government – Catholic Voice, 30 May 2023.

‘Favouring his mates’: Vicar reprimands PM over Calvary takeover – 2GB radio, 31 May 2023.

Image: Calvary.

Redeemer Presbyterian’s Tim Keller: An outsider who came to New York City – to stay

Posted on May 30, 2023 
Filed under People

“On the Sunday after 9/11, thousands of New Yorkers went to church, with many joining a line stretching outside the Redeemer Presbyterian services in a Hunter College auditorium.

The Rev. Tim Keller asked his staff if they could manage a second service – doubling the day’s attendance to 5,300. Keller’s sermon, ‘Truth, Tears, Anger and Grace,’ began with Jesus weeping before raising Lazarus from the dead. …”

– At Get Religion, Terry Mattingly shares his tribute to Tim Keller.

Prime Minister supports Calvary compulsory takeover

Posted on May 29, 2023 
Filed under Australia, Culture wars

“We now know that the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Anthony Albanese, as an elected representative of the country, supports the compulsory acquisition of Calvary Hospital. This acquisition is not being done according to the rule of law or on just terms.

Can anybody imagine the great Labor Prime Ministers, John Curtin, Ben Chifley, Bob Hawke, or Paul Keating, doing such a thing?What’s at stake here is not the Labor Party, not the Catholic church, but the rights of ordinary citizens to have proper land and property rights.”

– Catholic Voice.

See also:

Anthony Albanese backs Calvary Hospital takeover two days before laws set to pass – The Catholic Weekly,

“Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed the ACT Government takeover of Calvary Public Hospital, just two days before legislation is likely to pass the ACT Legislative Assembly. …

Australian Medical Association ACT branch president, Dr Walter Abhayaratna, wrote in a recent letter to the ACT health minister, Rachel Stephen-Smith, that the takeover sets a ‘terrible precedent’ and that senior doctors felt disrespected, shocked, dismayed and angry at the rapid takeover.

Legislation to compulsorily acquire the hospital and land was introduced into the ACT Legislative Assembly on 10 May, and will likely be passed by the Labor-Greens majority government this Wednesday, on 31 May.”

Albanese supports ACT Government on Calvary acquisition – CathNews.

Anthony Albanese intervenes to back ACT Govt on Calvary acquisition – Canberra Times (subscription).

Calvary on the cross – former Minister for Defence, Kevin Andrews, at Spectator Australia, 27 May 2023,

“The belief that this proposal is about abortion – and euthanasia, which the ACT plans to introduce – is well-founded. Is the next institution to be acquired Clare Holland House, the praised palliative care service also operated by Calvary?

This is not a Catholic issue, nor even a Christian one. If the ACT government can acquire a well-functioning, viable hospital that is providing first-rate healthcare to the populace, what else can it acquire? Independent schools? Clubs with pokies? Greyhound and horse racing tracks? The premises of organisations that oppose its political views? This is a dangerous precedent which should be resisted by everyone who values the freedoms and toleration that our polity is built upon.”

Earlier:

Catholic Archbishop ‘shocked and stunned’ at ACT’s proposed takeover of Calvary Hospital.

The Gender Revolution — by Patricia Weerakoon with Rob Smith and Kamal Weerakoon

Posted on May 29, 2023 
Filed under Culture wars, Resources

Coming soon from Matthias Media:

“How can you show love to someone who feels that their gender identity does not match how God made them—especially amid loud social messaging that says compassion and disagreement are incompatible? How do we keep the conversation grounded in reality? How do we lead others away from the harmful desire to transform their body into something it can never truly be? Why would hearing an explanation of God’s design for our bodies and his guidance for sexual expression be good for them, and how could you possibly begin that conversation?

Transgender ideology has quickly become pervasive in our broader culture, and many Christians prefer to avoid issues of sex and gender altogether. But if we’re not prepared in advance to show care and compassion to people questioning their gender identity or declaring a new one, we are unlikely to do it well when the moment arrives (as it inevitably will).

The Gender Revolution provides the biblical basis for a contemporary Christian response to the complicated feelings and experiences of gender dysphoria. Grounded in the latest scientific findings, this much-needed book is the fruit of decades of thorough research, medical practice and pastoral experience from the authors. It offers clear and compelling reasons for why God’s voice matters, and how it can be used to disciple others in truth.”

– Learn more at Matthias Media. “Available for pre-order; buy now and receive your copy July 2023.”

Sinicization of Christianity comes to Hong Kong

Posted on May 28, 2023 
Filed under Other denominations

“Hong Kong is becoming just like any other Chinese city, and this is increasingly true for religion as well. In CCP jargon, ‘Sinicization’ of Christianity does not mean adapting churches to Chinese culture but making them subservient to the Party. …”

– Story at Anglican.ink.

News and prayer updates from George Whitefield College, May 2023

Posted on May 27, 2023 
Filed under People, Resources, South Africa

The May 2023 newsletter for George Whitefield College in Cape Town is now up on their website.

A great reminder to pray for Africa.

As GWC Principal Dr. Mark Dickson reminds us,

“What Africa needs now are preachers, teachers and leaders who can tell the continent accurately about Jesus.”

– Download the PDF file here.

 

Also on the GWC website is a tribute to Bishop Joe Bell, former Presiding Bishop of the Church of England in South Africa (now REACH-SA). The tribute was written, we understand, by Dr. Mark Norman at GWC.

Bishop Bell was Presiding Bishop 1989-2000, succeeding Bishop Dudley Foord and preceding Bishop Frank Retief.

There’ll be a Memorial Service for Bishop Bell on Monday 29 May 2023 – streamed live at 19:00AEST.

Evangelism – A Priority in Your Parish? — Neil Prott

Posted on May 27, 2023 
Filed under Encouragement, Evangelism, Good News

“There is nothing more wonderful we can do for anyone than introduce them to Jesus Christ.

However, this is not reflected in the programme of many parishes today.

No doubt there are numerous reasons for the current state of affairs. Our analysis should take in the Scriptural factors as well as the obvious ones. …”

– The late Neil Prott wrote this article for ACL News back in 1989.

(We gave thanks for Neil when he was called home in April 2022.)

Meet the “Alone” contestant who is never alone

Posted on May 26, 2023 
Filed under Good News, People, Sydney Diocese

“Michael Wallace almost didn’t make it onto the SBS show Alone. The overseas smash-hit show, which came to Australia this year, features 10 contestants dropped in the Tasmanian wilderness to see who lasts longest without being medically evacuated or tapping out.

Michael, described on the show as a 43-year-old veterinarian and bush regenerator, is also a member of Narellan Anglican Church. …”

– Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net interviews Michael Wallace about being on SBS’s Alone.

The Moral Revolution’s Targeting of Institutions: It’s not an Accident, it’s a Strategy

Posted on May 25, 2023 
Filed under Culture wars

In his The Briefing for Thursday 25th May 2023, Albert Mohler takes another look at ‘the moral revolution’ and how it targets organisations.

While he is speaking from an American perspective, there’s a lot of application to Australia.

Related:

“the beginning of the end of freedom of conscience in Australia” – regarding Calvary Hospital, Bruce.

Everyone a Child Should Know

Posted on May 23, 2023 
Filed under Encouragement, History

“Believe it or not, heaven will not be populated exclusively by Sydney Anglicans!

And I, for one, am thankful to God for that.

Because I cannot wait to sing God’s praises shoulder-to-shoulder with JS Bach and Martin Luther. And marvel at the glory of the new creation alongside Rembrandt and Joni Eareckson Tada. And consider the depths of God’s grace that saved a wretch like me with John Newton and William Wilberforce. …”

– Steve Tong highlights a children’s book that’s also good for adults. At The Australian Church Record.

Bishop Mark Calder profile — Sight magazine

Posted on May 23, 2023 
Filed under Australian dioceses, People

“Anglican Bishop Mark Calder has long enjoyed driving. Whether it’s travelling to a conference or visiting a parish, he’d much rather make it a road trip than arrive via airplane. So when he was invited to lead the Diocese of Bathurst, the amount of travel it would require didn’t bother him. He started his role three and half years ago with a new car and has since clocked 135,000 kilometres. Just since January of this year, he’s done 15,000 kilometres for church-related trips, each one giving him more of vision for leadership and for the issues the people across the rural diocese face.

Sight caught up with him when he was actually in his office for our inaugural Q&A…”

– Sight magazine, “an editorially independent, Australian-based website covering local and global news and issues from a Christian perspective”, has published this Q & A with Bishop Mark Calder.

“I sensed a greater purpose in living than success in cricket” — Brian Booth

Posted on May 22, 2023 
Filed under People

“Brian Booth, well known for his cricket and his faith, has died in Sydney at the age of 89.

Booth, who played hockey for Australia in the 1956 Olympics, and captained Australia in cricket in the 1960s, was a middle-order batsman with a test average of 42.21. …”

– Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net has this tribute to a much-loved Christian man.

Photo by ACL Emeritus Vice-President Rev Allan M. Blanch. Allan took this photo from the old Sheridan Stand as Australia played South Africa at the SCG on either 10th January or 7th February 1964. Brian Booth is almost certainly the player arrowed, fielding at short leg. In the background are the terrace houses of Paddington, and on the skyline, the newly opened OTC building in Oxford Street. Larger version of the above detail here. Or full frame here, with thanks to Allan Blanch.

Update:

There will be a Celebration and Thanksgiving Service For The Life Of Brian Charles Booth on Friday 26th May at 11:00am at Narwee Baptist Church. It will be live-streamed here.

Tim Keller’s Last email to John Piper

Posted on May 21, 2023 
Filed under Encouragement, Good News

From Desiring God:

“Based on their last correspondence, what would Tim Keller want John Piper to say to younger pastors (and everybody else)?”

110 second video.

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