Voting for generations of children and their right to live
“What would you think if a politician said ‘I’m not pro-rape, I’m simply prochoice about rape. And though I would not choose to rape a woman, I believe that every man should be free to rape a woman if that is his personal choice.’ And what would you do if that politician promised the rape lobby that if he is elected president, the ‘first thing I would do’ is to sign legislation that would invalidate all the state laws that restrict rape in any way?…”
– Randy Alcorn writes persuasively about choices facing voters in the US election.
Canberra & Goulburn to vote this week
The Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn will elect its tenth Diocesan Bishop at an election Synod beginning on Friday (31st October). Bishop George Browning retired in August.
– Details on the process from the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn website. (Image: Dioc. Canb & Goulb.)
Obama on Homosexuality
“Regardless of how one votes on election day, it is important to be aware of how this presidential candidate interprets Scripture to fit his political views and what kind of impact this will have on his policies regarding government endorsement of, and incentives for, homosexual practice should he become president. Obama’s record is clear…”
– Robert A. J. Gagnon, Associate Professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary writes on “Barack Obama’s Disturbing Misreading of the Sermon on the Mount as Support for Homosexual Sex”.
See this page for the introduction, and you can find the article here. (h/t Justin Taylor.)
Terrific Gospelling idea
Here’s a reminder about an event coming up this week –
St. Philip’s Church in the Sydney CBD is modelling a great idea for outreach. Later this month they are hosting a public reading of Mark’s Gospel over two lunch hours.
The purpose is to provide Christians who work and shop in the City with an opportunity to bring their non-Christian friends and work colleagues to hear about Jesus from the Scriptures. Read more
‘Gay wedding’: underlying problem of false teaching sidestepped
David Phillips, General Secretary of Church Society –
St Bartholomew the Great statements
The Diocese of London has issued a statement regarding the so called ‘gay blessing’ service at St. Bartholomew the Great. The Rector, Martin Dudley, who conducted the service has allowed a letter to be published in which he indicates that his action was not in line with the House of Bishops’ guidelines on civil partnerships. He goes on to indicate that he does not agree with those guidelines but will abide by them. He also calls attention to the anecdotal evidence that the guidelines are being breached by many others.
The House of Bishops guidelines were themselves a travesty because they do not uphold Biblical standards and accept the validity of Civil Partnerships which are a mockery of marriage. Moreover, the House of Bishops has consistently failed to stand against the root problem. They have focussed on certain actions such as entering into a Civil Partnership or being in a non-celibate relationship whilst ignoring the Biblical focus on false teaching.
Those who encourage others to sin are just as guilty, apparently more so, than those who engage in sin. Speaking of children the Lord Jesus Christ said: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matthew 18.6). And the Apostle James wrote reminding teachers of the weight of responsibility they bear – “we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3.1).
The presence of gross false teaching within the Church of England has fractured it as evidenced by the statement recently issued by members of the Deanery in which St. Bartholomew the Great is situated. The statement by Mr Dudley and the Diocese of London will not close the matter because the underlying problem of false teaching has once again been sidestepped.
David Phillips
General Secretary, Church Society.
– from Church Society’s news website, EVnews.
For earlier stories, see here.
TEC promises support to continuing Episcopalians
The Episcopal Church’s Executive Council October 23 renewed its ongoing support of dioceses in which the leadership has left or plans to leave the church, and pledged the church to seek reconciliation “without precondition on our part.”
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori told council members that she appreciated their sense that irreconcilable differences are inconsistent with the gospel. “It is profoundly unchristian and unhopeful to say that differences can be irreconcilable,” she said…
– Spin from Episcopal Life Online. (Photo: ENS / Mary Frances Schjonberg.)
Final decision from the Bishop of London
In a letter to clergy in the diocese (October 24th 2008) the Assistant Bishop of London declares that since Martin Dudley has apologised, the case is now considered closed.
– Read the letter here at Reform London.
For earlier stories, see here.
(Photo of Bishop Richard Chartres: Diocese of London.)
Anglican bishop seeks OK to bless same-sex marriages
An Anglican church in Ottawa may soon be the second in Canada to bless same-sex marriages.
Bishop John Chapman plans to ask the Canadian House of Bishops next week if he can develop an appropriate rite, then designate one parish — possibly Saint John the Evangelist on Somerset Street — to offer blessings to gay couples already married in a civil ceremony…
– Report from The Ottawa Citizen. (Photo: The Anglican Journal.)
Connect09 orders due next week
Just a reminder for Sydney parishes – the phase 1 orders for Connect09 Gospels (versions in English, Chinese and Arabic) close next Friday (October 31). Don’t miss out!
(See also The Essential Jesus.)
How free is your religion?
Dr Andrew Cameron, chairman of the (Sydney) Diocesan Social Issues Executive –
“The ‘Freedom of Religion and Belief Project’ is an initiative of the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC, formerly HREOC), the government’s main advisory body on human rights.
Researchers for the AHRC want to study the state of religious freedom in Australia. Their research will cover a variety of areas, and they will produce a report to the Federal government in 2010 which will probably recommend legislative changes…
The project could be a good thing if it brings to light any inappropriate limitations on the freedom of religion and belief. Or, it may be unhelpful if it recommends changes that damage the delicate balance of religion freedoms that have developed in Australian life. We don’t know yet. But this is an important enough project that some of us want to do our part to be actively involved as citizens.”
Dr Cameron, is presenting a seminar on the project next Thursday –
‘Freedom of Religion and Belief Project’ Information Hour
A seminar presented by Andrew Cameron,
chairman, Diocesan Social Issues Executive
Thursday 30th October 2008
5.30pm-6.30pm
Chapter House, St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney Square.
No RSVP necessary.
Only a limited number of copies of the relevant Australian Human Rights Commission discussion paper will be available. You can download your own copy here before the seminar. It might help to skim pp. 8-11 of that paper before the meeting.
For further background, see Social Issues briefing #079 (PDF file, direct link).
For more information from the AHRC, see
Freedom of Religion and Belief in the 21st Century and
Freedom of Religion and Belief.
Right to Death
Writing in The Guardian [London], Simon Jenkins argues that the right to end one’s life on one’s own terms is basic to humanity, and that only “religious primitivism” stands in the way of cultural acceptance and legal approved for assisted suicide…
– Al Mohler writes about the growing Culture of Death.
Bp John Broadhurst – strong words on Lambeth
At the UK Forward in Faith National Assembly two weeks ago, Bishop John Broadhurst, Bishop of Fulham within the Diocese of London and Chairman of Forward in Faith, spoke about the betrayal of Anglicanism he felt at Lambeth and from the UK General Synod.
The 21MB mp3 file (direct link) runs for 22 minutes.
Related: Forward in Faith UK reacts to C of E vote (July 8, 2008.)
Q & A from the Covenant Design Group
A Lambeth Commentary: The Reflections on the St Andrew’s Draft for an Anglican Covenant by the bishops gathered at the 2008 Lambeth Conference together with responses from the Covenant Design Group has now been made available from the Anglican Communion Office.
It’s a 200kb PDF download (direct link).
Bishop John Harrower reports on Lambeth
Bishop of Tasmania, John Harrower, shares his experience of the Lambeth Conference –
“One of the saddest moments of the Conference for me personally occurred in our Indaba when a bishop spoke earnestly of his views on same sex issues with a brief and solemn conclusion.
Some minutes after I saw him surreptitiously pass a sheaf of the TEC briefing notes to the TEC bishop seated in front of him. He had parroted one of the ‘sample narratives’. I wanted to shout and to cry. Any idea of transparency and trust through Indaba had been tragically thrown in our face. Set piece parroting surreptitiously orchestrated was poisoning our communion. God have mercy on us!…”
– Read Bishop Harrower’s full report on the Diocese of Tasmania website.
(Photo of Bishop John and Mrs Gayelene Harrower: Samuel Dow.)
Top Ten ways to write bad worship songs
In my eleven years as director of worship development for Sovereign Grace Ministries, I’ve reviewed hundreds of worship songs and written a few of my own. Not all of them have been stellar. Actually, very few of them have been.
I’ve noticed recurring tendencies that keep weak songs from becoming good or great songs. I’m intimately acquainted with those tendencies in my own songs and I’ve listed my top ten below. While these thoughts are meant for songwriters, most of them apply to leading worship as well.…
– Bob Kauflin writes at Worship Matters. (Number 10 is especially true.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…