California voters approve gay marriage ban – but not TEC
After one of the costliest, most rancorous and divisive campaigns in state history, California voters on November 4 narrowly approved Proposition 8, a ban on same-sex marriage. …
In a statement released November 5, Bishop Marc Andrus of the San Francisco-based Diocese of California said: “The recognition of the civil rights of lesbian, gay, transgendered and bisexual people is part of the broad shift in consciousness towards which we are moving. … Perseverance, knowing that God continues to travel with those who are disenfranchised, is a path we know.”…
– report from Episcopal Life Online. (Photo of Bishop Marc Andrus: Diocese of California.)
Praying for President-elect Obama
Well, my country and much of the rest of the world are electric with the election of Barack Obama as the new President of the United States of America. To say that it is historic, is a gross understatement.
Justin Taylor and Al Mohler, have both inspired some reflection on the question of how we as Christians –Bible-believing, Reformed, Christians– ought to pray for him, and I have freely borrowed many of their words and thoughts on this. But here are some ideas for leading our people to pray for our President-Elect. Barack Obama…
– At Reformation21, Ligon Duncan offers some initial thoughts on how Christians must pray.
(Photo: First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi. Hat tip: Justin Taylor.)
California: ‘Gay marriage ban leading’
A measure to once again ban gay marriage in California led Tuesday, throwing into doubt the unions of an estimated 18,000 same-sex couples who wed during the last 4 1/2 months…
Eight years ago, Californians voted 61% to define marriage as being only between a man and a woman. The California Supreme Court overturned that measure…
– Report from The Los Angeles Times.
See also Arizona and Florida ban ‘gay marriage’.
America has chosen a President
… Evangelical Christians face another challenge with the election of Sen. Obama, and a failure to rise to this challenge will bring disrepute upon the Gospel, as well as upon ourselves. There must be absolutely no denial of the legitimacy of President-Elect Obama’s election and no failure to accord this new President the respect and honour due to anyone elected to that high office. Failure in this responsibility is disobedience to a clear biblical command.…
– Al Mohler writes on the responsibilities ahead for Christian people after yesterday’s US election.
John Calvin – free audiobook
This month’s free audiobook from ChristianAudio is a reading of John Calvin’s “Of Prayer and The Christian Life”.
Use the code NOV2008 at the checkout.
The mp3 files are around 160MB – available free until the end of November.
Will Apple’s stance on ballot measure come back to haunt it?
Apple made headlines when it donated $100,000 to defeat a measure appearing on Tuesday’s California ballot that would ban gay marriage in the state.
But even more noteworthy than the size of Apple’s contribution was the promience given the decision—Apple posted a statement on its Hot News page outlining its opposition to Proposition 8…
– Macworld reports on Apple’s public stance on homosexual marriage in California.
A Prayer for America on Election Day
“May God bless America, not because this nation deserves to be blessed, but because He is a God of grace and mercy. Oh God… save us from ourselves.”
– Al Mohler calls Christians to pray for America as millions go to vote.
Sir Marcus Loane launches preaching guide
Former Archbishop of Sydney, Sir Marcus Loane has expressed his hopes for the flourishing of preaching in Sydney at the launch of an historic book on Saturday.
Preach or Perish, a new book on the theology and practice of preaching, has a weighty Sydney Anglican contributor list, including previous Archbishops of Sydney, Sir Marcus Loane and Dr Donald Robinson, as well as current Archbishop, Dr Peter Jensen…
– Story from SydneyAnglicans.net. (Photo: Ramon Williams.)
Sobering words from Robert Gagnon
“If Obama is elected President this Tuesday he has made it a priority of his administration to pass legislation that will make war against Christians and persons of other religious convictions who believe that homosexual practice and abortion are immoral acts. Persecution will take many forms, as indicated by actions that have already taken place in parts of the United States, Canada, and Western Europe…”
– Sobering words from Robert A. J. Gagnon, Associate Professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary tonight’s election. (h/t Anglican Mainstream)
Paul Barnett honoured
Press release from the Australian College of Theology –
Australian New Testament Scholar Honoured.
At its October meeting, and on the strong recommendation of the College’s Honorary Degree Committee, the Board of Directors of the Australian College of Theology awarded an honorary Doctor of Theology degree to well-known Sydney historian and New Testament scholar, Paul Barnett. The award is in recognition of Dr Barnett’s contribution to the life and work of the Anglican Church of Australia and particularly his substantial academic and scholarly contributions. Read more
New bishop says Anglicanism ‘in trouble’
Born in 1959 to unmarried musicians from Sydney’s Kings Cross, Stuart Robinson was elected yesterday as the next Anglican Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn. …
With a background in management, Dr Robinson trained for the priesthood at Sydney’s Moore Theological College. Much of his subsequent work has involved establishing new churches, including several years in Belgium…
– Report from The Canberra Times. (Photo: St. Paul’s Chatswood.)
Stuart Robinson elected to Canberra and Goulburn
The Reverend Stuart Robinson has been elected as the new Diocesan Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn. The Reverend Stuart Robinson is presently National Mission Facilitator for the Anglican Church of Australia and Rector of Chatswood in the diocese of Sydney.
The announcement was made today by the Very Reverend Phillip Saunders, President of the Electoral Synod and Dean of St Saviour’s Cathedral…
– Announcement from the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn.
Learn about Stuart’s ministry as National Mission Facilitator. (Photo: St. Paul’s Chatswood.)
Can Conservative Evangelicals and Traditional Anglo-Catholics really work together?
In 2 Corinthians 6:14-16, the Apostle Paul asked some searching questions of believers who wanted to take their new-found freedom in Christ too far:
For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?
Right now, a lot of people are asking the same question about any possible cooperation between Conservative Evangelicals and Anglo-Catholics over the issues of women bishops and, to a lesser but still significant extent, same-sex relationships and their effect on the global Anglican Communion…
– Conservative Evangelical John Richardson gave this Address to the Annual Meeting of the Lincoln branch of Forward in Faith yesterday.
The most important issues in this election
Where is your trust in this world? Where is your allegiance? John Piper speaks very helpfully on what’s really important as the US elections loom.
It’s a 4 minute video at Desiring God.
Taking a crack at the stained glass ceiling
Church history will be made this weekend if Canberra’s Dr Sarah Macneil is elected the 10th Anglican Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn.
… only four remained from an original field of five nominees when the electoral synod began meeting yesterday in Goulburn. … Others nominated are Assistant Bishop and Vicar General of the diocese, Allan Ewing; Assistant Bishop and rector of the parish of St Matthew, Wanniassa, Trevor Edwards; and the rector of the parish of St Paul, Chatswood, Stuart Robinson.
– Report from The Canberra Times. (emphasis added)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…