Women bishops want male authority
Women bishops must enjoy the same authority as their male counterparts if they are placed in charge of an Anglican diocese, say two pioneering Australian churchwomen.
Barbara Darling, who was consecrated Assistant Bishop of Melbourne this year, said she opposed any plan that would diminish traditional authority of bishops over their dioceses. …
– Report from The Sydney Morning Herald. (Photo: Australian women bishops Barbara Darling and Kay Goldsworthy – by Janine Eastlake / Anglican Media Melbourne.).
Latest Australian Church Record out now
Released just in time for Christmas, the latest issue of the web-only newspaper, The Australian Church Record, is now online.
The 700kb December 2008 issue is available in PDF form at australianchurchrecord.net.
The Advent of Humility
Innumerable Christmas devotionals point out the humble circumstances of Jesus’ birth—among shepherds, in a crude stable, with a feed trough for a bassinet. When Jesus himself tried to summarise why people should take up the yoke of following him, he said it was because he was meek and humble (Matt. 11:29).
Seldom, however, do we explore the full implications of how Jesus’ radical humility shapes the way we live our lives every day. …
– Tim Keller on humility – at Christianity Today (just before Christmas). (h/t Between TwoWorlds)
C of E drafts women bishops legislation
The Church of England published draft legislation Monday that could allow the ordination of women bishops – an issue that has provoked deep splits among Anglicans.
The proposed measures will go up for debate by the church’s General Synod governing body at a meeting in February. …
As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God
“Before Christmas I returned, after 45 years, to the country that as a boy I knew as Nyasaland. Today it’s Malawi, and The Times Christmas Appeal includes a small British charity working there. Pump Aid helps rural communities to install a simple pump, letting people keep their village wells sealed and clean. I went to see this work.
It inspired me, renewing my flagging faith in development charities. But travelling in Malawi refreshed another belief, too: one I’ve been trying to banish all my life, but an observation I’ve been unable to avoid since my African childhood.…”
– The Times columnist Matthew Parris makes some interesting observations.
(Photo: Times Online.)
Communicate Jesus
Helpful new Sydney-based website from Steve Kryger. Ideas and resources “to help churches and Christian ministries as they seek to communicate Jesus”.
Worth seeing – at communicatejesus.com
Priest ‘ruins Christmas’ for kids
A Catholic priest has been criticised by parents in a city in northern Italy for telling their children that Father Christmas does not really exist. …
– ‘Shocking’ story from BBC News about telling the truth.
Can a Christian deny the Virgin Birth?
Can a true Christian deny the virgin birth? This question would perplex the vast majority of Christians throughout the centuries, but modern denials of biblical truth make the question tragically significant. …
The great quest of liberal theology has been to invent a Jesus who is stripped of all supernatural power, deity, and authority.
– Al Mohler provides an overview of modern attacks on the virgin birth.
Goodbye Larry King, hello Jerry Springer!
The hoo-hah over President Elect Obama’s choice of Rick Warren continues unabated, with most of the critics focussing mainly on Warren’s attitude to homosexuality and gay marriage. …
As Don Carson commented recently, American Christians have yet to wake up to the fact that the gospel really is despised by the world. And I would add: in a culture where everyone seems to need to be liked, affirmed and, above all, agreed with, that realisation is going to be very hard and challenging for the evangelical establishment to take on board.
– Carl Trueman writes at Reformation21. (Seen at Between Two Worlds.)
The Future of Jesus – Peter Jensen
Last week Steve Austin on ABC Radio in Brisbane interviewed Archbishop Peter Jensen on ‘The Future of Jesus’.
Audio of the interview is available on the ABC Brisbane website.
(Photo of Steve Austin: ABC Radio.)
Why the Church of England cannot lose its ‘Head’
“Even if the Church of England were disestablished, even if Prince Charles became King and took the title ‘Defender of Faith’, even if his son converted to Islam and duly became our first Muslim monarch, the situation would be unchanged …”
– John Richardson writes at the Ugley Vicar.
Memorising Scripture – An Interview
“The name Ryan Ferguson may be familiar to some of the readers of this site. Ryan has appeared at a couple of conferences where he has recited long passages of Scripture. I first saw him at WorshipGod ‘06 where he dramatically recited all of Hebrews 9 and 10 (though he had memorized the entire book).
I recently got ahold of Ryan and asked if he would answer a few questions about memorizing Scripture. I trust this brief interview will serve to encourage you either to begin memorizing passages from the Bible or to press on in your conviction that you ought to.…”
– Tim Challies interviews Ryan Ferguson. (See also these earlier posts.)
Ambassadors for Christ
“You know, this is a matter of common honesty. The great apostle says elsewhere, ‘I am an ambassador for Christ.’
What is the business of an ambassador? Is it to voice his own opinions? Is it to say what he thinks? …
– encouragement from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones – at Reformed Voices.
Latest Themelios now online
The December 2008 edition of Themelios is now available – courtesy of The Gospel Coalition – in PDF, html or iPaper formats.
Archbishop of Jos appeals for help to address losses
“We are slowly settling down to accept the difficulties we are in and to ask for grace to be able to move forward. We are extremely sad that our members were killed for no other reason than that they were Christians, and that many Christians lost their businesses and homes simply because they are Christians.
It is utterly sad that the reason for these attacks is being said to be political. …
For the records, let me point out the following:
1. It should be pointed out that there is no record that Christians have ever begun a crisis or been the ones to initiate violence. …”
– Anglican Mainstream has this report from Archbishop Ben Kwashi about the violence in Jos.
(Photo: Church of Nigeria.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…