Bishop Michael Nazir Ali — ‘Enough is Enough’
“Michael Nazir Ali, freed from the constraints of the English House of Bishops, could now emerge as a global Anglican leader. His resignation, far from signifying GAFCON’s demise, could be the prelude to a new level of global effectiveness…”
– Charles Raven writes at SPREAD.
Carson on the Psalms
Todd Shaffer at Faith by Hearing has provided links to four addresses by Don Carson on the Psalms – given at the recent UCCF Staff Conference. Each puts the Psalms (Psalm 1, 2, 40, 110) in its Biblical-theological context.
As always: clear, thoughtful, and Christ-honouring.
Biblical theology of Christian Assembly
Back in October 2008, Trevor Cairney, Master of New College at UNSW, posted some thoughts on and a summary of the Sydney Doctrine Commission’s report on “A Theology of Christian Assembly”.
It’s worth reading his summary as a reminder to think about why we meet for church. At the Just in CASE blog.
Michael Nazir-Ali to step down
The Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali has announced his decision to step down as the Bishop of Rochester, one of the most senior positions in the Church of England. …
– Story from The Telegraph. (Photo: Joy Gwaltney, GAFCON.)
The latest from Canada
It’s a little way off, but you might plan to hear Lesley Bentley, spokeswoman for the Anglican Network in Canada (and member of St John’s Shaughnessy) when she visits Sydney in May.
She’ll be speaking on the state of the Anglican Church in Canada, and the story of the Anglican Network in Canada. The meeting is being hosted by St. Andrew’s Roseville, 8:00–9:30pm on Tuesday 12th May.
Download a PDF flier (180kb, direct link).
Tornoto bishop on same sex blessings
Bishop Patrick Yu, Bishop of the York-Scarborough Episcopal Area in the Diocese of Toronto, was interviewed by The Anglican Planet, on his growing support for same-sex blessings.
(h/t The Anglican Essentials Canada blog.) Photo: Diocese of Toronto.
Opportunity to connect this Easter
It’s been announced that a one hour excerpt from John Dickson’s new documentary, The Life of Jesus, will air across Australia on the Seven Network on Good Friday, 10th April. In NSW, the programme will be broadcast at 1:00pm.
Produced by the Centre for Public Christianity and Anglican Media Sydney, it’s an ideal way to start conversations about Jesus over Easter.
See the programme’s website for a preview – lifeofjesus.tv
‘Episcopal Church prevails in property dispute’
“An El Paso County district judge ruled March 24 that the property and assets of the landmark Grace and St. Stephen’s Church in downtown Colorado Springs are held in trust for the mission and ministry of the Episcopal Church (TEC) and the Denver-based Diocese of Colorado, and ordered a disaffiliated group to vacate the $17 million property. …”
– As seen by the Episcopal Church.
See also this press release (PDF direct link) from Grace and St. Stephen’s Church.
(Photo: ENS.)
The labourers are few
“The number of men in full-time ordained ministry has now dropped by more than a third since 1991 (the year the Church voted to ordain women). … This means that overall there are 2,000 fewer stipendiary clergy than there were in 1991. For an average Diocese that is approximately 46 fewer clergy.
Even more sobering is the comparison with 1963…”
– Church Society’s David Phillips takes a look at the latest numbers for the Church of England. Download the PDF file (direct link) from Church Society.
News from Oak Hill
Oak Hill College in London reports that Church History and Doctrine Lecturer Garry Williams will become Director of the John Owen Centre at London Theological Seminary in July.
And Carl Trueman (Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia) and Peter O’Brien (Moore College) will be visiting lecturers during the second semester of Oak Hill’s 2009/10 academic year. (Photo: LTS.)
Different by Design 2009
Don Carson’s two talks from last month’s mini-conference, Different by Design 2009: A Crucial Call to Faithfulness on Gender Issues, are now available from The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.
‘I am an Episcopalian’
This 2 and a half minute video has been doing the rounds on various Anglican blogs this last weekend. We’re not sure if ‘funny’ is exactly the right word. It’s a spoof on a promotion currently being run by the Episcopal Church.
See it on YouTube.
Latest from Central New York
“After taking the church buildings from Church of the Good Shepherd, the Central New York Episcopal Diocese will seek Friday to take money left to the parish in a will.
The Diocese is apparently not content with the seizure of the church building, rectory and tangible property of church of the Good Shepherd: they also want the money left in trust to the parish in the will of a former member who died in 1986…”
– from the American Anglican Council.
Shepherds’ Conference 2009 audio
The Shepherds’ Conference at Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California (where John MacArthur is senior pastor) was held earlier this month. The talks covered a variety of topics relevant to preachers. John MacArthur, Al Mohler and Phil Johnson (pictured) were among the speakers.
Todd Shaffer at Faith by Hearing has a summary of the main talks and a link to free mp3 audio file downloads. (You need to set up a free account to access them.)
God’s wide plans
Tasmanian Anglican has posted online audio files from CMS Summerview 2009 held at Port Sorell in January. Ajith Fernando, Director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka, and Simon Manchester, gave the main talks.
(Photo: Ajith Fernando, courtesy Tasmanian Anglican.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…