Carson on David Peterson on Acts
Don Carson writes the Editor’s Preface to David Peterson’s newly-released Pillar Commentary on The Acts of the Apostles –
“His commentary focusses on what the text actually says, and his judgments are invariably sane, even-handed, judicious. While unpacking exegetical details, Peterson is careful to keep scanning the horizon so as to establish the larger vision. Moreover, his own commitments as a churchman, lecturer in New Testament, and long-time Principal of Oak Hill Theological College mean that he knows what kinds of information pastors and students want and need.”
– The book is available now at Moore Books. h/t Andy Naselli.
Love in a time of Swine Flu
The history of humanity is the history of sickness, disease, and death. When sin came, death came, and sickness remains the leading agent of death. The horseman of pestilence has visited plagues and pandemics upon humanity throughout the centuries. Even in the age of modern medicine and the conquest of so many diseases, the very real risk of pandemic remains — and we feel it in our souls. …
– Albert Mohler on our need for Christ, our Physician.
Recognition for North American Anglicans
The April 16 communiqué issued by the GAFCON/FCA Primates’ Council declared the Anglican Church in North America as genuinely Anglican and recommends that Anglican Provinces affirm full communion with the ACNA.
What does this mean? …
– ACL Chairman Robert Tong writes at SydneyAnglicans.net
New Archbishop of Kenya elected
“The Rt. Rev. Dr. Eliud W. Wabukala was elected the 5th Primate and Archbishop of Kenya in a very peaceful, joyous and orderly election process by a 158 member Electoral College of the Anglican Church of Kenya that was gathered at the All Saints Cathedral on 24th April, 2009. Among him were other three contesting bishops namely:- Rt. Rev. Stephen Kewasis, Rt. Rev. Samson Mwaluda and Rt. Rev. Joseph Wasonga.
Bishop Eliud, 58, is married to Karen and blessed with five adult children between thirty and twenty one years old.
Archbishop-Elect Eliud Wabukala will succeed the Most Rev. Dr. Benjamin Nzimbi who retires on 30th June, 2009. Bishop Wabukala was consecrated and enthroned the first Bishop of Bungoma Diocese on 13th October, 1996 where he has served for the last thirteen years.
Bishop Wabukala will be enthroned the Fifth Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya on Sunday 5th July, 2009 at the All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi at 10.00 a.m.”
– Source: Press release from The Anglican Church of Kenya.
(More from Religious Intelligence.)
Harvard Law Professor declines prestigious award
“The speech by pro-choice President Obama at the Catholic Notre Dame has caused all sorts of trouble.
It now turns out that Mary Ann Glendon, the former U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican, will NOT speak at the Notre Dame Graduation because of the controversy. The pro-life, Harvard professor was set to receive the Laetare Medal which is the annual award given in recognition of outstanding service to the Roman Catholic church and society. …”
– Story from CBN News. (h/t Stand Firm. Photo: Harvard Law School.)
Related: ‘Secretary of state Clinton admits Obama will work to dismantle abortion laws around the world’ – from Lifesite News. (h/t Anglican Mainstream.)
April 2009 Themelios online
The latest version of Themelios – now published by The Gospel Coalition – is available from their website.
Worth downloading and reading!
Escaping Anonymity
“Left to our own devices, we will soon devise or succumb to all kinds of evil. As Christians we know that we need other believers to hold us accountable to the standards of Scripture. …”
– Tim Challies writes at Ligonier Ministries’ Tabletalk.
Church Record editorial: Diocesan Mission Midpoint Report
“We’re half way there! The half way point of the Sydney diocesan mission is a good time to take stock. We have had enough time to see whether our plans are working and it’s not too late to change. The Midpoint Report was prepared by the Mission Board Strategy Committee. …
Given the significance of this report it is surprising that there has not been more written or said about it. …”
– Thought-provoking Editorial from the current issue of The Australian Church Record.
Two huge errors
“One of the reasons that it is hugely important that we let the Pastorals influence our mode of ministry and the shape of our church life is that two huge errors have bedeviled the Western church for closing in on two hundred years now. …”
– Justin Taylor at Between Two Worlds draws attention to this exhortation from Ligon Duncan at last week’s The Gospel Coalition conference. Dr. Duncan’s sermon was on 2 Timothy 4.
(Photo: First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi.)
Gospel Coalition 2009 Conference audio and video online
Audio and video files of the main talks at last week’s The Gospel Coalition 2009 Conference in Chicago are now online.
Outgoing Archbishop of Kenya
As he heads towards retirement this month, Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi, primate of the Anglican Church of Kenya, said that he hopes he leaves behind “a strengthened, transformed province,” one that is “well-grounded in the word of God” and “well-equipped to meet the challenges of the new millennium.”
… “When we talk about same-sex unions, it is to us a big challenge because missionaries, when they came here, taught us that we can’t change the word of God,” said Archbishop Nzimbi.
– article in the Anglican Church of Canada’s Anglican Journal. (h/t Anglican Mainstream. Photo: Jow Gwaltney at GAFCON.)
ACNA ‘announces 28 dioceses’
25 April 2009
Dallas/Fort Worth – Leaders representing Canadian and US orthodox Anglican jurisdictions approved applications for membership of 28 dioceses and dioceses-in-formation and finalized plans for launching the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). Twelve Anglican organizations are uniting to form the ACNA. …
– See the full press release from ACNA (PDF file – direct link) received via e-mail.
Better Bishops
“Reform is sometimes heard as being, at heart, opposed to episcopacy itself. Occasionally we are accused of being ‘congregational’. This is where Mark Burkill’s booklet is so helpful. He carefully reviews the history of how episcopacy has developed and shows that while it cannot be regarded as ‘essential’ to the life of the church, it is nevertheless a wise way to order our affairs. … Mark’s booklet highlights the benefits of a biblical approach to episcopacy and helps us to see how we can support godly bishops. …
He finishes with a plea that something which is a secondary feature of church life should not be regarded as primary.”
– Rod Thomas, Chairman of Reform, writes about Mark Burkill’s booklet Better Bishops – published by Reform in December 2008, and now made available on their website.
Oak Hill 2009 Yearbook online
Oak Hill College in London has made its 2009 Yearbook available online. It’s a good way to get a feel for how this key college is going.
Principal Mike Ovey reflects on the GAFCON Conference and the Jerusalem Declaration –
“the conference was clear-sighted about being Anglican, and what that meant. I cannot resist quoting because the words are so good: ‘The doctrine of the Church is grounded in Holy Scriptures and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In particular, such doctrine is to be found in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, the Book of Common Prayer and the Ordinal.’
…this roots Anglicanism not in robe-wearing or parish organisation or summer fêtes, but in the great truths of the Reformation and salvation by grace through faith alone…”
– Download the Yearbook – a 4.3MB PDF file (direct link) from the Oak Hill website.
Archbishop Peter Jensen in Scotland
Archbishop Peter Jensen spoke last weekend at St. George’s Tron Church in Glasgow.
On Saturday night he spoke on ‘Contending for the Faith’, and on Sunday morning, ‘Striving side by side for the Gospel’.
The audio files of the talks are now available at the links above.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…