The Writing is on the Wall

“Two weeks ago I wrote ‘Whither the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion?’, posing a number of questions about the lack of transparency, hypocrisy and overreaching by this new ersatz ‘Instrument of Unity’.

Since then, and up to and including the time the Standing Committee (SCAC) met, The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada continued to breach the Windsor moratoria. Please note: the following are not allegations or opinions, they are documented actions by TEC and the Anglican Church of Canada…”

– this week’s update from Canon Phil Ashey of the American Anglican Council.

Do Christians need a Christian prime minister?

“Recently disendorsed NSW Liberal candidate, David Barker, expressed concern that Julia Gillard was ‘anti-God’ and that a non-Liberal vote would be a vote for Muslims, thus reintroducing religion, kicking and screaming in protest, to the campaign agenda.

Associated with the NSW Christian right, Mr Barker’s comments raise the question of whether Christians in Australia expect a Christian prime minister…”

– Greg Clarke, Director of the Centre for Public Christianity, had this thoughtful opinion-piece published on the ABC’s ‘The Drum Unleashed’ yesterday.

Don Carson on ‘The God Who is There’

This looks to be very helpful. Andy Naselli writes,

“On February 20-21 and 27-28, 2009, Don Carson presented a 14-part seminar entitled ‘The God Who Is There’ at Bethlehem Baptist Church’s North Campus in Minneapolis. This series will serve the church well because it simultaneously evangelises non-Christians and edifies Christians by explaining the Bible’s storyline in a non-reductionistic way.

The series is geared toward ‘seekers’ and articulates Christianity in a way that causes hearers either to reject or embrace the gospel. It’s one thing to know the Bible’s storyline, but it’s another to know one’s role in God’s ongoing story of redemption. ‘The God Who Is There’ engages people at the worldview-level.

And now MP3s (full) and video (10-minute previews) are available for Carson’s 14-part series…”

– All the links are here. (h/t Justin Taylor.)

Don Carson to preach in Melbourne

Don Carson is speaking evangelistically in Melbourne, Monday 23rd – Friday 27th August, at Storey Hall, 342 Swanston Street.

Ridley College Principal Dr Peter Adam writes, “This week is put on by Ridley Melbourne, as part of our Centenary celebrations. What better way to celebrate 100 years of ministry than give a gospel message to Melbourne.”

Dr Carson’s topics?

Monday: How can we see God?
Tuesday: How can we start over again?
Wednesday: How can God Have a Son?
Thursday: How to get the Best Bread in the World
Friday: How can I believe Jesus Rose from the Dead?

Details at the Ridey College website – PDF invitation here. (h/t Diocese of Tasmania.)

Culture and Theology seminar on Homosexuality

Matt Chandler at The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, recently addressed a topic he had previously stayed away from. In a 2 hour Culture and Theology seminar on Homosexuality, Matt provides a great deal of food for thought. Well worth your time.

Dated ‘5.21.10’ on the Studies & Seminars page, here’s a direct link to the 35MB mp3 file.

Moving Forward?

“After the strident, disdainful renunciation of the Communion’s official teaching concerning sexuality, as expressed in the 1998 Lambeth Resolution 1.10, and in direct opposition to and repudiation of the request of the Instruments of Communion, the response of the Archbishop of Canterbury in his 2010 Pentecost Letter has been as devastating as a feather duster and as effective as an ashtray on a motorbike…”

– Bishop Glenn Davies writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Related: ‘Dialogue’ trumps Scripture — again?

‘The good book’s guide to great sex’

“Sex is God’s gift to humanity and healthy sexual behaviour should be the church’s gift to the world. As reported in The Age this week, we are neurologically wired to desire sex, to fall in love with the person we desire sex with, and for that love to develop into a deep personal attachment. Our bodies are wired to operate best with one sexual partner for life.

The Christian church has a positive duty to help all people form healthy sexual self-identities, which lead to healthy sexual behaviour, particularly in a world where highly sexualised images are commonplace…”

–  Kamal Weerakoon (St. Marys Presbyterian Church) writes in the Sydney Morning Herald. It’s a follow up to Monday’s article by Barney Zwartz in The Age.

Thinking of leaving your church?

In a guest post at Kevin DeYoung’s blog, Jason Helopoulos lists seven good reasons to leave a church. He also tackles other reasons people sometimes give – reasons that aren’t all that good.

‘Dialogue’ trumps Scripture — again?

From the daily bulletin (for Saturday 24th, but issed 26 July 2010) of ‘the Standing Committee’ of the Anglican Communion, meeting in London –

“A proposal from Dato’ Stanley Isaacs [Province of South East Asia] that The Episcopal Church be separated from the Communion led to a discussion in which Committee members acknowledged the anxieties felt in parts of the Communion about sexuality issues. Nevertheless, the overwhelming opinion was that separation would inhibit dialogue on this and other issues among Communion Provinces, dioceses and individuals and would therefore be unhelpful. The proposal was not passed, and the group agreed to defer further discussion until progress on Continuing Indaba project had been considered.”

– from the Anglican Communion Office. Also trumpeted by the Episcopal News Service.
(Photo of Dato’ Stanley Isaacs from the Anglican Communion News Service.)

Related: Standing Committee of which Communion?

Richard Baxter’s account of the Restoration

“Not only was Baxter a major player, he was, like Pepys, also a meticulous and disciplined administrator and writer. He records many details from events he experienced first-hand, and his account includes a wealth of valuable documentation.”

– Lee Gatiss wrote this interesting article for Churchman in 2008. It’s just been published online by Church Society. (PDF file.)

TEC PB preaches at St. Paul’s Cathedral

“Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori challenged those attending Sung Eucharist at historic St. Paul’s Cathedral here July 25 to be ‘ready, willing and able’ to speak out and take action against the world’s injustices and indignities… Jefferts Schori is visiting London to attend the July 23-27 meeting of the Anglican Communion’s Standing Committee.”

– Since it’s mid-summer in the northern hemisphere, there’s not much Anglican news to report. Just more of the same. (Photo and story: Matthew Davies.)

Standing Committee of which Communion?

“…The listing by geography shows that none of the major African provinces of the Communion, with more than 60% of its total members, is even represented on the Committee. It follows that the current make-up of the Committee is designed to effectuate the will of a minority within the Communion…”

– A S Haley, the Anglican Curmudgeon, looks at the makeup of “the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion” and that of the Anglican Consultative Council. (Photo taken at the November 2008 JSC meeting: ACNS Rosenthal.)

Katharine Jefferts Schori visits Wales

TEC Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has been visiting Wales this week.

Nothing particularly remarkable, but there’s a report at Wales Online.

Listening pastors

“It seems to me that pastors tend to be poor listeners for a few reasons: they are usually assertive people and have trouble slowing down, have honestly heard many of the same things multiple times (counseling situations, theological questions, etc.) thus they feel like they ‘know’ where the conversation is headed, they are multi-taskers who tend to think they can listen and think about other things at the same time, and they are used to talking/preaching with others listening to them!”

– Jason Helopoulos has a few helpful suggestions on listening as a pastor.
At Kevin DeYoung’s blog.

‘We are Anglicans’

“The Pope, or more properly the Roman Catholic Bishop of Rome will visit England and Scotland from 17th to 19th September of this year. In recent years political figures and many in the media have fawned all over the Pope. More recently however, there has been growing attacks on Rome by secular humanists and the homosexual lobbyists, together with the media, which is dominated by both. Whilst we do not wish to be sucked into the ungodly agenda of these groups nevertheless it is important to say that this visit is also unwelcome for other reasons.

What does it mean to be Anglican? Though it is not normally where people look for an answer part of the nature of Anglicanism is set out in the Coronation Oath Act of 1688. This Act applies still in England and Wales and its well known wording was used at the Coronation of the present Queen…”

– David Phillips, Church Society General Secretary, writes in the latest issue of Cross†Way. (PDF file.)

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