An ecclesiastical coup d’état?

Bishop David Anderson, President of the American Anglican Council, writes further in his weekly newsletter about TEC’s expected moves against South Carolina –

“Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,

I want to continue my comments on the dire state of affairs in the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina and draw upon some expert legal and procedural analysis by the “Anglican Curmudgeon,” which we have included in this Update.

I would like for you to stop here at this point, and read the Curmudgeon article titled “Bishop Henderson: It’s ‘business as usual’ in the church.” When you are finished, come back to this analysis of what happens next. Read more

Remembering with gratitude Sir Marcus Loane, on the Centenary of his birth

Marcus Loane was born in Tasmania one hundred years ago – on 14 October 1911.

He grew up in Chatswood in Sydney, becoming a Christian at the age of thirteen. After completing school, he worked as a shipping clerk while studying at Sydney University in the evenings.

In 1932, he entered Moore Theological College, with a view to ordination for parish ministry. He excelled academically in the Th.L and also earned an MA in English from Sydney University.  Read more

Archbishop Sir Marcus Loane — in photos

See the photo gallery here.

 

 

South Carolina Bishop and Clergy meet to discuss ‘serious charges’

From the Diocese of South Carolina:

“the Episcopal Church is in a constitutional crisis in which its own polity is being radically altered in violation of its history and founding documents”

“In an atmosphere of prayerful solemnity, the Bishop and Clergy of the Diocese of South Carolina gathered at Saint James Church, James Island, S.C. for more than two hours on Tuesday, October 12. In focus were the “serious charges” that have been made against Bishop Mark Lawrence and the diocese under the new Title IV canons.  Read more

Some previous posts you might have missed

Here are some posts you may have missed in recent weeks:

• Thanks and prayer requests from North West Australia – Bishop David Mulready completes his episcopal ministry in DNWA this week.
• Hope for Life: Provincial Mission Convention – to be held in Canberra, January 2012.
• Another Attack upon Sydney Anglicanism. – book review by Dr Mark Thompson.
• Peter Adam at the John Stott Memorial Service in Melbourne.
• ACL tribute to John Stott.

Sydney Synod opposes adoption of Anglican Communion Covenant

As had been widely expected, the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney today moved to oppose the adoption of the Anglican Communion Covenant.

The text of the motion was as follows –

“Synod, noting the report on the Anglican Communion Covenant provided in response to resolution 19/10 –

(a) opposes the adoption of the Anglican Communion Covenant by the Anglican Church of Australia, and

(b) adopts the report and requests that a suitable form of the report be sent to the Standing Committee of the General Synod.”

For background reading, see –

From the report 19/10 –  Comments on five theological objections to the Covenant:
 Read more

Abp Peter Jensen Presidential Address Synod 2011

This afternoon, Archbishop Peter Jensen delivered his Presidential Address to the 2011 meeting of Sydney Synod.

“The Word which has been given to us to defend and proclaim is powerful. In saving sinners and creating churches, it confronts the social and spiritual problems of our day with God’s vision for the good life as well as his promises for eternal life. We have a Word which in blessing individuals has the capacity to renew, revive and restore human community in an age corrupted by selfish materialism and individualism…”

You can download the full text of his address as a PDF file from SydneyAnglicans.net.

(Here’s a report from The Sydney Morning Herald.)

Exploring Effective Ministry conference

The upcoming Exploring Effective Ministry Under God conference (at Moore College on Wednesday 23 November), looks to be a very useful time for all who want to better understand our ministry situation in Sydney, and move forward. See the website for details. The videos are particularly helpful.

True Feelings Conference audio

The recent School of Theology at Moore College was about “True Feelings: Emotions in Christian Life and Ministry”.

The audio files of the talks have now been made available. Speakers were Richard Gibson, Andrew Cameron, David Peterson, Gerald Bray, David Hohne, Peter Bolt, Keith Condie, Michael Jensen, Rhys Bezzant and Rob Smith. (h/t Michael Jensen.)

Synod Dinner and Resources for Sydney Synod Members

For Sydney Synod members –

The Synod Survival Guide – by Robert Tong.
Introduction-to-Synod videos.

Connecting, Evangelising, Enfolding — video

Here is the fourth in a series of short introduction-to-Synod videos from the ACL.

Why are Connecting, Evangelising, and Enfolding diocesan mission priorities? Archie Poulos, who lectures in Ministry at Moore College, explains.

Most encouraging.

A curious document from Charleston

In his weekly e-mail update, Bishop David Anderson, President of the American Anglican Council, wonders about the allegations against South Carolina Bishop Mark Lawrence –

“When one sees the incredibly detailed and ridiculous document comprising the list of charges that was supposedly submitted by a group of loyal (to the Revisionists) people in South Carolina, it certainly doesn’t look like something a group of casual Charlestonians threw together while preparing shrimp and grits on the side.”

Read more

Christians know what the world does not

“I am writing this essay on an Apple laptop computer. I am listening to the strains of Bach playing from my iPad via an AirPort Express. My iPhone sits on my desk, downloading a new App from iTunes. Steve Jobs has invaded my life, my house, my office, my car, and my desktop — and I am thankful for all of these technologies.

But unerring taste, aesthetic achievement, and technological genius will not save the world…”

– Albert Mohler gives thanks for Steve Jobs – in perspective.

A world without Jobs — the gospel of a secular age

We posted this link back in January 2011. This might be a good time to revisit it:

“As remarkable as Steve Jobs is in countless ways—as a designer, an innovator, a (ruthless and demanding) leader—his most singular quality has been his ability to articulate a perfectly secular form of hope.

Nothing exemplifies that ability more than Apple’s early logo, which slapped a rainbow on the very archetype of human fallenness and failure—the bitten fruit—and made it a sign of promise and progress.…”

– Plenty of fuel for a gospel conversation in this article by Andy Crouch.
(Photo: Apple. Thanks to Justin Taylor for the reminder.)

Allegations of ‘abandonment’ against Bishop of South Carolina

Some action by the Episcopal Church against the Diocese of South Carolina has long been expected. Here’s a report from the Episcopal News Service.

The Bishop and Standing Committee of the diocese have sent this call to prayer –

October 5, 2011
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

On Thursday, September 29, 2011 the Bishop received communication from the President of the Disciplinary Board for Bishops that “serious charges” have been made under Title IV of the canons of The Episcopal Church. These are allegations that he has abandoned The Episcopal Church. Read more

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