Church of Scotland claims ‘common ground’ in sexuality debate
“The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in a groundbreaking decision called for the Church to maintain its historic doctrine in relation to human sexuality but, in line with the Kirk’s historic position of allowing congregations to call their own minister, to permit an individual Kirk Session to call a minister in a civil partnership if it chooses to do so. The Legal Questions Committee and the Theological Forum will bring reports to next year’s General Assembly about how this will be achieved. In the meantime courts and committees of the General Assembly will maintain the status quo. …”
– This report from the Church of Scotland’s General Assembly claims ‘common ground’ in continuing to allow congregations to ignore its own official doctrine.
Related: Church of Scotland votes to allow gay ministers – The Scotsman.
Earlier stories – including:
“We believe the Church of Scotland is choosing to walk away from the biblical gospel, and to walk apart from the faith of the worldwide Christian Church.” – St. George’s Tron, Glasgow, secedes from Church of Scotland (June 2012).
The (UK) same-sex couples bill – Anglican Mainstream statement
“The basic issue in the same-sex couples bill is “What is marriage?” The bill renders marriage a genderless institution since any combination of two adults will do. When a child is born there is always mother around. The question is, where is the father? The bill sends out the message that fathers are dispensable for children. It completely decouples marriage from procreation, consummation and adultery.
Once marriage is redefined and reduced to only an intimate relationship, on what logical basis could the law turn away three people who say they want to get married?”
– read the full statement from Anglican Mainstream.
Michael Jensen to leave Moore for St. Mark’s Darling Point
“Moore College lecturer Michael Jensen has accepted an offer to become the next Rector of St Mark’s Anglican Church, Darling Point. Michael currently lectures in Doctrine and Church History. The Jensens will be at Moore until Michael takes up the new position at the beginning of October.” (Read it all from Moore Theological College.)
And Mark Thompson, the new Principal of Moore College, adds,
“Michael has made an excellent contribution to Moore College during his time on the faculty. While we will be sad to lose his day-to-day presence among us, it is exciting that he is taking up a leadership position in a parish church, the very thing we are preparing so many of our students to do.
We will pray that Michael’s time at Darling Point will be one in which many men and women come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and, together with those already part of the congregations there, grow in their knowledge, love and service of God.”
Related: St. Mark’s Darling Point.
Beg to Give
“It is important that we regularly discuss the whole issue of the Christian use of money rather than only mentioning money when we want to address the current needs of a financial crisis…”
– Phillip Jensen writes on a Christian attitude to money.
Calling the demonic ‘holy’
TEC Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, last Sunday, on Acts 16:16-40 –
“Paul is annoyed at the slave girl who keeps pursuing him, telling the world that he and his companions are slaves of God. She is quite right. She’s telling the same truth Paul and others claim for themselves.
But Paul is annoyed, perhaps for being put in his place, and he responds by depriving her of her gift of spiritual awareness. Paul can’t abide something he won’t see as beautiful or holy, so he tries to destroy it. It gets him thrown in prison.”
Read it all via The Episcopal News Service. Another copy here.
From the category of “You couldn’t make this up if you tried.”
(h/t “The Worst Sermon Ever? The Presiding Bishop Explains Away Paul and the Female Slave.” from Not Another Episcopal Church Blog, where there is more on this sermon.) Photo: ENS.
Moore College Open Week: May 27–31
“Moore College Open Events provide people with an opportunity to find out more about studying at Moore. During Open Week anyone who is interested are welcome to come along and check out the College, be involved in classes, and get a firsthand experience of Moore’s high quality theological training, plus have all their questions answered by faculty and students. You also get a lunch on us!”
– Read all about it at the College website.
Kermit Gosnell’s America — What his trial really reveals
“Here is a clue: When you have to argue at every turn that the issue is not abortion, the issue is abortion. … What the pro-abortion movement fears most is that Americans will pause to consider what this trial really means.”
– Albert Mohler looks at the reality behind the conviction of abortionist Dr. Kermit Gosnell.
Tragic worship
“Christian worship should immerse people in the reality of the tragedy of the human fall and of all subsequent human life. It should provide us with a language that allows us to praise the God of resurrection while lamenting the suffering and agony that is our lot in a world alienated from its creator, and it should thereby sharpen our longing for the only answer to the one great challenge we must all face sooner or later. Only those who accept that they are going to die can begin to look with any hope to the resurrection. …”
– A ‘must-read’ article from Carl Trueman at First Things.
Three reasons I don’t enthusiastically recommend the ‘The Bible’ miniseries
“Adapting a book to film is tricky. Sometimes books-to-film turn out surprisingly well (e.g., The Gospel of John—my favorite “Bible” film). Often they don’t (e.g., the recent Narnia films).
The History Channel aired The Bible: The Epic Miniseries throughout March 2013. About 100 million people watched all or part of the series.”
– Andy Naselli shares his concerns with the popular miniseries.
Rob Bell, Andrew Wilson and presuppositions about Christianity and homosexuality
“In a recent episode of Unbelievable, Andrew Wilson and Rob Bell have an engaging dialogue about the legitimacy of homosexual relationships within Christianity. …”
– Trevin Wax has a response and also the video from Premier Christian Radio in the UK.
A Call to Prayer for the Election of a New Archbishop of Sydney
Prayer Meetings 10th – 20th June.
The next Archbishop of Sydney will be elected at the special session of Sydney Synod beginning Monday 5th August.
This election is of strategic importance for the work of the gospel in Sydney and the most important thing we can do is pray.
Members of the Anglican Church League invite all Synod members and all church members to join us during June at these venues to pray together for this election Synod and that the Lord Jesus will be glorified. Venues and times below, starting 10th June. Read more
Themelios Volume 38, Issue 1
The latest issue of the theological journal Themelios (Volume 38, Issue 1) was released at the end of April. A 2.4MB download – from The Gospel Coalition.
The Look
“For years, I heard C.J. Mahaney reference a John Newton hymn that began with the lines, ‘In evil long I took delight.’
Newton imagines the Savior looking down at him twice from the cross. The first look communicates our guilt and responsibility for the death of Christ. The second look assures us that this sacrifice forever secures our forgiveness before God.”
– Bob Kauflin writes about “The Look” (it’s been out for a while on Sovereign Grace Music’s “Songs for the Cross Centered Life”) – and also provides a free download.
And – much thanks to Marylynn Rouse of The John Newton Project – here is the original hymn in Newton’s own handwriting (Hymn number 309). She suspects Newton was strongly affected by hearing George Whitefield preach on “the look” of Jesus towards Peter – Newton uses it several times in Olney Hymns. She confirms, from his diary, that Newton wrote the hymn for Sunday 5 April 1778.
The Gutenberg Bible
“The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas in Austin contains a copy of what many people consider the most valuable book in the world. The Gutenberg Bible is not only the oldest surviving book to be printed using moveable type, but also the first complete book to be produced with that technology…”
– Canadian Tim Challies has been surveying the History of Christianity in 25 Objects. This week, he turns to the Gutenberg Bible.
An introduction to the series, and a list of the posts so far, is here.
Two websites for the Archbishop’s election
Websites have been established commending two nominees for the office of Archbishop of Sydney. These are intended for Synod members who may not know the nominees personally.
There’s one from supporters of Glenn Davies, the Bishop of North Sydney (glenndavies.info), and another from supporters of Rick Smith, the Senior Minister of Naremburn Cammeray Anglican Church (whyrick.info).
Please continue to pray for our two brothers (and any others) who have been nominated, and for all involved. Pray that the Lord Jesus will be honoured and glorified, and that believers will be edified.
Details of the coming ACL-organised prayer meetings across the diocese may be seen here.
See also – The ACL commits to Prayer for the election of the next Archbishop of Sydney.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…