Welcome to Nairobi
Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, Archbishop of Kenya and Chairman of GAFCON, welcomes GAFCON attendees – and also the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is present for the earlier two-day GAFCON Primates’ meeting.
“I am very happy to welcome you to All Saints Cathedral this morning and I especially want to recognise His Grace, the Archbishop of Canterbury who will be our preacher this morning. This is the second visit to Kenya he has made this year so we are very privileged! It is a great joy that we are together in this service as we enjoy fellowship in Christ with our brother Primates.
But the word on everybody’s lips today is GAFCON. … We are welcoming over 1,300 delegates from around the world, some of whom are already with us to share in our worship this morning. We are so happy you are here and we welcome you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. …”
– Read it all at the GAFCON website. Photo: Russell Powell.
Archbishop calls for prayer on bushfire crisis
“The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, has called on Sydney Anglicans to pray for Rural Fire Service members, emergency service workers and for people and families still in the path of bushfires in Sydney and its surrounds.
‘Our hearts go out to those who have already lost homes and for those weary firefighters who have already been stretched to the limit’ Dr Davies said. …”
– Read the full Media release from Anglican Media Sydney.
Related: Anglican Aid launches Bushfire appeal.
GAFCON 2013 and Authority in the Church
GAFCON 2013 begins in Nairobi tomorrow, so now would be a good time to uphold in prayer this significant gathering.
This 2008 theological resource paper by Dr Mark Thompson is a good reminder as to why GAFCON is committed to the authority of the Bible.
We’ll be posting news from GAFCON as it comes through.
Ballarat Synod votes for Women Priests
“The Anglican Diocese of Ballarat has approved the ordination of women priests during its synod held today.
At least two thirds of the approximately 100 people in the synod voted in favour of allowing women to become priests. …”
– from The Ballarat Courier.
‘Swedish Archbishop prefers Allah’
“…the Church of Sweden’s new archbishop is Antje Jackelén. … Like kings, all bishops have their own motto and Jackelén chose ”God is greater” … ”Allahu akbar”. …
Many have been taken aback by the theological opinions Jackelén revealed during a questioning in Uppsala on October 1. The candidates for the highest position in the Swedish church were asked if they thought Jesus presented a truer picture of God than Muhammed. …”
– News from a little earlier in the week, from Dispatch International.
Related: Belief in the Virgin Birth an optional extra, new Swedish archbishop declares (Anglican Ink)
Photo: Jan Nordén/Church of Sweden.
Catching Eggs
“When my father-in-law fell on an escalator in a shopping mall, he was proud of his ability to catch his carton of eggs. “Not one of them broke”, he told me from his hospital bed. A true son of the Depression, breaking eggs was more significant than a damaged back.
But as he stayed in hospital, two competing attitudes were expressed by staff and visitors. …”
– Dean of Sydney Phillip Jensen, writes in his weekly column.
Anglican Aid launches Bushfire appeal
From Eternity Newspaper –
“One of the worst hit areas was Springwood-Winmalee, a normally peaceful area in the lower Blue Mountains. Eternity spoke to Senior Pastor at Springwood Anglican Church, Steve Young, who said they were still in the thick of it.
‘There are scores of houses that are burnt down in the community and whole sections like Yellow Rock where there are very few houses left. We know of 10 church families that have lost their houses.‘…”
SydneyAnglicans.net has more.
In response to the fires, the Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid has launched an emergency appeal –
Anglican Aid has launched an urgent appeal to respond to the needs of people in Sydney affected by the fires. The distribution of funds will be overseen by the Bishop of Western Sydney, Ivan Lee. Working through established networks, Anglican Aid and Bishop Lee will be able to identify and respond to the urgent needs of many.
The Archbishop has said “I am grateful for Anglican Aid launching this appeal. While there are many calls upon our resources and many good causes seeking funds, I commend to your prayerful consideration this urgent appeal in the light of the loss of so many homes in Sydney and NSW on account of these horrific bushfires.”
Please feel free to pass on the link! (Photo: Smoke blankets western Sydney, 17 October 2013.)
An appreciation of the turnaround of Southern Seminary
Todd Pruitt writes about Southern Baptist Theological Seminary:
“Southern is the oldest and largest of the SBC seminaries. It was also the great bastion of theological liberalism within the denomination.”
“I was raised in a large Southern Baptist church in Houston, Texas. I was educated in Southern Baptist institutions. I was ordained in a Southern Baptist church. Coming of age in the 1980’s I remember well overhearing the discussions at home and church about the conservative resurgence within the SBC. It may surprise some of you to know how liberal the Southern Baptist seminaries had become and, as a consequence, its clergy and churches. But, by God’s grace, the Southern Baptists did not go the way of the PCUSA, Disciples of Christ, or United Methodists.
One of the key moments in this mega-shift away from liberalism was the reformation of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Southern is the oldest and largest of the SBC seminaries. It was also the great bastion of theological liberalism within the denomination. But in 1993, after a change in the balance of power among the trustees, Southern Seminary hired a young theologian and journalist named Albert Mohler [pictured] as the new President of the seminary. At that point that point the battle was joined. Ultimately, Southern Seminary returned wholeheartedly to its founding confession and vision. But the fight was brutal and is, in my mind, one the great stories of the church in the 20th century.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Dr. Mohler’s presidency of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. So I offer enthusiastic gratitude to the Lord for Albert Mohler and his unswerving loyalty to God’s Word, his tenacity in leadership, his willingness to be ridiculed for what is right, and his enthusiasm for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I encourage you to read this account of the turnaround of Southern Seminary. It is truly a harrowing story.”
And Southern Seminary has released a 25 minute documentary on the history of SBTS with a focus on the turnaround of the last 20 years.
Well worth watching.
Tasmanian euthanasia bill defeated
“The legislation would have allowed terminally ill Tasmanians to end their lives 10 days after making three requests to their doctor.”
– Report from the ABC.
Uniting parishioners ‘devastated as churches sold off’
“Angry parishioners at the Glenroy Uniting Church in Melbourne’s northern suburbs have told 7.30 that there had been little consultation by the church hierarchy, which invoked a ‘special circumstances’ clause to sell the properties without the permission of the local church councils representing each congregation.” – 7:30 Report. Image: ABC TV.
Archbishop Freier to Melbourne Synod 2013
Archbishop Dr Philip Freier addressed the 51st Synod of Melbourne Diocese as it began yesterday – his remarks are now available on the Diocese of Melbourne website. (Photo: Kit Haselden.)
CMS Gift Catalogue
You’ve possibly already received a CMS gift catalogue (Gifts of Lasting Hope).
CMS has now released a 90 second promo video you could use in church – and the online version of the catalogue is here.
Ballarat Synod to vote on women priests
“Ballarat’s Anglican synod meets this week to determine whether the diocese will accept the ordination of women as priests. …”
– The Ballarat Courier. Ballarat synod papers here.
10 quotables from Kevin de Young’s ‘Crazy Busy’
“Much like ‘Dangerous Calling‘ in 2012, Kevin de Young’s new book ‘Crazy Busy‘ served me greatly.
I recommend it to busy people, and even people who may not think they’re that busy … As I read back over my notes and reflected on what God wanted to teach me from this book, I summarised it in 4 points:
- Beware of the dangers of busyness
- Make priorities (Jesus did)
- Rest well
- Pursue godly habits …”
– Steve Kryger finds the time to read Kevin de Young’s new book.
Priscilla & Aquila Centre conference registration open
‘Singleness, Marriage, Divorce, & Remarriage in Ministry’ is the topic of next year’s Priscilla & Aquila Centre conference at Moore College.
It’s on Monday 3rd February 2014. Registration opens today. Details from the College.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…