Dr Gavin Ashenden resigns as Chaplain to the Queen
“After a conversation instigated by officials at Buckingham Palace, it is with regret that the Rev’d Dr Gavin Ashenden – theologian, academic, columnist and occasional contributor to [The Archbishop Cranmer] blog – has decided to resign his position as Chaplain to the Queen.
It was, he says, “the most honourable course of action” following “attempts to silence or defenestrate” him…”
– News from “Archbishop Cranmer”.
And you can read Dr. Ashenden’s full statement here.
“I have held the position for the last nine years. But over the last few years people who objected to my defending the Christian faith in public wrote to both Lambeth Palace and Buckingham Palace to try to get the association ended. …”
40th anniversary of the murder of Archbishop Janani Luwum to be observed
“The Government of Uganda and the country’s Anglican Church will join forces next month for a major commemoration to mark the 40th Anniversary of the assassination of Archbishop Janani Luwum. Archbishop Luwum was murdered by Uganda’s then-president, Idi Amin, on 16 February 1977. …”
– Report from the Anglican Communion News Service.
Remnant in Scotland finding hope through GAFCON
GAFCON has posted this video message from The Rev. David McCarthy, Rector of St. Thomas’ Church, Edinburgh.
GAFCON General Secretary Dr. Peter Jensen writes, “In this video, Revd David McCarthy, rector of St Thomas’s Edinburgh, laments the crisis which hit the Scottish Episcopal Church in June 2016 when the General Synod rejected the bible’s teaching by voting to change the church’s Canon on marriage.
However, reminded how in the recent past the Gafcon Primates came to the aid of Anglicans in North America, David and fellow orthodox Anglicans in Scotland are encouraged by support from within the wider communion and ask for our prayers.”
Archbishop of Sydney’s Statement on resignation of Premier Mike Baird
Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney, 19th January, 2017. Public Statement on the resignation of Premier Mike Baird.
With the unexpected resignation of Mike Baird as Premier, the State has lost an outstanding leader.
A man of principle and of mature Christian faith, Mike Baird has ‘made the difference’ that he intended to make when he entered politics a decade ago.
His bold agenda for improving the infrastructure of our cities and our transport networks will stand the State in good stead for the next half century. His willingness to eschew short term political gain in order to do the right thing for the citizens of NSW is a model for political leaders from all sides.
Yet leadership of this calibre naturally attracts its critics, especially when powerful minorities are challenged and chastened as to their genuine concern for the common good, rather than their own sectional interests.
For Mike Baird, his commitment to his family is both serious and important, not a smokescreen for a resignation due to other reasons. Mike Baird is trustworthy and while I am personally sorry to see him leave the office of Premier, I thank God for the impact he has made over the past ten years, and especially the last three years as Premier.
May God raise up more leaders like Mike, a person of transparency and genuine concern for the long term good of the citizens of NSW.
Archbishop Glenn Davies.
– Media Release. See also this story from SydneyAnglicans.net.
Funeral of Mike Ovey set for Monday 23 January
“The funeral of Mike Ovey will be held at Enfield Evangelical Free Church on Monday 23 January 2017 at 1.00pm. This will be a chance for Mike’s family, close friends, colleagues and local community to celebrate his life.
We are aware that a much larger group, including former students and the wider church network, will want to give thanks for Mike’s life and work. A wider thanksgiving service will take place at a larger venue in the coming months. Details to follow.”
– Read the full notice from Oak Hill College.
The Archbishops’ Statement on the Reformation
“The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have released a joint statement on the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The statement recognises that ‘many Christians will want to give thanks for the great blessings they have received to which the Reformation directly contributed’. Furthermore it includes among those blessings, ‘clear proclamation of the gospel of grace, the availability of the Bible to all in their own language and the recognition of the calling of lay people to serve God in the world and in the church’. The Archbishops make clear that the Church of England will be participating in the celebrations of this anniversary, ‘including sharing in events with Protestant church partners from Continental Europe’.
So despite how some of the more popular press might try to spin it, this statement is not a repudiation of the Reformation nor of its doctrine. …”
– At Theological Theology, Moore College Principal Dr Mark Thompson asks if “the departures from biblical truth that occasioned the split at the time of the Reformation have been addressed by the Roman Church”.
Dying with dignity
“Recently, the South Australian Parliament debated and rejected the Death with Dignity Bill, which proposed to legalise euthanasia. It was the 15th time a euthanasia bill had been rejected by the house.
The bill’s proposer predicts that this is not the end of the debate, referring to the overwhelming public support for “the right to choose and have a dignified death”. With Andrew Denton regularly advertising his desire for legal euthanasia with evangelistic fervour, I agree that we have not seen the end of the debate. But I still hope for a more honest one. …”
– This is an important article by Dr. Megan Best, bioethicist and palliative care doctor who works for HammondCare. She serves on the Social Issues Committee of the Diocese of Sydney.
From SydneyAnglicans.net.
(Dr. Best is also the author of Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, from Matthia Media.)
40th anniversary of the Granville train disaster
“A former Police Rescue officer who personally rescued two people from the rubble of the Granville train disaster has reflected on the tragedy 40 years ago today.
Chief Inspector Gary Raymond APM, OAM (Retired) was a young member of the Police Rescue Squad which responded to the train derailment and bridge collapse in 1977 that claimed 83 lives and injured 213 others. Read more
Brazilian Anglicans ask for prayer support
Members of the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil have written to the ACL and other Anglican groups asking for prayer.
“We are a group of clergy of the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil, we are being persecuted for defending a biblical position of marriage and asking that the Anglican episcopal church of Brazil maintain its unity with the Anglican communion, which in turn, in voice through the chamber of the bishops want to approve this position by imposition.”
They include these links –
1. Creation of the alliance movement. (Select the English Version tab.)
2. Response of the Bishops – Original Portuguese. English translation
3. Letter from Bishop Sebastião (Emeritus Bishop in the Diocese of Recife) to the Bishops – Original Portuguese. English translation
4. Letter of Covenant to Bishops.
Related:
Earlier posts on happening in the Diocese of Recife.
Report from Virtueonline.
Upon the Death of a Grandson
“When we cease to rage against death, we have given up on life. Death is the horrible reality of our life that screams: “There’s something wrong with the world!” We try to hide that scream; silence it with distractions, pretend it’s not happening with anti-aging creams, and rationalise its existence with meaningless platitudes. We question the sanity of those who want to die but there is no greater madness than thinking we can avoid death. …”
– Phillip Jensen shares his reflections on the heartbreaking loss of a grandson.
Update: Phillip has also published the text of his sermon from Nathan’s funeral.
Overseas Muslim marriages and Australian law
“Two cases involving purported marriages under Islamic law, entered into overseas by Australian residents, have received recent press coverage.
The decisions of the courts involved seem to be clearly correct, and they helpfully illustrate some important principles of Australian law. A person whose home is Australia cannot legally travel outside this country and enter into a valid marriage with a minor, or enter into a second marriage when already lawfully married under Australian law. …”
– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster looks at the operation of Australian law and overseas marriages.
Dick Lucas on Mark’s Gospel
“At the age of 91, Dick Lucas is still going strong. Rector of St Helen’s from 1961 to 1998, and Rector Emeritus since then, he has used his retirement to help preachers and other Bible teachers to understand and communicate the Word of God to people today, not least through the conferences run by The Proclamation Trust.
The most recent fruits of his retirement are recordings of his latest reflections on Scripture, aimed primarily at the Bible expositor but suitable for everyone. Recorded in his kitchen, where most of his sermon preparation takes place, they are starting to be published just prior to Christmas 2016.”
– This is a wonderful resource, covering Mark 1-8, with the promise of more to come soon.
Scripture: Is it really all we need?
“In 1955, when T.C. Hammond came to the 6th of his reflections on the 39 articles, he did something different. He didn’t write one piece for the ACR. He wrote two. And then followed them up with a third piece in the next issue.
Why? Why this extra attention on Article 6? It seems that in this article he saw a watershed moment. …”
– The Australian Church Record is continuing to republish Archdeacon T. C. Hammond’s writings on The Thirty Nine Articles of Religion.
See also:
Propositional Revelation, the Only Revelation – by D. B. Knox.
Secularism, Preaching, and the Challenges of Modernity
“I began my chapter on preaching and postmodernism in We Cannot Be Silent with these words, “A common concern seems to emerge now wherever Christians gather: The task of truth-telling is stranger than it used to be. In this age, telling the truth is tough business and not for the faint-hearted. The times are increasingly strange.”
As preachers we recognize how strange the times have become. Almost anyone seeking to carry out a faithful pulpit ministry recognizes that preachers must now ask questions we have not had to consider in the past. We recognize that preaching has been displaced from its once prominent position in the culture.
Many of us are wondering, why is preaching more challenging in our cultural moment than it has been in other times? …”
– Albert Mohler begins a three-part series on Preaching in a Secular Age.
Oak Hill College and church leaders pay tribute to Mike Ovey
“The Oak Hill College community has been in shock and mourning since the news broke on Sunday morning that our greatly-loved Principal, Mike Ovey, had unexpectedly collapsed and died at home on Saturday night. …
Several evangelical leaders have paid tribute to Mike in the days since he died. …”
– From Oak Hill College.
Image: Screenshot from a sermon by Mike Ovey on Acts 20:17-38 at an Ordination service at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, March 2015.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…