GAFCON Chairman’s February 2018 letter

“We cannot truly promote the gospel if we are not also careful to preserve it from distortion or dilution and I therefore commend the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) for their recent document ‘Gospel, Church & Marriage: Preserving Apostolic Faith and Life’. At a time when the Church of England’s senior leadership seems unable to resist the pressure to compromise with a highly secular culture, it is a sign of hope that evangelical leaders are able to come together in this way. …

However, the question I humbly wish to ask my brothers and sisters in England is this: will you take courage and act on these words? As members of the Mother Church of our beloved Communion you have a great responsibility…”

– GAFCON Chairman, Archbishop Nicholas D. Okoh, has released his February 2018 Letter. Read it all here.

Is there a place for women on a theological college faculty?

“In recent days a conversation has taken place among complementarians and a few others about whether it is appropriate for a woman to serve on a theological college faculty (or in American terms, as a seminary professor).

The catalyst was a response by John Piper to a question on his ‘Ask Pastor John’ podcast. John Piper, a highly respected evangelical leader in America with deep complementarian convictions, responded with basically a five point argument …

I share many, if not most, of Piper’s complementarian convictions.…

However, while I respect Piper’s convictions, I do not agree with his conclusions. Why is that? I have four reasons. …”

– Principal of Moore Theological College in Sydney, Dr. Mark Thompson, writes at Theological Theology.

T.C. Hammond: Sin Against the Holy Ghost

“In our former comment on this Article we indicated that we would deal more specifically with the sin against the Holy Ghost which receives special mention. There are two questions that arise for consideration—

The first question is historical. The second question is exegetical. …”

– T.C. Hammond continues to consider Article 16 of The Thirty-Nine Articles and the teaching of Scripture – in this article from the vaults of The Australian Church Record.

Jordan Peterson: an antidote to chaos?

“If you use the internet enough to have found this blogpost, you will almost certainly have seen references to That Interview between Canadian clinical psychologist Jordan B. Peterson and Channel 4 News’ Cathy Newman.

If you haven’t watched the full half-hour exchange (like 5.5m already have), go and do so now. I’ve wagered with half a dozen people who claimed not to be interested that if they watch just five full minutes of the interview, they could then close it down if they so wished and I wouldn’t nag ever them again to see it. They have all watched the whole thing from start to finish. A one-word text, five minutes in, from my initially sceptical brother: ‘Hooked.’ …”

– At Church Society’s blog, Tom Woolford considers Jordan Peterson and his message. What should Christians think?

Be heard on religious freedom

“A Federal Government review into religious freedom in Australia is currently underway, with public submissions closing on February 14. The review panel, chaired by the Hon. Philip Ruddock, has been asked to examine whether Australian law adequately protects the human right to freedom of religion. …

It is vital that all those concerned about the protection of religious freedom in Australia make their voices heard.”

– Bishop Michael Stead, Chairman of the Religious Freedom Reference Group, writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.

See also: Please Speak Up For Religious Freedom – Aust. Christian Lobby.

Submission to Religious Freedom Review — Assoc Prof Neil Foster

Associate Professor in Law, Neil Foster, has made his submission to the Religious Freedom Review Panel available for you to read. He writes,

“The Religious Freedom Review Panel, chaired by the Hon Philip Ruddock, has invited submissions from all Australians on the protection of religious freedom in Australia. …

Those who are interested in the area may find it helpful to see the sort of topics that I think ought to be addressed.”

– Check it out at Law and Religion Australia, and consider making your own submission.

Grafton Discernment Synod

“First of all, here in the Eucharist, we seek God’s guidance. …

Secondly, we shall then spend the bulk of today listening to one another carefully, intentionally, with spiritual ears attuned to hear not only one another but also the God who is within us, among us, and between us.

Finally today, we shall elect the Bishop Appointment Board. Those chosen to serve on this Board are being entrusted by us to choose and appoint our new Bishop, informed by our discernment process today and guided by God.”

– The Dean of Grafton, Greg Jenks, preached at the ‘‘Discernment Synod Eucharist’ of the Diocese of Grafton, 4th February 2018. He has posted the text and video of his sermon.

It’s a good reminder to pray for those responsible for choosing a new bishop.

Plea for irreplaceable items after Anglican bishop’s car stolen

“An engraved pastoral staff with sentimental and historical value is among the missing items after a Ballarat’s bishop’s car was stolen. …”

– Let’s hope police find the crook. Story from The Ballarat Courier. (Photo: Bishop Garry Weatherill and friends – via The Ballarat Courier.)

Also around Australian dioceses:

Newly installed Bishop of Newcastle appoints the first female assistant bishop for that diocese.

Blindspots & Barriers

“Since 2011 Jane Tooher has been Director of the Priscilla & Aquila Centre (P&A): a centre whose stated mission is to benefit women and to encourage their ministries in partnership with men.

We chat to Jane about possible blindspots and barriers to effective complementary partnerships in ministry. …”

– The Australian Church Record has published this interview with Jane Tooher.

UK education chief inspector suggests Anglican theology is extremist

“In trying to isolate the Christian Institute as an extremist organisation in her speech to the Church of England Foundation for Education Leadership on Thursday (1/2/18), the head of UK schools inspectorate, Ofsted, was actually attacking historic Anglican theology. …”

– Julian Mann writes on a disturbing trend in the UK, at Anglican Mainstream. (Also see links at the end of that article.)

New Bishop of Newcastle installed

Dr Peter Stuart was installed and commissioned as the 14th Bishop of Newcastle on Friday night (2nd February).

NBN News Newcastle has some vision from the event.

TEC Diocese of Washington goes for Open Borders, Transgenderism and ‘expansive language for God’

“A trifecta of resolutions introduced and passed by the Episcopal Diocese of Washington’s annual convention confirm a further politicized and progressive direction in which the denomination is headed.

Embracing progressive themes, delegates to The 123rd Diocesan Convention approved legislative proposals ‘On Becoming a Sanctuary Diocese: Offering Sacred Welcome to Immigrants,’ ’On Inclusion of Transgender People,’ and ‘On the Gendered Language for God’ at the Washington National Cathedral on Saturday, January 27. …”

– Jeffrey Walton at Juicy Ecumenism writes on more of the same from the Episcopal Church.

See the Diocesan web page for the resolutions passed.

Photo: Diocese of Washington.

Martyn Iles new Managing Director for Australian Christian Lobby

The Australian Christian Lobby has announced that Lyle Shelton is finishing as Managing Director to go into politics and to stand for office at the next election.

He said, “Now, ACL [Aust Christian Lobby] is necessarily non-party-partisan. That’s a great strength, and I agree with that. So, for that reason, I will be making a further announcement about the specifics of what I am doing in a day or two.  … But I … am not leaving the battle for the values that I hold dear…”

In this video, he speaks about his decision, and Board Chairman Jim Wallace introduces the new Managing Director, Martyn Iles.

Related: We Need Thousands To Write To Ruddock.

The Role of Creeds and Confessions in doing Theology

“A wise traveller makes preparations for a trip (Matt. 10:8–10). Any traveller who attempts a difficult journey without a map risks not arriving or worse.

The Christian life is a journey to the heavenly city (Heb. 11:8–15). A map is a record of the journeys of travellers who have gone before us. Strangely, however, many Christians attempt the Christian journey without the benefit of maps – in this case, the ecumenical creeds and Reformed confessions. …”

– Regrettably, many churches have dispensed with creeds and confessions.

In a featured article from Ligonier’s Tabletalk magazine, R. Scott Clark (Westminster Seminary California) writes about their great value.

Anglican Church in Southeast Asia now in ‘impaired communion’ with Scottish Episcopal Church

Here is a statement, released today, from the Synod of the Province of the Anglican Church in South East Asia – from the 2nd Meeting of its 6th Session in Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia, from 29th to 31st January, 2018.

___

31st January 2018

Noting the decision of the Scottish Episcopal Church on 8 June 2017 to change its doctrine of marriage and to recognise same-sex marriages and further to amend its Canons to allow for the rite of blessing of same-sex marriages, which is a contravention of Resolution 1.10 of the Lambeth Conference 1998; and

Recalling that as a consequence of the then Episcopal Church of the United States of America (ECUSA) proceeding with the consecration of Gene Robinson as a Bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire in 2003, in contravention of Resolution 1.10 of the Lambeth Conference 1998, the Province of the Anglican Church in South East Asia declared in 2003 that it was in a state of impaired communion with ECUSA (now known as The Episcopal Church)

Now it is hereby resolved,

That the Province of the Anglican Church in South East Asia declares itself to be in a state of impaired communion with the Scottish Episcopal Church with immediate effect.

_____

The Most Reverend Datuk Ng Moon Hing
Archbishop of the Province of South East Asia
Bishop of West Malaysia

The Right Reverend Datuk Melter Jiki Tais
Bishop of Sabah

The Right Reverend Rennis Ponniah
Bishop of Singapore

The Right Reverend Danald Jute
Bishop of Kuching.

– from Global South Anglican. (Image courtesy Scottish Episcopal Church.)

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