Bishop William Love addresses the Albany Diocesan Convention

Last year, Bishop William Love, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany in eastern New York state, directed his clergy not to use the trial same-sex marriage rites authorised by the TEC General Convention. This put him on a collision course with the TEC hierarchy.

At his annual diocesan convention, earlier the month, Bishop Love reported on the current situation.

“With the passage of B-012 by the General Convention, a line has been drawn in the sand — a line that I am unable and unwilling to cross.  As all of you know, in January of this year, the Presiding Bishop placed a partial restriction on my ministry in regard to overseeing Title IV Disciplinary Proceedings involving same-sex marriage. In issuing the partial restriction, the Presiding Bishop stated, “Bishop Love’s conduct in this regard may constitute a canonical offence…

I was told an investigation into the allegations made against me would be conducted and I should hear something in a couple of weeks.  That was in the middle of February.  It is now June. …

The jury is still out as to whether The Episcopal Church is truly welcoming, inclusive and diverse enough for those of us who cannot embrace TEC’s current progressive agenda.

If we are to have a real place in The Episcopal Church, we must be provided a way to remain true to our understanding of Holy Scripture and the sacramental nature of the Church, and to differentiate ourselves from TEC’s progressive actions and beliefs that violate God’s Word (as we understand it), and are so offensive and problematic to the vast majority of the wider Anglican Communion and Body of Christ. …”

– Read it all here. (link via Anglican Mainstream.)

Some Research on Preaching in the Presbyterian Church of Victoria

“In March each year the Presbyterian Theological Centre in Victoria runs a Pastors’ conference to encourage faithful and engaging expository preaching in our churches. … I presented an audit report on preaching in Presbyterian churches in Victoria.

In conducting the audit I listened online to 40 preachers, with at least one from each of the 13 Presbyteries in the state. …”

– David Cook shares some encouragement – at AP, the National Journal of the Presbyterian Church of Australia.

(You might remember that Peter Jensen conducted a similar exercise in 2016.)

New ACL Council elected for 2019-2020

The Anglican Church League is pleased to announce the following office bearers were elected at our AGM on 6 June 2019.

Please continue to pray for the work of the Council and Executive, that they would serve humbly and faithfully to help promote Christ and the reformed evangelical Protestant faith through the structures of the Anglican Church of Australia.

The Anglican Church League, Office Bearers and Councillors for 2019 – 20

President: The Rev Andrew Bruce
Chairman: Dr Robert Tong AM
Secretary: The Rev Canon Tom Harricks 
Minutes Secretary: The Rev Matthew Whitfield
Elections Secretary: The Rev Gavin Poole
Membership Secretary: The Rev. Michael Leite
Communications Secretary: The Rev Dr Lionel Windsor
Treasurer: Dr Laurie Scandrett

Vice-presidents

Dr Claire Smith
Dr Laurie Scandrett
Mr Clive Ellis
The Rev Canon Dr Mark Thompson
The Rev Canon Phil Colgan
The Rt Rev Ivan Lee

Councillors

The Rev Roger Cunningham
Mr Jeremy Freeman
The Rev Dr Raj Gupta
Mr Edward Hannah
Mr Luke Jackson
Mr Angus Martin
Mrs Michele Morrison
The Rev Scott Newling
The Rev Caitlin Orr
The Rev Gavin Parsons
Mr Malcolm Purvis
The Rev Craig Roberts
The Rev Mike Taylor
The Rev Kate Haggar
The Rev Jason Ramsay
The Rev James Warren
The Rev Nigel Fortescue
The Rev Dave Keun

Emeritus Vice-presidents

The Rev Canon Dr Bruce Ballantine-Jones OAM
The Rt Rev Dr Paul Barnett AM
The Rev Canon Allan Blanch
Mr John Colquhoun
The Most Rev Dr Glenn Davies
The Rev Neil Flower
The Rt Rev Dr Harry Goodhew AO
The Rev Tom Halls
The Rt Rev Dr Peter Jensen
The Rev Phillip Jensen
The Rev Neil Macken
The Rt Rev Gary Nelson
The Rev Dr Peter O’Brien
The Rt Rev Dr Reg Piper
The Rev Canon Jim Ramsay
Mr Bruce Robinson
The Rev Gordon Robinson
The Rt Rev Ray Smith
The Rt Rev Peter Tasker
The Rev Dr John Woodhouse
The Rev Zac Veron.

Male and female: Equality and order in Genesis 1:27

“I’ve recently picked up the Kindle version of Kevin Giles’s book What the Bible Actually Teaches on Women (Eugene: Cascade, 2018).

While I’m not in agreement with Giles on every issue, I expect to learn some things from his book. I expect come to a greater understanding of how egalitarian exegesis works, from an influential and prolific exponent of this position. And I expect to be challenged to see areas where I and other complementarians need to change in some way: perhaps repent, or at least sharpen up. Indeed, I have learned a number of useful things already (for more, see below).

Yet I’ve also been a little disappointed at certain points by how Giles treats his complementarian opponents. … I think the way this particular discussion has proceeded ends up hindering, rather than helping, constructive discussion about the Bible.”

– Dr. Lionel Windsor interacts with the latest contribution from Kevin Giles.

GAFCON Sunday 2019 — 30th June

Archbishop Ben Kwashi writes –

“Gafcon Sunday is coming up on 30 June, so please join this joyous time of celebrating and renewing our mutual purpose of faithfully proclaiming the full truth of God’s Word to every nation. Read more

Voluntary euthanasia to begin in Victoria as assisted dying laws take effect this week

“Patients will take a glass, mix the drug with two liquids provided by the pharmacist and swallow the mixture. …”

– The latest developments in Victoria. ABC News.

St Silas Church, Glasgow to leave the Scottish Episcopal Church

“St Silas Church in the West End of Glasgow has voted to discontinue its status as a licensed private chapel within the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC).  After a process of consultation and prayer, a members vote was held and an emphatic majority of 86% voted to leave. …

‘Recent decisions of the Scottish Episcopal Church have made clear to us that the denomination does not regard the Bible as the authoritative word of God. With deep sadness, we have therefore decided that for reasons of integrity we can no longer continue as part of the Scottish Episcopal Church. We want to leave with goodwill towards those with whom we are parting company, and sincerely pray for God’s blessing for the SEC in the future, and its renewal around God’s word.’…”

– From GAFCON. Doubtless, the members of St. Silas would value your continued prayers.

Related posts.

(Image: St. Silas Church Glasgow.)

Reading the Bible Upside Down

“As the dust settles around Pope Francis’s approval of changing the translation of the Lord’s Prayer, there is one vital angle on this that has not received much attention – the implications of the pope’s rationale for the change.

The pope’s decision to approve the change from the traditional translation “‘Lead us not into temptation’ to ‘Do not let us fall into temptation’ was based on this reported rationale…”

– John Piper writes about the issue of authority in what we believe about God. The authority of the Pope? Or the authority of God’s revealed Word. (This is the same issue Martin Luther tackled five hundred years ago.)

Wrath: The Divine Reality we’d like to gloss over (but mustn’t)

“On July 8, 1741, in a church in Enfield, Massachusetts, USA, Jonathan Edwards rose to preach what has become probably the most infamous sermon of all time. His text was Deuteronomy 32:35 –

‘ …their foot shall slide in due time’. But it was the title that has stuck in our collective imaginations: ‘Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.’

It conjures up images of poor helpless sinners being dangled by their ankles above the roaring fires of hell. At the time it is reported that many of the listeners were hysterical with fear afterwards. Some have labelled it ‘the most powerful sermon ever preached’. …”

– Tim Thorburn writes at the Gospel Coalition Australia.

New look for Phillip Jensen’s website

Phillip Jensen’s website has a new look. As previously, it is packed with helpful resources.

See it at phillipjensen.com.

His Sermons roused a sleeping Church — J.C. Ryle (1816-1900)

“At the age of 64, after thirty-six years in rural parishes, when most people are ready to retire, he was called to be the first bishop of Liverpool. So he moved from parishes of 300 and 1,300 to a city of over 700,000 with all the urban problems he had never met face-to-face. He served in this post for twenty years, until two months before his death on June 10, 1900, at the age of 84.”

– John Piper pens a portrait of Bishop J. C. Ryle.

Wonderful encouragement for the start of the working week.

ACL Emeritus Vice-president Dr Paul Barnett recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours

“Among many worthy recipients of honours in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours list is the Right Reverend Dr Paul Barnett, New Testament scholar and former Bishop of North Sydney.

The ACL joins with Christians across denominations and around the world in congratulating Paul and giving thanks to God for his many years of faithful ministry.

Paul has published extensively in the area of New Testament history. His confidence in the gospel, his careful attention to historical detail, and his clear and winsome writing style have been a great encouragement to many. His years of teaching at Moore College and his pastoral work as the Rector of Broadway, Rector of Holy Trinity Adelaide, Master of Robert Menzies College and Bishop of North Sydney have been a rich gift to many of us.

The AM he has been given is a recognition that his long service within an Anglican setting has made a significant contribution to wider community. We are grateful that his faithful ministry has been exercised among us.”

— Moore College Principal, and former President of the Anglican Church League, Dr. Mark Thompson, has written on behalf of the ACL’s Council.

Frances Whitehead, John Stott’s ‘right hand’, ‘promoted to glory’

“On Saturday 1 June Frances Whitehead, John Stott’s secretary of nearly 60 years, died peacefully at home at the age of 94.

Frances served John Stott throughout his whole ministry, as Rector of All Souls, Langham Place, and then in his wider global ministry. …”

– from The Langham Partnership.

See also: The incomparable Frances Whitehead:

“Despite the relative freedom that singleness brought him, John Stott would never have achieved everything he achieved in his 90-year life were it not for one person: Frances Whitehead. Her legacy is truly unique…”

Sydney theologian and author among Queen’s Honours

“The former Bishop of North Sydney, theologian and author Dr Paul Barnett is among Sydney Anglicans on the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. … He was made a Member in the General Division of the order of Australia (AM) for significant service to the Anglican Church of Australia.”

– Full story at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Grounding fellowship in truth

“Paul’s final words to the church of God in Corinth are well known to all Christians. They are simply referred to as ‘The Grace’, though not to be confused with giving thanks before meals!

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14).

The apostle’s prayer is both simple and profound, trinitarian in character as it reflects the commitment of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit to all believers. …”

– Archbishop Glenn Davies writes, in a very practical way, about genuine fellowship. Published in the June 2019 issue of Southern Cross.

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