Obedience and Submission in 1 Peter — the full set

At Forget the Channel, Moore College Lecturer (and ACL Council member) Lionel Windsor has now posted the full set of his videos on Obedience and Submission in 1 Peter.

Here are the individual posts –

Part 1 – What’s the issue?

Part 2 – What does it mean to “obey” Jesus Christ? (1 Peter 1:1–2:10)

Part 3 – What does it mean to “submit” in human relationships? (1 Peter 2:13)

Part 4 – Why does 1 Peter instruct Christians to “submit”? (1 Peter 2:13-17)

Part 5 – What does it mean for first-century slaves to “submit”? (1 Peter 2:18–25)

Part 6 – What does it mean for wives to “submit” and “obey”? (1 Peter 3:1–7)

Part 7 – What does it mean to “submit” to church leaders? (1 Peter 5:1–5)

Part 8 – Summary.

A very relevant series!

Authentic and Orthodox Discipleship

“In the Lambeth Conference 2022 Plenary Session and Press Briefing on Discipleship, there was not much talk about actual discipleship.

The three speakers were Bp. Eleanor Sanderson, Abp. Michael Curry, and retired Bishop Moon Hing. There was much talk around the term ‘intentional discipleship’, but the only point made was that people will rarely turn into disciples unless you’re intentional about making them. Other than that, there was no further practical information given despite questions about the content, vision, and means for making disciples.

Orthodox Anglicans may be left wondering what, exactly, is meant by ‘discipleship’ when it’s spoken by leaders who promote pluriform truth and accept sexual immorality as a new norm that can be affirmed. …”

– As Lambeth 2022 draws to a close, the American Anglican Council’s Canon Phil Ashey shares his thoughts about what discipleship means when there is fundamental disagreement on the basics.

Should Church-run hospitals be forced to perform abortions?

“I’m beginning to think that when some people read ‘1984’ and ‘A Brave New World’, their impression is, what a great idea. Let’s model our society on ‘Oceania’ or ‘World State’!

There is a certain predictability about our political and social overlords: Christianity is bad, science is a subject in the Arts faculty, and conscience is only free for those who follow the right agenda. …”

– In this piece published last week, Murray Campbell in Melbourne responds to a move to force Church-based hospitals and health institutions to perform abortions.

He implores his readers, “please read the entire piece & not just one or two snippets. The whole argument matters, not just a quote or two.”

Communique by Orthodox Bishops Presented by GSFA Primates Steering Committee present at Lambeth Conference 2022

Communique by Orthodox Bishops – Presented by: GSFA Primates Steering Committee present at Lambeth Conference 2022

“We grieve at the continued tear in the life of the Communion occasioned by those Primates and Provinces who declined to follow the guidance offered by Resolution I.10, and the consequent absence of significant numbers of orthodox Bishops from our assembly both in 2008 and now. The unchecked spread of revisionism has necessitated the new structure of the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) since 2019 for enhanced ecclesial responsibility across orthodox Provinces, and the movement impetus of the Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon) since 2008 for reform, renewal and proclamation of the Gospel. …”

– Read the full Communique (PDF file) at the Lambeth ’22 Resource Group website.

See also:

Orthodox Bishops Map Out a Robust Future & Hopeful of a Re-Setting of The Anglican Communion – Issued by the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (PDF file).

Global South Primates reset the Anglican Communion

“So, together with those who painfully and in good conscience decided not to come, we want to register our collective ownership and stewardship of a Communion that in God’s grace has become worldwide.” – Communique of Orthodox Bishops (par 5.10)

“The Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) steering committee presented their Communique of Orthodox Bishops Present at Lambeth Conference 2022.

Considering the Archbishop of Canterbury’s statement that he will not under any circumstances discipline or sanction a church that refuses to abide by Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (1998), it seems he has allowed these orthodox bishops to provide a blueprint for resetting the Anglican Communion.

This reset would be based on a shared confession of faith in genuine communion with interdependence and covenants of mutual accountability. Anglican identity is doctrinal, grounded in the Holy Scriptures, the ancient Fathers, the Book of Common Prayer 1662, and its ordinal which is reiterated in the document.

It is striking to note that it does not make Anglican identity a product of relationship to the See of Canterbury or any other sociological or historical anchor. Moreover, in contrast to the Abp. of Canterbury’s statement during the session on the Human Dignity Call, the orthodox bishops of the GFSA state unequivocally that if Anglican identity and unity are rooted in common doctrine, then we cannot be a communion with a plurality of beliefs. …”

– This Special report by the American Anglican Council’s Canon Phil Ashey gets to the heart of the matter.

In his closing remarks, he writes,

“Since many, if not most, of the Global South bishops here are also members of GAFCON, how can these two bodies collaborate more intensively in healing the wounds to the Anglican Communion? As I wrote in my reflections on what the face of this emerging communion may look like, is it possible that GAFCON and the Global South could collaborate as a mission society and a Mother Church in the same way Paul and Peter collaborated in the Book of Acts?”

See also:

Lambeth 2022 Diary: Hope and a Future – Thursday 4th August.

“Yesterday the Lambeth Conference of Bishops travelled by bus to Lambeth Palace for a day of planting one tree and discussing the proposal to create a worldwide “Anglican Communion forest.” I find it remarkable that the issue of the authority of the Scriptures, over which our Anglican Communion is divided, was given only two hours on Tuesday in contrast to an entire day to plant a tree and address climate change. That fact alone speaks volumes about the dysfunction in the Lambeth-driven Anglican Communion, but there have also been hopeful moments that help pivot us from all that is wrong with the Anglican Communion towards what a post-Lambeth Communion could look like in the days ahead. …”

GSFA Press Conference photo: J Trickey / GSFA.

Charming and unapologetic: Sydney’s Anglican archbishop isn’t afraid to be out of step with the times

“Kanishka Raffel’s election as Archbishop of Sydney broke the mould. His predecessors are all of European descent; his heritage is Sri Lankan. Many of those who went before him were sons of Sydney’s Anglican dynasties, and attended its sandstone schools; he moved to Australia as a boy and went to Carlingford High. …”

– At the Sydney Morning Herald, Jordan Baker has this profile of Archbishop of Sydney Kanishka Raffel. Great reading!

Elisabeth Arnett retires as Executive Assistant to the Principal of Moore College

“Many people who have visited or contacted Moore College will know Mrs Elisabeth Arnett. Elisabeth has served the College for nineteen years as the Executive Assistant to the Principal.

In all that time she has been an adornment to the College, a magnificent example of grace and service, warm friendliness and thoroughgoing professionalism. …”

– News from Moore College.

(Elisabeth also served for many years on the Council of the Anglican Church League and would be familiar to many Synod members through her organising of ACL Synod Dinners.

ACL Council members likewise thank the Lord for her, remembering her service and friendship with much gratitude, and pray for the Lord’s blessings on Elisabeth and her husband Trevor.)

The Purpose of Preaching

“Part of my job involves teaching people to preach.

If I’ve learned one thing over the years it’s that you can’t learn to do something until you understand the goal. So I find myself asking the question, over and over again, what is the purpose of preaching? It’s a really important question.

Understanding the purpose of preaching not only affects the preacher, but also the listener. What is a preacher trying to do when they preach? What is the hearer supposed to do with what they’ve heard?”

– The Australian Church Record has published this encouragement from Paul Grimmond at Moore College.

Image: Paul Grimmond on The Pastor’s Heart.

At Lambeth Palace, bishops and spouses celebrate launch of Anglican Communion forest initiative

“With the launch of the Anglican Communion Forest, Anglican and Episcopal bishops from across the world are seeking to make tangible their shared commitment of the Fifth Mark of Mission, to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the Earth.

Climate change ‘is an absolutely enormous emergency for literally billions of the world’s population,’ Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said during an Aug. 3 press conference held in the Lambeth Palace Library. …”

– Story from The Episcopal News Service. Photo: Lambeth Conference.

By contrast:

“At this conference, we are being asked to look at the needs of our broken the world, and to offer hope. But we cannot mend a broken world when the Anglican Church is so broken and fractured.”

– Archbishop James Wong, Archbishop of the Province of Indian Ocean, from the Lambeth ’22 Resource Group on Facebook.

Lambeth 2022 Diary: Bad News and Good News

“In the Lambeth Conference of Bishops 2022, Tuesday August 2 was to have been a critical moment of reflection and decision on the divisions that have rent the fabric of the Communion asunder.

Tuesday was to have been the day when the Bishops discussed whether to reaffirm Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (1998) and its teaching on the authority of scripture, creation, human sexuality, marriage and leadership in the Church. …”

– The American Anglican Council’s President, Canon Phil Ashey, shares his observations for Tuesday – quite an eye-opening day at Lambeth.

See also:

What Then has happened to Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (1998) at LC2022? – American Anglican Council.

Bathurst Diocese Strategic Plan

You may have watched Bishop Mark Calder’s keynote address from the Bathurst Diocesan Conference held on 30 July 2022.

He spoke about the Strategic Plan for the Diocese.

Here it is in one-page – Sharing Jesus for Life! (PDF file.)

Archbishop James Wong explains how bishops at Lambeth can support the GSFA Resolution

In this video from Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches and EFAC, Archbishop James Wong, Primate of the Indian Ocean, explains how bishops of Lambeth can express their support for the Resolution affirming Lambeth 1.10.

The Global South move apparently has been necessitated by the reluctance of the Lambeth organisers and the Archbishop of Canterbury to allow this issue to be discussed on the floor of the conference.

Anglican Unscripted 747 and 748 – Revolts at Lambeth

On today’s “Anglican Unscripted 747 – The Lambeth Revolt”, Kevin Kallsen and George Conger discuss the latest developments at Lambeth.

George Conger has several interesting observations about the transparency of the Lambeth organisers and the Lambeth media office, as well as the identity of some of the bishops attending.

See also “Anglican Unscripted 748 – Who will kiss Pope Justin’s Ring?” with Susie Leafe, discussing quite a day at Lambeth.

GSFA Bishops and Canterbury both release Statements on Lambeth 1.10

“At almost the same time, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) released statements on Lambeth Resolution 1.10. Both could not have been more different in tone.

Canterbury released a letter to those at Lambeth stating that the Anglican Communion did, in fact, affirm Resolution 1.10. He even writes that the fact that Lambeth Calls: Human Dignity quotes the resolution three times should be enough to show that this is true.

What he doesn’t say is that the part of the resolution that affirms the traditional view of marriage and human sexuality was unceremoniously removed from the Call after causing liberal backlash. It is evident he is trying to appease Global South leaders and progressive leaders at the same time. …”

– Report from The American Anglican Council.

Image: Lambeth website.

Global South Anglicans invite Bishops at Lambeth to Reaffirm Lambeth I.10. Here’s the text.

Archbishop Justin Badi invites bishops to affirm Lambeth I.10, and, summarises what is at stake:

“We want to see the Communion united.”

Here’s the full text of the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches Press Release published overnight –

“Press Release

ORTHODOX BISHOPS REVEAL TEXT OF RESOLUTION REAFFIRMING ‘LAMBETH 1.10’ AS THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION TEACHING ON MARRIAGE & SEXUALITY

ANGLICAN BISHOPS, representing 75 per cent of Anglicans across the globe, have released the text of a Resolution (‘Call’), and are giving an opportunity to all registered bishops at the Lambeth Conference to ‘reaffirm’ Lambeth 1.10 as the ‘official teaching of the Anglican Communion on marriage and sexuality’.

This afternoon (AUG 2), from 2pm, copies of the text are being made available to bishops around the University of Kent campus, uploaded to the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) website, available on the EFAC stand in the conference resource centre, and via email to around 250 global south bishops direct. They are also providing details of how bishops can register their support as leaders of Anglicans under their direct episcopal care.

In the preamble to the Resolution – which bishops are not asked to sign up to, only the actual stated Resolution – Archbishop Justin Badi, Chairman of the GSFA says: “Anglican identity is first and foremost ‘grounded in the Holy Scriptures, and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church.

“Lambeth Resolution 1.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference is a test of faithfulness to this doctrinal standard, because it explicitly applies the clear and historic teaching of Scripture to matters of sexual morality. The Resolution does not take its authority from the Lambeth Conference, but from Holy Scripture.”

At their opening press conference last Friday (JULY29), the GSFA announced it would proceed with giving bishops the opportunity to reaffirm. Today the text has been revealed, together with the way bishops can indicate their support for the Resolution.

Archbishop Badi explains to fellow bishops: “We are living at a time of great spiritual confusion and moral flux. The Church of Jesus Christ cannot afford to lose its moorings in Holy Scripture and drift with the world. Based on the need to establish clear doctrine on Marriage and Sexuality at this defining moment for the Anglican Communion, this conference must reaffirm the biblical teaching of Lambeth Conference 1998 Resolution 1.10.”

The core resolution reads “that this Conference:-

a. in view of the teaching of Scripture, upholds faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union, and believes that abstinence is right for those who are not called to marriage;

b. recognises that there are among us persons who experience themselves as having a homosexual orientation. Many of these are members of the Church and are seeking the pastoral care, moral direction of the Church, and God’s transforming power for the living of their lives and the ordering of relationships. We commit ourselves to listen to the experience of homosexual persons and we wish to assure them that they are loved by God and that all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ;

c. while rejecting homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture, calls on all our people to minister pastorally and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn
irrational fear of homosexuals, violence within marriage and any trivialisation and commercialisation of sex;

d. cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions;

e. notes the significance of the Kuala Lumpur Statement on Human Sexuality and the concerns expressed in resolutions IV.26, V.1, V.10, V.23 and V.35 on the authority of Scripture in matters of marriage and sexuality.

f. Urges that renewed steps be taken to ensure that all Provinces abide by this doctrine in their faith, order & practice.”

To prevent any fraud in the ‘sign in’ process, the GSFA has asked bishops to take a photo of their official Lambeth Conference pass (which contains an up-to-date picture, full name, the province/diocese they serve in and a unique ID number). They are then asked to email it to a dedicated email address, and in the subject line, include their name and importantly, the number of worshippers under their direct episcopal care.

Bishops have been assured the process will be completely anonymous. Their names will not be revealed at the conference, or at any time after. Only the province, how many bishops in that province reaffirmed, and the number of worshippers in their direct episcopal care will be revealed. The GSFA will ask a well-respected person to independently verify the processes to provide independent security, giving Anglicans across the globe assurance that the reaffirmation process was recorded accurately. Records, once verified, will be destroyed.

Details of the response from bishops will be announced by the GSFA in due course. A copy of the full text, and the associated notes can be found at www.lambeth22resourcegroup.com

ENDS”

——————————————-

and the full text of the affirmation –

LAMBETH CONFERENCE 2022: THE GSFA CALL ON RE-AFFIRMING LAMBETH 1.10 1998

1. Introduction

1.1 The prophet Jeremiah declares that the leaders of his day ‘have healed the wound of my people lightly’ (Jer. 6:14, 8:11). It is a warning for our day too. We stand at a crossroads, and must ‘ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it.’ (Jer. 6:16). The only basis for our walking together is to submit ourselves again to the sovereign authority of Holy Scripture in loyalty to the Anglican tradition and its formularies.

1.2 In 1 Peter, the book chosen for the Bible Studies at Lambeth 2022, we are gripped by the emphasis that the power of God unto salvation is experienced through the living and unchanging word of God (see 1Pet 1:23; cf Jn 17:17; Rom1:16-17; Jude 3)

“You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.” ( 1 Pet 1:23)

2. Declaration

2.1 Anglican identity is first and foremost ‘grounded in the Holy Scriptures, and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In particular, such doctrine is to be found in the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, The Book of Common Prayer (1662), and The Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, annexed to The Book of Common Prayer, and commonly known as the Ordinal’.

2.2 Lambeth Resolution I.10 of 1998i is a test of faithfulness to this doctrinal standard because it explicitly applies the clear and historic teaching of Scripture to matters of sexual morality. The Resolution does not take its authority from the Lambeth Conference, but from Holy Scripture.

3. Affirmation

3.1 We affirm our commitment as Anglicans to being part of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church of God, our confidence in the gospel as Anglicans have received it

4. The Need to Re-affirm Lambeth 1.10

4.1 We are living at a time of great spiritual confusion and moral flux. The Church of Jesus Christ cannot afford to lose its moorings in Holy Scripture and drift with the world. We believe the Lord is ‘strengthening the bars of the gates’ of the city/community of His people (Ps 147:12) by guarding the truth of His Word so that His church will indeed be ‘a light to the nations.’ (Is 42:6; Acts 13: 47).

5. The Resolution

5.1 As bishops gathered at the Lambeth Conference 2022, we reaffirm Lambeth resolution 1.10

Based on the need to establish clear doctrine on Marriage and Sexuality at this defining moment for the Anglican Communion, this conference:

i. Reaffirms the biblical teaching of Lambeth Conference 1998 Resolution I.10 as follows:

a. in view of the teaching of Scripture, upholds faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union, and believes that abstinence is right for those who are not called to marriage;

b. recognises that there are among us persons who experience themselves as having a homosexual orientation. Many of these are members of the Church and are seeking the pastoral care, moral direction of the Church, and God’s transforming power for the living of their lives and the ordering of relationships. We commit ourselves to listen to the experience of homosexual persons and we wish to assure them that they are loved by God and that all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ;

c. while rejecting homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture, calls on all our people to minister pastorally and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn irrational fear of homosexuals, violence within marriage and any trivialisation and commercialisation of sex;

d. cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions;

e. notes the significance of the Kuala Lumpur Statement on Human Sexuality and the concerns expressed in resolutions IV.26, V.1, V.10, V.23 and V.35 on the authority of Scripture in matters of marriage and sexuality.

ii. Urges that renewed steps be taken to ensure that all Provinces abide by this doctrine in their faith, order & practice.

Source: Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches.

Top image with thanks to the Lambeth ’22 Resource Group.

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