Living in Love, Faith and Reconciliation: an exercise in bait and switch

“Last week, the lead bishops for Living in Love and Faith process, Rt Revd Helen-Ann Hartley and Rt Revd Martyn Snow set out some of their thinking in a comment piece for the Church Times – Living in Love, Faith and Reconciliation.

‘We are at a crossroads: either we have reached the point of separation, accepting that different views cannot co-exist within the same Church, or we must shift the debate to the question how we live well with difference. We believe firmly in the latter approach, and, therefore, we are issuing a call for reconciliation and bridge-building.’

Their attempt to ‘reset’ the debate will rest on a number of commitments, which will be brought to General Synod for discussion in February. They have yet to be published – but for once the devil will not be in the detail – but in their purpose and underlying premise …”

– This opinion piece at Anglican Futures looks at where ‘reconciliation and bridge-building’ is likely to lead.

And it is yet another reminder to pray for wisdom for faithful believers in the Church of England.

Representing Jesus to our grandkids

“For many people today, there is a lot of life left after retirement. Many years ago, when I began work, the union representative told me that our superannuation scheme for men was based on retirement at 65 and death at 67½! Now, the life expectancy for men is 81 and 85 for women. …”

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Paul Whiting introduces us to an important book – one especially important for grandparents.

Bridging Secular Wisdom and the Christian Mission: A Dialogue on Growth, Change, and Spiritual Transformation – with Archie Poulos

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“What can we learn from recent secular literature about the practice of Christian pastoral leadership?

Head of Ministry at Sydney’s Moore Theological College Archie Poulos looks at how the ‘The Infinite Game’ concept, popularized by Simon Sinek, can be applied to ministry.  Sinek explores the consequences of short and long term thinking in business and life. Long term success is more likely when an infinite perspective is taken.

Then we examine Loran Nordgren and David Schonthal’s book ‘The Human Element: Overcoming the resistance that awaits new ideas.’

Archie considers the emotional and psychological hurdles (inertia, effort, emotion, and reactance) that congregations face when change is suggested.

We look back to ‘After the Ball’ by Marshall Kirk and Hunter Madsen, a 1989 secular play book for effecting LGBTI societal acceptance.  Archie suggests there are lessons from aspects of that strategy for Christian mission.

Plus Archie talks about what impressed him about Andrew Heard’s soon to be released book ‘Growth and Change – The danger and necessity of a passion for church growth.”

– Watch or listen here.

Church Society Podcast S13E03: CEEC

“This episode of the Church Society podcast comes from the 2024 Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) annual residential meeting.

Three members and guests of CEEC tell us about different areas of work that is ongoing.

– First up in the podcast, Dr Ros Clarke speaks with Charlie Skrine about the latest discussions on Living in Love and Faith. 

Listen to the podcast here.

A great reminder to continue to pray for faithful Christians in the Church of England. (From 14:50, Charlie has a particular request for prayer.)

Photo: Charlie Skrine at JAEC 2023.

Related:

Church of England Evangelical Council.

Why is Christian persecution often met with indifference?

“It has never been more dangerous to be a Christian than today.

According to the newly released 2024 World Watch List – an authoritative survey by Open Doors, an organisation that supports persecuted Christians – 365 million Christians, or one in seven, are at high or extreme risk of persecution every day because of their faith. …”

– Barney Zwartz contributes this piece at The Sydney Morning Herald.

See also:

Open Doors.

“Gender critical” victories in tribunal cases

“Over the last month there have been three important tribunal decisions (two in the UK, one in Australia) in favour of women who had been disciplined or dismissed or sued for expressing ‘gender critical’ views.

This phrase, broadly, refers to those who believe that sex is a biological reality and that someone’s gender aligns with their sex. Allegations of ‘transgender vilification’ or claims that someone’s views on this matter can be a ground for workplace penalties have been common over the last few years.

But the three cases I want to mention here (involving social worker Rachel Meade, academic Dr Jo Phoenix, and commentator Kirralie Smith) suggest that the tide may be turning in favour of those who hold the view that biology matters. …”

– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster sees an encouraging trend.

Letter to Church Times about Living in Love and Faith

Anglican Mainstream has posted this letter sent to Church Times by the Rev James Paice in London:

“Dear Sir

I read with interest your piece by the LLF co-lead Bishops about the need to live with difference.

They appear not to have heard CEEC and other conservative clergy :
blessing same sex relationships in defiance of Scripture has been said to have been a first order issue all along, which is why there has been repeated calls for a separate Province, which has been continually resisted.

We are in the woeful situation that we are in, because despite claiming to do so, the Archbishops have not listened to those who stand on the historic teaching of the Bible.  No wonder faithful clergy have been leaving.

Yours faithfully.
The Rev James Paice
St Luke’s Church
Ryfold Road
London SW19 8BZ.”

He speaks for many in the Church of England, and many others around the world who are watching with dismay.

The article to which he is responding is linked here at Anglican Mainstream.

And somewhat related:

‘We must find ways of being joyful in our disagreement’ – The Archbishop of Canterbury preaches in Rome.

Anglicans honoured in 2024 list

“Anglicans are among the Sydney recipients of Australia Day honours, including two Professors of Medicine for their roles in the COVID-19 response.

The honours are awarded by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Council of the Order of Australia. …”

– Russell Powell has the details at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Photo: Professor Charlotte Hespe AM.

Richard Johnson — Chaplain under fire

This Australia Day, it’s worth remembering how the gospel was received when it was preached in Sydney Town –

“One observation about the past is especially instructive for Christians of any age: faithful witness is often met with hostile opposition. It would be a mistake to conceive of some halcyon days in the past when the whole of society was motivated by the Christian faith and gospel proclamation went unopposed.

The Constantinian form of Christianity, which permeated the Western world over the past millennium, never truly embraced those who sought to be faithful witnesses. This is cer­tainly true of Australia’s first ordained minis­ter, Richard Johnson, who arrived in Sydney as chaplain to the colony of New South Wales with the First Fleet in 1788. …”

– Steve Tong wrote this for The Australian Church Record last year.

Related:

An Address to the Inhabitants of the Colonies – Richard Johnson (PDF file)

Pray (Don’t Play) Politics

“For many today, politics takes up far too much of our spiritual hard drive. It’s become an obsession.

Praying to the King of kings (on behalf of our president, senators, and other government officials) helps to reorder our hearts.. …”

– You don’t need to be following the U.S. election cycle to benefit from this encouragement from Brandon Cooper at The Gospel Coalition.

See also:

“…the task of the Christian is not first to understand prayer, though may be a very good thing, and not first to solve prayer, which I suspect is an impossible thing. Rather, the Christian is to pray, knowing that part of the beauty of prayer is that even if we aren’t confident in how prayer works, we can have confidence in the one who tells us to pray. Even if we haven’t resolved the dilemmas and solved the mysteries, we can trust the one who issues the command and who insists that he hears and responds to our prayers. Our task, our calling, and our joyful duty is to pray.”

– It’s Okay To Just Pray – Tim Challies.

Growth and change – with Andrew Heard

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“‘Many of the ways we are running our churches and ministries and many of the ways we are exercising leadership within our churches, has become a significant hindrance to the growth of the church.’

Andrew Heard’s about to be released book Growth and Change will be the ‘must read’ book for pastors for 2024.

In his opening preface Gospel Coalition founder  DA Carson – says ‘I am usually loath to proclaim that such and such a book is the best in its field … but if there is one book that happily serves as the exception to the rule, Heard’s book is it.’…”

– Watch or listen here.

“Equality” Bill threatens religious freedom in NSW

“Independent MP Mr A H Greenwich last year introduced a private member’s bill called the Equality Legislation Amendment (LGBTIQA+) Bill 2023 (“the Bill”) into the NSW Parliament. It is understood that time will be allowed for debate on the Bill on February 8, 2024.

Freedom for Faith has an excellent overview of the many areas covered by the Bill and why the Bill should not proceed. Most private member’s Bills are not approved, but there is a danger that some MP’s might support some of the provisions of this Bill.

In this post I will focus on some of the dangers to religious freedom in NSW if the Bill were passed. (There are so many that I may not cover them all in one post, and if I can I will try to pick up those I miss here in a later post.)

… the amendments to s 56, if enacted, would radically undermine the freedom of religious groups to operate in accordance with their faith. They, along with the other proposals in this Bill, should be rejected if they come to a vote in the Parliament. As noted above, Freedom for Faith has provided a summary of the other proposals in the Bill, and links at that website will allow those who want to, to write to their MP to let them know their views.”

– Neil Foster draws attention to an alarming development in New South Wales.

Do take the time to read it all – and consider contacting your MP.

(Image: Assoc Prof. Foster at a Sydney Diocese training day.)

Three Lessons from 234 Pastors’ Libraries

“One of the most common assumptions about pastors throughout church history is that they are men of books – that reading is central to a pastor’s ministry. If you walk into your pastor’s office – he might even call it his ‘study’ – it will almost surely be full of books (2 Tim. 4:13).

But it wasn’t always this way. From our perch in 2023, we easily forget how significant the introduction of the printing press was to the history of the church. Prior to its invention, books were rare, usually only owned by wealthy men and women or tucked away in a monastery. Hardly any ordinary Europeans would have owned more than one book prior to 1450. …”

– At 9Marks, Forrest Strickland shares three lessons from history.

GAFCON Australasia plans a youth-focussed conference

“GAFCON Australasia’s second conference has set its sights firmly on the future of the church in Australia, for the first time welcoming youth to be fully involved in the movement.

GAFCON, the Global Anglican Future Conference, began as a meeting in Jerusalem in 2008 and grew into a movement for reform and renewal in the Anglican Church across the world. The Australasian branch held its first conference in Canberra in 2022, where it announced the formation of the Diocese of the Southern Cross to cover congregations that had to withdraw from the Anglican Church in various parts of Australia because of teaching that went against the Bible.  …”

– Russell Powell reports at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Photo: GAFCON Aust 2022 conference in Canberra.

Victorians gather to lift their eyes at Summer Under the Son

“Hundreds of people have gathered to lift their eyes to God’s work throughout the world at CMS Victoria’s annual Summer Under the Son conference in Melbourne. …”

– The Melbourne Anglican.

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