‘Sexegesis’ book launch in Hobart
Bishop of Tasmania, John Harrower, reports –
“Today we launched Sexegesis – An Evangelical Response to Five Uneasy Pieces on Homosexuality at St David’s Cathedral, Hobart. I would like to express my thanks to the Revd Joel Kettleton and the Dean Richard Humphrey, for their work in putting together this event.
Here is the introduction which I gave at the book launch:
2012 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Anglican Church of Australia. At the recent Synod of our Diocese we gave thanks that our founding documents affirm that we are part of the apostolic and worldwide church, that we are biblically based and that we are Christ centered.
As Anglicans then as we deal with issues such as homosexuality we do so in this context.
We are part of a worldwide Anglican communion and need to listen to that body which has clearly stated in the Lambeth Resolutions (1.10 – Human Sexuality) that homosexual practice is incompatible with the Scriptures.
As that resolution makes clear and the constitution of our Church says we take the Scriptures “as being the ultimate and standard of faith given by inspiration of God.” The Church is not at liberty to “ordain anything contrary to God’s Word written, neither may it so expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another.” (Article XX of the Anglican Church’s 39 Articles of Religion). We need to keep coming back to Scripture, to wrestle with it, understand and apply it, even when it corrects and challenges us and our culture. Read more
Nationwide launch announced for Sexegesis
“On June 14, senior clergy of the evangelical church in Australia will make statements in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Perth and Adelaide (June 19), with an online launch in Canberra.”
– Download the full media release here (PDF) via the Diocese of Tasmania.
Related:
An important contribution to a vital debate.
Bishops publish protocols.
Sydney Standing Committee motion on Gippsland ‘breach of trust’.
Bishop McIntyre breaks ranks on homosexuality.
The Gippsland Crisis.
Bishop defends gay priest appointment.
Mohler & colleagues publish important response to ‘God and the Gay Christian’
Albert Mohler and four colleagues at The Southern Baptist Seminary have published an e-book in response to “God and the Gay Christian”, which was also published today.
Mohler explains why a response is important:
“The church has often failed people with same-sex attractions, and failed them horribly. We must not fail them now by forfeiting the only message that leads to salvation, holiness, and faithfulness.”
Related:
Sexegesis: An important contribution to a vital debate.
Justin Taylor: Why book-length responses to other books can be helpful.
The hermeneutics of homosexuality: A response to Michael Kirby
“In his winsome way, the Honourable Michael Kirby introduces his recent Marshall Memorial Lecture with a surprising autobiographical account of his Sydney Anglican Protestant credentials, given the more Melbourne Anglo-Catholic audience…”
– On the ABC’s Religion and Ethics website, Gordon Preece (co-editor of Sexegesis) responds to a lecture by Michael Kirby, also published on that website.
An important contribution to a vital debate
An important book, which meets a desperate need, is due to be launched next week.
“Sometimes we all just wish this debate would go away. Christians aren’t preoccupied with this subject, they’re preoccupied with Jesus. However, this is the form in which the gospel of Jesus is under most direct challenge just at the moment and we need the courage and the resources to take our stand on the teaching of Scripture.” – Mark Thompson
ACL President Dr. Mark Thompson explains why the book is important:
“The debate about homosexual behaviour and the concerted attempt by the gay lobby and others to gain legitimacy by rebadging homosexual liaisons as ‘same-sex marriage’ is quite intense at the moment. A culture bankrupt of any moral compass increasingly accepts the gay lobby’s caricature of Christians who take the Bible’s teaching on the subject seriously as bigots and homophobes. Read more
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…