Why I am not Catholic
“Speaking at the Leonine Forum in D.C. recently, I was asked a friendly but pointed question: ‘Why are you not a Catholic?’ The questioner noted that in my talk I had expressed a love for the early Church Fathers, admiration for Thomas Aquinas, and an approach to ethics that resonated with John Paul II’s theology of the body.
It’s hard to answer such a question in brief compass at the end of a lecture. Many issues are important in my commitment to Reformed Protestantism: authority, salvation, the nature of the ministry, and the significance of sacraments are just a few of the more obvious. And while I am open to the criticism that Protestantism hasn’t given Mary her due, I believe the Catholic Church has given her a significance that is well beyond anything the Bible would countenance. But above all, at the current moment, Catholicism doesn’t appeal to me because of the man at the top: Pope Francis. In my answer, I did try to be respectful of my audience, but I could not help but observe that the present pope seems to be nothing more than a liberal Protestant in a white papal robe. And as a Protestant, I am acutely aware of the damage such people do. …”
– Carl Trueman writes at First Things.
Photo courtesy Grove City College.
Prepare Him Room
“We all know that Christmas is a great evangelistic opportunity. Yet with the gun going off to tie up work, attend all kinds of events, plan gatherings, buy gifts, and somehow still function after it all … how could I ever add evangelism into the mix?
Rather than tell you simply to ‘share the gospel’, I want instead to spend a moment together pondering the glory of Christmas. Because before Christmas is a time of proclamation, it is a time to make room in our hearts for adoration. And it’s from a full heart that our mouth will speak. …”
– Callan Pritchard writes with this encouragement at The Australian Church Record.
Gambling in America is Booming
In his latest The Briefing broadcast (12 December 2024), Dr Albert Mohler looks at the American gambling epidemic.
He reveals the breathtaking statistic that gambling in the USA has grown from $7 Billion in 2018 to $150 Billion projected for 2025.
Bathurst Diocese Advent 2024 Newsletter
The Bathurst Diocese Advent 2024 Newsletter is now available to download for your encouragement and prayers. (PDF file.)
Antisemitic attacks — Statement from the Archbishop of Sydney
Here is a Media release from the Diocese of Sydney:
Anglican Diocese of Sydney
Statement from the Archbishop of Sydney
Antisemitic attacks
The latest attack on the Jewish community in Sydney is egregious, cowardly and despicable.
All people of good will, faith or none, will condemn this outrage. It follows the terrorist attack on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne, and more than a year of increasing hostility and intimidation of the Australian Jewish community in multiple, grotesque ways.
This is totally unacceptable.
The Jewish community in Sydney is resilient and peace-loving, contributing to the welfare and harmony of our city in myriad ways. Jewish people arrived in Sydney with the First Fleet. Sydney is the home we all share.
I urge all political, community and religious leaders to unite and I offer the support of Sydney Anglicans as together we stand against hate.
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel
11 December 2024.
Source: SydneyAnglicans.net.
Interview with Richard Chin
Moore College has published this video interview by Archie Poulos with Richard Chin.
Most encouraging and challenging. Runs for 19 minutes.
Related:
The Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students.
Tragic murky mess of gambling ruining people’s lives
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“Church Leaders have welcomed the report of the trial of cashless gambling which recommends that ‘account based gambling’ be introduced in New South Wales by 2028.
There are bigger problems with gambling in Sydney and New South Wales than pretty much anywhere in the world (outside Las Vegas).
But the Clubs and Hotels industry is running a narrative attempting to discredit the trial, calling it a three million dollar waste of money.
Senior Minister of Sydney’s Wesley Mission Stu Cameron was the church representative on the inquiry panel and says while the outcome is welcome, it’s now up to the government, ‘the devil will be in the details’ and we need to keep the pressure on.”
Barnabas Fund: Helping the Persecuted Church
From the Profiles in Christian Living Podcast (produced by AP, the national Presbyterian online journal:
“In this episode AP talks with Ashley Saunders from Barnabas Fund who helps churches around the world who are being persecuted.
This interview is well worth your time, not only if you’d like to know how and where the money is being spent but if you’d like to bless believers who are undergoing suffering.”
Raising the Next Generation of Leaders
“I was privileged last month to spend an afternoon watching our prayers being answered.
It is a constant prayer point of our Diocese to ask the Lord to raise up workers for the harvest field.
In my recent Synod address (see SC, Sept-Oct), I said that if we were to succeed in establishing one new church for every 30,000 people in greenfields areas, we would need far more men and women training for ministry than are currently in our system.
I asked for every parish to be intentionally prayerful about sending or supporting at least one suitable person to train for full-time ministry at Moore College or Youthworks College in the next three years. …”
– Archbishop Kanishka Raffel writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.
He also reveals that a diocesan Day of Prayer for Mission has been called for May 4, 2025.
Who were the Magi?
“In Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth we read about wise men from the east who brought gifts to Jesus. However, there is very little else said about them in the passage.”
– In this article, Tony Watkins, Fellow for Public Engagement at Tyndale House in Cambridge, explores who these visitors were and from where did they come.
Commitment to your Congregation — Mark Burkhill
The latest Church Society podcast: Mark Burkill spoke at the 2024 Junior Anglican Evangelical Conference on how a pastor must be committed to the people under their care.
Encouraging. Listen here.
An interview with Jocelyn Loane
At The Australian Church Record, Kirsten McKinlay catches up with Jocelyn Loane to find out about her new book Motherhood — How the gospel shapes our purpose and priorities.
Sam Green — Engaging with Islam
From AP, the national Presbyterian journal:
“In this episode of AP’s Profiles in Christian Living we talk with Sam Green, one of Australia’s leading apologists to Muslims. Sam lives in Hobart, Tasmania and has written an excellent book called Where to Start with Islam by St Matthias Press. …”
– Watch or listen here. Very very helpful.
See Sam’s book Where to Start with Islam, and his website Engaging With Islam.
Precious opportunities await!
A reminder, from the Diocese of Bathurst, of precious opportunities for gospel service in these parishes –
“1. Condobolin
2. Trundle
3. Warren
4. Coolah-Dunedoo
5. Nyngan
6. Bourke-Brewarrina
7. Gilgandra
8. Coonamble
9. West Wyalong
10. Wellington
11. Coonabarabran
12. Cumnock
13. Canowindra
14. Cudal-Molong.”
– From the diocesan Facebook page.
Are churches losing global mission focus? — with Tim Silberman
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“Is the church losing its global mission focus?
The number of overseas missionaries being sent out is down on ten years ago.
Church and mission leaders have encouraged Christians to respond to the need for mission locally, especially as church decline accelerates.
Yet there’s a growing concern that global mission involvement is being neglected in many local churches.
Sydney Missionary and Bible College Lecturer Tim Silberman has just completed a study on practices and perspectives on mission among evangelical churches in Australia.
Tim says for mission to prosper, churches need to have strong relationships with overseas mission partners, and this will help the gospel globally and our local mission work.”
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…