Indigenous Australians and the Christian Gospel – with Michael Duckett

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“As we approach ‘Aboriginal Sunday’ (19 January) we focus on the progress of the gospel among the indigenous in Australia.

What are the cultural changes and what openness to Jesus Christ among Indigenous Australians?

Where are we seeing growth? What are the roadblocks and opportunities for the growth of the gospel among the indigenous communities? How much has to do with the soil.  How much has to do with things that we can change?

Michael Duckett leads the Anglican Indigenous Ministry at Macarthur/Campbelltown in the far south west of Sydney and Chairs the Sydney Anglican Indigenous Ministry Committee.”

– Watch or listen here. Food for your prayers!

Related:

William Cooper – Wikipedia article.

1700 Years after Nicaea — Credo Magazine

A new issue of Credo magazine is out, with a focus on the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity:

“Without the doctrine of the Trinity we have no Christianity. So, something is fundamentally wrong when countless churchgoers and churches today never say the Nicene Creed together on a Sunday morning. In fact, some have never heard of the Nicene Creed at all.

The year 2025 is the anniversary of the Nicene Creed, meaning this year is a strategic opportunity for pastors everywhere to put the creed back in the church where it belongs. In this new issue of Credo Magazine, we explain why the creed should not only inform the doctrine of the church but its worship, pervading its liturgy. No longer can the church afford to go without that creed which brings us into fellowship with the communion of the saints and summons us into communion with the holy Trinity. …”

– Worth reflecting on the first three sentences – and reading through some of the articles in this issue.

From the first featured article, A Map to Organise Wonder:

“The Nicene Creed, written in 325 years then ratified and expanded in 381 at the Council of Constantinople, represents a doctrinal map seeking to organize the greatest Wonder within all the cosmos: the Triune God. It is not a replacement for the Wonder itself but helps pilgrims on the journey towards the Celestial City. The Creed prompts us to marvel at True Wonder as we progressively encounter his beauty before reaching him in glory. Thus, without the Nicene Creed, Christians are in danger of being lost in a sea of doctrinal and moral confusion. Whether evangelical Christians recite the Creed in gathered worship or not, we are indebted to the theological luminaries of the fourth century. To jettison the Creed is like disabling a GPS in an unknown territory.”

After 150 years of Christian compassion Leprosy is nearly defeated

“In November, people from nearly thirty countries gathered in New Delhi for the 150th anniversary of The Leprosy Mission. they thanked God for amazing progress in treating the disease and committed to strive for a world without leprosy by 2035. A world without leprosy is within sight. With improved preventative medication, diagnostic tests, and even vaccines, the tools and knowledge needed to end leprosy are in our grasp.

‘It was a marvellous time of celebrating the progress we’ve made, but also longing to finish the job,’ said Greg Clarke, the CEO of The Leprosy Mission Australia (TLMA).…”

– This article by Anne Lim at The Gospel Coalition Australia is a great encouragement. It’s also a reminder of the key work of Australian doctors such as Grace Warren.

Photo: Dr Grace Warren meeting Diana, Princess of Wales, Anandaban Hospital, Nepal, 1993. From Leprosy Mission Australia.

Why did Saul change his name to Paul? — Tyndale House Podcast

A podcast from Tyndale House in Cambridge:

“Steve Walton and Tony Watkins discuss why Saul changed to Paul in the book of Acts.

In the book of Acts, the apostle Paul is referred to as Saul up until chapter 13, where he begins to be referred to as Paul. Steve explains how names worked in the Roman world to shed light on this name change. He also shares about some of the research he has done in the book of Acts over several years.”

– If you are reading the Book of Acts, you’ll find this most interesting. 29 minutes on YouTube.

50 years on: Santa never made it into Darwin, but Christian journo Ramon Williams did

Fifty years ago, in the early hours of Christmas morning 1974, the city of Darwin was devastated by Cyclone Tracy.

At John Sandeman’s The Other Cheek, Jon Guyer at Panania Anglican Church shares some recollections from Ramon Williams, the grandmaster of Christian journalism, on his lightning trip to Darwin, a city ravaged by Cyclone Tracy.

Also see Ramon’s account of his trip to Darwin in this 2018 interview with The Rev Keith Garner at the Wesley Mission:

Top photo with thanks to Anglican Media Sydney.

Ramon has generously shared many of his photographs with us over the years and we are immensely grateful. See some of them in these posts.

Christmas isn’t Pagan

“Growing up I was taught that the date of Christmas, December 25th, was a borrowed pagan festival. I couldn’t tell you exactly when or where, but I remember being told (more than a few times) that there were a myriad of ancient pagan festivals like Sol Invictus, Saturnalia, Brumalia, and European feasts like Yule, that also took place on the 25th of December.

‘The Christians,’ the narrative went, ‘moved the celebration of Christ’s birth to the place of these other pagan festivities in order to make it easier for converts and/or to encourage pagans to convert.’

In many ways this story made sense. …”

– Published two years ago at Gospel Coalition Canada, Wes Huff sheds some light on the alleged origins of Christmas.

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.

The Nativity: Fact or Fairytale?

From Tyndale House in Cambridge:

“[Tyndale House Principal] Peter Williams has been studying the Gospels, and therefore Jesus’ birth story, for over 20 years.

Tony Watkins recently sat down with him to explore the historical and textual reliability of the Nativity, one of the world’s most popular narratives. In this engaging interview, Peter sheds light on the significance and reliability of the accounts of Jesus’ birth found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

‘…what I’d say is there’s absolutely no reason why these narratives can’t be true’.”

– Watch here.

The Anglicans Behind the Bonhoeffer Movie

“When Gafcon emerged to ignite the global Anglican realignment, Emmanuel and Camille Kampouris enthusiastically joined. Recognizing the unique courage of leaders like Peter Akinola, Bob Duncan, and Peter Jensen, they supported the movement every way they could, with Emmanuel taking on a key leadership role.

Around the same time, they also began working on a second passion project, an idea for a movie on Dietrich Bonhoeffer. …”

– From The Anglican Church in North America.

2024 St Antholin Lecture: Evangelicals Before Evangelicalism

Church Society has posted the video of this year’s 2024 St Antholin Lecture.

“In this year’s St Antholin Lecture, Rachel Ciano from Sydney Missionary and Bible College explores the use of the term ‘evangelical’ in the early English Reformation.

This is a fascinating look at how the much-disputed word evangelical first came to be used by enemies of the Reformation, and Rachel Ciano explores what it meant and implied during this formative period in our history.

Can you guess who was the first English person to describe people as evangelical?

The lecture is followed by a time of Q & A with Dr Lee Gatiss and Dr Mark Burkill (Trustees of the St Antholin Lectures), from the livestream of the lecture on the day.”

Watch here.

Eternity: The Power of a Word

“Arthur Malcolm Stace (1885-1967) was a returned Australian soldier who served in in World War I and later became known as ‘Mr Eternity’.

Stace grew up in an impoverished and broken family. His mother handed him over to foster care at the age of seven, and his sisters would end up working as prostitutes.

By the age of 14, Stace was an alcoholic. He would turn to booze to escape his pain and misery. However, all it did was increase the sorrow of his heart. …”

– In this brief sketch at AP, James Jeffery reminds us of the wonderful discovery made by Arthur Stace – and calls us all to live in the light of eternity.

Image: at left, Photo of Arthur Stace by Les Nixon. at right, The Eternity memorial at the waterfall in Sydney Arcade between Town Hall and St. Andrew’s Cathedral.

What Happened on Reformation Day?

“On October 31, much of the culture will be focussed on candy and things that go bump in the night. Protestants, however, have something far more significant to celebrate on October 31.

It’s Reformation day, which commemorates what was perhaps the greatest move of God’s Spirit since the days of the Apostles.

But what is the significance of Reformation Day, and how should we consider the events it commemorates? …”

– At Ligonier Ministries, Robert Rothwell writes about the significance of Reformation Day.

Image: Martin Luther in 1532, by Lucas Cranach the Elder.

J. C. Ryle’s Revival Lessons — Andrew Atherstone

From Church Society’s Fellowship of Word and Spirit Conference –

“Andrew Atherstone examines the lessons on revival to be learned from J. C. Ryle’s writings and ministry–  at the 2024 FWS Conference.”

Fascinating, encouraging and well worth hearing as we seek to reach Sydney for Christ.

– Listen here.

John Newton to William Wilberforce, 15th November 1786

At St. Thomas’ North Sydney yesterday, King Charles and Queen Camilla signed the The First Fleet Bible and the Book of Common Prayer which were carried here by the Rev. Richard Johnson, the first Chaplain to the Colony. Those books are tangible reminders of the commitment of Johnson and those who sent him to bring Good News to these distant shores.

Not long before the Fleet sailed, John Newton wrote to his friend William Wilberforce of their hopes in sending a Chaplain –

“Who can tell what important consequences may depend upon Mr Johnson’s going to New Hollands! It may seem but a small event at present. So a foundation stone, when laid, is small compared with the building to be erected upon it; but it is the beginning and the earnest of the whole.

This small beginning, may be like the dawn, which advances to a bright day, and lead on to the happy time, when many nations, which now sit in darkness, and in the region of the shadow of death, shall rejoice in the light of the Sun of Righteousness.” [Referring to Isaiah 9:2 and Malachi 4:2.]

– From a letter from John Newton to William Wilberforce, 15 November 1786.

(With thanks to Marylynn Rouse – who has more here – at The John Newton Project.)

Video screenshot with thanks to St. Thomas’ North Sydney.

A Cloud of Witnesses: Australian Anglicans in Tanzania – Rev Dr Colin Reed

“The Letter to the Hebrews encourages us with the account of the great cloud of witnesses in the Old Testament – people who lived by faith looking forward to Jesus. The Moore College Archives encourage us with some of the witness of people of more modern times who have stepped out in faith looking to Jesus as they went to serve God in Tanzania. How do they encourage and challenge us today? What shaped their faith? What shaped their passions? What were their aims in mission? How do they ‘strengthen our feeble arms and weak knees’?”

Colin Reed spoke at a Moore College Library Lecture earlier this month. His fascinating lecture will be of great interest to anyone wanting to know more of the history of CMS in East Africa, and many people he mentions will likely be familiar to our readers.

Rev Dr Colin Reed grew up in Africa and (along with his wife Wendy) served with CMS as a missionary in Tanzania, on staff of the NSW & ACT Branch, and as Principal of St Andrew’s Hall.

Over many years, Colin has studied and written on the history of the Church in East Africa.

Watch here.

And on YouTube, there are timestamped links to topics mentioned in the lecture.

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