Howard Guinness and the beginnings of evangelical university ministry in Australia
At an event at Moore College on 1st November, Dr Ruth Lukabyo spoke on the legacy of Dr Howard Guinness –
“Dr Howard Guinness, of the well-known Irish brewing family, was sent to Australia in 1930 by Inter-Varsity Fellowship to develop Christian student groups on university campuses. His visit was the catalyst for the establishment of Sydney University and Melbourne University Evangelical Unions on the basis of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
During his later parish ministry in Broadway and Vaucluse, his ongoing involvement in EU missions has left a lasting legacy in university campus ministry.”
– The video is now available to watch. (At time of posting, the event begins 37 minutes and 30 seconds into the video, though the video might later be edited.)
At the end of Dr Lukabyo’s presentation, Mary Jones, Howard’s daughter, shares recollections of her father.
Related:
What is Reformation Day?
“A single event on a single day changed the world.
It was October 31, 1517. Brother Martin, a monk and a scholar, had struggled for years with his church, the church in Rome. He had been greatly disturbed by an unprecedented indulgence sale. The story has all the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster. Let’s meet the cast. …”
– At Ligonier Ministries, Stephen Nichols reminds us what it was about.
Howard and Dorothy Mowll – Global Anglican Pioneers
Published recently by Latimer Publications in the UK, “Howard and Dorothy Mowll – Global Anglican Pioneers” is sure to be of interest to many.
From the Latimer Trust website:
“God’s blessing upon the Diocese of Sydney in the election of Howard Mowll as its sixth Diocesan Bishop in 1933 is clearly evident in these pages.
Despite the inadvertent loss of his personal papers, the authors of this fine anthology provide an insightful and informative account of the ministry of Archbishop Mowll across four continents. These scholarly chapters provide a rich tapestry of the outstanding leadership of Mowll not only in the Diocese of Sydney but throughout Australia and beyond. His zeal for a robust theological education, energetic evangelism and a vision for youth ministry made a formidable impact on Evangelical Anglicanism in Sydney.
This book is long overdue in celebrating the legacy of Howard Mowll, arguably the most significant and effective Archbishop of Sydney of the twentieth century.
Glenn N Davies, Archbishop of Sydney 2013-2021.”
The book has its origin in the 2021 Moore College Library Day and is edited by Erin Mollenhauer, Senior Archivist and Special Collections Librarian at Moore College’s Donald Robinson Library.
It’s available direct from Latimer Trust – and also via these booksellers.
Sydney Rare Book Week – Books of the Reformation
From Moore College:
“Printing played a pivotal role in the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century.
The development of the printing press enabled the mass production of written materials, which made it possible to disseminate ideas and religious texts rapidly and widely throughout Europe. The easy access to printed materials allowed people to share theological ideas, which fostered religious diversity, and ultimately sparked a transformative era in European history.
Take a closer look at early editions of key Reformation texts in Moore Theological College Library with Head of Church History Rev Dr Mark Earngey.”
– Free, but book at the College website.
Some of the greatest women in church history – with Rachel Ciano
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“Our focus today is on the massive legacy of some of the greatest women of church history. We discuss how different the Jesus’ mother Mary (as portrayed in the New Testament) is to Mary as she’s popularly thought of. We focus on the account of one of the early martyrs, 22 year old mother Perpetua, who was fed to the lions.
We look at England’s nine day queen Lady Jane Grey and her mentoring by the Swiss Protestant reformer Heinrich Bullinger. Then there’s the extraordinary story of Salvation Army co-founder Catherine Booth’s campaign to have the age of consent raised in England from 12 to the eventual age of 16. And Gladys Alward’s 350 kilometre trek across the mountains of China with 100 orphan children.”
Related: 10 Dead Gals You Should Know: Leaving An Enduring Legacy.
Howard Guinness and the beginnings of evangelical university ministry in Australia
Coming up at Moore College on Wednesday 1st November –
“Dr Howard Guinness, of the well-known Irish brewing family, was sent to Australia in 1930 by Inter-Varsity Fellowship to develop Christian student groups on university campuses. His visit was the catalyst for the establishment of Sydney University and Melbourne University Evangelical Unions on the basis of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
During his later parish ministry in Broadway and Vaucluse, his ongoing involvement in EU missions has left a lasting legacy in university campus ministry.
Dr Ruth Lukabyo will examine Dr Guinness’ work and legacy in this free event.”
– Details and booking from the College.
For more background see:
Remembering Howard Guinness – including Archbishop Sir Marcus Loane’s sermon at the funeral of Dr. Guinness in 1979.
Archbishop Sir Marcus Loane remembers the beginnings of the SUEU – audio recording from 1980.
The Legacy of Charles Christopher Godden – A Testament to Faith
Mark Earngey, Head of Church History at Moore College, shares the story of Moore College graduate Charles Christopher Godden 1876-1906.
For more on C. C. Godden, see
“Let there be peace”: the spiritual legacy of C.C. Godden – Moore College.
A unique memorial: the John Francis Cash Memorial Chapel after 70 years – Moore College.
Images: Moore College.
New book on the Peter Cameron Presbyterian “Heresy trial”
Many Sydney Anglicans will remember the so-called ‘heresy trial’ of Presbyterian minister Dr Peter Cameron.
It began in 1992 when Dr Cameron, the Principal of St Andrew’s College at the University of Sydney, spoke at a centenary women’s event at Ashfield where he referred to the Bible as ‘sub-Christian’. In response to the apostle Paul teaching about women, he replied, ‘So what?’.
The disciplinary proceedings came about not because Dr Cameron was in favour of women’s ordination (even though most media reports claimed that was the case), but because he dismissed the authority and trustworthiness of Scripture (not just in that sermon, but on other occasions).
The Presbyterian Church had to make a crucial decision. Would they accommodate theological liberalism as did the Uniting Church which they had declined to join fifteen years earlier?
Now, thirty years on, Paul Cooper and David Burke have edited a series of essays exploring what happened and why –
From the back cover of the book:
“In 1992, the Presbyterian Church of Australia through its disciplinary procedures convicted one of its ministers, the Rev Dr Peter Cameron, Principal of St Andrew’s College, of what the newspapers of the time called ‘heresy’. The secular media and commentary were strongly supportive of Cameron and highly critical of the Church.
Cameron, in 1994, published ‘Heretic’ which told the story from his point of view.
This book, Principle & Principal, invites the reader to consider the other side of the Cameron Case. It reflects a different bias to that propagated by Cameron and his supporters. It tells why the Presbyterian Church took this action knowing that it would result in an avalanche of criticism. While over thirty years have passed since the finalisation of the Cameron Case, and the ranks of those involved have thinned, many of the chapters in this book are written by people who participated in these events.”
Campbell Markham at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Hobart has written this review for AP.
– Details and ordering information from Eider Books.
Related:
The Crisis of ’77 – personal reflections by the Rev Bob Thomas on the decision of Presbyterians to ‘continue Presbyterian’.
We are Repaganizing
“Christians have always been unusually vehement in their disapproval of the killing of infants, whether born or unborn, and their legal regime prevailed until the mid-twentieth century when we experienced a religious shift that will probably be understood by future historians as a Second Reformation. …”
– Several Christian bloggers have linked to this thoughtful article at First Things by Louise Perry.
Tim Charlie’s writes, “This article is not written by a Christian but still shares an interesting perspective on what society will lose as it turns from its Christian roots back to paganism.”
Humility at the Heart of Mission
From Moore College’s Centre for Global Mission:
“What does it mean to ‘clothe yourself with humility’ in cross-cultural ministry and mission work
For most of the last 200 years of evangelical mission history, the gospel has been taken from wealthy and powerful countries to the majority world. Sometimes this missionary expansion has been marked by decidedly more pride than humility. This has disfigured the gospel and distorted expectations about what God promises his people. Humility must be at the heart of mission.
In this public event Dr Simon Gillham will be unpacking what the Bible says about the humility of the Lord Jesus and any who would serve in his name. We will also explore the particular relevance of humility as a virtue in cross-cultural engagement and Christian mission.”
– Watch here.
Why everyone started talking about Expositional Preaching
In this article at The Gospel Coalition, Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra looks at what happens when you discover expository (‘expostional’ in the US) preaching, and what led to the founding of the Charles Simeon Trust –
“[Walter] Carter was having the same eye-opening experience that [Dave] Helm had 25 years earlier when British pastor Dick Lucas first demonstrated expositional preaching to him.
‘It felt like a light bulb going on,’ Helm remembers. ‘It felt like you were closer to having command of what God was actually trying to say.’
Helm couldn’t get enough, and in 2001, he and some others started the Charles Simeon Trust (CST) to teach Lucas’s principles to others. Light bulbs have been going on ever since. …”
Many Australians have had similar experiences, thanking God for the ministries of Dick Lucas and John Stott and others.
See, for example these related posts. – in particular, Sydney Church History by David Cook and Reflecting on Fifty Years of Expository Preaching in Australia (1965–2015) by Peter Adam.
Photo: Dick Lucas at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in 2014.
Remembering Arthur Stace 56 years on
Like a broken record, we’ve mentioned Arthur Stace on our website once or twice over the years.
In some ways, you might call him Sydney’s best known evangelist, chalking the word Eternity on footpaths across the city for more than 35 years. He inspired thousands to wonder at the meaning of that word – hopefully to contemplate where they would spend eternity – and to be attentive to the gospel.
In addition, Arthur was an open-air evangelist, though few were aware he was also ‘Mr Eternity’.
Arthur was called home to be with the Lord Jesus on this day (30th July) in 1967.
He was eventually buried at Botany Cemetery, now part of Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park.
As we remember this humble man, let’s also be encouraged by his example as he laboured to bring the good news of salvation to his fellow Sydney-siders.
See also these two tributes in song – by Nathan Tasker (video below) and Colin Buchanan.
“John Chapman led a diocese to go evangelical, and outrage lingers still”
“The Anglicans of Armidale elected an evangelical bishop in 1964, a move led by John Chapman, best known as Sydney Anglican’s evangelist.
The Professor of History at the University of New England, Thomas Fudge, gave a public lecture on the evangelical takeover of the diocese – making his disapproval plain by wearing a Cope, an ecclesiastical garment disapproved of by many evangelicals. …”
– John Sandeman reports on unhappiness which still lingers.
It’s true that not everyone loved John Chapman, but many many thousands did, and praise God for him and his clear preaching of Christ.
Related:
Chappo’s contribution to the Anglican Diocese of Armidale – Tim Stevens.
“Through God working through the diligence of a humble Christian man called John Chapman, many people in the Diocese of Armidale came to know the Lord.”
Phillip Jensen on Chappo, March 2013. – The Briefing, Matthias Media.
The preaching of John Chapman – Simon Manchester, The Briefing.
John Chapman – a personal reflection from Mark Thompson.
John Charles Chapman (Chappo) – by David Cook.
Dick Lucas gives thanks for Chappo.
In the 1990s, John Chapman wrote this about the need for groups like the Anglican Church League:
“It has been interesting to me to see how the churches in the New Testament, who were founded by the apostles, so soon fell into such error that the apostles say that they have lost the gospel itself (see 2 Corinthians 11:4).
There is in the Pastoral epistles a strong call to guard and preserve the gospel. The ACL was founded and exists to do that. The way they seek to do it is to help us by finding people who are committed to this cause who will serve us on the committees and boards of the various agencies of this vast Diocese.
I have been a member of ACL for more than 30 years and commend its activities.”
Photo: Chappo, probably when he was Armidale Youth Director – apparently taken during a mission at the University of New England, early 1960s.
Remembering Howard Guinness
We are poorer when we forget those who have gone before us – those who laboured for Christ over many decades.
One man we should not forget is Dr Howard Wyndam Guinness 1903-1979, pioneer in student evangelism and university ministry in the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and elsewhere.
He was key in founding the Sydney University Evangelical Union in 1930, as well as much else. He was also responsible for launching the Crusader Union in Sydney and Melbourne.
In 1949, Archbishop Mowll invited him to return to Australia to become the Rector of St. Barnabas’ Broadway and Chaplain to the University of Sydney. Generations of students were discipled through that ministry.
Howard Guinness’ funeral was held at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, on 31st July 1979. Then Archbishop of Sydney, Sir Marcus Loane, preached, and Bishop Donald Robinson led the prayers.
You will be blessed by setting aside 25 minutes to hear this excerpt from a recording of the service – with the sermon, the hymn Now thank we all our God, and the prayers –
or download the 12MB mp3 audio file by right clicking on the book cover.
Photo: The cover of Howard Guinness’ autobiographical book Journey Among Students, published in 1978 by the Anglican Information Office, Sydney.
The Jewel and the Sun: Justification and Union with Christ according to the Reformers
“Jewellery and sunshine. These are two powerful images used by the Reformers to describe our relationship with God by his grace. The reality they illustrate is still vital for us to remember today.
One key issue the Reformers were wrestling with was understanding and explaining justification by faith. …”
– Lionel Windsor writes in the Moore Matters for Winter 2023.
Read the article on the College website – or (better still) read the complete issue online – or pick up a printed copy at church.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…