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”

John Chapman early 1960s Armidale. Scan C Mackellar.

“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.

Heritage of Evidence in the British Museum — A review

“Dr Peter Masters (Spurgeon’s latest successor at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London) takes us in this book on a room-by-room tour of the British Museum, pointing out various exhibits and assessing each one of them as being direct evidence for biblical events and names, or confirming the authenticity of biblical descriptions, or giving insights into the biblical environment. …”

– Bob Thomas at AP (The National Journal of the Presbyterian Church of Australia) provides a brief review of Heritage of Evidence in the British Museum by Peter Masters.

Heresy Half Hour: Donatism

The latest podcast from Church Society:

“In this episode, Chris Moore, Lee Gatiss and Mark Smith explain the ancient heresy of Donatism and its contemporary relevance for the church today as so many people are considering how to relate to ungodly authorities.”

Plenty of relevance to the Church of England today.

– Listen here.

Everyone a Child Should Know

“Believe it or not, heaven will not be populated exclusively by Sydney Anglicans!

And I, for one, am thankful to God for that.

Because I cannot wait to sing God’s praises shoulder-to-shoulder with JS Bach and Martin Luther. And marvel at the glory of the new creation alongside Rembrandt and Joni Eareckson Tada. And consider the depths of God’s grace that saved a wretch like me with John Newton and William Wilberforce. …”

– Steve Tong highlights a children’s book that’s also good for adults. At The Australian Church Record.

What constitutes Anglican identity?

“There is no doubt that the sixteenth-century Reformation changed the world. From politics and social attitudes to things like work and family life. To the art of Michelangelo, the music of J.S. Bach and the literature of Shakespeare. To those on board the Mayflower and to the establishment of the Thirteen Colonies.

The face of Western culture and society over the past 500 years would have been very different without the likes of Martin Luther, John Calvin and many others.

This is certainly true of the Church of England and the way it has developed into the modern Anglican Communion. And yet today, there is great ambiguity about what constitutes true Anglican identity. Where can we turn to in order to start answering such a vexed question?

Let me suggest that we can begin our answer by turning to reconsider one of the foundational Anglican texts: The Book of Common Prayer, originally composed by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer.

But since the Anglican Church has a five-hundred-year history, which edition of the Prayer Book captures the true essence of Cranmer’s vision for the Church? Is it the 1549, 1552, 1559, 1604, 1662, 1928, or 1979 Prayer Book?

What I’d like to do over the next few minutes is to take us back to the historical roots of the Anglican movement. Right to the heart of the Reformation as it unfolded in England under Edward VI from 1547-1553. And with a particular focus on liturgical reform. …”

– “What constitutes Anglican identity?” In 2017, Dr Stephen Tong spoke on “Liturgy in the reign of Edward VI in 16th century England”at the Anglican Connection Conference in Dallas, Texas.

A current reminder of why this paper is very helpful:

– Two Anglican Leaders [Calvin Robinson and Chuck Collins] duke it out over what it means to be Anglican – VirtueOnline.

Portrait of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer by Gerlach Flicke.

David Livingstone brought the Gospel to my Country

“David Livingstone (1813–73) is known as a missionary, explorer, and abolitionist.

He was the first missionary to bring the gospel to my beloved country, Malawi, in 1859…”

– Confex Makhalira gives thanks to God for David Livingstone on the 150th anniversary of his death. (At The Gospel Coalition.)

Photo: David Livingstone by Thomas Annan, 1864.

A tale of two bishops: What happens when apostasy reigns?


“Go back half a century and the most established church of the Protestant establishment was, without question, the Episcopal Church. Never massive in numbers, that historic denomination sat atop the so-called ‘seven sisters’ of the old Protestant mainline (Episcopalians, Congregationalists [now United Church of Christ, UCC], Presbyterians [PCUSA], United Methodists, the Disciples of Christ, northern Baptists, and Lutherans [ELCA]). Those historic churches had outsize importance in shaping the culture. The word ‘mainline’ was not used inaccurately.

Fast forward to the present and all those denominations have been in precipitous decline for decades. The culture has been secularizing and those churches basically decided to secularize with it. …”

– In his latest article, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Dr Albert Mohler looks at the legacy of Bishop Frank Griswold and Bishop Gene Robinson.

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