Praying together this Sunday
“Archbishop Glenn Davies has urged churches to set aside this Sunday as a day of Praying together for Marriage.
The Archbishop foreshadowed the initiative in this month’s edition of the Diocesan magazine, Southern Cross, which includes a prayer Dr Davies wrote for the day.
The Australian newspaper last week reported the initiative, set down for this Sunday, September 17th. …”
– Read the story from SydneyAnglicans.net, and please be encouraged to pray.
Related: Archbishop Davies’ prayer.
Same-sex marriage is a test of Australian maturity that we may not pass
“It’s time not just to focus on who will win the marriage war, but how we are going to live with the peace.
For good or ill, the legislation of same-sex marriage in Australia became inevitable once Labor made it party policy. Irrespective of what happens with the postal plebiscite, Labor will achieve government at some stage.
There will be no peace until same-sex marriage is enacted in a way that can’t be undone. It will be on the day after the change — or rather, in the decades after — that Australia will face an important test of its maturity as a civil and civilised society. …
in my own Anglican tradition, simply reading the prayer book preface to the service of matrimony will become a politically controversial act. Here, for example, is the opening of the second order for marriage in An Australian Prayer Book: …”
– Robert Forsyth, retired Bishop of South Sydney, has had this opinion piece published by the ABC.
Tony Abbott on why same sex marriage would fundamentally change society
“We shouldn’t lightly change what’s been the foundation of our society for generations; and, if we do, it should only be after the most careful weighing of all the consequences. Yet if the polls are to be believed, we are about to discard the concept of marriage that has stood since time immemorial in favour of a new concept that would have been scornfully rejected even by gay people just a generation ago. …”
– Tony Abbott MP writes in The Sydney Morning Herald.
Church Society launches a Podcast
The first episode includes an interview with the Church Society’s President, Bishop Wallace Benn.
Reformation Rally 2017 — Dr Gerald Bray
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Dr Gerald Bray spoke at Moore College’s Reformation Rally held at St Andrew’s Cathedral on 26 August 2017.
His topic: The Way the Reformers looked at the Work of The Holy Spirit.
Reformation Rally 2017 sermon — Dr Glenn Davies
Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, preached the sermon at the 1552 Book of Common Prayer: Morning Prayer Service. He speaks of the Scriptures as the very bedrock for understanding God.
It was part of Moore College’s Reformation Rally held at St Andrew’s Cathedral on 26 August 2017.
John Anderson argues for a No vote
“Former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson says, ‘We need to be honest, and we have the right to ask the hard questions. The evidence here and abroad suggests that it would be naïve to think it’s simply about marriage’.”
– An important video message from John Anderson – on Facebook.
John Howard kickstarts No SSM case
“John Howard has called for proposed same-sex marriage legislation, including full protections for parents, religion and free speech, to be produced before the postal survey vote closes in November, as he launches his support for the No campaign.
The former prime minister said yesterday it was disingenuous for the Yes campaign to argue that changing the law to include same-sex marriage did not affect other rights and that the survey involved a simple yes/no question. …”
– Dennis Shanahan writes in The Australian (Subscription.) Photo: ABC.
General Synod Day 3 – More bills, less lunch, less Jesus
“As the afternoon kicked in we turned to considering issues surrounding future ministry, particularly two related debates around future structures and what are being called “pioneer ministries”. …
As we heard about the need to being doing ministry beyond the Sunday service it seemed like some people were, for the first time, grappling with what many of us simply call “evangelism”. But even then the struggle to actually be clear on the overall aim was soon going to manifest itself. …
I moved the following amendment:
after the words “The General Synod”, add:
“, captivated by the declaration of Christ that repentance for the forgiveness of sins be preached in his name to all nations”
Readers will recognise the language as being a direct citation from Jesus’ final charge to his disciples in Luke 24.47. Not controversial, surely?…”
– David Ould reports on the third day of General Synod, meeting in Maroochydore. Tragically, it seems the gospel of the Lord Jesus was narrowly voted down.
Territorial Anglicanism?
“The ordination of Bishop Andy Lines as missionary Bishop to Europe by 50 Bishops including 11 Primates has upset some Anglicans.
They protest that this action opposes the 4th Century Canons of Nicaea, though it is not clear how those Canons apply to this situation, nor what authority they have today.
The claim is made that Anglicanism is opposed to having more than one Bishop in one territory. This claim is less plausible when seen in the light of the reality of Anglican practice …”
– Church Society has republished this opinion piece by Dr. Peter Adam. It first appeared in The Melbourne Anglican.
Related: Loose Canons? Andy Lines and the Canons of Nicaea – Dr Mark Smith.
‘An expression of love for same-sex attracted people’
“This past week I was part of an effort that put America’s theological and moral fault lines fully in view. I was a signer of something called the Nashville Statement, a document adopted by a group of evangelical Christians seeking to reaffirm traditional Christian values on sexuality.
Within hours, the vitriol in response to our document showed why such clarification is necessary. …”
— The Washington Post has published this opinion piece by Albert Mohler.
Related:
The Bee Explains: What Is The Nashville Statement? — The Babylon Bee (Satire.)
John Chapman Preaching Conference, September 23
The next John Chapman Preaching Conference is coming up at Moore College on Saturday 23rd September.
Dr Bryan Chapell is considering the topic Application in Expository Preaching.
Fascinating Political Times
“I had the good fortune of reading Eric Metaxas’ biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in my holidays.
In a vacuum of leadership Metaxas writes, ‘…the German people clamoured for order and leadership. But it was as though in the babble of their clamouring, they had summoned the devil himself…’
Nations can do that when good people do nothing. Without even realising, with a little slumber, a folding of the hands you can allow the summoning of a devil that has a nation reap the whirlwind. …”
– Rick Lewers, Bishop of Armidale, writes of the disarray our nation is facing. Where can stability and hope be found?
Mr Eternity: The Story of Arthur Stace
The forthcoming book, Mr Eternity: The Story of Arthur Stace, by Roy Williams and Elizabeth Meyers, is now available for pre-order from The Bible Society.
It’s expected to be published at the end of October.
Praying Together for Marriage
Archbishop Glenn Davies has written a prayer for marriage, and is also calling on Anglican churches in Sydney to pray.
The prayer was was printed in Southern Cross, September 2017, and we reproduce it here with permission: Read more
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…