Sometimes you need to be blunt
This 4 minute video on BlipTV doesn’t pull any punches. Sobering viewing with a strong exhortation. Is your Christianity genuine? Do you care for the lost? (h/t Tim Challies.)
There were some Anglican Puritans also
“I think that it is important to appreciate the continuity between Puritanism and Evangelicalism. 18th Century Evangelicals were spiritually strengthened and influenced by the Puritan literature which they read. With the term ‘Evangelical’ being so broadened today to include many who are neither ‘Reformed’ nor ‘Puritan,’ those of us who want to remain faithful to the teaching and practice of Scripture, should regard ourselves as ‘Reformed’ and ‘Puritan.’…”
– David Hilton writes in Cross†Way, Spring 2009 (PDF – direct link), asking who are the heirs of the Puritans.
Building Healthy Churches
The audio files from the just-concluded Toronto Pastors Fellowship conference are now available. The theme?’Building Healthy Churches’.
Mark Dever and Matt Schmucker were the main speakers. (h/t Tim Challies.)
New Westminster — New Gospel; the ANiC trial
“So for the future, the very clear lesson emerging from this case is that moratoria and incremental negotiation over covenant clauses are futile strategies. The revisionist aim is not, initially, to exclude orthodox ministry, but to neutralise it through defining the church institutionally. …”
– Charles Raven writes at SPREAD.
TEC Presiding Bishop: from whence did the office come?
Christian lawyer A S Haley, who blogs at Anglican Curmudgeon, has done some research on how the office of Presiding Bishop evolved to where it is now. His article is entitled “Know the Enemy”: the Office of the Presiding Bishop and was posted in November 2008.
Last week, he followed up with comments on the huge increase in litigation and in the deposition of ministers.
“What may be surprising to some is that the Presiding Bishop is doing nothing more, and nothing less, than she said she would do if the House of Bishops chose her for that office.”
(h/t Stand Firm. Photo: Episcopal Life Online.)
More than you could read in a month of Sundays
Don Carson is well-known and loved as a clear and insightful teacher of God’s word. He is also an amazingly prolific author.
Andy Naselli, his full-time research assistant, has just made available a comprehensive list of Don Carson’s publications – and also links to free PDF files of several books, including Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor.
Read about this wonderful resource here. (h/t Justin Taylor.)
Little Evils, Little Sins
“The Pacific Campaign of the Second World War has always fascinated me. In many ways, it seemed like a nonsensical series of battles between the United States and Japan…
There are many lessons we can learn from the Pacific Campaign. Some apply to warfare, but others apply far beyond. One of the most important is this: little things lead to big things. This is as true in warfare as it is in the hearts of men and women.”
– Tim Challies writes helpfully on declaring war on sin.
‘The ACNA Constitution — An Evangelical View’
“I am aware that there are several concerns articulated by various individuals concerning the Proposed Constitution and most particularly by Evangelicals concerning language about the Historic Episcopate being integral or inherent to the nature of the Church. We note it is not the fact of the Historic Episcopate that is the concern.
Anglican Evangelicals have always treasured the Historic Episcopate and delighted in it when it is exercised in faithfulness to the Gospel. I would like to suggest three reasons why, at this last minute, such concerns should not cause any of us to hesitate to support the constitution as it has emerged. …”
– Bishop John Rodgers writes to address concerns over the proposed Constitution of the Anglican Church in North America. (Photo: Trinity School for Ministry.)
Perplexed about Apocalyptic?
The Simeon Trust’s workshop on preaching last month addressed the question of preaching on Apocalyptic literature. Participants included David Helm and Don Carson. Links to the audio and related resources have been posted by Justin Taylor.
A wicked deed in Wichita
“The cold-blooded murder of Dr. George Tiller on Sunday morning presents the pro-life movement in America with a crucial moral test — will we condemn this murder in unqualified terms?…”
– Al Mohler on the murder of an infamous American doctor who performed late-term abortions.
Why were our Reformers burned?
Bishop J. C. Ryle’s influential 1867 lecture has been republished by Church Society.
It’s available from their website.
Bishop Frederic Barker on leaving the Church
Frederic Barker, second bishop in Sydney, addressed the Diocesan Synod in 1877 in words which are strikingly relevant today in many parts of the Anglican Communion.
‘It is quite true that an occasion may arise for the exercise of our liberty of action. If it should, I trust not to be found backward in asserting our independence of a Church which had fallen from the faith, but so long as the Church of England remains what she is, I know no reason why we should not act otherwise than as dutiful and loving members of a true branch of the one Catholic Church.
If she, like the Churches of Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria should apostatise from the true faith, she would leave us. If the Ritualism which infects a portion of the Church of England became its normal condition, and that which some are striving after, to substitute the mass for the communion, was effected, and formularies and articles were so interpreted and used as to legalise false doctrine it would be time to assert our independence and to allow a body deeply tainted with Romish heresy to exclude us from its communion.’
With thanks to Moore College student Paul Brigden for drawing our attention to these words.
Tearing the Communion
Our friends at the Anglican Essentials Canada blog have reminded us what all the fuss is about – Back in February, the American Anglican Council prepared a comprehensive document entitled The Episcopal Church: Tearing the fabric of the Communion to shreds. It’s available as an 820kb PDF file – direct link.
At the same time, an equivalent document on the Canadian situation was produced – The Anglican Church of Canada: Tearing The Fabric to Shreds – 188kb PDF file – direct link.
Bishop John Harrower on euthanasia
Is Euthanasia A Morally Acceptable Way To Ease Suffering Of The Elderly?
You probably expect an Anglican bishop to oppose a euthanasia ‘reform’. I do, but maybe not for the expected reasons.
First, some theology: life is a gift from God, a sacred trust, not to be taken by human hand. Read more
Calvin and the Holy Spirit
Coming up on July 25 at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney – click the image for the flyer.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…