What are the (Church of England) bishops up to now?

“On Tuesday, 16th December, the House of Bishops of the Church of England announced that ‘more time’ was needed to finalise its ‘proposals on the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process’.

While they said that the decisions they took in October had not been ‘contested’, they ‘identified some areas where further clarification is needed and agreed to continue work on a letter to the Church summarising LLF and setting out an agreed position.‘ Later in the press release it was explained that the text of the letter would ‘take the form of a statement from the House,‘ which would have a degree of authority in any future dispute.

Archbishop Stephen Cottrell also reassured the Church that the bishops ‘remain on course to bring proposals to Synod for consideration in February.’

This has led many observers to scratch their head and ask ‘What are the bishops up to now?’

Of course, unless there is a leak from the House of Bishops, the Church will need to wait until January to find out for sure. Meanwhile, this blog explores the possibilities that arise from a careful reading of the both the statements and the theological and legal advice the bishops received.…”

– Curious. Read it all at Anglican Futures.

But see this post at Church Society from 7th November 2025: Why we can’t have the Prayers of Love and Faith after all.

Image: Archbishop Stephen Cottrell speaking at the Church of England’s General Synod in February 2025.

Who Owns Jesus? Tommy Robinson and The Dirty Revival

Republished at Ian Paul’s Psephizo, Dr Jason Clark reflects on responses to the “Unite the Kingdom” Christmas Carol event planned for central London tonight Australian time:

“Over the last few days, my social media feeds—shaped by the strange, selective algorithms we all live under—have been replete with progressive and left-leaning Christians condemning the upcoming ‘Christ in Christmas’ event in London linked to Tommy Robinson. Anecdotally, those are the voices I see most loudly. And beyond my feeds, the national news and radio have been wheeling out predominantly Anglican clergy (as they always do) to denounce the gathering in firm, moral tones, with warnings of the ‘Far Right’ and ‘Christian Nationalism’.

I understand why people feel uneasy. I am no Tommy Robinson supporter. But I also sense that something deeper is happening here—something revealing, something uncomfortable, and something worth paying attention to. Because if we only focus on the personalities involved, we risk missing what this moment is saying about the soul of the UK, and perhaps the state of Christianity itself. …

For years now, huge numbers of ordinary Brits have felt ridiculed, unheard, and publicly shamed simply for being British. And the moment some of them reach for Christian symbols, language, and tradition—the very things Christianity once assumed belonged to all—those who preach tolerance respond with moral panic and purity tests. The contradiction is hard to ignore.”

– Read here.

Related:

‘Putting Christ back into Christmas’: Carol concert announced as follow up to Tommy Robinson rally – Premier Christian News,

Possibly related:

Let the young man come to church with mixed motives – Steve McAlpine.

How new laws could impact believers

“A new podcast from the Freedom for Faith group aims to keep believers informed of looming threats to religious freedom in Australia.

Freedom Matters features Bishop Michael Stead, the chairman of Freedom for Faith and diocesan spokesman on religious freedom in conversation with Monica Doumit, the director of public affairs and engagement for the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and a fellow board member of Freedom for Faith. …”

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Russell Powell highlights an important new podcast.

Watch the podcast at Freedom for Faith.

Why Euthanasia Feels Intuitive

“Canada has gained a lot of attention in recent years due to its commitment to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), its preferred idiom for euthanasia. Some honor Canada as groundbreaking in its commitment to bringing dignity to death, while others abhor it as taking advantage of the weak, the elderly, and the vulnerable. Already euthanasia is responsible for more than 5% of deaths in Canada and the rates are rising fast.

Behind every death by euthanasia is a story, and the stories are tragic. Elderly people who live in care homes will have breakfast with a friend in the morning, then learn at lunchtime that they were euthanized shortly thereafter. Grown children are being asked to attend a celebration of life service for parents who are still alive but intend to die shortly thereafter. People who want to live but cannot get access to sufficient medical care are taking their own lives rather than continue suffering. …”

– Tim Challies writes about the tragedy of medically assisted suicide. And it’s not just his homeland of Canada.

Riding the young adult revival

From The Pastor’s heart –

“Something is happening. In England the data shows a quiet revival. In France a new evangelical church is opening every ten days. But what about here in Australia?

Among young adults we’re hearing stories of renewed interest in Jesus, fresh conversions and surprising openness. Is this a cultural phenomenon or is it something deeper?  And how do we ride the wave?

We talk about ground level experiences, the big picture, the influence of politics, and the five percent conversion growth goal for Sydney Anglican churches.

We’re joined by three frontline evangelists:

• Dave Jensen from Sydney Anglican Evangelism and New Churches
• Sam Mahdavi from Wollongong Baptist Church
• Pre Shunmugam from MBM Rooty Hill in multicultural Western Sydney.”

– Watch here.

Very helpful discussion, including opinions on how much the church should link into politics and current events, such as the murder of Charlie Kirk. Take the time to listen.

Related:

Alive. Not an Event. A Rescue Mission.

Aged Care, VAD, Religious Freedom and s 109

“Should a religious aged care provider be able to operate in accordance with its religious convictions?

This issue is being debated in NSW at the moment in the context of the law allowing “voluntary assisted dying”.

The Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2022 (NSW) allows persons with a terminal illness to choose death, which can be self-administered or administered by a health professional. Many health professionals have religious convictions which mean that they find the procedures for persons to choose death morally unacceptable. They do not wish to be involved in the process.

Under the legislation there is a right for individual health professionals to conscientiously object to the procedures, and to decline to be involved: see sections 9, 21 and 32. Faith-based hospitals may also decline to be involved in VAD procedures. However, at the moment faith-based aged care facilities are obliged to allow medical practitioners onto their premises to administer VAD. …”

– Associate Professor Neil Foster writes at Law and Religion Australia.

Related:

Contact your MP – via Freedom for Faith.

Why we can’t have the Prayers of Love and Faith after all

“The Church of England has finally published the theological papers and legal advice that the House of Bishops saw before its October meeting.

At that meeting, the bishops gave in to the inevitable and concluded that they weren’t going to be able to go any further without going through the proper legal processes. Just what was in the papers that led to this about-face?

The papers consist of three theological papers produced by the Faith and Order Commission (FAOC) and one legal paper produced by the Church of England’s Legal Office. …”

– At the Church Society website, Michael Hayden shares what has been learned from the information released by the House of Bishops.

His conclusion: “Those of us opposed to the whole project have been saying for years now that they can’t do what they’re attempting to do, and they certainly can’t do it in the way they’ve been attempting to do it. These papers only confirm what we’ve been saying all along.”

An honourable approach to dishonourable laws

“Australian Christians face increasing challenges in balancing our obligations to civil authority and God’s word. The question of when to obey God rather than government has become one of the most significant issues confronting the modern church. What the government does is one thing; how the church responds is another.

We must tread carefully, courageously, and biblically, remembering that it is in the Christian DNA to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. Taking up the cross must at least include a willingness to suffer under the hand of an unjust government, laws, or abuses of those laws, as we seek the salvation and good of others and live for God’s glory. If Jesus was willing to die, we must at least be willing to go to jail. …”

– The Australian Church Record highlights this article by Andrew Barry, first published in their 2025 Synod Journal.

Image: Menai Anglican Church.

The Growing Threat to Religious Freedom

“I have long been an admirer of Professor Patrick Parkinson and his work. The Emeritus Professor of Law and former Dean of the University of Queensland, has been outspoken in his Christian faith, his defence of religious liberty as well as his academic critique of The Safe Schools program. And so my interest was significantly piqued when I heard about his new book Unshaken Allegiance: Living wisely as Christians with diminishing religious freedoms (St Matthias, 2025). …”

– At AP, Mark Powell reviews Unshaken Allegiance by Professor Patrick Parkinson.

Image from Mark Powell’s recent interview with Professor Parkinson.

When ‘Evangelical’ Means Everything but the Gospel

“For the past 30 years, I’ve pushed back against the critics who’ve said Christians need to abandon the label ‘evangelical.’ I’ve argued that we shouldn’t let political associations or cultural baggage rob us of a word with such rich theological heritage. The term has deep biblical and historical roots that predate and transcend contemporary controversies.

But even I have to admit the label I love has become nearly meaningless in our current American context. …”

– This article by Joe Carter at The Gospel Coalition (USA) is a reminder that what is meant by ‘evangelical’ by many in the USA has very little in common with what J.I. Packer (for example) – and many Sydney Anglicans – would mean.

Among his conclusions,

“Church leaders can either continue to lament theological compromise or take steps to return to the historic Christian faith that actually deserves the name ‘evangelical.’ The choice will determine whether future generations inherit a robust, biblical faith or an empty shell of cultural Christianity that can tell you whom you should vote for but not how many persons are in the Trinity.”

The Theology of Charlie Kirk’s Funeral — Albert Mohler

In his The Briefing broadcast for Monday September 22 2025, Dr Albert Mohler covers aspects of the Charlie Kirk Memorial Service which may have been missed by the Australian media.

Whatever one’s political convictions may be, this is an important time for Christians to be aware of the impact on many (especially young) people of the death of Charlie Kirk, the message he preached, and of opportunities we have to share the message of hope and salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.

– Listen here.

Image: Albert Mohler.

The Growing Challenge to Religious Freedom — Professor Patrick Parkinson

From AP, the Australian Presbyterian –

“AP’s convener Mark Powell talks to Prof. Patrick Parkinson, former Dean of Law at the University of Qld, about the growing challenge to religious freedom in Australia and the West.

Prof. Parkinson talks about his new book Unshaken Allegiance (Matthias Media, 2025) and what this means for followers of Jesus today.”

– Watch or listen here. Most enlightening.

Related –

Posts on the experience of Bernard Randall in England.

The speech against assisted suicide that Lord Alton couldn’t deliver

“In July Lord Alton of Liverpool wrote in TCW of his strong determination to oppose the assisted suicide Bill when it reached the House of Lords.

The crossbench peer was unable to speak at Second Reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill yesterday and the week before, however, because he is recovering from injuries suffered two weeks ago in a bus crash at Victoria Station, London.

Instead, Lord Alton filmed the speech he would have given. It constitutes a passionate plea to the Lords to protect the most vulnerable members of society by rejecting the Bill. …”

– Lord Alton’s 7 minute and 50 second speech is a good summary of many arguments against ‘assisted dying’. It’s embedded on this page at The Conservative Woman.

Of course, Christians are very much aware that there are even greater reasons for hope than articulated in the video. for example –

Hope for the Hopeless:

Hope for the Oppressed:

and Hope for the Dying:

Why Christianity Still Defines Us — John Anderson speaks with Greg Sheridan

On his latest video, John Anderson (former Australian Deputy Prime Minister) speaks with journalist Greg Sheridan.

“In this conversation, Greg Sheridan explores Christianity’s defining influence on Western civilisation, showing how its revolutionary impact – from the early Church through to modern times – has shaped culture, morality, and human dignity.”

– At johnanderson.net.au – or see it on YouTube to access the timestamps for the video.

“We will obey God”

From SydneyAnglicans.net –

“The Act purports to give churches, schools and parents permission to teach about sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual activity and religion. But, respectfully, we do not need the permission of the government to teach about such things,” said Archbishop Kanishka Raffel, drawing a line in the sand in his opening address to the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney.

“I want to state clearly and publicly to you all – that ‘I will stand by any clergyperson or church worker who finds themselves brought before a tribunal or court because of this poorly conceived law. We must not be silenced or intimidated from teaching God’s good plan for human sexuality and relationships. We will insist on the freedom to do so, respectfully but without fear.’ We will obey God”

The act being referred to was the NSW Conversion Practices Ban Act 2024 which Premier Chris Minns promised would not restrict churches in prayer or preaching. That pledge has now been undercut by Anti-Discrimination New South Wales (ADNSW). …

– Russell Powell reports.

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