CEEC welcomes orthodox bishops’ statement ahead of Synod
“CEEC is grateful to the group of 11 bishops who have today published* a warning, ahead of General Synod, that the LLF proposals currently on the table would go against church doctrine, further endanger the unity of the church and by-pass proper canonical process.
We commend the courage of these bishops as they write, ‘we are among a number of bishops unable to support the direction of travel presented to the bishops at our most recent meeting, or the proposals to be brought to General Synod later this month.’
We support the assertion of this group as they state that while they support the emphasis on and importance of unity highlighted in the proposals, they believe that the proposals will not ‘protect our unity in mission to the nation or our partnerships within the wider Church.’…”
– Read the full Statement from The Church of England Evangelical Council.
Can the Church of England afford same-sex blessings?
“The General Synod meeting in York next month is being overshadowed by revelations of the dire financial state of most of the Church of England’s 42 dioceses.
The staggering picture of the C of E’s financial decline in the Diocesan Finances Review Update, circulated to Synod members ahead of their July meeting, comes as the C of E’s bishops seek approval for their plan to allow standalone services of blessing for same-sex couples to go ahead on an experimental basis. …”
– Julian Mann highlights the multiple financial woes facing the Church of England as the House of Bishops steams ahead with same-sex blessings.
Church Society responds to the latest LLF proposals from the Bishops
“Another synod, another paper on LLF. So, what do we have?
Within the synod paper there is much discussion about ‘discernment’, the idea being, no doubt, to reassure us all that no irreversible decisions are being taken. However, it is important to note that this is not discerning prior to acting but rather discerning through action. Standalone services of blessings for same sex couples will be allowed, and this will be monitored annually through ‘existing data or feedback gathering models’. All this for a three year period.
This is a curious thing. It is normally considered more prudent to discern whether something is right or wrong before you act. When crossing the road it is wise to check there is no traffic before you step out. True, just heading onto the road and being struck by a car would help you discern it was not safe, but would it not be better to have looked for traffic first? Especially when others on the pavement are shouting: ‘Stop!’
This is particularly the case when it comes to issues such as this one …”
– Church Society looks at the latest LLF proposals from the Church of England’s House of Bishops and asks, “Is it possible to hold multiple doctrines simultaneously [?]”. You probably know the answer.
Many related earlier posts on LLF here.
(Image modified from a photo by Philip Clark.)
Canterbury Cathedral to offer Prayers of Love and Faith for same-sex couples
“Same-sex couples already in civil partnerships or civil marriages, or who have sealed a covenanted friendship, can now be offered Prayers of Love and Faith at Canterbury Cathedral, following a unanimous decision by the Dean and governing Chapter. This step has already been taken by many churches and cathedrals. …”
– As if to underline the importance of both GAFCON and the just-concluded GSFA Assembly, Canterbury Cathedral has published this announcement. (With thanks to Anglican.ink for the tip.)
Photo: Dr David Monteith, Dean of Canterbury, with thanks to Canterbury Cathedral.
Related:
Global South Bishops ‘aggrieved’ by appointment of new Dean of Canterbury – October 2022.
Book Review: Against the Sexual Revolution
“Review of Louise Perry, The Case Against the Sexual Revolution, Cambridge: Polity Press, 2022.
Some sort of reality may be attained in incremental steps, and Louise Perry’s critique of the sexual revolution of our times could be placed in a category of ‘A Half-Return to Sanity’. It is not a Christian critique, and ultimately may achieve little, but Mrs Perry, who gave birth while she was writing this book, has made some cogent points in speaking into our times.
In eight clear chapters Perry sets out her case:
- Sex must be taken seriously;
- Men and women are different;
- Some desires are bad;
- Loveless sex is not empowering;
- Consent is not enough;
- Violence is not love;
- People are not products;
- Marriage is good.…”
Also from Peter Barnes at AP:
Shining as Lights Amid the Encircling Gloom:
“…the Biden administration has waged war on the pro-life cause. In mid-May in Washington DC seven pro-lifers were jailed under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. If only they had burnt down buildings, looted property, and threatened lives under a BLM banner, they would have fared better. But they protested peacefully against the practice of abortion. Lauren Handy, aged 30, was sentenced to 57 months (nearly five years!) while a 76-year-old grandmother and a 69-year-old man were among the other six to be jailed, albeit for shorter terms.”
Walk for Life – notice of Love Sydney’s Walk for Life on 21 September 2024.
And another contribution from our Presbyterian friends:
Who has the last laugh? – David Burke reflects on Psalm 2:
“It is easy to slip into human defaults of fight, fright, or flight. It is especially easy to be despairing, pull up the bridges and take the Benedictine option of retreating to our equivalent of desert caves and putting the light of the gospel under a bushel. The nett result of that is to deny our God-given gospel mission.
Psalm 2 gives a different frame.…”
Fact-Checking a popular story of Christian origins
“The latest book by bestselling author and controversial Australian feminist Clementine Ford is I Don’t: The Case Against Marriage (Allen & Unwin, 2023).
She wants this book to not only dissuade people from getting married but also ‘to end marriages’, because of the harm they bring to women.
This article isn’t about her main thesis, but the striking way she begins her case against marriage. The very first step Ford takes is to outline the history of Christianity and so discount the moral authority of the church. …”
– Robert Martin at Northcote Baptist Church in Melbourne does a spot of fact-checking for The Gospel Coalition Australia. This could be helpful if you have friends who are reading the book.
Related:
Who will champion marriage? – Marriage Foundation via Anglican Mainstream. The linked story includes some interesting charts.
Is Article 20 a Roadblock to “Prayers of Love and Faith” in the Church of England?
Quick answer: “Yes”.
Longer answer at Anglican Futures.
Related:
“Prayers of Love and Faith” – Church of England.
‘Crunch Point’ on Religious Freedom: Catholic Schools and Hospitals May Close, Warns Anthony Fisher
“The Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, has warned the church will be forced to consider closing religious schools if the government strips them of the ability to preference the employment of teachers supportive of Christian teachings.
Archbishop Fisher, one of the nation’s most senior Catholic leaders, declared more radical actions could be needed in response to the infringement of religious liberties, and raised the prospect of withdrawing educational services as happened in the landmark 1962 Goulburn school strike. …”
– Story from The Australian (paywall).
Image: Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney.
An Easy Life But Hard for Faith: Lessons From New Zealand
“I am a Kenyan living in New Zealand with my family, serving as a pastor of a local church. Having lived here close to eight years, I’ve imagined what lessons the church in Africa could glean from the church in New Zealand.
To this end I aim to briefly capture the church in New Zealand’s context; highlight some of the trends that have led to the current state of things; and finally draw out a few thoughts the African church should reflect on. …”
– Mark Ambundo writes in The Gospel Coalition Africa Edition.
‘Episcopal Church unveils new Pride shield in celebration of LGBTQ+ inclusion’
We haven’t linked to news of The Episcopal Church in the USA in recent times. Here’s the latest:
“In affirmation and celebration of The Episcopal Church’s LGBTQ+ members, the Office of Communication is pleased to unveil a new Pride shield available online for churchwide use. …”
– From The Episcopal Church.
Resisting Physician-Assisted Death is a Gospel Imperative
“Physician-assisted death is held up as a solution to the problem of suffering; at bottom, it’s a solution to despair. And the solution is to end the person who’s in despair.
We know a better way. …”
– At The Gospel Coalition US, Dr Ewan Goligher turns to an increasingly urgent subject.
Related:
Assisted dying debate terrifying for disabled people, says actress Liz Carr – BBC News.
“I love my job” – Canadian abortionist and Medical Assistance In Death (MAID) doctor – Not the Bee.
Image from a St. Helen’s Bishopsgate video.
How should we respond to the world as we now find it?
The Anglican Diocese of the Living Word’s Missions Conference and Synod was held in Pennsylvania over the last few days.
Dr. Carl Trueman was the invited speaker.
In his first talk, he focussed on the underlying things that shape the way we think today. Starting at 5:35.
In his second talk, Dr. Trueman speaks of the three things the church has to do in our present context. That address starts at 34:12.
(Prior to his address, Gafcon General Secretary Bishop Paul Donison is interviewed from 18:18.)
The previous night, the Rev. Yoel Ben David gave his testimony of conversion from Judaism.
At the start of the Conference, Bishop Julian Dobbs gave this address. This, alone, is well worth hearing.
The videos are available with thanks to Anglican TV.
Absolute Banality, a Rejection of Roman Catholic Doctrine, and Abandonment of the Gospel
“Now, we as Evangelical Protestants don’t believe that the pope holds the keys of the kingdom, we believe the church does. But nonetheless, the Roman Catholic Church believes that the pope does. But this pope appears to have little interest in holding the keys of doctrinal accountability or even of moral clarity.
But the religious world, the theological world, was pretty much set abuzz on Sunday night because the interview that Pope Francis did with 60 Minutes, the venerable CBS program. …”
– In his The Briefing for Tuesday 21 May 2024, Dr Albert Mohler comments on the International Criminal Court, and then (Part IV) turns to consider Pope Francis’ interview on CBS last weekend.
This link should jump to the relevant part of the interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes.
Why isn’t the House of Bishops prepared to engage?
“It is now fairly clear what the next stage of the Prayers of Love and Faith process will be. In July the House of Bishops will propose that stand alone services for the blessing of same-sex couples (including those who have entered into a civil same-sex marriage) will be permitted under the terms of Canon B5 and will also propose that the current discipline forbidding clergy to be in same-sex marriages will no longer be applied in at least some dioceses
It is also clear that, at the moment, the bishops are absolutely intransigent in refusing to even consider the possibility of either a provincial settlement to meet the needs of traditionalists as requested by CEEC, or even some kind of non-provincial transferred episcopal arrangements for traditionalists.
The maximum they seem prepared to offer is some kind of regionally arranged delegated episcopal oversight, which would still leave traditionalists under the ordinary jurisdiction of their diocesan bishops regardless of where that bishop stands on the sexuality issue.
What struck me as I digested this news over the weekend is that in coming to their current positions the bishops appear to have simply ignored four key statements made into three previous House of Bishops’ documents.…”
– Martin Davie points out key failures of the Church of England’s House of Bishops.
Image: Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.
Church leaders urge bishops to offer ‘pastoral provision’ to ordinands, as an urgent priority
“Church leaders have called on bishops in the Church of England to allow ‘pastoral provision’ for those being ordained this summer and going forwards, as an urgent priority.
Church leaders, who are part of the Alliance, issued a letter to all diocesan bishops in the Church of England, following a meeting with 80 ordinands last Thursday in London…”
– Report from the Church of England Evangelical Council.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…