General Synod July 2017: Five steps away from Biblical Christianity
“In the space of four days, the General Synod of the Church of England have, in effect, rejected the doctrines of creation, the fall, the incarnation, and our need for conversion and sanctification.”
– Susie Leafe, Director of Reform, sums up the rolling tragedy of the Church of England General Synod. At The American Anglican Council.
Radical Christian Inclusion…?
“General Synod felt like it reached the watershed this last long weekend.
Superficially we did the usual things: passing obscure legal provisions – for example, giving official permission not to have to wear robes at main services… the valiant effort to put something to do with mission on the agenda… We even had the obligatory “current affairs” motion…
However, the watershed came apparent from the other seemingly obligatory controversial agenda items. This time, on conversion therapy and transsexual liturgy…”
– At Church Society’s blog, Dr Rob Munro, Rector of St. Mary’s Cheadle, near Manchester, observes how much things are changing in the Church of England.
“Church of England bishops ‘delaying same-sex equality’ move”
“Church of England bishops have been accused of kicking the issue of same-sex equality into the long grass by offloading the topic to a series of working groups that will not report until 2020 at the earliest.
The archbishops of Canterbury and York, the two most senior figures in the church, have established two main groups and four subgroups to advise on pastoral issues and produce a new teaching document on human sexuality. …”
– Report from The Guardian.
A clear biblical focus is not apparent in much of the discussion. Watch Saturday morning’s proceedings from York at this link.
Also from the C of E General Synod: General Synod backs ban on conversion therapy.
Blessed be the egoistic individuals
“In the litany of words about the census the core issue has been avoided — the almost certain link between the generational decline in the Christian faith as guide to the common good and the collapsing relationship between the people and the political system.
The reality is staring us in the face. Yet it cannot be spoken, cannot be entertained, cannot be discussed because there is no greater heresy and no more offensive notion than that the loss of Christian faith might have a downside. …”
– In today’s edition of The Weekend Australian, Editor-at-Large Paul Kelly has a thoughtful piece on what has happened, and is happening, to western culture. (Paywalled or in the print edition.)
Archbishops criticised for inviting proposer of Scottish gay-marriage motion to York
“A group of the General Synod’s laity and clergy have been placed in an ‘invidious’ position, they say, by the ‘entirely wrong’ invitation to the Bishop of Edinburgh, the Rt Revd John Armes, to the Synod’s York meeting this weekend. They argue that it looks like an endorsement of the Scottish Episcopal Church’s change to its canons to allow same-sex marriage in church. …”
– Story from The Church Times.
(Photo of Bishop Armes courtesy The Scottish Episcopal Church.)
A Wee Flea for Christ: Apologetics in a Post-Truth Age
David Robertson, Minister of St. Peter’s Free Church in Dundee, has just been in Australia –
“Unlike most Western Anglicans I love the Sydney Anglicans. … The Church needs them to keep going, stand strong and continue to be salt and light as they shine like stars in the midst of a crooked and depraved generation.”
Stephen O’Doherty interviewed him for Open House on Hope 103.2 in Sydney.
‘Pyne’s boast: The plan revealed’
“Christopher Pyne bragged to his Left-wing faction that we might get same-sex marriage ‘sooner than everyone thinks’.
As he said on Friday:
One of those we’ve got to deliver before too long is marriage equality in this country… We’re going to get it. I think it might even be sooner than everyone thinks. And your friends in Canberra are working on that outcome.
Sure enough:
Two Liberal MPs have been secretly working on a plan to legalise same-sex marriage in Australia as soon as August, with a draft copy of the laws well advanced and consultation with advocates under way. …”
– from The Herald Sun. (Photo: pyneonline.com.au.)
A big moment for the Presbyterian Church in America
“As a denomination we are facing what I believe is a watershed moment.
Overture 2 which was submitted by Calvary Presbytery will grant full constitutional status to Book of Church Order (BCO) 59 which states that ‘Marriage is to be between one man and one woman, in accordance with the Word of God’ (59-3), and that ministers are required to obey the civil laws of the community regarding marriage ‘to the extent that those laws do not transgress the laws of God as interpreted by the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America’. …
by granting BCO 59 constitutional status the PCA would be offering additional protections to pastors and chaplains who are being and will continued to be called upon to perform homosexual weddings.”
– At The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, Todd Pruitt writes about one move to protect biblical teaching on marriage.
Religion test for office?
In the latest episode of The Briefing (08 June 2017), Albert Mohler highlights some ominous developments – a religious test applied in a US Senate Committee – and government control of families in Ontario.
Freedom17 Conference – Religious Freedom in a Secular Age?
More relevant than ever. The 2017 Freedom for Faith conference in Canberra on June 14. Details here.
“Freedom 17 is a unique conference for church leaders, lawyers, policy makers and politicians to meet in Canberra and talk about the pressing public issue of religious freedom.”
And for a secular voice on some of what is at stake in western society, Andrew Bolt’s editorial from The Bolt Report on SkyNews Australia – “stopping the activist bullies is now more important than same-sex marriage”.
Margaret Court vs Sensible Evangelicals
“Margaret Court’s mistaken assumption, from what I can see, is that she talks to the world as if it should know better. It doesn’t and can’t, not because it doesn’t know better, but because it doesn’t know the one who is better – the Lord Jesus. …”
– In a long and thoughtful article, Stephen McAlpine in Perth considers the huge shift which has occurred in our culture, and how Christians can respond.
(h/t Tim Challies. Photo: Victory Life Centre.)
Church of Scotland Assembly agrees on apology to gay people
“The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has approved an apology to gay people for the history of discrimination they have faced in the Church.
Commissioners also approved a report which could pave the way to allow some ministers to conduct same sex marriages in the future. …
Professor Torrance told commissioners that the Church’s journey on the issue had parallels with the one it has taken on the ordination of women in the 1960s.”
– Report from The Church of Scotland. Photo credit: Church of Scotland.
Margaret Court Arena name change called for after star’s Qantas boycott over gay marriage support
“Martina Navratilova has joined calls for Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne to be renamed after the tennis champion said she would no longer fly with Qantas because of the airline’s stance on same-sex marriage.
Margaret Court, who is now a pastor at Victory Life Church in Perth, wrote an open letter to Qantas in yesterday’s West Australian saying she was disappointed that Qantas chief Alan Joyce had become an active campaigner for same-sex marriage. …”
– Contrary views no longer permitted. Story from ABC News.
Duty to Die? — ‘Australian Presbyterian’ on Euthanasia
In the light of today’s news of a proposed “Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill” to come before NSW Parliament (ABC News story here), the current issue (Winter 2017) of Australian Presbyterian magazine is particularly timely as it addresses the issue of euthanasia.
Article 1: Opening Pandora’s Box. Why Christians must stand firm against euthanasia. An interview with Dr. Scott Rae.
Article 2: A bad move. By Moore College graduate Dr Neil Chambers.
(In addition, Marylynn Rouse from the John Newton Project reflects on John Newton’s experience of God’s amazing grace.)
The issue is available as a PDF file at this link.
Abortion bill defeated in NSW Parliament
“The decision of the NSW Legislative Council to reject Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi’s extreme abortion bill is a win for both women and unborn children in the state, according to the Australian Christian Lobby.
The Abortion Law Reform (Miscellaneous Acts Amendment) Bill 2016 sought to make abortion legal up to birth, remove the rights of doctors to conscientiously object, and ban prayer vigils and sidewalk counselling outside abortion facilities or be subject to 12 months in prison or a $16,500 fine.
ACL NSW director Mark Makowiecki said the bill did not include any safeguards for women seeking abortion, nor did it require abortion practitioners to hold a medical qualification. …”
– from an Australian Christian Lobby media release.
And from Paul Green, MLC, Christian Democratic Party:
“We have received hundreds of emails and letters, including a correspondence from the Catholic and Anglican Archbishops. As well as support of over 55,000 people signing and promoting petitions regarding this Bill.
I also commend the work of organisations such as Australian Christian Lobby, Abortion Rethink, Canberra Declaration and many more for vocally standing against this Bill. Rather than decriminalising abortion, we need to review our attitudes and practices to ensure there are appropriate safeguards for the well-being of the unborn child, the woman, and others impacted by the decision.
We need to address the underlying causes and provide women with real alternatives to unplanned pregnancies that are not going to expose them to further harm.”
(both via e-mail)
Earlier post: Proposed Abortion Law changes in NSW.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…