Uganda urged to remember Janani Luwum
“More than 20,000 people gathered in Mucwini, Kitgum, today to honour and celebrate the life, ministry, and martyrdom of Archbishop Janani Luwum, the Church of Uganda’s 2nd Ugandan Archbishop.
After arresting him on false charges, former President Idi Amin Dada assassinated him on 16th February 1977…”
– from The Church of Uganda.
Many readers will remember Bishop Festo Kivengere visiting Sydney after the assassination – and his powerful evangelistic talks and book “I love Idi Amin”.
Related: Moore College’s audio files of Bishop Festo Kivengere.
Living Reconciliation ‘Deeply Problematic’
“Dr Martin Davie, a widely respected Church of England theologian, has exposed serious flaws in ‘Living Reconciliation’, a book published recently by the Anglican Communion Office to champion its ‘Continuing Indaba’ project…”
– from GAFCON. And the book in question.
‘South Carolina Decision a full vindication for victims of ECUSA’s Oppression’
“Circuit Judge Diane S. Goodstein’s carefully crafted 46-page decision in the case brought by Bishop Mark Lawrence’s Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina (along with 35 of its parishes, plus St. Andrew’s, Mt. Pleasant) against the Episcopal Church (USA) and its rump group (ECSC, or “Episcopal Church in South Carolina”) is a complete vindication of the positions taken and arguments advanced for so long, by so many, inside and outside the Church. It is a vindication first, for the Right Reverend Mark Lawrence…”
– Christian lawyer A.S. Haley sums up the South Carolina decision.
See also this report from the Diocese of South Carolina. (Photo: Bishop Mark Lawrence.)
Jesus Seminar’s Marcus Borg dies
“Marcus J. Borg, a New Testament scholar, theologian and author who was associated for years with the search for the historical Jesus and who sought to put the New Testament in what he believed was its proper context, died Jan. 21. …
There will be a memorial service honoring Borg’s life at [Portland] cathedral on March 22. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will officiate.”
– Report from The Episcopal News Service. Photo: www.marcusjborg.com
GAFCON Chairman’s Pastoral Letter — January 2015
“My dear brothers and sisters,
As I send this first pastoral letter of 2015, receive greetings in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday, today and forever! …
One of the great challenges for African Christianity is for the many who identify as ‘born again’ to become mature disciples of Christ. This is especially necessary given the challenge of what Pope Francis last week described as ‘ideological colonisation’, which is the practice of tying aid and development resources to the promotion of alien understandings of gender, the family and sexual behaviour.
Money is a very powerful tool and manipulation can happen with varying degrees of subtlety.”
A letter from GAFCON Primates — responding to the ‘Transformation Through Friendship’ communiqué
“A Consultation of GAFCON Primates and Bishops of Africa was held in Nairobi on 3rd & 4th December 2014 to consider a response to the ‘Transformation Through Friendship’ communiqué released from New York on 28th October, signed by five African Primates, including the Chairman of CAPA (the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa), Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi, and the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States.
A letter was sent from the Nairobi meeting to Archbishop Ntahoturi, copied to the other African Primates and as no reply has been received, the letter is now being made public in order to avoid misunderstanding.
The New York Communiqué does not speak for the Anglican Provinces of Africa and it is a matter of very great regret that the ‘Continuing Indaba’ strategy has led to the division of African Anglicans.”
From the letter:
“First, the document itself is a manipulation. It is in fact, not principally about “Friendship” but is in fact an attempt to further advance the unbiblical and false teaching of The Episcopal Church.
Second, we reject the characterisation that the communiqué represents “African Primates and Bishops.” Given that there is absolutely no acknowledgement that there are other African Primates and Bishops who do not agree, the document, of which you were a collaborator and signatory, presents itself falsely. It does not represent the faith of the overwhelming majority of African Christians…”
Interview with John Yates
David Ould has recorded an interview with Dr John Yates, who has been speaking at the CMS NSW Summer School. It’s a 16MB mp3 file.
“John was good enough to sit down with me and talk about ministry, the evangelical church in Sydney, GAFCON, and plenty more.”
Most encouraging.
Interview with Bishop Gary Nelson, Diocese of North West Australia
David Ould is at the NSW CMS Summer School this week – as is Bishop Gary Nelson of the Diocese of North West Australia.
David recorded this 15 minute interview with Gary.
Bishop Nelson describes ministry in the North West, and the challenges facing churches in small mining towns with transient populations. He also speaks about his diocesan synod’s decision to declare themselves to be in full communion with the Anglican Church in North America and to recognise them as a member of the Anglican Communion.
Have a listen, and be prompted to pray for the ministry of the churches in that far-flung diocese.
To learn more, you can download the December 2014 issue of The North West Network here as a 750kb PDF file. On page 4 of that newsletter, there’s information on how you can support the ministry in the North West through prayer and finances.
Naive?
“The Archbishop of Canterbury’s recent remarks are once again somewhat puzzling. One question that comes to mind is whether he really believes this statement that he made: ‘I could see circumstances in which there could be people moving apart and then coming back together.’ …
The problem with looking at tertiary issues is they are often the result of more basic disagreements which in the final analysis have far more leverage on the Anglican Communion. It is my contention that the authority of Holy Scripture as noted in 2 Timothy 3:16 and the person and work of Jesus Christ are actually the primary points of disagreement, though the so-called progressive wing of the Anglican Communion, and indeed the leadership of much of the Western church will not acknowledge it. …
If Archbishop Justin Welby actually thinks that the tertiary issues ARE the issues and in the fullness of time we can all come back together, forgetting the punishment that the Episcopal Church inflicted on those members who chose to depart, and all drink tea and sing Kumbaya together, he is at best naive.”
– Bishop David C. Anderson, President and Chairman of the American Anglican Council, writes in his weekly commentary.
Archbishop Welby interviewed for The Times
An interview with Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby was published in The Times on Saturday.
The full article is behind a paywall, however, Anglican Mainstream has some excerpts.
GAFCON Chairman’s Advent Letter 2014
“Despite these challenges, I am confident that our efforts are not in vain.
The crucial contribution of GAFCON to the future is that in an increasingly confused Communion it has a clear confessional basis in the Jerusalem Statement and Declaration which keeps the gospel at its heart. And where the gospel is, there will be life.”
– Chairman of the GAFCON Primates Council, Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, writes this in response to very great challenges. Read his whole Pastoral Letter for Advent 2014 on the GAFCON website.
Canon Andrew White ‘ordered back to UK’
Canon Andrew White, Vicar of Baghdad’, is returning to the UK, at least for now, according to ‘Cranmer’ (h/t Anglican Mainstream.).
See also ‘Canon Andrew White is Interviewed by The Huffington Post’.
Life and Ministry with Peter Jensen
Geoff Robson has conducted a “sweeping conversation with Peter Jensen, former Archbishop of Sydney, about life and ministry – including his favourite book of all-time, how he became a Christian, why he wanted to be a stand-up comedian, why he tries to emulate Billy Graham, and how he has found spiritual refreshment for the last five decades.”
– Take the time to read it here – and please remember to pray for Peter as he continues to serve Christ.
“We want your thoughts on the next Anglican Communion Secretary General”
“Anglicans and Episcopalians from Communion provinces worldwide are being invited to share their thoughts on the ministry priorities and qualities of the next Secretary General of the Anglican Communion. …”
– Any thoughts? The deadline is 27 November 2014.
Archbishop Welby: the Communion’s challenges
In his Presidential address to the Church of England’s General Synod, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby spoke about the issues faced by the Anglican Communion and possible ways forward.
While emphasising that “the Anglican Communion exists and is flourishing in roughly 165 countries”, he also conceded,
“There are enormous problems. We have deep divisions in many areas, not only sexuality. There are areas of corruption, other areas where the power of the surrounding culture seems to overwhelm almost everyone at one point or another.
Our divisions may be too much to manage.
In many parts of the Communion, including here, there is a belief that opponents are either faithless to the tradition, or by contrast that they are cruel, judgemental, inhuman. I have to say that we are in a state so delicate that without prayer and repentance, it is hard to see how we can avoid some serious fractures.”
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…