‘Tasmanian Lower House set to back gay marriage’
From ABC News:
“Tasmania’s Lower House looks likely to become the first in Australia to vote in support of same-sex marriage. Labor has indicated it will support a motion from its state power-sharing partners the Greens, who have tried and failed to introduce state-based same-sex marriage legislation in the past…”
And a Media Release from the Diocese of Tasmania:
BISHOP HARROWER RESPONDS TO GREENS’ MOTION
The Anglican Bishop of Tasmania, the Right Reverend John Harrower has spoken out in response to the motion tabled by Mr. Nick McKim in the House of Assembly today.
Bishop Harrower said, “I call upon the parliament to not support this motion.
“I have consistently upheld the Church’s affirmation of the definition under the Marriage Act that marriage is the union between a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others voluntarily entered into for life. Read more
Thanks and prayer requests from North West Australia
In the latest issue of Northwest Network, Bishop David Mulready begins to say farewell to the diocese where he and Maureen have served for the last eight years –
“This is in some sense a ‘farewell letter’. As Maureen and I prepare to leave the Diocese next month and move to Gerringong, near Wollongong, I write to thank you all for your encouragement and support over nearly eight years.
We regard our time here as a huge privilege, working with a terrific team of Ministry couples and some very fine Church members in this extraordinary patch of Australia.
We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of many of you who have prayed, given and come as partners in bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people who live in our region and others who holiday here, often for months at a time.
The challenges facing the Anglican Church in the North West are immense. To mention a few: Read more
Canberra-Goulburn agrees to structural partnership with Bathurst and Riverina
From the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn:
“The Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn has agreed to be part of a structural “partnership” with three Anglican Dioceses – covering the ACT and most of NSW – in response to a plea for financial assistance from the Diocese of Bathurst.
The agreement will be between the Dioceses of Canberra-Goulburn, Bathurst and Riverina. It covers Anglicare, Diocesan schools, administration and finances but it stops short of a full merger. Parishes from Broken Hill to Bourke to Bega will be covered by the arrangement. Read more
New BCA videos
The Bush Church Aid Society has released a short promotional video. It runs for 3 minutes and can be seen here.
There’s also an interview with Mike & Chantalle Keith, with BCA at Lightning Ridge. Food for thanksgiving and prayer.
New bishop for Ballarat
Garry Weatherill, currently Bishop of Willochra in South Australia, has been appointed the 10th Anglican Bishop of Ballarat.
Report from Anglican Media Melbourne.
Bishop rejects claim of hardline attitude
“Anglican Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn Stuart Robinson has emphatically rejected his diocese is becoming a clone of the hardline, evangelical Diocese of Sydney. …”
– Story from The Canberra Times.
Tasmanian Synod ‘No’ to Euthanasia
The Synod of the Diocese of Tasmania –
* affirms that all human life is made in the image of God and precious in his sight
* affirms that a just society will seek to protect the weak and vulnerable.
* affirms its opposition to voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide
* calls on the Premier and Prime Minister to oppose any initiative to legislate for voluntary euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide
* calls on State and Federal Governments to provide adequate funding for palliative care services across Tasmania
* calls on all Tasmanian Anglicans to raise these issues with their local members of Parliament
* requests the Bishop to make the substance of this resolution known to the relevant parties.
– from Bishop John Harrower. The Synod met in Launceston on 4 June 2011.
New National Director for BCA
Dr Mark Short, Archdeacon of Wagga Wagga and Rector of St. Paul’s Turvey Park has been announced as the next National Director of The Bush Church Aid Society.
More from Anglican News (PDF), newspaper of the Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn. (Photo: Anglican News.)
Bp John Harrower’s Synod Address 2011
The text of Bishop John Harrower’s Presidential Address to the Synod of the Diocese of Tasmania last Saturday is now on the diocesan website (PDF file). His theme: ‘Passionate Spirituality’.
Dr Peter Adam to resign as Ridley Principal
“Canon Dr Peter Adam will resign as Principal of Ridley Melbourne at the end of study and long service leave in January 2012.
In announcing his decision, Board Chair, Claire Rogers, reflected on Dr Adam’s service to Ridley: ‘Peter has exercised significant biblical and theological leadership across Australia and internationally. His distinguished service of the College over several decades includes Board Member, Adjunct Lecturer and most recently as Principal.’…”
– from the Board of Ridley College, Melbourne. (h/t Wayne Schuller.)
May 2011 Australian Church Record
The latest issue of The Australian Church Record has been released on their website.
It’s available as an 820kb PDF file.
Professor J I Packer: Anglican Church League Statement of Support
Anglican Church League President Dr Mark Thompson has released this statement in support of Professor J I Packer:
The ACL notes with alarm the Bishop of New Westminster’s threat to revoke Professor J I Packer’s ‘spiritual authority as a minister of Word and Sacraments’.
Professor Packer, one of the leading Christian voices of the twentieth century, is amongst those who have voted to stand with authentic and orthodox Anglicans rather than those who have undermined biblical truth over many decades and most recently by their innovations regarding homosexual practice. As one of these he has now become a target for revisionist aggression. Once again the intolerance and anti-liberal heart of liberal Christianity has been exposed. Read more
The Lambeth Decision: Dean calls briefing on 14th March
‘The Lambeth Decision: Refining or Redefining Anglicanism?
Sydney’s Bishops are not attending Lambeth – What do we do?’
It’s been announced that Dean Phillip Jensen is planning an afternoon briefing on the reasons for, and implications of, recent decisions concerning Sydney’s participation in world Anglicanism.
To be held in the Chapter House at the Cathedral on Friday 14th March, 1:30 – 3:30pm. The speakers will be –
Phillip Jensen – Should we break fellowship? Why? When? With whom?
Mark Thompson – What has happened in World Anglicanism to bring us to this point?
Robert Tong – What can Lambeth achieve?
Russell Powell – What is GAFCON all about?
Statement from the Anglican Diocese of Sydney on comments by the Archbishop of Canterbury regarding Sharia law
A media release from the Diocese of Sydney:
The Sydney Diocesan spokesman on this issue is the Bishop of South Sydney Robert Forsyth –
“We do not agree with the Archbishop’s comments. In the case of Australia, we are thankful for freedom of religion, but would oppose the idea of different systems of law for different people groups.”
Concerns over abortion paper
Concerns have been raised by some Melbourne Anglicans over a submission made to the Victorian Law Reform Commission on reform of the state’s abortion laws.
A think tank of eight women, by invitation from Archbishop Freier, made the submission in December. …
The Revd Tim Patrick, Associate Priest at St Jude’s Carlton, has sent a letter to parishes seeking signatories for a petition protesting against the submission. …
From this month’s The Melbourne Anglican. (The Submission is available here.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…