Bishop of Stockholm wants crosses removed, directions to Mecca added
“The Bishop of Stockholm has proposed a church in her diocese remove all signs of the cross and put down markings showing the direction to Mecca for the benefit of Muslim worshippers…”
– Story from Breitbart.com. Image: Wikipedia.
When ‘discernment’ leads to disaster
“The historic First Baptist Church of Greenville, South Carolina, announced in May that it would declare itself be ‘open and welcoming’ to all people and that it would allow same-sex marriage and ordain openly homosexual ministers.
The move came after the church had undergone a ‘discernment’ process under the leadership of a ‘LGBT Discernment Team.’ That team brought a report to the church’s deacons, who then forwarded it to the congregation. The church then approved the statement by standing vote…
The lesson – once a church or denomination is untethered from the inerrancy of the Bible, there is no brake on the relativizing effects of cultural pressure.”
– Albert Mohler writes an important essay on the slide into liberalism of a historic US church.
How did we get to Now? — NSW Presbyterians challenged to remember
“Before I belonged to the Presbyterian Church I was a member of another Australian denomination that has now completely lost its way theologically.
I used to attend the Katoomba Convention and the CMS Summer School for my annual Bible teaching. I know what it’s like to go to church week after week and hear minister after minister have nothing to say from the Bible. Some of you can’t imagine a situation like that. Some of you have lived through it. We can’t afford to forget those days. We must make sure that we don’t become complacent.
That’s one reason why we need to play our part in meetings like Assembly and Presbytery. Where does theological liberalism begin to take its hold? It’s often in the decisions of Assemblies and Presbyteries. Carl Truman says that liberalism enters a church when evangelicals don’t bother turning up to the decision making meetings while the moderates and liberals slowly change the theological temperature. We must each play our part in making sure that we are a denomination that sticks to the Bible…”
– In his address to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in NSW recently, Moderator Kevin Murray challenged his hearers against complacency.
Read it on pages 8 and 9 of the August–September 2015 edition of The Pulse (PDF).
The illustration given above is also why the ACL is committed to its task. If you share our commitment, consider joining. Photo credit: Peter Merrick.
Uniting Church wants more talk on gay marriage, but delays decision
“The Uniting Church in Australia’s… National Assembly, has voted to continue discussion about marriage and same sex relationships. This vote mean that the Church has not approved same-sex marriage, and their next National Assembly is not until 2018.
Alongside this conversation the Assembly resolved to affirm the UCA ‘as an inclusive church embracing those members who identify as LGBTIQ’…”
– John Sandeman reports for Bible Society Australia.
‘Anglicans respond to Presbyterian SSM vote’
“Senior Anglican leaders have responded to a move by the Presbyterian Church in NSW to consider ministers handing back their marriage licences if marriage is redefined to include same-sex couples.
Kevin Murray, the moderator of the NSW Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, wrote to churches about debate at the annual assembly in Sydney last week…”
– Story by Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Related:
- ‘Leading Christian denomination is preparing to take drastic action if same sex marriage’ (SBS TV). Includes responses from Dr John McClean and Bishop Robert Forsyth.
- ‘Til law changes do us part’ – Dr John McClean, Convenor of the Gospel, Society and Culture Committee of the Presbyterian Church in NSW, writes in The Sydney Morning Herald.
“Last week the Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in NSW took a step which may mean the church ends its co-operation with the government in marriage matters and leaves the Marriage Act. … It was not an easy decision and the assembly had a careful debate. Many speakers for the proposal also expressed sorrow at the prospect…” - David Cook, Presbyerian Moderator General, gave the expositions at the NSW General Assembly. On Romans 1, 5, 8 and 12. Very encouraging.
The Pulse June–July 2015
The latest issue of The Pulse, the magazine of the Presbyterian Church in NSW, is up on their website. (PDF file.)
It includes a profile of Kevin Murray, incoming state Moderator and Moore College graduate. (h/t Gary Ware.)
Church and religious leaders send letter on Same-Sex Marriage to Prime Minister Abbott
“Archbishop Glenn Davies has joined other church and religious leaders in signing an open letter to the Prime Minister against same-sex marriage.
Parliament could take steps to redefine marriage as early as August.
The letter, signed by Dr Davies and the Catholic Archbishop Anthony Fisher as well as 36 other religious leaders including the heads of Pentecostal and orthodox churches as well as senior rabbis from the Jewish community and leaders from both the Sunni and Shia Islamic communities, expresses ‘grave concerns’ regarding ‘Bills that have or will be introduced into the Federal Parliament to change the definition of marriage in Australian law’.…
It ends with a request for a meeting with the Prime Minister and MP’s to further discuss the issue.”
– read the full report at SydneyAnglicans.net – and please be encouraged to pray about this matter.
and a Media Release from Catholic Communications.
Marriage
David Cook, Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, has written an important piece on Marriage. Here’s a quote:
“None of us expected that in our lives we would have to stand solidly with the apostles and declare, ‘we must obey God rather than men’.”
Take the time to read the full text:
On my recent trip to Malaysia, I was asked to expound Romans 13:1-7, the attitude of the Christian to the civil ruler.
The Bible makes it clear that all “superior” authority, like that of Government, is derived from the supreme authority, God Himself, who establishes and institutes such authority.
For the Christian, the State will have a limited jurisdiction, like Moses’ mother, the midwives of Egypt, Daniel, the apostles and the Lord Jesus, we will respectfully submit to the State until it oversteps the boundary set by God. “We must obey God rather than men” Acts 5:29.
There are many issues which may be “disputable” in our relationship with governments, but the proposed change to the Marriage Act is not one of them.
The Marriage Act of 1961, amended in 2004 defines marriage as “the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life”.
This is a perfectly good reflection of Genesis 2:24, “a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh”.
The Lord Jesus ratifies this definition of marriage in Matthew 19:5-6 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one. Therefore, what God has joined together let not man separate.”
Everything which the apostle Paul says of marriage in 1 Corinthians 7 is based on the premise that marriage is between a man and a woman. Some may say that this is just the writing of Paul, a mere man, but remember, just as the resurrection of Jesus declares His deity (Romans 1:4) so the resurrection of Jesus ratifies Paul’s authentic apostleship (Galatians 1:1).
The question of same sex marriage will not go away, I suspect that our politicians will treat the issue as unresolved until the Marriage Act is amended. Such amendment will not foster stronger family life, children will be denied both a mother and a father, surrogate parenting will become more common, inevitably those who hold a contrary position will be treated with intolerance, being accused of being homophobic, simply for having a moral conviction that homosexual practise is contrary to God’s will.
The fact that the Republic of Ireland has recently voted for same sex marriage, does not mean that our nation’s leaders have to unquestioningly follow such a poor example. On such a fundamental change to the foundation of our society, why shouldn’t the people have the opportunity to express their mind in a referendum?
The question that Presbyterian ministers must face is, as registered marriage celebrants, are we prepared to continue to operate under an Act which unacceptably redefines marriage?
The Church and Nation Committee has discussed this issue, our political leaders need to face the reality that a redefining of the Marriage Act will be seen by many Christian celebrants as an affront to the supreme authority of God and will lead to a massive reduction in celebrants’ availability to operate under such a compromised Act.
None of us expected that in our lives we would have to stand solidly with the apostles and declare, “we must obey God rather than men”.
David Cook.
– Source, The Moderator’s Comments, 28 May 2015.
‘Our mother church has tragically left the family home’
Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, David Cook, reports on fruitful ministry in the United Kingdom – and why he was unable to attend this year’s General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. (h/t Gary Ware.)
Related: Kirk sidelines Bible to ‘play for the team’.
Newport Beach Episcopal church to be sold
“The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles is nearing the end of negotiations to sell St. James the Great Episcopal Church in Newport Beach to real estate developers.
Bishop J. Jon Bruno announced the sale to congregants Sunday, Diocese spokesman Robert Williams said. The sale of the church could bring in roughly $15 million …
A majority of congregants in 2004 voted to disaffiliate with the Episcopal Church for theological and ideological reasons and later aligned with the Anglican Church.”
– See the full report from The Orange County Register. Earlier related stories.
(Photo: J. J. Bruno, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.)
Kirk sidelines Bible to ‘play for the team’
“The Church of Scotland has voted in favour of allowing people in same sex civil partnerships to be called as ministers and deacons.
The historic decision was made by the General Assembly on the Mound in Edinburgh today, where the motion was passed by 309 votes in favour and 182 against. …
In a speech later today the outgoing Moderator Very Rev John Chalmers is expected to say: ‘There’s something else that we have to learn as a Church and that is the power of harmony. … It’s time to play for the team.’ …
Because the debate predates the legalisation of gay marriage the proposed change mentions only civil partnerships, not same-sex marriages. The Assembly will be asked on Thursday to consider amending today’s new Church law to include ministers in same-sex marriages.”
– Press release from The Church of Scotland. (Images: Church of Scotland.)
Gordon Moyes
Gordon Moyes, Superintendent of the Wesley Mission in Sydney, 1979–2005, and member of the New South Wales Legislative Council 2004–2011, has died, according to this post from his son David.
Update: John Sandeman at the Bible Society has written this tribute.
Update 2: We hear that there will be a Service of Thanksgiving in Wesley Church 220 Pitt Street Sydney at 2:00pm on Friday 10th April 2015.
Robert Schuller dies at 88
“The Rev. Robert H. Schuller, the televangelist who drew millions of followers with his “Hour of Power” broadcasts from the Crystal Cathedral, the glittering house of worship recognized around the world as the locus of his signature brand of motivational Christianity, died April 2 at a care facility in Artesia, Calif. He was 88…”
– Story from The Washington Post. Photo: Hour of Power.
(Not familiar with Robert Schuller and his ‘possibility thinking’ sin-free message? You can see the first episode of Hour of Power from 1970. Message from 21:45.)
‘The Presbyterian Church (USA)’s long and boring shuffle out of Christendom’
“The drift from biblical orthodoxy to spiritualized leftism has profound real-world consequences. The church isn’t just shuffling out of Christianity, it’s shuffling out of existence. The church has lost 37 percent of its members since 1992, and the trend is accelerating.”
– National Review. Photo: PCUSA.
Related: How to tell the difference between The PCA and PCUSA – Joe Carter.
Presbyterian Appeal for Vanuatu
David Cook, Moderator General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, has launched an appeal for Vanuatu:
“The Presbyterian Church of Australia has a unique relationship with the Church in Vanuatu, we have a long history of Ni Vanuatuan students training for ministry in Australia, and have had a strong connection with the Bible Training College in Talua.
At this stage we dont know of about loss at Talua, the worst impact of the cyclone was in the south, whereas Talua is in the north.
Please pray for Vanuatu, pray for relief to be provided, pray that there will be selfless rescue and generous love shown both from those on the ground in Vanuatu and neighbouring nations…”
– from Australian Presbyterian World Mission.
And an update (Monday 16 March) here.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…