Archbishop of Canterbury – ABC Interview
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby was interviewed by ABC Radio National’s Andrew West while he was here in Australia this week. Watch it here.
Archbishops seek asylum for refugees from northern Iraq
“Archbishop Philip Freier, has urged the Federal Government to accept as refugees some of the Christians facing unimaginable suffering in northern Iraq.
Dr Freier, who was inaugurated as Primate of Australia at a service at St Paul’s Cathedral on Wednesday evening (August 13), praised the government for its “rapid response in providing aid to the displaced thousands in Iraq”.
He told a press conference that he had written to the Prime Minister, Mr Tony Abbott, and Immigration Minister, Mr Scott Morrison, asked them to emulate France in offering asylum to those facing forced conversion or death.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who gave the sermon at the inauguration service, told the conference that what was happening right now in northern Iraq at the hands of the ISIS jihadi fighters was “off the scale of human horror”.…”
– Story (and photo by Kit Haselden) from the Diocese of Melbourne.
Online comments cause SU Tasmania Chaplain to be sacked
“It wasn’t his Facebook post that caused Scripture Union (SU) Tasmania chaplain Troy Williams to be sacked. It was his follow up comment on a conservative Christian site. …”
– Story from John Sandeman at Eternity Newspaper.
Abp of Canterbury statement on N Iraq
“The horrific events in Iraq rightly call our attention and sorrow yet again. Christians and other religious minorities are being killed and face terrible suffering.
“What we are seeing in Iraq violates brutally people’s right to freedom of religion and belief, as set out under Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is extremely important that aid efforts are supported and that those who have been displaced are able to find safety. I believe that, like France, the United Kingdom’s doors should be open to refugees, as they have been throughout history.
“The international community must document human rights abuses being committed in northern Iraq so that future prosecutions can take place. It is important and necessary for the international community to challenge the culture of impunity which has allowed these atrocities to take place.
“With the world’s attention on the plight of those in Iraq, we must not forget that this is part of an evil pattern around the world where Christians and other minorities are being killed and persecuted for their faith. Only this week I received an email from a friend in Northern Nigeria about an appalling attack on a village, where Christians were killed because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Such horrific stories have become depressingly familiar in countries around the world, including Syria, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.
“We must continue to cry to God for peace and justice and security throughout the world. Those suffering such appalling treatment in Iraq are especially in my prayers at this time.”
– Re-posted from The Archbishop of Canterbury’s website.
Vicar of Baghdad: ‘Child I baptised cut in half by ISIS’
“The five-year-old son of a founding member of Baghdad’s Anglican church was cut in half during an attack by the Islamic State on the Christian town of Qaraqosh.
In an interview today, an emotional Canon Andrew White told ACNS that he christened the boy several years ago, and that the child’s parents had named the lad Andrew after him.
‘I’m almost in tears because I’ve just had somebody in my room whose little child was cut in half,’ he said. ‘I baptised his child in my church in Baghdad2. This little boy, they named him after me – he was called Andrew.‘…”
– Though very distressing, read the full report from The Anglican Communion News Service, and pray.
A life dedicated to serving mission and community
“Owen Shelley, who died on Saturday, August 2, lived to serve Jesus Christ and to share the good news of salvation to thousands of children…”
– Story from The St. George & Sutherland Shire Leader.
Veteran children’s evangelist dies
“Owen Shelley, who spent more than 30 years as children’s missioner with Scripture Union, has died.
Mr Shelley was well known to generations of Christians in Sydney and NSW for his talks and story telling at church services, outreach events and beach missions.”
– SydneyAnglicans.net has this story on Owen Shelley, including a tribute from Scripture Union.
With thanksgiving for Owen Shelley
Many thousands of people will be giving thanks to the Lord Jesus for his servant Owen Shelley, who died on Saturday at the age of 87.
“Owen Shelley left us on Saturday 2nd August to be with his Lord and Saviour. He lived to serve Jesus and to share the good news of salvation to thousands of children.”
There will be a memorial service at 2:00pm on Tuesday 12th August at Narwee Baptist Church (33-39 Baumans Road, Peakhurst). The Dean of Sydney, Phillip Jensen, will preach.
– Read more at Shelley and Son.
Bishops demand UK Government offer asylum to Iraqi Christians
“From Canon Andrew White, Vicar of Baghdad: ‘We have just had terrible news that Baghdad International Airport has been shut down because of security risks. Without it we cannot go North to do the relief work or even leave the country. Please pray that we can get out.’
As the Islamic State continues its programme of bloody executions and forced conversion, Canon White bears witness to the suffering…”
– Blogger “Cranmer” on the deterirotaing situation in Iraq. (h/t Anglican Mainstream.)
Related: Iraqi Christians ‘should be offered asylum in UK’ – bishop. – BBC News.
Welby hopes women bishops won’t prevent ‘full communion’ with Catholic Church
“In a letter sent to Pope Francis, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said he hopes the vote to allow the ordination of women bishops would not prove a stumbling block to future ’full communion’ between the Anglican and Catholic churches…”
– Report from The Catholic Herald.
(Photo: ACNS.)
‘All you need to know about christening’ — without mentioning…
“The Church of England has created a new website which promises to tell you ‘all you need to know about choosing, planning and going to a Church of England christening’. How far does it succeed in this endeavour?
Let’s start with a positive. The fact that the church is seeking to provide clear and accessible resources for those considering having their child baptised is much to be welcomed. …
Unfortunately, problems start to crop up when we begin to read what the website actually says…”
– Mark Smith at Church Society looks at the new Church of England “christening” website – or you might want to check it yourself first. (And compare 1 Corinthians 2:2.)
Flourishing after the consecration of women bishops?
“Many of us in the Church of England today see the consecration of women as bishops to be a departure from God’s revealed plan for the flourishing of his church. As Christians, our basic confession is ‘Jesus is Lord’, and so we believe he must decide how the church is governed…”
– Church Society’s Director Lee Gatiss addresses the new situation in the Church of England.
Sydney church member killed on flight MH17
“A western Sydney church is coming to terms with the loss of one of their own, Victor Oreshkin, one of the 298 passengers on MH17. Victor, aged 29, was a core member of the small Slavic Evangelical Pentecostal Church in Lidcombe…
Victor had been studying a Certificate of Theology part-time with Morling College in Sydney and was due to start his next subject — Old Testament — on Tuesday night this week.”
A letter from Rod Thomas to Reform members
“Dear Member of Reform,
You will have been saddened, but probably not surprised, by the General Synod’s vote last Monday on women bishops.
This was the logical outcome of the decision in 1993 to enable women to be ordained to the presbyterate in the Church of England. That decision prompted the formation of Reform and since then we have actively sought to urge the Church to reform herself under the authority of the Word of God. …”
– Rod Thomas, Chairman of Reform, responds to the Women Bishops vote.
The Christian origins of NAIDOC week
“This week is NAIDOC week across Australia, celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’. What many don’t realise is that it was Aboriginal Christians that started NAIDOC week. Specifically, it was the initiative of an Aboriginal Christian, William Cooper, who asked the churches to start praying for aborigines on what would become known as ‘Aboriginies Sunday.’…”
– Dominic Steele writes at The Briefing.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…