UK must offer asylum to terror refugees — Abp of York
“The Archbishop of York has urged the government to do more to offer asylum to Christians and others being persecuted by Islamic State terrorists…”
– Report from BBC News. (Photo: Diocese of York.)
David Platt new President of SBC International Mission Board
“Our IMB president must be one who can drive our missions focus in a new way for a new era. It’s not enough that Southern Baptists’ global missions leader motivates us all to give and to go (although he must do that). He must be someone who can connect from the Scriptures how the Great Commission, and especially our global Great Commission responsibilities, are the urgent concern of all of us.”
– Russell Moore gives thanks that David Platt has been elected as President of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board.
Same-Sex Blessings arrive at Falls Church
“A historic Episcopal parish that counts U.S. President George Washington among its past vestry members has hosted its first blessing of a same-sex union…”
– Report from Juicy Ecumenism.
Background (and photo): The costly faithfulness of The Falls Church – May 2012.
“The tragedy of the situation at The Falls Church is not that the congregation will die, but that yet another a historic symbol of American Christianity has fallen into the hands of those who teach doctrines contrary to Scripture.”
Sadness as Mark Driscoll steps aside for a period
Mark Driscoll made this statement (video) at Mars Hill in Seattle yesterday.
Please especially uphold in prayer Mark and his family and the Mars Hill church in this time. (1 Corinthians 12:26.)
‘GAFCON in talks with New Zealand parish’
“The Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans is in talks to offer alternative episcopal oversight to a breakaway New Zealand congregation, The Church of England Newspaper has learned…
A spokesman for the GAFCON secretariat in Sydney confirmed there had been “initial contact” with the parish leaders…”
– story from Anglican Ink. Please continue to pray for West Hamilton Community Church (as it is now called) and the Pastor, Michael Hewat. (Photo: Affirm.)
South Sudanese church leaders: ‘The West has forgotten us’
“Church leaders in South Sudan said yesterday that the world has turned its back on the war-torn nation and little is being done to help the millions in desperate need of humanitarian aid.
Representatives from the Africa Inland Church, Episcopal Church of Sudan, Presbyterian Church of East Africa and the Pentecostal Church in South Sudan met in London yesterday to launch an appeal in partnership with the Barnabas Fund, urging the West to support their efforts in rebuilding peace…”
– Story from Christian Today. (h/t Anglican Mainstream.) Photo: Barnabas Fund.
See also Barnabas Fund, and
The Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid South Sudan appeal – and donation page.
Global South oversight of South Carolina
Archbishop Mouneer Anis (Chairman), and Archbishop Ian Ernest (Hon. General Secretary) have written on behalf of the Global South Primates Steering Committee, to welcome Bishop Mark Lawrence and the Diocese of South Carolina to their pastoral oversight.
“The Global South of the Anglican Communion welcomes the unanimous request of The Rt. Rev. Mark Lawrence, XIV Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina, and the Convention of the Diocese of South Carolina to ‘accept the offer of the newly created Global South Primatial Oversight Council for pastoral oversight of our ministry as a diocese during the temporary period of our discernment of our final provincial affiliation.’
The decision of the Diocese of South Carolina was made in response to the meeting of the Global South Primates Steering Committee in Cairo, Egypt from 14-15 February 2014. A recommendation from that meeting stated that, ‘we decided to establish a Primatial Oversight Council, in following-through the recommendations taken at Dar es Salam in 2007, to provide pastoral and primatial oversight to dissenting individuals, parishes, and dioceses in order to keep them within the Communion.’
Recognizing the faithfulness of Bishop Mark Lawrence and the Diocese of South Carolina, and in appreciation for their contending for the faith once for all delivered to the saints, the Global South welcomes them as an active and faithful member within the Global South of the Anglican Communion, until such time as a permanent primatial affiliation can be found.”
Related: Local Anglicans receive new tie to the global church – Post and Courier.
Dear prime minister: what is the UK government’s strategy in Iraq and Syria?
Dear Prime Minister …
The focus by both politicians and media on the plight of the Yazidis has been notable and admirable. However, there has been increasing silence about the plight of tens of thousands of Christians who have been displaced, driven from cities and homelands, and who face a bleak future. Despite appalling persecution, they seem to have fallen from consciousness, and I wonder why…”
– Bishop of Leeds, Nick Baines, writes to Prime Minister Cameron.
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.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…