Freedom is the issue
“Any expression of the view that marriage is between a man and a woman is held to stigmatize those who believe that marriage is gender neutral.
Such alternative views are claimed to be prejudiced, to stigmatise others, and to be the source of unhappiness and searches for “change”. Such stigmatization has to be banished from society by the state.
Therefore even holding such an opinion is wrong – or rather causes offence and hurt, and must be eliminated. Even if the state admits diversity and plurality, certain pluralities cannot exist. …”
– The American Anglican Council has published an important article from the UK by Vinay Samuel and Chris Sugden. Read it all here.
(images via Anglican Mainstream and GAFCON.)
Ordination in Kenya for church plant in Sheffield
“In Sheffield, South Yorkshire, statistics show that only 3% of the population regularly attend church. Back in 2002 the leadership team at Christ Church Fulwood were invited by senior diocesan staff to investigate the possibility of church planting…
Pete Jackson, who has been one of the associate ministers at Christ Church Central, is the founding minister [of Christ Church Walkley].
Although recommended by the Reform Panel of Reference and trained at Oakhill Theological College, Pete had not been ordained since Christ Church Central was not part of Sheffield Diocese. Concern that his ministry and that of the new church should be appropriately recognised led us to consult the leadership of the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE), who subsequently wrote to the GAFCON Primates’ Council…”
– Read the full story at Anglican Mainstream.
Bathurst Diocese welcomes new Bishop
“Bishop Ian Palmer, who was consecrated as the tenth Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Bathurst on Saturday (February 9), has said that he is very aware of the difficult financial situation facing the Diocese. … Bishop Ian Palmer was consecrated by Archbishop Peter Jensen, Metropolitan of NSW, supported by twelve other Bishops from throughout the Australian church.”
– Story here from the Diocese of Bathurst.
Also from Bathurst:
Anglican Schools in Orange and Dubbo to be sold
“The new Bishop of Bathurst, Ian Palmer, has announced … that Bishop-in-Council had decided to sell two Anglican Grammar Schools as going concerns for the 2014 school year…”
– Story here.
‘An Aussie Christian icon’
In a recent post at Reformation21, Paul Levy in the UK writes, “Colin Buchanan is, to my son and countless other kids like him, the equivalent of what John Piper is to Christian hedonists, Gresham Machen is to the OPC and John Stott is to English public schoolboys…”.
Now Eternity Newspaper has a profile piece on Colin. Good reminder to pray for him and his ministry.
‘Carbon fast for Lent’?
The Anglican Communion News Service reports on calls for “a Carbon Fast for Lent”.
Perhaps reminiscent of TEC’s Episcopal Relief and Development 2008 Stations of the Cross liturgy.
The Origin of the Thirty-nine Articles
“What were the Articles meant to do? … They were part of a wider program of establishing the Protestant character of the Church of England…”
– Church Society has posted online a 2011 Churchman article by Dr Mark Thompson on The Origin of the Thirty-Nine Articles. Available here as a PDF file.
Church Society calls for preaching on marriage
“In light of yesterday’s historic debate in parliament where MPs voted in principle to redefine marriage, Church Society have released the following comment, and are suggesting co-ordinated action by ministers…
As evangelicals, we are persuaded that the means God uses to transform individuals, churches and nations is the Word of God. Therefore, this April we are calling all evangelicals to preach on the true nature of marriage as a picture of the marriage all Christians will enjoy with Christ in the New Creation.”
– at EVnews.
New Creation Ministry ‘completes its work’
New Creation Teaching Ministry in South Australia – founded by Geoffrey Bingham (pictured) in 1974 – is closing down. Eternity Newspaper has the story.
(See also the New Creation newsletter.)
Phillip Jensen on The Gospel Partnerships
Phillip Jensen was interviewed for St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in 2011, and the video has just been posted online.
In the 8 minute clip, he speaks of the Gospel Partnerships in the UK – and the need for all the UK churches to get behind one central leader.
American Anglican Council calls on Presiding Bishop to retract her ‘over the top’ remarks
The American Anglican Council has called on TEC Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori to retract statements made in her sermon in South Carolina on the weekend.
See Canon Phil Ashey’s comments – and the sermon to which he refers.
See also A S Haley’s analysis of the South Carolina ‘continuing‘ Episcopalians’ Convention. (Image: ENS.)
Court moves to protect Diocese of South Carolina
“No individual, organization, association or entity, whether incorporated or not, may use, assume, or adopt in any way, directly or indirectly, the registered names and the seal or mark of The Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of South Carolina as are set out below or any names or seal that may be perceived to be those names and seal or mark.”
– A S Haley, ‘the Anglican Curmudgeon’ quotes the Temporary Restraining Order issued to protect the Diocese of South Carolina.
He explains:
“The order goes into effect immediately, so it will essentially force the remnant group meeting this Saturday to adopt a different name for the entity it will form, and by which it will be known. The governing documents which are scheduled for approval (a Constitution and Canons based on the former diocesan version before changes were approved in 2011 and 2012) will need to be changed to remove all references to “the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of South Carolina” and “the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina.” The order will remain in effect until February 1, when a hearing will be held…”
C of E House of Laity rejects vote of no confidence in Chairman
“The Church of England website reports today that the House of Laity, meeting in Church House, Westminster today, rejected a motion of no confidence in its Chair, Dr Philip Giddings, with 47 voting for the motion and 80 voting against, with 13 abstentions.
The motion was brought by Mr Stephen Barney, a lay canon of Leicester Cathedral, who said he had lost confidence in Dr Giddings as Chair of the House of Laity following Dr Giddings’ speech in the debate on women bishops legislation in November. …”
– EV News. There are also reports at Anglican Mainstream (of which Dr Giddings is a Trustee). Dr. Giddings had spoken against adopting legislation to allow the consecration of women bishops.
Global South Primates ‘deeply concerned and worried’
The Global South Primates have added their voice to calls for the C of E’s House of Bishops to reverse its stand on Civil Partnerships. See the 12th January 2013 statement here. h/t Anglican Ink.
A wink and a nod?
In this extract from his weekly e-mail, Bishop David Anderson, President of the American Anglican Council, turns to the announcement from the C of E House of Bishops –
“Orthodox Anglicans, both within the CoE and worldwide, see this for the great mistake and stumble toward the precipice that it is…”
Read below – Read more
The Church of Nigeria responds to the Church of England Bishops and Civil Partnerships
The Church of Nigeria Responds to the Church of England Bishops and Civil Partnerships
“Sadly we must also declare that if the Church of England continues in this contrary direction we must further separate ourselves from it and we are prepared to take the same actions as those prompted by the decisions of The Episcopal Church (USA) and the Anglican Church of Canada ten years ago.”
Full text:
1. The Bishops of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) meeting for their annual retreat held from Jan 7/11, 2013, at the Ibru Centre, Agbarha Otor, Delta State, Nigeria, heard with dismay the news of the recent action of the Church of England House of Bishops. The decision to permit homosexual clergy in civil partnerships to now be considered for the episcopacy is one step removed from the moral precipice that we have already witnessed in The Episcopal Church (USA) and the Anglican Church of Canada. Read more
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…