Diocese of the Arctic now in “impaired communion” with other Canadian dioceses

“To all people in the Diocese of the Arctic,

Greetings in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, who is God Almighty.

General Synod 2019 has just finished. After taking time to meet as bishops, to seek the Lord’s will for our Diocese, to pray, listen and talk, we have prepared this statement for our Diocese and for the Anglican Communion at large. …

We understand that many have walked away from our Anglican Church of Canada’s doctrine, but we have not.”

– Bishop of The Arctic, David W Parsons, and his fellow bishops in that diocese, have released a statement in which they take a stand for the truth.

Read it all, with a clarifying statement, at Anglican Samizdat.

Statement from the ANiC House of Bishops – on the Anglican Church of Canada 2019 General Synod

“Our dear friends,

For the last while many of us have been much in prayer, knowing that the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) would be convening July 10-16, 2019 in Vancouver for some very significant decisions.

Among them was the second vote potentially to confirm the decision of the 2016 General Synod to change the Marriage Canon. …

The outcome was the motion was defeated by the narrowest of margins because, although the laity and clergy houses both had votes far exceeding the 66.6 % vote required, the House of Bishops only had just over 62% which meant the motion was defeated.

In reflecting on this outcome, while knowing that many Dioceses have already gone ahead for years and have no intention, it would seem, of changing, the ANiC House of Bishops would humbly like to share the following thoughts…”

– from The House of Bishops of the Anglican Network in Canada.

Anglican Church of Canada resolves to remove prayer for conversion of the Jews

“An effort to remove a prayer for conversion of the Jews from the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) and to replace it with one for reconciliation with the Jews has passed its first major hurdle at General Synod.

On July 15, a resolution to amend Canon XIV passed its first reading at the 42nd General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada. The amendment would delete prayer number four in ‘Prayers and Thanksgivings upon Several Occasions’ from use and future printings of the BCP, and replace it with a prayer entitled ‘For Reconciliation with the Jews.”’

The resolution passed by nearly unanimous votes in all three orders. …

Archbishop Fred Hiltz, outgoing primate [pictured], invited Primate-elect Linda Nicholls to sign a copy of the resolution to amend Canon XIV and present it to Rabbi Stein following the passing of the resolution by General Synod.”

– Story from the Anglican Church of Canada’s in-house Anglican Journal.

(One wonders what the Apostle Paul might say to this.)

Anglican Church of Canada Same-sex marriage vote fails

“The Anglican Church of Canada has defeated a motion allowing for same-sex marriages, despite overwhelming support from both the denomination’s laity and clergy. …“

– Report from The Vancouver Sun.

However, according to Anglican Samizdat, several dioceses will continue to marry same-sex couples. Image: Anglican Samizdat.

Open Letter from the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Australia

“Dear friends,

I’m sure you are aware of the current discussion about freedom of religion legislation.

There is a great opportunity at present for us to have a positive influence in the legislative process, and I’m calling on you to consider how you can respond and encourage your congregation to get involved as well.

I’m suggesting three ways in which you can act:

1. I urge you to read the pastoral letter (Download from here) and consider distributing it to your congregation, asking them to contact their federal MP.

2.  I’m inviting you to download and print the petition (Download from here). As you do, please consider collecting signed copies of the petition and arranging for them to be mailed to Senator the Honourable Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, PO Box 886, Wollongong NSW 2520. (Note that only originals of the signed petition may be submitted to the Senate, so copies must be mailed).

3.  I also draw your attention to an excellent briefing paper released this week by Freedom for Faith (Download from here). It will help you understand some of the complexities of the discussions about freedom of religion. It is aimed at ministers and leaders, so please circulate it to anyone you think would be interested. (Note that while Freedom for Faith supports the appointment of a Freedom of Religion Commissioner, while the submission the Presbyterian Church made the Ruddock enquiry was cautious about that proposal).

with warm regards,

Rev John P Wilson BSc, DipEd, BTh, DMin
Clerk of Assembly, PCV
Moderator-General, Presbyterian Church of Australia.”

– Also posted at presbyterian.org.au. Download all files (Zipped archive.)

The Uniting Church of Victoria/Tasmania votes to use Euthanasia

“The Uniting Church has been chasing after the culture ever since its creation in 1977. While there are evangelical churches and ministers within Australia’s 3rd largest Protestant denomination, they are relatively few, and these have been engaging in formal discussions to review their association within the denomination. If the final nail in the coffin hadn’t already been laid, surely it has after today’s proceedings.

Today, the Uniting Church (Synod of Victoria and Tasmania), voted in support of motions to allow euthanasia in their agencies. …

The Uniting Church has already littered the landscape with graves where there were once churches, and now they are giving consent for their health agencies to sanction euthanasia. It is one thing for a Government to legalise euthanasia, but for an association of Christian churches to stand together and vote in favour of their own agencies to allow this practice? And then have the audacity to attach the name of Jesus to this?”

– Murray Campbell shares the distressing news, and has some strong words.

(Image: UCA Vic/Tas.)

No forgiveness for Folau’s sins

“It is testament to the blinkered arrogance of political correctness, and of those who do its bidding, that these people could not see the profound moral contradiction at the heart of their chilling statement. In the name of preventing ‘vilification based on race, gender, religion or sexuality’, they vilified Folau on the basis of his religion. …”

– Brendan O’Neill, editor of Spiked, writes this opinion piece in today’s The Australian.

Strong words from the Bishop of the Diocese of The Arctic

The Rt. Rev. David W Parsons, Bishop of the Arctic, has issued an open letter to all Canadian Anglicans regarding the upcoming vote to change the marriage canon. In part, he writes:

“It would not be wise to think that General Synod and the 68.4% of bishops who voted in favour of changing the church’s Marriage Canon are a majority. The Anglican Church of Canada is marginal in size, representing only 0.65% of the Anglican Communion and only 0.025% of the Christian church worldwide. It is spiritually dangerous to follow this marginal segment of the Christian church, those who think they alone have this prophetic message from God–a message that calls us to turn from Scripture and follow them.

As for me, I choose to remain with the Word of God and represent the gospel in the confines of the traditional Biblical doctrines of the Diocese of The Arctic, the Anglican Church of Canada, the Anglican Communion, and the Holy Catholic Church and to walk with those who choose likewise. As for those who choose to reject the Word of God and the doctrines of the Anglican Church of Canada in our Book of Common Prayer, and the Doctrines and precepts of the Anglican Communion, and choose instead to develop their own worldly doctrines and humanistic theologies, they must do so on their own. I will treat them with love and respect but as those who have walked away from the doctrines of the Christian faith. I will pray for their repentance, but I will not walk in rebellion with them.“

– Via the diocesan Facebook page. Read the full letter (PDF file) here. Text at Anglican Samizdat.

C of E’s Newcastle Cathedral plans a weekend festival of LGBT events

From Church Society:

“Newcastle Cathedral is planning a weekend festival of LGBT events in July. These events include a panel discussion on ‘Queering the Church: beyond tolerance to inclusion’ featuring, among others, ‘a nonbinary genderqueer transgender person’ who is an ordained deacon.

We are working with local evangelical ministers to support them in responding to this event. …”

– More here. (Image via Anglican Ink.)

Related: How LGBT Pride Month Became a Religious Holiday – Joe Carter

“We do not love our neighbor when we tell them they can continue to engage in unrepentant rebellion against God.”

GAFCON Chairman’s June 2019 Letter

“Brothers and Sisters, greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord!!

Seeking to be Biblical Christians in a global age, participants in the Global Anglican Future Conference are busy proclaiming Jesus Christ faithfully to the nations by making disciples, evangelizing those who don’t know Jesus, and speaking into corruption, economic injustices, and moral concerns in their local communities.

Here are just a few stories from around the world. …”

– GAFCON Primates Council Chairman, Archbishop Foley Beach, has released his June 2019 Pastoral Letter.

Freedom of faith and Israel Folau — Public Statement from Archbishop Glenn Davies

“Christians do not ask that everyone agree with us on the reality of heaven and hell, but it is part of our faith-DNA that we speak out about the salvation that is only found in Jesus, whatever the cost. I support the right for him to articulate his faith in the public sphere of social media.”

Archbishop Glenn Davies has issued a public statement on Israel Folau and the issue of Freedom of Speech, Conscience and Belief.

Full statement follows:

“Israel Folau’s right to express his faith and act according to his conscience is of fundamental importance in any democracy, and it is of great concern to many Australians that this right is being denied and vilified. Many are wondering whether they will be next. No-one should suppose that there are not deeply held views on either side of this issue. But at the moment, only one side is being heard. The way in which Folau’s motives have been impugned and his avenues of support have been cut off smacks of a new and ugly Australia where dissent from narrow cultural views is not tolerated.

The original post on Instagram canvassed some basic tenets of the Christian faith. It was not the entire Christian message, but it was posted without malice and from a place of deep conscience and concern. It encompassed all people, for we are all liars. It was posted with respect and with urgency. It had nothing to do with rugby and it should have been his right as a citizen to speak of what he believes without threat to his employment.

Christians do not ask that everyone agree with us on the reality of heaven and hell, but it is part of our faith-DNA that we speak out about the salvation that is only found in Jesus, whatever the cost. I support the right for him to articulate his faith in the public sphere of social media. I admire the resolute way he has given his personal testimony.  Why, in the diversity of views in modern Australia, is that faith to be silenced – the faith from which springs so much of the values and virtues of our own civilisation, let alone the charitable works of many Christian churches across our land.

Ultimately, this will not be decided in the media. The clear support of ordinary Christians has been ignored, marginalised and silenced. Many commentators (and many politicians) have failed to understand the precious nature of conscience and belief and its power in the lives of ordinary Australians. Loud, intolerant voices swamp the quiet faith of many. But I pray that what Israel Folau is going through may shine a light on an issue which is vital to our democracy and of crucial importance for Christians – freedom of speech, freedom of worship and freedom to live according to our faith.”

Dr Glenn N Davies
Archbishop of Sydney
25 June AD 2019.

Source: SydneyAnglicans.net.

Australian Christian Lobby donates $100,000 to Israel Folau

“In the wake of GoFundMe’s removal of Israel Folau’s fundraiser, the Australian Christian Lobby has today donated $100,000 to his legal defence and is assisting Israel Folaul to launch an alternative fundraising site. …

–  Read it all here.

Update: Israel Folau’s donations surge past $600,000 after GoFundMe ban – ABC News.

“The Australian Christian Lobby’s Israel Folau support fund looks set to surpass the sacked rugby star’s previous GoFundMe campaign total of $750,000 in just 24 hours.

Donations have poured in at a rate of almost $1,000 per minute with the fund now worth more than $675,000…”

(Editor’s note: The Anglican Church League and the Australian Christian Lobby share the same initials, but are different organisations.)

How might Folau’s court case impact religious freedom?

“A victory in his case would be helpful as sending a message that believers have the freedom to speak in accordance with their faith, even when saying something that offends. And perhaps in persuading employers that they should not try to rely on over-broad “codes of conduct”. …

If he loses his case, it will in my view send a message to corporate Australia that they can require uniformity of opinion on controversial topics. It may lead to further restrictions on what Christians can say in public.”

– The Gospel Coalition Australia speaks with Associate Professor Neil Foster about the decision by Israel Folau to begin legal proceedings against Rugby Australia.

Bishop William Love addresses the Albany Diocesan Convention

Last year, Bishop William Love, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany in eastern New York state, directed his clergy not to use the trial same-sex marriage rites authorised by the TEC General Convention. This put him on a collision course with the TEC hierarchy.

At his annual diocesan convention, earlier the month, Bishop Love reported on the current situation.

“With the passage of B-012 by the General Convention, a line has been drawn in the sand — a line that I am unable and unwilling to cross.  As all of you know, in January of this year, the Presiding Bishop placed a partial restriction on my ministry in regard to overseeing Title IV Disciplinary Proceedings involving same-sex marriage. In issuing the partial restriction, the Presiding Bishop stated, “Bishop Love’s conduct in this regard may constitute a canonical offence…

I was told an investigation into the allegations made against me would be conducted and I should hear something in a couple of weeks.  That was in the middle of February.  It is now June. …

The jury is still out as to whether The Episcopal Church is truly welcoming, inclusive and diverse enough for those of us who cannot embrace TEC’s current progressive agenda.

If we are to have a real place in The Episcopal Church, we must be provided a way to remain true to our understanding of Holy Scripture and the sacramental nature of the Church, and to differentiate ourselves from TEC’s progressive actions and beliefs that violate God’s Word (as we understand it), and are so offensive and problematic to the vast majority of the wider Anglican Communion and Body of Christ. …”

– Read it all here. (link via Anglican Mainstream.)

Some Research on Preaching in the Presbyterian Church of Victoria

“In March each year the Presbyterian Theological Centre in Victoria runs a Pastors’ conference to encourage faithful and engaging expository preaching in our churches. … I presented an audit report on preaching in Presbyterian churches in Victoria.

In conducting the audit I listened online to 40 preachers, with at least one from each of the 13 Presbyteries in the state. …”

– David Cook shares some encouragement – at AP, the National Journal of the Presbyterian Church of Australia.

(You might remember that Peter Jensen conducted a similar exercise in 2016.)

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