Nungalinya College seeking new Principal

Nungalinya College in Darwin is seeking a new Principal, and it would be good to give thanks for this strategic College and to pray for its continued ministry in a time of transition.

Details here (applications close 20th July 2018).

Moore College welcomes Os Guinness

“Last night the College held a special Centre for Christian Living event with internationally renowned apologist, author and speaker Os Guinness, who delivered a stirring lecture about Christian freedom.

It was exciting to see the Marcus Loane Hall so full, and to discover that even more were watching via livestream around Australia and beyond. …”

– News from Moore College.

Sin and Error in the Church

“One of the most striking things about the Bible is its reality. It has often been observed, for example that only one of its heroes – the Son of God himself – is without sin.  Sometimes the sins of the saints are very serious indeed.

The Bible’s reality includes its description of the Church. As Acts 4 draws to its conclusion with a description of the wonderful generosity of Christian people to those in need, we may think that the presence of the Spirit has led to instant and complete holiness. Then comes the story of Ananias and Sapphira to bring us back to reality. …”

– Read Dr. Peter Jensen’s latest post at the GAFCON website.

The Anglican Church in Brazil and the Anglican Communion

GAFCON General Secretary, Dr. Peter Jensen, has responded to a claim that the new Anglican Church in Brazil is not authentically a part of the Anglican Communion:

“Of course the new Anglican Church in Brazil is an authentic part of the Anglican Communion.”

Why say that? Read his full statement below, dated 25 May 2018 –

“In the London Church Times (18th May 2018), Bishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, the Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative Council claimed that Gafcon had been ‘inaccurate’ in describing the newly formed Anglican Church in Brazil as part of the Anglican Communion and claimed that “To be part of the Anglican Communion requires being in communion with the see of Canterbury, which this Church is not.”

Here lies the difference between mere institutionalism and spiritual reality.

The basic reason why there is a division amongst the Anglicans of Brazil is because the Episcopal Church of Brazil has departed from the teaching of Scripture, and hence from Anglican teaching, concerning sex and marriage. The division is not over a matter of church politics or personal ambition. It is a matter of the fundamentals of the faith, of what makes a true church, of the authority of God’s word.

In 2005, the Diocese of Recife withdrew from the existing Church body over this issue. In so doing it was being true to Scripture and to the overwhelming majority view of the Communion’s Bishops as expressed in Lambeth 1.10 of 1998. In 2016, after court cases, it had to surrender much of its property. And yet, under God, the Diocese continues, grows and is now in a position to become a Province, with several Dioceses.

Throughout this period, orthodox Bishops (such as Archbishop Greg Venables of South America) upheld the Diocese and supported it and ministered within it. Because this was an issue of basic theology, the Gafcon movement recognised the Diocese and arranged for the consecration of the present Archbishop. Gafcon held on to faithful Anglican Christians whose ‘fault’ was merely that they were accepting biblical and Anglican teaching. Gafcon holds the Communion together while we wait to see if other instruments of the Communion will do what is right.

The Gafcon Primates Council was not mistaken in recognising the Anglican Church in Brazil as a Province of the Anglican Communion. This step has also been supported by leaders of the Anglican Global South. This also is a recognition of spiritual reality.

Communion with the see of Canterbury used to be a welcome, useful and easily understood way of describing the Anglican Communion. But with leadership comes responsibility. So far, the recent Archbishops of Canterbury have not used the power of their office either to discipline those who have created disorder and threatened the basis of our faith, or to reach out the right hand of fellowship to those who have stood firm.

The institution has triumphed while faithful Anglicans are disaffiliated and deprived.

It was this failure that our 2008 Jerusalem Statement and Declaration faced when it was affirmed that ‘While acknowledging the nature of Canterbury as an historic see, we do not accept that Anglican identity is determined necessarily through recognition by the Archbishop of Canterbury.’ The only justification for the continued pre-eminence of the see of Canterbury would be if it serves the apostolic gospel. At present it is not doing so effectively. Again, the Jerusalem Statement and Declaration brings the problem into focus when it claimed ‘We can only come to the devastating conclusion that we are a global Communion with a colonial structure’.

Of course the new Anglican Church in Brazil is an authentic part of the Anglican Communion. It is not a matter of recognition by Canterbury. But, like the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), the Brazilians invite Canterbury to recognise spiritual reality, and to use its influence to help align the old instrument of the Anglican Communion with the spiritual reality and new growth of the Communion. Will this happen?”

– Source: GAFCON. (Emphasis added in the pull-quote at top.)

Religious Freedom amendments introduced in NSW

On Friday “the Rev the Hon Fred Nile, for the Christian Democrat Party, introduced a Bill to add “religious beliefs or religious activities” into NSW legislation as a prohibited ground of discrimination. The proposed Anti-Discrimination Amendment (Religious Freedoms) Bill 2018 will add new Parts 3B and 5A into the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) (“ADA”), making it unlawful in various areas to discriminate on the grounds of religion, or to subject religious bodies to a detriment. The proposals will also make it unlawful to penalise someone for holding views on marriage as the union of a man or a woman, or for holding the view that there are only two genders.

The CDP is a minority Party in the NSW Parliament, and the Bill is a Private Member’s Bill, so it is not clear whether it will be fully debated, let alone enacted. But it is an interesting and worthwhile proposal which may lead to clarity in the future on the need for changes to the law of NSW. …”

– At Law and Religion Australia, Assoc. Prof. Neil Foster summarises the provisions in the proposed amendments.

Recife: Reformation, Revival and Realignment

“During the last few weeks, you may have missed a wonderful sermon, and it wasn’t delivered at the royal wedding. In fact, unless you were present for this sermon, you probably missed it entirely. I was blessed to be there to hear it but there were no TV networks, newspaper reporters or social media ‘stars’ there.

So, may I share with you from this sermon and from its preacher, the humble servant leader of the new Anglican Church in Brazil, Archbishop Miguel Uchoa Cavalcanti. …”

– Encouragement from Canon Phil Ashey of the American Anglican Council.

Photo: Archbishop Miguel Uchoa Cavalcanti.

The Wrath of God Poured Out — The Humiliation of the Southern Baptist Convention

“The last few weeks have been excruciating for the Southern Baptist Convention and for the larger evangelical movement. It is as if bombs are dropping and God alone knows how many will fall and where they will land.

America’s largest evangelical denomination has been in the headlines day after day. The SBC is in the midst of its own horrifying #MeToo moment. …”

– Southern Baptist Seminary President, Dr. Albert Mohler, laments as ‘The #MeToo moment has come to American evangelicals. This moment has come to some of my friends and brothers in Christ.”

Church of Scotland to moves toward conducting same-sex weddings

“The Church of Scotland has moved a step closer to allowing some Ministers and Deacons to conduct same-sex marriages in the future.

The General Assembly voted 345 by 170 to instruct the Legal Questions Committee to prepare legislation with safeguards in accordance with Section 9 (1A) of the Marriage Scotland Act. …”

– Report and image from The Church of Scotland.

Related:

All You Need is Love … ?

“Between writing a sermon and posting hilarious gifs from Suits, I watched a bit of the Royal Wedding on Saturday night. Of course—it was the sermon more than the dress that caught my attention. That’s no surprise—being a Christian, a preacher and having zero interest in dresses. What was a surprise was that everyone else focussed on the sermon too! When was the last time that happened?

It was also interesting to watch the reactions from fellow Christians on social media. ‘Great sermon!’; ‘Loved it!’; ‘I wish my minister preached like that!’ And then—‘Heretic!’; ‘Disappointing’; ‘Dangerous!’. How can fellow Christians have such opposing views when they listened to the same sermon? And what should we think about all this?

First of all, to understand the reaction from some Christians you need to understand who Michael Curry is. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Tom Habib provides crucial background for that sermon – and has some suggestions on how you can talk about it.

(Photo: Episcopal Church.)

Bishop Michael Curry offers the world ‘Christianity-lite’

“Yes, Bishop Curry, as St John wrote, God is love. But unlike you, St John defines Love and shows us that it is a longing and meeting of longing that travels the way of the cross, the way of renunciation.

But if you want to be popular, don’t invite the people to renunciation. And Bishop Curry didn’t. But Jesus did. …”

– At his blog, Gavin Ashenden echoes the thoughts of many who watched TEC Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s passionately-delivered sermon at the royal wedding.

And further reflections from Gavin Ashenden:

“The dear couple had no idea who was being asked to preach at their wedding. It was an idea that Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, had suggested to them. They were hardly in a position to know or refuse.

And at one level, the choice was brilliant. Michael Curry is a gifted preacher and black. What a great way of signalling the coming together of American and British culture, white and coloured.

But there was a hidden sting in the tail. There is a civil war raging at the moment in Anglicanism (and elsewhere) between progressive Christianity that takes its priorities from the zeitgeist, the present culture, and a faithful orthodox belief, that keeps faith with what Jesus taught in the Gospels.”

More from David Robertson at The Wee Flea:

“… for the moment let me simply say that this was at best a pick ‘n’ mix Christianity – a Gospel sermon without the Gospel – a Christian sermon without Christ. …

It is not ‘curmudgeonly’ nor ‘unloving’ to ask that preachers should preach the Christ of the Bible. Indeed it is unloving to feed the people anything other than the bread and meat of the Word.”

See Bishop Curry’s sermon – Text (Episcopal News Service) and Video (BBC).

Photo: Episcopal Church of the USA.

Yale Divinity School grad to deliver sermon at royal wedding

“As spectators around the world tune in on Saturday to watch the royal wedding of Prince Harry of Wales and American actress Meghan Markle, Yalies take note: Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry DIV ’78 will deliver the wedding’s sermon. …

Two and a half years ago, the Anglican Church … placed sanctions on the Episcopal Church that limited its ability participate in Anglican religious matters in retaliation for the Episcopal Church’s authorization of same-sex marriages in July 2015. …

Despite presiding over the decision to sanction Curry’s church, Welby tweeted on May 12 that Curry is a ‘brilliant pastor, stunning preacher and someone with a great gift for sharing the good news.’…”

– From Yale Daily News.

Related: Video – Presiding Bishop Michael, Archbishop Justin speak ahead of the Royal Wedding – Episcopal News Service.

Photo: Episcopal Church.

Rooted in a Glorious Past, Living the Reality of the Present and Looking Forward to the Future

“We want to be the brave ones who see an opportunity in the future, and we believe that we are living a new time with the gospel of eternity.

“The future has many names
For the weak, it is the unattainable
For fearful ones, the unknown
For the Brave, it is the opportunity

Victor Hugo

… All of us, without exception, experience a past, exist in a present and live in the expectation of a future. Likewise, the church also exists in this tripartite reality and this very clearly becomes imperative, because its master and Lord, according to the Holy Scriptures, has come, lived and will return. (John 1:11, 1 Corinthians 15, Mark 13:26).

In these days, perhaps more than ever, we have been led to reflect on this reality, especially at this time when we established a New Anglican Province in Brazil and, along with it, the formation of the Anglican Church in Brazil.

First of all, however, a brief explanation may be necessary …”

– Archbishop Miguel Uchoa, Primate of the newly formed Anglican Church in Brazil, explains how he and his Church have come to this point.

Read via Google automatic translation (which is good but not perfect), or the original post in Portuguese, on his website.

Archival photo featured on Archbishop Uchoa’s website: Miguel Uchoa (at right) with two dearly missed Christian leaders, Bishop Robinson Cavalcanti and John Stott.

GAFCON Installs Primate of Anglican Church in Brazil

On Saturday, 12 May 2018, Brazilians packed the Paróquia Anglicana do Espírito Santo (Anglican Church of the Holy Spirit) to celebrate the launch of the Anglican Church in Brazil and the installation of The Most Rev. Miguel Uchoa Cavalcanti as their first Archbishop and Primate.

In 2005, the Bishop of Recife, The Rt. Rev. Robinson Cavalcanti, and ninety percent of the clergy of the diocese were excommunicated by the liberal Episcopal Church of Brazil. Though they lost some of their buildings, the Diocese carried on with a robust program of social action, evangelism, church planting, and discipleship. From 2005 to 2009, the Diocese doubled in size. In succeeding years, despite the tragic murder of Bishop Robinson, the Diocese continued to grow, and their leaders worked with the Gafcon Primates to organize the election of a new Bishop. On December 8, 2012, The Rt. Rev. Miguel Uchoa was consecrated as Diocesan Bishop.

Over the next years, the regions of the Diocese of Recife developed into Dioceses. This has led to the formation of a new Biblically orthodox Province which has been recognized by the Gafcon Primates Council not only as part of Gafcon, but also as a Province of the Anglican Communion.  The Anglican Church in Brazil is the 41st Province of the Anglican Communion.

“We thank God for our relationship with the leaders and member Provinces of Gafcon,” said Archbishop Uchoa. “Through our struggles, Gafcon has been a wonderful support, helping us through the tragic death of our Bishop, and helping us organize first as a Diocese, then as additional Dioceses, and now as a Province. We are deeply grateful to be able to be a part of such a great movement that is committed to Biblical authority and historic Anglican teaching and practice.”

In numerous countries around the world, the institutional structures of the Anglican Communion have been unable to bring discipline when liberal Provinces have adopted unbiblical teaching and practices. Gafcon has encouraged those who remain Biblically faithful in areas where the Gospel has been compromised.

Many greetings were shared from all around the world, including a video from Archbishop Greg Venables, Primate of South America.

Speaking of the launch of the new Province, The Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, Primate of All Nigeria and Gafcon Chairman said:

“We commend your courage to stand and be counted for Jesus at a time when many are in a state of self- inflicted confusion. We are loyal Anglicans, loyal to the faith once for all delivered to the Saints. We’re ready to march forward with those who embrace, or refuse to redefine, the apostolic faith. We, as others, are redeemed sinners, but must not canonize sins in order to fill space in churches. Hearty congratulations. The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. (Dt33:27) 

The Most Rev. Stanley Ntagali, Primate of Uganda and Gafcon Vice-Chairman said:

On behalf of the Province of the Church of Uganda and on my own behalf, I wish to congratulate you upon your installation as the new Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church of Brazil. May God who has called you uphold, guide and bless you in your ministry in your Province. We welcome you to the Gafcon family.

The Most Rev. Dr. Foley Beach, Primate of North America said:

“With the Anglican Establishment not only tolerating, but now embracing revisionist theology and non-Biblical morality, it is quite refreshing to see Anglicans on fire with the Jesus of the Bible and taking seriously his commission to go make disciples!”

The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Anis, Bishop of the Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa and Chairman of the Global South said,

“On behalf of Primates of the Global South of the Anglican Communion, we offer our hearty congratulations to Your Grace on your election as the 1st Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church of Brazil. We very much look forward to working with you to advance the Kingdom of God. May the Lord bless you!”

– GAFCON press release.

Image via the Anglican Church in Brazil.

Who’s actually in charge of the Church?

GAFCON General Secretary, Peter Jensen, explains why the doctrine of the authority of Scripture is absolutely fundamental to the GAFCON movement.

On the road in Brazil: Canon Phil Ashey

The American Anglican Council’s Phil Ashey shares his observations from Recife in eastern Brazil.

For some background on the Anglican Church in Recife, and why they left the TEC-aligned Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil, see Canon Charles Raven’s brief interview with Bishop Miguel Uchoa:

The Story of the Diocese of Recife and Caminemos Juntos – video from GAFCON.

See also:

The New Birth of a Church The Anglican Church-Diocese of Recife – Bishop Miguel Uchoa.

And Caminemos Juntos church planting movement.

(Earlier stories on Recife here, and still earlier ones on our old website.)

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