Margaret Court Arena name change called for after star’s Qantas boycott over gay marriage support

“Martina Navratilova has joined calls for Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne to be renamed after the tennis champion said she would no longer fly with Qantas because of the airline’s stance on same-sex marriage.

Margaret Court, who is now a pastor at Victory Life Church in Perth, wrote an open letter to Qantas in yesterday’s West Australian saying she was disappointed that Qantas chief Alan Joyce had become an active campaigner for same-sex marriage. …”

– Contrary views no longer permitted. Story from ABC News.

Jerusalem 2018

GAFCON has announced that the next GAFCON Conference will held in Jerusalem from Sunday 17 to Friday 22nd June 2018.

Anglican Voices episode 1

Kevin Kallsen at Anglican TV has begun a new project – Anglican Voices.

His first interview is with Church Society’s Director, Dr. Lee Gatiss.

Pushback: Appeal to Bishops of British Columbia and Yukon

“Dear Archbishop Privett, Bishops Andrews, McMenamie, Robertson and Skelton, Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

As the chief Ministers of Reconciliation and Apostles of Grace, I implore you to reverse your decision of objection to the episcopal election of the Rev. Jacob Worley in the Diocese of Caledonia.

The Diocese Of Caledonia prayerfully gathered at their electoral Synod. They elected the Rev. Jacob Worley to be their bishop. Your opposition is ungracious and calls our church’s credibility into question. …”

– “Diocese of the Arctic responds to the barring of bishop-elect Rev Jacob Worley.” from Anglican Samizdat.

Though unsourced, letters from the Bishop of The Arctic, David W Parsons, to the Bishops of British Columbia and Yukon, appear to reveal some of the confusion and unhappiness caused by that Province’s decision to overturn the election of a new Bishop of Caledonia.

Earlier post.

Update: Retired Bishop of Caledonia responds to the barring of bishop-elect Rev Jacob Worley. – also via Anglican Samizdat.

“This is a terrible development and should leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that the much lauded promise of a conscience clause in the proposed new marriage canon is completely worthless.”

Photo of Bishop Parsons from the Diocese of The Arctic.

Letter to the Archbishop of York: Please consecrate a second Reformed Anglican Bishop

“Your Grace, It would be quite understandable for you to be less than enthusiastic about receiving a missive from a ‘conservative evangelical’ in the light of the recent consecration of the episcopally licensed Curate of Jesmond Parish Church as a missionary bishop by the Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church in South Africa. But I am writing if I may to set forth the case for a second conservative evangelical bishop, in addition to the southern-based Bishop of Maidstone, to serve as senior pastor to churches and ministers in the north of England who desire his episcopal care. …”

– Julian Mann, Vicar of The Parish Church of the Ascension, Oughtibridge, in South Yorkshire, writes an open letter to the Archbishop of York.

He also responds to comments made in the last week by Church Society’s Lee Gatiss and by Gavin Ashenden.

(Photo: Julian Mann with Bishop Dr. Ben Kwashi.)

Encouragement from Edinburgh to support GAFCON

The Rev. David McCarthy, Rector of St. Thomas’ Church, Edinburgh, urges support of GAFCON in the midst of uncertain times – and asks for your prayers.

Objections to the election of the Rev. Jacob Worley as Bishop of Caledonia

“Rev. Jacob Worley has been elected bishop of the Diocese of Caledonia. He was to replace Bishop William Anderson, one of the few remaining conservative bishops in the Anglican Church of Canada and is probably a good fit for the position.

Provided the wolves don’t eat him first. …”

– Canadian blogger Anglican Samizdat comments on the overturning, by the Provincial House of Bishops of BC & Yukon, of the election of a new Bishop of Caledonia. (Photo via Anglican Journal.)

Jesmond Conference 2017 talks

Concerning the Church of England:

“One recent survey was particularly depressing. It showed that disbelieving clergy are correlated with church decline, for example, only 50% of clergy from declining churches agreed it was ‘very important to encourage non-Christians to become Christians’, compared with 100% of clergy from growing Churches.

Also 100% of clergy and 90% of worshippers from growing churches agreed that ‘God performs miracles in answer to prayers’, compared with 80% of worshippers and 44% of clergy from declining churches. …”

– This excerpt from the February 2017 Jesmond Conference Statement (PDF file download link) highlights the desperate need for clear gospel proclamation in the Church of England.

Bishop Martin Morrison of REACH-SA spoke of one way forward being the irregular consecration of bishops. Conference talks here.

The Jesmond Consecration

“Bishop Pryke is a godly man who is committed to the teaching of the Scriptures. He is a conscientious Anglican who believes the classic doctrine of the church as expressed in the 39 Articles and the Book of Common Prayer.

His godly character is attested by those who have observed him in ministry over many years. He is an entirely appropriate candidate for leadership among God’s people. The consecration is valid, there can be no doubt about that.

It is, however, irregular, but that irregularity is borne out of the desperate situation in which believers who remain within the Church of England find themselves. …”

– In his latest post at Theological Theology, Principal of Moore Theological College, Dr. Mark Thompson, writes about the consecration of Jonathan Pryke, and why so many see it is necessary.

Abortion bill defeated in NSW Parliament

“The decision of the NSW Legislative Council to reject Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi’s extreme abortion bill is a win for both women and unborn children in the state, according to the Australian Christian Lobby.

The Abortion Law Reform (Miscellaneous Acts Amendment) Bill 2016 sought to make abortion legal up to birth, remove the rights of doctors to conscientiously object, and ban prayer vigils and sidewalk counselling outside abortion facilities or be subject to 12 months in prison or a $16,500 fine.

ACL NSW director Mark Makowiecki said the bill did not include any safeguards for women seeking abortion, nor did it require abortion practitioners to hold a medical qualification. …”

– from an Australian Christian Lobby media release.

And from Paul Green, MLC, Christian Democratic Party:

“We have received hundreds of emails and letters, including a correspondence from the Catholic and Anglican Archbishops. As well as support of over 55,000 people signing and promoting petitions regarding this Bill.

I also commend the work of organisations such as Australian Christian Lobby, Abortion Rethink, Canberra Declaration and many more for vocally standing against this Bill. Rather than decriminalising abortion, we need to review our attitudes and practices to ensure there are appropriate safeguards for the well-being of the unborn child, the woman, and others impacted by the decision.

We need to address the underlying causes and provide women with real alternatives to unplanned pregnancies that are not going to expose them to further harm.”

(both via e-mail)

Earlier post: Proposed Abortion Law changes in NSW.

Jesmond Parish Church Press Statement — New Style English Bishop

“On St Athanasius’ Day, 2 May 2017, Jonathan Pryke, the senior minister, under its vicar, of Jesmond Parish Church, Newcastle upon Tyne, was consecrated a ‘bishop in the Church of God’.

This was by the Presiding Bishop of REACH SA (the Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa), formerly known as CESA (the Church of England in South Africa) …

The service took place neither in a Church of England “place of worship” nor an unconsecrated place of worship designated under s.43 of the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011. It did not take place in Jesmond Parish Church. The ceremony was according to the REACH SA consecration Holy Communion service with only REACH SA bishops taking part. …”

– Read the whole statement from David Holloway, Vicar of Jesmond Parish Church.

Image: Jonathan Pryke at The Jesmond Conference — Reformation in the Nation and Church, March 2017. Bible Reading 1. Bible Reading 2.

Watch all the videos from the Conference for the theological background to the decision to consecrate a new bishop.

GAFCON UK Statement on the consecration at Jesmond Parish Church

“Gafcon UK are aware that Jesmond Parish Church have for some years been in a form of impaired communion with the Bishop of Newcastle, and have developed a special relationship with REACH-SA (formerly CESA). …”

– A statement from GAFCON UK on the consecration, by the REACH-SA Presiding Bishop, of Jesmond Parish Church’s Jonathan Pryke. (Jesmond Parish Church is a key evangelical church in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.)

See also this story from Christian Today.

Barnabas Fund launches Manifesto for Persecuted Christians

“Barnabas Fund is calling on all political parties to make specific commitments to help persecuted Christians in their election manifestos. The manifesto, which is endorsed by both church leaders and peers from across the political spectrum, calls for specific actions by the next government to tackle genocide in the Middle East.

It warns that without specific urgent actions there is a very real danger that that entire Christian communities will have ceased to exist in large parts of the Middle East by the time of the next UK general election in 2022.”

– Barnabas Fund has released this Manifesto in the context of the UK General Election.

Jakarta’s Christian governor found guilty in Islam blasphemy trial

“An Indonesian court has sentenced the minority Christian governor of Jakarta to two years in prison for blaspheming the Koran at a trial that undermined the country’s reputation for practicing a moderate form of Islam. …”

– Report from ABC News. (map: Wikipedia.)

Proposed Abortion Law changes in NSW

Update:

We understand that the proposed bills are likely to be debated this week – on Thursday 11th May.

Important news:

“Two NSW Private Member’s Bills relating to abortion may be debated in the NSW Parliament in the next month.

One in particular will completely remove any legal regulation of abortions in the State. It will also have serious consequences for religious freedom and free speech. …

This Bill was introduced into Parliament on 11 August, 2016, by Dr Mehreen Faruqi, Greens MLC. If enacted it would make sweeping changes to the law of abortion in NSW. It would allow the killing of an unborn child at any stage prior to birth.

It would impose a serious burden on the religious freedom of medical practitioners who have a conscientious objection to abortion. It would also seriously impede rights of religious freedom and free speech of those who would wish to protest against abortion near abortion clinics…”

– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster, Associate Professor in Law at Newcastle, discusses proposed abortion law changes in NSW which, if passed into law, would have far-reaching consequences. (Emphasis added.)

Related:

The Australian Christian Lobby describes the first bill as “The Worst Abortion Laws… Ever.” and is one of the groups organising petitions to the President and Members of the Legislative Council.

If you wish to sign their petition, please note the important information to ensure it is acceptable.

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