Appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury — Response from Sydney

Appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury

We acknowledge the appointment of Dame Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury with a spirit of prayerful reflection and gospel-centred concern.

We commend Dame Sarah’s distinguished record of public service in healthcare and recognise her achievements in administrative leadership.

However, we also recognise that this appointment comes at a time of profound theological tension within the Anglican Communion. The recent trajectory of the English Church–particularly regarding issues of human sexuality, biblical authority, and unity–has caused deep concern among those who hold to the historic and reformed teachings of Scripture.

Her public comments show she has strayed from the clear teaching of scripture and promoted serious error that will neither advance unity nor the mission of the church.

The office of the Archbishop of Canterbury once held a symbolic leadership role in the global Anglican Communion. However, due to a tragic failure to uphold biblical teaching, successive Archbishops have forfeited the trust of orthodox Anglicans, who now look to other leaders.

The Church of England and its new leadership must urgently return to the message of faith, hope, and love entrusted to us by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Bishop Peter Hayward
Commissary for the Archbishop of Sydney (on leave) 4 October 2025

– Public Statement from The Diocese of Sydney.

Bathurst Synod 2025 edition of the Bishop’s newsletter

See the Synod edition of the bishop of Bathurst’s latest newsletter – at this link.

Related:

Number of Bible studies doubles in Bathurst – Tara Sing at SydneyAnglicans.net.

And Bishop Mark Calder spoke at the closing service of the Armidale Synod on Sunday morning.

He is seen here with Bishop Rod Chiswell. (Other images on the Bathurst Facebook page.)

Lawyers Task Force Leader Honoured

From Gafcon:

“We give thanks to God for the ministry of Dr Robert Tong AM, who continues to serve as the Leader of our Gafcon Lawyers Task Force.

Dr Tong was honoured this week at the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney, Australia, as he retires from his formal ministry in their Synod after 55 years of service.

Join us in thanking God for his strategic mind, theological wisdom, extensive knowledge of church law, and the personal example of faith and integrity he has provided throughout his years of service.

We continue to pray for the important ministry of The Gafcon Lawyers Network, as they provide legal and canonical counsel and resources to the Primates, bishops, clergy and other leaders of Gafcon as we seek to live out the Jerusalem Declaration and its implications for our life and ministry together under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the supremacy of the Holy Scriptures.”

– From Gafcon.

ACL members continue to be thankful for Robert’s long term commitment to advancing the reformed and evangelical character of the Anglican Church of Australia, particularly in the Diocese of Sydney, through Anglican Church League, including his continued service as Chairman.

Archbishops: Installed or enthroned?

“It is all about a seat! A ‘cathedra’ is the proper name for the seat of a Diocesan Bishop or Archbishop, hence cathedral is the building in which it is placed. Its origin is the Greek, then Latin, word for a seat with arms. Why a seat? What should a bishop do when sitting in their seat?

The seat is often described as a ‘throne’, hence the words, ‘enthronement’ or ‘enthronisation’. This implies that the bishop rules the diocese from this seat, a symbol of authority. …”

– At The Melbourne Anglican, Dr Peter Adam explains how much evidence he finds in the New Treatment for “Diocesan Bishops as rulers with thrones”.

He also shares some “New Testament instructions which are relevant to a bishop’s role”.

Image: St Helen’s Bishopsgate.

Musician glorifies God

“From outback North West Australia, singer/songwriter Tenielle Neda puts scripture to song so that God is glorified and his Church is built up.

Tenielle recently moved from Karratha to Geraldton where she is part of the Cathedral congregation with her young family. She is a blessing to the Christian community, having produced a catalogue of songs that bring bible truths to bear on the heart and mind. …”

– Good news and photo from the Diocese of North West Australia.

Diocese of Armidale Synod begins tomorrow

The Synod of the Diocese of Armidale meets this weekend (Friday 26 – Sunday 28 September).

“Bishop Mark Calder (Bathurst Diocese) will join us on Sunday to preach at our concluding service.”

– It’d be good to uphold the Anglican churches of that diocese in your prayers.

What Sydney means to us – and what we mean to Sydney

“The relationship between Uganda and the Sydney Diocese goes back to 1959, and the first visit by Bishop Festo Kivengere.

The strong bonds established then continue to this day. Bishop Alfred Olwa of Lango Diocese, who is also chairman of Uganda Christian University, spoke at Synod to the Rev Dr Simon Gillham. …”

– Encouragement from SydneyAnglicans.net.

ACL Synod Dinner 2025 audio

If you missed the panel discussion at the ACL Synod Dinner on 15ht September, with the topic of Hope from the Coal Face, the audio recording is available here:

 

Our panel speakers:

The Rev Canon Bruce Morrison has been the Senior Minister at St John’s Anglican Cathedral, Parramatta for over twenty years.

The Rev Jason McPhail is the Assistant Minister at St John’s, Keiraville International Church.

Mrs Wendy Potts is the Anglicare Sydney Learning Consultant – Evangelism.

Jason McPhail and Wendy Potts contributed to the recent Hope for the Illawarra Mission.

Presidential Address — Bathurst Synod 2025

Video of Bishop Mark Calder’s Presidential Address to the Bathurst Diocesan Synod today is now available.

– Watch here.

See also:

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s sermon at last night’s Synod service – and his Saturday morning Synod Bible Study.

Thanksgiving in Sydney Synod as Bathurst Diocese shares what God has been doing

On Tuesday of this week, three representatives of the Diocese of Bathurst were welcomed to the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney – Bishop Mark Calder, Dr Warwick Baines (Registrar) and Adrian Ahern (Chancellor).

As shared with the Diocese of Bathurst via their Facebook page –

“Bishop Mark reported on all that God has been doing among us for his glory as we prioritise Sharing Jesus for Life.

He also thanked the Diocese of Sydney for their generous financial and prayerful support, which makes such a significant difference to the ministry here.

Finally, he shared the great need for more gospel workers, noting this would wonderfully maximise Sydney’s financial investment.”

 

These slides were used by Bishop Calder in his presentation –

The summary and further images can be seen at the Bathurst Facebook page.

The Archbishop of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel, travelled to Bathurst Cathedral to speak at their Synod service tonight.

It’s all a great reminder to pray for the eternal welfare of the men and women of this huge area of NSW, and for the churches of the diocese as they are committed to Sharing Jesus for Life.

Thanks to the Diocese of Bathurst for the images.

“We will obey God”

From SydneyAnglicans.net –

“The Act purports to give churches, schools and parents permission to teach about sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual activity and religion. But, respectfully, we do not need the permission of the government to teach about such things,” said Archbishop Kanishka Raffel, drawing a line in the sand in his opening address to the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney.

“I want to state clearly and publicly to you all – that ‘I will stand by any clergyperson or church worker who finds themselves brought before a tribunal or court because of this poorly conceived law. We must not be silenced or intimidated from teaching God’s good plan for human sexuality and relationships. We will insist on the freedom to do so, respectfully but without fear.’ We will obey God”

The act being referred to was the NSW Conversion Practices Ban Act 2024 which Premier Chris Minns promised would not restrict churches in prayer or preaching. That pledge has now been undercut by Anti-Discrimination New South Wales (ADNSW). …

– Russell Powell reports.

Kanishka Raffel and the Sydney Anglican Synod promise to stand with Christians over conversion practices laws

John Sandeman reports on Monday night’s gathering of the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney –

“Clergy, church workers, and any Christian taken before a tribunal when accused of breaching the Conversion Practices Ban Act in NSW have been assured by Archbishop Kanishka Raffel and the Sydney Anglican Synod that they will be supported. ‘I concluded by saying, and I want to say this clearly and publicly to you all, that I will stand by any clergy person or church worker who finds themselves brought before a tribunal or court because of this poorly conceived law,’ the Archbishop declared in his presidential address to the Synod, repeating an assurance he had sent to his clergy as the new law began to operate.

‘We must not be silenced’, he added. ‘We must not be silenced or intimidated from teaching God’s good plan for human sexuality and relationships. We will insist on the freedom to do so respectfully, but without fear, we will obey God. We can do nothing less.’ During the debate, Raffel made it clear his support extended to lay people caught up in tribunal hearings as well. …”

– Do read it all on this important issue.

Related:

Living Faith website.
“Living Faith is a Sydney Anglican ministry to Christian persons who experience attraction to the same sex and/or gender incongruence.”

Image: Archbishop Raffel during his Presidential Address.

Sydney Synod greenlights a five-year focus on raising church attendance – and disciples

“In yesterday’s afternoon session, Synod approved a motion encouraging parishes in the Diocese to focus on increasing church attendance by 5 per cent each year until 2030.

This grew from a report prepared in response to attendance decline in diocesan churches between 2013 and 2023, and a motion at last year’s Synod expressing repentance for where ‘we have fallen short in not giving sufficient priority, attention, reflection and resources to seeing the lost throughout the Diocese of Sydney saved by Jesus’. …”

– Judy Adamson has this report at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Keeping the main thing the main thing

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel delivered his Presidential Address at Sydney Synod tonight.

Russell Powell reports –

“I believe in conversion” was the first thing Archbishop Kanishka Raffel said to the crowd of more than 700 delegates gathered for the Sydney Anglican Synod.

“I believe in conversion because the first recorded words of Jesus’ public ministry are words that call on his hearers to be converted,” the Archbishop said. “Mark records: ‘… Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel.”’ ’ (Mark 1:14) For the first time in Mark’s narrative Jesus speaks, ‘Repent and believe the gospel’.”

Recalling his own conversion from Buddhism forty years ago, the Archbishop described “Reading the Gospel alone in my room, not because I was on a search for God, but because God was on a search for me. Not knowing, despite having been told, that another friend who had been converted by the Lord when we were fourteen, had started to pray for the conversion of his Buddhist friend, and hadn’t stopped.” …

– Read it all here.

And take the time to watch the Archbishop’s full address:

Southern Cross September-October 2025

The latest issue of Southern Cross magazine – for September-October 2025 – is now available for your encouragement.

Grab a copy at your church – or see it online here.

Next Page →