‘The Spirit seems to be saying…’ — Schori

Katharine Jefferts Schori has released a ‘pastoral letter’, in which she refers to Archbishop Rowan Williams’ Pentecost letter:

“We live in great concern that colonial attitudes continue, particularly in attempts to impose a single understanding across widely varying contexts and cultures. … As Episcopalians, we note the troubling push toward centralized authority exemplified in many of the statements of the recent Pentecost letter…”

– Her letter is available here.

And Joe Carter at First Things writes –

“I realize I may be expressing latent colonialist tendencies and committing spiritual violence by imposing a singular understanding of basic logic on Bishop Schori, but it appears that she is forcing us to choose between two alternatives…” Read here.

Help for Paraburdoo/Tom Price?

Bishop of North West Australia, David Mulready, writes to say that the Parish of Paraburdoo/Tom Price will be vacant from January 2011.

“I would love to hear from anyone who might be interested in the possibility of serving in this Parish, supported by BCA. A profile on the Parish will be available soon.”

Girls Gone Wise: reviewed

“I read a lot of books targeted for Christian women. Many, if not most of them, will include a token mention of the gospel: a page and a half (if that) ABC explanation followed by “Pray this short prayer and you’re in the family of God.” Blech!

I counted two separate times in which Kassian explains the gospel, not as “by the way, here’s what Jesus did for you,” but within the context of the chapter. She begins with the holiness of God and ends with repentance and faith. Yes, she actually describes repentance. She even differentiates justification and sanctification. Folks, I just don’t see much of that in books written by women for women, and I appreciate it when I do.”

– Leslie Wiggins reviews Mary Kassian’s Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild – at Discerning Reader.

June 2010 Australian Church Record online

The June 2010 edition (number 1899) of The Australian Church Record is now online – it’s a 1MB download.

Articles include: ‘On the Lookout for a New Archbishop? Seven Imperatives to start the Shopping List’.

‘Archbishop of Canterbury imposes first sanctions’

“Dr Rowan Williams announced that areas which had ignored ‘pleading’ for restraint would be banned from attending inter-faith dialogue events and prevented from voting on a key body on doctrine. …

But the move will also hit orthodox provinces in the developing world – known as the Global South…”

– from The (UK) Telegraph.

Related: Archbishop of Canterbury’s Pentecost letter to the Anglican Communion.

Diocese of Tasmania Synod now on

The first ordinary session of the 51st  Synod of the Missionary Diocese of Tasmania is now meeting (28-30 May 2010) and members would doubtless value your prayers as they discuss how to reach Tasmanians for Christ.

Business papers are available on the diocesan website.

Jews for Jesus founder dies

“Dear friends,

If you are reading this, it means that I have gone on to my reward.  As I write this, I can only think of what the Scriptures say and that is, ‘Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, neither have they entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him.’…

I hope I can count on you to show love and respect for the Jewish people, but Jewishness never saved anybody. Judaism never saved anybody no matter how sincere. Romans 10:9 & 10 make it clear that we must believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus in order to be saved. There are no shortcuts. There is no easy way…”

– Jews for Jesus founder Moishe Rosen fell asleep in Christ last week.

See also this tribute by Ray Ortland. New York Times obituary here.

The Australian on the new Roman Missal

“On the cardinal’s desk sits an impressive, red-covered tome of 1266 gilt-edged pages, the new English edition of the Roman missal: one of a handful of copies in the world…”

– Two things stand out in this report from The Australian – a return to the concepts of the Latin mass, and a focus on theological clarity. What might reformed, evangelical Anglicans learn from this revision?

Anglican TV on St James Newport Beach vs. the Diocese of Los Angeles

Last week, Kevin Kallsen of Anglican TV interviewed Attorney Eric Sohlgren about the continued court case of St James Newport Beach vs. the Diocese of Los Angeles.

Helpful in understanding what’s happening to many churches which have left TEC.

Rockhampton Synod

The Diocese of Rockhampton’s Synod was held last week – and reports and the Presidential address by Bishop Godfrey Fryer, are now on their website (scroll down).

– It’s a good reminder to pray for all who name Christ as Lord in far-flung regions of Australia (cp Colossians 1:9-14.).

What we need to hear

Michael McKinley at the 9Marks blog has this quotation from J. Gresham Machen –

“What good does it do me to tell me that the type of religion presented in the Bible is a very fine type of religion and that the thing for me to do is just to start practicing that type of religion now? … I will tell you, my friend. It does not one tiniest little bit of good….

What I need first of all is not exhortation but a gospel, not directions for saving myself but knowledge of how God has saved me. Have you any good news for me? That is the question that I ask of you. I know your exhortations will not help me. But if anything has been done to save me, will you not tell me the facts?”

— J. Gresham Machen, Christian Faith in the Modern World. (Image of J. Gresham Machen: The Theologian.)

Obituary: The Rev Mark Ashton

“The Rev Mark Ashton was one of the most influential evangelical pastor-teachers of his generation. During his time as vicar of the Round Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Cambridge, the congregation grew steadily, and dozens of church ordinands and hundreds of students benefited from his ministry…”

– From Times Online. (h/t/ SydneyAnglicans.net)

Anglican Mainstream on the Glasspool consecration

“In her letter to the Primates, the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church (TEC) Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, confirmed that the consecration of the openly gay Mary Glasspool is not a random event but comes from the settled mind of her church.

Sadly, this shows that TEC has now explicitly decided to walk apart from most of the rest of the Communion. Since that decision by TEC has to be respected, it should result in three consequences.

Dr Philip Giddings, Convenor,
Canon Dr Chris Sugden Executive Secretary, Anglican Mainstream.”

– via e-mail. Photo: Diocese of Los Angeles.

Bishop John Harrower calls Tasmanian Christians to prayer

Bishop John Harrower has written to the Anglican churches in Tasmania to call them to focus on prayer from Pentecost Sunday (23rd May).

“Pentecost, people and prayer: what a powerful combination! Pentecost Sunday 2010 launches us into prayer;  a time of intentional, focussed prayer.   Read more

ACNA reports growth

“Predictions of the death of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) appear to have been premature, as the leaders of the third Anglican province-in-waiting in North America report that in its first year of operations it has added 106 congregations.

Archbishop Robert Duncan, the Bishop of Pittsburgh and leader of ACNA, last week reported that since the Church’s founding convocation in June 2009, 106 new churches have either been planted or joined the ACNA, bringing its total number of congregations to 809 comprising an estimated 100,000 Anglicans in the United States and Canada…”

– George Conger wrote this piece for The Church of England Newspaper.

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