Happy Birthday to Dick Lucas
As Adrian Reynolds of the Proclamation Trust observes, today is Dick Lucas’ eighty-eighth birthday.
Let’s give thanks for this dear brother who has been such a blessing to so many.
A Ministry to Macquarie Fields
“I’ve never met a minister so proud to show me his wheelbarrow.
It’s been built out of spare parts: old bin ends, recycled wheels. The men who made it had a project—something to build together—as well as a way to bond, and a way to stave off boredom in a community where boredom leads to far worse things. Not only that, but the wheelbarrow itself will go on sale, and the money used to fund the ministry. …”
– Eternity Newspaper writes about the Break the Cycle ministry at Macquarie Fields.
Getting to know Archbishop Glenn Davies — Anglican TV interview
Kevin Kallsen at Anglican TV introduces the new Archbishop of Sydney to the wider Anglican world in this 14 minute interview.
Archbishop Glenn Davies: Statement on PM’s Q and A comment
Anglican Diocese of Sydney – Media Release 3/9/13
“To sanction same-sex ‘marriage’ is not the teaching of the Anglican Church of Australia nor is it the teaching of the Bible.”
Full statement below:
Statement by the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, about comments by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on ABCTV Q and A, Monday Sept 2nd.
“Kevin Rudd was profoundly wrong in his understanding of the Bible. He misquoted the Bible and attributed to the Bible something that Aristotle said (that slavery is a natural condition). The Bible never says that. The Bible sees slavery as the result of fallen and broken relationships in society and it is crystal clear in its condemnation of the slave trade.
I was disappointed by Mr Rudd’s comments last night in the same way that I was disappointed by the position he announced in May despite, as he said, after much reflection. Unfortunately in my view he has not been reflecting on the teaching of Scripture. To sanction same-sex ‘marriage’ is not the teaching of the Anglican Church of Australia nor is it the teaching of the Bible. The Bible views marriage as an institution that God has created. Jesus brings clarity to the nature of marriage by saying that it is an exclusive relationship between a man and a woman, for life. Although there are many kinds of relationships in our society, to describe the relationship between two persons of the same sex as marriage is contrary to the Bible’s teaching.
As a bishop in the Church, I do not tell our people how to vote. They have a responsibility to vote wisely and as Christians they should vote in accordance with their conscience and their understanding of Scripture. Christians realise that no political party will reflect their views in every policy. So they have to make a judgment as to which party best represents their views. I encourage all Christians to think prayerfully and wisely about how to vote on polling day.”
– ends –
(Source – SydneyAnglicans.net. The Prime Minister’s comments may be seen here.)
Related: Shellfish, slavery and same-sex marriage — How not to read the Bible.
Bishopscourt on the market
Bishopscourt, the home of the last seven Archbishops of Sydney, is on the market.
(Photo: Domain.)
Top stories from August 2013
These are some of the key stories you might have missed during August –
Glenn Davies elected Archbishop of Sydney
Archbishop Davies at Moore College Chapel
Launching the ‘Jesus brings’ campaign
J.C. Ryle’s Evangelistic Strategy
ACL President’s address — 2013 Annual General Meeting
New Life newspaper 1st Sept 2013
The latest issue of New Life newspaper from Melbourne (1st September 2013) includes stories on persecution in many countries. It’s an 800kb PDF file from the New Life website.
Archbishop Davies at Moore College Chapel
“Moore College was privileged to have Dr Glenn Davies visit today to deliver one of his first sermons since being inaugurated as Archbishop of Sydney last week.
Students, faculty and staff gathered in a packed Knox Lecture Theatre to hear from Dr Davies.
The Archbishop has been a member of the Governing Board since 2000, but he was also a member of the Moore College faculty in the 1980s and 1990s, lecturing in both Old and New Testament as well as serving as the College Registrar. Now, as Archbishop of Sydney, he is the President of the College’s Governing Board.
The Principal Dr Mark Thompson was delighted that the new Archbishop was able to visit the College so early in his term and encouraged by his sermon on Mark 2 with its critical message on the forgiveness of sins that is ours in Jesus.
‘Glenn’s unreserved support of the College and his interest in its work is well known. He has a very longstanding association with the College going back more than 30 years. He shares with his predecessor a love for the College, a personal relationship with many of the faculty and a keen concern to see the College prepare men and women effectively for gospel ministry in today’s world. It was a delight to have him among us again’ said Dr Thompson.
‘Coming just one week after the Archbishop took office, our chapel service was a great opportunity to hear from him and pray for him as he begins this new ministry and takes on a new role with respect to the College.’
‘We are looking forward to many more visits from Archbishop Davies.’”
– report from Mark Fairfull.
Hear the entire chapel service as a 78MB mp3 file at this link.
(Principal Mark Thompson welcomes the Archbishop at 13:20,
and the sermon, on Mark 2:1-12, begins at 19:40.)
ACL President’s address — 2013 Annual General Meeting
President of the Anglican Church League, the Rev. Gav Poole, gave this address at the Annual General Meeting earlier this month:
“Chappo knew as much about denominational politics as anyone. He was after all a member of the ACL. But the legacy he left us with was a passion for the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
ACL President’s address, 15 August 2013
In 2003 I received an important lesson in priorities. At the time I was ministering in The Episcopal Church (TEC), Dallas, Texas.
In 2003, the TEC General Convention consented to a practicing homosexual becoming the Bishop of New Hampshire. That led to a sequence of events that changed the Anglican Communion forever. Read more
The Archbishop’s Inauguration
A recording of Archbishop Glenn Davies’ Inauguration service can be heard here (18MB mp3 file).
And Russell Powell has the story.
Launching the ‘Jesus brings’ campaign
The ‘Jesus Brings’ campaign (foreshadowed here) has now been unveiled by the Department of Evangelism and New Churches in Sydney.
It is hoped that ‘Jesus Brings’ will be a season of focussed and united mission in 2014 across Sydney and the Illawarra.
Watch Archbishop Glenn Davies explain why ‘Jesus Brings’ is such a great idea.
See the resource website here – and be sure to download a copy of the “Vision for Mission” document (PDF file).
CMS Summer School 2014
Registration is now open.
Peter Jensen appointed Moore College Emeritus Faculty member
At its meeting on 20 August 2013, the Moore College Governing Board has accepted the Principal’s nomination of Dr Peter Jensen as an Emeritus member of the faculty.
– from Moore College.
New Archbishop to take his seat
“The 12th Archbishop of Sydney will take his seat in St Andrew’s Cathedral at an inauguration service on Friday, 23rd August, watched by church leaders from every Australian state and territory and from overseas.”
– Russell Powell writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Photo: T Taylor. (A cathedral is so named from the Greek word kathedra, referring to the chair from which the bishop would teach.)
Annual Moore College Lectures — Daily lectures
At this year’s Moore College Annual Lectures (daily lectures August 20, 21, 23, 23), Vice-Principal Bill Salier is aiming “to survey the whole Bible’s teaching on the ‘world’ as the context for God’s people living lives filled with faith, hope and love”.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…