Sydney Anglicans VII: The value of theological education

Mark Thompson writes part seven of his series on Sydney Anglicans –

“It is hardly an exaggeration to say that you will not understand the Diocese of Sydney unless you’ve understood its theological college…”

Read it all here –

Without a doubt the single most important resource God has given to the diocese of Sydney is Moore Theological College. Opening in 1856, thanks to a marvellously generous bequest by Thomas Moore, an early settler in Sydney, it has provided theological education for the vast bulk of Sydney’s clergy over the last one hundred and fifty-six years.  Read more

Sydney Anglicans VI: An evangelical episcopate

In part six of his series on Sydney Anglicans, Mark Thompson looks at the evangelical commitment of the episcopate –

“So when we in Sydney do want to understand and explain what a bishop should be — what an evangelical Anglican bishop should be – where do we go?”

Read it all here –

The diocese of Sydney has been extraordinarily blessed with faithful leaders throughout its history. Many of these have been ordained; many of them have not. The eleven Archbishops (at first merely ‘Bishops’) of Sydney have included some of the most effective evangelical leaders in global Anglicanism. With very few exceptions, the Archbishops and Bishops of Sydney have been determinedly evangelical, theologically motivated and personally engaged in evangelistic mission. We have had much for which to give God thanks.  Read more

Call to pray for Moore College

In the July edition of Southern Cross newspaper, Archbishop Peter Jensen writes to encourage prayer for the appointment of the next Principal of Moore College. Applications close July 31st.

“There is no more important task for a denomination than to provide theological education for its pastors and decisions made now will affect virtually every parish for years to come. As Moore has increased its global significance, the decision will have even more impact than ever before…”

– The Archbishop’s full article has now been posted at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Sydney Anglicans V: A commitment to world mission

Mark Thompson turns to the gospel’s global concern in part five of his series on Sydney Anglicans –

“A concern to reach the lost with the good news of Jesus, whether they be down the road or across the globe, will transform how we live as Christians in a myriad of ways. Not least it will keep us from elevating to prime importance things of little consequence.”

Read it all here –

“Sydney Anglicanism is a product of the evangelical missionary movement. The same people who were vitally involved in the early days of the Church Missionary Society were involved in ensuring evangelical chaplains were sent to the young colony to preach the gospel to the convicts, settlers and indigenous people of the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit. Mission and ministry were intertwined from these early days and have remained so ever since. To this day one of the most significant annual events in the Diocese of Sydney is the week-long CMS Summer School, held in the Blue Mountains at Katoomba.  Read more

Sydney Anglicans IV: The Primacy of the Word

Mark Thompson writes about the primacy of the word in part four of his series on Sydney Anglicans –

“Unsurprisingly, confidence in the Bible as the written word of God, the supreme authority in all matters of faith and life, would soon become an enduring characteristic of the church in Sydney.”

Read it all here –

“The churches of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney are sometimes caricatured as Bible-centred rather than Christ-centred or God-centred. The truth behind the caricature is the attention we give to the proclamation of the word in public and private gatherings. While elsewhere Anglican churches might give more prominence to the sacraments or to an experience of the Spirit, Sydney Anglican churches typically place great store on the reading and exposition of Scripture. Expository preaching is the staple diet of most congregations. Fellowship groups routinely involve Bible study. Read more

Moore College Principal

Here’s the official advertisement from Moore College (PDF file).

Applications close 31 July 2012.

A double-minded man

“Those with long memories will recall that when Dr. Williams was appointed a decade ago we at Churchman predicted that his tenure would not be a happy one and that he would have been better off refusing the poisoned chalice of Canterbury altogether.”

– Gerald Bray writes the Summer 2012 editorial of Churchman. (PDF file.)

Sydney Anglicans III. Complementarian ministry

Mark Thompson writes about complementarian ministry in part three of his series on Sydney Anglicans –

“It is the Bible which teaches us to celebrate the differences between men and women and the way attention to those differences enhances our unity rather than undermines it, not least as together we seek to serve Christ and his gospel.”

Read it all here –

“Some of the most insistent critics of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney are those who oppose its complementarian approach to the ministry of men and women. A number of those critics feel personally injured by the repeated decisions of the diocesan synod to reject measures authorising the ordination of women to the presbyterate. Others go further and insist these decisions arise from a deep-seated misogyny, perhaps related to the peculiar conditions of the early colony, but in any case fuelled by a way of reading the Bible which is authoritarian and androcentric. Yet men and women in Sydney respond that they are seeking above all else to be faithful to the word which God has given us. It is the Bible which teaches us to celebrate the differences between men and women and the way attention to those differences enhances our unity rather than undermines it, not least as together we seek to serve Christ and his gospel. This is not an authoritarian reading but a submissive one.  Read more

Position Vacant (soon): Moore College Principal

Moore College has begun the search for a new Principal. This would be a good thing to pray about. Applications close 31 July 2012.

Moore College lectures 2012

“The Point of the Sword: Applying the Bible to applying the Bible” is the topic for this year’s Moore College Lectures, coming up in August.

Chris Green, Vice Principal of Oak Hill College in London, is the speaker. Details from Moore College. (While you are there, check out info on the Moore College School of Theology in September.)

‘Christian leaders to unite against gay marriage’ — ABC News

“Some of Australia’s most prominent Christian leaders are expected to read out and distribute anti-gay marriage letters at their Sunday services tomorrow.

Statements from Anglican, Catholic and Greek Orthodox leaders have been coordinated ahead of further debate on gay marriage in Parliament next week.

Churchgoers will be urged to contact their Federal MPs to register their opposition to gay marriage…”

– Report from the ABC includes an interview with Archbishop Peter Jensen broadcast on AM.

St. George’s Tron, Glasgow, secedes from Church of Scotland

News from Scotland:

The Rev Dr William Philip, minister of the 500 strong congregation based in Buchanan St, Glasgow,  said:  “Our decision to separate from the Church of Scotland is the culmination of careful thought, sincere discussion and prayer for over 12 months… We believe the Church of Scotland is choosing to walk away from the biblical gospel, and to walk apart from the faith of the worldwide Christian Church.”

Full statement from St. George’s Tron below:  Read more

Sydney Anglicans II. The congregation as the centre

Mark Thompson writes about ecclesiology in the second post of his series on Sydney Anglicans –

“One of the most celebrated, most ridiculed and most misunderstood theological commitments shared by most Sydney Anglicans is the priority of the local congregation.”

Read it all here –

“One of the most celebrated, most ridiculed and most misunderstood theological commitments shared by most Sydney Anglicans is the priority of the local congregation. No doubt historical, cultural and sociological factors have contributed to what some see as a ‘distinctively Sydney’ approach to ‘church’.

The colony of New South Wales began in 1788 with a chaplain rather than a bishop (though notionally under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Calcutta). The Australian psyche has a large strain of anti-authoritarianism and individualism running through it. In addition, federalism (as opposed to centralism) has been an organising principle at a number of levels in Australian society (e.g. national-state government relations and the concern in the Australian Anglican constitution to shy away from a large central bureaucracy and rather to protect the integrity of each of the constituent dioceses). However, influential as these larger cultural factors have been, first and foremost this is a theological commitment arising from convictions about what the Bible teaches on the subject.  Read more

Same sex marriage — Weekend Sunrise interview

On Saturday (June 9 2012), Archbishop Peter Jensen, Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Julian Porteous and the Australian Christian Lobby’s Jim Wallace were interviewed by Andrew O’Keefe on the Seven Network’s Weekend Sunrise.

The topic was, “Why are so many Christians opposed to same sex marriage?”

The segment runs nearly 12 minutes and is well worth watching and passing on.
(h/t Lionel Windsor.)

‘Gay Danish couples win right to marry in church’

“Homosexual couples in Denmark have won the right to get married in any church they choose, even though nearly one third of the country’s priests have said they will refuse to carry out the ceremonies.

The country’s parliament voted through the new law on same-sex marriage by a large majority, making it mandatory for all churches to conduct gay marriages. …”

– Report from The Telegraph (UK). h/t Anglican Mainstream.

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