Council of Churches urges ethics rethink

From the NSW Council of Churches –

“MEDIA RELEASE 27 July 2011
Time for O’Farrell government to reconsider Labor’s so-called ethics.

The NSW Council of Churches has joined the call to urge the NSW Government to repeal the laws that led to the establishment of so-called ethics classes in state schools.

The history of these classes is worth remembering.  Read more

Archbishop Jensen calls for prayer after Norwegian tragedy

On behalf of Sydney Anglicans, Archbishop Dr Peter Jensen has expressed his sympathy to the Norwegian community and church leaders in the aftermath of the bombing in Oslo and shootings on Utoya Island.

Dr Jensen said the sense of shock and outrage was something Australians could understand, having suffered the Port Arthur shootings  in 1996.

“But what motivated these evil acts is unfathomable and any twisted ideology which seeks to defend them is totally abhorrent.” the Archbishop said.

“It is in utter contradiction to the biblical message of God’s love and justice which we are called on to exemplify” Dr Jensen continued. “I ask our churches in Sydney, and appeal to Christians everywhere, to pray for Norway. May the God of all mercy comfort the bereaved, heal the injured and give hope amid this tragedy.”

Dr Peter F Jensen,
Archbishop of Sydney
26/7/2011.

(Media release from the Diocese of Sydney.)

Annual Moore College Lectures 2011

Dr Brian Rosner is presenting this year’s Annual Moore College Lectures on the topic of Paul and the Law:  Keeping the Commandments of God. (August 15–19).

Details at the College website.

Anglican Education Commission statement on ethics classes

“Anglican Diocese of Sydney – Media Statement – 21/7/2011

Ethics classes objections remain but AEC will not seek to overturn legislation

The Sydney Morning Herald of 21st July 2011 reported Sydney diocese as ‘backing’ ethics classes. In a story quoting Anglican Education Commission executive director Bryan Cowling, the paper said the diocese had ‘reversed its position’.

This is incorrect. The Diocese of Sydney, along with the other providers of SRE (Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and Moslem) campaigned against the legislation in order to protect the opportunity for parents to choose to have their children participate in SRE.

The substantive diocesan position remains that ethics should not have been placed in direct competition with Special Religious Education. There is concern about the legislation rushed through in the dying days of the previous government. There are other issues that the churches, individually and jointly, have taken up with the education department.

However, in a spirit of co-operation and to minimise disruption to students, the AEC and the diocese will not seek the overturning of the classes midway through the school year.  Read more

New Principal for Melbourne School of Theology

Here’s a press release from the Melbourne School of Theology (formerly the Bible College of Victoria) –

Melbourne School of Theology announced today that Mr Timothy Meyers will take on the role of Principal of the College from December 2011.

MST Council President Ian Cathie said the Council was united and excited about Mr Meyers’ appointment and expressed the Council’s thanksgiving to God.

“The Council earnestly sought the Lord’s leading over many months to identify the person of His choosing for this unique and strategic role, and we give thanks to God for providing the Council with such a clear sense of conviction.   Read more

John Lennox on Q&A

John Lennox was a member of the panel on ABC TV’s Q&A last night.

The video is now available for download from the ABC. (Image: ABC.)

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada approves statement on human sexuality

“Following more than two hours of debate, delegates of the 2011 ELCIC National Convention approved a Social Statement on Human Sexuality. The results came late in a day and were done by written ballot, with 213 votes in favour of the motion and 134 against. …

Delegates voted on whether to call the question and the results were announced as 166 in favour and 162 against. As convention moved on to consider the adoption of the social statement, a steward announced that there had been an error with the previous count and the majority of delegates had voted not to call the question.

After a brief time of reflection, Bishop Johnson … ruled the decision to call the question stood, since delegates had proceeded in good faith according to information from the stewards. …

The original vote to approve the proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality resumed, and after voting, delegates heard a presentation and several announcements. … At around 7:30 p.m., Bishop Johnson announced the statement had been adopted by a vote of 213 to 134…”

– from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. (h/t Anglican Essentials Canada blog.)
Related: Bishop Johnson and Archbishop Hiltz’s Christmas greetings 2010.

No Fault Today, No Marriage Tomorrow

“I do not generally seek advice about marriage from celebrity models, but I could not help noticing that Christie Brinkley said she’ll ‘never get married again’. …”

– Phillip Jensen writes on the end point of the ‘no fault divorce’.

Melbourne remembers Bishop David Shand

Bishop David Shand, former Assistant Bishop in Geelong in the Diocese of Melbourne has died, reports Anglican Media Melbourne. (Photo: Christ Church South Yarra.)

A Fresh Look at Mission conference audio

The “Sydney and Anglican: A Fresh Look at Mission” conference was held in Sydney two weeks ago. (SydneyAnglicans.net reported on the day here.)

A quote from Michael Jensen:

“My conviction is that not only is being evangelical the most authentic way of being Anglican – we’ve been saying that for years – but also that being Anglican is the best way to be evangelical in Australia in the 21st century. Our Anglican identity is, by grace, a precious gift which teaches us to stay true to the central convictions of the Christian faith without losing our missionary zeal.”

The audio files and handouts are now available on their new website.

ACL Council members 2011–12

We’ve updated the list of members of the Anglican Church League’s Council, after last week’s Annual General Meeting.

Place Sensational Headline Here

“Lindsay Tanner’s book “Sideshow” argues how the media has undermined the capacity for proper policy debate in our society. The media’s recent presentation of our Archbishop’s statement on the redefinition of marriage is a classic illustration of the point.

The homosexual community has called society into a debate about the nature of marriage. Through the influence of the Greens, the members of parliament are to inquire of the electorate about changing the law to allow same sex marriage. The Labor party is going to debate its policy on this issue at its national conference.

It would seem right and proper therefore, for any person to present a view on this matter, especially leaders of community groups who have a particular interest or concern to express their views.

As one such community within society, Christians have every right to hold a particular interest in the nature of marriage. We have had a long-term interest in marriage – our ministers are registered by the Government as authorised celebrants and about a third of the community turn to the church for their weddings.  Furthermore, rightly or wrongly, we believe that our view is for the good of society as a whole. …’

– Phillip Jensen, Dean of St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, writes at PhillipJensen.com. (Also at SydneyAnglicans.net.) Related: Real Marriage, by Archbishop Peter Jensen.

Army Chaplain on Open House

Tim Booker, Army Chaplain and Rector of the parish of Guildford, was interviewed by Leigh Hatcher on Open House last weekend. Good to hear, to inform your prayers for the chaplains.

(h/t Defence Anglicans.)

Supreme Court of Canada dismisses appeal, congregations to be evicted

David Short, Rector of St. John’s Shaughnessy:

“the way we respond is a God-given opportunity to bear witness to Christ. As those who are disciples of Jesus Christ, this is not just about ‘what’ we do but also ‘how’ we do it. In some ways nothing will change with the decision on Thursday. We are still God’s family, and he has placed us in Vancouver to spread his glory.”

News release from the Anglican Network in Canada:

“The trustees of four Vancouver-area Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) parishes are preparing to vacate their church buildings after the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed their case and awarded legal costs to the Anglican Church of Canada Diocese of New Westminster. The four churches are: St John’s (Shaughnessy), St Matthews (Abbotsford), Good Shepherd (Vancouver), and St Matthias & St Luke’s (Vancouver).

The parishes had appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada requesting the court to overturn the decision of the BC courts in awarding their church properties to the Diocese.

‘Obviously, this decision is extremely disappointing and should be of great concern to all Christian denominations. While these congregations have remained steadfast in their faith, and have not changed the traditional teaching of the Christian church, they have now been called to sacrifice all their assets, including their church properties, for the sake of their faith’, said Cheryl Chang, a former Trustee of St. John’s (Shaughnessy) and Special Counsel to the Anglican Network in Canada.‘Clearly, we were hoping for a better result when we sought help from the courts. However, we always said that given a choice, we would choose our faith over our properties, and we have been willing to make that sacrifice if called upon by the courts to do so.’

The Supreme Court of Canada gave no reasons for their decision.”

————-

Before the decision was announced, David Short, Rector of St. John’s Shaughnessy (and Canon of St. Andrew’s Cathedral Sydney), released a pastoral letter to the congregation at St. John’s. The congregation at St. John’s is being called to prayer this afternoon, Sydney time.

“Friends,

I am writing to let you know that this Thursday we will receive the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision on our Leave to Appeal Application. We have been in this unprecedented process for nearly 10 years, and this is the next step toward clarity about our future. I thank God for you and for our unity together in the gospel, and ask you to pray that God would bring glory to his own name through the unfolding events.

If the Supreme Court of Canada does not grant us Leave to Appeal, we will meet at the Church at 7:30 PM Thursday evening to pray together. This will mark the end of the Legal process for us.

From a practical point of view, a number of parallel processes will then be initiated.

If we are granted Leave to Appeal, our Lawyers will begin working on the documents for the Trial. Currently the Supreme Court of Canada is scheduling hearings in the first quarter of 2012. It will then be another 6-8 months before we have a decision, likely late 2012 or early 2013.

Regardless of the decision on Thursday, the way we respond is a God-given opportunity to bear witness to Christ. As those who are disciples of Jesus Christ, this is not just about ‘what’ we do but also ‘how’ we do it. In some ways nothing will change with the decision on Thursday. We are still God’s family, and he has placed us in Vancouver to spread his glory. We are in an uncomfortable place and the words of Romans 12 encourage us to “rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

I thank God for sustaining and guiding us this far as a family, in partnership with our extended family of St. Matthews Abbotsford, the Church of the Good Shepherd, and St. Mathias & St. Luke. I do not know of many churches that have had the privilege of being so purposefully shaped and transformed by the Holy Spirit in such unusual circumstances; and I am constantly grateful to be a member of St. John’s, praying and expecting to see how God will use this for his own glory.

Warmly,
David Short
Rector St. John’s Vancouver

(from the St. John’s website – PDF.)

Related news note from The Globe and Mail. (Photo: Joy Gwaltney, GAFCON.)

New Garage Hymnal album coming

Garage Hymnal’s forthcoming album, Unity, recorded live at St Stephen’s Newtown last month, is now available for pre-order. Details on the Garage Hymnal website.

(This week, Bob Kauflin introduced his US readers to the song We Belong to the Day.)

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