UK: Draft legislation to consecrate Women Bishops
“Earlier this week the first draft was published of legislation to permit women to be consecrated as bishops in the Church of England. The draft will be considered by the General Synod in February and it must either be rejected or passed a Revision Committee, the latter being by far the most likely outcome.
… the legislation is not making provision for alternative oversight, but just a form of delegated oversight. Opponents have consistently said that delegated oversight is inadequate.”
– David Phillips, General Secretary of Church Society at Church Society’s EVnews.
Abp of Canterbury’s New Year Message
The Archbishop of Canterbury’s New Year message is now available at the Anglican Communion News Service.
(Photo: Lambeth Conference media.)
FiF Aust responds to Bishop Kay Goldsworthy
Forward in Faith Australia has released this statement:
“The Council of Forward in Faith Australia Inc takes great exception to Bishop Kay Goldsworthy’s statement reported in the Sydney Morning Herald that those who oppose the ordination of women ‘will never accept that God is calling women to leadership in the church’.
This denigrates the great women in the past as well as the present who are leaders in the Church. …”
– Full statement available at the FIF website. (Photo: Diocese of Perth.)
Women bishops want male authority
Women bishops must enjoy the same authority as their male counterparts if they are placed in charge of an Anglican diocese, say two pioneering Australian churchwomen.
Barbara Darling, who was consecrated Assistant Bishop of Melbourne this year, said she opposed any plan that would diminish traditional authority of bishops over their dioceses. …
– Report from The Sydney Morning Herald. (Photo: Australian women bishops Barbara Darling and Kay Goldsworthy – by Janine Eastlake / Anglican Media Melbourne.).
Latest Australian Church Record out now
Released just in time for Christmas, the latest issue of the web-only newspaper, The Australian Church Record, is now online.
The 700kb December 2008 issue is available in PDF form at australianchurchrecord.net.
C of E drafts women bishops legislation
The Church of England published draft legislation Monday that could allow the ordination of women bishops – an issue that has provoked deep splits among Anglicans.
The proposed measures will go up for debate by the church’s General Synod governing body at a meeting in February. …
Priest ‘ruins Christmas’ for kids
A Catholic priest has been criticised by parents in a city in northern Italy for telling their children that Father Christmas does not really exist. …
– ‘Shocking’ story from BBC News about telling the truth.
The Future of Jesus – Peter Jensen
Last week Steve Austin on ABC Radio in Brisbane interviewed Archbishop Peter Jensen on ‘The Future of Jesus’.
Audio of the interview is available on the ABC Brisbane website.
(Photo of Steve Austin: ABC Radio.)
Archbishop of Jos appeals for help to address losses
“We are slowly settling down to accept the difficulties we are in and to ask for grace to be able to move forward. We are extremely sad that our members were killed for no other reason than that they were Christians, and that many Christians lost their businesses and homes simply because they are Christians.
It is utterly sad that the reason for these attacks is being said to be political. …
For the records, let me point out the following:
1. It should be pointed out that there is no record that Christians have ever begun a crisis or been the ones to initiate violence. …”
– Anglican Mainstream has this report from Archbishop Ben Kwashi about the violence in Jos.
(Photo: Church of Nigeria.)
Bishop faces rebellion over women clergy
“A senior bishop is facing a rebellion from his clergy over his attempt to create a haven for opponents of female priests. …
One senior cleric in the diocese has accused the bishop of trying to establish a refuge for anti-women priests. He claimed that the decision to block the appointment of a new bishop who would ordain women was an attempt to create a haven for traditionalists opposed to female priests.”
– From The (UK) Telegraph. (Note the growing use of the word “traditionalist”.) Photo: Diocese of Chichester.
Anglicans give Christmas a multicultural makeover
It may have become traditional for angels, three wise men and the baby Jesus to play a starring role in the festive season.
But now Hindu snowmen, a Chinese dragon and a Jewish temple are also to be included in an attempt to make the celebrations more inclusive of Britain’s diverse communities. …
… However, some traditionalists warned that making Christmas multicultural and multi-faith threatened to undermine the Christian message.
– Story from The (UK) Telegraph. (Image: Westminster Abbey.)
Battle within the Diocese
“A congregation on Binghamton’s southside will remain in its church, for now.
The Church of the Good Shepherd broke free when the Diocese of Central New York decided to embrace homosexuality.
Action News reporter Erik Burling was in court as both sides made their case to claim the church…”
– from WBNG News, New York. See also this earlier post.
Religion in schools to go God-free
Victorian state primary school students will soon have an alternative — religious education lessons taught by people who do not believe in God and say there is “no evidence of any supernatural power”.
The Humanist Society of Victoria has developed a curriculum, which the State Government accreditation body says it intends to approve, to deliver 30-minute lessons each week of “humanist applied ethics” to primary pupils. …
– The Age.
Britain heading for a “massacre of carols” this Christmas
Traditional Christmas carols are being wrecked by politically correct vicars who are altering well-known words because they think their congregations will not understand them or will find them offensive.…
– Ruth Gledhill writes at Times Online. (Photo: Times Online.)
Robert Gagnon responds to Newsweek
Dr. Robert A. J. Gagnon of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary has written a lengthy reply to the Newsweek article (see earlier links: Newsweek goes for Gay Marriage, and Sola scriptura minus the scriptura).
Dr Gagnon’s response analyses and dismantles the Newsweek argument. Well worth reading. PDF file (direct link) at www.robgagnon.net.
(Photo: Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…