ABC ignored church’s ‘positive story’

“A senior female Anglican leader has expressed ‘disappointment’ that her ‘positive’ story in fighting domestic violence was ignored by the ABC in its controversial TV program claiming Christian men who go to church occasionally are the worst abusers of women.

Sydney diocese Archdeacon for Women Kara Hartley was ­interviewed for more than an hour by ABC journalist Julia Baird for the report on 7:30 that aired on Wednesday night, but none of her comments were aired.…

Archdeacon Hartley’s remarks came as the Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane, Mark Coleridge, ­revealed he had, on request, provided the ABC with extensive comments for a related online essay by Baird and co-author ­Hayley Gleeson. But not only did Baird and Gleeson not publish any of his remarks, they falsely reported he had not responded.

Only after the diocese made an official complaint to the ABC did it amend the article yesterday.”

– Story from The Australian. (Photo courtesy Sam Law.)

Related:

A summary of major public statements from Diocesan Leadership on the issue of Domestic Violence – Anglican Diocese of Sydney.

Domestic Violence: A starting point for answers – Kara Hartley, The Australian Church Record.

Bolt Report editorial, 20 July 2017. – Sky News via The Herald Sun.

Update:

An Unholy Row – ABC TV Media Watch, 24 July 2017.

The Eternity waterfall after 40 years

Forty years ago, the Eternity plaque at the waterfall in Sydney Square was unveilled.

On Tuesday, 12th July 1977, The Sydney Morning Herald’s Column 8 wrote:

“TRUE to his words of last November, Ridley Smith, the Sydney Square architect, has immortalised the late Arthur Stace, ‘Mr Eternity’. You may recall that Column 8 campaigned unashamedly for a suitable memorial to Mr Stace, Sydney’s footpath evangelist for 20 years until 1967. Ridley Smith promised it without strings.

TODAY, the memorial above will be officially unveilled (a small explanatory plaque is yet to come). Yesterday Column 8 had an informal peek. Mr Stace would be proud. There, set in aggregate near the Sydney Square waterfall, in letters almost 21cm (8 in) high, is the famous copperplate message. ‘Eternity’. The one-word sermon gleams in wrought aluminium. There’s no undue prominence. No garish presentation. Merely the simple ‘Eternity’ on the pebbles, as Arthur Stace would have wanted it.”

In 1994, journalist Alan Gill wrote, “The waterfall adjoins a modest cafeteria. [The Architect of St. Andrew’s House and Sydney Square, Ridley] Smith once told me that he hoped visitors would say ‘Meet you at Eternity’ as well as ‘Meet you in Eternity’.” (1)

Ridley Smith (pictured) was named for evangelist John G. Ridley, who was a friend of his father. In November 1932, Arthur Stace had been in the congregation at the Burton Street Tabernacle in Darlinghurst when John Ridley preached on the need to be ready for eternity. It was this sermon which inspired Stace to begin his 34 year campaign of writing that word on the streets of Sydney.

Arthur Stace died on 30 July 1967, fifty years ago this month.

Did the ‘small explanatory plaque’ mentioned by Column 8 ever appear? In 1994, Alan Gill wrote that some complained “the present inscription is ‘out of the way’ and doesn’t explain who Arthur Stace was. Other admirers of Arthur disagree. They believe the ‘odd’ location of the present tribute and the absence of an explanation are part of that blend of mystery and surprise that ‘Mr Eternity’ himself would appreciate.”

(Top photo showing the waterfall on the day of the unveilling, and the photo of Architect Ridley Smith in 2009, courtesy Ramon Williams, Worldwide Photos. Ramon adds, “Ridley Smith sprinkled water around the ‘Eternity’ replica so as to help photograph it.” While the pavement around the memorial has been replaced, “Eternity” on the pebbles remains, as seen in this 2014 photo.)

(1) Alan Gill, “Sydney’s Phantom Preacher”, The Catholic Weekly, 31 August 1994.

Freedom laws needed

“The Diocese of Sydney, along with a number of other Christian groups, has called for special legislation to enshrine freedom of belief as a ‘positive right’ in Australia, rather than as a negative ‘exemption’ to other legislation.

The call came in a submission to the Federal Government inquiry into the ‘protection and promotion of the human right to freedom of religion or belief worldwide, including in Australia’. …”

– Report from Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Recent news from Moore College

Here are a few recent news stories from Moore College. They are a good reminder to pray for all serving and studying at the College, with the Winter break now on (24 June – 16 July).

John Chapman Preaching Conference 23 September.

In September, Dr Bryan Chapell, Senior Pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church, Peoria, Illinois USA, will present at our next one-day John Chapman Preaching Conference considering the topic Application in Expository Preaching. (Early bird price ends tomorrow!)

David Helm’s visit to Moore helps provide clearer thinking about Bible exposition.

The College was privileged to hear David Helm, author of Expositional Preaching, One-to-One Bible Reading and The Big Picture Story Bible, preaching on Revelation 14 in late May.

Moore Renewed.

Moore’s registration as a Self-accrediting Higher Education Provider was recently renewed for another 7 years. This outcome is a testimony to an enormous amount of effort by the College’s Registrar Rhonda Barry, in particular.

Recent Two Ways Ministries Conference at Moore at bursting point.

Moore College was pleased to host a conference in its new building with Phillip Jensen and Al Stewart presenting the talks. The Annual Two Ways Ministries’ Queen’s Birthday Conference was on the subject of work.

Remarkable opportunity for MA students to join the dots on recent Reformation tour.

Moore held an MA (Theol) Reformation Study Tour unit, in which Moore students joined a tour group that travelled from Prague through Germany and Switzerland and finished up in England.

Gawura College turns 10

“The indigenous college of St Andrews Cathedral School Sydney, Gawura, celebrated its 10th birthday recently.”

– Report from ABC Radio Sydney.

Related: Gawura College. Photo credit: St. Andrew’s Cathedral School.

Conserving Moore College’s treasures

“In 2016 a special fundraising program was launched to invite people to partner with the Library in conserving some of the most precious items in the Rare Book and Archives collections. …

The photographic collection of the Reverend Dr Frank Cash (1887-1964) carries great historical significance as it documents in hundreds of images the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. For decades, most of these images have remained in their original form as glass plate negatives and lantern slides – fragile and inaccessible formats. Now they have all been digitised and are available on Myrrh…”

– Generous gifts have helped close the gap in funding important conservation at Moore College.

Car wash to become homeless aged care centre

“In the inner-city suburb of Darlinghurst, early work has begun on an aged care centre catering for homeless men and women.

The 42-bed centre will be operated by the charity HammondCare, on a site previously occupied by a car wash. …”

– Story from ABC News.

Artist’s impression of the new centre via St. John’s Darlinghurst.

Craig Roberts to be new Youthworks CEO

Here’s an announcement from Youthworks –

“The Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Rev Glenn Davies, and Youthworks Council Chair, the Rev Chris Braga are most pleased to announce the appointment of the Rev Craig Roberts BEc BD(Hons) DipMin MA(Theol) to the position of Chief Executive Officer of Youthworks.  Craig will be joining Youthworks after fourteen years as the Senior Minister at Neutral Bay Anglican Church.  Read more

ACL Annual General Meeting 2017 Report

ACL Council member Caitlin Hurley reports on this year’s Annual General Meeting, held in the Chapter House of St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, on Thursday 8th June 2017.   Read more

‘Bishop of South Sydney says yoga and meditation classes could be banned from church facilities’

“Yoga and meditation classes held in some Sydney Anglican churches could be banned after concerns have been raised that the spiritual aspects of the practices aren’t compatible with church teachings.”

– Bishop Michael Stead was interviewed on ABC 702 by Robbie Buck.

The Robinson-Knox view of Church — Interview with Chase Kuhn

“If you’ve grown up in Sydney Anglican churches chances are your understanding of what church is and what it’s for has been significantly shaped (perhaps unknowingly!) by two people – Donald W. B. Robinson and D. Broughton Knox.

However, no one has undertaken a systematic and extended articulation and appraisal of this approach to church …. until now – we chat to Moore College lecturer Chase Kuhn about his new book The Ecclesiology of Donald Robinson and D. Broughton Knox.”

– Read it all at The Australian Church Record.

Broughton Knox: servant of Christ Jesus

“More than a hundred years ago, Broughton Knox, Principal of Moore College from 1959 until 1985 and one of the most influential figures in the history of the Diocese, was born.

He was a man loved by many and yet he deeply irritated others. For forty years he was a dominant force in the Diocese of Sydney, shaping generations of clergy and impacting the core convictions of the diocese.

He shaped its theological college, Moore College, into a modern institution capable of making a significant contribution on the world stage. Then, after retiring from a record principalship of the College in 1985, he accepted an invitation to found another college in South Africa, George Whitefield College, which today is playing a strategic role in equipping the burgeoning churches on that vast continent.

What was it that animated Broughton Knox throughout his ministry and his life as a disciple of Christ? …”

– Moore College Principal, Dr Mark Thompson, writes about his renowned predecessor – at the Moore College website.

 

Moore Theological College Open Week, May 8 – 12, 2017

Moore College is holding its next Open Week from Monday 8th May.

Click the image for a larger version, or go here for details of what’s on.

Marriage booklets out

“More than 65,000 booklets discussing God’s plan for marriage in light of the current push for its redefinition are being distributed to Sydney churches.

The 20-page booklet opens up the question (which is also its title), What has God joined together? Jesus’ good message about marriage for Australia. The publication outlines the biblical view on marriage and answers some common challenges to that view in the context of the same-sex marriage debate.…”

– Story from SydneyAnglicans.net.

See above for Archbishop Davies’ video introduction to the companion website.

Moore Matters — Autumn 2017

The latest issue of Moore Matters, the Moore College newsletter, is now available.

Copies have been sent to churches, but if you missed out, you can download your copy from the College – on this page – or here’s the direct link to the file (a 10.5MB PDF file).

Among the articles is this one from Colin Bale on Marcus Loane’s Masters of the English Reformation:

“Marcus Loane’s Masters of the English Reformation was first published in 1954 and remains in print sixty-three years later.

The long period of the work being in print is a testimony not only to its important focus but also to its readability for successive generations.

The book presents biographical profiles of five key English reformers—Thomas Bilney, William Tyndale, Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley and Thomas Cranmer—showing how they contended for the truth in the period 1516 to 1556. Loane describes the vfie men as ‘Masters’ because, convicted of the truth of the gospel, their contributions were incredibly significant to the cause of Reformation in England.”

Read it all on page 10.

Also in this issue:

 

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