Remembering Broughton Knox after 30 years
David Broughton Knox, Principal of Moore College 1959–1985, was called home 30 years ago, on January 14th 1994.
Who was Broughton Knox? Take the time to read these two tributes:
“There were many strands in Broughton’s complex make-up as husband and father, teacher and friend. But all who knew him know that his life was ruled by a profound faith in God. That life was to span just a shade over seventy seven years from the time of his birth. And they were years crowded with quiet achievement as well as moments of high drama.
It was a life rich in friendship, in world-wide contacts, and in special fields of service. And it has left a mark for God that will endure in and beyond his own generation. …”
And Donald Robinson, Archbishop of Sydney 1982–1993, wrote a tribute for ACL News in 1994:
“It is no doubt too soon to estimate Broughton’s full contribution to the Australian Church. We can note something of its character, its thrust, and its scope, and we can voice our gratitude where we have personally been its beneficiaries.
Broughton was a theological person, whose mind and heart was focussed on the living God as He has made himself known. …”
See also:
Broughton Knox: servant of Christ Jesus – Dr Mark Thompson, May 15, 2017.
The Legacy of David Broughton Knox – October 24th 2018.
Expository Preaching on the wane? — David Cook, August 20th 2020.
Man articles by D B Knox – at Matthias Media’s The Briefing website.
A quote from Dr Knox’s address at the Annual General Meeting of the Anglican Church League in July 1993:
“We mustn’t limit the gospel to the feudalism of the past. Our present territorial boundaries, like a diocese or a parish, are feudal. … where the gospel is needed to be preached, we ought to be preaching it.”
Shortly before he and Ailsa left to help establish George Whitefield College in Cape Town in 1989, he spoke at Moore College on “What is a Christian?” – and prefaced his address with some comments on what he hoped to do in South Africa. (While the Vimeo page has the date as 12/10/1980, the year is almost certainly 1988.)
Thanks to Moore College’s Donald Robinson Library for making this available.
2024 Summer Prayer Diary
“Our summers are filled with camps, conferences and missions. People across greater Sydney are diving deep into God’s word and taking it out to those who need to hear it.
So we’ve put together a 10-day prayer diary featuring some of the great kingdom initiatives that could use our prayer.”
– A great resource from Tara Sing at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Photo: Sans Souci swimming baths, Summer 1957.
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s Christmas sermon 2023
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel shared the good news of the Lord Jesus at the 10:00am service at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney this morning.
Speaking of the Lord Jesus, he reminded us, “There is no other Saviour. … No other has provided purification for sins.”
Watch here. (Link should go to the start of the sermon – or see the service from the start here.)
Related:
Two Ways to Live – a very helpful outline of the Christian message.
Kanishka Raffel: We must not lose sight of this simple Christmas message
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has written this editorial which was published in The Daily Telegraph today.
What can we say when people come face to face with evil? How can we make sense of this desperate world? We need a word from God, which is exactly what Christmas is. God has spoken through his Son, Jesus.
Full text below:
The beginning of this year seemed to offer a ‘fresh start’ as we came out of COVID. Yet, as 2023 unfolded, the cost of living rose beyond the means of many, we witnessed with grief and horror, man-made calamity in war and conflict, as well as natural disasters, tragic accidents, and terrible crimes.
We in Australia were not isolated from the international conflicts. Many have family and friends in war-torn areas and watch helpless as the television news brings the horrors into our lounge rooms. In Gaza, Israeli hostages are held by the terrorists while civilians have been tragically killed or displaced. The salt in mothers’ tears is the same, whether they are in Ukraine, Sudan or the Middle East. In far too many places around the world, children suffer in wars and conflicts not of their own making.
Neither have we been insulated from rising inflation and the consequent effect on interest rates. The price of grocery items soared as home-owners were hit by five increases in interest rates this year. According to the research by Anglicare in its Rental Affordability Snapshot, the crisis in housing security has deepened for those in low-income households and the most vulnerable family groups. Basic affordable housing is beyond the reach of single parents, or single people, on any of the various welfare payments. The crisis in affordability has been made worse by rental availability plunging to levels not seen for more than a decade.
During COVID, there was a rise in domestic violence and we continue to see cases resulting in the death of women of all ages. I am told that younger women, between the ages of 18 to 34 years, are at greatest risk. These are terrible statistics and I commend the work of services such as 1800 Respect (1800 737 732). No women should have to suffer any form of abuse or coercive control. This is not God’s way for our families.
The introduction, last month, of the Voluntary Assisted Dying laws is a backward step for our society. Although introduced with what many consider to be the strictest protocols, I believe this will create pressure on already under resourced palliative care and diminish our commitment to protecting and valuing every human life.
We have seen this play out in Canada, a country not unlike our own. While euthanasia was introduced in 2016, initially only for the terminally ill, it now accounts for 4 percent of all deaths in that country. New measures next year will extend the availability of assisted suicide in Canada to situations where a person’s sole medical condition is a mental illness.
The idea that all human life is inherently precious was not generally affirmed in the world into which Jesus Christ was born (although it was a tenet of Judaism). It spread with the growth of early Christianity and finds expression today in the UN Declaration of Human Rights.
Laws create culture. Practices shape values and community expectations. For two thousand years, Christian teaching has asserted the inestimable value of the individual created in the image of God and precious by virtue of life’s sanctity, not merely life’s utility or quality. We abandon that principle at our peril.
The horrors we see overseas, reach deep into our society too, as the Middle East conflict has brought a rise in anti-semitic sentiment. Flag burnings and aggressive verbal incitements to violence against Jewish people have shocked and repulsed our city. The sin of antisemitism has a long and shameful history. It must be repudiated in the strongest terms, so in October, I joined other faith leaders in calling for national unity and harmony so that our multi-cultural, multi-faith community may continue to thrive without hate or violence.
What can we say when people come face to face with evil? How can we make sense of this desperate world? We need a word from God, which is exactly what Christmas is. God has spoken through his Son, Jesus. The Bible describes Jesus as the Word of God – he is God’s word to us in good times and in bad.
When God came into the world he came in the vulnerability of childhood. He was born, amidst whispers of scandal, to an unwed mother. His parents searched fruitlessly for a place to stay. The secular power of the day sought his death and propelled his family to flee their home. He was born, unmistakeably, into this world with all its threats and insecurities, especially for children and the poor.
Yet, Jesus came to bring a word from God. To those who received him he gave the right to become children of God, St John says in the majestic opening to his Gospel. To a world wearied by war, human wickedness, death and decay – Jesus speaks a word of life, light, hope and adoption into God’s family.
Rising costs may have forced a stripped-down Christmas this year yet when you strip away the tinsel you have the simple message of Christmas, so simple a child can believe and yet so substantial that its wonders and glories can fill our hearts and sustain us through life’s challenges. At its heart the message of Christmas is nothing other than Jesus, and nothing better than Jesus.
May I wish you and those you love a very happy Christmas.
____________________________
– See also the Archbishop’s shorter Christmas video.
(With thanks to Russell Powell for the text. Image: SydneyAnglicans.net)
A word from God to a desperate world
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has released his Christmas video for 2023.
Great to share.
Posted, with some background, at SydneyAnglicans.net.
See also: Kanishka Raffel: We must not lose sight of this simple Christmas message.
Southern Cross magazine Dec 2023 — Jan 2024
The latest issues of Southern Cross magazine from the Diocese of Sydney is out now.
Copies should be available in churches, and it can also be viewed online or downloaded.
Do take the time to read your copy. Much encouragement.
Moore College farewells The Rev Dr Chase Kuhn
“Moore College’s much-loved lecturer in Christian ethics and theology, The Rev Dr Chase Kuhn, has accepted the Archbishop’s invitation to become the Rector of St Matthias Centennial Park in Sydney. Dr Kuhn’s long-standing love of church-based pastoral ministry means that this move has not surprised any who know him.
While we will be very sad to see him go, we are so glad that he is able to use his very considerable gifts in the service of this community of God’s people. We share the joy of this opportunity with Chase, Amy and the family. …”
The how and why of Bible reading – and why we should do it more
“According to the recent National Church Life Survey, 47 per cent of Sydney Anglicans say they read their Bible every day and 75 per cent of them a few times a week. This is a very encouraging statistic!
During the pandemic, newspapers reported something of a revival in personal “spiritual practices”, including reading “holy texts”, prayer and meditation. No doubt many Christians also found that being forced to stay at home lent itself to reviving personal Bible reading and time with God in a more disciplined way.
The Scriptures emphasise both the importance and also the sheer joy and privilege of meeting God in his word …”
– Archbishop Kanishka Raffel encourages us to continue to hear and respond to God’s word. He writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Resources to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
From SydneyAnglicans.net:
“Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has commended the work of Anglicare as the world marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls on November 25. …”
Image: Anglicare resources website.
Meet the late starter taking up Chappo’s flag
“In Christian terms, Dave Jensen could be considered a late starter. When the figures tell us that 78 per cent of Christians turn to faith in the years up to age 19, conversion in his late twenties has made him a determined spreader of the good news. …”
– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Russell Powell writes of Dave Jensen’s new role.
Related:
What is a Christian? — book by Dave Jensen.
Southern Cross magazine November – December 2023
The latest issue of the Diocese of Sydney’s Southern Cross magazine for November – December 2023 is online. Download it here.
Printed copies will also be available in churches.
Howard Guinness and the beginnings of evangelical university ministry in Australia
At an event at Moore College on 1st November, Dr Ruth Lukabyo spoke on the legacy of Dr Howard Guinness –
“Dr Howard Guinness, of the well-known Irish brewing family, was sent to Australia in 1930 by Inter-Varsity Fellowship to develop Christian student groups on university campuses. His visit was the catalyst for the establishment of Sydney University and Melbourne University Evangelical Unions on the basis of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
During his later parish ministry in Broadway and Vaucluse, his ongoing involvement in EU missions has left a lasting legacy in university campus ministry.”
– The video is now available to watch. (At time of posting, the event begins 37 minutes and 30 seconds into the video, though the video might later be edited.)
At the end of Dr Lukabyo’s presentation, Mary Jones, Howard’s daughter, shares recollections of her father.
Related:
Howard and Dorothy Mowll – Global Anglican Pioneers
Published recently by Latimer Publications in the UK, “Howard and Dorothy Mowll – Global Anglican Pioneers” is sure to be of interest to many.
From the Latimer Trust website:
“God’s blessing upon the Diocese of Sydney in the election of Howard Mowll as its sixth Diocesan Bishop in 1933 is clearly evident in these pages.
Despite the inadvertent loss of his personal papers, the authors of this fine anthology provide an insightful and informative account of the ministry of Archbishop Mowll across four continents. These scholarly chapters provide a rich tapestry of the outstanding leadership of Mowll not only in the Diocese of Sydney but throughout Australia and beyond. His zeal for a robust theological education, energetic evangelism and a vision for youth ministry made a formidable impact on Evangelical Anglicanism in Sydney.
This book is long overdue in celebrating the legacy of Howard Mowll, arguably the most significant and effective Archbishop of Sydney of the twentieth century.
Glenn N Davies, Archbishop of Sydney 2013-2021.”
The book has its origin in the 2021 Moore College Library Day and is edited by Erin Mollenhauer, Senior Archivist and Special Collections Librarian at Moore College’s Donald Robinson Library.
It’s available direct from Latimer Trust – and also via these booksellers.
“Jesus has come to invade the realm of darkness”
“Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has visited the Diocese’s newest Anglican building, Leppington Anglican Church, celebrating ministry to what has become known as the ‘new southwest’. …
The church’s opening was disrupted by COVID and the service was the first opportunity to mark the event. …”
– Leppington opens as ‘new SouthWest’ emerges.
Russell Powell writes of Hope Anglican Church at Leppington.
Embedded in the article is the video of the service, including an interview with the Archbishop, and his sermon. The Archbishop reminds us, “Jesus has come to invade the realm of darkness”.
“To know and love the indigenous people of this land”
In his response to the Voice Referendum result, Archbishop Kanishka Raffel says there should be renewed effort towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ministry.
“The people of Australia have now spoken on the Voice to Parliament,” the Archbishop said in a statement. “Whatever your reaction to the outcome it is timely to remember what the Sydney Anglican Indigenous Peoples Ministry Committee affirmed this year – it is God’s voice that is sovereign over all peoples and lands.”…
– Read Russell Powell’s report at SydneyAnglicans.net – complete with a brief video message from the Archbishop.
Full statement below:
Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney Public Statement
The people of Australia have now spoken on the Voice to Parliament.
Whatever your reaction to the outcome it is timely to remember what the Sydney Anglican Indigenous Peoples Ministry Committee affirmed this year – it is God’s voice that is sovereign over all peoples and lands.
The conversation around the referendum highlights the need for reconciliation with the indigenous people of this land and should spur us on to the true work of reconciliation through Jesus.
Our ministries of care and education for and by indigenous people, through Anglicare and our schools, are an important part of this.
I was encouraged by our last Synod warmly welcoming and listening to the voices of our indigenous brothers and sisters. I recall the words of the Rev Michael Duckett who challenged us to spend as much time as we have spent talking about the Voice, talking about the spread of the gospel among first nations people.
“Put your efforts and your prayers,” he said “into the spread of the gospel among my people here so the Sydney Diocese can showcase to the world what it means to be reconciled to the First Nations peoples through Christ Jesus.”
What a wonderful and humbling vision! To know and love the indigenous people of this land. To direct our prayers and our efforts into helping to raise up the next generation of ministry leaders. To pray for First Nations people, young and old, to know the Lord.
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us, so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. PS 67:1,2
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel
15 October 2023.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…