The Lord’s Supper in Human Hands — Epilogue

Available now from The Australian Church Record.

“Sydney’s discussion of lay and diaconal administration of the Lord’s Supper has occurred for some forty years. After a related legal question was referred to it, the Appellate Tribunal handed down its opinion in August 2010. This legal opinion needs to be set within its proper context, and the biblical-theological discussion about the issue needs to continue.”

North West Australia prayer notes — Dec 2010 & Jan 2011

The latest Prayer Notes for the Diocese of North West Australia – and Bishop David Mulready’s Letter – are now available on their website.

Please be encouraged to use them to pray for those who serve Christ, and those who hear of him, in the North West.

Tending the Flock of God

“We gather in this Cathedral to ordain twelve persons as priests in the church of God at a time when there is sustained criticism of leadership in our culture. In both the corporate and political worlds leaders have been accused of looking after their own interests and being out of touch.

By way of contrast the readings at this service paint a radically different picture of what leadership should be like in the household of faith. The readings reflect on both the nature and manner of pastoral leadership…”

– Bishop Trevor Edwards preached this sermon at an ordination at St Saviour’s Cathedral in the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn last weekend.

Planning underway for GAFCON 2

“The GAFCON/FCA Primates Council has announced a leaders conference is being planned for 2011 and the second ‘GAFCON’ for 2012.

The announcement was part of a wide-ranging statement from its October meeting in England, dubbed the ‘Oxford Statement’.

Among its 14 points, the leaders of around two-thirds of the Anglican Communion have come to a common mind on the proposed Anglican covenant…”

– Russell Powell, at SydneyAnglicans.net, reports on The Oxford Statement.

GAFCON/FCA Oxford Statement released

The GAFCON/FCA Primates Council, which recently met in Oxford, has released ‘the Oxford Statement’.

Read it here (PDF file) – there is an introduction from Archbishop Gregory Venables which pertains to the latest developments in England and the current meeting of the General Synod.

Also available on the GAFCON website.

New website for Reformers bookshop

Reformers Bookshop at Stanmore has an updated website with lots of improvements.

Ethics Classes announcement ‘impoverishes education’

Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney Media Statement
Ethics Classes announcement ‘impoverishes education’

Archbishop of Sydney and Metropolitan of the Anglican Church in New South Wales, Dr Peter Jensen, says the decision to allow the introduction of ethics lessons during time set aside for Special Religious Education (SRE) is “a bad decision, made under political pressure, which will impoverish the education of many NSW public schoolchildren.”

“Philosophical ethics is not a real alternative to the study of religion and it is unfair to confront parents with the dilemma of having them both taught at the same time. The ‘examined life’ starts with a well-rounded education.” Dr Jensen said.

“Our concerns are for the children who now will be denied an introduction to the great questions posed by the faith-traditions. For example, even though the ethics lesson plans were not publicly released, it is apparent that they did not include clear guidance on right and wrong.”

“I congratulate Barry O’Farrell and the Liberal and National parties for their opposition to this change and their commitment to take seriously the other solutions the Premier and the Minister declined to consider” the Archbishop said.

“The Anglican Church is committed to the future of public education. The thousands of volunteer scripture teachers and helpers will continue to do their utmost to deliver an orderly, challenging and educationally-rich program in schools, week by week, for all ages.”

23rd November 2010 AD

Churches applaud Opposition’s announcement

23 November 2010 – a second press release today from the NSW Council of Churches –

The NSW Council of Churches applauds the decision of the Opposition to not continue Ethics Classes in NSW Schools if it is elected in 2011.

“The voters of NSW can now decide on this important issue,” Rev Richard Quadrio said late today.

“The so-called Ethics Trial taught valueless ethics described by one principal as leaving students without a moral compass.”

“Mr O’Farrell had made some very positive statements regarding this issue and now is to be congratulated for clarifying their position on this issue and giving the people of NSW an alternative,” said Rev Richard Quadrio

The churches never endorse any political party in elections but encourage all its members to vote on the issues.

“The future of scripture teaching in schools is an important issue to many people of faith,” said Rev Richard Quadrio.

‘Churches will fight for SRE in the March election’

Press release from the NSW Council of Churches –

The decision by the government today on Ethics classes is a cynical attempt by a mortally wounded government to try to revive itself before the March election. While some members like Minister Verity Firth will gain a few local votes in inner Sydney by this decision, the widespread Church backlash will cost many more votes across the state.

President of the NSW Council of Churches, Rev Richard Quadrio is calling people of all religious persuasions to see this for what it really is – “an attack on people of faith.”

“The so called Ethics Trial taught valueless ethics described by one principal as leaving students without a moral compass.”   Read more

ANiC ordinations

On Sunday (November 21), Anglican Network in Canada Bishops Don Harvey and Trevor Walters ordained four deacons (the Revs Keith Ganzer, Aaron Roberts, Doug Beattie, and David McElrea) to the priesthood. The service was held at the Broadmoor Baptist Church in Richmond, British Columbia.

Ed Hird has posted some brief segments of Dr J I Packer’s ordination sermon on his YouTube channel.

It’s a good reminder to pray for all affected by last week’s court decision.

Festschrift for Bill Dumbrell

Last Friday, Bill Dumbrell was presented with a copy of a Festschrift, An Everlasting Covenant: Biblical and Theological Essays in Honour of William J. Dumbrell, at a dinner at the Presbyterian Theological Centre.

Details at Steven Coxhead’s blog, Berith Road.

‘Dissident Anglican priests have to move — but not before Christmas’

“Neither side in a long, bitter war over Anglican Church property in Vancouver and Abbotsford expects any Christmas services will have to be moved elsewhere this December.

But Vancouver-area Anglican Bishop Michael Ingham began moving Tuesday to replace the dissident priests at four congregations that have failed to obtain legal control of Anglican Church properties valued at more than $20 million…”

– report from The Vancouver Sun on how the court decision will affect ‘dissident priests’ and their congregations. Your prayers would doubtless be appreciated.

(Statement from the Diocese of New Westminster here.)

BC Court of Appeal dismisses appeal

From The Anglican Network in Canada –

“The congregations have always said that if they are forced to choose between their buildings and their faith, they will choose their faith. That position remains unchanged.”

15 November 2010

In a decision released today, the BC Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by four Anglican Network in Canada churches in the Vancouver area.

The four parishes – St John’s (Vancouver), St Matthews (Abbotsford), Good Shepherd (Vancouver), and St Matthias & St Luke’s (Vancouver) – had appealed a November 25, 2009 decision of Mr Justice Stephen Kelleher awarding beneficial ownership of church properties to the Diocese of New Westminster in the case involving the split in the Anglican Church. The Diocese of New Westminster’s counter appeal of Mr Justice Kelleher’s decision granting a sizeable bequest to the ANiC congregation of the Church of the Good Shepherd was also dismissed.   Read more

Christians flee Iraq

ABC Television’s Ben Knight reports from Amman, Jordan on “a frightening picture” for Christians in Iraq.

Related story.

New book on The Thirty-Nine Articles

Available now from Moore Books.

A new book: Defining Convictions and Decisive Commitments: The Thirty-Nine Articles in Contemporary Anglicanism – by Michael Jensen of Moore Theological College and Tom Frame St Mark’s National Theological Centre in Canberra, is now available.

They write:

“We firmly believe that the Articles have a continuing place in the life of the Anglican Church of Australia because they deserve such a place. In our view the Articles are a treasury of wholesome doctrine and ought to serve as the basis for assessing new thinking and novel customs. We are convinced that the Articles point to a distinctly Anglican approach to theology and ecclesiology, and are worthy of close attention and sustained study. Rather than have the Articles overlooked in the hope that they might quietly fade from view, we argue that Anglicans ought to pay closer attention to the Articles.   Read more

← Previous Page — Next Page →