Archbishop of Sydney in rallying call to Church of Ireland evangelicals
Delivering an extensive survey and commentary on the current inter-Anglican crisis over human sexuality last week at an open meeting of the Evangelical Fellowship of Irish Clergy (EFIC), the Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Revd Peter Jensen, issued a rallying call to Church of Ireland evangelicals to be vigilant that no “official act which endorses sin” should take place in the Church of Ireland. …
– The Church of Ireland Gazette. (Photo: Joy Gwaltney)
Cathedral to celebrate Graham Crusades
Chris Moroney, Senior Minister at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, writes –
“[W]e are holding a special Thanksgiving Service for the Billy Graham Crusades in Australia. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the first Billy Graham Crusade in Sydney. It was a very exciting and significant time in the life of our churches, here in Sydney and in many other parts of Australia. Many of our key leaders were converted at the Billy Graham Crusades. Our own Archbishop, Peter Jensen, and his brother Phillip Jensen, the Dean of Sydney, were among those converted at that time.
This will be a special time to gather with people from all our Anglican Churches and fellow Christians from other denominations and give thanks to God for his gracious work of gospel proclamation and personal conversion.
The service will be led by the Dean and the Archbishop will be preaching. We will also be praying for ongoing gospel outreach, and taking up a collection specifically for evangelism. Copies of the DVD Remembering ’59 will also be available for sale.”
2:00pm Saturday 9th May 2009, St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney.
Download a PDF advertisement (with thanks to the Cathedral). Please pass on this news.
The amazing new iBible
Yes, it’s a spoof, but you might enjoy this YouTube video. A bit of light relief. (h/t Michael Kellahan.)
Standing with those who stand in Scotland
The Fellowship of Confessing Churches in Scotland seeks your prayers and invites your support –
“The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland meeting in May 2009 will hear an appeal against the decision of the Presbytery of Aberdeen to induct into a charge a minister who has openly declared himself to be living in a homosexual relationship.
If the Assembly votes to support the Presbytery of Aberdeen, it will publicly declare such behaviour as acceptable and honourable for a leader in Christ’s church. This would mark a historic departure for our church from the teaching of the catholic Christian faith, and a radical deviation from the clear Scriptural pattern that recognises the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman as the only proper place for sexual intimacy—a pattern which our church has hitherto always publicly affirmed.
To now declare explicitly an active homosexual lifestyle as holy, something the Bible unambiguously calls sin … would be immensely damaging for the cause of Christ in Scotland and disastrous for the national church. …”
Dr William Philip (St George’s-Tron in Glasgow) and other members of The Fellowship of Confessing Churches invite Christians worldwide to stand with them in prayer – and to indicate support of their call to the Church of Scotland General Assembly 2009 to uphold biblical orthodoxy on the issue of human sexuality. See the website to signify your support.
The Financial Breakdown: A Spiritual Diagnosis
How to make sense of the Global Financial Crisis? How should Christians think about debt-based financial systems?
Dr Paul Mills is an economist and a Christian. He spoke last week at Capitol Hill Baptist Church’s Henry Forum. What message might this have for Sydney Anglicans?
More importantly how might we turn conversations about the financial meltdown to the Lord Jesus Christ? Hear the talk and question time from the CHBC website.
Carson on David Peterson on Acts
Don Carson writes the Editor’s Preface to David Peterson’s newly-released Pillar Commentary on The Acts of the Apostles –
“His commentary focusses on what the text actually says, and his judgments are invariably sane, even-handed, judicious. While unpacking exegetical details, Peterson is careful to keep scanning the horizon so as to establish the larger vision. Moreover, his own commitments as a churchman, lecturer in New Testament, and long-time Principal of Oak Hill Theological College mean that he knows what kinds of information pastors and students want and need.”
– The book is available now at Moore Books. h/t Andy Naselli.
New Archbishop of Kenya elected
“The Rt. Rev. Dr. Eliud W. Wabukala was elected the 5th Primate and Archbishop of Kenya in a very peaceful, joyous and orderly election process by a 158 member Electoral College of the Anglican Church of Kenya that was gathered at the All Saints Cathedral on 24th April, 2009. Among him were other three contesting bishops namely:- Rt. Rev. Stephen Kewasis, Rt. Rev. Samson Mwaluda and Rt. Rev. Joseph Wasonga.
Bishop Eliud, 58, is married to Karen and blessed with five adult children between thirty and twenty one years old.
Archbishop-Elect Eliud Wabukala will succeed the Most Rev. Dr. Benjamin Nzimbi who retires on 30th June, 2009. Bishop Wabukala was consecrated and enthroned the first Bishop of Bungoma Diocese on 13th October, 1996 where he has served for the last thirteen years.
Bishop Wabukala will be enthroned the Fifth Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya on Sunday 5th July, 2009 at the All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi at 10.00 a.m.”
– Source: Press release from The Anglican Church of Kenya.
(More from Religious Intelligence.)
Harvard Law Professor declines prestigious award
“The speech by pro-choice President Obama at the Catholic Notre Dame has caused all sorts of trouble.
It now turns out that Mary Ann Glendon, the former U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican, will NOT speak at the Notre Dame Graduation because of the controversy. The pro-life, Harvard professor was set to receive the Laetare Medal which is the annual award given in recognition of outstanding service to the Roman Catholic church and society. …”
– Story from CBN News. (h/t Stand Firm. Photo: Harvard Law School.)
Related: ‘Secretary of state Clinton admits Obama will work to dismantle abortion laws around the world’ – from Lifesite News. (h/t Anglican Mainstream.)
Two huge errors
“One of the reasons that it is hugely important that we let the Pastorals influence our mode of ministry and the shape of our church life is that two huge errors have bedeviled the Western church for closing in on two hundred years now. …”
– Justin Taylor at Between Two Worlds draws attention to this exhortation from Ligon Duncan at last week’s The Gospel Coalition conference. Dr. Duncan’s sermon was on 2 Timothy 4.
(Photo: First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi.)
Outgoing Archbishop of Kenya
As he heads towards retirement this month, Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi, primate of the Anglican Church of Kenya, said that he hopes he leaves behind “a strengthened, transformed province,” one that is “well-grounded in the word of God” and “well-equipped to meet the challenges of the new millennium.”
… “When we talk about same-sex unions, it is to us a big challenge because missionaries, when they came here, taught us that we can’t change the word of God,” said Archbishop Nzimbi.
– article in the Anglican Church of Canada’s Anglican Journal. (h/t Anglican Mainstream. Photo: Jow Gwaltney at GAFCON.)
ACNA ‘announces 28 dioceses’
25 April 2009
Dallas/Fort Worth – Leaders representing Canadian and US orthodox Anglican jurisdictions approved applications for membership of 28 dioceses and dioceses-in-formation and finalized plans for launching the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). Twelve Anglican organizations are uniting to form the ACNA. …
– See the full press release from ACNA (PDF file – direct link) received via e-mail.
Oak Hill 2009 Yearbook online
Oak Hill College in London has made its 2009 Yearbook available online. It’s a good way to get a feel for how this key college is going.
Principal Mike Ovey reflects on the GAFCON Conference and the Jerusalem Declaration –
“the conference was clear-sighted about being Anglican, and what that meant. I cannot resist quoting because the words are so good: ‘The doctrine of the Church is grounded in Holy Scriptures and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In particular, such doctrine is to be found in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, the Book of Common Prayer and the Ordinal.’
…this roots Anglicanism not in robe-wearing or parish organisation or summer fêtes, but in the great truths of the Reformation and salvation by grace through faith alone…”
– Download the Yearbook – a 4.3MB PDF file (direct link) from the Oak Hill website.
Tasty evangelism resource
Lesley Ramsay’s new book A Taste for Life has just been released.
It’s a terrific evangelistic giveaway book for women and features 10 mouth-watering recipes.
On sale from Evangelism Ministries in Sydney, the books are $9.90 each.
Bulk discounts: 10-29 copies: $7.70 each; 30 + copies: $5.50 each (plus post and packing).
Lambeth / GAFCON forum for Newcastle
On Tuesday May 12th, the Bishop of Newcastle, Brian Farran, will be joined by Robert Forsyth, Bishop of South Sydney to disuss the recent Conferences of Lambeth and GAFCON.
In an open forum to parishioners and clergy they will discuss:
• How and why these conferences came about?
• Why some chose to attend one and not the other?
• Is there any concern as to a fracture within the Anglican Communion in Australia?
• How we can understand the different thoughts of each area and where our points of agreement meet?
Where: All Saints’ Church, New Lambton, (Cnr St James Road and Regent St)
When: Tuesday 12th May. Time: 7pm.
– from the Diocese of Newcastle.
Stephen Hale to move to St Hilary’s Kew
From Anglican Media Melbourne –
“Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Philip Freier, has announced that two Melbourne assistant bishops, Bishop Stephen Hale and Bishop Barbara Darling, are soon to take up new appointments within the Diocese. Read more
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…