President of Episcopal Divinity School: ‘Abortion is a Blessing’
“The announcement on Monday, March 30 that The Rev. Dr. Katherine Ragsdale was appointed as the sixth and newest president of Episcopal Divinity School (EDS) in Cambridge, MA, has orthodox and pro-life Episcopalians shaking their heads. …”
– Report from Catholic Online. (Photo credit: Jon Chase for the Boston Globe.)
h/t Anglican Mainstream.
Does your pastor believe in God?
A news report from the Netherlands points to a form of theological insanity that is spreading far beyond the Dutch. Ecumenical News International reports that church authorities in the Netherlands have decided not to take action against a Dutch pastor who openly declares himself to be an atheist. …
Such is the world of liberal Protestantism. …
– Al Mohler on the suicide of a church.
(While not exactly the same topic, you might enjoy this item.)
‘Get into the Bible’ — Packer to a new believer
Dr Jim Packer gives sound advice a new Christian.
See the 3 minute video file at Vimeo.
(Recorded by Mike Anderson – h/t Justin Taylor.)
Michael Nazir-Ali to step down
The Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali has announced his decision to step down as the Bishop of Rochester, one of the most senior positions in the Church of England. …
– Story from The Telegraph. (Photo: Joy Gwaltney, GAFCON.)
The latest from Canada
It’s a little way off, but you might plan to hear Lesley Bentley, spokeswoman for the Anglican Network in Canada (and member of St John’s Shaughnessy) when she visits Sydney in May.
She’ll be speaking on the state of the Anglican Church in Canada, and the story of the Anglican Network in Canada. The meeting is being hosted by St. Andrew’s Roseville, 8:00–9:30pm on Tuesday 12th May.
Download a PDF flier (180kb, direct link).
Tornoto bishop on same sex blessings
Bishop Patrick Yu, Bishop of the York-Scarborough Episcopal Area in the Diocese of Toronto, was interviewed by The Anglican Planet, on his growing support for same-sex blessings.
(h/t The Anglican Essentials Canada blog.) Photo: Diocese of Toronto.
‘Episcopal Church prevails in property dispute’
“An El Paso County district judge ruled March 24 that the property and assets of the landmark Grace and St. Stephen’s Church in downtown Colorado Springs are held in trust for the mission and ministry of the Episcopal Church (TEC) and the Denver-based Diocese of Colorado, and ordered a disaffiliated group to vacate the $17 million property. …”
– As seen by the Episcopal Church.
See also this press release (PDF direct link) from Grace and St. Stephen’s Church.
(Photo: ENS.)
The labourers are few
“The number of men in full-time ordained ministry has now dropped by more than a third since 1991 (the year the Church voted to ordain women). … This means that overall there are 2,000 fewer stipendiary clergy than there were in 1991. For an average Diocese that is approximately 46 fewer clergy.
Even more sobering is the comparison with 1963…”
– Church Society’s David Phillips takes a look at the latest numbers for the Church of England. Download the PDF file (direct link) from Church Society.
News from Oak Hill
Oak Hill College in London reports that Church History and Doctrine Lecturer Garry Williams will become Director of the John Owen Centre at London Theological Seminary in July.
And Carl Trueman (Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia) and Peter O’Brien (Moore College) will be visiting lecturers during the second semester of Oak Hill’s 2009/10 academic year. (Photo: LTS.)
‘I am an Episcopalian’
This 2 and a half minute video has been doing the rounds on various Anglican blogs this last weekend. We’re not sure if ‘funny’ is exactly the right word. It’s a spoof on a promotion currently being run by the Episcopal Church.
See it on YouTube.
Latest from Central New York
“After taking the church buildings from Church of the Good Shepherd, the Central New York Episcopal Diocese will seek Friday to take money left to the parish in a will.
The Diocese is apparently not content with the seizure of the church building, rectory and tangible property of church of the Good Shepherd: they also want the money left in trust to the parish in the will of a former member who died in 1986…”
– from the American Anglican Council.
Church of Nigeria on ACiNA
“In pursuance of this section of the Constitution, the Standing Committee of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) resolves that we are in full and abiding communion with the Anglican Church in North America. …”
– Statement from the Standing Committee of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).
Gambling on Good Friday a ‘terrible desecration’
From Anglican Media Melbourne:
Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Philip Freier, today described Tabcorp’s proposed move to allow gambling on Good Friday as a “terrible desecration.”
“Good Friday is a day of profound significance for many Australians because it’s the day we remember Christ’s suffering and death on the cross. Read more
Niagara to begin same-sex blessings
The Bishop of Niagara has informed the Archbishop of Canterbury that his south central Ontario diocese will begin blessing same-sex unions. Writing in the March issue of his diocesan newspaper, the Rt Rev Michael Bird said that in January he met with Dr Rowan Williams at Lambeth Palace to brief the archbishop … that it was his intention to authorize gay blessings…
– Report from George Conger at Religious Intelligence. (Photo: Diocese of Niagara.)
Dallas and Sth Carolina question process
Kendall Harmon reports that the Executive Council of the Diocese of Dallas and the Convention of the Diocese of South Carolina have questioned the ‘election’ of a single candidate, the Rev. Kevin Thew Forrester, as the bishop of the Diocese of Northern Michigan.
(h/t Stand Firm.) See also Bishop-elect Forrester’s answer to critics of his Buddhist practices (pdf file – direct link). Photo: Episcopal News Service.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…