Religion in schools to go God-free
Victorian state primary school students will soon have an alternative — religious education lessons taught by people who do not believe in God and say there is “no evidence of any supernatural power”.
The Humanist Society of Victoria has developed a curriculum, which the State Government accreditation body says it intends to approve, to deliver 30-minute lessons each week of “humanist applied ethics” to primary pupils. …
– The Age.
Britain heading for a “massacre of carols” this Christmas
Traditional Christmas carols are being wrecked by politically correct vicars who are altering well-known words because they think their congregations will not understand them or will find them offensive.…
– Ruth Gledhill writes at Times Online. (Photo: Times Online.)
Robert Gagnon responds to Newsweek
Dr. Robert A. J. Gagnon of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary has written a lengthy reply to the Newsweek article (see earlier links: Newsweek goes for Gay Marriage, and Sola scriptura minus the scriptura).
Dr Gagnon’s response analyses and dismantles the Newsweek argument. Well worth reading. PDF file (direct link) at www.robgagnon.net.
(Photo: Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.)
Derek Kidner (1913–2008) with the Lord
From Justin Taylor –
“I’ve heard confirmation that OT scholar Derek Kidner has gone to be with the Lord. The memorial service was held last Friday.
Kidner, an ordained Anglican priest, held the following positions:
- Curate of St. Nicholas, Sevenoaks (1941-1947)
- Vicar of Felsted (1947-1951)
- Senior Tutor at Oak Hill Theological College (1951-1964)
- Warden of Tyndale House in Cambridge (1964-1978)
He was known for his engaging, insightful, and accessible work on the Old Testament.”
(Image: cover of Derek Kidner’s Bible Speaks Today commentary on Ecclesiastes, 1976.)
Rector’s Journal: Failed negotiations, email exchanges, an ambush…
Matt Kennedy outlines his church’s interaction with the TEC’s Diocese of Central New York.
“On Friday December 12th, 2008, the Diocese of Central New York will attempt to takeover both the property and the assets belonging the Church of the Good Shepherd. …”
– at Stand Firm.
Sydney Standing Committee ‘warmly welcomes’ new Province
Anglican Diocese of Sydney
Media Release 8 December 2008
The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Sydney has welcomed the creation of the Province of the Anglican Church in North America.
At its December 8 meeting, the committee passed the following resolution –
“Standing Committee, noting that a provisional constitution for the Province of the Anglican Church in North America was adopted on 3 December 2008, warmly welcomes the creation of the new Province, and sends our greetings to the faithful men and women who have taken this significant step forward in gospel mission, and assures them of our prayers for God’s blessing on the Province as it works to make Jesus known and as it represents orthodox North American Anglicans in the councils of the Anglican Communion.”
Short and Packer honoured
Distinguished Anglican theologian JI Packer and the Rev David Short have been appointed honorary clerical canons of Sydney’s St Andrew’s Cathedral.
Both Dr Packer and Mr Short had their licenses removed by the Canadian Anglican leadership when their church, St. John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver, voted to realign with the Province of the Southern Cone. …
– Russell Powell reports at SydneyAnglicans.net
Episcopal Diocese of L.A. officially condones the blessing of gay unions
The bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles has announced that church leaders can bless the unions of same-sex couples as a matter of policy.
The Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, whose diocese encompasses Los Angeles County and five other Southern California counties, made the announcement Friday during a diocesan convention in Riverside. …
– Report from The Los Angeles Times.
Archbishop Peter Akinola interviewed by Nigerian media
“I saw a card with the inscription, season greetings, and I said what season? Winter season or rainy season? If we are celebrating Christmas, then we are celebrating Christmas season, not any other season but the birth of the Christ.
Christ is the centre, and purpose and essence of Christmas celebration, so if you remove Christ from the card and the greeting, then, what are you people talking about? To the ordinary person, it is a harmless thing but if you look at the background, and you see what is happening around, then you will know it is not ordinary. It is part of the game of the anti-Christ to remove Christ and not only that, to remove all Christian emblems from public domain.…”
– Published in The Nigerian Tribune, this interview with Archbishop Peter Akinola covers GAFCON, the church in Nigeria, the church in the West, and celebrating Christmas.
Anglican Coalition in Canada welcomes new Province
Dec 6th 2008 – Vancouver, Canada
The Anglican Coalition in Canada is pleased to announce its full participation in the emerging Province called the Anglican Church in North America. This new province was called into existence by the GAFCON Primates, representing the vast majority of the Anglican Church worldwide. Read more
GAFCON Primates’ Council welcomes North American Province
Primates of the GAFCON Primates’ Council meeting in London have issued the following statement about the Province of the Anglican Church in North America.
“We welcome the news of the North American Anglican Province in formation. We fully support this development with our prayer and blessing, since it demonstrates the determination of these faithful Christians to remain authentic Anglicans.
North American Anglicans have been tragically divided since 2003 when activities condemned by the clear teaching of Scripture and the vast majority of the Anglican Communion were publicly endorsed. This has left many Anglicans without a proper spiritual home. The steps taken to form the new Province are a necessary initiative. A new Province will draw together in unity many of those who wish to remain faithful to the teaching of God’s word, and also create the highest level of fellowship possible with the wider Anglican Communion.
Furthermore, it releases the energy of many Anglican Christians to be involved in mission, free from the difficulties of remaining in fellowship with those who have so clearly disregarded the word of God.
6th December, 2008 AD.”
– Available at the GAFCON website. (Photo: Joy Gwaltney.)
Christians in Jos are ‘scapegoats’, says bishop
“Christians in northern Nigeria have said that inaccurate reporting of riots in Jos at the weekend could fuel further Muslim violence against them. The worst sectarian violence in recent years claimed around 400 lives, a figure which the Bishop of Jos, the Rt Revd Ben Kwashi, said was likely to rise. …”
– Pat Ashworth reports for Church Times. See also this story by Ruth Gledhill for Times Online.
More information – and disturbing pictures – at the new website of the Anglican Diocese of Jos.
North American Anglican Province Formed
A new Province of the Anglican Church in North America, a rival province to The Episcopal Church USA complete with a provisional constitution and nine canons was birthed today with 700 churches and 100,000 church-going members. A formal ratification of the constitution and canons will take place in a provincial assembly in six months in Bedford, Texas at St. Vincent’s cathedral in the diocese of Ft. Worth.
It is historic and unprecedented, said Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan moderator of the Anglican Communion Network. “It is an extraordinary day for us. We have reversed 40 years of Anglican history and years of division among The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church in Canada. Today we bring together 11 jurisdictions in Canada and across the US. Today marks 5 years of labor and attempts to come together.”
– full story from VirtueOnline. (image from Anglican TV stream.)
Constitution Approved for New Province
VirtueOnline reports:
“VirtueOnline has learned that new a Constitution and Canons has been approved of by the Common Cause Council with no abstentions to establish a new North American Anglican Province.
A Christ Awakening event is being held here on the campus of Wheaton College prior to the formal announcement of a new Anglican Province later tonight.…”
– image from the Anglican TV stream of the gathering in Wheaton.
Historic Common Cause event tomorrow (Aust time)
From the Anglican Network of Canada:
“The Common Cause Partnership bishops (including ANiC’s Bishop Don Harvey) met Monday and today near Chicago. Today and tomorrow the full Common Cause Council… meets to finalize a draft constitution for a new North American Church which will be officially launched on Wednesday evening at a celebration service.
AnglicanTV plans to live stream the Common Cause celebration service from Wheaton, Illinois on Wednesday (Dec 3) at 7:30pm Central Standard Time [Noon Thursday Sydney time]. Earlier in the day, AnglicanTV will also live stream a news conference – at 5:30pm CST [10:00am Thursday Sydney time] – at which the constitution of the new Anglican Church in North America will be released.”
Other details from Anglican TV.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…