Plant rights and lunacy in Switzerland
The failure to distinguish between human beings and the larger animal world is a hallmark of a post-Christian culture. The extension of this ideology to vegetation is a frightening sign of mass delusion. …
Al Mohler on what can happen when you reject a biblical worldview.
Archbishop Greg Venables in San Joaquin: Video
Archbishop of the Southern Cone, Gregory Venables, drew applause when he affirmed the Bible as the revealed Word of God at a special gathering in the Diocese of San Joaquin during the week.
Simply and clearly, Archbishop Venables outlined how the Anglican Communion has arrived at where it is now. The 50 minute video (by Anglican TV) is now available from the Diocese of San Joaquin blog. Well worth watching.
Archbishop Gregory Venables at St John’s Shaughnessy
“People still need to hear about Jesus – and if we don’t tell them, who will?” Archbishop Greg Venables preached at St John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver last Sunday (April 27 2008).
The audio of his sermon has now been posted online. Listen to his challenging and Christ-honouring talk at the St. John’s website.
Direct link to audio: Windows Media. mp3.
TWIST Conference nears
The TWIST08 Music Ministry Conference in Sydney will be held on 7–9 June at the King’s School in Parramatta.
Set up to equip and encourage evangelical Christian music ministry, details of the conference are available from the TWIST website. (Early registration discounts end on 10 May.)
More from the Athabasca synod
The archbishop of Athabasca has issued a letter confirming his diocese’s commitment to the Canadian church and the Anglican Communion after its synod passed motions supporting churches that have left the Anglican Church of Canada and criticising bishops who have gone to court over property issues.
The letter was released after the leader of the Anglican Church of Canada asked the archbishop to explain his synod’s motions. …
– from the Anglican Journal. See also our earlier report.
(Photo of Bishop John Clarke: Diocese of Athabasca)
Fort Worth Bishop Iker to Schori: It’s you who are meddling
Bishop Jack Iker of the Diocese of Forth Worth has responded to TEC Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori’s letter to Archbishop Greg Venables.
Bishop Iker points out that Archbishop Venables is in his diocese by his invitation.
And he has more to say –
April 30, 2008
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
815 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10017Dear Katharine,
I am shocked and saddened by the rude letter you released yesterday to Archbishop Greg Venables, concerning his visit this weekend to the Diocese of Fort Worth. Far from being “an unwarranted interference,” he is coming at my request as an honored visitor and guest speaker.
You should know that under the canons this does not require either your approval or your support. You have no say in this matter. A diocesan bishop is free to invite other bishops to visit and speak in his diocese.
There are no efforts at reconciliation proceeding within this Province, which is one reason why faithful people continue to leave TEC in droves. Your attitude and actions simply reinforce alienation and bring further discord.
Once again, you are the one meddling in the internal affairs of this diocese, and I ask you to stop your unwelcome intrusions.
Faithfully in Christ,
The Rt. Rev. Jack Leo Iker
Bishop of Fort Worthcc: The Archbishop of Canterbury
See the PDF file. (Photo: Diocese of Fort Worth.)
Peter Jensen discusses same-sex law changes
Archbishop Peter Jensen was interviewed yesterday by Eleanor Hall on ABC Radio’s The World Today – on his reaction to changes to federal laws impacting same-sex relationships.
The audio (RealAudio, Windows Media and mp3)and transcript of the segment are now available on the ABC website.
News.com.au also has some coverage.
Archbishop Jensen welcomes Federal Government’s no on ‘gay marriage’
The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Peter Jensen, has welcomed the Federal Government’s clear statement on same-sex relationships – which promises there will be no ‘homosexual marriage’ – and the accompanying changes to 100 federal laws regarding superannuation and other benefits.
“We welcome the Government’s clear and firm determination to make sure that whatever happens this is not about marriage. Marriage is between a man and a woman and it is excellent that the Government has made that clear.”
Dr Jensen says “Personally I remain concerned about the impact of the gay lifestyle on our community and I don’t believe any of us should be forced to accept it. But I also think there may be injustices which need attention.”
The Archbishop says it’s not yet clear how far the changes will extend, but says the superannuation and benefits arrangements should be granted to other types of relationships, which are non-sexual, so that the changes are “not just pro-gay but pro-people.”
“Marriage is not a matter of government fiat. We can’t simply say, because some people want it, that marriage is different now. Marriage is between a man and a woman and I’m pleased the Government seems determined to recognise that basic fact.”
– by Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net
Apostolic gospel must be at the core, says David Short
The priest of the largest Anglican parish in Canada, who is under ecclesiastical siege from revisionist New Westminster Bishop Michael Ingham, says his denomination has lost faith in the gospel. This is evidently revealed in the diocesan newspaper, which gives the impression that the gospel is about being nice, being compassionate, recycling, “and we will even bless your pets”.
“The eternal gospel of redemption through the sacrifice of Jesus’ death and the power of his resurrection has been replaced with a gospel which is about approval, affirmation and acceptance. The apostolic gospel of sins forgiven, of rescue from eternal punishment has been smoothed and soothed to be more acceptable and relevant,” said the Rev. Dr. David Short, pastor of St. John’s, Shaughnessy in Vancouver. …
Report from VirtueOnline.
See also the St. John’s website. (Photo of David Short at the Anglican Network in Canada national conference last weekend: Ed Hird.)
Fort Worth visit an ‘unwarranted invasion’, Schori tells Venables
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has advised Southern Cone Presiding Bishop Gregory J. Venables in an April 29 letter that his planned May 2–4 visit to address a special convocation of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth “with the expressed purpose of describing removal to the Province of the Southern Cone is an unwarranted invasion of, and meddling in, the internal affairs of this Province.”
– Report from the Episcopal News Service. (Photo credit: Washington National Cathedral.)
The text of the letter is below: Read more
Gene Robinson: ‘I am incredibly orthodox’
The BBC’s Roger Bolton interviewed Gene Robinson for the BBC Radio’s Sunday programme. As his new book is published in the run up to Lambeth, Bishop Robinson says his ‘passion is about the gospel’. He asserts, ‘I am incredibly orthodox in my beliefs – in my holding to the historic creeds’.
Hear the interview here (RealAudio file) or as an mp3 file – starting 31:20 into the programme.
(Photo credit: Geoff Forester and Diocese of New Hampshire.)
TEC bishop to Venables: not welcome here either
Bishop Jerry Lamb, of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin, has written to Archbishop Gregory Venables protesting his visit to the area. Today Archbishop Venables arrives in the Diocese which seceeded from TEC last year.
The letter claims Archbishop Venables “violates the Windsor Report and statements from subsequent meetings of the Primates”.
Interestingly, both this letter and the one written the previous day by Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, are copied to “The Primates and Moderators of the United Churches of the Anglican Communion”. The text of the letter is below: Read more
Church sues for breakaway diocese property
The U.S. Episcopal Church has sued to take church property back from the rebel Diocese of San Joaquin.
In the 30-page lawsuit filed this week in Fresno County Superior Court, the church argues that last year’s vote by 42 of 48 parishes to leave the national church doesn’t entitle them to keep any property.
– report from the Fresno Bee via tradingmarkets.com.
Tim Keller at Google
Last month, Tim Keller spoke at Google’s Mountain View, California, headquarters to discuss his book, “The Reason for God”.
The 60 minute talk and question time is available on YouTube. (Thanks to Monergism for the link.)
Covenant unlikely to help: Venables
In an interview for VirtueOnline, Archbishop Gregory Venables in Vancouver has spoken of the reality of a broken Communion and the unlikelihood of an Anglican Covenant helping things –
“Since we don’t stand together on Scripture or the creeds, it is unlikely that a covenant will do what they (Scripture and creeds) have failed to do. If we don’t stand on these two basic foundations, we are unlikely to stand on a Covenant regardless of how many drafts are written or how long it takes. The likelihood is that the language will be so nuanced that even orthodox folk will think that something has been said to satisfy them, when in fact it hasn’t.”
Other issues covered in the interview include his use of the ‘divorce’ illustration and also Bishop Tom Wright’s criticism of GAFCON.
The interview is available at VirtueOnline.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…