Man the lifeboats!
We are currently witnessing a dramatic ‘rescue operation’ in North America to save those drowning in a ‘disaster’ caused by a pagan heresy. …
Jeremy Halcrow has a good summary of recent events at SydneyAnglicans.net.
(Picture of Dr. J I Packer from the St. John’s Shaughnessy video.)
The Christ Files screening Good Friday
The Christ Files, a one hour documentary hosted by Dr. John Dickson, airs across Australia on the Seven Network at noon on Good Friday (March 21).
Many Sydney Anglicans will have heard of the Good Friday special, and also the accompanying 4 part series (now available on DVD), but have you considered how you could use them to speak with your friends about the Lord Jesus?
To watch a preview and to order the DVDs, visit thechristfiles.com.au.
Langham Partnership’s Chris Wright in Oz
Dr. Chris Wright, International Ministries Director for Langham Partnership, is in Australia this month to speak about growing a new generation of preachers and teachers around the world.
On the afternoon of Sunday 30th March he will be at an informal afternoon tea at St. Thomas’ North Sydney and he has several speaking engagements in Melbourne and Sydney. Dr Wright’s itinerary is available on the Langham Partnership Australia website.
About Langham Partnership:
“In 1969 John Stott founded the Langham Trust to fund scholarships for young evangelical leaders from the Majority World. Recipients would study at British universities, working toward doctorates in biblical and theological fields and then returning to teach in seminaries in their home countries. The name was taken from All Souls Church, Langham Place, London—the church where John Stott was Rector at the time. …
In 1971 John Stott founded the Evangelical Literature Trust, into which he assigned all the royalties from his extensive writings in order to provide books for students, pastors and theological libraries in the Majority World.”
Visitation Scheduled for San Joaquin Provisional Bishop Nominee
A single candidate chosen to be the provisional Bishop of San Joaquin will participate in a two-day walkabout visitation to the diocese immediately after the House of Bishops’ meeting concludes at Camp Allen in Texas on March 12. … Read more
‘Time to get our heads above the parapet’
Anglican Mainstream is reporting a letter to the Editor of the Church of England Newspaper from a senior layman, Professor Glynn Harrison of the University of Bristol –
“Sir,
The news that Dr Jim Packer has been served with a ‘notice of presumption of Abandonment of the Exercise of Ministry’ by the Diocese of New Westminster in Canada is a significant moment for ‘ordinary’ evangelicals in the Church of England. Read more
Same-sex dispute hovers over bishop vote
Allison Kydd is concerned delegates who will elect the 10th Anglican Bishop of Edmonton on Saturday don’t know where the nominees stand on same-sex blessings.
Kydd said she’s disappointed an Episcopal search committee didn’t press the seven nominees on their positions on an issue that’s caused a major rift in the church. …
At the time of her election, many assumed [the previous bishop, Victoria] Matthews, raised and educated in Toronto, was on the ‘liberal’ side of the spectrum because she was a woman, Kydd said, and it was such a new thing to have a woman as a candidate.
Kydd said that wasn’t the case, and Matthews, who went on to be nominated twice as primate or national leader, pulled the church in a more conservative direction. …
Full report from The Edmonton Journal.
Bishop Schofield Formally Resigns from Episcopal Church House of Bishops
Bishop John-David Schofield of San Joaquin formally resigned from the House of Bishops in a letter sent to Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori on March 1.
Bishop Schofield said it was the only way for the diocese to preserve biblical truth and the historic Anglican faith and order.
“It is important to note that this is separation and not schism,” he said. “Separation, by definition, is the biblical answer to unrepentant and public false teaching and immorality.” …
Full report from The Living Church.
Statement on the Presiding Bishop’s visit to South Carolina
Statement from Bishop Mark Lawrence in response to the recent ENS article on the Presiding Bishop’s visit to South Carolina
I have read the recent article from the ENS regarding the Presiding Bishop, The Most Reverend Katherine Jefferts Schori’s visit to the Diocese of South Carolina. …
What the article failed to convey, however, is the depth of the theological chasm that lies between many of us in South Carolina (and others within the church for that matter) and the trajectory of so much of the leadership of The Episcopal Church. …
Read the full statement from Bishop Mark Lawrence of South Carolina.
(Photo: Bill Murton, Diocese of South Carolina.)
‘Anglicans padlock rebel church’
St. Chad’s Anglican Church sits empty after the Toronto diocese changed the locks and told all parishioners to go elsewhere, in response to the congregation voting recently to split from the Anglican Church of Canada.
“They’ve locked us out of the building,” said Cheryl Chang, a lawyer for the breakaway parishioners. “They’ve closed the building to worshippers.” …
Report from The Toronto Star. See also this statement from the Diocese of Toronto.
(Photo: Anglican Network in Canada.)
New Westminster: ‘Imagining our future’
“New Westminster Anglicans have come up with seven values that parishioners in the diocese hold – and have begun work on a vision for the next decade. … The values and vision for the diocese should be based on what people in the diocese care deeply about. This is what we’ve tried to discern in a series of ten workshops held during October and November. Over 250 people from a large majority of the diocese’s parishes were involved. …”
The list of ‘Values’ and ‘Vision’ words may reflect what is being taught in the churches – see the story (published January 27) from the Diocese of New Westminster – and read more detail in the report (pdf) from the consultants who ran the workshops.
‘Gagging order placed on Christchurch vicar’
A Christchurch vicar has been gagged over debate surrounding the city’s next Anglican bishop. …
– Report from NZ City. (Photo of Rev. Mike Hawke: St. Christopher’s Avonhead.)
Fort Worth releases guidelines for parishes who may wish to leave
What would happen if a diocese voted to leave the Episcopal Church, while some of its parishes preferred to remain? How should those who belong to Jesus act in this matter? The Diocese of Fort Worth has published Guidelines to be followed if a parish wished to initiate a separation –
The leadership of this diocese has watched with sadness as issues and attitudes have caused deepening differences at all levels in the Anglican Communion. Adding to this rupture of the bonds of affection are the growing numbers of lawsuits being filed by those who once were unified in faithful witness and ministry. “Disagreement and division may be inevitable,” commented Dean Ryan Reed, President of the Standing Committee, “but Christian charity must not be sacrified in the process.” The purpose of the Canon and the Guidelines is to provide for a charitable parting, if parting is necessary.
– from a press release from the Diocese of Fort Worth.
What is man that you are mindful of him?
This image, taken by NASA’s unmanned Mars Reconnaisance Orbiter, which is in orbit around Mars, shows the Earth and Moon from a distance of 142 million kilometres.
This image, and others of avalanches on Mars, have today been released by NASA. Read more
Professor J I Packer: Anglican Church League Statement of Support
Anglican Church League President Dr Mark Thompson has released this statement in support of Professor J I Packer:
The ACL notes with alarm the Bishop of New Westminster’s threat to revoke Professor J I Packer’s ‘spiritual authority as a minister of Word and Sacraments’.
Professor Packer, one of the leading Christian voices of the twentieth century, is amongst those who have voted to stand with authentic and orthodox Anglicans rather than those who have undermined biblical truth over many decades and most recently by their innovations regarding homosexual practice. As one of these he has now become a target for revisionist aggression. Once again the intolerance and anti-liberal heart of liberal Christianity has been exposed. Read more
David Short, J I Packer face legal action
Ecclesiastical charges have been filed by a Canadian Bishop against former Sydney Anglican, the Rev David Short and one of the world’s top Anglican theologians, Dr J.I. Packer.
Bishop Michael Ingham has launched legal action over the vote by their congregation in Vancouver to seek alternative oversight from a South American bishop. …
The charges not only involve revocation of licence, but also seek to nullify the ordination of Mr Short and Dr Packer. …
Full story by Russell Powell from SydneyAnglicans.net. (updated)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…