We are Repaganizing

“Christians have always been unusually vehement in their disapproval of the killing of infants, whether born or unborn, and their legal regime prevailed until the mid-twentieth century when we experienced a religious shift that will probably be understood by future historians as a Second Reformation. …”

– Several Christian bloggers have linked to this thoughtful article at First Things by Louise Perry.

Tim Charlie’s writes, “This article is not written by a Christian but still shares an interesting perspective on what society will lose as it turns from its Christian roots back to paganism.”

What do Anglican clergy think about ‘Christian’ Britain, sexuality, and clergy morale?

“At the end of July, Kaya Burgess, the Religious Affairs correspondent of The Times, sent out an email to 5,000 Church of England clergy, inviting them to complete a questionnaire giving their views on a whole range of issues, including whether Britain is a ‘Christian’ country any more, the Church’s teaching on sexuality, their own morale, and the leadership of the Church. …”

– At Psephizo, Dr Ian Paul provides some much-needed context and balance to the survey of Church of England clergy.

“This really is the worst way to conduct an opinion poll or survey. …

I completed the survey in August, but with just about every section I wanted to say ‘But that is a false dichotomy!’ or ‘Yes, but not for the reason you think’.”

The Death of Church and Pub

“My annual trip to my home village in England is typically a week when I enter the land that time forgot. Nothing much changes. The shop still sells newspapers and houses the local post office. The view across the valley from my mother’s cottage still reveals nothing—not even a street light or a power cable—that would indicate it has a point of origin in the last century and a half. And the Baptist chapel bell still strikes the hour ten minutes late.

But even in this land where nothing seems to change, some things do bear the unmistakable marks of late modernity. …”

– At First Things, Carl Trueman sees the disintegration of community, and a tremendous opportunity for the church (maybe your church!).

Image: Crossway.

Does NSW really need to ban gay conversion therapy?

“The Australian state of New South Wales is about to launch into a debate over ‘conversion therapy’. …

Loose talk about ‘conversion practices’ conjures up electric shocks, nausea-inducing drugs, exorcisms, ice baths, aversion therapy and so on. There is no evidence of such practices having occurred in Australia for decades. A bill banning them is like a bill banning cruelty to unicorns. …”

– Michael Cook, Editor of Mercator, writes this opinion piece. (Link thanks to Anglican Mainstream.)

Importantly, see also:

Contact your MP – an initiative of Freedom for Faith:

“NSW government just released proposals to ban so-called conversion practices …

Leading up to the election, the Labor Party promised that they only intend to ban damaging practices, without banning prayer, preaching, and spiritual guidance rooted in deeply-held beliefs about gender and sexuality.

“We’re not just going to transpose the Victorian legislation and implement it into New South Wales…. Taking offence at the teachings of a religious leader will not be banned. Expressing a religious belief through sermon will not be banned. And an individual, at their own consent, seeking guidance through prayer will not be banned either.”

– Chris Minns (NSW Premier)

But the proposal, which was developed by the Department of Communities and Justice, is effectively borrowed from Victoria which bans –
• Prayer
• Preaching
ª Counselling
… and any activity that is vaguely deemed as changing or suppressing someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Parents, pastors, teachers, counsellors, chaplains, youth leaders could face criminal charges under the proposed law.

The government plans to introduce the legislation by this November. If we do not take action now, we risk allowing our fundamental rights to slip through our fingers.

Imagine a world where parents are afraid to have open conversations with their children, where pastors and teachers fear criminal charges for expressing their deeply-held beliefs, and where our religious communities are silenced by vague and overreaching laws.

The time to speak up is NOW.”

Why I felt sick watching ‘AI Jesus’

“Whatever their motives and whatever they meant to do, it comes out as next-level stupidity and holding Jesus up as a joke.

I actually felt sick watching it, to see the saviour of the world, the greatest figure in human history, being portrayed like this. …”

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Russell Powell describes his reaction to the ‘AI Jesus’, and shares some positive things you can do.

Euthanasia in Canada. MAiD in hell?

“More people are being euthanised in Canada than anywhere else in the world. In the last official report, for 2022, 10,064 people died through what Canadians call ‘medical assistance in dying’ (MAiD). …”

– Michael Cook writes at Mercator. Link via Anglican Mainstream.

I am now a Culture Warrior

“‘I was wrong’.  This is not a phrase I use a lot!  At least when it comes to major subjects.   Over the years I have been aware of significant changes in thinking that have had an enormous practical impact for me – baptism, Calvinism, the European Union, socialism, worship and environmentalism being the main ones I can think of.  Recently I have been forced to change my view on the question of culture wars.

I often used to say that I did not want to get involved in culture wars and that it would be a mistake for the Church to do so.  Recently I have been compelled to rethink.  The trouble is that the term ‘culture wars’ is itself a product of the culture wars.  Here in Australia, we look askance at some of the culture wars that are going on in the US, and most of us want nothing to do with them.  It is a negative term associated with white nationalism, Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson,  and suggests that Christians are some kind of political force whose mission in life is to combat the Left.  No thanks.  We want to influence the culture, to win the culture,  not to fight it.  Besides which if we engage in culture wars then won’t we alienate people from the Church and the message of the Gospel?  Doesn’t the Scripture itself tells us that our weapons are not the weapons of this world? …”

– David Robertson writes compellingly at AP, the national journal of the Presbyterian Church.

Related:

Tucker Carlson reads the Bible. (Not the Bee)

The trans culture wars vs lovingly pastoring gender incongruent church members – with Rob Smith

Is taking over Calvary Hospital a religious freedom breach?

“There has been a lot of controversy around the recent decision of the ACT government to compulsorily acquire Canberra’s Calvary Hospital.

One question that is worth asking is this: could this move be an unlawful breach of religious freedom rights? In this post I want to consider the possibilities. …”

– At Law and Religion Australia, Associate Professor Neil Foster suggests some avenues which could be explored.

Image: Diocese of Sydney.

Ban Sports Bet Ads ASAP — Dean of Sydney

“Long-time campaigner for poker machine reform, the Dean of Sydney, Sandy Grant, has welcomed a unanimous report from federal Parliament, “You Win Some, You Lose More”.

From St Andrew’s Cathedral Sydney, Dean Grant said …”

– Read last week’s full Media Release at the Cathedral website.

A missed golden opportunity

David Robertson takes a look at Archbishop Welby’s sermon at last week’s Coronation:

“In the grandeur of the setting and the glory of the occasion, it was easy to think that we were being told something profound, but if you stopped to think about it there was little challenge, little to stimulate and little to point us to Christ, rather than Charles. …”

– Read it all here.

A theological and missional review of the Coronation – with Mark Earngey, Brett Murphy and Sandy Grant

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“After Queen Elizabeth’s funeral last year, Saturday’s coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla was probably the biggest reaching church service of our lifetimes.

We analyze the service theologically and missionally and compare it with the coronation service of Charles’ Mother Queen Elizabeth II.

Is it in any way better theologically and where is it worse?

– Watch or listen here.

See also:

The true significance of King Charles’ Coronation – Murray Campbell, who writes not only about the Coronation, but about Psalm 2, Nick Cave – and GAFCON.

“Airbags on Pokies” — The Dean of Sydney

Sandy Grant, the Dean of Sydney, writes about the choice before NSW voters this Saturday –

“Friends in Christ, I encourge you to join me in this prayer for our State, with the election of a new Parliament this Saturday, 25th March:

Almighty God and Loving Heavenly Father, we humbly ask you to direct the hearts of those who seek election to our state parliament, and of us as we exercise our democratic freedoms. May we vote unselfishly for the common good. Protect politicians from the temptation of self-serving. Enable them to make realistic promises and help them keep their word. Uphold those elected to serve in the new Parliament through all the heavy demands that come upon them, that they may serve with integrity. May the decisions of our parliaments, state and federal, lead to the safety and welfare of this country, so that peace and happiness, truth and justice may be established among us. Amen. 

As you know, I have spoken strongly in favour of reforms to prevent and minimise harm from poker machine use, which currently sees people in NSW lose $8 billion a year. That’s about $23 million per day! And the worst losses are often in the poorer areas of our city.

I have been calling for reform for almost 15 years, since I first became aware of the dreadul damage done by poker machines on their users and families.”

– Read it all at the Cathedral website.

Image: If only modern poker machines took bets of just 25 cents.

A Legacy (Thus Far) Marked by ‘Bewildering Ambiguity’: Pope Francis Reaches 10 Years as Papal Leader

In today’s issue (15 March 2023)  of The Briefing, Dr Albert Mohler looks at the first ten years of the papacy of Francis.

“He represents so much of the muddled liberalism of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries…”

Hold your horses

“A few days ago I was at Wycliffe Hall, speaking to some Anglican ordinands about why everyone should do rural ministry. Unsurprisingly the conversation soon turned to LLF, and that General Synod vote. Since I am a member of Synod, I was quizzed about what had happened. After a bit, one student asked me, “Given what’s happened, how can you be so upbeat”? …

I don’t think I have seen such a strong, broad and deep evangelical unity in the Church of England as I see now. It often takes an emergency to bring a group together, and that is precisely what has happened.”

– At Church Society’s blog, Church Society Regional Director the Rev Dr Chris Moore argues that ‘this is the time to stand up, not to walk away’.

Photo: Diocese of Hereford.

Related:

Thirty years ago, the Rev John Richardson travelled from the UK to study short-term at Moore College. (This was before the rejuvenation of Oak Hill College in London.)

While in Sydney, he wrote an article which was published in the ACL’s newsletter. (UK Evangelicalism: Optimistic? – PDF version)

At the time, he was not optimistic about the future of Evangelicalism in the Church of England, and argued that strong evangelical leadership was needed –

“You cannot head off a stampede by calling the cows to come back. If the present debacle in English Evangelicalism is to be arrested it will require people of courage and vision who are prepared to go out ahead of the herd, to kick, to shout and to make a noise, so that those who are genuinely Christian, but who are so much like sheep without a shepherd, may be brought back to the good pastures.”

Do continue to pray for evangelical clergy in the Church of England, that they would be given great wisdom by the Lord.

And do pray that the new evangelical unity of which Dr Moore speaks will be effective for the gospel.

How euthanasia has revived the death penalty

“Belgium is not the only nation to euthanise prisoners. In Canada, where assisted suicide is also offered as a medical treatment, three prisoners have been euthanised to date. The story of one of them, known only as ‘patient one’, illustrates the key problem with this practice. …”

– Spiked Online. (Link via Anglican Mainstream)

Image from a St. Helen’s Bishopsgate video.

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