Legal problems with Victoria’s new birth certificate gender laws
“The Victorian Government has introduced a Bill, the Births Deaths and Marriages Registration Amendment Bill 2016, to amend its law on birth certificates to allow changing the gender on the certificate to be made easier. (The Bill was approved by the Lower House on 15 Sept 2016 and is awaiting consideration by the Legislative Council.)
There are many problems with the policy represented by this legislation … But what I want to focus on here is the interaction of the new law with the law on marriage. In my view the law will create a host of legal uncertainties at best …”
– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster shares some ideas on complications which could arise from the proposed legislation.
Priscilla & Aquila Centre Annual Conference 2017
William Taylor, Rector of St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, is the main speaker at the Priscilla & Aquila Centre Annual Conference on Monday 30th January.
The theme: “Luke’s women, and a ministry that builds the church.”
Some excellent ideas for Christmas
Ian Carmichael has some good ideas for connecting with visitors to your church this Christmas.
ACR website updated
The Australian Church Record’s website has been updated —
“Since 1880 The ACR has communicated with its readers via a newspaper, or newspaper-like, medium. With over 2300 issues produced, The ACR has a rich history on paper – a history we now continue online. Not only do we have a new website, we’ve also restructured how our publications fit together. So here’s what’s new from The ACR:
The ACR Online
The ACR Online is the new blog of The ACR. Here you’ll find a regular stream of short, sharp articles by an array of writers. These articles will cover a variety of topics and issues, each aiming to leave you more convicted of the gospel, keener to serve Christ and more confident on how to do so. In many ways these articles will not be too different from the encouraging and thought-provoking pieces previously found in our newspapers. They will just be more regular!
The ACR Journal
Of course, not everything can be said in a short blog piece. This is where The ACR Journal comes in. Some issues are complex and are best dealt with in more detail. In our journal you’ll find lengthy discussions on relevant and current theological matters within evangelicalism. The ACR Journal will also be used to help inform and educate Sydney Synod members on upcoming Synod meetings.
The ACR Archives
One of the most exciting components of our new website is The ACR Archives. With over 135 years of publication, The ACR has a rich heritage and is an invaluable historical resource. With more than 2300 issues there is a wealth of historical material, such as ordination lists, parish information, and Anglican news, along with thousands of theological articles written by the likes of D. B. Knox, T. C. Hammond, Donald Robinson, Leon Morris, J. I. Packer, Marcus Loane, Graeme Goldsworthy, John Chapman, and many more. We will also be re-releasing many of these articles through The ACR Online via the ‘From the vault’ segment.
In light of these changes, here’s what’s stayed the same …”
See Him Face to Face
From Michael Morrow: “…as part of the Co-Mission network of churches in London I have produced a live worship album, called ’See Him Face to Face’.”
You can preview (and buy, if you wish) the album at Bandcamp. (Many will know Michael as the composer of This Life I Live.)
The heart of GAFCON
“At the heart of GAFCON is communion.
When I became Archbishop of Sydney in 2001, I had a lot to learn. Even though I had been ordained for over thirty years by then, had lived in England for three years and had been the Principal of a theological College with students from many places in the world, there was so much that I did not know.
Two of the many things I had to discover through experience may sound strange and you may wonder where I had been all my life. But I suspect that many of us are in the same position…”
– GAFCON General Secretary, Dr. Peter Jensen, on The heart of GAFCON.
The shocking, abysmal, and embarrassing failure of churches to Pray
“This Sunday, a vast majority of evangelical churches will gather for singing and preaching and reading Scripture and perhaps even a few baptisms and the Lord’s Supper. There will also be some praying.
In comparison to everything else, though, there will be just a little bit of prayer—a transition as a few musicians scurry off-stage, a quick ‘thank-you’ to God after collecting the offerings, a prayer for God’s Spirit to work on the hearers of the sermon.
All in all, you might pray for a few minutes, almost always as a passive observer. …”
– Mark Dever and Jonathan Leeman talk about what passes for prayer in many church services. What should we be like? How can our church gatherings be more clearly examples of dependence on the Lord? A great encouragement to be more intentional in our praying.
Can we talk about same-sex marriage? videos
The talks from the recent ‘Can we talk about same-sex marriage?’ evening at Moore College’s Centre for Christian Living are now available to view online:
CCL Director Tony Payne introduces the topic.
Talk 1: Michael Kellahan – ‘Can we talk publicly about same-sex marriage?‘
Talk 2: Tony Payne – ‘Can we talk personally about same-sex marriage?‘
Freedom of Religion and Balancing Clauses in Discrimination Legislation
“An article of mine on “Freedom of Religion and Balancing Clauses in Discrimination Legislation” (2016) Oxford Journal of Law and Religion, doi: 10.1093/ojlr/rww045, has just become available. Those who are interested can download it from the Oxford website…”
– More helpful resources from Neil Foster at Law and Religion Australia.
Societas 2016
This year’s Societas (the magazine of Moore College’s students) is now ready for your enjoyment and edification.
Download it (a 10MB PDF file) from the College website, or read it online.
Printed copies are also available.
It’s a great way to get a feel for what is happening at Moore College, and is a good resource for prayer.
Also from the College: Moore breaks boundaries of geography with its newest course.
“After 75 years of supporting lay ministry, Moore College is pleased to announce its first fully-accredited online course for laypeople, the Diploma of Biblical Theology (DBT). In development over the past few years the College will launch the DBT in Semester 1, 2017. …”
Church Society Conference 2016
Looking for some encouraging listening? From Church Society:
“The 2016 Church Society Conference was held in June at Oak Hill College, London, with the title of ‘Be Faithful! Remaining steadfast in the Church of England Today’.
The Prophetic Preaching of John Owen by Revd Dr Martyn Cowan (St. Antholin Lecture).
Faithful Teachers in an Age of Confusion by Revd Dr Mike Ovey.
Faithful Stewards in a Fickle World by Revd Dr Mark Pickles.
J.C. Ryle: A Faithful Anglican by Revd Dr Lee Gatiss.”
(Photo of Mike Ovey courtesy GAFCON.)
Legal implications of same sex marriage for Christian life and ministry
“I was privileged today to present a paper on issues from a Christian perspective raised by the possible introduction of same sex marriage – at a seminar on the topic held at the Lower Mountains Anglican Parish centre at Glenbrook. …”
– Neil Foster from Law and Religion Australia provides a link to the paper he gave.
Discipleship Training in the Gospels — Preaching Matters
The latest “Preaching Matters” from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate has just been released with a video from William Taylor:
“What is a Gospel, and what are the Gospel authors trying to do? Can you give us some examples of how the Gospels train us? How does the authors’ structure in the Gospels help us understand what true discipleship involves? What difference will this make to the structures and strategies in our churches?
In this month’s Preaching Matters, William describes the radical differences that follow in the way we do evangelism, preach, and disciple others.”
He asks some provocative questions about the way we do evangelism.
The old Absolution switcharoo
“Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
who in his great mercy
has promised forgiveness of sins
to all those who with heartfelt repentance and true faith turn to him:
have mercy on you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and bring you to everlasting life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In my earlier years as an evangelical, I would rankle when I heard the absolution delivered in this way. ‘Priestcraft!’ my mind would shout. ‘Say us! Are you not also a sinner needing forgiveness, O vicar? …”
– At Church Society’s blog, Tom Woolford has a point worth considering.
(Image: The Absolution from the AAPB, Lord’s Supper, First Order.)
Australian Church Record, Spring 2016
The latest issue of The Australian Church Record (Spring 2016) is now online.
From the article ‘One Man and One Woman’ by Kanishka Raffel –
“The Scriptures delight in human friendship and community. Our hyper-sexualised culture has almost forgotten about intimate non-sexual friendships. Relationships are essential for human flourishing, but marriage is not. But God’s plan and purpose in marriage … reflects his plan to bless individuals, families and society, and to display his faithfulness and love for his people in Christ.”
From the article ‘Church-Planting and Gospel Confidence’ by Simon Flinders –
“Paul’s primary strategy in seeking to make disciples was to proclaim the gospel, rather than to establish a church. That’s not to say he had no interest in the establishment of churches. Clearly he did. But it does tell us that establishing a church was not his first order of business.”
Download it from the ACR website. Direct link to the PDF file.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…