Bishop Grant Dibden on Defence Sunday

Posted on November 7, 2021 
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From Defence Anglicans – and a great reminder to pray.

Related:

Running a Remembrance Day service on Thursday?

Here are some resources.

Maxims for Maximum Impact: ‘Maxims of Conversation’ and Preaching

Posted on November 6, 2021 
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“In theory, preaching is easy. Just get two things right: truth and clarity. But, as with many things, the practice is harder. …

I recently came across ‘Grice’s Maxims of Conversation’. Paul Grice (1913-1988) was a British philosopher of language, best known for his ‘co-operative principles’. Simply stated, these insist that people should communicate in a co-operative, helpful way. While Grice was applying them to everyday conversation, his maxims apply to any speech act – including preaching. …

As I work through my sermon and, again, when I’ve finished, I continue to ask myself important questions. Grice’s four maxims would be four good questions for us preachers to ask ourselves:”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Mike Raiter has some real help for preachers.

(Image: GAFCON.)

The Church has something distinctive to say about climate change – if only it would say it

Posted on November 4, 2021 
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“It’s only day one of COP26 and I suspect many people are already fed up of the endless news, constant commentary, and, to be frank, all the depressing ‘doom and gloom, turn or burn, end of the world is nigh’ rhetoric. …”

– In a piece he wrote for Christian Today, David Robertson highlights the emptiness of the message of COP26, and the glorious message Christ’s people have. He sees that Romans 8 has the perfect message for COP26.

Friendship: The Foundation of Paul’s Global Ministry

Posted on November 3, 2021 
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“One of Paul’s most consistent values may surprise us: friendship. Paul valued friendship with fellow Christians. He worked to establish and maintain friendships.

Consider how often Paul says something like: ‘I thank my God always when I remember you, because I hear of your love for all the saints’ (Gal. 1:15, Col. 1:4, 2 Thess. 1:3, Philemon 4).

Consider how in nearly every letter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, he devotes space to greeting specific believers, who are by now long dead. In what sense are those names useful to the man of faith today, if not to teach us the importance of Christian friendships?…”

– Here’s encouragement from Caleb Greggsen, writing at 9Marks.

The Reformation of English

Posted on November 3, 2021 
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“In the late summer or fall of 1525, sheets of thin sewn paper bounced across the English Channel, hidden in bales of cloth and sacks of flour.

They passed silently, secretly, from the Channel to the London shipyards, from the shipyards to the hands of smiths and cooks, sailors and cobblers, priests and politicians, mothers and fathers and children.

De-clothed and un-floured, the first lines read,

I have here translated (bretheren and sisters most dear and tenderly beloved in Christ) the new Testament for your spiritual edifying, consolation, and solace.

And then, a few pages later:

This is the book of the generation of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son also of Abraham . . .

Here was the Gospel of Matthew, translated from the original Greek into English for the very first time. The entire New Testament would soon follow, and then portions of the Old Testament, before its translator, William Tyndale (1494–1536), would be found and killed for his work. …”

– At Desiring God, Scott Hubbard gives thanks for William Tyndale and his influence on all who speak English.

Christmas comes early!

Posted on November 2, 2021 
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“Density limits have been lowered to 2m2 and singing is back for churches from Sunday November 14, according to an easing of restrictions announced by Premier Dominic Perrottet.

Freedoms for the fully vaccinated in New South Wales that were to be introduced on Dec 1 have been brought forward to Monday, Nov 8. But freedoms for the unvaccinated will now not be introduced until Dec 15. …

Singing will return but masks are still mandatory indoors until December 15. From the intial government information, it appears that those not yet vaccinated, although they can attend church, will not be allowed to sing. See the government timeline here.”

– Read the latest at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Defence Sunday 7 November 2021

Posted on November 2, 2021 
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This Sunday is Defence Sunday, and Grant Dibden, Anglican Bishop to the Australian Defence Force, has recorded a 3’30” video message.

A copy can be downloaded from the Anglican Media Sydney Vimeo account for use in church services – and do pray for this important ministry.

Southern Cross November 2021

Posted on November 2, 2021 
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In December, printed copies of Southern Cross, the magazine of Sydney Diocese, will again be available in churches.

The November issue is online-only, and is now available. Download your copy at magazine.sydneyanglicans.net

Be sure to read “Christians speak out against assisted suicide” –

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has urged Christians to speak up against the assisted suicide bill, which he calls “a momentous shift in medical practice and community expectation”

The bill, introduced into the NSW Parliament in October, uses the terminology of “voluntary assisted dying” but the Archbishop says it goes beyond the physician-assisted suicide it would legalise.

“It marks the final abandonment of one of the cornerstones of Western civilisation: the sanctity of life,” the Archbishop says. “Advocates of Voluntary Assisted Dying – a deeply misleading cluster of words – have emphasised not the sanctity of life, but quality of life as subjectively experienced, and the primacy of autonomous choice.”

The Archbishop, senior bishops and Christian medical groups have pointed out several ways the bill would not provide extra choice, as proponents argue, but would have a flow-on effect to all those battling terminal illness. …

– Read it all on page 5.

New Zealand Assisted Dying Bill comes into force on November 7

Posted on November 1, 2021 
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“In a salutary piece of information recently, I learned that doctors assisting the death of pertinent patients in New Zealand would receive the sum of $1087.20 … to bring about the death of these people. I was shocked…”

– Charles Tyrell, former Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Nelson, writes to The Church Times (copy via Anglican Mainstream).

Sunday morning encouragement

Posted on October 31, 2021 
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The Lord is King – by Colin Buchanan.

Luther and his most important impact

Posted on October 31, 2021 
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“On 31 October 1517, in a small provincial university town, an Augustinian monk who served as a professor in the university, nailed a document to a church door. And it started a revolution.

Today, 500 years later and on the other side of the world, that unexceptional act — there would have been lots of notices on that door, since it was the unofficial notice board for the university — still captures the imagination.

The story of Martin Luther is well known. More books are written about him every year than about any other figure in history save one — the master he served, the Lord Jesus Christ. …”

– In 2017, Dr Mark Thompson gave this address at the opening of the Luther exhibition at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney. Good to re-read, this Reformation Day.

The Tyndale Bulletin goes open access

Posted on October 30, 2021 
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“Tyndale House is pleased to announce the relaunch of the Tyndale Bulletin as a newly open access journal, available at tyndalebulletin.org.

The Tyndale Bulletin is a peer-reviewed academic journal for biblical scholarship and related disciplines. Since it was established (initially as the Tyndale House Bulletin) in 1956, it has established a reputation for high quality scholarship, publishing the work of over 500 scholars.

Fully open access 
As of October 2021, the Tyndale Bulletin is now a fully open access journal. Articles are initially released online on a rolling basis, with an annual print volume also being produced, including all articles from the previous year. …

Tyndale House Research Fellow in Old Testament and Ancient Near East and Editor of the Tyndale Bulletin, Dr Caleb Howard, said: “We are delighted with the launch of the new open access Tyndale Bulletin. While it will maintain its commitment to scholarly excellence and peer-review, its editorial process will be more efficient and authors’ work will be more freely available on the new fully indexed website.”

Digital archive 
The Tyndale Bulletin is committed to preserving the scholarly research published throughout its history. The journal website currently includes all articles from 2004 onwards; earlier issues will also be added progressively. …”

With thanks for Cranmer

Posted on October 30, 2021 
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As Reformation Sunday approaches, here’s a helpful article from our archives, by Allan Blanch.

Strengthening the ministry of Bathurst Cathedral

Posted on October 29, 2021 
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From the Diocese of Bathurst’s Facebook page (23 October 2021):

“Bishop Calder announced today the impending move of the Rev’d Steven Klouth from Kelso to the Cathedral parish to mainly work with the Rev’d Phil Howes to grow the new contemporary service. Please pray for Steven and Caitlin in this new chapter commencing end of November.”

– Yes, do pray for this strategic work.

Victorian Religious Exceptions Amendment Bill introduced

Posted on October 29, 2021 
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“As previously foreshadowed (see my analysis of the proposals when first announced here) the Victorian government has introduced a Bill into the Parliament of that State seriously limiting the religious freedom of religious bodies and individual Victorian citizens.

The Equal Opportunity (Religious Exceptions) Amendment Bill 2021 (Vic) was introduced into the Legislative Assembly on October 27 and the second reading was moved on October 28.

The Bill is a serious attack on the religious freedom of Victorians, especially to send their children to faith-based schools reflecting a religious world-view.

The Bill amends the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) (“EOA”), which is of course Victoria’s main anti-discrimination legislation. One of the primary ways that Australian law provides protection for religious freedom at the moment is by way of “balancing clauses” that recognise that this right is an important internationally protected human right, which is not always simply subjected to other rights. But these clauses are regularly characterised as “exemptions” or “exceptions”, and when this is done they are painted as reluctant concessions to the most important claims (not to suffer discrimination). Hence the apparent plausibility of removing these “exceptions”.…”

– At Law and Religion Australia, Associate Professor Neil Foster takes a close look at this “serious attack on the religious freedom of Victorians”.

See also:

Victoria and the Gradual Reversal of Constantine – Murray Campbell

“It took almost 300 years for Christianity to be no longer deemed dangerous and criminal. In the space of 5 years, basic Christian ideas have been maligned and even made illegal in my State of Victoria.”

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