Amazon ends 4-year ban on Ryan Anderson’s book criticizing transgender ideology

Posted on February 9, 2025 
Filed under Culture wars Comments Off on Amazon ends 4-year ban on Ryan Anderson’s book criticizing transgender ideology

“Amazon is reversing a ban on a book that is critical of transgender ideology and will now allow the work to be sold nearly four years after it was removed from the platform.

In a statement posted Tuesday about Ryan T. Anderson’s book When Harry Became Sally, the online retailer ‘concluded that we erred on the side of being too restrictive last time, and decided to return the book to our store.’…”

– The Christian Post highlights one example of how some things are changing.

Earlier: When Amazon Erased My Book – February 2021.

Southern Cross magazine February – March 2025

Posted on February 7, 2025 
Filed under Encouragement, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Southern Cross magazine February – March 2025

The latest issue of Southern Cross magazine (February – March 2025) is now available in churches.

If you miss out on getting a printed copy, a digital version is available from sydneyanglicans.net.

• Ministry to bubs and preschoolers
• Welcoming
• Positive masculinity
• Outreach in your suburb
• SRE teachers

PLUS: news, views, reviews and more

Report: Ashley Null elected Bishop of the Diocese North Africa

Posted on February 7, 2025 
Filed under Africa, Anglican Communion, People Comments Off on Report: Ashley Null elected Bishop of the Diocese North Africa

“The Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of North Africa is delighted to announce that The Revd Canon Dr Ashley Null has been elected as the next bishop of North Africa.  The Electoral Synod met on 4 February in N’Djamena, Chad, in the context of a Diocesan Synod that will continue until 6 February.

If the Synod of the Province of Alexandria confirms this election Dr Null will become the second, and first elected, bishop of the Diocese of North Africa, covering five countries (Algeria, Chad, Libya, Mauritania and Tunisia) and including the territory of the see of St Augustine of Hippo.

Dr Null holds research degrees from Yale and the University of Cambridge. He has received numerous awards for his work, including Fulbright, National Endowment for the Humanities and Guggenheim fellowships as well as being elected fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the Society of Antiquaries in London. He currently holds a research post funded by the German Research Council at Humboldt University of Berlin and is a visiting fellow at the Divinity Faculty of Cambridge University and St. John’s College, Durham University. His project is editing the private theological notebooks of Thomas Cranmer,

Commenting on the election the current bishop, the Rt Revd Anthony Ball, said ‘I am delighted that Canon Ashley offered, and has been chosen to share, his varied experience and renowned gifts as a pastor and theologian in the service of this wonderful diocese.  As the Chair of the Board of The Alexandria School of Theology he is already familiar with the Diocese.  He will now have the chance to broaden and enhance the work he has done for many years to promote and encourage Christian witness in this cradle of Christianity. I look forward to working with him and wish him every blessing as he prepares to assume his new role.’ ”

– Report from The Jerusalem and the Middle East Church Association in the UK.

A bit more background on Bishop Anthony Ball, who is quoted above –

“On 30 November 2021, shortly after the Province of Alexandria was recognized as a new Anglian Communion province, Ball was consecrated as an assistant bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Egypt. He held this role on a part-time basis while remaining resident at Westminster Abbey. In January 2024, at a service in N’Djamena, Ball was installed as the first diocesan bishop of North Africa—which covers Algeria, Chad, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia—while retaining his appointments at Westminster.” – Source, Wikipedia.

Photo of Ashley Null: Gafcon.

The Vibe Shift: What does it mean for the Gospel?

Posted on February 6, 2025 
Filed under Culture wars, Opinion Comments Off on The Vibe Shift: What does it mean for the Gospel?

“All of the conservative ducks have lined up in a row. Did you notice?  The cultural and political vibe has shifted? Have you felt it?

The vibe has turned against the progressive framework that sought to shut down voices it did not like, including orthodox Christian voices who wanted to speak about ethics. Yes the ducks have lined up, the vibe has shifted and we’re not gonna take it, we’re not gonna take it, we’re not gonna take it anymoooore!

Heady days for many people. It seems we are in for a long period of relative sanity in some areas of life that were previously either insane or being run by those who were. Or we are in for Armageddon, who can tell?

But let’s be positive. Clearly, as many a commentator has pointed out, the vibe has indeed shifted, and with strokes of the pen left, right and centre, the US President is not only changing the vibe in the USA, but across the Western world. Craven tech bros journey up to the new Jerusalem to pay homage.

What was once orthodox, or at least was declared to be orthodox to all and sundry, yet believed by far less than all and sundry, is being banished to the sidelines. …”

– Stephen McAlpine reminds Christians where our focus must be.

California’s End of Life Option: ‘An Awful Way to Die’

Posted on February 6, 2025 
Filed under Culture wars Comments Off on California’s End of Life Option: ‘An Awful Way to Die’

“ ‘Imagine dying without pain and suffering, peacefully, in a dignified, controlled manner, on your terms, on a date and at a time of your choosing,’ reads the advertisement for an information session on California’s End of Life Option Act.

To anyone who believes in God’s sovereignty, the last part of that sentence rings false. Even if a person does decide on suicide or assisted suicide, it’s the Lord who numbers our days (Job 14:5; Ps. 139:16). It’s he who gives life, and we’re warned against ending it prematurely (Ex. 20:13; Eccl. 7:17; 1 Cor. 3:16–20).

But the first part of that advertisement may not be true either. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition, Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra shares some details which are distressing but important to be understood.

Next-generation Bishops to gather in March

Posted on February 5, 2025 
Filed under Anglican Communion, GAFCON Comments Off on Next-generation Bishops to gather in March

Gafcon Primates Council Chairman Archbishop Dr. Laurent Mbanda writes:

“It is with great joy that I share with you news about an important gathering of Gafcon leaders this March, to be held in the United States in Plano, Texas.

The G25 Mini Conference has a special focus upon the next generation of global bishops, with a selection of those consecrated in the past five years receiving a special invitation.

This event comes at a very important time in the life of our movement …”

– see the full letter from Gafcon.

What would we lose if we stopped teaching complementarianism?

Posted on February 5, 2025 
Filed under Theology Comments Off on What would we lose if we stopped teaching complementarianism?

Dr Mark D Thompson, Principal of Moore Theological College, writes:

“The following is a paper I presented to a seminar at the 2025 Priscilla and Aquila Conference.

What would we lose if we stopped teaching complementarianism?

If we believe that the complementarian nature of human life and Christian ministry is a good thing, given by our loving God for our welfare, then we ought to want to preach and teach it, and to help people see how this perspective finds expression right through the Bible, and how it nurtures healthy, joyful and meaningful relationships. Yet increasingly, it seems, Bible teachers and preachers who are convinced of the truthfulness and even the goodness of this part of the Bible’s teaching, are unwilling to teach it for a variety of reasons. The context of our moment in history in the Western world — a right and proper concern to affirm the equal dignity and value of women and men, while at the same time being confused about what it means to be a woman or a man; the grotesque misuse of the Bible’s teaching by some to justify oppression and abuse; voices inside the churches insisting the Bible says something different and outside the churches arguing not only that we need not, but that we must not, follow the Bible’s teaching anyway — all of this pushes hard against any decision to teach complementarianism even if we believe it.

So my goal in this seminar is simply to encourage us to teach what we believe. And I don’t want us to do that just out of some sort of obligation, begrudgingly teaching this because it’s there in the Bible, but because we know it is good and that without understanding this our life together will be all the poorer. God is good. His word is good. He is committed to our welfare. He has built us for relationships. And what he has to tell us in his word about how to relate as men and women, in the home, in the church, and in the world that he has made, is very good. So if we don’t teach complementarianism there is a lot that we can lose. …”

– Read it all here – and very good to share with others in your church.

Related: The Priscilla and Aquila Centre at Moore College.

Paul Grimmond: How godliness differs for men and women and how to teach it!

Posted on February 5, 2025 
Filed under Theology Comments Off on Paul Grimmond: How godliness differs for men and women and how to teach it!

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“How does godliness play out differently if I am a man, a woman, a young man, a young woman, a husband or a wife?

All Christians are called to live like Christ.  Why does the Apostle Paul choose to write about what godliness looks like for the older and younger and for us as men and women, rather than more generally for us as people?

Does our age and sex have implications for the challenges we face in living for Jesus?

Are these things just human constructs or elements of divine gift?

And what implications does this have for how we think about discipleship and our lived experience of complementarian ministry?

Paul Grimmond is a senior lecturer at Sydney’s Moore Theological College.  Paul gave the keynote address at the Priscilla and Aquila conference.”

– Watch or listen here.

Advancing Indigenous Ministry

Posted on February 4, 2025 
Filed under Australia, People, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Advancing Indigenous Ministry

“In a boost for ministry to Indigenous peoples, Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has announced the landmark appointment of the Rev Michael Duckett as the first Director of Indigenous Ministry in the Sydney Diocese.

Synod last year voted overwhelmingly to create the position after a recommendation from the Sydney Anglican Indigenous Peoples Ministry Committee (SAIPMC) that it would greatly impact the growth and oversight of ministry by, among and for Indigenous people in Sydney and the Illawarra. …”

– Good news from Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Photo: Michael Duckett thanks to SydneyAnglicans.nrt.

Religious faith, medical procedures and minors

Posted on February 3, 2025 
Filed under Australia Comments Off on Religious faith, medical procedures and minors

“One of the most difficult areas to navigate in the intersection between law and religion is the dilemma that is faced by a court when asked to adjudicate on differing opinions about medical treatment of young people, when objections to medical treatment are based on religious views. This is an area where a court, when asked to adjudicate, will have to weigh up different interests of the minor- bodily health, and being able to make decisions in accordance wth their faith.

Many such cases have arisen in based on objections to blood transfusions by Jehovah’s Witnesses. But in this post I want to note a careful decision on the issues which was handed down early last year, where the young person involved was from a ‘mainstream’ Protestant church, and was strongly of the view that they had been healed miraculously and that no further treatment was needed.  …”

– Associate Professor Neil Foster writes at Law and Religion Australia.

Back to school in East Africa

Posted on February 2, 2025 
Filed under Africa, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Back to school in East Africa

“As kids are heading back to school in Australia, the school year is also beginning in East Africa where there are over 2000 children in schools and education programs supported by Anglican Aid.

We praise God that Tarime Girls Secondary School in Tanzania is due to open this week. …”

– Anglican Aid has this news for your encouragement and prayers.

Bishop of Bathurst’s HOPE25 Newsletter

Posted on February 1, 2025 
Filed under Australian dioceses, Evangelism, Resources Comments Off on Bishop of Bathurst’s HOPE25 Newsletter

The Bishop of Bathurst, Mark Calder, has released his HOPE25 Newsletter.

Many churches around Australia are planning to take part in the HOPE25 “intentional season of sharing hope in Jesus” between Easter and Pentecost.

Find your copy here – food for your prayers.

Crucifixion Historicity

Posted on February 1, 2025 
Filed under Apologetics, Resources Comments Off on Crucifixion Historicity

“Friends in Christ, on Monday as I left the Cathedral to go home, my exit was impeded by a Muslim man praying right outside our office door on the landing. I had to excuse myself and step over and around him. But something, presumably the Holy Spirit, then prompted me to pause and pray for his salvation for as long as it took him to finish his set prayers.

I then explained that he should not pray so as to block a doorway. It could impede people in an emergency. He did apologise but his excuse was to say it was a house of God. I said, it was a Christian house of God. He then claimed we all worship the same God.

However as we talked a little further, it emerged that we disagreed over whether Jesus died on the cross. …”

– Dean of Sydney Sandy Grant reminds us of the solid historical attestation for the Crucifixion. From the Cathedral newsletter 16 January 2025.

Three Recommendations for Parents

Posted on February 1, 2025 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on Three Recommendations for Parents

“Being a parent is a joyful struggle. In my mind, it’s pure, undistilled hospitality: ‘Hey there! Make yourself at home … forever.’

As with any act of hospitality, there can be so much joy—there’s a new perspective on the world to discover and appreciate as it forms and matures; a new heart to embrace with all its loves and dreams and fears.

But as with any act of hospitality, there can also be struggles. This new perspective doesn’t know your way of doing things; their ways may irk you. This new heart may love different things, dream in different directions, or fear peculiar things—all of which makes everyday tasks more complicated, like breakfast, shopping, or going to the toilet.

Unlike other acts of hospitality, there is a pressure and constancy with parenting that can make it more difficult. Even change itself is constant, such that raising children often feels like we’re always playing catchup.

So here are three very different resources I’ve found particularly helpful as I navigate this parental calling. …”

– Callan Pritchard shares “three very different resources” at The Australian Church Record.

Equipped to serve

Posted on January 31, 2025 
Filed under Encouragement, Moore College, People Comments Off on Equipped to serve

Archie Poulos interviews Dave Morgan – at the Moore College website.

“Archie Poulos, Head of Ministry and Director for the Centre for Ministry Development at Moore Theological College, interviews Dave Morgan, Team Leader of Athletes in Action in the South Island of New Zealand, about his ministry journey since graduating from Moore College in 2005.

Dave talks a little bit about his experience of studying at Moore, having not previously completed a university degree; he explains how his training at Moore equipped him for serving at the University of New England in Armidale; he recalls what it was like to minister to the people of Christchurch in the aftermath of the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes; and he tells us about his current role and why he’s passionate about working with athletes.”

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