John 1 from Around the World!

Posted on December 18, 2020 
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As an encouragement, and as a reminder of our unity in Christ, members of Gafcon read John 1:1-18.

Bullying in churches — legal implications

Posted on December 18, 2020 
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From Neil Foster at Law and Religion Australia –

“I was invited to give a presentation to ministers of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney earlier this year on the legal implications of bullying in churches.

The Diocese has kindly agreed that the presentation can be made more widely available. This links to the video and also has a link to a written paper to accompany the presentation.”

Armidale’s The Link introduces their new Bishop

Posted on December 18, 2020 
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The latest edition of The Link from the Diocese of Armidale leads with an article about Bishop-elect Rod Chiswell and his wife Jenni.

Most encouraging.

Read online or download your copy here.

What do Anglicans Believe? – Review by Mark Thompson

Posted on December 18, 2020 
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The latest issue of Global Anglican (formerly Churchman) has been published by Church Society.

From Church Society:

In the last issue of The Global Anglican in 2020, editor Peter Jensen writes about True Forgiveness, a much talked-about but little-understood subject of critical importance to the gospel.

There are two articles on the subject of baptism. First, from Peter Nyende, “Prepared to Believe: The Evangelism of Preschoolers and Infant Baptism in African Anglican Churches” and second from Lee Gatiss on “The Anglican Doctrine of Infant Baptism”.

Stephen Noll considers the ecclesiology of an important figure in the Australian Anglican church in “Canonicity, Catholicity, Apostolicity: Archbishop Donald Robinson on the Church.”

We also have two review articles in this issue. Colin Reed reviews Bishop Mwita Akiri’s “Christianity in Central Tanzania: A Story of African Encounters and Initiatives in Ugogo and Ukaguru, 1876–1933” from the perspective of one who spent many years working and teaching in Tanzania.

While most of the content is only available to subscribers, Dr Mark Thompson’s review of the Anglican Communion document “What Do Anglicans Believe?” has been published for everyone to read.

“The Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO), working with the Anglican Communion Office’s department of Theological Education in the Anglican Communion (TEAC), has produced a short 45-page study guide entitled What Do Anglicans Believe? (2020). It has been distributed widely, in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French, with a particular focus on institutions providing theological education within the Anglican Communion.

It is presented as a working draft, with the goal of assisting readers in “deciding how doctrine in general, and specific doctrines, should play a more contextually authentic and inspiring role in our worship, mission and discipleship, and then resolving to make those changes” (p. 7). But it is seriously misleading and points us in the wrong directions.”

Read Mark Thompson’s probing review here. (PDF file.)

Latest from the Northern Territory — Top Centre Issue 20.3

Posted on December 17, 2020 
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From David Ray, Registrar of the Diocese of the Northern Territory –

“Dear friends of the Anglican Diocese of the Northern Territory, please enjoy reading the latest edition of ‘Top Centre’, featuring the ordination of Craig Rogers to the Order of Deacons and our new Dean at Christ Church Cathedral, Darwin!”

And from Bishop Greg Anderson’s page –

“We are close to the end of another year – and most of us will hope that next year is very different from this year.

But although 2020 has been challenging in many ways (and very much more challenging for people in other parts of Australia and in the wider world compared with the Northern Territory), so much has remained the same. God is still God, and he is doing his work in the world. Jesus still reigns and the good news about his work of rescuing the world still builds the church. The Holy Spirit still works to transform and empower Christians, and to soften hard hearts. …”

– Plenty of encouraging reading and fuel for prayer.

My Year in Books – Claire Smith

Posted on December 16, 2020 
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“For someone who spends much of their time sitting at a desk reading and writing, I am generally amazed at how few books I read cover to cover, and that I read for no other reason than I am interested to read them! ‘My Year in Books’ tends to be determined by the projects I’m working on that given year.

This year, for example, I was asked to review three books on the Bible’s teaching about men and women. Unfortunately, I could not recommend any of them, as I explain in the reviews I’ve written. But they did alert me to three trends in the ongoing discussion about the relationship and roles of men and women in marriage and ministry. …”

– Dr Claire Smith writes at The Gospel Coalition Australia.

The Spirit of Truth

Posted on December 15, 2020 
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“As I explained in my previous blogpost, ‘theological reflection’, a process of hearing God’s revelation not just in Scripture, but in human wisdom and the changing circumstances around us, has become very popular in the Church of England. It is often given justification from John 16:13. Even when not linked directly to theological reflection, this verse is taken as reason to expect devout Christians, in conscience, to come to new conclusions about life and doctrine that are different from the received view, perhaps even different from biblical teaching.

Is this what Jesus actually taught in John 16:13? …

Such an interpretation of John 16:13 in the Church of England is relatively new, but has a back story. In the background is the influence of John Henry Newman and the Oxford Movement. …”

– At Church Society, Kirsty Birkett continues her series responding to the Living in Love and Faith resources with an examination of John 16:13.

Gafcon Australia Statement about Wangaratta

Posted on December 15, 2020 
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Gafcon Australia has released this statement:

“The Board of Gafcon Australia notes with regret that a blessing of a civil marriage of two men has taken place in the Diocese of Wangaratta. This is inconsistent with the teaching of Christ that marriage is between a man and a woman. The Anglican Church of Australia has no other doctrine of marriage. Actions of this type in other Anglican jurisdictions around the world have deeply impaired fellowship between Anglican provinces and resulted in the most serious, and in some cases, formal and ongoing breaches of unity within and between Dioceses.  Gafcon Australia remains committed to supporting faithful and orthodox Anglicans wherever they may be, and invites any who are concerned about these recent developments to contact us for prayerful encouragement and support at info@gafconaustralia.org.”

GAFCON Chairman’s Advent Letter 2020

Posted on December 14, 2020 
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“Advent greetings to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

The season of Advent, one of the oldest observed Christian seasons, is upon us.  This season calls us to become aware of two great tensions: The Lord Jesus has come into the world, and He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.  These two great tensions describe the hope and anticipation of faithful followers of Jesus for two-thousand years.

My prayer is that we will live faithfully in this tension between these ‘two Advents.’…”

– GAFCON Primates’ Council Chairman The Most Rev. Dr. Foley Beach shares his Advent message.

Rod Chiswell elected Bishop of Armidale

Posted on December 12, 2020 
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The Rev. Rod Chiswell has been elected as the next Bishop of Armidale at today’s election Synod.

Rod is the Minister of St. Peter’s South Tamworth.

Archbishop of Sydney, Dr. Glenn Davies, says in a statement:

“I welcome the news that the Rev Rod Chiswell has been elected as the next Bishop of Armidale. Rod is a faithful pastor, a fine preacher and one who will hold fast to the faith once for all delivered to the saints. He is an answer to many prayers.”

(Image from the St. Peter’s South Tamworth online service for 6th December 2020.)

Update from the Diocese of Armidale.

Release From a COVID Christmas

Posted on December 12, 2020 
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“The pre-covid, covid, and post-covid worlds have striking similarities: we are imprisoned in a world of sin, pain, and death …”

– Dr Peter Barnes, Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, shares his 2020 Christmas message.

Albert Mohler speaks with Carl Trueman on ‘The Triumph of the Modern Self’

Posted on December 12, 2020 
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Albert Mohler speaks with Carl Trueman on Car’s new book, ‘The Triumph of the Modern Self’, in the latest edition of ‘Thinking in Public’.

Theological Reflection

Posted on December 11, 2020 
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“At the start of the Living in Love and Faith book, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York introduce what LLF is doing as ‘an Anglican method of theological reflection’ (p. viii).

It’s easy to hear this phrase ‘theological reflection’ and think it just means, say, ‘thinking about the world biblically’, or ‘applying theology to the world’. However ‘theological reflection’ is more than that: it is a specific method for doing theology, for discovering what God is saying to us now. If we are going to use it to come to a decision about doctrine, we should be sure that it is a correct way to come to conclusions about God.

‘Theological reflection’ is a relatively recent term. …”

– A very helpful clarification from Kirsten Birkett – at Church Society.

See also:

The Church of England’s guide to hearing God’s voice through the Bible, according to LLF – Andrew Symes at Anglican Mainstream.

Lawlessness Everywhere

Posted on December 11, 2020 
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“Our country is at a crucial crossing point. In the past, even though there were extraordinarily damaging disputes such as the Civil War, the country survived them by adhering to its founding fathers’ principle that ours was ‘a country of laws, not men.’ In other words, the Constitution was worth protecting at all costs, lest we descend into some form of tyranny — which, by definition, is government by man (or men), not by law.  The tyrant, not the Constitution, defines in that case what the law is.

As evidenced by the recent presidential election, it is now an open question whether ours may still be said to be a country of laws. This question is brought into sharpest focus by the recent lawsuit filed by the State of Texas in the United States Supreme Court …”

– For those praying for the outcome of the Presidential election (1 Timothy 2:1-6.), this background briefing by Christian lawyer A. S. Haley may be helpful in understanding the latest legal moves.

Sydney Diocese Response to actions in the Diocese of Wangaratta

Posted on December 10, 2020 
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Here’s a media release from the Diocese of Sydney, in response to actions by the recently-retired Bishop of Wangaratta:

Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney
Public Statement 

Response to actions in the Diocese of Wangaratta

We are deeply distressed that the previous Bishop of Wangaratta should take presumptive action by blessing a same-sex marriage.

In doing so, he must be aware that this is a deeply contentious issue which will be the focus of the General Synod when it meets next year.

We continue to work to preserve faithfulness and unity in the Australian Church as we navigate these issues, guided by the clear voice of Scripture. That remains our hope, but this action prior to the 2021 General Synod creates a serious breach in our national Church life.

It would be naïve to think that mutually contradictory views on same-sex marriage can co-exist within our national Church. Pronouncing God’s blessing on a same-sex marriage is contrary to the teaching of Christ. It is therefore untenable to have some members of the Church purporting to declare God’s blessing in such circumstances. To pursue this course will not bring healing but will only lead to a collapse in the fellowship that binds us together.

One need only look across the Tasman, let alone around the Anglican world, to see that the issue of same-sex blessings has created an irreparable tear in the fabric of our fellowship.

While General Synod will address these issues next year, any further breaches of fellowship will only lead to the alienation of Anglicans who wish to remain faithful to the teaching of Scripture. Furthermore, alternative pathways will need to be provided for them to retain their Anglican identity, as outlined in Gafcon Australia’s document, Commitment 2020.

The Most Rev. Dr Glenn Davies, Archbishop of Sydney
The Rt Rev. Peter Hayward, Bishop of Wollongong,
The Rt Rev. Chris Edwards, Bishop of North Sydney
The Rt Rev. Peter Lin, Bishop of Georges River Region
The Rt Rev. Dr Michael Stead, Bishop of South Sydney
The Rt Rev. Gary Koo, Bishop of Western Sydney
The Rt Rev. Malcolm Richards, Bishop for International Relations

10 December 2020.

Source.

See also:

First same-sex marriage blessing conducted after Tribunal decision – Melbourne Anglicans.

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