Stem Cells, COVID-19 and the Archbishops – with Chase Kuhn & Megan Best

Posted on August 26, 2020 
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From The Pastor’s Heart:

“In a special edition today, we address a key issue :- Should you personally choose to use a COVID-19 vaccine candidate that makes use of a cell line cultured from an electively aborted human fetus?

To put it super bluntly: If I get vaccinated for covid-19 am I complicit in an abortion?”

– Watch or listen here.

Related: The ‘Must Read’ book in its field.

When nothing will stand still #5: Reflections on Hebrews 12

Posted on August 25, 2020 
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“Over the last months, Emma shared how she was feeling when life suddenly changed with Covid-19, and her plan to go back to a familiar passage.

Here is the next episode…”

– Emma Newling continues her encouraging reflections on Hebrews 12 at The Australian Church Record.

Call for ‘ethically uncontroversial’ COVID vaccine

Posted on August 24, 2020 
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“Archbishop Glenn Davies has released the text of a letter, signed by the Archbishops of the Anglican, Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches, calling for ethical research on COVID-19 vaccines. …”

– Story from SydneyAnglicans.net.

Freedom for Faith Submission on the Anti-Discrimination Amendment (Religious Freedoms and Equality Bill) 2020

Posted on August 24, 2020 
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Freedom for Faith has published their Submission on the NSW Anti-Discrimination Amendment (Religious Freedoms and Equality Bill) 2020.

Read it here. (Link via Neil Foster at Law and Religion Australia.)

See also the submission from David Ould at St. John’s Parramatta.

Sydney Church History

Posted on August 24, 2020 
Filed under History, Sydney Diocese, Theology Comments Off on Sydney Church History

“In 1965 John Stott, the Rector of All Souls Langham Place in London, visited Sydney to preach on 2 Corinthians at the CMS Summer School.

‘I heard only one of those Bible studies but I was so taken by the way he stuck to the text and stayed with it. He could show you the logic of the argument in the Scriptures, prior to that I had tended to get an idea from the passage and to leap all over the Bible supporting the idea from other parts, so that the people I taught knew the ‘idea’ but not the passage from which it came or how that passage fitted into some overall argument from the Scriptures. It is to John Stott I owe what ability I have to expound the Bible.’

Those were the words of the esteemed Sydney evangelist and preacher, the late John Chapman…”

– David Cook writes to remind us of our history, and how God works. At The Expository Preaching Trust.

(David Cook has served in parish ministry, as the Principal of SMBC, and as the Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia.)

Conversion Therapy laws and religious freedom

Posted on August 23, 2020 
Filed under Australia, Culture wars Comments Off on Conversion Therapy laws and religious freedom

“Australia has seen two recent initiatives by local Parliaments aimed at what are often called ‘conversion therapy’ practices.

No-one supports coercive electro-shock or other oppressive practices imposed on someone without their consent, to change their sexual preferences or identity. But the problem with the recent legislative proposals is that the laws do not target these practices alone (as to which it is hard to find any evidence of them occurring in Australia in recent years), but seem to reach further and to prevent religious groups sharing the teaching of their faith. …”

– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster looks at some of the implications of the recently-passed Queensland and ACT legislation.

Archbishop Glenn Davies shares his personal response to COVID-19

Posted on August 22, 2020 
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In this weekend’s online service for the Diocese of Bathurst, Bishop Mark Calder asks Archbishop of Sydney Glenn Davies about how COVID-19 has impacted him.

And Glenn shares a familiar, but wonderful, verse for your encouragement.

It’s also available here as a standalone video.

Locating Singleness in Genesis 2

Posted on August 21, 2020 
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“I would say we’re pretty well versed in what Genesis 2 says to the married person. But what does Genesis 2 say to the single person?…”

– At The Australian Church Record, Simon Flinders points out something you might not have noticed before.

Expository Preaching on the wane? — David Cook

Posted on August 20, 2020 
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I studied at Moore Theological College from 1973 to 1975, under the principalship of D.B.Knox.

Those who studied at Moore under Dr Knox always anticipated his Doctrine 1 lectures, held twice a week for the whole of first year.

Dr Knox would usually open the lecture making reference to our text, ‘In understanding be men’, by a former principal of Moore, T. C.Hammond.

These remarks would usually take about 10 minutes and then the rest of the lecture consisted of questions and answers.

Knox would occasionally correct Hammond, who wrote his book on an ocean liner, travelling from Ireland to take up his appointment in Sydney.

Dr Knox would say, ‘the archdeacon may have been seasick at this point’.

What impressed me was that Knox, who rarely corrected Hammond, did so on the basis not of the Anglican doctrinal standard, The 39 Articles, but on the basis of God‘s Word, the Bible.

That was Moore’s enduring legacy to me, through lecture room and chapel service, the Bible was taught and preached as the final authority in all matters of faith and practice.

I have recently been part of a committee discussing what it means to be ‘reformed’.

The 5 Solas have been referred to, but finally, I think we have come to the conclusion that the foundation of Reformed theology and conviction, is that the Bible is God’s breathed out word and is our final court of appeal.

We believe what we believe, because that is what the Bible says.

This was the core of Luther’s argument with the Roman church in the 16th Century.

When called upon to retract his writings, Luther said, ‘Unless I am convinced by the text of the Scriptures or clear reason, for I do not trust in the Pope or the Councils alone…I am bound to the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not retract anything…’

It is the influence of the Reformers and men like D.B.Knox, which have led me to seek to have the Scriptures at the centre of my life and preaching.

Calvin referred to the Bible as a pair of spectacles, ‘which dispel the darkness and give us a clear view of God’.

The point of these remarks for preaching is that we preach the way we do because of what we believe about the Bible and how God reveals himself. J.I.Packer said, ‘the text of the Bible is God preaching to us’.

The faithful preacher will be God’s mouthpiece, by explaining, expounding, declaring the Bible.

How foolish to have a word from the mouth of God and to displace it with our own thoughts and inclinations!

Does your preaching show your respect for God, your desire to honour him, by faithfully and engagingly proclaiming the Bible?

Is this consistently true, every time you take the pulpit?

My current screen saver is a quote from the late R.C.Sproul:

‘I think the greatest weakness in the church today is that almost no one believes that God invests his power in the Bible. Everyone is looking for power in a programme, in a methodology, in a technique, in anything and everything but that in which God has placed it, His Word!’

David Cook.

The Pastor’s Heart: ‘The Minister Drought’ with Mike Leite and Mark Earngey

Posted on August 18, 2020 
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From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Across the Western world theological college enrolments are down. Today it’s the third part of a conversation about this problem.  Specifically we are focusing on the issues of Sydney.

We’re exploring the joint issues of not enough people putting themselves forward for ministry and the shortage of senior ministers for Sydney’s Anglican Churches.

Moore Theological College Lecturer Mark Earngey and St George North Assistant Minister Mike Leite have been researching for several years the underlying issues that have contributed to the Sydney minister drought.

Mike’s responsible for editing the recently released booklet ‘Sydney Anglican Ministry.’  Mark is behind the latest edition of the Australian Church Record Journal.

Plus we review the important ‘From Sydney to the World’ online conference held on the weekend, which was aimed at putting recruiting for ministry back on the agenda.”

– Watch or listen at The Pastor’s Heart.

Related:

The Minister Drought: A Millennial’s Perspective – Angus Martin at The Australian Church Record.

On Toppling Statues

Posted on August 18, 2020 
Filed under Culture wars, Evangelism Comments Off on On Toppling Statues

“Surely one of the most striking images of this extraordinary year was the toppled statue of Edward Colston being rolled through the streets of Bristol, England by a furious mob, in June.

The statue had been erected in 1895 (174 years after Colston’s death) in recognition of his philanthropy. In his lifetime, Colston had endowed the city with schools, hospitals, homes for the poor as well as churches, including Bristol Cathedral.

But a significant proportion of Colston’s wealth came from the slave trade…”

– Terrific article by Kanishka Raffel. Suitable for sharing as a conversation starter.

(Image: St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney.)

J.I. Packer: A Personal Remembrance

Posted on August 17, 2020 
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“Shortly after the death of Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981), Dr. Packer delivered a lecture-sermon at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary entitled, “Martyn Lloyd-Jones: the Greatest Man I Ever Knew.”

It says something important about Packer that despite the sad falling-out of Lloyd-Jones and the Anglican Calvinists in October 1966, he paid such a glowing tribute to “the Doctor.”

A number of men of my generation will want to join me in saying that J. I. Packer was the greatest man we ever knew. …”

– Terry L. Johnson adds his remembrance of J. I. Packer – at Reformation21.

Why workplaces need religious freedom, too

Posted on August 17, 2020 
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“The COVID-19 pandemic has indefinitely delayed the introduction of the Commonwealth Religious Discrimination Bill, which would have provided protection against religious discrimination in the workplace. With Federal reform on pause, One Nation MP Mark Latham has introduced a bill to the NSW Parliament, which will protect people of faith (and no faith) from discrimination. This Bill has been referred to a Joint Select Parliamentary Committee…

The Sydney Diocese will be making a full submission to the Joint Select Committee with a detailed analysis of the Latham Bill. The committee is inviting individuals to submit comments about the Bill via an online questionnaire at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F8KFWXB. This closes on August 21. I encourage you to complete this short survey to indicate your support for these protections against religious discrimination.”

– Bishop Michael Stead writes about an important bill on religious freedom. (Emphasis added.)

Archbishop Davies writes about parish vacancies

Posted on August 15, 2020 
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“Readers of Southern Cross will have noticed the large number of vacant parishes over the past couple of years.

Of course, the reason for listing vacant parishes each month should be obvious. We want you to pray for these parishes, for their nominators and for the Synod-elected members who comprise the Nomination Board…”

– Archbishop Glenn Davies writes to encourage your prayers.

From Sydney to the World

Posted on August 15, 2020 
Filed under Evangelism, Good News, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on From Sydney to the World

If you missed out on seeing From Sydney to the World on Saturday (15th August), you can now watch the full presentation here.

It’s an important online event focussing on the raising up of the next generation of labourers for the harvest. Most encouraging. And do consider sharing the link.

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