New Archbishop of York, and other news from the UK
Posted on December 18, 2019
Filed under Church of England, Resources Comments Off on New Archbishop of York, and other news from the UK
“It has been announced this morning that the new Archbishop of York will be Stephen Cottrell, currently Bishop of Chelmsford.
Stephen Cottrell is the President of Affirming Catholicism, an organisation which is ‘seeking to bring together and strengthen lay and ordained people who recognize the positive, inclusive and joyful currents in the Catholic tradition of Christianity.’ Among other things, they are seeking to allow same sex marriage and the ministry of people in same sex relationships within the Church of England. …”
– See Church Society’s website for more. Photo: Diocese of York.
The Church of England website has a story.
In other news from the UK, Bishop Gavin Ashenden, who joined the Anglo-Catholic Christian Episcopal Church two years ago, has now announced that he is ‘crossing the Tiber’.
Related:
Rome Scholars & Leaders Network, June 15th-19th 2020.
“Evangelicalism currently has an incoherent relationship with Roman Catholicism. Many evangelicals are uncertain about what Roman Catholics actually believe. Do they believe in the same Gospel, or something entirely different?…”
Swimming the Tiber? by Mark Jones at Ligonier Ministries.
Our Times are in God’s Hands
Posted on December 18, 2019
Filed under Encouragement Comments Off on Our Times are in God’s Hands
“As Christmas 2019 approaches, many of us have a sense that the world has almost tilted on its axis. There are droughts and bushfires in the natural sphere, and in the civil sphere we have seen the widespread acceptance of abortion, euthanasia, and same-sex relationships. Furthermore, there is a perceptible coarsening and hardening of public and private life. …”
– Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, the Rev. Dr Peter Barnes, shares great encouragement this Christmas.
Jesus is God with us
Posted on December 17, 2019
Filed under Resources, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Jesus is God with us
Archbishop of Sydney Glenn Davies has released his Christmas Message for 2019 – in both text and video formats.
It would be ideal to play at services on Christmas Day – and to feature it on your church website.
Rejoice that He is with us
Posted on December 16, 2019
Filed under Encouragement, Theology Comments Off on Rejoice that He is with us
“Emmanuel is, for me, one of the most precious words in the New Testament.
The Greek word is a transliteration of the Hebrew phrase, meaning “God with us”. Although only occurring once in Matthew 1:23, where it is a translation of the Hebrew phrase that appears in Isaiah 7:14 and 8:8, it is rich in meaning and has become regularly associated with both Advent and Christmas carols. Jesus is our Emmanuel (or Immanuel to reflect the original Hebrew).”
– Archbishop Glenn Davies shares this Christmas reflection. At SydneyAnglicans.net.
Conversation between former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson and Journalist Melanie Phillips removed from YouTube
Posted on December 16, 2019
Filed under Culture wars, Opinion, Resources Comments Off on Conversation between former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson and Journalist Melanie Phillips removed from YouTube
[Update, Tuesday 17 December: The video appears to have been reinstated.]
Former Australian Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson has been continuing to post his Conversations series on his website, johnanderson.net.au.
There, he explains his motivation. In part, he says:
“Increasingly in Australia our famous commitment to a fair go for all, mateship, and rubbing along with people who have different views, seem to be under threat.
It often seems to me that the old adage, ‘I may disagree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to say it,’ is giving way to a notion which says, ‘if you dare disagree with me I’ll do whatever it takes to silence you.’
The good policy that Australia desperately needs now will not come out of a bad or silenced debate, which is the inevitable outcome of a loss of respect for other people and the views that they hold.“ (emphasis added)
On Friday (13 December), he published his latest Conversation, this one with Melanie Phillips, Journalist, Author and Broadcaster. Today (Monday 16 December), the video of the conversation has been “removed for violating YouTube’s Terms of Service”.
In a message to subscribers, John Anderson says,
“We are currently trying to determine if taking down the video was an honest mistake and are working to have it reinstated as soon as possible. We’ll let you know if and when it is available to view again.
In the meantime you can listen to the discussion on podcast at these links: iTunes, Spotify.“
Advent Letter from Archbishop Ben Kwashi
Posted on December 15, 2019
Filed under GAFCON Comments Off on Advent Letter from Archbishop Ben Kwashi
“Peace be with you!
Our Advent card celebrates the wonderful truth that our Lord Jesus who first appeared in the humility of the incarnation will most certainly return in glory, ‘For all the promises of God find their Yes in him’ (2 Cor 1:20).
The gospel brings a hope that nothing and nobody else can give and living myself in a situation where Christians risk their lives for faithfulness to Christ, I know the power of this hope to sustain and strengthen. …”
– Gafcon General Secretary, Archbishop Ben A Kwashi, shares his Advent 2019 message.
Reflections on leaving the Church of England
Posted on December 14, 2019
Filed under Church of England, People Comments Off on Reflections on leaving the Church of England
“Having served for 23 years as an ordained minister in the Church of England, I was recently licensed as minister of Emmanuel, Morecambe in the Free Church of England, a smaller Anglican denomination which formed in the mid-19th century. …
People have asked me what has changed in the CofE in recent years such that I have decided to leave it now and whether this decision has involved some soul-searching.”
– Julian Mann shares something of his journey, at VirtueOnline.
North West Network – Nov 2019
Posted on December 13, 2019
Filed under Australian dioceses, Encouragement Comments Off on North West Network – Nov 2019
The latest North West Network is full of encouraging stories and fuel for prayer.
Download it as a 3.1MB PDF file.
Book Review of ‘God’s Good Design’ (2nd edition)
Posted on December 12, 2019
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on Book Review of ‘God’s Good Design’ (2nd edition)
“All too often modern Christian teaching on the place of men and women in the church is in the context of argument and debate.
Fundamentally, the debate between those who would call themselves complementarian and those would call themselves egalitarian. However, even within those who hold a complementarian position there is debate between those who would disagree about where lines should be drawn. While this can’t be helped it can lead to some unfortunate consequences. Most notably we can deal ‘fast and loose’ with the text of the Scriptures, overstating arguments to support ‘our position’.
This is where Claire Smith’s ‘God’s Good Design’, first released in 2012 and now in its second edition has proven such a valuable resource. …”
– At Equal But Different, Phil and Victoria Colgan review the second edition of ‘God’s Good Design – What the Bible really says about Men and Women’ by Claire Smith.
Complementarianism: A Moment of Reckoning – latest 9Marks Journal
Posted on December 12, 2019
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on Complementarianism: A Moment of Reckoning – latest 9Marks Journal
The latest 9Marks Journal focusses on the issue of Complementarianism.
From this issue: Rosaria Butterfield, How Psalm 113 Changed My Life –
“Pastor Ken Smith told us to open our Psalters to Psalm 113A in The Book of Psalms for Singing.
I jumped in with mouth open wide.
But before I realized what was coming out of my mouth, I sang the last lines of the psalm and implicated myself into what I believed then was hateful patriarchy and institutionalized misogyny. …”
What non-believers can know about Jesus, the Man
Posted on December 12, 2019
Filed under Evangelism Comments Off on What non-believers can know about Jesus, the Man
Agnostic journalist Andrew Bolt invited Melbourne Anglican minister Mark Durie onto The Bolt Report to discuss what non-believers can know about Jesus, the Man.
Perhaps a conversation-starter.
The gospel and fatherhood (Ephesians 6:4)
Posted on December 11, 2019
Filed under Encouragement, Resources, Theology Comments Off on The gospel and fatherhood (Ephesians 6:4)
Fathers: Do you sometimes wish your children were born with an instruction manual? Being a dad is a big responsibility. Paul here provides valuable direction.
– Read or listen at Forget the Channel, as Lionel Windsor helps unpack Ephesians 6:4.
Second draft of Religious Discrimination Package released
Posted on December 10, 2019
Filed under Australia, Culture wars, Resources Comments Off on Second draft of Religious Discrimination Package released
“The Commonwealth Government has released a second version of its draft legislation dealing with religious discrimination issues, for further comment before it is formally introduced into the Federal Parliament in the New Year. There are a number of important changes from the previous drafts which in my view make it a much better package of amendments. But there are areas for improvement…”
– At Law and Religion Australia, Associate Professor Neil Foster, shares his response to the updated draft legislation.
Diocese of Sydney Response to Second Exposure Draft of the Religious Discrimination Bill
Posted on December 10, 2019
Filed under Australia, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Diocese of Sydney Response to Second Exposure Draft of the Religious Discrimination Bill
Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney
Media Statement
The Release of the Second Exposure Draft of the Religious Discrimination Bill
We appreciate the thorough way in which the government has approached this issue and takes seriously the deeply-held views of people of faith.
In particular, I am encouraged by a number of changes in the second exposure draft. The respect given to faith charities is an important model for the future harmony of Australian society.
Personal faith and the activities of religious communities touch so many areas of our lives. As the Prime Minister has pointed out, we have laws preventing discrimination on race, sex, age or disabilities and faith should likewise be protected.
We look forward to providing further feedback on the updated Bill.
Glenn N Davies,
Archbishop of Sydney
10 December 2019.
Source: SydneyAnglicans.net
New Director for Moore College’s Centre for Christian Living
Posted on December 10, 2019
Filed under People Comments Off on New Director for Moore College’s Centre for Christian Living
“Following the successful completion of his PhD, Tony Payne is stepping aside from the directorship of the Centre for Christian Living (CCL) at the end of this year. He will take on new ministry responsibilities at UNSW’s Campus Bible Study (CBS). …
While we are sad to see Tony leave this role, we are delighted to announce that in 2020 CCL will be directed by Dr Chase Kuhn …”
– News from Moore College.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…