Hillsong Global Chief Marketing Officer to be new Bible Society Australia CEO

Posted on September 4, 2019 
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“Bible Society Australia today announced the appointment of its new Chief Executive Officer, Grant Thomson.

Grant Thomson resigned from his role as Global Chief Marketing Officer for Hillsong Global to take on the CEO position of Bible Society Australia…”

– Press release from Bible Society Australia.

‘Liberal MP threatens to derail Berejiklian’s government over abortion bill’

Posted on September 3, 2019 
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“A New South Wales Liberal MP has threatened to defect to the crossbench, potentially derailing Gladys Berejiklian’s stronghold, if ‘essential amendments’ are not made to the state’s abortion bill…”

– Report from Nine News.

John Lovell to be new General Secretary of CMS NSW & ACT

Posted on September 3, 2019 
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News from CMS:

“The President of CMS NSW & ACT, Archbishop Glenn Davies is pleased to announce the appointment of Rev John Lovell as the new General Secretary of the Branch.

John is a gifted Bible teacher who has had a long association with CMS NSW & ACT, including 10 years in his current position as a CMS missionary in Spain. John is delighted to be taking up this new role. …

For the past eight years, John has been pastoring a local Anglican church in Valencia…”

– Read more at the CMS website.

Cathedral Conversations — Choices — the video

Posted on September 2, 2019 
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The video from tonight’s Cathedral Conversations on “Choices: The conversation about abortion we need to have”, at St. John’s Cathedral Parramatta, is now available to watch at David Ould’s website.

The introduction starts about 6 minutes in. Archbishop Glenn Davies speaks from 87 minutes. He makes it clear that the issue is a matter of life and death.

Watch here.

Vote by Synod of the Diocese of Wangaratta ignores ‘clear words of Scripture’

Posted on September 2, 2019 
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Anglican Diocese of Sydney

Public Statement

Response to a vote by the Synod of the Diocese of Wangaratta

The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, has issued a statement in response to a vote by the Synod of the Diocese of Wangaratta to authorise a service to bless civil marriages. The Bishop of Wangaratta has claimed this service would allow for a blessing of same-sex unions and that he personally intends to use it for that purpose.

Archbishop Davies said,

“It is highly regrettable that clergy and lay people in the Diocese of Wangaratta have chosen to follow their Bishop rather than the clear words of Scripture concerning God’s design for human sexuality (Matt 19:4-12).

The doctrine of our Church is not determined by 67 members of a regional synod in Victoria nor is it changed by what they may purport to authorise.

Time and time again, the General Synod has affirmed the biblical view of marriage as the doctrine of our Church. To bless that which is contrary to Scripture cannot, therefore, be permissible under our church law.

The circumstances of this event are reminiscent of the actions of the Diocese of New Westminster in Canada in 2003. It is now universally acknowledged that those events were the beginning of the ‘tear in the fabric of the Anglican Communion’.

Moreover, to claim the authority of our Church to carry out a service of blessing contrary to the biblical view of marriage and the doctrine of our Church will certainly fracture the Anglican Church of Australia.

Dr Glenn N Davies
Archbishop of Sydney
2 September 2019.”

– Source: SydneyAnglicans.net.

Legal Reflections on The Religious Discrimination Bill

Posted on September 2, 2019 
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Akos Balogh from The Gospel Coalition Australia spoke with Neil Foster (Associate Professor of Law at the University of Newcastle), about the Morrison Government’s proposed Religious Discrimination Bill –

“Going into the last election, the Morrison Government committed to implementing most of the recommendations of the Ruddock Review on Religious Freedom. In particular, they promised that they would move quickly on a ‘Religious Discrimination Bill’, and refer issues around the religious exemptions applying in other discrimination legislation (especially, but not solely, related to religious schools) to the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC).

They have now started to keep their promise by releasing, on August 29, an Exposure Draft Religious Discrimination Bill 2019 (‘RD Bill’), along with two other Bills making related and associated amendments. …”

– Read the full interview here.

Mark Calder announced as Bishop of Bathurst

Posted on September 1, 2019 
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An announcement from Archdeacon Brett Watterson, Administrator of the Diocese of Bathurst:

“We look forward to the Rev’d Mark Norman Calder’s consecration as a Bishop in the church of God, 7pm Thursday 21 November in St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney and installation, 11am Saturday 23 November at All Saints Cathedral, Bathurst.

Mark was born in Broken Hill, when his parents were running the BCA hostel. Moving to Sydney and settling in Eastwood, he attended Eastwood Primary school and Epping Boys High. After 6 years working in the television industry, he studied at Moore College from 1984-87. Following nearly four years working as an assistant minister – first at Lalor Park and then at North Sydney – he was appointed rector of St Andrew’s Roseville in September 1991. During this time, he served on the council of the northern region of the diocese, the Anglican Media Council, the council of Shore school and on the standing committee of the diocese.

He became rector of Noosa on the Sunshine Coast in the diocese of Brisbane in November 2009. Wanting to learn from other traditions within the Anglican church, he immersed himself in the life of the diocese, serving at various times as area dean, diocesan nominator, General Synod rep and member of the council of St Andrew’s Anglican College Peregian Springs. Concurrent with his appointment at Noosa, he served for four years as priest-in-charge of the neighbouring parish of Cooroora.

Mark and Susan celebrated 30 years of marriage in July this year. They have three children: Philip – married to Sidney – lives in Townsville; Emily – married to Anthony – lives in Ipswich; and Michael lives in Toowoomba. Mark and Susan love being grandparents to Emily and Anthony’s children, Mackenzie (3) and Charlie (1).

Mark enjoys his family, God’s glory in creation, many aspects of today’s technology and long drives!

Mark communicated his desire for the diocese of Bathurst in this way:

My prayer is that under my leadership, the Diocese will grow communities of faith, full of people who have confidence in their forgiveness through the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and joyful assurance of spending eternity with God by his grace. I trust that in every city, town and village, the Anglican church is known and loved, present in the community and valued for its contribution. I pray that as a result, more and more people will become disciples and grow strong and clear in their relationship with the Lord Jesus, to the glory of God.”

See also:

A new role for our minister – Anglican Church of Noosa.

Sydney helps Bathurst – SydneyAnglicans.net, 15 October 2018.

‘Ground-breaking’ winner at NSW Premier’s History Awards

Posted on September 1, 2019 
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“A book exploring The Bible’s complex influence on Australia’s political and pop culture landscape, from colonisation to the Bra Boys, is among the major winners of this year’s NSW Premier’s History Awards. …”

– Story from The Sydney Morning Herald.

See also:

2019 Winner Judges’ Comments –

“Meredith Lake’s The Bible in Australia is a book of remarkable originality. Formidably researched yet carrying its scholarship with an enviable lightness of touch, this is a ground-breaking cultural and social history.”

Wangaratta Synod prepares to push Anglican Church of Australia to the Brink

Posted on August 31, 2019 
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“As I write the synod of the Diocese of Wangaratta is in the final day of its current session.

Bishop Parkes has been very clear that he intends to support and endorse a motion before the synod to allow for blessings of those individuals who have entered into a same-sex marriage in Australia. …

Bishop Parkes’ Presidential Address provides a clear insight into his thinking on this topic.…

It seems certain that the synod will pass the motion and the crisis will be upon us. As we’ve reported previously, we should expect to see conservative bishops take out disciplinary measures against Parkes. The matter will also be referred to the Appellate Tribunal.”

– David Ould writes on the Synod of the Diocese of Wangaratta, which concludes today.

Photo: Bishop David Parkes, who speaks (in his Presidential address) of the influence on his thinking  of John Macquarrie and Friedrich Schleiermacher, among others.

Update 1:

“The Diocese of Wangaratta has passed their motion calling for the blessing of individuals who have taken part in a same-sex wedding. The voting, reported by prominent supporter of the motion Ven. John Davis (Archdeacon Emeritus of the Diocese), was that 67 for, 18 against and one abstention.”

Update 2:

“In the coming weeks, Bishop Parkes will bless two priests from Wangaratta, John Davis and Rob Whalley, who have been in a relationship for more than 20 years.” – ABC News, 1st September 2019.

What happened in Boga needs further analysis and appropriate action

Posted on August 31, 2019 
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“What happened in Boga needs further investigation, like getting a cure to a patient who requires serious diagnosis, laboratory tests and examination.

You have heard about what happened in Boga the morning of last Friday when the Islamist ADF rebel group invaded Boga. That invasion caused a lot of pain, suffering, fear and trauma. What is the source of all this? Many people are having no answers to the question.”

–  Bishop William Mugenyi Bahemuka gives some important background to the attack on Boga a week ago. At the GAFCON website.

Protest against the abortion-to-birth bill — Saturday 7th September

Posted on August 30, 2019 
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The Australian Christian Lobby is encouraging a massive protest against the “abortion-to-birth bill” outside Liberal Party State Council meeting next week.

They write, “This is the first time the party has come together since the election. The Premier and numerous MPs will be in attendance. We need your support to show the tsunami of opposition against the radical abortion-to-birth bill!”

8.00am Saturday 7th September
Outside the Main Foyer
International Convention Centre,
14 Darling Drive, Sydney NSW 2000.

You could consider letting church members know about this on Sunday.

Details at their website.

Draft Religious Discrimination Bill — Diocese of Sydney Public Statement

Posted on August 30, 2019 
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Here’s a Pubic Statement from the Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney, 30th August 2019:

Draft Religious Discrimination Bill released

The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, has welcomed the release of the Federal Government’s draft Religious Discrimination Bill but cautions more work is needed on the detail of the Bill.

“We welcome the Attorney-General’s clear statement that greater protections are needed for people of faith, or of none, concerning freedom of speech, conscience and belief. Other attributes such as sex and race are protected, it is only logical that faith be among those.”

Although there has been a media concentration on the case of Israel Folau, Dr Davies said the issues are much wider.

“We want MPs of all parties to understand the framework of faith by which religious organisations operate in all areas of society from care ministries to health and education.”

“We are disappointed that there doesn’t yet seem to be a comprehensive approach which includes both the draft legislation just released and the work of the ALRC examining the patchwork of existing legislation. There needs to be deep consultation on both areas as soon as possible.”

Dr Davies said the Anglican Diocese of Sydney was committed to engaging in the consultation process which Mr Porter has set in place.

“I hope the Federal Opposition will support, in the spirit of bipartisanship, an outcome which strengthens social cohesion and freedom of speech, conscience and belief in Australia.”

– From the Diocese of Sydney.

New Commonwealth Religious Freedom Laws

Posted on August 30, 2019 
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“The Commonwealth Attorney-General has released Exposure Drafts of a package of Federal Bills designed to improve religious freedom protections under Australian law, along with associated explanatory information. The legislation responds to the recommendations of the Ruddock Panel into Religious Freedom, released late in 2018. Public comment has been invited by 2 October, 2019.

The main item is the Religious Discrimination Bill 2019 (“RDB”), which broadly replicates the existing pattern of anti-discrimination laws enacted by the Commonwealth, but picking up for the first time at the Federal level the “protected characteristics” of “religious belief or activity”. Two ancillary Bills propose consequential amendments to other legislation, add some specific matters to be taken into account in objects clauses for other discrimination laws, and slightly amend or clarify the laws on charities and marriage.

The RDB is a lengthy document (68 clauses over 52 pages), with some complexities that will need to be unpacked. But I would like to offer a brief overview and an initial response, which will be followed up later by more detailed comments about particular issues. I can say, however, that it looks like being a worthwhile and helpful change which in general will further the cause of religious freedom (for both believers and non-believers) in Australia.…”

– Neil Foster, Associate Professor in Law, offers an initial opinion at Law and Religion Australia.

‘Belief…’

Posted on August 30, 2019 
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“When the subject of religion comes up we often hear comments like: ‘Religion is for the weak-minded’, or ‘it is poisonous’. We also hear, ‘All religions are the same’. And if the conversation continues, we might get told, ‘Religious people are so self-righteous!’ There are also those who tell us, ‘Everyone’s right in their own kind of way.’ ‘In any case, when I die, if there is a God, I’m sure he’ll accept me: I’ve led a good life’.

So, in this indifferent and sometimes hostile world, how do people come to faith in Christ? In 2 Corinthians 4 Paul provides some helpful clues. Let me identify them briefly. …”

– At The Anglican Connection, John Mason continues a series of short reflections on sharing the gospel. Others here.

Archaeologists in Peru unearth 227 bodies in biggest-ever discovery of child sacrifice

Posted on August 29, 2019 
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“Archaeologists in Peru say the 227 bodies they have unearthed from a site used by the pre-Columbian Chimu culture is the biggest-ever discovery of sacrificed children. …”

– Story from ABC News.

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