‘Few Anglicans back blessing gay marriages’
Posted on February 7, 2020
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“Only a small number of submissions to an Anglican tribunal examining a push to allow the blessing of same-sex marriages say the move is legitimate under church law.
The Victorian Diocese of Wangaratta in August passed a resolution providing for the blessing of same-sex couples who married under the Commonwealth Marriage Act. …“
– Report from The Canberra Times.
Frankin Graham Event and the Glasgow Hydro Arena
Posted on February 7, 2020
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“The cancellation by the SSE Hydro in Glasgow of the Franklin Graham event is a deeply disturbing decision that is antithetical to freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and to true democratic values. …”
– Members of the West of Scotland Gospel Partnership have signed this letter of support for Franklin Graham, freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
Bishop Rod Thomas’ letter after the Archbishops’ statement following the earlier release of the ‘Pastoral Statement on Civil Partnerships for Opposite Sex Couples’
Posted on February 7, 2020
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The Bishop of Maidstone, Rod Thomas, sent this letter on 31st January, 2020 to incumbents of all evangelical resolution churches:
Dear Partners in Ministry
I thought I should write following the statement that was issued after the conclusion of the College of Bishops yesterday. The statement can be found here.
My understanding at the College was that the statement was needed for two reasons. First, it was felt that the Pastoral Statement on Civil Partnerships for Opposite Sex Couples which had been released on 22nd January was pastorally insensitive in the way it was framed and released to the press. Secondly, there was concern that as a result, some of the necessary participation in the discussions which will follow the publication of the Living in Love and Faith materials could be jeopardised. Yesterday’s statement therefore apologised for the release of the Pastoral Statement.
However, it was also my clear understanding that nothing in yesterday’s statement should be taken as a retraction of the doctrinal teaching of the Church of England on marriage and sexual relationships. While some of that teaching may well come into question during the discussions about the LLF materials, it remains the current teaching of the Church. The position set out in the Pastoral Statement on Civil Partnerships for Opposite Sex Couples, and which was agreed by the House of Bishops, therefore continues to apply.
While I understand many of the concerns that were expressed at the College, I had the opportunity to say that for many faithful Anglicans the Pastoral Statement of 22nd January came as a great encouragement. I was keen to establish that the apology did not relate to the doctrinal position it articulated.
I am conscious that many of you will remain concerned about these developments. Please be assured that together with other bishops, I will continue to make clear my commitment to the historic, biblical teaching of the Church. I hope most of you know that I don’t take part in social media discussions, but if you want to pursue any of this with me, there will be an opportunity to do so at our forthcoming regional conferences.
With every good wish in Christ
Rod Thomas
Bishop of Maidstone.
(Emphasis added in blue.)
Bishop Jay Behan’s ACL Dinner Address
Posted on February 6, 2020
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“On 19 October 2019, Jay Behan was consecrated Bishop of CCAANZ in Christchurch, New Zealand.
ACNA Archbishop Foley Beach and Chairman of GAFCON Primates Council presided, former Archbishop of Sydney Peter Jensen preached, and various others, such as Dean Kanishka Raffel of Sydney were involved in this important occasion.”
Earlier that week, the then Rev Behan was in Sydney and addressed the ACL’s Synod Dinner.
Thanks to the Australian Church Record, you can read the text of his address – or you can listen to our audio recording.
Authentic Anglicanism and False Fears
Posted on February 4, 2020
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“[In] the topsy-turvy world of Canterbury institutionalism … networks committed to aims such as church planting, global mission, prayer, sustainable development and theological training are … feared as divisive and dangerous…”
– GAFCON’s Membership Development Secretary, Canon Charles Raven, wrote this article for Evangelicals Now.
“I don’t hate him”. How a Christian worldview changes everything
Posted on February 4, 2020
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“I’m writing this about 5 minutes drive away from a tragic event that happened here in Sydney on Saturday evening…”
– David Ould shares something most people would not expect to come out of Saturday evening’s tragedy in Oatlands. (And a good reminder to pray for all affected.)
Bishops’ pastoral statement fiasco — An English episcopal fumble
Posted on February 4, 2020
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“What a game of Orwellian double-speak the Church of England’s bishops have been playing. Their ‘pastoral statement’ on heterosexual civil partnerships was surely not ‘pastoral’ at all? Surely it was thoroughly political and has now backfired?
After some of their number publicly distanced themselves from the statement their House had issued on January 22nd upholding the Book of Common Prayer’s teaching on marriage, the CofE’s senior pastors last week issued an ‘apology’. …”
– At Anglican Ink, Julian Mann comments on senior bishops who apologise for the teaching of the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer. And he wonders why anyone would want to be associated with them at the Lambeth Conference.
Orwellian nightmare which began when an officer told him ‘I need to check your thinking’
Posted on February 3, 2020
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“Until 12 months ago, businessman Harry Miller led a blameless existence. He was running his successful plant and machinery company in Humberside, happily married and watching his four children grow up.
But at 3pm on January 23 last year – a Wednesday he will never forget – he received a call from one of his company’s staff just as he had finished shopping at Tesco. The staff member said a group of police had made an unannounced visit to Harry’s workplace and needed to talk to him. …
The 55-year-old now has an official police record stating he has committed a ‘non-crime’ transphobic hate offence.”
– Story from The Daily Mail. (Link thanks to SydneyAnglicans.net.)
Archbishops apologise for Church of England’s sexual ethics guidelines
Posted on February 1, 2020
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“We as Archbishops, alongside the bishops of the Church of England, apologise and take responsibility for releasing a statement last week which we acknowledge has jeopardised trust. We are very sorry and recognise the division and hurt this has caused.”
– Report via Anglican Ink.
The statement for which the apology has been made includes:
“7. It has always been the position of the Church of England that marriage is a creation ordinance, a gift of God in creation and a means of his grace. Marriage, defined as a faithful, committed, permanent and legally sanctioned relationship between a man and a woman making a public commitment to each other, is central to the stability and health of human society. …
10. The introduction of same sex marriage, through the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, has not changed the church’s teaching on marriage or same sex relationships.”
“All statements about Christ … bear theological significance”
Posted on February 1, 2020
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“Christians are defined by one primary mark: we believe in and are disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. …
It is not enough to simply say ‘I love Jesus’ or ‘I follow Jesus.’ Many who say they love Jesus and follow Jesus do not follow Jesus as he has revealed himself in Scripture. As the confession reminds us, we must confess that we believe in ‘Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord’ – the Jesus whose true identity and mission is revealed in Scripture.”
– Albert Mohler has published an excerpt from his new book about The Apostles’ Creed.
Straw Men in the Religious Discrimination debate
Posted on January 31, 2020
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An article in the Sydney Morning Herald (“Religious discrimination bill gives Australians ‘right to be a bigot’”, J Ireland, SMH 30 Jan 2020) sets up a number of “straw man” arguments so that it can knock them down and claim that the proposed Religious Discrimination Bill is harmful. I disagree.
The first paragraph offers some examples of things that the Bill ‘could make it legal’ to say…”
– Neil Foster at Law and Religion Australia looks at the arguments used in an article published in The Sydney Morning Herald. Is it actually “an argument against free speech, and for authoritarianism”?
Archbishop calls for prayer about coronavirus
Posted on January 31, 2020
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“Churches have been urged to pray about the Coronavirus outbreak and to take sensible precautions as the World Health Organisation declares a public health emergency.
Archbishop Glenn Davies has written to clergy, asking churches to pray for victims, health care workers and authorities. …”
– Story from SydneyAnglicans.net.
New concerns over Victoria’s proposed banning of ‘conversion practices’
Posted on January 31, 2020
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“As a Victorian, I have a moral obligation to report to authorities personal knowledge of alleged child abuse. As a pastor of a church, I have both a moral and legal duty to report knowledge of or suspicions of child abuse. Mandatory reporting is a social good. Even without the legal requirement, one’s natural concerns for a child’s wellbeing would automate contacting the police.
In Victoria, under new laws being proposed by the Andrews Government, I can be imprisoned for 12-18 months, for speaking up against the psychological and physical trauma inflicted upon children by gender warriors and dangerous medicos who work to change a child’s gender or sex. …”
– Murray Campbell in Melbourne warns of proposed legislation in Victoria.
A fresh translation of Ephesians
Posted on January 29, 2020
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As a follow up to his helpful series on Ephesians, Lionel Windsor at Moore College has posted his own translation of the letter for your edification.
Submission on Second Draft of Religious Discrimination Bill
Posted on January 28, 2020
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Associate Professor Neil Foster writes about the Second Draft of the Religious Discrimination Bill –
“In short, I think this legisation is an important step in improving protection of religious freedom in Australia, and the second draft is an improvement on the first. But I recommend some clarification or change of approach in the following areas:
- Defining Religious Belief – I recommend that the way that the courts should determine whether a claim to religious belief is justified should focus on sincerity rather than courts examining “reasonableness” ; I also think that the bar of “unlawfulness” determining what beliefs cannot be protected at all needs to be raised to mainly cover serious criminal offences;
- Who is protected by the Bill? – I suggest that the Bill ought to protect religious groups as well as individuals; in this context I think that the limits on protection based on the concept of “commercial activity” need to be removed, though I agree that the kind of organisations protected need to be limited in other ways;
- Who is bound by the Bill? – I agree that, as at present, both individuals and groups should be bound not to religiously discriminate; but I think the exemption given to government bodies from the provisions relating to religious free speech outside working hours should be rolled back;
- The limits of protection – I argue that cases where religious freedom can be over-ridden should be limited to those where it is “necessary” in protection of important fundamental rights, as spelled out in the ICCPR art 18(3);
- Protecting religious free speech – I argue that the good initiative protecting statements of religious belief in clause 42 should also be extended to “vilification” claims, so long as they do not contravene the limits set out in the clause itself and defined by the Commonwealth;
- Conscientious objection by health practitioners – I argue that the complicated provisions protecting conscientious objection to certain procedures by health practitioners need to be improved;
- The Religious Freedom Commissioner – I support this new position but argue that the person concerned should be clearly shown to understand the issues facing religious citizens;
- A note on charities – I support the current provision ensuring that advocacy of traditional views on the nature of marriage not disqualify a body from being recognised as a charity, and suggest a further change to make this even clearer.”
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…