Malcolm Richards consecrated as Bishop for International Relations

Posted on July 6, 2019 
Filed under People, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Malcolm Richards consecrated as Bishop for International Relations

“Canon Malcolm Richards has been made the Bishop for International Relations in a ground-breaking consecration in Sydney.

Bishop Richards, who was previously the General Secretary of the Church Missionary Society – NSW & ACT is the first to take on the full-time role without also having responsibilities as a Sydney Regional Bishop.

He will also take up a parallel appointment as the Director of the Centre for Global Mission at Moore Theological College. …”

– Story and photos at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Social work student wins appeal against dismissal for views on sexuality

Posted on July 4, 2019 
Filed under Culture wars Comments Off on Social work student wins appeal against dismissal for views on sexuality

“An important decision of the England and Wales Court of Appeal, The Queen (on the application of Ngole) -v- The University of Sheffield [2019] EWCA Civ 1127 (3 July 2019) has ruled that a social work student, Felix Ngole, should not have been dismissed from his course on the basis of comments he made on social media sharing the Bible’s view on homosexuality…”

– Neil Foster writes at Law and Religion Australia.

Helpful, free, e-books

Posted on July 4, 2019 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on Helpful, free, e-books

In exchange for your e-mail address, the Good Book Company is giving away the free e-book ‘Transgender’ by Vaughan Roberts.

Really worth downloading as a short overview of the issues we are facing in society and in the Church and how to provide a Christian response. From this link.

The Good Book company is also giving away a free ebook of expository preaching by David Helm – also well worth grabbing.

Another helpful book – this one from Monergism – The Sovereignty of God by A.W.Pink.

Claire Smith interviewed about God’s Good Design: What the Bible Really Says about Men and Women

Posted on July 3, 2019 
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on Claire Smith interviewed about God’s Good Design: What the Bible Really Says about Men and Women

“It is an especially sensitive subject in our culture, but Christians still must come to grips with the biblical teaching regarding the roles of men and women in the church and in the home – perhaps especially so since it is such a sensitive subject.

Claire Smith’s book, God’s Good Design: What the Bible Really Says about Men and Women, is a refreshingly clear study of the subject, and we are happy to see it now available in its second edition. …”

– Fred Zaspel, editor at Books At a Glance, speaks with Claire Smith.

(The book is available from Matthias Media.)

Hey Ministers and Theologians: When it comes to the secular workplace, you just don’t get it

Posted on July 2, 2019 
Filed under Culture wars, Opinion Comments Off on Hey Ministers and Theologians: When it comes to the secular workplace, you just don’t get it

“The Israel Folau storm has exposed many things, and this is one of them: many ministry workers have little idea of the pressures people face in the modern workplace. They just don’t get it. Not that it stops them making big statements about it.

If you’re a Christian ministry worker and you’ve had a lot to say about Izzy (either for or against) the last few weeks on social media, then it might be time to get off Facebook and have a listen to the people in your congregation who hold down a job Monday to Friday. …”

– Steve McAlpine’s latest article is published at the Gospel Coalition Australia.

The Prodigal

Posted on June 30, 2019 
Filed under Australian dioceses, Resources Comments Off on The Prodigal

“I was recently asked to speak on the story of the Prodigal Son, a story which you can find in any Bible. The story is a famous one and often used proverbially in words like, “the prodigal returns”. Some literary giants have described this story as the greatest story ever written. For me it is the greatest story I have never really addressed. So in this article I thought I would invite you into the story that Jesus tells.

The story is really about three shameful people. …”

– Bishop of Armidale, Rick Lewers, continues to write helpful pieces for his local newspaper. Here’s the latest. Many of these could be useful conversation-starters.

How should we respond when a church leader is guilty of abuse?

Posted on June 30, 2019 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on How should we respond when a church leader is guilty of abuse?

“I have been asked to reflect, in the light of the bible and Christian theology, on how we should respond when it comes to light that a church leader has been guilty of abuse.

I recently wrote a blog post asking in more general terms, how we should respond when a church leader falls. All that is said there applies here.

But this paper addresses a more particular situation involving abuse, and two kinds of abuse in particular. …”

– Christopher Ash (pictured) has written a very helpful paper (PDF file) to assist Christians responding to some distressing news which has recently come to light, and which was discussed in public at last week’s Evangelical Ministry Assembly in London.

No forgiveness for Folau’s sins

Posted on June 29, 2019 
Filed under Australia, Culture wars Comments Off on No forgiveness for Folau’s sins

“It is testament to the blinkered arrogance of political correctness, and of those who do its bidding, that these people could not see the profound moral contradiction at the heart of their chilling statement. In the name of preventing ‘vilification based on race, gender, religion or sexuality’, they vilified Folau on the basis of his religion. …”

– Brendan O’Neill, editor of Spiked, writes this opinion piece in today’s The Australian.

Strong words from the Bishop of the Diocese of The Arctic

Posted on June 29, 2019 
Filed under Anglican Church of Canada, Culture wars Comments Off on Strong words from the Bishop of the Diocese of The Arctic

The Rt. Rev. David W Parsons, Bishop of the Arctic, has issued an open letter to all Canadian Anglicans regarding the upcoming vote to change the marriage canon. In part, he writes:

“It would not be wise to think that General Synod and the 68.4% of bishops who voted in favour of changing the church’s Marriage Canon are a majority. The Anglican Church of Canada is marginal in size, representing only 0.65% of the Anglican Communion and only 0.025% of the Christian church worldwide. It is spiritually dangerous to follow this marginal segment of the Christian church, those who think they alone have this prophetic message from God–a message that calls us to turn from Scripture and follow them.

As for me, I choose to remain with the Word of God and represent the gospel in the confines of the traditional Biblical doctrines of the Diocese of The Arctic, the Anglican Church of Canada, the Anglican Communion, and the Holy Catholic Church and to walk with those who choose likewise. As for those who choose to reject the Word of God and the doctrines of the Anglican Church of Canada in our Book of Common Prayer, and the Doctrines and precepts of the Anglican Communion, and choose instead to develop their own worldly doctrines and humanistic theologies, they must do so on their own. I will treat them with love and respect but as those who have walked away from the doctrines of the Christian faith. I will pray for their repentance, but I will not walk in rebellion with them.“

– Via the diocesan Facebook page. Read the full letter (PDF file) here. Text at Anglican Samizdat.

Christ’s body: A brief history (Ephesians 4:11–13)

Posted on June 28, 2019 
Filed under Theology Comments Off on Christ’s body: A brief history (Ephesians 4:11–13)

“…if you care a lot about organisation, strategy, and leadership, then you can end up reading the Bible entirely through the lens of those particular concerns. You can start to believe that the most important questions in the world are pragmatic questions.

And so you can assume that the Bible is written to give you answers to those questions.

So, for example, you can end up reading passages describing the church and ministry as if they’re extracts from a handbook designed to answer Roman-style questions: Who’s in charge? What does the organisational chart look like? What are the various offices and what exactly do they do? What’s the division of labour? …”

– At Forget the Channel, Lionel Windsor draws our attention to Ephesians 4.

C of E’s Newcastle Cathedral plans a weekend festival of LGBT events

Posted on June 28, 2019 
Filed under Church of England, Culture wars Comments Off on C of E’s Newcastle Cathedral plans a weekend festival of LGBT events

From Church Society:

“Newcastle Cathedral is planning a weekend festival of LGBT events in July. These events include a panel discussion on ‘Queering the Church: beyond tolerance to inclusion’ featuring, among others, ‘a nonbinary genderqueer transgender person’ who is an ordained deacon.

We are working with local evangelical ministers to support them in responding to this event. …”

– More here. (Image via Anglican Ink.)

Related: How LGBT Pride Month Became a Religious Holiday – Joe Carter

“We do not love our neighbor when we tell them they can continue to engage in unrepentant rebellion against God.”

Reading or speaking the Bible?

Posted on June 27, 2019 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on Reading or speaking the Bible?

“Words are the lifeblood of relationships.

When a person speaks to another, the speaker reveals something of themselves to the hearer; when the hearers listens, they come to know the speaker better. …“

– At The Australian Church Record, ACL Council member Scott Newling reflects on reading and hearing the Bible.

GAFCON Chairman’s June 2019 Letter

Posted on June 26, 2019 
Filed under GAFCON Comments Off on GAFCON Chairman’s June 2019 Letter

“Brothers and Sisters, greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord!!

Seeking to be Biblical Christians in a global age, participants in the Global Anglican Future Conference are busy proclaiming Jesus Christ faithfully to the nations by making disciples, evangelizing those who don’t know Jesus, and speaking into corruption, economic injustices, and moral concerns in their local communities.

Here are just a few stories from around the world. …”

– GAFCON Primates Council Chairman, Archbishop Foley Beach, has released his June 2019 Pastoral Letter.

Have all our changes been good ones?

Posted on June 26, 2019 
Filed under Opinion Comments Off on Have all our changes been good ones?

“Perhaps it is an opportune time to ask ourselves about some of the changes that have occurred in church ministry in the last little while. It would be good to begin a conversation about whether those changes are all as good as we might have thought them to be.”

– Moore College Principal Dr Mark Thompson asks some questions about change, in order to provoke discussion.

See them, and consider your response, at Theological Theology.

Bishop Michael Stead speaks with 2GB’s Ben Fordham on backing Israel Folau

Posted on June 25, 2019 
Filed under Culture wars, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Bishop Michael Stead speaks with 2GB’s Ben Fordham on backing Israel Folau

2GB’s Ben Fordham spoke with Bishop of South Sydney, Michael Stead, this afternoon.

Well worth hearing.

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