Albert Mohler says he will accept nomination as Southern Baptist Convention President

Posted on November 5, 2019 
Filed under Other denominations, People Comments Off on Albert Mohler says he will accept nomination as Southern Baptist Convention President

“All my life, I have sought to serve whenever asked by my denomination, and I would hope, if elected, to serve in a way that would unite Southern Baptists, strengthen our work together, add energy to our evangelism, and keep our hearts set on taking the gospel to the nations.”

– Report from Baptist Press.

The Draft Religious Discrimination Bill and possible impact on healthcare professionals

Posted on November 4, 2019 
Filed under Culture wars, Resources Comments Off on The Draft Religious Discrimination Bill and possible impact on healthcare professionals

Associate Professor Neil Foster presented a paper tonight on the topic “The Draft Religious Discrimination Bill and possible impact on healthcare professionals” at the meeting of the Newcastle University Clinical Unit in Ethics and Health Law.

He has made his paper available for download at Law and Religion Australia.

Tim Swan to head Anglican Aid

Posted on November 4, 2019 
Filed under People, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Tim Swan to head Anglican Aid

“A former missionary has been chosen to head the Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid following the retirement of founding CEO The Rev David Mansfield.

The Rev Tim Swan will lead the organisation from April 2020. …”

– More good news from SydneyAnglicans.net.

Sharing Christ in the majority world

Posted on November 4, 2019 
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“In recent years it has been a great privilege and joy for me to spend time with Christian pastors and ministry workers in Sri Lanka, the country of my family heritage.  I’ve had the opportunity to meet with local Christians involved in church and parachurch ministries, and to encourage them in word ministry, especially preaching and Bible study. …”

– Dean of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel, opens a window into the work of the gospel in Sri Lanka. At SydneyAnglicans.net.

Reformation Day 2019 Acquisition for Moore College

Posted on November 4, 2019 
Filed under History, Resources Comments Off on Reformation Day 2019 Acquisition for Moore College


“To mark Reformation Day this year (2019), Moore Theological College is pleased to announce the acquisition of an important Martin Luther volume. This particular book is the sixth part of the great Wittenberg Reformer’s Books and Writings published in 1557. …”

– Read the news at the Moore College website.

Wesley Mission to begin search for new Superintendent

Posted on November 2, 2019 
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“CEO and Superintendent of Wesley Mission, the Rev Keith V Garner AM… has announced that he will retire from this role in February 2021. … Mr Garner holds both the senior executive role and Superintendent of the huge diverse, multicultural Christian ministry.”

– News from Wesley Mission in Sydney.

Bendigo Cathedral Priest enters Same-Sex Marriage

Posted on November 2, 2019 
Filed under Australian dioceses, Culture wars Comments Off on Bendigo Cathedral Priest enters Same-Sex Marriage

“A few weeks ago we reported on the self-publicised plan of Bendigo Cathedral priest to enter into a same-sex marriage.

The Bendigo Advertiser reported on the actual marriage itself.

Drew Reid and Father Noel Richards have become the first same-sex couple to be married in a Bendigo church.

The couple said ‘I do’ in front of family and friends at St Andrew’s Uniting Church in Bendigo on Saturday.”

– via davidould.net. (Image: Bendigo Advertiser.)

Churches need to be more like the world?

Posted on November 2, 2019 
Filed under Culture wars, Opinion, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Churches need to be more like the world?

“I’ve just read Nikki Gemmell’s latest contribution to The Weekend Australian, ‘Why the Anglican church must evolve or die’.

At first, I assumed this must be satire, for the essence of her argument is that for Churches to succeed they need to become more like majority culture!

‘the majority of Australians do support same-sex marriage. It feels like the archbishop is damaging his church and Jesus’s teachings of tolerance, gentleness and inclusivity.’

‘The church has been on the wrong side of public opinion recently on abortion as well as same-sex marriage. It’s slowly killing itself by refusing to open its heart to others.‘ …

Without question, Gemmell’s call to the Anglican Church sounds almost identical to what Jesus says, in a misutopian Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy kind of way…”

– Murray Campbell in Melbourne takes a look at Nikki Gemmell’s Commentary published today.

Photo: Nikki Gemmell courtesy of The Australian.

I support Sydney’s Anglicans

Posted on November 2, 2019 
Filed under Australian dioceses, Culture wars, Opinion Comments Off on I support Sydney’s Anglicans

“The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Glenn Davies, has been getting some rough treatment of late, aided largely by media coverage that either deliberately or negligently took his words out of context. …

The media portrayal of him as someone who was asking the faithful who struggle with the teaching on marriage and sexuality to leave was unjust and it, too, needs to be called out.”

– Monica Doumit, Director, Public Affairs and Engagement for the Archdiocese of Sydney, writes in The Catholic Weekly.

Chairman’s October 2019 Letter — Reformation Day!

Posted on October 31, 2019 
Filed under Encouragement, GAFCON, New Zealand Comments Off on Chairman’s October 2019 Letter — Reformation Day!

“Beloved in Christ Jesus: Greetings in the name of the crucified, risen, and ascended King, our Lord Jesus Christ!

I write to you from Wittenberg, Germany, where Martin Luther began the Protestant Reformation 502 years ago by posting his 95 Theses on the doors of the Castle Church.

This month has seen an historic step in the life of the Anglican Communion. …”

– Archbishop Foley Beach, Chairman of the GAFCON Primates Council, shares, in his October Letter, news of the New Zealand consecration.

FREE2BME Religious Freedom Event in Blacktown, Monday 18 November

Posted on October 31, 2019 
Filed under Australia, Resources Comments Off on FREE2BME Religious Freedom Event in Blacktown, Monday 18 November

Mark Tough, Rector of St. Clement’s Lalor Park and Kings Langley, is advertising a Religious Freedom Event on Monday November 18 at 7pm at the Bowman Hall in Blacktown.

He writes, “We have a great line up of speakers – John Steenhof from the Human Rights Law Alliance, Professor Michael Quinlan from the University of Notre Dame Australia, Michelle Rowland MP the Federal Member for Greenway, and the Hon. John Anderson AO, former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia.

The event is free but people need a ticket in order to gain entry. Tickets can be obtained at https://www.trybooking.com/BFRMK.”

Download the flyer (1.6MB PDF file) with all the details, and be encouraged to share it widely. See also the Free2BMe Facebook page.

Mark Tough has recorded this video to encourage you to come along.

Remembering the Reformation

Posted on October 29, 2019 
Filed under Encouragement, History Comments Off on Remembering the Reformation

“As one who loves to read history, I have never quite shared the desire to keep anniversaries. It often seems that the louder the celebration, the more distorted the message, and history gets replaced by lessons in civics. But October is Reformation month, and 31 October 1517 is as convincing a date as any to remember as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. …”

– Presbyterian Moderator-General Peter Barnes encourages us to remember the Reformation.

Newcastle Synod decision pushes Australian Anglicans to Precipice

Posted on October 28, 2019 
Filed under Australian dioceses, Culture wars Comments Off on Newcastle Synod decision pushes Australian Anglicans to Precipice

“The synod of the Diocese of Newcastle which met this past weekend has taken a decision that will only further exacerbate the already very high tensions in the national church.

As we reported last week, the synod was due to consider 2 controversial pieces of legislation.

The first is an ordinance to remove the possibility of clergy in a same-sex marriage being open to a disciplinary tribunal by virtue of that relationship. The second, a bill, sought to establish a “Wangaratta”-style blessing for persons in same-sex marriages.

Only the first ordinance actually passed. Reports from the synod tell of time running out on the second bill and so, although it had support in principle, it could not be completed and will have to be presented next year. …”

– David Ould takes a close look at what happened at last weekend’s Newcastle Synod.

Photo of Bishop Peter Stuart addressing the Synod: Diocese of Newcastle.

What future has the Anglican Church of Australia?

Posted on October 28, 2019 
Filed under Australian dioceses, Culture wars Comments Off on What future has the Anglican Church of Australia?

“There can now be no doubt that the Anglican Church of Australia is headed towards a crisis moment. Some might argue it has been a long time coming but recent events have catalyzed the sense that we are rapidly arriving at a moment of decision.

So what has brought us to the edge of this cliff? …”

– At The Australian Church Record, David Ould gives his take on what is happening, and where he thinks things may go from here.

“Who Am I?” A Sydney Anglican Female Perspective

Posted on October 28, 2019 
Filed under Opinion, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on “Who Am I?” A Sydney Anglican Female Perspective

“My favourite moment of my favourite musical comes when Les Miserable’s protagonist breaks into his moment of existential crisis. “Who am I?”, he lyrically wails.

As I read Julia Baird’s latest offering about the caricatured, oppressed, silenced and invisible women of the Sydney Anglican Diocese (“In praise of the oddities and outliers resisting bonkers fundamentalism in Sydney”, SMH Oct 26th), I found myself having my very own Jean Val Jean moment (though, sadly, without the accompanying symphony). Who am I? I’m an ordained member of the Sydney Anglican clergy. But I’m also a woman. …”

– The Australian Church Record has published an expanded version of an article by Dani Treweek which was first published in The Sydney Morning Herald.

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