The Slow Killing of Congregational Singing

Posted on September 12, 2018 
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“Here is a great historical irony.

Fifty years ago choirs ruled the church. Usually, they were supported by a very loud organ. To be frank, many choir members were performers, and when the choir was large they drowned out the singing of the congregation. So, sadly, the very people appointed to help the congregation sing actually smothered congregational singing. Bit by bit, choirs disappeared. I think most churches didn’t mourn the loss.

Here’s the irony: we then replaced the choirs with song leaders (or, what we inaccurately call ‘worship leaders’). Over time the number of song leaders grew and grew until they became as big as a choir. Then …”

– There is both challenge and encouragement in this Gospel Coalition Australia post by Mike Raiter.

(Photo courtesy GAFCON.)

GAFCON Chairman’s Letter September 2018

Posted on September 12, 2018 
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GAFCON Primates Council Chairman Archbishop Nicholas Okoh turns to the situation in New Zealand in his latest pastoral letter:

“This realignment of the Anglican Communion will undoubtedly continue. Compromise leads to more compromise, but can there be a better way forward than the aggressive legalism practised in the Americas?

New Zealand will be a test. Following the decision in May by the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia (ACANZP) to allow for the blessing of same sex relationships, contrary to Resolution I.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference, a number of parishes in New Zealand have announced that they can no longer in conscience remain part of the Province, but Gafcon is proposing a fresh approach in order to minimise conflict.”

– Read it all here.

Rainbow revolution progresses as Bishop of Taunton announced as celebrant at Cathedral LGBT Eucharist

Posted on September 11, 2018 
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“Wells Cathedral in Somerset is the latest to show its allegiance to the cause of LGBT ‘radical inclusion’.

The What’s On section of its website advertises a “Rainbow Church Eucharist”, under the banner of a stylised rainbow coloured cross …”

– Andrew Symes at Anglican Mainstream highlights the latest white flag of surrender to the popular culture.

A man of words and a man of his word – Bishop Donald Robinson

Posted on September 11, 2018 
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“The ninth Archbishop of Sydney, Donald William Bradley Robinson, has been laid to rest after a funeral service in St Andrew’s Cathedral which he helped write 40 years earlier.

Bishop Robinson died early on Friday morning, 7th September. He was 95.

A renowned New Testament scholar, Bishop Robinson was a lecturer and Vice-Principal at Moore College, before becoming Bishop in Parramatta and later Archbishop of Sydney and Metropolitan of New South Wales from 1982 to 1993.

Among his achievements was the production of An Australian Prayer Book (AAPB), highlighted in the eulogy by his daughter Anne. …”

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Russell Powell reports on today’s funeral service for a dearly loved and respected Christian leader.

See also:

Servant of the Church of God: Donald William Bradley Robinson, 1922–2018 – by Rory Shiner at Shenton Park, who recently completed a PhD on the life and work of Donald Robinson.

Remembering Donald Robinson – The Gospel Coalition Australia has assembled a number tributes.

The Rev. Peter Robinson spoke about his father’s legacy on 2nd September 2018, as part of the Australian Legacy series at Holy Trinity Wentworth Falls.

(Photo courtesy Ramon Williams.)

Funeral service for Bishop Donald Robinson Tuesday 11:00am

Posted on September 10, 2018 
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The funeral service for Bishop Donald Robinson will be held at 11:00 am on Tuesday, September 11, at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney.

Church leaders: realistic idealists

Posted on September 10, 2018 
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“Here’s a thought I’ve been musing over: leaders in ministry need to be realistic idealists. Primarily, we need to be idealists because we are gospel people. We are people of God’s word who seek to do all we do through the lens of Scripture.

However, secondarily, we also need to be realistic. We need to remember that we operate in a fallen world, full of sinful people, where the first heaven and the first earth have not yet passed away, and when God has not yet made everything new (Revelation 21). …”

– Mike Leite explores how this looks in Christian ministry – at The Australian Church Record.

A Drought Reflection

Posted on September 10, 2018 
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“I teared up! The farmer’s dozer was broken down, the diesel mechanic had returned to town for parts and the farmer’s chainsaw filled the bush with noise as he brought down branches suitable for his sheep to eat.

Over a sandwich we talked of assistance but the response was like that of others, ‘There are people a lot worse off than us!’ Five thousand dollars a week I am told to keep his sheep alive but his wife made clear that they’d take no help. …”

– Bishop of Armidale Rick Lewers writes with a plea to the farming communities and those who would seek to help them.

Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Australia to be known as “GAFCON Australia”

Posted on September 8, 2018 
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“The AGM of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Australia has been held during the Anglican Future Conference in Melbourne.

The meeting agreed to change the public name and title to “GAFCON Australia” in order to match similar decisions in other provinces. …”

– David Ould shares this and other news from the Anglican Future Conference in Melbourne.

Related:

Archbishop Davies presents proposal for NZ Anglican future (25 August 29018)

Donald William Bradley Robinson (1922-2018)

Posted on September 8, 2018 
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“We at Moore College rejoice today that our dear brother and father in the faith, Archbishop Donald William Bradley Robinson AO, has been called home to be with Christ, ‘which is better by far’.

The debt we owe to this faithful disciple and Bible teacher is truly incalculable. Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, many of whom do not even know his name, have been shaped in their reading of the Bible by the approach to biblical theology that he pioneered at Moore College in the 1950s and 1960s. Graeme Goldsworthy’s Gospel and Kingdom and Vaughan Roberts’ God’s Big Picture have taken that approach around the world.

Donald William Bradley Robinson was born on 9 November 1922, the son of a clergyman in the Diocese of Sydney. He studied classics at Sydney University, graduating in 1946, and theology at Queen’s College, Cambridge, graduating in 1950. …”

– Moore College Principal Dr. Mark Thompson adds his tribute to Bishop Donald Robinson.

Read it all at Theological Theology. (Also published at the Moore College website.)

With much thanks for Bishop Donald Robinson

Posted on September 7, 2018 
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“One of the towering figures of Anglicanism in the 20th century and former Archbishop of Sydney Bishop Donald Robinson, has died at the age of 95. …

The first to pay tribute was the current Archbishop of Sydney, Glenn Davies, who described the contribution of Bishop Robinson as ‘immeasurable’.

“We have lost a giant in the world of New Testament scholarship” Dr Davies said in a statement.

“Bishop Robinson, who lectured at Moore Theological College for more than 30 years, influenced a generation of future ministers and scholars. His innovative approach to Biblical Theology is one of his many lasting legacies.

While a scholar of great intellect, he was also a man of great humility and grace.” the Archbishop said.”

– SydneyAnglicans.net has the first tribute.

Bishop Robinson’s funeral service will be held at 11:00 am next Tuesday, September 11, at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney.

(Top photo courtesy Dr Chase Kuhn, via Dr Mark Thompson. Bottom photo from the 1982 Sydney Diocesan Year Book.)

Anglican Future starts with ‘Gospel Confidence’

Posted on September 7, 2018 
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“The opening of the Anglican Future Conference in Melbourne has begun with a stirring call for Christian leaders to defy secular stereotypes of the church as a dying force. …

The conference, with the theme “Grace and Truth in Uncertain Times” is organised jointly by the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Church (EFAC) and the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, Australia and New Zealand, chaired by the Bishop of Tasmania Richard Condie.”

– Russell Powell reports at SydneyAnglicans.net.

The Lydia Project: Conversations with Christian Women

Posted on September 7, 2018 
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“As a young girl, I just loved to talk. I talked all the way through primary school and high school, and when I became a Christian at fourteen, I loved to talk with my Christian friends and leaders about what it meant to follow Jesus.

Thirty (thirty!?) years on, I still love to be a part of these encouraging Christian conversations.  They spur me on to keep standing firm in Christ, and they open my mind and heart to new ways of thinking about the things of God. …”

– At Equal But Different, Moore College graduate Tori Walker introduces her Lydia Project podcasts (hosted by The Gospel Coalition Australia).

St. John’s Cathedral Brisbane ‘celebrating and supporting’ Brisbane Pride Festival

Posted on September 6, 2018 
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St. John’s Cathedral Brisbane, the ‘mother church’ of the Diocese of Brisbane, has announced it will be “Celebrating Pride and supporting the Brisbane Pride Festival throughout September”.

Announced via the Cathedral’s Facebook page.

Church of England Bishop gives backing to rainbow eucharist

Posted on September 6, 2018 
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“A Eucharist to celebrate LGBT Pride has taken place in the Diocese of Oxford with the full backing of the local suffragan Bishop and Archdeacon.

After the service on 30th August, well known LGBT activist and lay member of General Synod Jayne Ozanne tweeted a photo the service in Reading Minster (Oxford Diocese), where the Communion table is covered in the rainbow flag …”

– Report from Anglican Mainstream. Photo: Jayne Ozanne.

Banning ‘Conversion’ Therapy, what does it mean?

Posted on September 6, 2018 
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“Media outlets have renewed a campaign to outlaw gay conversion therapy (GCT). The Age published an article on the weekend with the title, Churches, LGBTI Christians urge crackdown on ‘conversion’ therapy.

The headline is somewhat misleading, for according to the SOCE website (the group who are asking the Federal Government to ban GCT), only four churches have signed their statement along with 3-4 church ministers. No doubt there other supportive Churches, but nothing like the groundswell of ecclesial enthusiasm that the newspaper implies. …

While the SOCE Survivors document is vague at points, a spokesperson from SOCE has this week responded to a friend of mine who was also seeking clarification from them. The spokesperson said,

‘Anything other than the full affirmation of lgbtiq individuals as fully equal (including in the church, with a move toward correcting the poorly translated words currently classed as “homosexual” in the bible) is really unacceptable.’ … ”

– Murray Campbell takes a close look at what proposals to ban ‘conversion therapy’ actually involve. You should read this.

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