Memorial service for J I Packer now online

After some technical problems with the livestream, St. John’s Vancouver has now posted the video recording of the Memorial Service for Dr. J. I. Packer.

Even though, due to COVID-19 restrictions, only a relatively small number of people were present, many around the world continue to thank God for Dr. Packer.

Canon David Short (pictured) delivered the sermon.

Watch here.

Funeral Service for J I Packer — 4:00am Friday 24th July Sydney time

The Funeral Service for J I Packer will be held at St. John’s Vancouver (his church for 37 years) at 11:00am Thursday 23 July 2020, Vancouver time.

That’s 4:00am Sydney time on Friday 24th July.

The order of service can be downloaded here.

Update:

Memorial service for J I Packer now online.

A giant of 20th century evangelicalism

“James Innell Packer was one of the three giants of 20th century evangelicalism: the evangelist, Billy Graham; the pastor/Bible teacher, John Stott; the theologian, Jim Packer. His influence on evangelical thought and practice around the globe has been immense.

Here in Australia we owe him an enormous debt. With the brilliant mind with which God endowed him, he was able to answer the dominant liberalism of the mid and late twentieth century and help revive classic reformed theology in the life of the church…”

– Moore College Principal Dr. Mark Thompson gives thanks to God for J I Packer.

Photo: Dan Gifford, David Short and J I Packer chat before the first Sunday service of St. John’s Vancouver in their new location, 25 September 2011.

Anglican Reality Check

GAFCON has launched a new website – Anglican Reality Check – subtitled, “What’s happened since Lambeth 1998?”.

In the midst of PR releases coming from Lambeth Palace, this website is a great help in remembering how far the Anglican Communion has slid since 1998. It would be good to work through the timeline to be clear on why GAFCON is needed.

GAFCON’s Acting Operations Manager, Canon Charles Raven, discusses the new website, and other matters, with Bishop Julian Dobbs at the Living Through The Word podcast.

_________________________________

Related:

And here is a summary we posted in May 2018:

Every so often, media reports warn that the current situation (whatever it is at the time) might provoke a split among Anglicans. The truth is that this is nothing new – but each ‘crisis’ is no less serious or tragic.

From our archives, here are five articles which are well worth reading. Among other things they provide context for the formation of GAFCON:

– all from our Resources section.

From Dr. Mark Thompson’s paper, The Anglican Debacle: Roots and Patterns:

“The first thing to note about the crisis the Anglican Communion is facing today is that it has been coming for a very long time. …

That background might lead you to ask, ‘So what’s changed now?’ If the denomination has long been compromised in these ways, and evangelicals have always struggled within it, why are we arguing that we have now reached a moment of crisis where decisive action needs to be taken? What is different about what’s happening at the moment? …”

Sharing the Good News in a World of Fake News

“How do Christians move forward in sharing our faith in this environment of fake news, bad news and a general mistrust of claims of truth?”

That’s a question many of us are asking ourselves, and it was the question St. John’s Vancouver, a church in the Anglican Network in Canada, posed to the entire congregation.

“I think every Christian who lives in the West has the sense right now that we are sailing in uncharted waters culturally,” Rev. Canon David Short, the rector of St. John’s, said. “The idea that there might be some sort of truth out there, we [people in our culture] don’t like that idea. And I think the affect for us as Christians has been uncertainty…and some of us, I think, have been silenced.” …

– The Anglican Church in North America points to a helpful initiative at St. John’s Vancouver.

Anglican Church of Canada ‘gone by 2040’

“In 2018 General Synod was able to collect a complete and mostly reliable set of data for from the dioceses for the first time since 2001. The data is for the year 2017 and it shows that the decline observed in earlier data has continued.

Projections from our data indicate that there will be no members, attenders or givers in the Anglican Church of Canada by approximately 2040.”

– Anglican Samizdat highlights a sobering report just presented to the Anglican Church of Canada’s House of Bishops.

Also from the Anglican Church of Canada:

Get your pet blessed this Sunday in Vancouver – Vancouver Courier.

“Annual Blessing of the Animals ceremony welcomes creatures of all types to Shaughnessy church.” [This is the Anglican Church of Canada congregation now using the building vacated by St. John’s Vancouver.]

The State of Biblical Orthodoxy in the Anglican Church of Canada

“The Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) was in the news last week. Most reports missed the big story. That the forces of biblical orthodoxy narrowly won a battle was correctly reported. What was missed was that those same forces lost the war. How they lost the war is significant for those of us in orthodox denominations. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition Canada, George Sinclair, one of the first ministers to join the Anglican Network in Canada, explains how the Anglican Church of Canada has moved further and further away from Christian orthodoxy – and how your denomination can do the same.

From our website, March 2008:

“The Rev George Sinclair, despite relinquishing his licence for ministry in the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC), has been issued a Notice of Presumption of Abandonment of the Exercise of the Ministry according to ACoC Canon XIX by the Bishop of Ottawa.

He joins good company with Dr J I Packer and the rest of the Vancouver-area ANiC clergy who received the same notice earlier from the Diocese of New Westminster. …”

Statement from the ANiC House of Bishops – on the Anglican Church of Canada 2019 General Synod

“Our dear friends,

For the last while many of us have been much in prayer, knowing that the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) would be convening July 10-16, 2019 in Vancouver for some very significant decisions.

Among them was the second vote potentially to confirm the decision of the 2016 General Synod to change the Marriage Canon. …

The outcome was the motion was defeated by the narrowest of margins because, although the laity and clergy houses both had votes far exceeding the 66.6 % vote required, the House of Bishops only had just over 62% which meant the motion was defeated.

In reflecting on this outcome, while knowing that many Dioceses have already gone ahead for years and have no intention, it would seem, of changing, the ANiC House of Bishops would humbly like to share the following thoughts…”

– from The House of Bishops of the Anglican Network in Canada.

Anglican Church of Canada Same-sex marriage vote fails

“The Anglican Church of Canada has defeated a motion allowing for same-sex marriages, despite overwhelming support from both the denomination’s laity and clergy. …“

– Report from The Vancouver Sun.

However, according to Anglican Samizdat, several dioceses will continue to marry same-sex couples. Image: Anglican Samizdat.

How Anglicans in Canada found New Life after their Eviction

“You’d be hard pressed to find anyone more Anglican than David Short – which just made everything worse.

The 61-year-old is a fourth-generation Anglican minister, born in Africa while his parents were missionaries. He can even top that – his father was also born in Africa to missionary parents.

Home was Sydney, Australia…”

– This article from The Gospel Coalition tells the story of David Short and other faithful men and women in Canada.

Related: Many earlier posts mentioning Vancouver.

From our archives — A reminder of why there is an Anglican crisis

Every so often, media reports warn that the current situation (whatever it is at the time) might provoke a split among Anglicans. The truth is that this is nothing new – but each ‘crisis’ is no less serious or tragic.

From our archives, here are five articles which are well worth reading. Among other things they provide context for the formation of GAFCON:

– all from our Resources section.

From Dr. Mark Thompson’s paper, The Anglican Debacle: Roots and Patterns:

“The first thing to note about the crisis the Anglican Communion is facing today is that it has been coming for a very long time. …

That background might lead you to ask, ‘So what’s changed now?’ If the denomination has long been compromised in these ways, and evangelicals have always struggled within it, why are we arguing that we have now reached a moment of crisis where decisive action needs to be taken? What is different about what’s happening at the moment? …”

Archbishops Jensen and Akinola in Burlington, Ontario

“Archbishops Peter Jensen and Peter Akinola in were in Burlington Ontario this evening to talk about GAFCON.”

– Anglican Samizdat. has photos and video of the event, which was introduced by the Anglican Network in Canada’s Bishop Charlie Masters.

They speak in Vancouver next week.

Bishop of New Westminster joins in petition to prevent Franklin Graham speaking in Canada

“Bishop Melissa Skelton [of New Westminster] has added her voice to those attempting to stop Franklin Graham’s Vancouver crusade. …

I’m writing to let you know that I have signed on to a letter from a group of concerned civic leaders and clergy about the upcoming visit of Franklin Graham to Vancouver as a part of The Festival of Hope. …”

– from Anglican Samizdat. The statement can be read in full here.

‘Dad got the death he wanted’

life-to-death“A Vancouver-based doctor with nearly four decades experience in family medicine, Wiebe has lately become one of Canada’s leading advocates for medically assisted death.

Since the new laws came into effect in June, she has provided dozens of people with lethal doses of sedatives, all by intravenous injection. …

She discusses with the patient for the last time their wish to die. Once confirmed, she administers a muscle relaxant. Then, she injects the lethal dose of sedatives; it usually takes the patient about 10 minutes to die.

The funeral home is then called, and someone comes to pick up the body. Wiebe signs off on the death certificate. The mood can be solemn or happy, even ‘uplifting,’ says Wiebe. It all depends on who is around. If friends and family are grieving, the emotional impact can take a toll.”

– Like a wedding planner, only different. Story from The National Post.

(h/t Albert Mohler. Image: St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.)

Dr Bill Dumbrell (1926 – 2016) with Christ

Dr William J Dumbrell, via Baker Publishing

From Moore College:

In the late morning of Saturday 1 October, Dr Bill Dumbrell was called home into the presence of the Lord he had loved and served for more than sixty years. Dr Dumbrell was a long time lecturer at Moore and Vice Principal from 1975 until 1984.

Dr William J Dumbrell was born in 1926, was converted when he was twenty-five in 1951 and began his studies at Moore Theological College four years later, and took out a BD externally from the University of London with First Class Honours in 1961. He later earned an MTh from the same university in 1966 and a ThD from Harvard University in 1970.

He was ordained in 1956 and served in churches in Parramatta and Ermington before lecturing at Moore College from 1963–66. Upon his return from Harvard, he lectured at Moore College in Old Testament from 1971 to 1984 and was Vice Principal from 1975–84. He then taught at Regent College, Vancouver, from 1984–88, before returning to teach at Moore College from 1988–1994.

Bill and Norma then left for missionary service in Singapore, where Bill taught at Trinity College. Bill has been a prolific author of books and articles, including Covenant and Creation: An Old Testament Covenantal Theology (Exeter: Paternoster, 1984; 2nd edn 2013); The Faith of Israel: Its Expression in the Books of the Old Testament (Leicester: IVP, 1988; 2nd edn 2002); and The Search for Order: Biblical Eschatology in Focus (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994). Bill is survived by his wife Norma and his adult children, David, Ian, Grace, Naomi, and 6 grandchildren.

Moore Theological College Principal, Dr Mark Thompson, commented on his passing with this tribute:  

“Bill Dumbrell has been a teacher, mentor and friend to many. His enormous impact as a biblical exegete, theologian and minister of the gospel is felt throughout the world. Those of us who have had the privilege of being taught by him have much for which we can thank God. Alongside his highly respected contributions in the area of Old Testament studies, his theological acuity more generally, and his sense of humour and unique personality, his commitment above all else to the Lord Jesus and his gospel will leave an enduring mark on all of us. His prayerful interest in, and deep love of Moore College, right from those early days as a student through his time as Vice Principal in the 70s and 80s and into his retirement, was undoubted. It was most definitely reciprocated. If there were such a thing as a ‘Number One Borrower’ card at the Moore College library, it would undoubtedly be held by Bill. At the time of his call home to be with the Lord he had been a dearly loved and respected member of the Moore College community for more than sixty years.

One of Bill’s enduring concerns was the unity of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, a unity to be found in the idea of God’s unfolding covenant. He would emphasise again and again that this began at creation and not just at Genesis 12! His contributions in this area revolutionised the thinking of many and continues to be drawn upon by scholars, students and pastors across the world. Yet Bill had so much more to say as well, writing on many books of the New Testament as well as the Old Testament and theological themes such as eschatology. His memorable Annual Moore College Lectures, delivered in 1983 and later published as The End of the Beginning: Revelation 21–22 and the Old Testament (Sydney: Lancer, 1985), were the first I ever heard and they shook the foundations and stretched the mind of more than just this single first year student.

My initial interview to come to Moore College as a student was with Bill Dumbrell in 1982. I remember thinking at the time that he was more nervous than I was. That, of course, wasn’t true, but he was certainly able to put me at ease. Later, when he returned from study leave in Canada, I discovered his lectures were a unique experience, full of gems even if the structure wasn’t always visible. His humour was memorable. One group of students a couple of years later purged the tapes of his lectures that year of all substance and kept just the jokes and asides, labelling it ‘The Best of Bill’. We all knew we were in the presence of a very fine mind but he was always deeply engaging as just ‘Bill’. He could certainly argue his position strongly and took no prisoners in debate, but he was genuinely concerned for the students he had the opportunity to teach and shape as gospel men and women of the future.

Bill now enjoys the presence of the Lord he served throughout his life and though we grieve his loss to us, and especially to Norma and their family, we rejoice that he is safe in the care of the one who has loved him from eternity.”

Others have reflected on Dr Dumbrell and his impact. We feature some of these comments here.

Dr Paul Barnett, Former Bishop of North Sydney and Emeritus Faculty member:

“Like many others I owe a great debt of gratitude to Bill Dumbrell.  He was my first teacher of Greek and later as Dean of Regent College, Vancouver extended the invitation that began a thirty year association with that distinguished hall of learning.  Bill was a clever and good man, a devoted servant of Jesus.”

Dr Andrew Shead, Head of Old Testament, Moore College:

“Bill Dumbrell was unparalleled in his ability to master the trees and the forest simultaneously, combining knowledge of numerous languages and fine details of the text with a sweeping theological perceptiveness that spanned the extent of Scripture. He was a highly original and adventurous thinker, who never allowed age to set him in his ways. In particular, his work on covenant has helped to shape the thinking of generations of biblical theologians around the world. Bill’s air of the absent-minded professor could not hide his sharp wit or his interest in people, which made him a much loved teacher, colleague and friend.”

Dr Bill Dumbrell’s funeral will be held at St Philip’s Caringbah (402 Port Hacking Road), on this Wednesday 5 October at 1:30pm.

– Reproduced with permission from Moore Theological College.

moore_college_faculty_c1985_crop_495

Moore College Faculty, circa 1985. Dr. Dumbrell arrowed. Click for a larger version. Photo: Moore College. Top photo courtesy Baker Publishing.

Here’s a sermon on Luke 19:41-42 preached by Dr. Dumbrell at Moore College Chapel in 1986.

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