General Synod Day 3 – More bills, less lunch, less Jesus

Posted on September 6, 2017 
Filed under Australian dioceses, Opinion Comments Off on General Synod Day 3 – More bills, less lunch, less Jesus

“As the afternoon kicked in we turned to considering issues surrounding future ministry, particularly two related debates around future structures and what are being called “pioneer ministries”. …

As we heard about the need to being doing ministry beyond the Sunday service it seemed like some people were, for the first time, grappling with what many of us simply call “evangelism”. But even then the struggle to actually be clear on the overall aim was soon going to manifest itself. …

I moved the following amendment:

after the words “The General Synod”, add:

“, captivated by the declaration of Christ that repentance for the forgiveness of sins be preached in his name to all nations”

Readers will recognise the language as being a direct citation from Jesus’ final charge to his disciples in Luke 24.47. Not controversial, surely?…”

– David Ould reports on the third day of General Synod, meeting in Maroochydore. Tragically, it seems the gospel of the Lord Jesus was narrowly voted down.

‘Secretary General of the Anglican Communion rebukes Nigerian primate for boycotting meeting’

Posted on September 6, 2017 
Filed under Anglican Communion, GAFCON Comments Off on ‘Secretary General of the Anglican Communion rebukes Nigerian primate for boycotting meeting’

“Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion has told Premier it is “sad” that the leader of Anglicans in Nigeria has decided to not attend a meeting called by The Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Rev Justin Welby.

The meeting scheduled for next month in Canterbury is for the Primates from the 39 provinces.

But Most Rev Nicholas Okoh Primate of All Nigeria has refused to attend because of what he deems as a lack of progress on the issue of sexuality.

The last meeting of its kind was in January 2016 where there was much disagreement about the Church’s view on sexuality.

Archbishop Josiah disagrees with the primate’s stance.

He told Premier: “At their meeting in January 2016 the Primates agreed to walk together.

“The primate of Nigeria was present at that meeting. In effect, he is now reneging on this decision which is very sad. …”

– Report from Premier UK. Photo: Abps Justin Welby and Josiah Idowu-Fearon.

However, Archbishop Okoh’s reasons are much more serious: (emphasis added)

“The only difference between the present and 2008, when Gafcon was formed, is that we have a different Archbishop of Canterbury. Everything else is the same or worse.”

“I attended the Canterbury Primates Meeting held in January 2016 because I believed it might be possible to make a new start and change the pattern of repeated failure to preserve the integrity of Anglican faith and order. I was disappointed.

The Anglican Consultative Council meeting in Lusaka the following April neutered the Primates’ action to distance The Episcopal Church of the United States (TEC) from Communion decision making. TEC has not repented, and continues to take aggressive legal action against orthodox dioceses. For example, the congregations of the Diocese of San Joaquin are currently having to turn over their places of worship to TEC, which has no realistic plan for filling them with worshippers.  At the same time, the Diocese of South Carolina is now facing the potential loss of many of its historic buildings.

My disappointment was shared by the other Global South Primates who gathered in Cairo last October and we concluded in our communiqué that the ‘Instruments of Communion’ (which include the Primates Meeting of course) are “unable to sustain the common life and unity of the Anglican Churches worldwide” and do actually help to undermine global mission.

The only difference between the present and 2008, when Gafcon was formed, is that we have a different Archbishop of Canterbury. Everything else is the same or worse. There is endless debate, the will of the orthodox Primates is frustrated and misrepresented, false teaching is not being corrected, and nothing is being done to halt orthodox Anglicans in North America (and maybe soon elsewhere) being stripped of the churches that have helped form their spiritual lives.

In these circumstances, I have concluded that attendance at Canterbury would be to give credibility to a pattern of behaviour which is allowing great damage to be done to global Anglican witness and unity. Our energies in the Church of Nigeria will be devoted to what is full of hope and promise for the future, not to the repetition of failure. …”

– Read all of his Pastoral Letter for September 2017.

Territorial Anglicanism?

Posted on September 6, 2017 
Filed under Anglican Communion, GAFCON, Opinion Comments Off on Territorial Anglicanism?

“The ordination of Bishop Andy Lines as missionary Bishop to Europe by 50 Bishops including 11 Primates has upset some Anglicans.

They protest that this action opposes the 4th Century Canons of Nicaea, though it is not clear how those Canons apply to this situation, nor what authority they have today.

The claim is made that Anglicanism is opposed to having more than one Bishop in one territory. This claim is less plausible when seen in the light of the reality of Anglican practice …”

– Church Society has republished this opinion piece by Dr. Peter Adam. It first appeared in The Melbourne Anglican.

Related: Loose Canons? Andy Lines and the Canons of Nicaea – Dr Mark Smith.

Calls for WordPress to remove rainbow banner from hosted sites

Posted on September 5, 2017 
Filed under Culture wars Comments Off on Calls for WordPress to remove rainbow banner from hosted sites

“Christian bloggers are among those calling for hosting organisation WordPress to remove a rainbow banner from the top of its Australian hosted pages, saying that it makes an unwanted political statement on their sites.

The banner, which was spotted on sites over the weekend, appears at the top of sites when users are logged in. …”

– from Sight Magazine.

GAFCON Chairman’s September 2017 letter

Posted on September 5, 2017 
Filed under Anglican Communion, GAFCON Comments Off on GAFCON Chairman’s September 2017 letter

“Gafcon is about hope and the future. It is about godly unity and faithful witness for generations to come, and I want to state these positive things very clearly as I share my reasons for not attending the Primates Meeting in Canterbury next month.

I attended the Canterbury Primates Meeting held in January 2016 because I believed it might be possible to make a new start and change the pattern of repeated failure to preserve the integrity of Anglican faith and order. I was disappointed. The Anglican Consultative Council meeting in Lusaka the following April neutered the Primates’ action to distance The Episcopal Church of the United States (TEC) from Communion decision making.

TEC has not repented, and continues to take aggressive legal action against orthodox dioceses. For example…”

– Read the latest pastoral letter from The Most Rev’d Nicholas D. Okoh, Chairman of the GAFCON Primates Council.

General Synod passes National child protection measures

Posted on September 5, 2017 
Filed under Australian dioceses Comments Off on General Synod passes National child protection measures

“Binding rules on all clergy and church workers have been passed during a debate on child protection at the Anglican Church of Australia Synod, meeting this week in Queensland. …”

— News from SydneyAnglicans.net.

Photo courtesy Anglican Media Melbourne.

‘An expression of love for same-sex attracted people’

Posted on September 5, 2017 
Filed under Culture wars, Opinion Comments Off on ‘An expression of love for same-sex attracted people’

“This past week I was part of an effort that put America’s theological and moral fault lines fully in view. I was a signer of something called the Nashville Statement, a document adopted by a group of evangelical Christians seeking to reaffirm traditional Christian values on sexuality.

Within hours, the vitriol in response to our document showed why such clarification is necessary. …”

— The Washington Post has published this opinion piece by Albert Mohler.

Related:

The Bee Explains: What Is The Nashville Statement? — The Babylon Bee (Satire.)

John Chapman Preaching Conference, September 23

Posted on September 5, 2017 
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on John Chapman Preaching Conference, September 23

The next John Chapman Preaching Conference is coming up at Moore College on Saturday 23rd September.

Dr Bryan Chapell is considering the topic Application in Expository Preaching.

Details from the College.

Campaign to deregister doctor in ‘No’ TV ad

Posted on September 4, 2017 
Filed under Culture wars Comments Off on Campaign to deregister doctor in ‘No’ TV ad

“Supporters of the Yes campaign for same-sex marriage have launched a bid to deregister a doctor who appeared in the first television advertisement for the No case in a move that threatens other practitioners.

Since appearing as one of three mothers in the Marriage ­Coalition advertisement, Pansy Lai, a GP in northern Sydney, has been subject to a petition organised by GetUp! seeking her deregistration…”

– Report from The Australian (subscription), via the Herald-Sun.

(Image courtesy Michael Smith News, who also has details of the petition.)

Update: Petition removed — ABC News.

Fascinating Political Times

Posted on September 4, 2017 
Filed under Australia, Opinion Comments Off on Fascinating Political Times

“I had the good fortune of reading Eric Metaxas’ biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in my holidays.

In a vacuum of leadership Metaxas writes, ‘…the German people clamoured for order and leadership. But it was as though in the babble of their clamouring, they had summoned the devil himself…’

Nations can do that when good people do nothing. Without even realising, with a little slumber, a folding of the hands you can allow the summoning of a devil that has a nation reap the whirlwind. …”

– Rick Lewers, Bishop of Armidale, writes of the disarray our nation is facing. Where can stability and hope be found?

Mr Eternity: The Story of Arthur Stace

Posted on September 4, 2017 
Filed under History, People Comments Off on Mr Eternity: The Story of Arthur Stace

The forthcoming book, Mr Eternity: The Story of Arthur Stace, by Roy Williams and Elizabeth Meyers, is now available for pre-order from The Bible Society.

It’s expected to be published at the end of October.

Praying Together for Marriage

Posted on September 2, 2017 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on Praying Together for Marriage

Archbishop Glenn Davies has written a prayer for marriage, and is also calling on Anglican churches in Sydney to pray.

The prayer was was printed in Southern Cross, September 2017, and we reproduce it here with permission:   Read more

Fathers’ Day ad pulled: Too ‘political’

Posted on September 2, 2017 
Filed under Culture wars Comments Off on Fathers’ Day ad pulled: Too ‘political’

“Here’s the militant new world forced on us by activists against the traditional definition of marriage – where even the word “dad” is a political statement.

More will come, of course, as traditional marriage is deemed by law to be oppressively restrictive …”

– Story from The Herald-Sun.

“Why I will vote No.” — Rev Neil Chambers

Posted on September 2, 2017 
Filed under Culture wars, Opinion Comments Off on “Why I will vote No.” — Rev Neil Chambers

“… These are all the reasons why I will vote, and why I will vote no to same sex marriage. In the end, I do not believe it is love of neighbour to endorse and normalize a practice [same sex sexual activity] God calls sin.

But these reasons will not be the substance of my conversations. The root problem is idolatry, in this case the idolatrous claim to be able to remake humanity in our own wisdom while we reject the Creator, the worship of our autonomy. The conversation I want to have is about Jesus – that He is Lord, that He loves us and can be trusted to tell us what is best for us, and that He will be our judge at the last day.

So, when you are talking to others don’t get lost in having arguments about the consequences of the change, or about the fears you may have about the change. Be honest – tell them that you think Jesus can be trusted and the life of human flourishing is found in following Him.

Our goal is not to win an argument, but to commend a Saviour. And He will be Lord whatever way the vote goes, in the plebiscite and in parliament.”

– These are the concluding paragraphs of a pastoral article written by the Rev Neil Chambers to his congregation in Melbourne.

Be sure to read it all.

Neil Foster on the Media release from the Wilberforce Foundation

Posted on September 1, 2017 
Filed under Culture wars, Resources Comments Off on Neil Foster on the Media release from the Wilberforce Foundation

“In the ongoing debates about same sex marriage in Australia (shortly to be the subject of a voluntary postal survey conducted by the Australia Bureau of Statistics, if it survives a High Court challenge), a number of professional organisations have decided to weigh in, in support of the ‘Yes’ vote.

The most recent such statement was issued by a combination of lawyers and doctors (see a press report of August 19 here, and the full text of the joint statement, by the NSW Bar Association president Arthur Moses, president of the Law Society of NSW Pauline Wright, and president of the NSW division of the Australian Medical Association Brad Frankum, is here.)

A number of lawyers around Australia, myself included, were concerned that this statement was not made after consultation with members of the various organisations, and in fact was misleading precisely at the point where one would expect a statement from lawyers to be accurate, in its statements about the law. …

Finally, speaking of a lack of consultation, as I prepare this post I see that WordPress seems to have decided to add a “rainbow banner” to the top of my page, without asking me if I would like such.”

– Associate Professor Neil Foster gives some background to the Wilberforce Foundation, and the Media release they have issued (PDF file).

(The header seen by WordPress users who are logged in to wordpress.com.)

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