Global South Primates’ Communique, Cairo, September 9 2017

Posted on September 12, 2017 
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“We, the Primates of the Global South, met in Cairo from 8-9 September 2017 to work together in service of the Church, to follow up the recommendation of the 2016 Global South Conference and to discuss arising issues. …

We express our sadness for the decision taken by the Scottish Episcopal Church to change its doctrine of marriage and are thankful for the faithful remnant of the Scottish Anglican Network that continues to contend for God’s Word. We are also saddened by the decisions of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada to allow same-sex marriage. If this decision is ratified it will further tear the fabric of the Communion.  …

We are saddened that the 16th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in Lusaka, Zambia, did not unequivocally accept the decisions of the last Primates Meeting. While we expressed a desire to walk together as a Communion, this was contingent upon our decisions regarding The Episcopal Church being respected and upheld. Unfortunately, this agreement was not enforced and The Episcopal Church has been allowed to take part in decision making regarding ‘matters pertaining to polity and doctrine.’ They have also represented us in ecumenical meetings.  This has led to a further breakdown of trust and confidence.

In light of this reality, we discussed the Archbishop of Canterbury’s invitation to the upcoming Primates’ Meeting. …”

– Read the full Communique at Global South Anglican.

Same-sex-­marriage postal survey without detail a ‘blank cheque’

Posted on September 12, 2017 
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“Malcolm Turnbull has been ­accused of handing a ‘blank cheque’ to the parliament after the government declared it would not move to provide religious protections before the same-sex-­marriage survey is finalised.

Senior ministers yesterday confirmed that no bill outlining ­religious protections would be ­endorsed by the government until after the result was declared, arguing it would only be required should a Yes vote be returned.

The decision flies in the face of a warning from former prime minister John Howard, revealed in The Weekend Australian…”

– Story from The Australian. (Subscription.)

Related:

Andrew Hastie MP is interviewed on The Bolt Report, 11 September 2017.

Church Society launches a Podcast

Posted on September 11, 2017 
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The first episode includes an interview with the Church Society’s President, Bishop Wallace Benn.

Reformation Rally 2017 — Dr Gerald Bray

Posted on September 11, 2017 
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Dr Gerald Bray spoke at Moore College’s Reformation Rally held at St Andrew’s Cathedral on 26 August 2017.

His topic: The Way the Reformers looked at the Work of The Holy Spirit.

Reformation Rally 2017 sermon — Dr Glenn Davies

Posted on September 11, 2017 
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Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, preached the sermon at the 1552 Book of Common Prayer: Morning Prayer Service. He speaks of the Scriptures as the very bedrock for understanding God.

It was part of Moore College’s Reformation Rally held at St Andrew’s Cathedral on 26 August 2017.

‘Malcolm Turnbull urges Australians to say yes as thousands in Sydney rally’

Posted on September 10, 2017 
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“Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has urged Australians to say yes in the postal survey as thousands packed out Sydney’s CBD to rally for same-sex marriage. …

Mr Turnbull pointed to the fact that same-sex marriage had already been legislated for in 23 countries, including several with which Australia has close cultural affinities.

‘In any one of those nations, has the sky fallen in? Has life as we know it come to a halt? Has traditional marriage as we know it been undermined? The answer is no.’ …”

– Report from ABC News. Image: ABC News.

Since the Prime Minister raises the issues, see also:

John Anderson argues for a No vote:

“We need to be honest, and we have the right to ask the hard questions. The evidence here and abroad suggests that it would be naïve to think it’s simply about marriage…”

What’s changed in Britain since same-sex marriage?:

“I urge every Aussie to examine the evidence, analysis the results and be clear about what you’re voting for. If it was solely marriage, it would worth preserving. It’s infinitely more. …” –David Sargeant at Spectator Australia.

There’s never been a better time to be a Christian

Posted on September 9, 2017 
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“What a mess our poor nation is in. There is so much conflict, so much confusion, so much pain.

We have forgotten what a human being is. We have forgotten what male and female is. Men and women have forgotten how to have sex. We have forgotten how to marry. We have forgotten how to care for the children we bear. Children are taught that boys can be girls, and girls can be boys.

Our freedom to speak is dissolving before our eyes. Pastors are called before government tribunals for teaching the Bible. And Christian doctors who speak their mind are threatened with deregistration.

All this while marriage remains as yet un-redefined in our laws.

Moreover, the Opposition Leader has promised that if marriage laws change, Christian businesses will have no protections for acting according to their conscience.

If marriage is redefined there’ll be a relentless flood of de-registrations and prosecutions.

And so there has never been a better time to be a Christian!

There are two reasons why I believe this is true. …”

– Campbell Markham spoke at the Tasmanian launch of the Coalition for Marriage.

John Anderson argues for a No vote

Posted on September 9, 2017 
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“Former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson says, ‘We need to be honest, and we have the right to ask the hard questions. The evidence here and abroad suggests that it would be naïve to think it’s simply about marriage’.”

– An important video message from John Anderson – on Facebook.

John Howard kickstarts No SSM case

Posted on September 9, 2017 
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“John Howard has called for ­proposed same-sex marriage legislation, including full protections for parents, religion and free speech, to be produced before the postal survey vote closes in ­November, as he launches his support for the No campaign.

The former prime minister said yesterday it was disingenuous for the Yes campaign to argue that changing the law to ­include same-sex marriage did not affect other rights and that the survey involved a simple yes/no question. …”

– Dennis Shanahan writes in The Australian (Subscription.) Photo: ABC.

Christchurch Cathedral to be rebuilt

Posted on September 9, 2017 
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“More than six years after being destroyed in the deadly earthquake that struck Christchurch, the city’s iconic cathedral will be rebuilt by the Anglican Church in New Zealand. …”

– Report from ABC News.

Assisted suicide opposed

Posted on September 8, 2017 
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“Anglicans in New South Wales and Victoria have been urged to contact their MPs to oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide legislation.

The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia, which met in Queensland, passed a motion opposing the legalisation of ‘assisted dying’. …”

– Report from SydneyAnglicans.net.

Related:

Dr Megan Best’s Synod speech on the Euthanasia motion – from Sydney Synod 2010.

Albert Mohler’s The Briefing, 08 September 2017, from 9’40”.

What’s changed in Britain since same-sex marriage?

Posted on September 8, 2017 
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“Four years ago, amid much uncertainty, 400 British members of parliament voted to redefine marriage in the United Kingdom.

Then prime minister David Cameron announced that, despite having made no mention of the issue in his party’s pre-election manifesto, it would be MP’s who decided the fate of marriage.

Now, it’s Australia’s turn to choose. There’s one key difference. Unlike in Britain, it will be the people who decide.

Everyone agrees, whether they admit it or not. This is a decision of enormous significance. …

In retrospect, the silent majority in Britain remained silent for too long.”

– This is an important article from Spectator Australia and many would benefit from reading it.

High Court rules on Plebiscite

Posted on September 7, 2017 
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“The Coalition for Marriage welcomed today’s decision by the High Court to allow the voice of the Australian people to be heard through the same-sex marriage postal vote.

‘We reiterate our support for a people’s vote as the most appropriate way to allow Australians to have their say on proposed changes to the definition of marriage,’ said the Most Reverend Dr Glenn Davies, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney. ‘Australians deserve to have a say on a change to the foundational unit of our society.‘…”

– from The Coalition for Marriage.

General Synod news – 7 September 2017

Posted on September 7, 2017 
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Stories from SydneyAnglicans.net –

Domestic violence ‘first priority’

“The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia has condemned domestic and family violence in all its forms, saying churches are committed to being safe places for all people, especially children and vulnerable adults.

In a motion moved by Melbourne’s Bishop Stephen Hale and seconded by Sydney’s Archdeacon Kara Hartley, Synod described domestic violence as sin, saying Scripture should never be twisted to justify or excuse any abuse. …”

Scots ‘impair’ communion with Australia

“The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia has acknowledged that relationship with the Scottish Episcopal Church has been impaired by the SEC removing gender from its marriage canon.

In June, the General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church voted in favour of altering the church’s Canon on Marriage to remove the definition that marriage is between a man and a woman allow same-sex couples to marry in church.…”

On the vote concerning the Scottish Episcopal Church:

Read Dean Raffel’s speech (PDF file):

“Across the Anglican communion churches are trying to work out how best to love people of diverse sexual orientation.

This is important because all people are made in God’s image; and God hates nothing that he has made.

It is important because all people are to be valued honoured and loved not only because they are created in God’s image but because of Christ’s costly redeeming love for them.

It is important because Christians have often failed to love same sex attracted people, making it difficult or impossible for them to hear and experience the welcome and power of Jesus in their lives.

And it is important because same sex attracted people are our friends, our family members, our colleagues, members of our churches, and we might assume, members of this Synod. …”

Bishop Richard Condie’s speech (via David Ould).

“We want to express a deep welcome to homosexual people in our church. We should treat all people with love and respect. We shun actions and words that demean and marginalise; we reject discrimination, and especially grieve the way people who identify as homosexual have been treated in our society and churches.

While the SEC’s action is ostensibly about the inclusion of homosexual people in the church, it actually undermines the Biblical witness to the ultimate trajectory of salvation, our union with Christ. We must not fall for the world’s view that holding to the teaching of Christ on marriage means we can’t be welcoming to homosexual people in the church. …”

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

Posted on September 6, 2017 
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“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.

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