Dying with dignity
Posted on January 18, 2017
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“Recently, the South Australian Parliament debated and rejected the Death with Dignity Bill, which proposed to legalise euthanasia. It was the 15th time a euthanasia bill had been rejected by the house.
The bill’s proposer predicts that this is not the end of the debate, referring to the overwhelming public support for “the right to choose and have a dignified death”. With Andrew Denton regularly advertising his desire for legal euthanasia with evangelistic fervour, I agree that we have not seen the end of the debate. But I still hope for a more honest one. …”
– This is an important article by Dr. Megan Best, bioethicist and palliative care doctor who works for HammondCare. She serves on the Social Issues Committee of the Diocese of Sydney.
From SydneyAnglicans.net.
(Dr. Best is also the author of Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, from Matthia Media.)
40th anniversary of the Granville train disaster
Posted on January 18, 2017
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“A former Police Rescue officer who personally rescued two people from the rubble of the Granville train disaster has reflected on the tragedy 40 years ago today.
Chief Inspector Gary Raymond APM, OAM (Retired) was a young member of the Police Rescue Squad which responded to the train derailment and bridge collapse in 1977 that claimed 83 lives and injured 213 others. Read more
Brazilian Anglicans ask for prayer support
Posted on January 18, 2017
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Members of the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil have written to the ACL and other Anglican groups asking for prayer.
“We are a group of clergy of the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil, we are being persecuted for defending a biblical position of marriage and asking that the Anglican episcopal church of Brazil maintain its unity with the Anglican communion, which in turn, in voice through the chamber of the bishops want to approve this position by imposition.”
They include these links –
1. Creation of the alliance movement. (Select the English Version tab.)
2. Response of the Bishops – Original Portuguese. English translation
3. Letter from Bishop Sebastião (Emeritus Bishop in the Diocese of Recife) to the Bishops – Original Portuguese. English translation
4. Letter of Covenant to Bishops.
Related:
Earlier posts on happening in the Diocese of Recife.
Report from Virtueonline.
Upon the Death of a Grandson
Posted on January 17, 2017
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“When we cease to rage against death, we have given up on life. Death is the horrible reality of our life that screams: “There’s something wrong with the world!” We try to hide that scream; silence it with distractions, pretend it’s not happening with anti-aging creams, and rationalise its existence with meaningless platitudes. We question the sanity of those who want to die but there is no greater madness than thinking we can avoid death. …”
– Phillip Jensen shares his reflections on the heartbreaking loss of a grandson.
Update: Phillip has also published the text of his sermon from Nathan’s funeral.
Overseas Muslim marriages and Australian law
Posted on January 16, 2017
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“Two cases involving purported marriages under Islamic law, entered into overseas by Australian residents, have received recent press coverage.
The decisions of the courts involved seem to be clearly correct, and they helpfully illustrate some important principles of Australian law. A person whose home is Australia cannot legally travel outside this country and enter into a valid marriage with a minor, or enter into a second marriage when already lawfully married under Australian law. …”
– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster looks at the operation of Australian law and overseas marriages.
Dick Lucas on Mark’s Gospel
Posted on January 16, 2017
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“At the age of 91, Dick Lucas is still going strong. Rector of St Helen’s from 1961 to 1998, and Rector Emeritus since then, he has used his retirement to help preachers and other Bible teachers to understand and communicate the Word of God to people today, not least through the conferences run by The Proclamation Trust.
The most recent fruits of his retirement are recordings of his latest reflections on Scripture, aimed primarily at the Bible expositor but suitable for everyone. Recorded in his kitchen, where most of his sermon preparation takes place, they are starting to be published just prior to Christmas 2016.”
– This is a wonderful resource, covering Mark 1-8, with the promise of more to come soon.
Scripture: Is it really all we need?
Posted on January 14, 2017
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“In 1955, when T.C. Hammond came to the 6th of his reflections on the 39 articles, he did something different. He didn’t write one piece for the ACR. He wrote two. And then followed them up with a third piece in the next issue.
Why? Why this extra attention on Article 6? It seems that in this article he saw a watershed moment. …”
– The Australian Church Record is continuing to republish Archdeacon T. C. Hammond’s writings on The Thirty Nine Articles of Religion.
See also:
Propositional Revelation, the Only Revelation – by D. B. Knox.
Secularism, Preaching, and the Challenges of Modernity
Posted on January 13, 2017
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“I began my chapter on preaching and postmodernism in We Cannot Be Silent with these words, “A common concern seems to emerge now wherever Christians gather: The task of truth-telling is stranger than it used to be. In this age, telling the truth is tough business and not for the faint-hearted. The times are increasingly strange.”
As preachers we recognize how strange the times have become. Almost anyone seeking to carry out a faithful pulpit ministry recognizes that preachers must now ask questions we have not had to consider in the past. We recognize that preaching has been displaced from its once prominent position in the culture.
Many of us are wondering, why is preaching more challenging in our cultural moment than it has been in other times? …”
– Albert Mohler begins a three-part series on Preaching in a Secular Age.
Oak Hill College and church leaders pay tribute to Mike Ovey
Posted on January 13, 2017
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“The Oak Hill College community has been in shock and mourning since the news broke on Sunday morning that our greatly-loved Principal, Mike Ovey, had unexpectedly collapsed and died at home on Saturday night. …
Several evangelical leaders have paid tribute to Mike in the days since he died. …”
– From Oak Hill College.
Image: Screenshot from a sermon by Mike Ovey on Acts 20:17-38 at an Ordination service at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, March 2015.
Qur’an in the Eucharist?
Posted on January 12, 2017
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“I have just returned from Paris where I was invited to be part of a conversation with three imams sponsored by Lebanese TV.
I thought they were kind, impressive and delightful people. It was a privilege to meet them and talk to them. We had many things in common, but most of all a deep attraction to God who made us, whose intentions towards us, we know, are love and mercy.
The strength of the encounter was the friendship and mutual admiration it produced. The weakness was that we did not speak at all about ‘the problem’. …
What is the significance, then, of a Muslim standing at the lectern in a Christian cathedral and publicly proclaiming words from the Koran which announce that the Gospel writers were engaged in a blasphemous deceit?”
– The Rev. Gavin Ashenden writes at ArchbishopCranmer.com to reflect on a recitation from the Qur’an at service of The Lord’s Supper for Epiphany in the Cathedral of the Scottish Episcopal Church in Glasgow.
See also:
In response to the Qur’an recitation in St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow – Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali.
This Qur’an recitation was not the first at Glasgow Cathedral. Carol Service, December 2014.
Interview with William Taylor
Posted on January 11, 2017
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David Ould has interviewed William Taylor, who is speaking at the NSW CMS Summer School, meeting this week at Katoomba.
He explains Summer School to those unfamiliar with it, speaks about the need for reform in the Church of England, and reflects on the terrible loss, this week, of Mike Ovey.
30 minutes. Listen here.
By faith we let them go
Posted on January 11, 2017
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“The outpouring of grief over the death of our Principal Mike Ovey has been extraordinary. So much has been said. So much is still to be said. So much could be said.
Mike was my dear friend and brother, my boss and co-conspirator, my mentor and inspiration. I just wanted to say a few personal words which I know reflect the thoughts of our community at Oak Hill College. …”
– At the Oak Hill College blog, faculty member Dan Strange shares some thoughts and a meditation from C.H. Spurgeon.
Katoomba Christian Convention – a short history
Posted on January 11, 2017
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From Lionel Windsor:
“During our time at the CMS Summer School at Katoomba, our family has been greatly blessed by the hospitality of Paul Innes, who operates Blue Mountains History Tours.
As part of Paul’s history work in the Blue Mountains, he regularly contributes history articles to the Scenic World Tourist Magazine. The latest story from the Summer 2016 edition concerns the history of the Katoomba Christian Convention. …”
– Read it here.
Tribute to Dr Mike Ovey by Archbishop Glenn Davies
Posted on January 10, 2017
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Here’s a Public Statement released by Archbishop Glenn Davies on the death of Dr Mike Ovey, Principal of Oak Hill College:
“Dr Mike Ovey was a gifted student of God’s word whose ability to convey the truths of Holy Scripture and their contemporary application was outstanding.
Mike’s scholarly analysis of current trends in philosophy and theology was astute and penetrating, always with a view to strengthening the Christian’s understanding of the nature of God’s kingdom and his sovereign rule over our lives. A gracious and godly leader, Mike’s presence and counsel will be sorely missed not only at Oak Hill College, where he served as Principal for a decade, but throughout England and the world.
We in Sydney have lost a true friend whose frequent trips to our city will be sadly missed.”
via SydneyAnglicans.net.
The Grace of God – or the World of the West? – Dr Mike Ovey
Posted on January 9, 2017
Filed under Anglican Communion, GAFCON, People Comments Off on The Grace of God – or the World of the West? – Dr Mike Ovey
At the CMS NSW Summer School today, Rector of St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, William Taylor, paid tribute to Dr. Mike Ovey as “one of the great generals of the Christian faith”.
Take the time to thoughtfully watch this challenging and Christ-honouring address, given by Dr. Ovey, at GAFCON II in Nairobi in October 2013, to see why. Watch it here, courtesy of Anglican TV.
“My first really significant encounter with worldwide Anglicanism came at theological college.
It was 1990 and an east African priest was on secondment with us. He preached in the college chapel. He posed a question. Which gospel, he asked, which gospel do you westerners want us to believe? The one you came with or the one you preach now? Which gospel? I was horrified, not because what he said was not true. I was horrified because it was true.
My east African brother’s question has nagged away at me ever since. But how has it come about that we have a different gospel now from the one we first preached. What is this difference between what we westerners say now and what we said then? …”
Full text PDF from GAFCON.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…