‘Welby risks a fatal Anglican split over homosexuality’

Posted on February 15, 2017 
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“Personally, I believe the most worrying element of the [Bishop’s Report on Marriage and Same Sex Relationships] is the way the bishops have reinterpreted the law of the C of E about where our doctrine can be found. They appear to sideline Scripture and the traditional formularies of the Church, in favour of finding the boundaries of freedom in Canon Law.”

– from an interview with Reform’s Susie Leafe, speaking about the Church of England’s General Synod, meeting tonight (Australian time).

Link via Anglican Mainstream.

Manipulative, domineering revisionists must be opposed, not appeased

Posted on February 15, 2017 
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“I can already hear the shocked gasps from some as they read this title. ‘Oh, can’t we have a nicer tone in this debate?’, some are thinking, as they cover their ears, desperately thinking happy thoughts and hoping the whole nasty issue will go away. …”

– As the Church of England’s General Synod debates ‘same sex marriage’ this week, Anglican Mainstream’s the Rev. Andrew Symes calls on Christians believers to stand for the apostolic truth.

(He mentions a segment on BBC TV from Monday 13th February. The link at Anglican Mainstream is viewable only in the UK. Here is another source. And another one, though in one minute segments.)

GAFCON UK’s response to the lobby group OneBodyOneFaith

Posted on February 15, 2017 
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“GAFCON UK welcomes the publication of the OneBodyOneFaith statement “A time to build”.

The statement is admirably clear in its wholesale abandonment of any pretence that OneBodyOneFaith has any respect for Biblical authority or any interest in the wellbeing of global Anglicanism. …”

– GAFCON UK responds with clarity to yet another call to ditch the authority of God’s word.

New Moore College website

Posted on February 14, 2017 
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Moore College has a new website.

Check it out here.

Anglican Bishop acts over report into sexual abuse claims

Posted on February 14, 2017 
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“The Anglican Bishop of Tasmania has launched an investigation into the response of former church leader Bishop Philip Newell to complaints of sexual abuse by clergy. …”

– Report from The Mercury.

An Intro to the Institutes

Posted on February 12, 2017 
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“The opening sentence of John Calvin’s The Institutes of the Christian Religion alone is worth a lifetime’s contemplation: ‘Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.’

What is it about Calvin that so inspires me? This: his disciplined style, his determination never to speculate, his utter submission to Bible words as God’s words, his submission to Christ’s Lordship, his sense of the holy, his concern to be as practical as possible; the fact that godly living was his aim and not theology for the sake of it. In a forest of theologians, Calvin stands like a Californian Redwood, towering over everyone else.…”

– at Reformation21, Derek Thomas introduces a work which every Moore College student is required to read (in addition to the Bible!).

New Moore College building offically opened

Posted on February 11, 2017 
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“Amid record hot weather not seen since the days of the original benefactor, Thomas Moore, Moore Theological College has entered a new era with the opening of its ultra-modern Learning and Teaching Centre.

The 33 million dollar centre was dedicated by Archbishop Glenn Davies and officially opened by the Governor of New South Wales, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret’d) before a crowd of 500 in the main assembly room, Marcus Loane Hall. …”

– Russell Powell reports at SydneyAnglicans.net.

And there’s also a report at the Moore College website.

Christian events in Australia in 2017

Posted on February 11, 2017 
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Steve Kryger, at Communicate Jesus, continues his helpful tradition of compiling a list of Christian events in Australia.

Here’s his 2017 Calendar.

Christian organisations campaigning against helping Christians flee the Middle East genocide?

Posted on February 10, 2017 
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“In the USA a terrible tragedy is happening. A nation that was founded by Christians fleeing religious persecution is tearing itself apart over its new president ordering the US refugee system to prioritise religious minorities fleeing persecution. Yet perhaps the greatest tragedy faces Christian refugees fleeing genocide in the Middle East.…”

– An editorial from Barnabas Fund. (via Anglican Mainstream.)

Canterbury Cathedral to host Service for Freemasons

Posted on February 10, 2017 
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“Canterbury Cathedral is hosting a service to “celebrate” 300 years of Freemasonry after receiving a donation from the Masons of £300,000. The Duke of Kent, who is the Grand Master of the Freemasons, will be among those attending the special service of thanksgiving on 18 February. …”

– Could be a wonderful opportunity. (Photo: Canterbury Cathedral.)

T.C. Hammond: The Value of the Old Testament

Posted on February 9, 2017 
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“There are three important declarations in Article Seven.

(1) The Old Testament is not contrary to the New.
(2) The Fathers looked for more than transitory promises.
(3) The moral injunctions in the Commandments of Moses are binding on all Christian men. …”

– The Australian Church Record continues to republish Archdeacon T.C. Hammond’s series on The Thirty Nine Articles of Religion. They’re up to Article 7.

‘Gender theory banned in NSW classrooms’

Posted on February 9, 2017 
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“NSW public school teachers have been banned from teaching gender theory in the classroom after an independent review into the state’s sex and health education resources.”

– Story from The Australian. (subscription only)

GAFGON Chairman’s February 2017 letter

Posted on February 8, 2017 
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“It seems … that the Church of England bishops have recommended the right thing for the wrong reason. They have retained the Church’s traditional teaching, but because they think that holding opposite views together will eventually produce a consensus, not because it represents an apostolic boundary.”

– from Archbishop Okoh’s February 2017 letter to GAFCON supporters.

GAFCON Statement on TEC voting in Lusaka

Posted on February 7, 2017 
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Here is a statement from GAFCON General Secretary, Dr. Peter Jensen:

“The agreement from the January Primates meeting in 2016 was broken when The Episcopal Church (TEC) took part in decision making on issues pertaining to polity and doctrine in Lusaka. Equally damaging, was an attempt by the Anglican Communion Office to deny the fact by claiming that, technically, the process included no formal votes. This is sophistry.

The Primates agreement in January was never limited to the narrow issue of the method of voting. It said that ‘[The Episcopal Church] will not to take part in decision making on issues pertaining to polity or doctrine.’ [Primates 2016 Communique]

Whether a meeting uses a consensus model, or a voice vote, or paper ballots, or electronic ballots is of no relevance. The Episcopal Church was not to take part in decision making on issues pertaining to polity or doctrine. They did.

As the GAFCON Primates Council has said: ‘The future of the Anglican Communion does not lie with manipulations, compromises, legal loopholes, or the presentation of half-truths; the future of our Communion lies in humble obedience to the truth of the Word of God written.’ [Gafcon Primates Communique, April 2016]

Archbishop Peter Jensen
General Secretary.”

From GAFCON.

With thanksgiving for Michael John Ovey — by Mark Thompson

Posted on February 5, 2017 
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“It has taken a little while to write this thanksgiving to God for the life of my dear friend Mike Ovey. I have indeed written tributes for other publications, news items, editorials, etc. But this is the one I knew I wanted to write and it has taken longer. This one is much more personal.

The reason for the delay is deep grief and a profound sense of loss. Another friend used the word ‘ambush’ to describe how grief can burst upon you unexpectedly and without notice. …”

– Dr. Mark Thompson, Principal of Moore College, has written this moving tribute to Mike Ovey, who was called home to be with Christ a month ago.

Update from Oak Hill College:

A service of thanksgiving for the life and ministry of Mike Ovey will be held on Monday 13 March 2017, at 2pm, at All Soul’s, Langham Place, London W1B 3DA. All are welcome to attend. Download the service invitation here.

(Photo: Oak Hill College.)

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