Insulting religion and legal consequences

Posted on April 3, 2016
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“Two recent news items raised interesting issues of free speech about religion and its legal consequences. One was a comment by Mr Peter Fitzsimmons; the other a report about an ‘anti-Muslim’ banner being flown at a football game…”

– Neil Foster, at Law and Religion Australia, looks at two very topical examples of speech relating to religion.

Back to Basics Part 4 — Repentance

Posted on April 2, 2016
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“As we think through the significance of the meeting of Primates in Canterbury, we come to the key subject of repentance.

The issues before us have doctrinal and political aspects. But, finally, they are spiritual and that is why repentance matters.

The original tragic division in the Anglican Communion was the responsibility of certain North American Anglicans. They have been invited back into communion with those who severed relationships.

But this is not simply a matter of apology without change.

The need is repentance, with the hope of reconciliation and restoration…”

– GAFCON General Secretary, Dr Peter Jensen, writes the fourth of six reflections in the light of January’s Primates Meeting.

Taking God at his Word — free audiobook April 2016

Posted on April 2, 2016
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Christian Audio’s free book for April 2016 is Kevin DeYoung’s Taking God at his Word.

Here’s the link.

Two new bishops for Melbourne

Posted on April 1, 2016
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“Archbishop Philip Freier has announced the appointment of the Revd Dr Paul Anthony Barker and the Revd Dr Bradly Scott Billings as Assistant Bishops in the Diocese of Melbourne…”

– Story at The Melbourne Anglican.

Sydney appeal opens for Lahore bomb victims

Posted on April 1, 2016
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“The Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid has opened an appeal for the victims of the Easter Sunday attack on Christians in Pakistan…”

– Details of how you can help at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Christopher Ash at the Moore College Graduation 2016

Posted on April 1, 2016
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Christopher Ash gave the Occasional Address at the 2016 Moore College Graduation.

Watch the encouraging, but challenging, video at the link.

Earlier related story from SydneyAnglicans.net.

What is the Anglican Consultative Council meeting for?

Posted on March 31, 2016
Filed under Anglican Communion, Opinion Comments Off on What is the Anglican Consultative Council meeting for?

“The Archbishop of Canterbury has written to urge all Anglican primates to attend the Anglican Consultative Council in Lusaka from April 8-19.

The primates of Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda have indicated that their representatives cannot attend because the spirit of the Primates Meeting in Canterbury, which introduced consequences for TEC and its participation in Communion decision-making on doctrine and polity, appears to be being overridden or ignored. …

Kenya and Nigeria were very gracious in trusting the conversations at Canterbury and the decisions made there. They now suspect that they were misled.

Lusaka is not the place to sort out church polity, unity, doctrine or matters of sexuality. Those are the callings of the primates meeting and the Lambeth conference of Bishops.”

– Chris Sugden writes for The Church of England Newspaper. Via Anglican Mainstream.

Gospel speech: now available as an ebook

Posted on March 31, 2016
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Gospel Speech: a fresh look at the relationship between every Christian and evangelism is a short biblical exploration of the way the gospel shapes the speech of every Christian as they confess Jesus Christ with their mouth.

Written by ACL Council member Dr Lionel Windsor, the book is now available in electronic format.

The Primates’ Authority does not depend on Canterbury

Posted on March 31, 2016
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“As I observed last week, the Primates must be wondering why they even came together in January at Archbishop Welby’s request if he is now unable to defend them.

And as Archbishop Mouneer notes, that is the source of our impaired Communion. It is a great pity that the source of impaired communion lies in great part in the lack of leadership by Canterbury himself.”

– The American Anglican Council’s Canon Phil Ashey looks at the failure of Canterbury to respond publicly to the Anglican Consultative Council’s public repudiation of Primatial authority.

Moore Graduates called to die to self

Posted on March 30, 2016
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“This year’s 102 graduates from Moore Theological College have been called upon to “die to self” in their ministries, so that their work will produce more fruit for the gospel.

The address, focussing on John 12:24 and delivered by former Director of the UK Cornhill Training Course the Rev Christopher Ash, directed people to the pattern of Christ…”

– Story from SydneyAnglicans.net. Please be encouraged to pray for those who are now seeking to serve Christ in various spheres of ministry.

Back to Basics 3 — Fellowship

Posted on March 30, 2016
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“Fellowship, or Communion, is a very precious gift of the gospel. The Lord Jesus laid down his life for his Church, his Bride. Christians are united to Christ for their salvation. Inevitably, then, we are united with one another. We are all one in Christ Jesus.

I have been trying to think through the implications of the January meeting of Primates for the Anglican Communion and for GAFCON.

The Communique and the story of the meeting certainly put a lot of store on fellowship and unity. The Primates, we are assured, were unanimous in their desire to walk together, difficult though it is…”

– Dr Peter Jensen, GAFCON General Secretary, writes the third of his reflections following the Primates Gathering in January 2016.

Your labour in the Lord is not in vain

Posted on March 29, 2016
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“Wee Waa’s boom years were the mid 1960’s to the mid 1980’s, there was plenty of water, and cotton, as an Australian industry, was in its infancy.

American farmers led by Paul Kahl and Frank Hadley, two Christian men from California, were instrumental in establishing the industry, centred on Wee Waa.

Wee Waa Presbyterian was our first parish. We ministered there from February 1976 to December 1981. This last Easter we had the joy of going back to lead the Easter services…”

– David Cook goes back to Wee Waa, where he was the Presbyterian Minister forty years ago.

‘In Pakistan, Taliban’s Easter bombing targets, kills scores of Christians’

Posted on March 28, 2016
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“On Easter Sunday, a crisp spring day, some of the city’s Christian population mingled with their Muslim neighbors, celebrating in a neighborhood park — taking their kids on rides or pushing them on swings. Then, the sound of tragedy.

Without warning, a blast tore through the park, killing indiscriminately.

Because of the innocent setting, an unusually high number of those injured were women and children. But the attack, claimed by a splinter group of the Pakistani Taliban, intentionally targeted Christians, the perpetrators say…”

– This report from CNN.

Bishop of Salisbury ‘leads backlash against fixed date for Easter’

Posted on March 28, 2016
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“A prominent Church of England bishop has spoken out against plans by the world’s main Christian denominations to fix the date of Easter to the same Sunday every year. … the Bishop of Salisbury, the Rt Rev Nicholas Holtam, warned that the move would detach Christianity from its Jewish roots by breaking the link between the timing of Easter and Passover.”