Headscarves and Hashtags — Other voices in the Same-God Debate
Posted on March 9, 2016
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“Many voices have weighed in on the debate as to whether Christians and Muslims worship the same God. Wheaton’s Professor Hawkins was only reflecting the sentiment of half the country — and perhaps a third of self-described evangelicals — when she declared that Christians and Muslims worship the same God.
The ‘same God’ controversy is the kind of ‘debate’ that plays out mostly on social media and largely among Christians and secularists. So it’s really more of a political statement than a debate. But there are other voices that ought to be heard on the subject — stories of men and women who don’t have access to blogs or Facebook because they are being hunted like animals at this very moment…”
– At Desiring God, Tim Keesee adds some realism to the debate.
Islam, women’s seating and discrimination
Posted on March 8, 2016
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“In a very interesting recent decision, Bevege v Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia …, the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal has found that an Islamic group unlawfully discriminated against a female member of the audience for a seminar they were running, by requiring her to sit in a “women only” area.
In my view the decision is somewhat disturbing, and has the potential, if followed in the future, to undermine the appropriate recognition of religious freedom in NSW. The implications may extend beyond Muslim groups to a range of religious groups…”
– Assoc. Professor Neil Foster asks some thoughtful questions about a decision that’s been in the news.
Canberra – Goulburn conference to focus on discipleship
Posted on March 8, 2016
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The Centre for Lay Ministry and Mission in Canberra & Goulburn diocese is running a discipleship conference in May.
Bishop Stuart Robinson writes, “We’d love to see people from all over Australia attend and learn from Mike and Sally Breen.” Details here (PDF).
Jerry Bridges 1929-2016
Posted on March 7, 2016
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“Jerry Bridges entered into the joy of his Master this Sunday evening, March 6, 2016. He was 86 years old. …
One of the great legacies of Jerry Bridges is that he combined—to borrow some titles from his books—the pursuit of holiness and godliness with an emphasis on transforming grace. He believed that trusting God not only involved believing what he had done for us in the past, but that the gospel empowers daily faith and is transformative for all of life.”
– Justin Taylor has a tribute. As does Tim Challies.
GAFCON Prayer requests — March 2016
Posted on March 5, 2016
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“We thank you for your continued support and prayer for the GAFCON movement. We would like to ask for your prayer over the next few weeks for a number of important areas:
1. The GAFCON Primates Council in April 2016
As the GAFCON Primates prepare to meet in Santiago de Chile please pray for the following …”
– Prayer is the wonderful privilege of all Christian believers. Here are some prayer requests from GAFCON.
Impossible to Believe: The Endgame of Secularism
Posted on March 4, 2016
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“The story of the rise of secularism is a stunning intellectual and moral revolution. It defies exaggeration. We must recognize that it is far more pervasive than we might want to believe, for this intellectual revolution has changed the worldviews of even those who believe themselves to be opposed to it…”
– The third post in a four-part series on Secularisation and the Sexual Revolution from Albert Mohler.
Government to retain Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission
Posted on March 4, 2016
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“The Government will provide certainty to the charitable sector and community organisations by today announcing the decision to retain the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).”
New Dean for Australian College of Theology
Posted on March 3, 2016
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The Board of the Australian College of Theology has announced (PDF) that Dr. Martin Sutherland, currently Academic Dean of Laidlaw College in Auckland, will be the new Dean and Chief Executive Officer of the ACT, from July 2016.
Colleges affiliated with the ACT include Youthworks College, Mary Andrews College, SMBC, and the Presbyterian and Baptist colleges. (Photo: Laidlaw College.)
Canadian Bishops explain why they are not pushing for a vote to change definition of marriage
Posted on March 2, 2016
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“We spent a considerable amount of time discussing the theology of marriage and our episcopal role and responsibilities as chief pastors, and as guardians of the Church’s faith, order and unity. …
… it became clear to us that the draft resolution to change the Marriage Canon to accommodate the marriage of same-sex partners is not likely to pass in the Order of Bishops by the canonical requirement of a 2/3rds majority in each Order. Some of us talked of being mortified and devastated by this realisation…
… we feel a responsibility to convey our inability to come to a common mind in discerning what the Spirit is saying to the Church.”
– The ‘chief pastors, and guardians of the Church’s faith, order and unity’ of the Anglican Church of Canada explain why they are not pushing to change their definition of marriage at this year’a General Synod. They don’t yet have the numbers.
Update: The American Anglican Council’s Canon Phil Ashey has this commentary.
Two Worlds
Posted on March 2, 2016
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“I live in Sydney, a beautiful city, what a pleasure to show friends from overseas around the harbour, the beaches and the mountains.
And yet, like all believers, my home is the eternal city which is above.
The writer of the Hebrews reminds his readers “For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14)…”
– In his latest Moderator’s Comments, Presbyterian Moderator-General David Cook reflects on living in two worlds.
New Priscilla and Aquila Centre website
Posted on March 2, 2016
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The Priscilla and Aquila Centre at Moore College has a brand new website.
Check it out – including their Resource Centre.
Moore College celebrates a birthday
Posted on March 1, 2016
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160 and counting. A cause for thanksgiving to the Lord.
From the Vault No. 4
Posted on March 1, 2016
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Learning to speak Christian in an online world
Posted on February 28, 2016
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“On March 17, I’ll be speaking at Moore College’s first Centre for Christian Living event for 2016. The topic: Learning to speak Christian in an online world. …
Christians need to be online – or at least some of us do. That’s because there are real people who spend a large part of their lives online, and these people need to hear (or read!) the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?” (Romans 10:14). If we Christians aren’t there with them, they will not hear of Jesus. All they will hear is the “noise” – the endless frivolous chatter, and worse.
But – we need to be very serious about how we speak. That’s because God takes our speech incredibly seriously. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, for example, when he talks about living God’s way, much of the time he’s talking about the way we speak…”
– Lionel Windsor at Moore College previews an event coming up at The Centre for Christian Living.
We still don’t want your money — message to TEC
Posted on February 27, 2016
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Statement from the Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa regarding the Good Friday Offering
“It has come to our attention that the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church (USA) has recently issued a Lenten appeal asking the churches of TEC to remember the Good Friday offering for Jerusalem and the Middle East. In this appeal he said ‘this tradition [The Good Friday Offering] is decades old and is an important statement of our solidarity with the members of the four dioceses of the Province of Jerusalem and Middle East.’
I would like to clarify the fact that the Diocese of Egypt with North of Africa and the Horn of Africa, one of the four dioceses of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East does not receive funds or grants from the Good Friday offering of the Episcopal Church (TEC) in the USA. The decision not to receive these funds came after the 2003 decision by TEC to consecrate as bishop a divorced man living in a homosexual relationship. The decision not to receive money from TEC is one expression of the reality that the Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa was (and still is) in an impaired relationship with The Episcopal Church.
One of our clergy in Ethiopia states our situation in graphic terms: ‘We rather starve and not receive money from churches whose actions contradict the scriptures.’
+Mouneer
The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis
Archbishop of Episcopal / Anglican Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa
Primate of the Episcopal / Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East.”
– from the Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa, h/t Anglican Mainstream.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…