First woman Bishop in the Church of England
Posted on December 17, 2014
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“Downing Street have today announced that the new Bishop of Stockport – and the first woman bishop in the Church of England – will be the Revd Libby Lane, currently Vicar of St Peter’s, Hale, and St Elizabeth’s, Ashley.
As Bishop of Stockport she will serve as a suffragan (assistant) bishop in the Diocese of Chester. She will be consecrated as the 8th Bishop of Stockport at a ceremony at York Minster on Monday 26 January 2015…”
– from The Church of England. Video message from the bishop-designate.
Related: Writing as an outsider to Anglicanism, Jeremy Walker at Reformation21 asks if evangelical Anglicans need to make a stand.
More than 120 people killed in Taliban attack on Pakistan school
Posted on December 16, 2014
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“At least 126 people have been killed and 122 injured in an attack by Taliban militants on a Pakistani high school.”
– ABC News report on the attack in Peshawar.
George Whitefield @ 300
Posted on December 16, 2014
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“Today, three hundred years ago, on December 16, 1714, was born the man Martyn Lloyd-Jones said was ‘beyond any question, the greatest English preacher who has ever lived”. The great Bishop J. C. Ryle had said, ‘No Englishman … dead or alive, has ever equalled him.’…”
– Sandy Grant at The Briefing gives thanks for George Whitefield – and also provides some links to learn more.
Related:
Church Society has a lecture by Lee Gatiss which some of the opposition Whitefield faced, and puts it into its 18th century context.
Hear the audio of the talks given at the Whitefield Symposium at George Whitefield College in Cape Town in August 2014. (You may need to scroll down in the list of audio files.)
Hope and Prayer for Sydney
Posted on December 16, 2014
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“The Governor of NSW, General David Hurley, and Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione will attend a special service at 6pm, Wednesday 17th December in St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney Square, in the aftermath of the Martin Place siege.
The service of Hope of Prayer is open to all and will include prayers for victims’ families and friends, police and emergency services and media.
The service will be led by the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies.”
– from SydneyAnglicans.net.
Update: 2UE’s Andrew Voss spoke this morning – Wednesday December 17 – with Archbishop Dr Glenn Davies about the upcoming service. (h/t SydneyAnglicans.)
Moses without the Supernatural
Posted on December 16, 2014
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“What is missing is the very point of the Exodus in biblical history and theology. What is missing is the truth that God acted in history in faithfulness to the covenant he had made with Abraham, rescuing Israel from captivity in Egypt.”
– Thinking of seeing Exodus: Gods and Kings? Albert Mohler has a review.
Pray for the Hostages
Posted on December 15, 2014
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From Anglican Media Sydney:
The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Glenn Davies, has urged all Christians to pray for the safety of the hostages in the Martin Place siege and for police and security forces dealing with the situation.
Dr Davies issued a statement this afternoon, commending the swift action of police.
“It is alarming when terrorism reaches our shores but that alarm reaches a new height when it occurs in the centre of the city in which so many people live and work.”
“I was heartened by the swift response of our police and security officials. We are well served by Commissioner Scipione and his team” Archbishop Davies said “Premier Mike Baird is right when he describes this as a test for this city and for our peaceful, democratic way of life.”
“We must pray urgently for the outcome of the siege. I ask Sydney Anglicans, and all Christians, to pray for the safety of those still held hostage, for the police and security forces working so hard to protect lives, and for the speedy delivery of justice for those who would seek to invade our world with such a doctrine of hate and violence.”
– source.
Christmas mission, Christmas transmission
Posted on December 14, 2014
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“For years I’ve been wrestling with how we might ever attract non-Christians to willingly engage with media that communicates the gospel. And then it hit me. The one time non-Christians do want to engage with the Christian message is at Christmas – and there’s no starker example of this than the church carol service. But there’s more. Each Christmas I’ve also heard media channels such as Classic FM playing lots of carols amongst their regular programming, even taking requests for carols!
How interesting that the Christmas story is being broadcast on secular media, to a Christmas-hungry audience. And so after years of wondering, an idea was born – Christmas Carols Radio…”
– Ben Vane, studying at Oak Hill College in London, had a great idea.
Check out Christmas Carols Radio and pass on the URL to your friends in time for Christmas.
[We first posted this link in October. Now’s the time to mention the site to your friends!]
Naive?
Posted on December 13, 2014
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“The Archbishop of Canterbury’s recent remarks are once again somewhat puzzling. One question that comes to mind is whether he really believes this statement that he made: ‘I could see circumstances in which there could be people moving apart and then coming back together.’ …
The problem with looking at tertiary issues is they are often the result of more basic disagreements which in the final analysis have far more leverage on the Anglican Communion. It is my contention that the authority of Holy Scripture as noted in 2 Timothy 3:16 and the person and work of Jesus Christ are actually the primary points of disagreement, though the so-called progressive wing of the Anglican Communion, and indeed the leadership of much of the Western church will not acknowledge it. …
If Archbishop Justin Welby actually thinks that the tertiary issues ARE the issues and in the fullness of time we can all come back together, forgetting the punishment that the Episcopal Church inflicted on those members who chose to depart, and all drink tea and sing Kumbaya together, he is at best naive.”
– Bishop David C. Anderson, President and Chairman of the American Anglican Council, writes in his weekly commentary.
‘Plan to groom ‘talent’ for high office in CofE’
Posted on December 13, 2014
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“A radical overhaul of the Church of England’s leadership is under way.
A key report, still unpublished, sets out a programme of ‘talent management’ in the Church. The report has been signed off by the two Archbishops, and a £2-million budget has been allocated. It was discussed by all the bishops in September, and the House of Bishops on Monday…”
– Story from The Church Times.
Vinegrowers
Posted on December 13, 2014
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Vinegrowers have a new website, complete with some articles to help us see the need for a disciple-making culture in our churches.
“Vinegrowers has seized on a vital biblical truth that’s too easily forgotten in the busyness and distraction of modern ministry life: the heart of Christian growth is God’s people speaking God’s word in the power of God’s Spirit.”
– Dr Lionel Windsor.
To Give Knowledge of Salvation to His People: A Christmas Mandate for Christian Ministry
Posted on December 12, 2014
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“So many moments of our lives pass with almost no sense of significance. The twenty four hours in a day fade into the memory of the seven days of the week, then the thirty-odd days of a month, and then months into years. The years pass into the mist of memory.
But certain moments, certain days stand out in vivid contrast. These are occasions of bright and lasting memory — births, deaths, family reunions, and Christmases. Add to those moments like this, a commencement ceremony. There is something even more special about this ceremony, however, for this is the graduation of those called to Christian ministry, and this ceremony comes fast upon Christmas…”
– from Albert Mohler’s commencement address to be preached later today at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. (If you’re keen, the commencement ceremony will be live-streamed at 10:00 a.m. US EST Friday December12 – the same as 4:00am AEDT Saturday December 13.)
Related:
If you haven’t seen it, last year Southern Seminary gave thanks for 20 years of leadership of Albert Mohler in this 25-minute video. Worth watching – not just for the interesting history, but also a reminder of the value and importance of keeping a theological college faithful to the gospel.
Kay Goldsworthy elected Bishop of Gippsland
Posted on December 12, 2014
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“Kay Goldsworthy has been elected as the Anglican Bishop of Gippsland.”
– Report from The Gippsland Times. She will be the second woman diocesan bishop in Australia.
Update: David Ould has posted these observations.
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism
Posted on December 12, 2014
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Christian cartoonist Adam Ford (Adam4d) offers this primer on the religion of many westerners.
(These concepts will be familiar to listeners to Mike Horton’s White Horse Inn.)
Time magazine names Ebola fighters as ‘person of the year’
Posted on December 11, 2014
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“Time magazine has named the medics treating the Ebola epidemic as its “person of the year” for 2014, paying tribute to their courage and mercy…”
– Report from ABC News. Photo: Samaritans Purse.
Related: Are Christian Missionaries Narcissistic Idiots?, Albert Mohler (07 August 2014.)
Winter (heart) warmers
Posted on December 10, 2014
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From The Proclamation Trust:
“Last month saw our annual Autumn Ministers conference, the audio from which is now online. Vaughan Roberts’ opening and closing expositions from Revelation encouraged and challenged us in our ministry.”
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…