South Carolina moves to protect property from TEC ‘land grab’

Posted on January 6, 2013 
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“The Diocese of South Carolina, the Trustees of the Diocese and congregations representing the vast majority of its baptized members today filed suit in South Carolina Circuit Court against The Episcopal Church to protect the Diocese’s real and personal property and that of its parishes. …”

– from the Diocese of South Carolina.
(Image: Anglican TV.)

What’s happening to our preaching?

Posted on January 6, 2013 
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“On Boxing Day 2012, a series of electronic booklets called “Fresh Perspectives on Women in Ministry” was released by Zondervan. One of these booklets was written by John Dickson, a highly respected Australian evangelist, writer, researcher and Anglican minister…

In light of these claims, we need to do whatever we can to promote gospel unity and avoid an unnecessary “taking of sides”.”

– Lionel Windsor writes a brief initial response to one of the three e-books recently published by Zondervan.

Responses to the C of E House of Bishops on civil partnerships and clergy

Posted on January 5, 2013 
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The announcement issued overnight by Bishop Graham James, Bishop of Norwich, on behalf of the House of Bishops of the Church of England:

“”The House has confirmed that clergy in civil partnerships, and living in accordance with the teaching of the Church on human sexuality, can be considered as candidates for the episcopate…”

Full statement.

From Andrew Goddard at the Anglican Communion Institute:

The press release describes the decision on civil partnered bishops as one of “confirmation”. This implies continuity with current policy. In fact, no priest in a civil partnership has ever been appointed as a bishop and the 2005 statement did not address this issue.

Full statement. (Italics added.)

And for Anglican Mainstream, Dr Philip Giddings and Canon Dr Chris Sugden:

As made clear in the Ordinal, Bishops of the Church of England promise both to fashion their own life and that of their household according to the way of Christ and to be guardians of the Church’s doctrine.

Given the ambiguous nature of civil partnerships, it would not be credible for a person in such a partnership to make such promises. Most people assume that civil partnerships are sexual relationships. It is casuistical to claim that they are not. This is presumably why many clergy in such partnerships refuse to “give assurances” to their bishops that theirs is a “non-sexual” relationship.

Since a  decision to move from the current position would be a grave departure from the Church’s doctrine and discipline it should be made by Bishops in Synod not by Bishops alone. Otherwise it looks too much like salami-slicing away at the Church’s teaching.

A bishop known to be in a civil partnership could hardly be a focus of unity nor be a bishop for the whole church. Such an appointment would be a very divisive move both within the Church of England and in the wider Anglican Communion.

Dr Philip Giddings (Convenor)
Canon Dr Chris Sugden (Secretary)
Anglican Mainstream

(via e-mail.)

The Best Christmas Ever

Posted on January 5, 2013 
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“Christmas 2012 turned out to be the best Christmas ever! Who would have thought that we would have such a large congregation on Christmas night itself! Nearly all our initiatives worked better than anybody expected. In terms of congregational members’ involvement, evangelistic outreach, follow up contact cards, and conducting different gatherings, a whole new way of programming Christmas has been created for 2013.

To call it “the best Christmas ever” is a great claim that is of course slightly ridiculous…”

– Dean of Sydney, Phillip Jensen, looks back at Christmas 2012 at the Cathedral.

Rescuing the Baby from the Bilgewater

Posted on January 5, 2013 
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Peter Bolt continues his response to recent publications on women preaching to mixed congregations of men and women.

“How do you talk about a ‘prohibition’ in God’s good economy in which he always commands what is good for us? Grammatically, a prohibition is simply saying ‘don’t do it!’, but what is the force of this ‘No!’ when it comes from our loving Creator who has graciously redeemed us in Christ in order for the universe to ring out with his ‘Yes!’?…”

– There’s plenty of food for thought in this post at Theological Theology.

Still Not Professionals — free eBook

Posted on January 3, 2013 
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Free eBook from Desiring God.

Contributions by John Piper, Douglas Wilson, R. C. Sproul, Jr., Daniel L. Akin, Thabiti Anyabwile, Jeff Vanderstelt, Sam Crabtree, Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr., & Mike Bullmore.

Seeking the living among the dead

Posted on January 3, 2013 
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“While I was preaching at communion services in Kinloch, in Lewis, I visited the old cemetery in Laxay where my maternal grandparents are buried. To stand by the grave of loved ones, even at a distance of thirty years from their deaths, is a solemn thing. But the hope of resurrection is as exhilarating as the westerly winds that swirled around me that day. …”

– Iain D Campbell, who blogs at Creideamh (as well as Reformation21) reflects on his visit to the old cemetery on the Isle of Lewis in the far north of Scotland.

Greco-Roman Slavery

Posted on January 2, 2013 
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“Many modern readers assume that slavery in the New Testament is equivalent to the race-based slavery of the African slave trade. While not defending the Greco-Roman institution of slavery, Tim Keller and Don Carson explain why it’s important not to equate it with the race-based slavery that we may be more familiar with. …”

– Andy Naselli summarises some important facts.

Reading the Bible in 2013

Posted on December 31, 2012 
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As he has done in previous years, Justin Taylor has posted links to resources to help us, and our congregations, read the Bible consistently. (As well there are reading plans available from YouVersion.)

Of course, you don’t have to read the Bible on an electronic device – these plans can be used in conjunction with a printed Bible too!

Related:

How Not to Read Your Bible in 2013. (Gospel Coalition.)
Bible Reading Plans for 2013 (Ligonier Ministries.)

Amazing Grace — a hymn for the New Year (1773!)

Posted on December 29, 2012 
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John Newton wrote his most famous hymn, Amazing Grace, 240 years ago.

Over at The John Newton Project, you can read his original words, as well as extracts from his diary for 1st January 1773. He wrote the hymn to accompany his sermon on 1 Chronicles 17. See the video (2:18) here.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Feeling Blue?

Posted on December 29, 2012 
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Mark Thompson writes: “Following the interest in yesterday’s posting on the preaching question, and in preparation for more detailed work to be done in the future, here is a initial contribution from guest blogger, Peter Bolt.”

“With three short e-books downloadable from Christmas Day, Zondervan has released a new series, ‘Fresh Perspectives on Women in Ministry’. Well, even the authors admit there is nothing really fresh here, but ‘Regifted Perspectives …’.

Since these three booklets have been released in the public sphere, they deserve the more considered critique which will follow in kind, that is, in the same public sphere in which any proper discussion of ideas must take place. However, since discussion has already begun in the subterranean depths of the online realms, and since two of the three e-authors who have come up for air in this series, John Dickson and Michael Bird, are my fellow Aussies with whom I share no little history, some interim and quick responses may be appropriate in these dark realms as well!  My thanks go to Mark for allowing me several pieces of his blog-time across the next little while.

Each of these pamphlets seek to entangle their readers in what has been identified as a ‘Shift Story’. … This personal journey tells of a shift from ‘Point A’ to ‘Point B’: ‘I used to believe that, but now I believe this’. …”

– read it all at Theological Theology.
(Dr. Peter Bolt is Head of the New Testament Department at Moore College.)

‘God already at work through shamanism’ and other news from Montreal

Posted on December 29, 2012 
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Two stories from the latest issue of The Montreal Anglican –

1.) “Recovering a diaconal ministry that will reach out to people on the fringes of society is one of the top items on the agenda of the church today, the Anglican Church of Canada bishop for aboriginals said in Montreal in November. …

The church needs to recognize that God is already at work through, for example, first nations spirituality, shamanism in various traditions and Confucianism, Bishop Mark MacDonald, national indigenous bishop, said.” – page 6.

2.) “Bishop Barry Clarke of Montreal – from 1993 to 2004 parish priest of St. Paul’s Church in Lachine – asked members … in a near-capacity congregation of over 300 parishioners and well-wishers to stand and be recognized as he presided over a closing service marking the end of the 139-year history of the parish…” – page 7.

1.3MB PDF here. (h/t Anglican Essentials Canada blog.)

The Preaching Question

Posted on December 28, 2012 
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“There has, it seems, been quite a flurry of publishing activity on the question of preaching lately, especially by those seeking to make a case for the propriety of women preaching to mixed congregations…

It is important that we keep testing our conclusions both on theology and practice by the teaching of the Bible. …”

Mark Thompson, Principal-elect of Moore Theological College, looks at a hot topic, and commends a couple of excellent expositions, at Theological Theology.

Peerage for the Archbishop of Canterbury

Posted on December 27, 2012 
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News from 10 Downing Street:

“Peerage for Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury upon his retirement from the See of Canterbury.

The Queen has been pleased to confer a peerage of the United Kingdom for Life on the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dr Rowan Williams Lord Archbishop of Canterbury upon his retirement from the See of Canterbury.”

The Episcopal News Service is reporting  that Archbishop Williams will be known as ‘Baron Williams of Oystermouth’. (Oystermouth is near Swansea in Wales…)

The Queen’s Christmas Broadcast 2012

Posted on December 26, 2012 
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“This is the time of year when we remember that God sent his only son ‘to serve, not to be served’. He restored love and service to the centre of our lives in the person of Jesus Christ.”

– See Queen Elizabeth’s 2012 Christmas Broadcast (8’36”) – or read the text.

(Dr Rowan Williams’ Christmas message may be read here.)

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