Despite the sceptics, there is real truth in the story of Christmas
Posted on December 24, 2009
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“There are enough question marks over the Christmas story for dogmatic sceptics to have a field day at this time of year, but the core historical realities are not easily swept away…”
– John Dickson writes in The Sydney Morning Herald.
Paternoster sold to Koorong
Posted on December 24, 2009
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“Press Release: Carlisle December 21st 2009
The Board of Trustees and Senior Management of leading Carlisle-based Christian Charity, IBS-STL UK, formerly known as STL are pleased to announce the sale of two of its three trading divisions: Authentic Media and STL Distribution…
Authentic Book Publishing and 8 Wesley Owen Stores (Bath Birmingham, Bristol, Bromley, Coleraine, Derby, Glasgow and York ) have been sold to Koorong, which is owned by the Bootes family. Based in Sydney, Koorong has 18 stores operating successfully throughout Australia. It has purchased all of the Authentic and Paternoster intellectual property and author contracts, the freehold properties in Glasgow and York, the Wesley Owen trading name, and the domain name, wesleyowen.com. They plan to continue to operate from the Milton Keynes area.”
– from the Church Times blog. (Image: STL Distribution)
Archbishop Peter Jensen’s Christmas message 2009
Posted on December 24, 2009
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In his 2009 Christmas message, Archbishop Peter Jensen begins by speaking about leadership.
The full text is available at SydneyAnglicans.net (pdf) – or watch it here. (Here’s the SMH’s report.)
‘Equality and Diversity’ for Christians in Britain?
Posted on December 23, 2009
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“Christians in the U.K. are continuing to warn that the government’s planned ‘equality’ legislation will drive Christian believers out of public life. The Christian Institute, Britain’s leading evangelical Christian lobby group, has issued a report titled ‘Marginalising Christians,’ detailing the many recent cases of Christians who have been disciplined or lost work because of conflicts between faith and the government-sponsored and increasingly aggressive secularism.
The government’s recent equality and diversity laws, the group says, leave Christians “the first to be punished and the last to be protected…”
– Story from LifeSiteNews.
Very different paths to God
Posted on December 23, 2009
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“Everything I know about God comes from God himself.”
– Archbishop of Sydney Dr Peter Jensen and ‘militant agnostic’ Brian Schmidt are both featured in today’s Sydney Daily Telegraph on ‘seeking the truth of our existence’.
Objections to Christmas
Posted on December 22, 2009
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“Column 8 of the Sydney Morning Herald last week had an interesting entry from a man identifying only as a ‘Canberra Anglican parish priest’. In the lead up to Christmas he had organised some community carols in his local shopping centre, but met some resistance.
‘To my great amusement,’ he wrote, ‘the manager of the centre objected, because she thinks the “[expletive] Christians want to take over Christmas.”
I’d always assumed that the “Christ” bit in both words might serve as a clue.’ …”
– read the full article by Simon Smart at the Centre for Public Christianity.
The saint(s) go marching in
Posted on December 22, 2009
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Over at SydneyAnglicans.net, Glenn Davies, Bishop of North Sydney, provides some much-needed Biblical perspective for the current excitement about Mary MacKillop.
Archbishop Jensen on Sunrise
Posted on December 21, 2009
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This morning (December 21 2009), Archbishop Peter Jensen was interviewed briefly on the Seven Network’s Sunrise programme.
The segment was a result of Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s comments about the place of the Bible in a good education.
Bp John Rodgers on the Anglican Covenant
Posted on December 20, 2009
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Bishop John Rodgers:
“If we cannot confess that Gospel and Faith together, we have no unity to confess and intensify.”
Rowan Williams on the Anglican Covenant
Posted on December 19, 2009
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Archbishop Rowan Williams calls for the just-released ‘final version’ of the Anglican Covenant to be ratified by the Provinces.
Washington-based Anglican blogger BabyBlue notes the claimed ‘centralized authority’ of what is now called ‘The Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion’. (Indeed, they have just issued a press release.)
J I Packer interviewed at Oak Hill
Posted on December 19, 2009
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In May 2009, Dr Jim Packer spoke at Oak Hill College’s annual School of Theology.
While at the college, he was was interviewed on camera by Principal Mike Ovey.
Each segment runs for about 10 minutes.
Part 1: Knowing your stuff – theological training in a climate of cultural scepticism.
Part 2: The faith taught not caught – the challenge of being a pastoral theologian.
Part 3: Training the congregation – the greatest challenges facing Christian ministers today.
Also see the new Commentary magazine online.
The death of Oral Roberts
Posted on December 18, 2009
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“Roberts was a pioneer in the use of modern electronic media. Early on, Roberts recognized the power of television. He understood that radio could reach untold thousands, but he saw television as the way of reaching hypermodern America.”
– Albert Mohler writes about Oral Roberts’ methods, his message, and his legacy.
Tributes for Denis Ryan
Posted on December 18, 2009
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The Mosman Daily has this tribute to Denis Ryan, who fell asleep in Christ earlier this month.
Denis is remembered with affection by many ACL members.
Bishop John Harrower’s Christmas message
Posted on December 18, 2009
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Bishop of Tasmania, John Harrower, has released this Christmas message –
Enjoying God, enjoying life
Apparently, coming to a bus near you is a Tasmanian version of the UK bus ads, ‘There’s probably no god. Now stop worrying and enjoy life.’
While Christians are enjoying life and celebrating Christmas precisely because there is a loving God [the Christmas message is ‘Emmanuel, God with us’]; some atheists are worrying that there is probably no God.
This is sad. Read more
‘Lampooning literalism’
Posted on December 18, 2009
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StandFirm linked to this chat by The Venerable Glynn Cardy, Vicar of St. Matthew-in-the-City, Auckland.
He gives the background to the billboard causing offense in Auckland and explains that “Progressive Christianity believes the Christmas stories are fictitious accounts designed to introduce the radical nature of the adult Jesus”.
(Tip: Keep your expectations low.) Video update from TVNZ.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…