Christians in Jos are ‘scapegoats’, says bishop
Posted on December 6, 2008
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“Christians in northern Nigeria have said that inaccurate reporting of riots in Jos at the weekend could fuel further Muslim violence against them. The worst sectarian violence in recent years claimed around 400 lives, a figure which the Bishop of Jos, the Rt Revd Ben Kwashi, said was likely to rise. …”
– Pat Ashworth reports for Church Times. See also this story by Ruth Gledhill for Times Online.
More information – and disturbing pictures – at the new website of the Anglican Diocese of Jos.
Greetings from the Anglican Church League, Sydney, to the new Province of North America
Posted on December 4, 2008
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THE COUNCIL OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH LEAGUE SENDS GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS GATHERED IN THE NEW PROVINCE OF NORTH AMERICA
1. The ACL welcomes this new development while remaining deeply saddened by the circumstances which made it necessary. Faithful Anglicans have been marginalised within The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada because of their determination to remain faithful to the Scriptures as expressed in the Creeds and the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion. We rejoice with these our brothers and sisters in this way forward out of the difficulties that have plagued them over the past five years and more.
2. The Statement on the Global Anglican Future published in Jerusalem in June 2008 said ‘In particular, we believe the time is now ripe for the formation of a province in North America for the federation currently known as Common Cause Partnership to be recognised by the Primates’ Council.’ The ACL recognises the new Province of North America as fulfilling the vision of the GAFCON Primates’ Council.
3. There can be no doubt about the authentic Anglican character of this new province. It contains Anglicans from a variety of traditions who, though different at significant points and committed to taking seriously those differences, share the same prior commitment to the supreme Lordship of Christ and the authority of the Scriptures in all matters of faith and life. They have proven themselves to be faithful men and women who embrace the classic Anglicanism of the Articles, the Book of Common Prayer, and more recently, the Jerusalem Declaration.
4. It is a matter of profound regret that Lambeth 2008 and the other so-called Instruments of Communion (the Anglican Consultative Council, The Primates’ Meeting and the Archbishop of Canterbury) have failed to address the crisis with any urgency or meaningful action. Their delay has given further opportunity to those who are using all means possible to hinder the faithful gospel ministry of orthodox Anglican Christians in North America and beyond.
5. We congratulate Bishop Bob Duncan on his election as Archbishop and Primate of the Province of North America. We pledge him and the members of the new Province our support and our prayers for the future. We call on all Anglicans around the world to join with us in these prayers and in congratulating the churches of North America for taking this bold but necessary step.
To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever! (Rev. 5:13)
Mark D Thompson, President
Robert Tong, Chairman
On behalf of the Council of the Anglican Church League
3 December 2008
(ACL President, Dr. Mark Thompson, pictured.)
North American Anglican Province Formed
Posted on December 4, 2008
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A new Province of the Anglican Church in North America, a rival province to The Episcopal Church USA complete with a provisional constitution and nine canons was birthed today with 700 churches and 100,000 church-going members. A formal ratification of the constitution and canons will take place in a provincial assembly in six months in Bedford, Texas at St. Vincent’s cathedral in the diocese of Ft. Worth.
It is historic and unprecedented, said Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan moderator of the Anglican Communion Network. “It is an extraordinary day for us. We have reversed 40 years of Anglican history and years of division among The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church in Canada. Today we bring together 11 jurisdictions in Canada and across the US. Today marks 5 years of labor and attempts to come together.”
– full story from VirtueOnline. (image from Anglican TV stream.)
Constitution Approved for New Province
Posted on December 4, 2008
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VirtueOnline reports:
“VirtueOnline has learned that new a Constitution and Canons has been approved of by the Common Cause Council with no abstentions to establish a new North American Anglican Province.
A Christ Awakening event is being held here on the campus of Wheaton College prior to the formal announcement of a new Anglican Province later tonight.…”
– image from the Anglican TV stream of the gathering in Wheaton.
Historic Common Cause event tomorrow (Aust time)
Posted on December 3, 2008
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From the Anglican Network of Canada:
“The Common Cause Partnership bishops (including ANiC’s Bishop Don Harvey) met Monday and today near Chicago. Today and tomorrow the full Common Cause Council… meets to finalize a draft constitution for a new North American Church which will be officially launched on Wednesday evening at a celebration service.
AnglicanTV plans to live stream the Common Cause celebration service from Wheaton, Illinois on Wednesday (Dec 3) at 7:30pm Central Standard Time [Noon Thursday Sydney time]. Earlier in the day, AnglicanTV will also live stream a news conference – at 5:30pm CST [10:00am Thursday Sydney time] – at which the constitution of the new Anglican Church in North America will be released.”
Other details from Anglican TV.
Observing Evangelicalism with Don Carson
Posted on December 3, 2008
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Mark Dever asks Don Carson about the highs and lows of the evangelical landscape in this 73 minute interview recorded in June and released last week by 9 Marks.
Fish out the perpetrators of Jos crisis – Akinola
Posted on December 2, 2008
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“The Primate of Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) Archbishop Peter Akinola, has urged government to fish out the perpetrators of the crisis that trailed Thursday’s local government election in Plateau State. Scores of people had been killed since violence erupted in Jos on Friday even before the election results were announced.…”
– Full report from the Church of Nigeria.
Latest from North West Australia
Posted on December 2, 2008
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The December 2008 issue of Northwest Network – and the December–January Prayer Notes for the Diocese of North West Australia – are now online.
Please be encouraged to use them to pray for the the churches of the North West. They’re available at the DNWA website.
Original Sin and Justification by Faith
Posted on December 1, 2008
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Back in 1953, the Rev Broughton Knox, who was in the UK for his doctoral studies, gave a lecture at the Oxford Conference of Evangelical Churchmen. His topic? Original Sin and Justification by Faith.
The text was published in Churchman – and Church Society has just republished it on their website as a PDF file.
Thinking about The Big Day in?
Posted on December 1, 2008
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Connect09 will be launched at 10:00am on Sunday February 8th 2009 with a telecast featuring music, videos, and an address from Archbishop Peter Jensen.
Churches wanting to view (and project) the live video will be able to stream it over the web.
A simpler solution may be to receive it through the The Australian Christian Channel – either via cable TV – or via free-to-air Standard Definition digital TV on Digital Forty Four (broadcast on UHF channel 35 from Gore Hill).
For details on Digital Forty Four, including their coverage map, see their website. (Prior testing with equipment in place is a very good idea.) See the Connect09 website for more.
‘Close call for bishop’
Posted on November 30, 2008
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The Bishop of South Sydney Robert Forsyth is in a satisfactory condition in hospital on Norfolk Island after suffering a heart attack during a week long visit.
– Full story at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Archbishop Ben Kwashi appeals for urgent prayer
Posted on November 29, 2008
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“The Archbishop of Jos, Rt Rev Ben Kwashi, reports that following peaceful elections whose results have not yet been announced, at 2 a.m. this morning crowds of Muslims burnt Trinity Church, Bauchi Road, Jos, and then moved in to Jos itself macheteing people. He reports that Christians are clearly the targets of the violence.”
– report from Anglican Mainstream.
In an e-mail to supporters, Archbishop Kwashi writes,
“We need prayer to stay the hand the hand of bloodshed, destruction, violence and death. Pray for instant return to peace and order.”
(Image: Based on Google maps.)
Mark Dever on the difficulty of doing evangelism as a Pastor
Posted on November 29, 2008
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In anticipation of their forthcoming Pastors’ Conference, the people at Desiring God have posted online some helpful short video clips of Mark Dever and John Piper.
Mark Dever on the difficulty of doing evangelism as a Pastor can be seen here – and the list of all the clips is available at Desiring God.
Preaching to the heart
Posted on November 28, 2008
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Last week, Tim Keller, Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York, spoke at a preaching conference at Oak Hill College in London. His topic? Preaching to the heart.
Oak Hill has generously made the audio available on its website.
The Shack reviewed
Posted on November 28, 2008
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Back in May, we linked to some reviews of ‘The Shack’ by William P. Young.
Given the popularity of the book and the number of glowing reviews available, it may be helpful to re-read the links from our earlier post.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…