Unenforceable Covenant grabs centre stage
Posted on February 3, 2009
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There will be no more “stick over the head sanctions” in dealing with Anglican provinces that do not toe the line over homosexual practice, said Australian Archbishop Philip Aspinall, spokesman for the 34 assembled Primates of the Anglican Communion. …
Questioned if all the Primates were taking Holy Communion together, Aspinall replied that communion was celebrated by all the primates and no one has absented themselves. “No one has made any statement that they are not participating in Holy Communion.”
However, VOL was told by a source that now that Katharine Jefferts Schori has shown up, things will be different tomorrow (Tuesday). A number of primates have said they will not take communion if she does. …
– David Virtue reports from Alexandria on the Primates’ meeting.
(Photo of Archbishop Rowan Williams in Alexandria: ACNS.)
Primates’ Meeting opens in ‘fog of confusion’
Posted on February 3, 2009
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In their fourth meeting since the 2003 emergency session called by the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams to respond to the consecration of V Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire, the primates appear exhausted and frustrated, unsure of their authority within the Anglican Communion and the purpose of the meeting. …
– George Conger reports at Religious Inelligence.
(Photo: George Conger.)
Anglican primates to discuss “two-tier” communion
Posted on February 2, 2009
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Archbishops of the Anglican Communion worldwide will tomorrow discuss a proposal that will allow the church to remain united as one body in spite of schismatic differences over the ordination of homosexuals and the blessing of gay marriages.
Archbishops of the 38 provinces worldwide are beginning a week-long meeting in Alexandria, Egypt where they will discuss a proposal to allow Anglican churches to remain “in communion” with other provinces that refuse to sign up to a new “covenant” or unity document. …
– Ruth Gledhill at Times Online. (Photo of the Helnan Palestine Hotel, Alexandria, where the meeting is being held: George Conger.)
Preach to yourself the gospel
Posted on February 2, 2009
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From Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ classic work, Spiritual Depression:
“Have you realised that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them, but they start talking to you, they bring back the problems of yesterday, etc.
Somebody is talking. Who is talking? Your self is talking to you. …”
– read the rest of the excerpt on Psalm 42, at Gospel-driven Church.
‘Really weird’ letter from Presiding Bishop
Posted on February 1, 2009
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The Rt Revd Henry Scriven, former Assistant Bishop in the diocese of Pittsburgh, says he bears no ill-will towards the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, Dr Katharine Jefferts Schori, after she appeared to interpret his resignation from the US House of Bishops as a voluntary renunciation of his orders.
Bishop Scriven, who is British, has returned to the UK this month, where he is to be director of the South American Mission Society …
– Full story by Pat Ashworth in Church Times.
See also ‘Is The Renunciation of Orders Routine?’ from The Anglican Communion Institute. (h/t Anglican Mainstream.) Photo: Diocese of Pittsburgh.
Toronto Anglicans eyeing same-sex blessing
Posted on January 31, 2009
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Toronto Anglicans will start blessing same-sex relationships within a year, the Toronto Star has learned, a move that puts local churches at the forefront of the issue but could inflame an already divisive debate within the church. …
– Story from The Toronto Star.
(Photo of Bishop Colin Johnson: Diocese of Toronto.)
“I’ll appoint women, says new bishop”
Posted on January 31, 2009
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“Australia’s newest Christian leader has broken with the religious tradition in which he was raised and worked for almost 25 years, vowing to appoint women as bishops in the Anglican Church.
The Reverend Stuart Robinson, who trained at Moore College in the conservative Sydney Anglican diocese, will be consecrated as the bishop of Canberra-Goulburn in St Saviour’s Cathedral, in Goulburn, today. …”
– Story from The Sydney Morning Herald. (Photo: St. Paul’s Chatswood.)
The Good Book Company to launch in US
Posted on January 31, 2009
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“The Good Book Company is a Christian resourcing agency that began in the UK and grew out of the need for attractive, quality, practical materials for gospel work, which don’t compromise on the essentials of the Christian faith. It has a particular focus on daily devotional reading, small group Bible study, outreach, discipleship and resources for youth and children.
From the 2nd February 2009, The Good Book Company will make available its full range of resources to churches and individuals in North America from its new US-based website.”
– This should be of interest to our North American readers. Their website will be online from Monday.
New England churches hear about ‘Jesus. All about life’
Posted on January 30, 2009
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News from The Bible Society of NSW –
At the invitation of the Right Reverend Dr Peter Brain, Bishop of the Armidale Anglican Diocese, Karl Faase and Martin Johnson spoke this week at four meetings across the Diocese to promote interest in a regional ‘Jesus. All about life’ (JAAL) campaign. Read more
Connect09 public website online
Posted on January 30, 2009
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Connect09’s public website is now online.
Please be encouraged to check it out and consider how you could use it to point others to the Lord Jesus.
Biblical Authority in Evangelicalism
Posted on January 30, 2009
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After reading this week’s piece by Charles Raven on ‘Rowan Williams and Revelation wrapped up’, readers may find this article on Biblical Authority helpful –
Written by Lee Gatiss and published in Churchman in 2006, it’s entitled “Biblical Authority in Recent Evangelical Books” and has just been made available online in PDF format (direct link) by Church Society.
Sovereign Grace sale
Posted on January 30, 2009
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Bob Kauflin announces a sale at Sovereign Grace.
“Well, we figure that most of us have been affected by the present economic crisis. We want to do whatever we can to make it easier for people to benefit from what we produce. We want to serve churches and individuals by providing biblically informed, gospel-centered resources at a low cost.”
– with reduced international shipping as well, this may be of interest. (h/t BTW.)
Living with the Underworld
Posted on January 29, 2009
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Next month, the Equip Book Club looks at Peter Bolt’s very helpful book, Living with the Underworld. In preparation, they’ve published a short interview with Peter.
– at the Equip Book Club.
Welsh Primate says new Province is ‘total nonsense’
Posted on January 29, 2009
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The Primate of the Church in Wales will oppose any attempt to form a parallel Anglican jurisdiction when the primates of the Anglican Communion meet next week in Alexandria, Egypt. …
On Jan. 24, Archbishop Barry Morgan of Wales told delegates attending the annual council meeting of the Diocese of Virginia he would oppose the creation of the ACNA with “every fibre of his body.”
– Report from The Living Church. (Photo: The Church in Wales.)
New chair of CEEC: Interview
Posted on January 29, 2009
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From the UK:
“For Anglican Evangelicals, 2008 ended badly. After a divisive consultation in November, the Church of England’s Evangelical Council (CEEC) chairman, Dr Richard Turnbull, quit, and an appropriate successor seemed hard to find. Now, after a unanimous vote by the CEEC, a new leader has been appointed to begin 2009 on a more promising note. The Venerable Michael Lawson is the Archdeacon of Hampstead. …”
– Interview with the new CEEC Chairman, Archdeacon Michael Lawson, from Religious Intelligence.
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