Did Pope Francis Really Give Blessing to Same-Sex Couples? The Complicated Disaster of the News Coming Out of the Vatican

Posted on December 19, 2023 
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In his The Briefing for Tuesday 19th December 2023, Dr Albert Mohler takes a look at the latest statement from the Vatican.

“I think this is an indefensible statement.”

– Listen here.

Vale: David Chislett

Posted on December 19, 2023 
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Anglican.ink relays the news of the death, in the UK, of David Chislett, sometime Rector of the Parish of All Saints’ Wickham Place, Brisbane. At the time of his death, he was Vicar of All Saints’, Benhilton, in the Diocese of Southwark.

A convinced Anglo-Catholic, David differed sharply with the theologically liberal direction of the Diocese of Brisbane and the then Archbishop Dr Phillip Aspinall – especially over the latter’s support for the ordination of women to the priesthood.

In 2005, he was consecrated in Philadelphia as a Bishop in the Traditional Anglican Communion and served for some time as a ‘flying bishop’ to support TAC and Forward in Faith parishes across Australia. (Further background here.)

His consecration led to his removal from his position in Brisbane Diocese that year. (Link to the old section of our website – apologies for the horrible formatting.)

Despite his non-trivial theological differences with the Diocese of Sydney, David spoke gratefully of the stand taken by Sydney on the authority of Scripture, and was happy to be identified with the Anglican Church League (!).

In 1998 we published this article by David (also in the old section of our website).

“The strongest and, many would say, the most spiritually vital body within Australian Anglicanism, is the Diocese of Sydney.

Overwhelmingly and uniquely Calvinist and Reformed, mainstream Sydney Anglicanism is passionately evangelical, though not, as some suppose, fundamentalist. It is inherently suspicious of those who seem less biblical in their priorities.

In past decades, Sydney Anglicans tended to see anglo-catholicism as the great enemy. Today, however, Sydney and the anglo-catholics (the Dioceses of Ballarat, Wangaratta, The Murray, and a small sprinkling of priests and lay people from other places) join forces on an increasing number of issues. It is becoming clear that despite their very real differences, the so-called extremes of Anglicanism have a lot more in common than either has with the liberals in the middle. Most importantly, they contrast their adherence to a revealed religion with the modernist idea of contemporary culture as the ultimate authority in matters of faith.”

The article is worth reading in full.

Fr. David Chislett was ordained in the Diocese of Ballarat, and served in a number of Ballarat parishes before moving to All Saints’ Wickham Terrace, the well known anglo-catholic parish in the heart of Brisbane in 1995. He was Rector there until his removal in 2005, and has, most recently, been serving in the United Kingdom.

Many will remember David Chislett with thanksgiving to God.

See also his 2007 article, “How many CHURCHGOING Anglicans does Lambeth represent?”

Photo: Bishop David Chislett’s consecration in the USA in 2005.

Southern Cross magazine Dec 2023 — Jan 2024

Posted on December 19, 2023 
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The latest issues of Southern Cross magazine from the Diocese of Sydney is out now.

Copies should be available in churches, and it can also be viewed online or downloaded.

Do take the time to read your copy. Much encouragement.

Is this the man the church needs to stay relevant?

Posted on December 19, 2023 
Filed under Australian dioceses, Culture wars Comments Off on Is this the man the church needs to stay relevant?

From The Australian:

“The new Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane is wearing black jeans and desert boots, a harbinger of the informal style he plans to bring to the role. Jeremy Greaves may be just the man the churches need to stay relevant in an increasingly challenging world.

Or he could be an agent of their destruction …

Greaves is the personification of a progressive church leader. If asked, he will allow Anglican priests in the sprawling Brisbane Diocese to perform same-sex marriage blessings and he’s in favour of ordaining gay priests.”

– Read here (subscription).

Alternatives:

Churches of the Diocese of the Southern Cross.

Same-sex couples receive blessings for first time in Church of England

Posted on December 19, 2023 
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“Same-sex couples began receiving blessings in the Church of England on Dec. 17 …

Among the first couples to receive the blessings were the Rev. Catherine Bond and the Rev. Jane Pearce, both associate priests, during Holy Eucharist on Dec. 17 at St. John the Baptist Church in Suffolk. …

A day later, on Dec. 18, Pope Francis broke similar ground in the Roman Catholic Church by allowing Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples, the Vatican announced…”

– Story from The Episcopal News Service.

As might be expected, the media were on hand at St John the Baptist, Felixstowe.

Update on the Vatican component of the story – from NotThe Bee, explaining that what was said was a little more nuanced:

“The Vatican is saying that this is not a blessing of the sin they are living in, but a blessing for those who ‘recognize themselves to be destitute and in need of his help’ that will pray before the throne of God for ‘all that is true, good, and humanly valid in their lives and in their relationships’ to be healed and guided by the Spirit.”

Image from the February 2023 Church of England’s General Synod.

Bathurst Christmas Reflection – Bishop Mark Calder on Finding Permanence in a World of Change

Posted on December 18, 2023 
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Bishop Mark Calder’s Christmas message for 2023:

“In a world where everything bears the label ‘temporary,’ the Christmas season invites us to discover the enduring permanence found in Jesus Christ.

Imagine labelling the items in your life – microwaves, cars, homes – as either ‘temporary’ or ‘permanent.’ The result is confronting: almost everything is temporary, except for Jesus.

As we celebrate his birth, we’re not just commemorating God stepping into our world as one of us; we’re affirming the timeless reign of a permanent King. Jesus is the exception in a world of transience, offering reliability, dependability, and lasting hope.

This Christmas, amidst the chaos of life, run to Jesus. In him, find not only help but a source of unwavering hope, strength, and inner transformation. Amidst the temporary, Jesus stands as the permanent promise of a Kingdom that never ends.

May this Christmas be a reminder that, in Jesus, we discover hope and help and strength in the face of our world – and our lives – which are often confusing and uncertain.

Bishop Mark Calder
Anglican Diocese of Bathurst, covering central and western NSW.”

See the video version here.

Vicar Faces Official Rebuke From Church of England For Saying Trans Archdeacon is “Biologically a Bloke”

Posted on December 18, 2023 
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“The Revd Brett Murphy faces an official rebuke from the CofE over ‘intentionally derogatory and disrespectful’ remarks he made about the Revd Canon Dr. Rachel Mann shortly after his appointment in June.

LGBT+ campaigners had hailed his appointment as a ‘beacon of light and hope’.

The Revd Murphy, in a 32-minute-long YouTube video, criticised the CofE for putting ‘a radical rainbow activist’ in a ‘position of high authority in a diocese’. …”

– Anglican Mainstream has this excerpt from and link to a report in The Telegraph.

Since the Rev Brett Murphy has left the Church of England, he might not care very much what is said about him.

Dave Jensen: “Sydney Anglicans’ first family and its prodigal son”

Posted on December 17, 2023 
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“A few days after Peter Jensen was elected Archbishop of Sydney, a famously conservative Anglican diocese that frowns upon divorce, female ordination and sex outside heterosexual marriage, his son Dave, barely out of school, sat him down for an awkward conversation. …”

– The Sydney Morning Herald his this profile of Dave Jensen. A topic of conservation at work or over coffee this week?

See also:

Meet the late starter taking up Chappo’s flag. – SydneyAnglicans.

What is a Christian? — book by Dave Jensen.

Photo: SydneyAnglicans.net.

Bishop of Ebbsfleet’s Guidance on Prayers of Love and Faith

Posted on December 17, 2023 
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As the Church of England’s House of Bishops say that Prayers of Love and Faith are available for use from today (Sunday 17 December 2023), the Bishop of Ebbsfleet has issued his pastoral guidance. It can be summarised:

  1. Do not use the prayers.
  2. If you can, pass a PCC resolution not to use the prayers.
  3. Consider what implications ‘impaired fellowship’ may have on your ministry.
  4. Do not leave the Church of England now.
  5. Support the CEEC and others in seeking suitable provision.

– Read his Statement and Ad Clerum here (PDF file).

Link via Anglican Mainstream.

Hard Decisions will have to be made — Bishop Wallace Benn

Posted on December 16, 2023 
Filed under Church of England, Opinion Comments Off on Hard Decisions will have to be made — Bishop Wallace Benn

“I was privileged to be part of the group at the Lambeth Conference of world-wide Anglican bishops in 1998 which produced the statement overwhelmingly supported by the Conference …

I was also part of the group that wrote the excellent Jerusalem Declaration in 2008 (which became the basis for GAFCON — the global movement of orthodox Anglicans)…”

– Both statements assert the authority of Scripture.

So, in the light of the latest moved by the House of Bishops of the Church of England, Bishop Wallace Benn asks, “What are Bible-believing Christians to do?”

– Anglican Mainstream has republished his comments from Evangelicals Now.

Photo: Bishop Benn at GAFCON 1 in 2008 by Peter Frank for GAFCON.

Top 7 stories in 2023 (from heaven’s perspective)

Posted on December 15, 2023 
Filed under Encouragement, Opinion Comments Off on Top 7 stories in 2023 (from heaven’s perspective)

“It’s the season for reflecting on the year that has been.

People are compiling lists of the biggest or most momentous events of 2023. While these lists can be interesting, I want to do something a little different here.

Rather than taking the usual perspective, I want to remind us that the Scriptures give us another view of reality and it’s one that we can easily miss or forget in the midst of everyday life.

Enjoy and be encouraged and a little bit challenged as well. …”

– Murray Campbell wants us to have a heavenly perspective on 2023.

CEEC responds to House of Bishops’ commendation of Prayers of Love and Faith

Posted on December 14, 2023 
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“Revd Canon John Dunnett, National Director, CEEC, said: “CEEC deeply regrets the announcement from the House of Bishops which indicates that a selection of readings and prayers of thanksgiving, dedication and asking for God’s blessing for same sex couples can be used in Church of England services from Sunday 17 December.

As reported in our statement on 17 November, this confirms our belief that a line has been crossed, which we hoped and prayed would not happen.…”

– The latest from the Church of England Evangelical Council.

Deaf and arrogant — The Anglican Network in Europe on the Church of England House of Bishops

Posted on December 13, 2023 
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Press Release:

A response to the Church of England House of Bishops’ commendation of Prayers of Love and Faith on 12 December 2023

It is hugely disappointing, but unsurprising, that the Church of England House of Bishops has ignored the pleas of the majority of the Anglican Communion, nearly half of the clergy and laity in General Synod and nearly a third of their own members to push ahead along a highly divisive path which arrogantly rejects the authority of scripture and cravenly follows the latest trends in Western secular culture.

For both clergy and laity now standing at the crossroads and prayerfully considering their future path, we want to reassure them there is a road available which avoids an unknown and unsafe future as part of an apostate denomination, and draw their attention to the recent Gafcon Primates’ statement (9 Nov 2023) which speaks of a way of being authentically Anglican apart from Canterbury-aligned structures: “We… commend the ministry and witness of the Anglican Network in Europe as the appropriate and necessary provision of Gafcon for those who cannot in good conscience remain in a Church which flagrantly abandons the teaching of Scripture.”

Rt. Rev’d Andy Lines
Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Network in Europe.

Received via e-mail.

Note: The Anglican Network in Europe (ANiE) is the provision of the Primates’ Council of Gafcon to provide a faithful ecclesial structure for orthodox Anglicans within Europe. It currently comprises two dioceses: The Anglican Convocation in Europe (ACE) and The Anglican Mission in England (AMiE).

Image: GAFCON.

C of E: Prayers of Love and Faith to be made available for use from Sunday

Posted on December 13, 2023 
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“A selection of readings and prayers of thanksgiving, dedication and asking for God’s blessing for same-sex couples can be used in Church of England services for the first time from Sunday, December 17, following approval by the House of Bishops.

The final texts of Prayers of Love and Faith, commended for use in regular public worship or private prayer, are published today, together with pastoral guidance which sets out how they could be used.

At a meeting held online this morning, the House of Bishops confirmed its earlier decision to commend the Prayers of Love and Faithresources for use in regular public worship and agreed that this should take effect from Sunday December 17.

The Prayers can be used in regular scheduled services, such as a Sunday Eucharist or Evensong.

The House also continued to discuss separate proposals for special standalone services for same-sex couples to be formally authorised under canon law. …”

– from a Church of England press release.

Improving your Christmas service and talk – with Dave Jensen and James Galea

Posted on December 13, 2023 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on Improving your Christmas service and talk – with Dave Jensen and James Galea

News you can use – from The Pastor’s Heart:

“How can we make our Christmas Services better?

With just a few days to Christmas, and while some of us are well planned, some of us are still scrambling around putting things together.

Whether it’s Christmas Day or Christmas Eve, or a kids gathering, carols or Gingerbread and Wreathmaking…

What are the pitfalls we can fall into?  How do we avoid them?

James Galea is senior minister of Freshwater Anglican Church.

Dave Jensen will be working next year with the Sydney Anglican Churches Evangelism and New Churches team to encourage best practice evangelism.”

– Watch or listen here.

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