First-hand account of the Lakeland ‘revival’
Posted on June 19, 2008
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There’s a great deal of buzz in some circles about a so-called ‘healing outpouring’ taking place in Florida under the leadership of one Todd Bentley. His daily revival meetings are being shown across the US on ‘God TV’ and include claims of healings and resurrections. For those who may be aware of these events, this first-hand account by Justin Peters (pictured) of one meeting is worth hearing.
Justin was interviewed on Way of the Master Radio in California on Tuesday. While the style of programming might not be to the liking of all, the interview – starting 37 minutes into this mp3 audio file (direct link – 12MB) – is illuminating.
See also our earlier post on Justin Peters’ seminars on Word of Faith preachers.
Joint statement by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York on ‘gay wedding’
Posted on June 18, 2008
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“We have heard the reports of the recent service in St Bartholomew the Great with very great concern. We cannot comment on the specific circumstances because they are the subject of an investigation launched by the Bishop of London.
On the general issue, however, the various reference points for the Church of England’s approach to human sexuality (1987 Synod motion, 1991 Bishops’ Statement Issues in Human Sexuality, Lambeth motion 1:10, House of Bishops’ 2005 statement on civil partnerships) are well known and remain current.
Those clergy who disagree with the Church’s teaching are at liberty to seek to persuade others within the Church of the reasons why they believe, in the light of Scripture, tradition and reason that it should be changed. But they are not at liberty simply to disregard it.”
– from the Archbishop of Canterbury’s website. (Photo: Abp of Canterbury’s website.)
From the Files: The Limits of Fellowship
Posted on June 18, 2008
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Dean Phillip Jensen’s paper, The Limits of Fellowship, was delivered at the Sydney Lambeth Decision Briefing, at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, on Friday 14th March 2008.
With whom can, and should, we have Christian fellowship? And when should we withdraw fellowship? These are important questions for turbulent times in the Anglican Communion.
‘Why I blessed gay clergymen’s relationship’
Posted on June 18, 2008
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Robustly heterosexual since early adolescence, unable to see that any love surpasses the love of women, and once branded by the odious Daily Mail as ‘Dud the Stud’, I may seem miscast in the role into which I have now been thrust, that of the turbulent rebellious priest who defies bishop and archbishop to bless two gay men, also priests, in their civil partnership.
Yet there is a sense in which I have been moving towards this point for more than thirty years. The 1970s shaped my thinking. …
– Dr. Martin Dudley, the Rector of St Bartholomew the Great in the City of London, explains his actions to New Statesman.
23 Minutes in Hell – a review
Posted on June 18, 2008
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No, it’s not an experience of a particularly bad sermon – Tim Challies reviews a sure-to-be-popular book –
I suppose it was inevitable that, with a bestselling book describing an author’s “90 Minutes in Heaven,” one would soon follow detailing a journey to hell. Sure enough, Bill Wiese follows Don Piper’s 90 Minutes in Heaven with his own 23 Minutes in Hell.
Wiese’s story is simple. One night, while sleeping, he was transported to hell. There God showed him hell in all its horror and terror. He was thrown into a barred cell, he was abused by demons, he was shown lakes of fire, and he saw people suffering torment. After a brief visit with Jesus, he was transported back to earth in order to tell people that Jesus is returning soon and to assure them that hell is a real place (and one that exists in the center of the earth, apparently). Wiese’s hell seems to be equally influenced by the works of Ray Comfort, Mary Baxter and Gary Larson. …
– Already available in Australia at some Christian bookshops. Read the review at Discerning Reader.
Anglican unity strained as conservatives prepare for key conference
Posted on June 17, 2008
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Conservative Anglican leaders from around the world are preparing for a gathering to discuss the way ahead amid a deepening rift over homosexuality, just days after news broke about the ‘wedding’ of two male Anglican priests in Britain.
More than 1,000 Anglicans clergy and laity, including 280 bishops, many from Africa, are planning to attend the invitation-only Global Anglican Future Conference, to be held in Jerusalem from June 22-29. …
The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM), a British organization… said “the power-hungry Global South and the separatist and divisive GAFCON-ites” were trying to take over the Communion.
– Report from CNSNews.com.
Beyond homophobia
Posted on June 17, 2008
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Dr. Andrew Cameron of Moore College has written a thoughtful and helpful piece, “Beyond homophobia”, Briefing #076 for the Social Issues Executive of the Diocese of Sydney.
You can read it at the SIE website.
Should orthodox C of E bishops still go to Lambeth?
Posted on June 17, 2008
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Four Episcopal dioceses, three in California and the Diocese of El Camino Real, have come out with ringing endorsements of the California Supreme Court’s recent ruling on same-sex marriages. …
There is little doubt that the behaviour of these bishops, in this regard, renders them unacceptable to any council of Christian bishops. Can you imagine the Council of Jerusalem or the Council Nicaea sitting down with these bishops? The question must be raised, on what grounds are the orthodox Bishops prepared to meet with them in this fashion? – David Virtue at VirtueOnline.
Billy Graham team nearly 50 years on
Posted on June 17, 2008
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Many Sydney Anglicans remember with thankfulness the 1959 Bill Graham Crusade. It had a profound impact on Australia. We thought you would find this press release of interest –
An Australian and American film crew have just completed US filming for a television and DVD special on the 1959 visit to Australia of Billy Graham.
Host Karl Faase interviewed Crusade soloist George Beverly Shea and song leader and compere Cliff Barrows at ‘The Cove’, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s conference centre in Ashfield, North Carolina. Read more
Reform urges UK General Synod to ‘pull back from the brink’ On Women Bishops
Posted on June 16, 2008
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Statement from Reform, Monday 16th June
Reform is urging members of General Synod to “pull back from the brink” of the “deep division” that voting for a single-clause Measure on women bishops would cause.
Rod Thomas, Reform’s chairman and a member of General Synod, said: “A refusal by Synod to provide legal provisions for those who disagree with women bishops is tantamount to a clear decision to exclude many faithful Anglicans from the Church of England. We want to urge Synod members to pull back from the brink, to recognise the deep division that will occur if no legislative provisions are made.” Read more
Reform statement on the ‘gay wedding’
Posted on June 16, 2008
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Statement from Reform, Monday 16th June 2008
News of the service of blessing for the union of two male clergy at St Bartholomew’s church in the City of London last month has brought to a head the issue of whether or not the Church of England intends to remain faithful to the Bible’s revelation.
The Church of England now faces the same sort of division as the Episcopal Church of the USA. Our only hope of preventing this is for bishops to exercise swift and clear discipline. Unless this happens, the floodgates of indiscipline will open. There is no longer any room for carefully constructed statements designed to hold everyone together in an uneasy truce. Schism in the church is being caused not by orthodox believers but by clergy pursuing a liberal agenda. Read more
Glasgow Cathedral to mark Lambeth
Posted on June 16, 2008
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The Very Reverend Kelvin Holdsworth, Rector & Provost of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow, shares how the cathedral will mark the Lambeth Conference –
“At the end of the service, I made the following announcement: ‘I have been giving much thought as to how we should mark the Lambeth Conference this summer. All the duly consecrated bishops of the Anglican Communion have been invited to Canterbury for a conference with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. Well, all bar one…’”
– from Rev. Holdsworth’s blog. (Photo: Glasgow Cathedral.)
Bishop Peter Brain going to both
Posted on June 16, 2008
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The Anglican Church is facing ‘a watershed month’ with two significant international conferences – and Armidale’s Bishop Peter Brain will be at both.
Bishop Brain will attend the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) in Jerusalem from June 22-29 and the Lambeth Conference from July 16 to August 4 at the University of Kent’s Canterbury campus. …
Bishop Brain – the only Australian Bishop going to both conferences – said, however, that he was going to Lambeth ‘because I feel I want to have a say’.
“Certainly, my sympathies are with the GAFCON bishops, my theological loyalties all lie in that direction,” he said. …
– Story from The Armidale Express. (Photo: Diocese of Armidale.)
GAFCON leadership team meets in Jordan
Posted on June 16, 2008
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The massive undertaking that is the Global Anglican Future Conference is days away from starting in Jerusalem.
Archbishop Peter Jensen, along with the Bishop of North Sydney, Glenn Davies and the Academic Dean of Moore College, Dr Mark Thompson will be meeting this week in Jordan with the conference leadership team in preparation for the seven days of prayer, Bible study and fellowship that will follow in Israel. …
– by Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net. See also the linked video in which Archbishop Peter Jensen talks about GAFCON.
‘Gay wedding’ liturgy analysed
Posted on June 16, 2008
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This is the first of a series of posts looking at the news this morning that a London Anglican Clergyman “married” two other male priests in a ceremony that mimicked marriage.
This post looks at the liturgy used in that service and compares it to a BCP marriage service to show that the explanation that this was only intented to be “a blessing” is specious.”
– from Peter Ould in the UK (hat tip to Anglican Mainstream).
Update: Peter has followed with a second post – on the theology of the service:
“This leads us to a problem with the liturgy that not only demonstrates how its actions runs counter to Scripture, but also presents a significant issue for the Church of England to address if no disciplinary action is taken on those who carried it out. Having identical vows for both partners of a same-sex marriage, while at the same time drawing on the Ephesians 5 model for those vows, implies that there has been a fundamental misunderstanding in the church’s application of Ephesians 5 up to this point. The BCP service indicates clearly that the sexual distinctiveness of the two partners is critical to understanding the mystery of the sexual union of the spouses – the gay union liturgy implies that it is not.”
Note also the video of this BBC interview with the Rev. Martin Dudley, who conducted the service.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…