Competing services held at Ontario church
Posted on February 26, 2008
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More than 100 members of [the Rev. Paul Charbonneau’s] flock turned out for what could be the last service he celebrates at the half-century-old building on Rebecca St. in the town’s west end. …
The Diocese parachuted in a relief reverend yesterday morning, ostensibly to preach to disenfranchised St. Hilda’s parishioners upset by the move. The only problem? There weren’t any. …
Story from The Toronto Star. See also the latest reports from St. Hilda’s Oakville.
Archbishop Gregory Venables interviewed on Canadian radio
Posted on February 26, 2008
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“The Current” on CBC Radio in Canada has run a story on the developing Anglican split. Archbishop Gregory Venables of the Southern Cone was interviewed by telephone from Buenos Aires.
Read about the programme on the CBC website – and listen to a RealAudio file of the segment. (It begins about 2 minutes 30 seconds into the file – it runs for 20 minutes.)
Sir Marcus Loane gives thanks
Posted on February 26, 2008
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On Sunday, at a special service at St James’ Turramurra, Sir Marcus Loane marked the 50th anniversary of his consecration as bishop in February 1958.
SydneyAnglicans.net has the story.
(Photo: Ramon Williams.)
Helpful resource: bethinking.org
Posted on February 26, 2008
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The Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship’s apologetics website – bethinking.org – has a wide range of audio and text resources to help Christians give an account of their faith. Recommended.
The Lambeth Decision: Dean calls briefing on 14th March
Posted on February 25, 2008
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‘The Lambeth Decision: Refining or Redefining Anglicanism?
Sydney’s Bishops are not attending Lambeth – What do we do?’
It’s been announced that Dean Phillip Jensen is planning an afternoon briefing on the reasons for, and implications of, recent decisions concerning Sydney’s participation in world Anglicanism.
To be held in the Chapter House at the Cathedral on Friday 14th March, 1:30 – 3:30pm. The speakers will be –
Phillip Jensen – Should we break fellowship? Why? When? With whom?
Mark Thompson – What has happened in World Anglicanism to bring us to this point?
Robert Tong – What can Lambeth achieve?
Russell Powell – What is GAFCON all about?
Realignment and Gospel Unity in Canada
Posted on February 25, 2008
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Over the weekend, more Canadian churches voted on their relationship with the Anglican Church of Canada –
Islanders split from national church
“Parishioners from a Vancouver Island Anglican church have become the latest Canadian congregation to separate from the national body, primarily over the issue of same-sex marriage. … St. Mary, located in the rural Victoria suburb of Metchosin, will now align with the Anglican Network in Canada…” Read more
Canadian bishop for Christchurch?
Posted on February 25, 2008
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A Canadian woman bishop who has signalled support for blessing gay marriages is being confirmed as Christchurch’s new Anglican bishop.
The move is likely to stir controversy among many Anglicans and there is still a chance that Victoria Matthews’ appointment could be vetoed by the general synod, which incudes representatives from Polynesia.
Church sources said yesterday that Dr Matthews, a former bishop of Edmonton, was two-thirds of the way through the ratification process.
Full story from The Press in NZ.
(Victoria Matthews was Bishop of the Diocese of Edmonton 1997–2007.)
Professor David F Wright 1937–2008
Posted on February 25, 2008
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Widely respected evangelical church historian and theologian in the Church of Scotland, Professor David F Wright, departed this earthly life on February 19th. The Scotsman has a tribute –
“Wright specialised in patristic and Reformation theology, and he published extensively on the fathers of the early Church, especially Augustine, and on the magisterial figures of the European Reformation – Calvin, John Knox and Peter Martyr, for example. He also wrote on contemporary ethical issues facing the Church, particularly questions of sexuality, where he took up a thoroughly conservative position.”
– as do Reformation21 and Global South Anglican. (Photo: Global South Anglican.)
“Arrogant Archbishop’s protest conference ignores own advice”
Posted on February 24, 2008
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“Prelates such as Sydney’s Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen demonstrate considerable arrogance by holding their protest conference in Jerusalem against the wishes of its bishop, Suheil Dawani. …
Dawani is closely involved with efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East, to which he gives a higher priority than the theological squabble over homosexuality. …”
– An unsympathetic opinion-piece in The Sunday Canberra Times.
However see Archbishop Peter Jensen’s statement to the Standing Committee of Sydney Diocese about that “theological squabble”.
And in a report about the Diocese of Kentucky’s annual Convention, the whole debate is characterised as “a family argument”.
Building may be on the line – another Canadian church to vote
Posted on February 24, 2008
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Same-sex marriage blessings are the “flashpoint” but not the main reason a St. Catharines Anglican church is voting on whether to break from the national body, a spokesperson said.
Members of the Church of the Good Shepherd on Grantham Avenue will make their decision Sunday in a meeting after the morning service. …
– Full report from The St. Catharines Standard. See also the Good Shepherd website.
St. Hilda’s Anglican Church isn’t just in a theological battle
Posted on February 23, 2008
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The first sign that St. Hilda’s Anglican Church is under siege is a posting on its front door warning locksmiths who may arrive to change the locks to think twice. The posting said they are walking into the middle of a ‘legal dispute’ between the parish and the Diocese of Niagara and anyone who fools with church property could be liable. …
“I’m not supposed to be on the church property, I’m not allowed to minister in Canada, and I am not to speak disparagingly against the bishops, other priests, or the Anglican Church of Canada,” Rev. Charbonneau explained. …
Full story from The National Post.
From the St. Hilda’s website:
“As far as the congregation of St. Hilda’s is concerned, Pastor Paul is a man of God and, in spite of being ‘suspended’ by the Diocese of Niagara, is still our Pastor.”
(Photo courtesy St. Hilda’s Oakville.)
Bishop Ingham sends ‘notice of presumption of abandonment’ to St. John’s Shaughnessy
Posted on February 23, 2008
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Bishop Michael Ingham has asked eight of his clergy to formally declare whether they’re in or out of the Anglican Church of Canada.
The priests have been involved in a series of meetings in which congregations in two Parishes in the diocese have voted to join a foreign Church. Read more
It’s time to return to the fold
Posted on February 23, 2008
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Last week, Vancouver’s St. John’s Shaughnessy, the largest Anglican congregation in the country, overwhelmingly voted to separate itself from the Anglican Church of Canada …
The real story here isn’t that a schism is now occurring in one of Canada’s most prominent Churches. What should be of most concern to those who sit in the pews is that the leadership of the Anglican Church in Canada has abandoned its traditional roles of defending the faith and the authority of Scriptures. …
Full story from The National Post.
(Photo of Bishop Michael Ingham courtesy of the Diocese of New Westminster.)
Tim Keller speaks about the Cross
Posted on February 23, 2008
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Three talks given by Tim Keller (Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York) in January last year are very helpful in thinking about the implications of the cross.
How the Cross Converts Us
How the Cross Changes Us
How the Cross Unites Us
– mp3 downloads via Between Two Worlds.
The Cross
Posted on February 22, 2008
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“I find no balm for a sore conscience, and a troubled heart, like the sight of Jesus dying for me on the accursed tree.
There I see that a full payment has been made for all my enormous debts. The curse of that law which I have broken has come down on One who there suffered in my stead. The demands of that law are all satisfied. Payment has been made for me, even to the uttermost farthing. It will not be required twice over.
Ah! I might sometimes imagine I was too bad to be forgiven. My own heart sometimes whispers that I am too wicked to be saved. But I know in my better moments this is all my foolish unbelief. I read an answer to my doubts in the blood shed on Calvary. I feel sure that there is a way to heaven for the very vilest of men, when I look at the cross.”
– J.C. Ryle, Old Paths . Courtesy First Importance.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…