Short and Packer threatened by Bishop Ingham with charges of trespassing
Former Sydney Anglican, the Rev David Short, who has been charged with abandoning Anglican doctrine, has now been threatened with charges of trespassing if he sets foot on the property of St John’s Shaughnessy, in moves which could see more Canadian churches forced from their properties.
Mr Short, who is the rector at St John’s, and all other clergy belonging to the Anglican Network in Canada in the Diocese of New Westminster received letters outlining the charges from Bishop Michael Ingham on Monday.
The letters also advised that the clergy were forbidden to ‘trespass’ on the church properties, exercise any ministry and remove anything from the properties, including books. …
– Read the full report from SydneyAnglicans.net. Emphasis added.
(Photo: David Short and James Packer.)
New Westminster synod wrap up
The New Westminster Synod was held in Vancouver on May 30 and 31. Here are some excerpts from the synod edition of the diocesan newspaper, ‘Topic’ –
Members of Synod split over whether the diocese should oppose the legalizing [of] brothels. In the end the majority (128 votes) agreed … that the Diocesan Council should explore uniting with other churches and faiths to tell the Vancouver City Council and Provincial Government “institutionalization of violence towards women and children through legalization of prostitution and the establishment of brothels” was wrong.
In a report to about 300 synod members… the bishop [Michael Ingham] insisted that the decision of four congregations to join the South American Anglican Church of the Southern Cone, was not simply “divorce” but “schism…the setting up of an unlawful authority” to challenge the rightful authority, which is Diocesan Synod.
Also, the synod adopted Bishop Ingham’s ten priorities for the diocese for the next decade.
Read the special synod edition of Topic (1.1MB PDF file) on the New Westminster website.
Up, Down and Out in Canada: J I Packer
My wife and I moved from England to Canada in 1979. Principal James Houston has recruited me to teach theology at Regent College, which, though over age, I still do. God’s call was clear, and our only uncertainty was where we might find a spiritual home. New Westminster Diocese, of which Vancouver is the see city, was decidedly liberal, and its few evangelical clergy seemed to be keeping their heads down lest they be noticed.
But in 1978 my oldest friend among Canadian clergy, Harry Robinson, became rector of St. John’s Shaughnessy, only a mile and a half from where God, by a happy providence, gave us a place to live, so that problem was solved. Called as I am to be a pastor, I had found fulfillment before in an honorary parish appointment alongside teaching duties, and I became Harry’s honorary assistant the moment we arrived. …
– Dr Jim Packer tells his story – at VirtueOnline. (Photo: Ed Hird.)
ANiC Conference video now online
The Anglican Network in Canada’s ‘Compelled by Christ’s Love’ Conference in Vancouver last month featured addresses from David Short, Ken Moser, Archbishop Greg Venables, Dr Jim Packer and others.
Video of key sessions is now available at the ANiC website. (Photo: David Short speaks on 1 Corinthians 15.)
New Westminster: Assets must be protected
Bishop Michael Ingham has told his Diocesan Council that he feels he has no option but to protect the property and assets of the Diocese of New Westminster and the Anglican Church of Canada, and warned that the diocese may find itself in the civil courts to do so. … He said the diocese had attempted to “create space” for people of differing opinions. …
– from the Diocese of New Westminster.
Paul Helm on The Future of Justification
“John Piper’s book The Future of Justification (Crossway, 2007) is a great thing. If you have not read it, then you must. …
In this Analysis I shall try to do two things.
The first is to draw attention to what I believe is one of the most significant methodological points that Piper makes, but one which may, in the flurry of interest about justification, and the dust raised by it, get overlooked. The second thing is to underline what Piper says about the ambiguity of some of Bishop Wright’s language about imputation and justification. What both of these have in common is that Piper shows us the need to observe theological distinctions. …”
– from Paul Helm, the J.I. Packer Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Regent College, Vancouver. (See also the earlier commendation of the book, by Mike Ovey.)
Archbishop Gregory Venables at St John’s Shaughnessy
“People still need to hear about Jesus – and if we don’t tell them, who will?” Archbishop Greg Venables preached at St John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver last Sunday (April 27 2008).
The audio of his sermon has now been posted online. Listen to his challenging and Christ-honouring talk at the St. John’s website.
Direct link to audio: Windows Media. mp3.
Apostolic gospel must be at the core, says David Short
The priest of the largest Anglican parish in Canada, who is under ecclesiastical siege from revisionist New Westminster Bishop Michael Ingham, says his denomination has lost faith in the gospel. This is evidently revealed in the diocesan newspaper, which gives the impression that the gospel is about being nice, being compassionate, recycling, “and we will even bless your pets”.
“The eternal gospel of redemption through the sacrifice of Jesus’ death and the power of his resurrection has been replaced with a gospel which is about approval, affirmation and acceptance. The apostolic gospel of sins forgiven, of rescue from eternal punishment has been smoothed and soothed to be more acceptable and relevant,” said the Rev. Dr. David Short, pastor of St. John’s, Shaughnessy in Vancouver. …
Report from VirtueOnline.
See also the St. John’s website. (Photo of David Short at the Anglican Network in Canada national conference last weekend: Ed Hird.)
Covenant unlikely to help: Venables
In an interview for VirtueOnline, Archbishop Gregory Venables in Vancouver has spoken of the reality of a broken Communion and the unlikelihood of an Anglican Covenant helping things –
“Since we don’t stand together on Scripture or the creeds, it is unlikely that a covenant will do what they (Scripture and creeds) have failed to do. If we don’t stand on these two basic foundations, we are unlikely to stand on a Covenant regardless of how many drafts are written or how long it takes. The likelihood is that the language will be so nuanced that even orthodox folk will think that something has been said to satisfy them, when in fact it hasn’t.”
Other issues covered in the interview include his use of the ‘divorce’ illustration and also Bishop Tom Wright’s criticism of GAFCON.
The interview is available at VirtueOnline.
Dr J I Packer re-licensed to Southern Cone
Dr J I Packer is one of those re-licensed as an Anglican minister, under the jurisdiction of Archbishop Greg Venables in the Province of the Southern Cone, after he had resigned from the Anglican Church of Canada last week.
Ed Hird, Communications Director for the Anglican Coalition in Canada (and minister of St. Simon’s Anglican Church in North Vancouver), has posted a ‘visual reflection’ on this weekend’s Anglican Network in Canada national conference. (Photo: Ed Hird)
Anglican Communion ‘in first stages of divorce’
The Archbishop of the Southern Cone says the Anglican Communion is in the first stages of divorce.
“I believe that the time comes when a marriage is no longer a marriage and you have to recognise it. With reference to the two positions in Anglicanism at present we are incompatible doctrinally and ethically and quite different in our presuppositions…” said Archbishop Gregory Venables, Primate of the Southern Cone. …
Speaking at a press conference of the Anglican Network in Canada, a conference of 400 orthodox Anglicans meeting near Vancouver, BC, Venables said liberal Christianity does not have a doctrine of salvation or believe that Jesus is uniquely the Son of God. Liberal Christianity is not true Christianity. There is no eternal hope or salvation. …
from David Virtue at VirtueOnline. (Photo: Anglican Network in Canada. L–R: Bishop Don Harvey, Archbishop Greg Venables, Dr J I Packer.)
J I Packer at “Compelled by Christ’s love”
Dr Jim Packer has spoken on the first day of the “Compelled by Christ’s love” conference currently being held in Vancouver.
“May I begin by saying where I come from. If a certain dignitary kept his word and threat, I am here under false pretences. Two days ago I will have been deprived of the ministry to which I was ordained in 1952 and I ought not to be wearing a clerical collar. It is utterly tragic. This led me to resonate deeply with the way Archbishop Venables presented in his talk. I have a joyful heart. …
God is preparing and toughening us for specially demanding conflict. In our call to mission, I suspect that over the next generations it is going to be exceedingly tough as we face secularism and ethnic religions surge which do not tolerate Christianity. The pressure is on and increasing. God is toughening us for mission. …”
Southern Cone bishop lends support
Why can’t Canada’s infighting Anglicans just love each other?
That’s the question one of South America’s high-level Anglicans is bringing to the country – even while he accuses Vancouver-area Anglican Bishop Michael Ingham of not being an authentic Christian for allowing the blessing of same-sex relationships.
“I tell people in Canada not to get filled up with bitterness about the homosexual issue, to just try to allow Christ’s love and generosity to come through,” says Gregory Venables, who was elected primate (senior archbishop) of the Southern Cone in 2001. … “I believe truth is above geography. I place doctrine above jurisdiction,” Venables said, the day before he was to attend a conference at South Delta Baptist Church sponsored by the Anglican Network in Canada, which represents breakaway Anglicans. …
Report by Douglas Todd in the National Post. (Photo: Bill Keay/Canwest News Service)
Canadians compelled to act
What force could compel Canadian Anglicans to take drastic action – such as leaving the Anglican Church of Canada, risking pensions and property and reputation?
The answer is something rarely reported in the media: Christ’s love – he died for us (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
“The Anglican Network in Canada is holding a national conference in the Vancouver area [April 25-26] to celebrate God’s gracious provision, refocus on the mission Christ gave His Church, and delight in the compelling love of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Please pray for all involved in the ANiC National Conference this weekend, that they may continue to focus on the Lord Jesus Christ, and that they may preach his gospel with such clarity and love that he will be glorified as many turn to him for salvation.
Archbishop of Canterbury: Lambeth is for making ‘better bishops’
The Archbishop of Canterbury has set out his hopes for this year’s Lambeth Conference in a video message addressed to Bishops and Dioceses across the Anglican Communion –
“We want to see this year’s conference as an occasion when Bishops learn how to be better Bishops… where people will we hope feel safe enough to share some of the most intimate things about their faith and their situation…”
Read the transcript or watch the Archbishop on YouTube via the Anglican Communion News Service.
Perhaps this would be a very good time to read again any of these –
- The Limits of Fellowship – by Phillip Jensen, Dean of Sydney
- A Crisis in Koinonia – by David Short, Rector of St. John’s Shaughnessy, Vancouver
- The Anglican Debacle: Roots and Patterns – by Dr Mark Thompson, ACL President
- Communion in Crisis: the Way Forward for Evangelicals part 1 part 2 – by Archbishop Peter Jensen, Archbishop of Sydney
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…