After 150 years of Christian compassion Leprosy is nearly defeated
Posted on January 4, 2025
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“In November, people from nearly thirty countries gathered in New Delhi for the 150th anniversary of The Leprosy Mission. they thanked God for amazing progress in treating the disease and committed to strive for a world without leprosy by 2035. A world without leprosy is within sight. With improved preventative medication, diagnostic tests, and even vaccines, the tools and knowledge needed to end leprosy are in our grasp.
‘It was a marvellous time of celebrating the progress we’ve made, but also longing to finish the job,’ said Greg Clarke, the CEO of The Leprosy Mission Australia (TLMA).…”
– This article by Anne Lim at The Gospel Coalition Australia is a great encouragement. It’s also a reminder of the key work of Australian doctors such as Grace Warren.
Photo: Dr Grace Warren meeting Diana, Princess of Wales, Anandaban Hospital, Nepal, 1993. From Leprosy Mission Australia.
The new Federal privacy tort and religious freedom
Posted on January 3, 2025
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Neil Foster at Law and Religion Australia alerts churches to a possible legal complication:
“In the closing Parliamentary days of 2024, the Australian Federal Parliament created a new statutory privacy tort action, which may have a significant impact on churches and other religious groups. In the context of a possible disciplinary action against someone who has behaved contrary to the principles of a religious group to which they belong, it may be necessary to inform other members of the group about the person’s behaviour. In doing so the group will be in danger of breaching a right of privacy set up by the new law. The tort action (which will probably come into operation on 11 June 2025) seems to cut across important rights of religious freedom, and the exemptions under the law do not take this into account.
In this post I aim to outline some aspects of the operation of the new law, and recommend that before it commences Parliament provide specific recognition of religious freedom as an exemption to the availability of the action. …”
Image: Associate Professor Neil Foster speaking at a Diocese of Sydney Safe Ministry conference.
Former Archbishop and his Driver freed in Nigeria
Posted on January 3, 2025
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“Nigerian media report that former Archbishop Godwin Okpala and his driver have been released from captivity. The two men had disappeared December 6 as Okpala, former Archbishop of the Niger Province, was en route to a funeral.
No report made clear whether the church paid a ransom for the two men, or who had kidnapped them, though there are frequent tensions between Anglicans and radical Islamists in Nigeria. …”
– There have been many reports of kidnappings in Nigeria in recent weeks – The Living Church has this report on the highest profile example.
A Primer on Roman Catholic Apologetics Targeting Evangelicals
Posted on January 3, 2025
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“In the late 19th century, liberal theology predicted the end of apologetics as the child of an entrenched, defensive, and doctrinaire faith. It was wrong. Apologetics is alive and well, especially on the web, where initiatives aimed at comparing different interpretations of the gospel (e.g. Roman Catholic, Orthodox, evangelical) flourish.
It can be said that YouTube has become the encyclopedia where one can find apologetic comparisons and confrontations of all kinds. The field that is emerging as a growing reality is that of Roman Catholic apologetics, especially targeting evangelicals. This seems to be primarily a North American phenomenon where religious discourse has always been characterized by religious pluralism, strong passions associated with religion, and multiple changes of religious affiliation in people’s lives.
Traditionally, American evangelicals have been proactive in evangelizing Catholics with a specific intentionality. The result is that so many American evangelicals were born Catholic and became evangelicals later in life, thanks to Billy Graham’s campaigns and the many parachurch initiatives dedicated to evangelism in universities, for example.
This is no longer the case. …”
– At Vatican Files, Leonardo De Chirico alerts evangelical Christians of something relatively new.
Related:
Same words. Different worlds. Reaching Roman Catholics. – On the Pastor’s Heart, Dominic Steele speaks with Leonardo De Chirico and Rachel Ciano on understanding our Roman Catholic friends and sharing the saving news of Jesus with them.
Image: Leonardo De Chirico spoke at the NSW & ACT CMS Summer School in January 2023.
An Australian Creed for Sexual Integrity
Posted on January 2, 2025
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From Mark Powell at AP, the Australian Presbyterian national journal:
“Glenn Davies, the current bishop for the Diocese of the Southern Cross and former Archbishop of Sydney, discusses why he helped to produce an Australian creed for sexual integrity.
This document seeks to faithfully uphold the teaching of the Bible and provide a positive vision for human flourishing.”
See The Australian Creed for Sexual Integrity.
Also mentioned:
Diocese of The Southern Cross.
Presbyterians extend hand of fellowship to Bishop of the Diocese of the Southern Cross – August 2022.
2025 Summer Prayer Diary
Posted on January 1, 2025
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Tara Sing at SydneyAnglicans.net has produced a very helpful resource:
“It’s summertime and we’re getting out into the sunshine, sharing the good news of the gospel and diving deep in understanding the word of God.
With the weeks packed with camps, conferences and missions, we’ve put together an eight-day prayer diary featuring some of the great kingdom initiatives that we can bring before the Lord. …”
– Find it here.
The God Who Does Not Wipe Out Rebels
Posted on January 1, 2025
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From The Gospel Coalition, part 2 in a series of 14 talks from Don Carson about the message of the Bible:
“In this lecture, Don Carson examines Genesis 3, focusing on the Serpent’s deceit and humanity’s rebellion, which leads to shame, guilt, and broken fellowship with God.
He discusses the curses placed on Satan, Adam, and Eve, highlighting the introduction of sin and the long-term effects on creation. Carson emphasizes the need for reconciliation with God, pointing to the promise of redemption through Jesus. …”
– Listen (or read the transcript) here.
Photo: Don Carson speaking at The Next Level conference in Sydney in 2016.
Albert Mohler remembers US President Jimmy Carter
Posted on December 30, 2024
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In a special edition of his The Briefing broadcast, Dr Albert Mohler reflects on the life of former US President Jimmy Carter, who has died at the age of 100 years.
The edition includes reference to President Carter’s understanding of Biblical Authority and Evangelical Identity.
I was adopted twice
Posted on December 30, 2024
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“I always knew I was adopted. Growing up, my parents were open about it – they had fostered children before adopting my sister and me.
On my shelf, I kept a book titled You Are Adopted. Whenever I had questions about my identity, I would pull it off the shelf and read it, trying to make sense of my place in the world. I remember many tearful moments with my Mum and Dad, asking, ‘Why didn’t my birth parents want me? Who am I? Where do I fit in?’ …”
– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Matt Redmond speaks of his own experience, and a book (The Forgetful Prince) he hopes will help children and adults to understand the most wonderful adoption of all.
Photo: SydneyAnglicans.net.
The Problem with the King’s Gospel — David Robertson
Posted on December 29, 2024
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“In a year when the Archbishop of Canterbury was forced to resign, and with continued decline in attendances in the Church of England and yet more scandals, I listened with interest to the titular head of that Church, King Charles, giving his Christmas message. Would he speak of the real challenges the Church and society are facing? Would he offer some kind of meaty message, rather than the saccharine sap we are so used to hearing? Would his message stimulate thought or provide hope to those who are in great need of it? …
I was particularly disappointed at this speech because it came only a few weeks after the King attended a church I used to belong to – St Thomas’s Anglican in Sydney – and heard a sermon from the excellent evangelical Archbishop of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel. …
We continue to pray that King Charles would come to know and love the King that his mother so clearly loved and served. We need the Good News, not the wishful thinking of a fanciful ideology which ultimately helps no one.”
– At The Wee Flea, David Robertson gives his take on King Charles’ Christmas Message.
(See the full message from King Charles here.)
Why did Saul change his name to Paul? — Tyndale House Podcast
Posted on December 28, 2024
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A podcast from Tyndale House in Cambridge:
“Steve Walton and Tony Watkins discuss why Saul changed to Paul in the book of Acts.
In the book of Acts, the apostle Paul is referred to as Saul up until chapter 13, where he begins to be referred to as Paul. Steve explains how names worked in the Roman world to shed light on this name change. He also shares about some of the research he has done in the book of Acts over several years.”
– If you are reading the Book of Acts, you’ll find this most interesting. 29 minutes on YouTube.
Taking his own medicine
Posted on December 26, 2024
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“Friends in Christ, Christmas Eve is the 50th anniversary of Cyclone Tracy, which hit Darwin at about 10pm, December 24, 1974. …
Boxing Day is the 20th anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami, which hit on 26 December, 2004 … It is the deadliest natural disaster of the 21st century so far. …”
– Dean of Sydney Sandy Grant reflects in the Cathedral newsletter.
Image: USGS Preliminary Earthquake Report, 26 December 2004.
Hoping Christmas is Good News
Posted on December 25, 2024
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“If you regularly preach at this time and if, like me, you have been at it for forty years there aren’t too may Christmas-type verses left to preach on.
For all that, it is hard to beat the account of the announcement to the shepherd by the angel of the birth of the Lord Jesus. …”
– Short but sweet classic advice from Chappo – at The Australian Church Record.
Related:
“Do you really believe the gospel can convert your friends?” – John Chapman.
Photo: Matthias Media.
Bishop of Canberra-Goulburn’s Christmas message 2024
Posted on December 25, 2024
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“Light in the Darkness
Even down-under, where the days are growing longer and hotter, we find ourselves drawn to the imagery of candles as Christmas approaches. That’s because light shining in darkness is a powerful picture of what Christmas can mean for us.
One of the four New Testament accounts of Jesus life, the gospel of John, doesn’t begin with the events of Christmas. There’s no Joseph and Mary, no baby, no shepherds and certainly no donkey. Instead, the gospel begins with a profound meditation and reflection on the significance of these events and how they fit into God’s purposes for humanity and the whole of creation …”
– Read Bishop Mark Short’s Christmas message from the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn for 2024. (PDF file.)
GSFA Chairman’s Christmas Message and Year-end Review
Posted on December 25, 2024
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“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.
Isaiah 9:6-7a.
My dear brothers and sisters,
At Christmas we celebrate the fulfillment of God’s promise. The long-awaited Messiah has come and where he is present the curse of sin is broken and the reign of God breaks in. Isaiah prophecies that ‘the government shall be upon his shoulder’ and while we shall not see its fulness until he returns in glory, wherever Christ is proclaimed faithfully we see the blessings of his kingdom. Men, women and children of every nation are born again to a living hope, sin and evil lose their power, and relationships are restored. …”
– Archbishop Dr Justin Badi, Chairman of the GSFA Steering Committee, shares this message and review.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…