Marcus Loane: with Christ
It has been announced that Sir Marcus Loane, Archbishop of Sydney from 1966 to 1982, died this afternoon in Sydney after a brief illness.
Sir Marcus had an enormous influence on the Church in Sydney is beloved of generations of Christians for his godly leadership, his edifying books and his keen understanding of history. He was 97.
Archbishop Peter Jensen, who is in London, has released this statement:
“We mourn the passing of Sir Marcus but give thanks for the life of a remarkable leader who served both church and nation.
As the first Australian Archbishop of Sydney and as Primate he was a formative leader in our church.
In national life, he offered leadership which transcended politics. In particular he spoke up for the poor and helped spark the Henderson enquiry of the early 1970s.
He offered distinguished service with our troops in New Guinea during World War II.
He was a prolific author with an international influence and ministry.
But he will be remembered most as one of the key architects of post-war Anglicanism in Sydney.”
Quoting from 2 Samuel 3, “a prince and a great man has fallen this day”, one senior ACL member sent this message, “We thank God for every remembrance of Marcus Loane in all the dimensions of his life and ministry”.
Details of a memorial service will be released later this week. Anglican Media Sydney has more. (Photo: Marcus Loane in 1955, as Principal of Moore College, from his ‘A Centenary History’ of the college.)
New video resources coming from Sydney
“Today Anglican Media announces the arrival of a new video platform set to deliver free visual resources to Christian workers across the Diocese.
In the tradition of Southern Cross and Sydneyanglicans.net, the monthly production called SX Digital will provide news, events and resource videos aimed at assisting local churches. …”
– story from SydneyAnglicans.net. The first update is now online – with video via Vimeo and also as a 66MB mpeg4 download.
Sydney bushfire suburb in fundraiser
Residents of a Sydney suburb threatened with destruction by a bushfire in 2001 will host a fundraising event for the victims of Victoria’s bushfires. …
“Heathcote in the Sutherland Shire has been threatened by ferocious fires many, many times over the years with the last one … requiring evacuations of massive sections of our suburb in the middle of the night with flames clearly visible in the distance,” Heathcote Anglican Church Assistant Minister Tom Hargreaves said. …
– Story from The Australian. (View of Heathcote: Google Earth.)
Missed the Big Day In?
If you missed the Big Day In (the launch of Connect09), you can now watch Archbishop Peter Jensen’s sermon. It’s been posted to Vimeo by SydneyAnglicans.net.
Special Prayer Service for the Victorian Bushfire Disaster
St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney has announced a special Prayer Service for the Victorian Bushfire Disaster – to be held at 6:00pm on Wednesday 11th February 2009.
Australia Day Convention 2009
This year’s Australia Day Convention at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney is focussing on Paul’s letter to the Colossians.
It’s on Monday January 26 (obviously) – and details are available at www.australiadayconvention.com
Sydney Standing Committee ‘warmly welcomes’ new Province
Anglican Diocese of Sydney
Media Release 8 December 2008
The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Sydney has welcomed the creation of the Province of the Anglican Church in North America.
At its December 8 meeting, the committee passed the following resolution –
“Standing Committee, noting that a provisional constitution for the Province of the Anglican Church in North America was adopted on 3 December 2008, warmly welcomes the creation of the new Province, and sends our greetings to the faithful men and women who have taken this significant step forward in gospel mission, and assures them of our prayers for God’s blessing on the Province as it works to make Jesus known and as it represents orthodox North American Anglicans in the councils of the Anglican Communion.”
Short and Packer honoured
Distinguished Anglican theologian JI Packer and the Rev David Short have been appointed honorary clerical canons of Sydney’s St Andrew’s Cathedral.
Both Dr Packer and Mr Short had their licenses removed by the Canadian Anglican leadership when their church, St. John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver, voted to realign with the Province of the Southern Cone. …
– Russell Powell reports at SydneyAnglicans.net
Greetings from the Anglican Church League, Sydney, to the new Province of North America
THE COUNCIL OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH LEAGUE SENDS GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS GATHERED IN THE NEW PROVINCE OF NORTH AMERICA
1. The ACL welcomes this new development while remaining deeply saddened by the circumstances which made it necessary. Faithful Anglicans have been marginalised within The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada because of their determination to remain faithful to the Scriptures as expressed in the Creeds and the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion. We rejoice with these our brothers and sisters in this way forward out of the difficulties that have plagued them over the past five years and more.
2. The Statement on the Global Anglican Future published in Jerusalem in June 2008 said ‘In particular, we believe the time is now ripe for the formation of a province in North America for the federation currently known as Common Cause Partnership to be recognised by the Primates’ Council.’ The ACL recognises the new Province of North America as fulfilling the vision of the GAFCON Primates’ Council.
3. There can be no doubt about the authentic Anglican character of this new province. It contains Anglicans from a variety of traditions who, though different at significant points and committed to taking seriously those differences, share the same prior commitment to the supreme Lordship of Christ and the authority of the Scriptures in all matters of faith and life. They have proven themselves to be faithful men and women who embrace the classic Anglicanism of the Articles, the Book of Common Prayer, and more recently, the Jerusalem Declaration.
4. It is a matter of profound regret that Lambeth 2008 and the other so-called Instruments of Communion (the Anglican Consultative Council, The Primates’ Meeting and the Archbishop of Canterbury) have failed to address the crisis with any urgency or meaningful action. Their delay has given further opportunity to those who are using all means possible to hinder the faithful gospel ministry of orthodox Anglican Christians in North America and beyond.
5. We congratulate Bishop Bob Duncan on his election as Archbishop and Primate of the Province of North America. We pledge him and the members of the new Province our support and our prayers for the future. We call on all Anglicans around the world to join with us in these prayers and in congratulating the churches of North America for taking this bold but necessary step.
To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever! (Rev. 5:13)
Mark D Thompson, President
Robert Tong, Chairman
On behalf of the Council of the Anglican Church League
3 December 2008
(ACL President, Dr. Mark Thompson, pictured.)
‘Close call for bishop’
The Bishop of South Sydney Robert Forsyth is in a satisfactory condition in hospital on Norfolk Island after suffering a heart attack during a week long visit.
– Full story at SydneyAnglicans.net.
What’s going on in Sydney?
Sydney Diocesan Synod passed a resolution in October that recognized that it is both legal and desirable for those in deacon’s orders to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. This has raised again the issue of lay people presiding at the Lord’s Supper, which has long been a strongly held view in the Diocese of Sydney.…
– Canon Chris Sugden writes for Evangelicals Now. Read it at Anglican Mainstream.
Anglicanism upside down Down Under? – understanding Lay Administration
“Conservative evangelicals, such as those typically found in Sydney, do not see themselves as bound to tradition as their High Church friends. Indeed, they are more than happy to reject Tradition if they understand it to be contrary to the Scriptures, as they understand Cranmer and his peers felt impelled to do.
It is no surprise that Sydney is a place that, while having a very low rate of usage of the Prayer Book, has a very high allegiance to the 39 Articles and the theology of the Prayer Book.…”
– David Ould explores Sydney thinking on Lay Administration – at Stand Firm.
Free money for new lives
On December 8th 2008, all Australian families who receive Family Tax Benefit A will be given $1000 per child in order to ‘boost the economy’.
Students at Moore College had the idea of challenging Christians to give away half of the ‘free money’ they receive to help care for women who have had an abortion; those who are considering abortion; and also their unborn children. They seek to do this in three specific ways:
- To support and grow Anglicare’s Carramar Early Interventions, a safe-house and support program that cares for young pregnant women in adverse circumstances who want to keep their child.
- To support Women’s Forum Australia, an independent women’s think tank that conducts research, education and public policy development about a range of issues that affect women. WFA brings together women from diverse backgrounds, and works across the usual political and religious divides, to advocate for life affirming, pro-woman alternatives to abortion which would enhance women’s freedom to have their babies.
- To produce a high quality TV style ad campaign showcasing interviews with women who have had abortions and who want to speak out. Distributed via the internet, it will point pregnant women to a website with links to quality pro life counseling services across Australia, and with reliable information on abortion and its alternatives.
It sounds like a great idea. Read all about it at www.freemoneyfornewlives.com.au – and please pass on the link to others.
FiF UK reacts to recent news from Sydney
“Forward in Faith regrets the recent decision of the Synod of the diocese of Sydney with regard to lay and diaconal presidency at the Eucharist, both of which are clearly contrary to the foundational documents of Anglicanism.
It trusts that the Archbishop of Sydney will use those powers available to him to ensure that such innovations are not set forth, in order that further division is not thereby introduced into the life of the Communion.”
– a Statement from Forward in Faith UK.
However, the motion at Sydney Synod simply re-stated the Synod’s long-held opinion. There was no legislation involved. It seems many are reacting to exaggerated media reports. See Jeremy Halcrow’s report at SydneyAnglicans.net
See also George Conger’s article for The Church of England Newspaper.
How others see us: What’s up Down Under?
“The recent decision of the Diocesan Synod of Sydney, in the Anglican Church of Australia, to allow the administration of Holy Communion—i.e., the celebration of the Eucharist—by deacons and eventually laity seems outlandish to many overseas Anglicans. It makes considerably more sense within the context of Australian Anglicanism, which has a very different history than The Episcopal Church (TEC) and its various offshoots (I will get to that later). Australian Anglicanism is exceptionally diverse as a result of that history, and its diversity has led the Anglican Church of Australia to adopt a unique pattern of organization.
Just as some Episcopalians are frustrated when other Anglicans cannot understand TEC’s particular form of synodical governance, so I expect Australians feel when outsiders try to apply their own context to matters Down Under. I write the following as an American outsider, but one who has long been fascinated enough by the local variations on the common Anglican theme to make a study of them. (I hope that any Australians who read this will take the trouble to correct my inevitable mistakes by commenting below.)…”
– A thoughtful piece by Dale Rye in Covenant. (Photo: Covenant.)
Hat tip: Anglican Mainstream.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…