GAFCON leadership team meets in Jordan
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.
GAFCON not about Gays
More than 35 members of the Australian contingent to GAFCON gathered in Sydney to hear Archbishop Peter Jensen declare that the conference is about “facing new realities in the (Anglican) communion and turning them into gospel opportunities”. …
– SydneyAnglicans.net has a helpful story on GAFCON – including interviews with Dr. Karin Sowada and the Rev. Craig Roberts by Russell Powell.
Statement from Archbishop Peter Jensen on the Lambeth and Jerusalem conferences
Statement from Archbishop Peter Jensen
6th June 2008
It is not long now before I leave for the Jerusalem Conference. I am immensely grateful for the support and prayers of so many of you. I’m looking forward to meeting with the leaders representing 35 million Anglicans across 27 different countries and it is my hope that God will give us wisdom during our time together. As we look to the future of this great communion of churches, I am praying that we will maintain the highest level of unity possible.
I have just written to the Archbishop of Canterbury to assure him of my prayers for him and for the success of the Lambeth Conference. We have different views on how best to see the future of the Anglican Communion at this time.
But we are at one in seeking its good health and doing what can be done to make sure that the turmoil created by those who have set aside fundamental Christian teaching does not destroy it. On the contrary, our aim should be to see it united as never before in the service of Christ in this world. I am praying that both the Lambeth Conference and the Jerusalem Conference will help achieve that goal. Will you join me in your intercessions?
Latest Australian Church Record online
The publishers of The Australian Church Record have placed their June 2008 edition online. This is issue 1894.
This ACR touches on Lambeth and GAFCON, among other topics.
It’s available now from the Church Record website.
Archbishop Peter Jensen in The Australian
I did something really odd the other day. I looked up the dictionary definition of marriage, just to make sure that my understanding was not too off-line. I was relieved to find that it is called the legal union of a man with a woman for life. It is a public, lifelong and exclusive relationship. There is no hint in the dictionary that the word can extend to two men or two women in a public, lifelong and exclusive relationship.
Of course, dictionaries change to mirror the times, and governments do all sorts of things with words, but changing the definition of marriage would be as fatuous as declaring that Perth is Sydney or that the moon is made of ice cream. We would then need a new word to describe the reality that occurs when a man and a woman publicly promise each other to live in lifelong and exclusive relationship, “in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others so long as you both shall live”. …
– Read the full article in The Australian.
Peter Jensen discusses same-sex law changes
Archbishop Peter Jensen was interviewed yesterday by Eleanor Hall on ABC Radio’s The World Today – on his reaction to changes to federal laws impacting same-sex relationships.
The audio (RealAudio, Windows Media and mp3)and transcript of the segment are now available on the ABC website.
News.com.au also has some coverage.
Statement from Archbishop of Sydney on the protocols regarding women bishops in Australia
As reported previously, protocols regarding women bishops in Australia were discussed at this week’s Bishops’ Conference in Newcastle. The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr. Peter Jensen, has responded in these words –
“I’m pleased that there has been considerable goodwill during the formation of these protocols. Action was needed to protect the consciences of those who believe, as we do, that the consecration of women bishops is against biblical teaching. There are strongly-held convictions which separate us but we have endeavoured to find a way forward with courtesy and respect.”
Archbishop Peter Jensen on ABC Radio’s The Conversation Hour
On Tuesday April 1st 2008, Archbishop Peter Jensen was the guest on ABC Radio’s The Conversation Hour with Richard Fidler.
It’s a fascinating and wide ranging interview, turning to apologetics at the end. It is certainly worth listening to (and pointing your friends to).
While not yet on a page on the ABC’s website, the mp3 file (48MB / 52 minutes) is available for direct download via this link.
Sydney Archbishop warns against occult
In his Easter message this weekend, the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney Dr Peter Jensen has warned of the occult.
The Archbishop is particularly concerned about people using the supernatural to contact deceased loved ones.
Dr Jensen told ABC radio’s AM program there has been a surge of interest non-traditional religions. …
Read the report – and listen to the interview (3 minute / 1.8MB mp3 file) on ABC Radio.
(Photo: Anglican Media Sydney.)
Archbishop Peter Jensen’s Easter Message
Do you believe in ghosts, spirits and such like? I know lots of people do. Even if people come back as ghosts, they are not full people. They are more like memories of people, wisps of humanity.
I know that some of you have been really heartbroken by the loss of a person in your life and you try to contact the person. This is very dangerous – meddling in the occult is never a good idea. Anyway, as the old saying goes, death is so permanent. It is irreversible. We will be joining them, but they’ll not be joining us. Read more
Sir Marcus Loane gives thanks
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.)
The Lambeth Decision: Dean calls briefing on 14th March
‘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?
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…