The above image is to be found repeated all over Christians’ homes and other property in territory now controlled by ISIS, the new “Caliphate” established in eastern Syria and northern Iraq, most notably in the Iraqi city of Mosul. The Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Baghdad, Louis Raphael I Sako, explains Suddenly we have been surprised by […]
Next week up to 30,000 people will attend the Hillsong Sydney Conference. That has to make it Sydney’s largest Christian conference. Our family are regular attenders at the excellent CMS Summer School in Katoomba but the numbers there, while still big, are dwarfed by Hillsong. All of this should be great cause for rejoicing. After […]
The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia gathers together in one week’s time in Adelaide. I’ll be there, taking part and trying to keep you all updated on the business and (more interestingly) what’s going on behind the scenes of the business. But the day before General Synod opens, a new Primate for […]
Friends, I’m truly saddened to report to you the news that Bishop John McIntyre of Gippsland passed away this evening at around 8pm. He leaves his widow Jan and three children. John was acknowledged by all who knew him to have a fierce love for and desire to protect those who were marginalised in our society, […]
The Diocese of Bathurst here in Australia is in a financial mess. It’s not easy for any group of churches in numerical decline but it’s pretty common knowledge now that there is a real problem with the (now frozen) bank balances. The background is well worth recounting, although there is no pleasure to be taken […]
I’m a big believer that the church has a responsibility at the right time to speak into matters of public political debate. We do this since we’re a part of the community, just as others are and our voice represents a significant segment of the population. But more than that we presume to know the […]
The above image is to be found repeated all over Christians’ homes and other property in territory now controlled by ISIS, the new “Caliphate” established in eastern Syria and northern Iraq, most notably in the Iraqi city of Mosul. The Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Baghdad, Louis Raphael I Sako, explains Suddenly we have been surprised by […]
Next week up to 30,000 people will attend the Hillsong Sydney Conference. That has to make it Sydney’s largest Christian conference. Our family are regular attenders at the excellent CMS Summer School in Katoomba but the numbers there, while still big, are dwarfed by Hillsong. All of this should be great cause for rejoicing. After […]
The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia gathers together in one week’s time in Adelaide. I’ll be there, taking part and trying to keep you all updated on the business and (more interestingly) what’s going on behind the scenes of the business. But the day before General Synod opens, a new Primate for […]
Friends, I’m truly saddened to report to you the news that Bishop John McIntyre of Gippsland passed away this evening at around 8pm. He leaves his widow Jan and three children. John was acknowledged by all who knew him to have a fierce love for and desire to protect those who were marginalised in our society, […]
The Diocese of Bathurst here in Australia is in a financial mess. It’s not easy for any group of churches in numerical decline but it’s pretty common knowledge now that there is a real problem with the (now frozen) bank balances. The background is well worth recounting, although there is no pleasure to be taken […]
I’m a big believer that the church has a responsibility at the right time to speak into matters of public political debate. We do this since we’re a part of the community, just as others are and our voice represents a significant segment of the population. But more than that we presume to know the […]
I’ve sent this letter. Dear Mrs Bishop, I am the senior minister of an Anglican church in Sydney and wanted to write to you on behalf of our entire church family about the particular pressures now being felt by Christians in the north of Iraq and to encourage you in your response. As you will […]
View Post foreign minister, Iraq, ISIS, Julie Bishop, persecution
The above image is to be found repeated all over Christians’ homes and other property in territory now controlled by ISIS, the new “Caliphate” established in eastern Syria and northern Iraq, most notably in the Iraqi city of Mosul. The Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Baghdad, Louis Raphael I Sako, explains Suddenly we have been surprised by […]
View Post Chaldean Orthodox, christians, Hadith, Iraq, ISIS, islam, jizrah, Mosul, qu'ran, tax
A fascinating article by Muriel Porter in various papers yesterday in response to the recent General Synods in both Australia and the Church of England (where they voted to allow women bishops): And Australia, where there are now five women bishops. Dr Sarah Macneil, the first woman to be in charge of a diocese in […]
View Post Anglican Church of Australia, general synod, muriel porter, women bishopsome great promo material for the Oxygen Conference. You can read the full list of Edwards’ resolutions here, arranged by theme/topic and even buy a copy here.
View Post Jonathan Edwards, Oxygen14, resolutionsThis is well worth getting, and the price is perfect. J.C. Ryle was a prolific writer, vigorous preacher, faithful pastor, husband of three wives, [widowed three times: Matilda died in 1847, Jessie died in 1860, Henrietta died in 1889] and the father to five children [one with Matilta and four with Jessie]. He was thoroughly evangelical in his doctrine and […]
View Post free stuff, J.C. Ryle, MonergismA short stint of me talking about the recent General Synod in Australia begins at 10:54.
View Post Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican Unscripted, general synod
The astute amongst you will have noticed I didn’t get to a “Day 4″ on my General Synod reports. Truth be told, I was just too tired. But now, with a weekend between me and all those long days, I thought it might be helpful to reflect a little on how everything wrapped up and […]
View Post Anglican Church of Australia, Bishop Andrew Curnow, Diocese of Bendigo, evangelical, general synod
Today’s General Synod passed a number of great motions, all aimed at protecting and reaching out to the most marginalised. We agreed on a funding model to support the national church as it responds to the vitally important work of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse. The resources required to cooperate […]
View Post Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islanders, Anglican Church of Australia, asylum seekers, Constitution of Australia, general synod, refugees, Royal Commission into Child Abuse
There was a wonderful moment this evening in Adelaide. A member of General Synod from Canberra gave their maiden speech. It consisted of a set of amendments that were intended to bring clarity of language to a motion being debated. With the precision of a lawyer (despite not being one!) our friend proceeded to correct […]
View Post Anglican Church of Australia, clarity, general synod