Nothing like having no electricty to make you appreciate its importance–KSH.
Our coverage of Hurricane Helene is available for free as a public service. Get the latest information about the storm here: https://t.co/ABal4ou7nG pic.twitter.com/KBg1VdVB5b
— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) September 27, 2024
We are back to normal posting mode after taking a break during the later summer for vacation and special projects–KSH.
Sunshine and lower humidity this morning at Surfside Pier. Feels good! 📸 Lisa Rieither #scwx #ncwx pic.twitter.com/VKSqqMTT23
— Ed Piotrowski (@EdPiotrowski) September 3, 2024
As is our custom, we aim to let go of the cares and concerns of this world until Monday and to focus on the great, awesome, solemn and holy events of the next three days. I would ask people to concentrate their comments on the personal, devotional, and theological aspects of these days which will be our focal point here. Many thanks–KSH.
'Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.'
Psalm 90: 1- 2 pic.twitter.com/oH6DISOdry— Westminster Abbey (@wabbey) March 27, 2024
It was a custom on #BoxingDay for tradesmen to collect their “Christmas boxes,” gifts of money or goods. It was also the custom that servants who had waited on during Christmas Day were allowed to visit their families the day after with a box of gifts and confectionery. pic.twitter.com/L6stKwr49t
— HistoryandHeritageYorkshire (@GenealogyBeech) December 26, 2023
We are going to take a break from the Anglican, Religious, Financial, Cultural, and other news until later in the Christmas season to focus from this evening forward on the great miracle of the Incarnation–KSH.
Happy Christmas Eve! Here is the Nativity scene from St Phillip's cathedral, Birmingham, looking extra festive with attendant Christmas tree #StainedGlassSunday pic.twitter.com/I1ir3Lk8Kf
— Dr Naomi (@BooksTeaFilms) December 24, 2023
Blessing and honour, and thanksgiving and praise,
more than we can utter,
more than we can conceive,
be unto thee, O holy and glorious Trinity,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
by all angels, all men, all creatures,
for ever and ever.
To the American community in Northern Ireland and to our colleagues, families and friends at home and across the world, Happy Thanksgiving. pic.twitter.com/1sqOk6FOrA
— US Consulate Belfast (@USAinNI) November 23, 2023
Happy Thanksgiving to all Americans celebrating across the 🇺🇸+🇬🇧! 🍁🦃 pic.twitter.com/6kjHoyRTWP
— U.S. Embassy London (@USAinUK) November 23, 2023
Give us some time to get fully up to speed-KSH.
#labourday morning @summervillesc #chswx #scwx #southcarolina #lowcountrylife #beauty #sunlight #thegiftoflife @EdPiotrowski #laborday2023 pic.twitter.com/TRzo6y06Yv
— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) September 4, 2023
I have been at this blog since the first part of 2003, and it is time to step back. As I am constantly insisting to my friends, none of us is indispensable, and this is a way of living that out by yours truly. Remember I told you I am the type of person who goes to bed every night just a little sad–only a little–about how much I don’t know (and still wish to find out). So moving away from the information addiction for me will not necessarily be easy–but it is important.
Posts will be catch as catch can until I let you know–KSH.
HEBREWS 4
V 1
While the promise of entering HIS rest remains let us fear lest any of you be judged to have failed to reach it
V 4
And GOD rested on the 7th day from all HIS works
V 9
So then there remains a sabbath rest for the people of GOD
V 10
Cease from ur labor as GOD did pic.twitter.com/DZ545x0LbW— Charmaine (@Chef_Charmaine) September 10, 2021
We are going to take a break from the Anglican, Religious, Financial, Cultural, and other news until later in the Christmas season to focus from this evening forward on the great miracle of the Incarnation–KSH.
I like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas & a great New Year!! 🎄🤶😊 xxx #HappyChristmas2022 #Christmas @Bournemouthecho @CorfeCastleUK @StormHour pic.twitter.com/fUQazeTUYM
— Shazz Hooper Photography – Dorset (@DorsetShazz) December 24, 2022
Bear with us as there is much to catch up on, as ever–KSH.
I have been at this blog since the first part of 2003, and it is time to step back. As I am constantly insisting to my friends, none of us is indispensable, and this is a way of living that out by yours truly.Some longtime blog readers may remember how I have mentioned that I am the type of person who goes to bed every night just a little sad–only a little–about how much I don’t know (and still wish to find out). So moving away from the information addiction for me will not necessarily be easy–but it is important.
Posts will be catch as catch can until I let you know–KSH.
Absolutely Gorgeous Golden Sunset Adorns Beautiful Lake Champlain in Burlington Vermont… 🌅 ⛵️ 🌲😍 pic.twitter.com/mX4O9V9UKi
— Gary (@DJGARYNH) July 26, 2021
As you no doubt guessed, we are on an August break so posting will be sporadic.
As is our custom, we aim to let go of the cares and concerns of this world until Monday and to focus on the great, awesome, solemn and holy events of the next three days. I would ask people to concentrate their comments on the personal, devotional, and theological aspects of these days which will be our focal point here. Many thanks–KSH.
#MaundyThursday is a medieval anglicisation of opening lines of service for the day, ‘mandatum novum’ – ‘new commandment’ (John 13:34) pic.twitter.com/4v1pxShHmw
— Amy Jeffs (@amyjeffs0) April 13, 2017
I had a family trip to attend the youngest daughter’s White Coat ceremony at Veterinary School, during which I got some kind of nasty lower gi bug from which I am still recovering. So bear with us as the blog gears back up–KSH.
ORANGEBURG, S.C. (November 19, 2018) – Today, in the Orangeburg County Courthouse the honorable Edgar W. Dickson, heard arguments from the Diocese of South Carolina and the Episcopal Church on motions directed to the ruling of the South Carolina Supreme Court.
The judge began by asking, “Who thinks this case will be resolved today?” When one person in the courtroom raised a hand the judge indicated he hoped they were pulling for South Carolina in their upcoming game against Clemson, and concluded, “Six judges have heard this case. I’m number seven. I hope that’s a lucky number.”
While five motions are presently before the court, Judge Dickson said, “the motion I’m most interested in” is the issue of what he has to decide.
Alan Runyan argued for the Diocese that given the lack of clarity in the five separate opinions, Judge Dickson had to first decide, what, if anything, the Supreme Court decided. The slide presentation summarizing his argument may be found here. Mr Runyan noted at the beginning of his argument that the last statements by half the Supreme Court were that “We have given little to no coherent guidance in this case” and “The Court’s collective opinions give rise to great uncertainty” in “this matter of great importance.”
Tom Tisdale, counsel for TECSC and Mary Kostel, Counsel for TEC, presented their arguments which essentially repeated their prior assertions that “the decision has been made,” by the South Carolina Supreme Court, and all that was left was enforcement of the results.
It was obvious that Judge Dickson had problems with the argument that it is clear what the Supreme Court decided.
Addressing Mr. Tisdale, he asked, “How many times have you seen a Supreme Court decision with five separate opinions?” Mr. Tisdale acknowledged that it had never happened in the history of the court.
When counsel for TEC continued to assert that the result was clear, the judge replied, “Like through a glass darkly.”
In commenting on the present ruling he observed, “Usually when I get something remitted it’s clear what I’m supposed to do.” In this case, however, interpreting the Supreme Court ruling will entail “trying to ferret out what they meant.”
In concluding he observed, “I have to decide and whatever is decided will be appealed by one side or the other.”
The Judge indicated he would be sending follow up questions by email for both sides.
The official commission for dialogue between the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches has published its first document in 13 years, focusing on how each global institution can learn from the other in balancing exercise of ecclesial authority at the local, regional and worldwide levels.
Among the considerations in the 68-page report, released July 2, are questions of how the Catholic Church might learn from the Anglican experience to empower local church leaders to act more independently from Rome at times, and to give more governing authority to consultative bodies such as the Synod of Bishops.
“The Roman Catholic Church can learn from the culture of open and frank debate that exists at all levels of the Anglican Communion,” the members of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission state in one of the conclusions of their document, titled: “Walking Together on the Way: Learning to Be the Church — Local, Regional, Universal.”
“The Anglican practice of granting a deliberative role to synods and of investing authority in regional instruments of communion indicates that the Synod of Bishops could be granted a deliberative role and further suggests the need for the Roman Catholic Church to articulate more clearly the authority of episcopal conferences,” the document continues.
From here:
Today’s order list from the United States Supreme Court brings the sad news that the Court voted to deny certiorari (review) in the case of Bishop Mark Lawrence and the parishes of the Diocese of South Carolina. This means that no four justices considered the case important enough to have the Court’s full attention, and says volumes about the secular makeup of our current Court. (Or it could be telling us that the justices of the Supreme Court are better followers of St. Paul’s advice on litigation than are most Episcopalians, Methodists and Presbyterians! Six of them are Roman Catholic, after all.)
It also means that the impossibly fractured, highly partisan and irresponsible decision of the court below will stand in infamy as possibly the worst application of so-called “neutral principles” on record. But that the Supreme Court chose to do nothing about the legacy that Harry Blackmun gave us says that it has disowned its responsibility for that doctrine, and in the future will mean that churches can expect no fair treatment of their property issues in the secular courts.
As, always, therefore, St Paul is vindicated yet again. And ECUSA gets just what it always wanted: a servient South Carolina of its own, with no regard whatsoever for the centuries of history that built the heritage it betrays today. By watching what the Episcopal Church and its minions do with the treasure that has been handed over to them, the rest of the Christian world will learn the nature of the god which Episcopalians today truly worship.
+ GAFCON Chairman’s October 2016 Letter (October 31, 2016 at 11:31 pm)
+ Evangelicals write to CofE Bishops about their plans to depart from the faith (October 17, 2016 at 2:37 pm)
+ Communiqué from the 6th Global South Conference (October 8, 2016 at 8:15 am)
+ Scottish Anglican Network statement on amendment of Scottish Episcopal Church’s marriage canon (June 12, 2016 at 3:58 pm)
+ Diocese of Akure, Nigeria dissociates from the Diocese of Liverpool over TEC SSB Bishop appointment (June 6, 2016 at 12:47 pm)
+ Archbishop Okoh’s GAFCON Chairman’s June 2016 Pastoral Letter to the Anglican faithful (June 4, 2016 at 8:00 am)
This post is ‘STICKY’ – new posts are below.
Please remember Bishop John Ellison in your prayers: [George Conger] Border-crossing charges filed against British Bishop
Here are the links to posts that have been recently featured at the top of the blog or on topical issues.
Top of the pile
+ A Christmas 2015 Pastoral Letter from the Chairman of the GAFCON Primates Council (December 22, 2015)
+ (GAFCON) The Anglican Communion is at a Crossroads (December 18, 2015)
+ (AI) Archbishop Eliud Wabukala-What is at stake in Canterbury when the Primates come in January 2016 (December 18, 2015 )
+ Communiqué of the Global South Primates Cairo, Egypt 14-16th October 2015 (October 18, 2015)
+ The Archbishop of Canterbury calls for a new Primates’ Gathering (September 16, 2015)
+ GAFCON Chairman’s July – August Pastoral Letter (August 6, 2015)
+ CofE – Porter: Shared Conversations will lead to CofE Synod Same Sex Legislation Change in February 2017 (July 28, 2015)
+ TEC Same Sex Marriage Rites – [ACI] The New Episcopal Church: What Hath General Convention 2015 Wrought? (July 27, 2015)
+ TEC Conflicts – Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth: Judgment concludes trial-court phase (July 25, 2015)
+ TEC Conflicts – A S Haley: Final Judgment in Fort Worth Case (July 25, 2015)
+ Statement from the International Catholic Congress of Anglicans (July 17, 2015)
+ Talks from the International Catholic Congress of Anglicans – Fort Worth July 13th to 17th (July 14, 2015)
+ CofE General Synod 10th to 13th July 2015 Links (July 10, 2015)
+ Reform Statement on the Archbishop of York (July 9, 2015)
+ Reply Brief Filed by Diocese of South Carolina in SC Supreme Court (July 6, 2015)
+ CofE Evangelical Council Issues Call to Prayer for Leadership Repentance and Faithfulness (July 3, 2015)
+ Statement from the Diocese of South Carolina on Today’s Supreme Court Obergefell v. Hodges Ruling (June 26, 2015)
+ GAFCON Chairman’s June Pastoral Letter (June 25, 2015)
+ Statement from the Archbishop of York (June 23, 2015)
+ [ACI] Mark McCall: Good Order And The Re-Definition of Marriage (June 22, 2015)
+ Sunday’s Sermon from Emanuel AME Church in Charleston SC (June 21, 2015)
+ WOW””A Steven Curtis Chapman song for Charleston South Carolina (June 20, 2015)
+ Dylann Roof Bond Hearing. Victims Address Charleston Shooter In Court With Forgiveness (June 19, 2015)
+ A Call to Prayer from the Bishops in South Carolina (June 19, 2015)
+ Bishop Mark Lawrence Calls for Prayer in Wake of Mass Shooting; Services Today (June 18, 2015)
+ Please Pray””Horrific Charleston SC Shooting Incident kills 9 at AME Church (June 18, 2015)
+ Diocese of South Carolina Files Reply Brief with the South Carolina Supreme Court (June 16, 2015)
+ Diocese of South Carolina’s PR on TEC’s ”˜Spurious’ Offer to Settle (June 16, 2015)
+ SEEF Members’ Statement: Response to General Synod Marriage Decision (June 14, 2015)
+ Gadget Vicar: SEC General Synod – Moving the Boundary Stones (June 12, 2015)
+ A S Haley””The Episcopal Church is Making a Mishmash of Marriage (Part III) (June 9, 2015)
+ [ACI] Excluding Your Enemy: A Comment on the Present State of the Episcopal Church (June 9, 2015)
+ Statement from the Russian Orthodox Church on the Church of Scotland Decision (June 8, 2015)
+ A S Haley””The Episcopal Church is Making a Mishmash of Marriage (Part II) (June 5, 2015)
+ A S Haley””The Episcopal Church is Making a Mishmash of Marriage (Part I) (June 3, 2015)
+ Episcopal Church Polity: A S Haley””How much is the Episcopal Church Really Spending in its Litigation War? (May 30, 2015 )
+ Anglican Communion: GAFCON Chairman’s Pentecost Letter 2015 (May 23, 2015)
+ South Carolina: Bishop of Province of S America Reassures SC Diocese that It’s Part of Anglican Communion (May 22, 2015)
+ South Carolina: Presiding Bishop Tito Zavala Meets with South Carolina Diocesan Council (May 22, 2015)
+ Episcopal Church Polity: ACI: Misrepresenting ACI’s Concerns About The Constitutionality of [New] Liturgical Material (Apr 21, 2015)
+ Episcopal Church Polity: [ACI] The Episcopal Church and the New Episcopal Church (Apr 20, 2015)
+ Anglican Communion: [Andrew Symes] on Shared Conversations: “Not enough conservatives; theology too liberal” (May 4, 2015)
+ Anglican Communion: Martin Davie: Grace and Disagreement – [Justin Welby’s Shared Conversations on Sexual Immorality] (May 1, 2015)
+ Episcopal Church Polity: [ACI] What Then Shall We Do? A Note on the upcoming General Convention of the Episcopal Church (April 30, 2015)
Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion: GAFCON Chairman’s Pentecost Letter 2015 (May 23, 2015)
[Andrew Symes] on Shared Conversations: “Not enough conservatives; theology too liberal” (May 4, 2015)
Martin Davie: Grace and Disagreement – [Justin Welby’s Shared Conversations on Sexual Immorality] (May 1, 2015)
[Andrew Symes] Shared Conversations begin; an evangelical Bishop steps back (April 29, 2015)
[Bishop Bill Atwood] Some Commentary on the GAFCON Communique (April 29, 2015)
[Cranmer] Westminster Abbey acknowledges Mohammed in succession of prophets (April 28, 2015)
[George Conger] Border-crossing charges filed against British Bishop (Apr 27, 2015)
Bishop John Ellison Interviewed in 2009 and 2010 (Apr 24, 2015)
Archbishop of Canterbury preaches at Anglican cathedral in Cairo (Apr 23, 2015)
(AM) James Paice””Anglican unity and diversity: centrifugal or centripetal? (Apr 23, 2015)
Anglican Unscripted Episode 173 – GAFCON in the News (Apr 23, 2015)
A BBC Radio 4 Sunday Programme on the Gafcon Primates Council meeting w/ Archbp Peter Jensen (Apr 21, 2015)
ATV Interviews Archbishop Jensen (Apr 20, 2015)
GAFCON Primates Communique (Apr 17, 2015)
Andrew Symes: Sexuality is irrelevant to Christian witness, says Archbishop (Apr 08, 2015)
Anglican Unscripted 171: The End of the ACC? (Apr 8, 2015)
Bishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon: The Instruments of Unity and the Way Forward [+Transcript] (Apr 06, 2015)
The GAFCON Chairman’s Easter Pastoral Letter (April 6, 2015)
Nigerian bishop to be the Anglican Communion’s next Secretary General (April 2, 2015)
TEC Same Sex Marriage Rites
+ [ACI] The New Episcopal Church: What Hath General Convention 2015 Wrought? (July 27, 2015)
+ Bp Mouneer Anis’s statement regarding the US Supreme Court Ruling for same-sex marriage (July 10, 2015)
+ Church of Uganda’s response to TEC’s General Convention and USA Supreme Court decision (July 7, 2015)
+ Reform: Response to the US Episcopal Church Resolution on Marriage (July 7, 2015)
+ GAFCON Primates’ Council: TEC decision ”˜a mistake with serious consequences’ (July 6, 2015)
+ Statement from the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas (July 5, 2015)
+ Statement by the Central American and Communion Partner Bishops (July 2, 2015)
+ Global South Statement on TEC marriage vote””“we are deeply grieved again” (July 2, 2015)
+ (Wash Post) TEC approves religious weddings for same-sex couples after controversial debate (July 2, 2015)
+ A.S. Haley””TEC Bishops Bless Blasphemy at General Convention (July 1, 2015)
+ AU 190 – Canterbury not happy with TEC Same-sex Marriage Actions (June 30, 2015)
+ Archbishop of Canterbury response to US Episcopal Church Resolution on Marriage (June 30, 2015)
+ Bp Dan Martins reports on the TEC HOB Marriage Decision (June 30, 2015)
+ [ACI] Mark McCall: Good Order And The Re-Definition of Marriage (June 22, 2015)
Episcopal Church Polity
[ACI] Mark McCall: Good Order And The Re-Definition of Marriage (June 22, 2015)
A S Haley””The Episcopal Church is Making a Mishmash of Marriage (Part III) (June 9, 2015)
[ACI] Excluding Your Enemy: A Comment on the Present State of the Episcopal Church (June 9, 2015)
A S Haley””The Episcopal Church is Making a Mishmash of Marriage (Part II) (June 5, 2015)
A S Haley””The Episcopal Church is Making a Mishmash of Marriage (Part I) (June 3, 2015)
A S Haley””How much is the Episcopal Church Really Spending in its Litigation War? (May 30, 2015 )
[ACI] What Then Shall We Do? A Note on the upcoming General Convention of the Episcopal Church, (April 30, 2015)
AS Haley: When Is a Church Not a Church? When It’s a Debt Collector (April 29, 2015)
ACI: Misrepresenting ACI’s Concerns About The Constitutionality of [New] Liturgical Material (Apr 21, 2015)
[ACI] The Episcopal Church and the New Episcopal Church (Apr 20, 2015)
Episcopal Clergy: Is This Any Longer a Church One Wants To Join? (March 24, 2015)
A.S. Haley””Annual Litigation Survey for the Episcopal Church (USA) 2015 (Feb 24, 2015)
South Carolina
Reply Brief Filed by Diocese of South Carolina in SC Supreme Court (July 6, 2015)
Diocese of South Carolina Files Reply Brief with the South Carolina Supreme Court (June 16, 2015)
Diocese of South Carolina’s PR on TEC’s ”˜Spurious’ Offer to Settle (June 16, 2015)
South Carolina: Presiding Bishop Tito Zavala Meets with South Carolina Diocesan Council (May 22, 2015)
Leaders from the Diocese of South Carolina and ACNA Meet at St. Christopher (April 30, 2015 )
(Diocese of South Carolina) Motion for Rehearing Denied; Ruling Not Based on Merits of Case (April 30, 2015)
Canon Jim Lewis””A South Carolina Legal Update as Supreme Court to hear the case (Apr 16, 2015)
South Carolina Supreme Court to Hear Appeal of Diocese of SC decision by new TEC Diocese (Apr 16, 2015)
A S Haley””Federal Appeals Court Returns Trademark Action to South Carolina District Court (April 1, 2015)
A Breath of Fresh Air; 224th South Carolina Diocesan Convention Emphasizes Moving Forward (March 23, 2015)
Bishop Lawrence Mark Lawrence’s Address to the 224th Convention of the Diocese of South Carolina (March 14, 2015)
South Carolina: Emanuel AME
Sunday’s Sermon from Emanuel AME Church in Charleston SC (June 21, 2015 )
WOW””A Steven Curtis Chapman song for Charleston South Carolina (June 20, 2015)
Dylann Roof Bond Hearing. Victims Address Charleston Shooter In Court With Forgiveness (June 19, 2015)
A Call to Prayer from the Bishops in South Carolina (June 19, 2015)
Bishop Mark Lawrence Calls for Prayer in Wake of Mass Shooting; Services Today (June 18, 2015)
Please Pray””Horrific Charleston SC Shooting Incident kills 9 at AME Church (June 18, 2015)
Supreme Court Marriage Ruling
+ Statement from the Diocese of South Carolina on Today’s Supreme Court Obergefell v. Hodges Ruling (June 26, 2015)
+ Dr. D.A. Carson on the recent Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage (Audio) (July 5, 2015)
+ Al Mohler on the Supreme Court Decision””Everything Has Changed and Nothing Has Changed (July 1, 2015)
+ ACNA Bishops’ Statement on Supreme Court Ruling (June 26, 2015)
+ President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Statement on Marriage+ the Supreme Court Case (June 26, 2015)
+ Prominent Evangelicals issue “Here We Stand: An Evangelical Declaration on Marriage” Statement (June 26, 2015)
+ Washington Post Article on the US Supreme Court Same-Sex Marriage Decision (June 26, 2015)
+ Supreme Court Ruling in (June 26, 2015)
US
Al Mohler: Supreme Court Argument on Same-Sex Marriage Puts Religious Liberty in Jeopardy (April 29, 2015)
[Canon Phil Ashey] Article 19: As the Church Hath Erred (Apr 25, 2015)
The Defense of Marriage and the Right of Religious Freedom: Reaffirming A Shared Witness (Apr 24, 2015)
Robin Jordan””ACNA: a Church for All Conservative North American Anglicans? (Apr 24, 2015)
ACNA’s Bill Atwood””Being Gospel People (Apr 20, 2015)
UK
CofE Evangelical Council Issues Call to Prayer for Leadership Repentance and Faithfulness (July 3, 2015)
Statement from the Archbishop of York (June 23, 2015)
SEEF Members’ Statement: Response to General Synod Marriage Decision (June 14, 2015)
Gadget Vicar: SEC General Synod – Moving the Boundary Stones (June 12, 2015)
[Andrew Symes] Shared Conversations begin; an evangelical Bishop steps back (April 29, 2015)
(Ch Times) Bishop Broadbent rounds on the critics of Reform and Renewal (Apr 21, 2015)
(Church Times) Alister McGrath””Above all the church needs her clergy to be theologians (Apr 19, 2015)
Churchwide
([L] Times Leader) Ethiopian Christians are the latest victims of an expanding reign of terror (Apr 20, 2015)
(Lent and Beyond) A Compilation of 70 Favorite Easter and Eastertide Hymns (Apr 19, 2015)
Kendall Harmon””The Compelling Verbs of Easter (Apr 07, 2015)
One Way Out of the Cul de Sac – Bishop Mark Lawrence offers more Thoughts for Easter (Apr 07, 2015)
An Easter Message from South Carolina Bishop Mark Lawrence (Apr 06, 2015)
The Passion of Jesus 2015 (April 5)
T19 Login problems solved (March 31, 2015)
As is our custom, we aim to let go of the cares and concerns of this world until Monday and to focus on the great, awesome, solemn and holy events of the next three days. I would ask people to concentrate their comments on the personal, devotional, and theological aspects of these days which will be our focal point here. Many thanks–KSH.
Good news! For those who have been having problems logging in to T19, the login problem is now fixed. (The login had to be temporarily disabled because of serious spam attacks against the site.) The login link in the upper right hand corner of the home page should now work fine. (You may need to refresh the page in your browser). In case of continued problems, try this link: http://new.kendallharmon.net/wp-content/uploads/index.php/t19_member/login/
We thank our readers for your patience in recent weeks while this problem was being solved.
Christ-St Paul’s, Yonges Island
Available Now – [see the link immediately below for full listing]:
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for March 29th
+ Our Inheritance ”“ Dr Ashley Null [Cranmer and the Mission of the Church]
+ Sermons from St Helena’s, Beaufort, SC
+ Prayers for South Carolina – Lent and Beyond
+ Prayers for the Church of England
+ Prayers for the Ebola Crisis – Lent and Beyond
+ Prayers for Iraq – Lent and Beyond
From March 22nd 2015
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for March 22nd
+ My God, My God why has Thou Forsaken me – Dr Kendall Harmon
From March 15th 2015
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for March 15th
+ God’s Big Picture: an overview of the Bible, showing how the different parts of the Bible fit together under the theme of the kingdom of God – Vaughan Roberts
From March 8th 2015
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for March 8th
+ CS Lewis: ‘A Prophet for Contemporary Christianity’ – Professor Alister McGrath – LICC Video
+ Why Do You Worry? – Vaughan Roberts [Luke 12:22-34]
From March 1st 2015
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for March 1st
+ ”˜Father Forgive them for they know not what they do’ – Dr Kendall Harmon
From February 22nd 2015
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for February 22nd
+ When only the deepest reality will do – Os Guinness [Exodus 33:7-23]
+ Oxford’s Questions on Science and Faith – Alister McGrath [mp3]
+ Choral Evensong from St John’s College, Cambridge
From February 15th 2015
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for February 15th
+ God’s Plan for Human Relationship and Marriage ”“ Bishop Tom Wright at Humanum 2014
+ Beautiful Feet – Bishop Ken Clark at St Philip’s Charleston [Isaiah 52:7 and Romans 10:15]
+ Stephen at the Sanhedrin ”“ Vaughan Roberts [Acts 6:8-8:1]
+ The John Stott London Lecture 2014: Double Listening ”“ Alister McGrath
+ Choral Evensong from St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle
From February 8th 2015
[There will be no general links this week – please pray for the Diocese of South Carolina and for the Church of England]
From February 1st 2015
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for February 1st
+ Epiphany Carol Service with the Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge
+ Sunday Service from Lisburn Cathedral, Antrim in Northern Ireland
+ Peter at the Sanheddrin [Acts 4:8-12] – Vaughan Roberts
+ Serving God’s Purpose in our Generation – Os Guinness
+ Living with Your Back to the Audience – Dean Justin Terry
+ In the Beginning – Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali
+ God knows us Better than We Know Ourselves (John 1:43-51) – Dr Kendall Harmon
From January 25th 2015
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for January 25th
+ God knows us Better than We Know Ourselves (John 1:43-51) – Dr Kendall Harmon
From January 18th 2015
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for January 18th
+ Listening to God [Luke 10:38-42] – William Taylor
+ Epiphany: Where are you Going? (Matthew 2:1-12) – Dr Kendall Harmon
From January 11th 2015
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for January 11th
+ Epiphany: Where are you Going? (Matthew 2:1-12) – Dr Kendall Harmon
+ What about the stars? [Matthew 2:1-12] ”“ Bishop Rennis Ponniah
From January 4th 2015
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for January 4th
+ Jeffrey Miller’s Sermon for Christmas 2014””Will You Miss Christmas This Year?
+ Peter Moore””Did Jesus have to be born of a Virgin? Rethinking the Virgin Birth
+ Christmas and New Year Messages
+ Christmas on T19
+ Blog Open Thread: How, Where and With Whom are You Spending Christmas 2014?
+ London Fireworks 2015
From December 28th
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for December 28th
+ Christmas Eve Sermon – Bishop Mark Lawrence [Luke 2:1-20]
+ Jesus, God’s Indescribable Gift of Love ”“ Bishop Rennis Ponniah [Matthew 1]
From December 21st
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for December 21st
+ Sermon from a Service of Hope and Prayer – Archbishop Glenn Davies
+ How God Restores His Purpose – Bishop Raphael Samuel of Bolivia at Holy Comforter, Sumter, SC
+ St John the Baptist and the danger of cheap grace – Dr Kendall Harmon
+ Advent Links from Lent and Beyond
+ More Advent Links
+ Advent Carol Service from St John’s College, Cambridge
+ Advent Carol Service from Trinity College, Cambridge
From December 14th
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for December 14th
+ St John the Baptist and the danger of cheap grace – Dr Kendall Harmon
+ The Theology of Joy: N. T. Wright with Miroslav Volf ”“ Yale Video
+ 4 Talks from Professor John Lennox on Discipleship in Daniel: Standing Strong for God in a Secular Society
+ Identity and Integrity [Daniel 1-2]
+ Revelation and Reason [Daniel 3-5]
+ Power and Truth [Daniel 6-12]
From December 7th
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for December 7th
+ Sermons from Christ St Pauls on Advent Conspiracy and James
+ Children of the Light ”“ Vaughan Roberts
+ Approved by God ”“ Richard Bewes
+ Alister McGrath interviewed by J John
+ Choral Evensong from Westminster Abbey
From November 30th
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for November 30th
+ Advent Carol Service from St John’s College, Cambridge
+ Advent Carol Service from Trinity College, Cambridge
From November 23rd
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for November 23rd
+ Dr Kendall Harmon – Money Talks, what does our use of God’s money say?
+ Choral Matins from the Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace with the Bishop of London
From November 16th
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for November 16th
+ Bishop Mouneer Anis – How shall we wait for the Lord to come? [1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and Matthew 25:1-13]
+ Choral Evensong from Durham Cathedral
From November 9th
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for November 9th
+ Dr Kendall Harmon – Sermon for All Saints Sunday and Study Guide
Talks from the South Carolina Clergy Conference with Bishop Ken Clarke:
+ The Double Vision of Jesus with an introduction from Bishop Mark Lawrence
+ Failure is not Final
+ Do you love me?
+ Sermon from Rev Mike Lumpkin
From November 2nd
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for November 2nd
+ Bishop Mark Lawrence’s sermon at the dedication of Chr/St. Paul’s new Building, All Saints Day 2008
From October 26th
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for October 26th
+ Canon Kendall Harmon – Wrestling with the problem of Prejudice [James 2]
+ Bishop Rennis Ponniah – Let Jesus heal the way we see [Luke 10:25-37]
+ Professor Alister McGrath preaches using Tolkein from Merton College Oxford
From October 19th
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for October 19th
+ J John – What it means to be a Christian
+ Choral Evensong from Truro Cathedral
From October 12th
+ Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for October 12th
+ Professor Christopher Seitz: The Wedding Banquet
+ Rev Prebendary Charles Marnham: The Power of the Gospel [2 Corinthians 4:1-9 and 5:11-21]
+ Marks of a Christian – 6 Summer talks from the Cathedral of St Luke and St Paul
+ Choral Evensong from Winchester College Chapel
From October 5th
Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for October 5th
+ Dr Peter Moore – Finding God in our transitions and text
+ Vaughan Roberts – Belief and unbelief
+ Sept 29 ”“ Oct 5: A week of prayer for the Ebola Crisis – Lent and Beyond
From September 28th
Sunday Services, Talks and Resources for September 28th
+ St Michael’s Charleston 250th Clock and Bells Celebration from here
+ Choral Evensong from Derby Cathedral
From September 21st
Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
+ Dr Kendall Harmon – The Book of James: Trials [James 1]
+ Bishop Rennis Ponniah – What counts with God
From September 14th
Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
Bishop Rennis Ponniah – Let the Children Come [Matthew 19 and Proverbs 2]
+ Bishop Mark Lawrence Calls for Fasting+Praying for the Persecuted Church September 14-15
From September 7th
Dr Kendall Harmon – Thinking about work from a Christian perspective – a Labor Day Sermon
Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From August 31st
Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
+ Lecture 4 on the Sons of Zebedee: Called to Fish for People – Richard Bauckham – Video [mp4] and Audio [mp3]
+ Lecture 5: Sons of Thunder – Video [mp4] and Audio [mp3]
+ Lecture 6: Jerusalem – Video [mp4] and Audio [mp3] – h/t Peter Carrell
From August 24th
+ Service from this year’s Keswick Convention with Ravi Zacharias and Stuart Townend
+ Father Terry Tee: Homily on Matthew 16.13-20
+ The Shepherd – Mark Meynell [Psalm 23 & 1Sam16-17]
+ More of Mark Meynell’s talks on the Psalms of David
+ Lecture 2 on the Sons of Zebedee: The Fishing Industry – Richard Bauckham – Video [mp4] and Audio [mp3]
+ Lecture 3: Zebedee and Sons – Video [mp4] and Audio [mp3] – h/t Peter Carrell
+ Call to Prayer and Prayer Resource for those Suffering in the Middle East – Sunday August 24
Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From August 17th
+ St Paul in Athens – Michael Green [Acts 17:16-34]
+ The Sons of Zebedee: Two Galilean Fishermen – Richard Bauckham – Video [mp4] or Audio [mp3] h/t Peter Carrell
+ The Uniqueness of Christ in a Multi-Faith World – Ravi Zacharias
+ My Journey to Christ – Nabeel Qureshi
+ What is the Hope for Humanity? – NT Wright and Ross Douthat
Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From August 10th
Charlie Hughes – How Christianity Came to the Maori people
William Taylor – Human Wickedness and the Grace of God [Genesis 34:1-31]
Jonathan Redfearn – How to pray effectively [James 5]
text
Canon Andrew White speaks to BBC Newsnight
Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From August 3rd
Bishop Rennis Ponniah – Do not drift, Do not withdraw – Finish the Race [Hebrews 12:1-3]
Dr Kendall Harmon – The Kingdom of God, Power to Grow, and Change [Matthew 13]
Prayers for South Carolina – Lent and Beyond
Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From July 27th
What is the future for Iraq’s Christians? – Canon Andrew White Interview
Mosul Christian: Thanks for Changing Your #WeAreN Photo – Christianity Today
Sunday Service from the Buxton Festival with Mozart’s Missa Brevis in B flat
Prayer for South Carolina
Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From July 20th
Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From July 13th
A night of worship and testimony with Archbishop Benjamin & Gloria Kwashi at Christ St Pauls SC
More Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From July 6th
A New Prayer for South Carolina – Lent and Beyond
Archbishop Ben Kwashi – Jesus Calls us to Discipleship [Matthew 10]
Archbishop Peter Jensen – The Final Authority [2 Peter 1]
Vaughan Roberts – Called to change the world [Matthew 5:13-16]
Videos of talks from the ACNA Assembly
The bells of York Minster
More Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From June 29th
Archbishop Ben and Gloria Kwashi at the ACNA Assembly
Will this world see Jesus Christ again? ”“ Professor John Lennox [2 Peter 1:16-21] MP3
More Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From June 22nd
Dr. Kendall Harmon – Trinity Sunday: Who is Jesus to You? [Luke 3]
Bishop Grant LeMarquand – Making Biblical Anglicans for a Global Age: Relationally [Acts 16:11-15] speaking at Church of Our Saviour, John’s Island
Dr John Yates II ”“ Trinity School for Ministry Commencement Address [1 Peter 5]
More Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From June 15th
And he said, put out into the deep water…” – Bishop Mark Lawrence preaching at Trinity School for Ministry [Luke 5:1-5]
Pentecost Sunday Sermon – Bishop Mouneer Anis in Singapore [Acts 2, Psalm 104]
More Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From June 8th
Ascension Sunday Sermon – Dr Kendall Harmon
Father Nigel Mumford talks about his call to healing ministry
More Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From June 1st
Why do the innocent suffer? ”“ Vaughan Roberts [Job 1-3]
The Historical Reliability of the Gospel of St Luke ”“ Dr Peter Williams of Tyndale House [Luke 1:1-24:53]
Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From May 25th
Never Forget – Dr Peter Walker
A Convergent Dichotomy: the Axioms and Implications of Science – Professor John Lennox
Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From May 18th
Take Courage, I AM, Fear Not – Dr Kendall Harmon – Matthew 14
The God who cares ”“ why should we bother? ”“ Rev Hugh Palmer ”“ All Souls, Langham Place – Psalm 73
Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From May 11th
The Road Home – Bishop Ferran Glenfield of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardaugh (Ireland) visiting Church of the Cross, Bluffton
Zacchaeus met Jesus [Luke 19:10] ”“ Bishop Mike Hill at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Singapore
Sharing in Christ’s Suffering and Glory ”“ Canon Andrew White ”“ Wheaton College Chapel – Video MP4
or audio MP3 download
Holy Communion from Down Cathedral, Downpatrick – Preacher: Bishop Harold Millar
Choral Evensong from Tewkesbury Abbey
More Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From May 4th
A Sermon on the Resurrection by Dr Kendall Harmon
Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From April 27th
Jesus is Risen ”“ The New Creation has begun ”“ Bishop Rennis Ponniah ”“ St Andrews Singapore [John 20]
Easter Day Sermon ”“ Bishop Paul Barnett ”“ St Helena’s Beaufort
More Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From April 6th
Do the Work of an Evangelist – Bishop Mark Lawrence
More Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From March 30th
God upholds human dignity – Bishop Henry Orombi – St Andrew’s Cathedral Singapore [Psalms 8:1-9 John 8:1-11 and John 3:16-17]
The Woman at the Well – Bishop Mark Lawrence [John 4]
The Astounding Authority of Jesus – Dr Kendall Harmon (Luke 4:31-44)
More Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From March 9th
Go Up The Mountain Of Transfiguration ”“ Bishop Rennis Ponniah
The prophets speak God’s truth and declare a coming savior – Craig N. Borrett
Three excellent talks by Roger Carswell, evangelist, at All Souls, Langham Place:
Real Lives 1 [Luke 24:36-53]
Real Lives 2 [Luke 15:11-32]
The Death of Jesus Christ [Matthew 27:45-56]
More Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
From March 2nd:
Bishop FitzSimons Allison: The god within versus the God of our fathers
Dr Kendall Harmon’s Sermon: Psalms of the Savior [Ps 69]
Dr Peter C. Moore: “They Changed Their World ”“ Thomas Cranmer”
More Sunday Services, Talks and Resources
It’s become evident in recent days that a significant number of readers are having problems logging in to T19 (unable to login). The problem has even affected the elves (though we have a super-secret emergency login process which we can use as a work-around. Sadly, this emergency log in process is not available to mere mortals) 😉
Research and attempts to solve the problems on the part of the elves have failed. (Sob.) So, we’ve notified our Tech friends. Hopefully the problem can be solved soon.
Our sincerest apologies to all who have been inconvenienced by this problem and for the length of time it took us to realize the extent of the problem.
Read the remarks of Bishop William White, generally recognized as the leading founder of PECUSA, as I reported them in this earlier post (with my bold, again):
. . . And there appeared [at that more general meeting in October 1784] Deputies, not only from the said three States, but also from others, with the view of consulting on the exigency of the Church. The greater number of these Deputies were not vested with powers for the binding of their constituents; and therefore, although they called themselves a Convention . . . yet they were not an organized body. They did not consider themselves as such; and their only act was, the issuing of a recommendation to the churches in the several States, to unite under a few articles to be considered as fundamental.
Moreover, at pages 6-7 the motion again reverses temporal order: “The Diocese [of South Carolina] came into existence as the Diocese when TEC’s Constitution was adopted in 1789.” This claim is metaphysical, not legal — if the Diocese did not have any legal existence before its authorized representatives signed ECUSA’s Constitution in 1789, then how could their signatures on the Constitution have been authorized? And why did they sign as “Lay Deputies from the State of South Carolina” if the Diocese (i.e., “State”) did not yet exist? (The “State of South Carolina” [in the political sense] was not the entity forming PECUSA. The word “State” was also used in an ecclesiastical sense, as the predecessor to the later word “Diocese” — which began to be used after the State of New York split into two “Dioceses” in 1839.)
The motion goes right on inventing new facts and claiming them to be true….
For more recent stories & commentary on the South Carolina Circuit Court Ruling, see here.
Updated 2 March 2015
Here are links to entries that were recently featured (stickied at the top of the blog) regarding the Diocese of South Carolina Legal Ruling.
Last two weeks:
South Carolina Dorchester County Judge Diane Goodstein Reaffirms Ruling Against TEC (Feb 23)
A S Haley on TEC reconsideration motion””Judge Goodstein: “We, not You, Get to Say What Is Ours” (Feb 14)
Slightly older entries::
Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein rules in favor of Dio. of South Carolina in case vs TEC/TECSC (Feb 3)
South Carolina Circuit Court Rules Diocese Keeps Historic Property (Feb 3)
A S Haley’s Analysis of the recent South Carolina Legal Ruling””“A Full Vindication”¦” (Feb 5)
Grateful: Bishop Lawrence Writes the Diocese Following Ruling (Feb 6)
Other related entries:
(CP) SC Judge Rejects Episcopal Church’s Attempt to Take Over one of its Founding Dioceses (Feb 27)
A.S Haley””South Carolina Court Makes Short Shrift of ECUSA’s Motion (Feb 24)
(Local paper) Judge denies motion to reconsider ruling against Episcopal Church (Feb 24)
(Local Paper) Local families worshiped at parishes for centuries, long before Episcopal split (Feb 15)
Jim Lewis””What it Means: Understanding Judge Goodstein’s Ruling in South Carolina (Feb 14)
(Not another Episcopal Blog) On the strange Radio Silence in Upper SC abt the Dio. of SC (Feb 14)
The New Episcopal Church Diocese in S Carolina files a motion for Reconsideration in recent ruling (Feb 14)
New Episcopal Church Diocese, Original SC Diocese steer ahead into complex legal waters (Feb 8)
A Charleston, S.C. Regional Business Journal Article on this week’s Court Decision (Feb 6)
(Charisma News) Episcopal Church Loses Big in Landmark South Carolina Court Decision (Feb 6)
Rift among S.C. Lowcountry Episcopalians widens as fight continues over properties, name (Feb 6)
New Episcopal Church Diocese in SC’s Decides to Appeal this week’s Court decision against them (Feb 6)
A Pastoral letter from the Bp of the New Episcopal Church Diocese in South Carolina (Feb 5)
Reminder””Timeline of Events in the Diocese of South Carolina leading up to latest legal ruling (Feb 4)
The Local Paper Article on the Ruling in favor of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina (Feb 4)
(AP) South Carolina court rules Episcopal diocese, churches can keep property (Feb 4)
You can find all stories related to the TEC legal conflict in SC here.
General Synod is now over. Reports and other links are below
â– Press release about Agenda
â– Timetable
â– Full Daily Agenda and Timetable
â– Brief Agenda and Papers
â– Live Video Feed when in session or listen here for prior recordings
â– Twitter: #synod and it may be worth following: CofE Official Synod tweets; and @C_of_E if interested.
Thursday Afternoon February 12th
Report on Thursday Afernoon Business
– Liturgical Business – Alternative Baptism Texts ”“ Revision Stage [new texts removing reference to the devil and evil] (GS 1958A Alternative Baptism Texts and GS 1958Y [item 600])
– Mission and Growth in Rural Multi-Parish Benefices: Take Note Debate from the Mission and Public Affairs Council (GS 1985) and GS Misc 1092 [item 16])
– Farewells and Prorogation
Thursday Morning February 12th
Report on Thursday Morning Business
– Legislative Business
– – Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure/Amending Canon No 34 ”“ Revision Stage
– – Petition to change the names of the suffragan sees of Knaresborough and Pontefract (if a debate is required)
– Standing Orders Debate
– Private Member’s Motion – Canon B38 [‘to allow those who have taken their own life, whatever the circumstances, to be buried in accordance with the rites of the Church of England’] (GS 1972A & GS 1972B)
Wednesday Afternoon February 11th
Report on Wednesday Afternoon Business
– Discipleship: Debate on a Motion from the Ministry Council
– Resourcing the Future and Resourcing Ministerial Education: Debate on a Motion from the Archbishops’ Council
– Simplification: Debate on a Motion
– Inter-generational Equity: Debate on a Motion from the Church Commissioners
Tuesday Afternoon February 10th
Report on Tuesday Afternoon Business and Audio [the media office have gone back to chopping the audio record into bits and pieces as they like]
– Address by Archbishop Bashar M Warda, CSSR, the Archbishop of the Chaldean Diocese of Erbil (Eastern rite Catholic)
– Report by the Business Committee
– Report by the Business Committee on the Allocation of Seats in the 2015 General Elections
– Archbishop of Canterbury’s Presidential Address amd audio
– Report on Immersion Experience in India by Regional Representatives of House of Bishops
– Legislative Business
– – Enactment of Amending Canon No 32 (relating to GS elections)
– – Amending Canon No 35 ”“ Final Approval
– – Naming of Dioceses Measure ”“ Revision Stage
– Questions and written Answers
– Presentation on the Task Groups and Discipleship Report [“The Synod’s engagement with the programme for Reform and Renewal”]
……………………….
Links when in session:
Watch here at the following times:
Tuesday February 10th 8am to 2pm Eastern [1pm to 7pm GMT]
Wednesday February 11th 9.30am to 2 pm Eastern [2.30 pm to 7pm GMT]
Thursday February 12th 5.30am to noon Eastern [10.30am to 5pm GMT]
[This post will be updated from time to time]
More on Justin Welby’s Facilitated Conversation Scheme on sexual immorality in an interview with David Porter and Malcolm Brown in September 2014.
David Porter is Director of Reconciliation to the Archbishop of Canterbury
Malcolm Brown is Director of the Mission and Public Affairs Division in the Church of England
Documents from Church of Scotland’s Decision to be used.
David Porter: “It’s not necessarily about sitting down arguing over the Scriptures” [3 mins 30 secs in]
Listen to it all [Soundcloud] [about 11 minutes long] and see also for background David Porter Lays Out Justin Welby’s Sexual Immorality Plans for the CofE
TRANSCRIPT
Interviewer: So I’m here with Malcolm Brown and David Porter and we’re going to talk about the College of Bishops Meeting and what might happen at the College in the week ahead.
Malcolm, how have we got from the Pilling Report to what’s going to be happening at the College of Bishops this week:
Malcolm Brown: Well as you know the Pilling Report actually recommended a process of conversations with facilitators as one of its key recommendations given the intractable nature within the church of some of the questions that it looked at. I think it is common knowledge that the Pilling Report was not, or the Pilling Group, wasn’t unanimous – there was a minority report from one of the bishops, but I think the mood of the whole group, including the bishop who wrote the minority report, was that the experience of sitting down together, and it did actually take about two years for the Pilling Group to come to its report, that process had been extremely eye-opening for everybody who was involved.
I think whether it was the right way of doing this or not, the group was brought together as a bunch of bishops and advisers whose views were very much at odds with each other from the start. Now those didn’t coalesce into an agreement or a consensus but what did happen was that each of them heard a lot from why each of them believed what they did. They began to take each other seriously as people journeying in faith, and even though that did not lead them onto the same journey, it led them into a degree of respect for each other they had never really plumbed before. So the recommendation to move to conversations, carefully designed, with facilitation, across the whole church in fact, is an attempt to say that the real fruit of the Pilling Report wasn’t the attempt, doomed attempt perhaps, to come to agreement, it was the fact that we had learnt to respect each other in new ways, and to understand something of why people who disagreed profoundly, believed with such passion the things that they did.
Interviewer: David can you tell us something about the process that the Bishops are going to be engaged in over the next few days?
David Porter: Well quite simply it is what is says on the tin, it is a process of shared conversation. It is about creating space that they can feel a certain amount of confidence and because somebody’s there holding the ring so that all voices will be heard, that people will be able to engage with each other in a respectful way, to come and to talk about the change that we see in the culture around us in relation to questions of human sexuality and the diversity that exists within the church about how we should respond as people of faith to that. And the process that we have designed is aiming to bring the bishops through a series of conversations where they themselves draw on the various resources, materials that have been provided, their own experience, their own knowledge, their own understanding of Scripture, to look at various aspects of this challenge about what actually is going on out there ”“ how are different groups within the church and different perspectives in the church being held and articulated ”“ and then how do they as bishops respond to that, how do they see that impacts on the church’s mission, the church’s self-understanding.
So that’s the nature of the process.
It’s not sitting down talking to text, it’s not talking about the Pilling Report, it’s not necessarily sitting down arguing over the scripture, although I am sure a certain amount of Biblical discourse will take place.
It’s about saying to busy leaders, as with all of the church, Let’s just take a breath, create the space and talk and see how we then can get a greater understanding of what we think our response as a church should be and why we differ on that.
Interviewer: What do you think would be the ideal outcome? You say you have designed, there have been people who have designed the process. What would be the ideal outcome that that process has been designed to elicit?
David Porter: For me the ideal outcome will be that people will be able to articulate with a measure of empathy the views of others that they don’t agree with, that allows them therefore to see in their relationships with them that they also are seeking to be faithful to the Tradition of the Church, the teaching of Scripture and the Calling of Christ – in our Mission to the world. And that we develop that rapport, that capacity to Disagree Well that means that when we get to the process which is beyond the shared conversations when decisions will need to be made, because you can’t leave it in this space forever, the way that we approach the making of those decisions is done in a way that honours the fact that we are Brothers and Sisters in Christ, and that even though we disagree, we are going to do that in a way that reflects that reality as much as the reality of our own convictions on these issues.
Malcolm Brown: There’s also something lurking here that’s about some things that the church is particularly good at or ought to be good at and that’s offering the world in general a different model of how you can conduct rancorous debate, really difficult debate. And a parallel I’ve drawn once or twice is with the very, very different issue of fracking where my department is caught up in that at the moment, and where a senior geophysicist said to me a while ago: ”˜there’s almost no space for rational discussion if this. Everything is taken to be pushing you to one pole or the other in the argument.” And that is actually true of so many areas of our public life ”“ that debate isn’t about where can we agree, where to we disagree, it’s about I’m right, you must therefore not just be wrong but Bad. Now I don’t think actually that is how the church through the centuries has conducted itself. We’ve had our differences, sometimes they’ve been quite bitter, but we’ve also had other ways of doing things which reflect more our commitment to the mind of Christ and the way in which Reconciliation between warring factions was somewhere quite central in His ministry. And if we can get this right, and that’s an if, I think we have a gift here that others may want to emulate.
David Porter: And I think that highlights how this is actually different from happened under the Women Bishops Process, because people are saying this is facilitated conversations, and yes the Women Bishops Process was with a goal in mind because the church had expressed its overwhelming mind. It had reached a legislative cul-de-sac and we used facilitated conversation with a goal to move out of that cul-de-sac and get a way forward.
We are using the Process of Conversation, because what that process showed us was that sitting round talking in a different context that isn’t in the debating forum or the legislative forum does change the game. We are using the lesson of that, but not with the same goal in mind. We are not facilitating this towards an outcome. We are facilitating it towards a shaping of the relationship so that when people do get to the point where outcomes are important and important decisions have to be made, this witness to how, is “look how these Christians love one another” because of how they Disagree Well.”
Interviewer: You’ve both been responsible for drawing up some of the materials that will inform the discussions as they go ahead; have you got a word about what people can expect to find there?
Malcolm Brown: First of all I hope that the materials will lead them very gently and carefully through the process that David has outlined so that some of the fears that are not certainly intended to be substantiated are dispelled. There is a lot of anxiety around about what may lie behind these conversations about hidden agendas and things like that. I hope that we’ve unpacked that sufficiently in the light of Pilling indeed to show that that isn’t the case. That this is as David has described it.
So, there is a lot of process, there’s a lot of reassurance I hope, that says that this is what it says it is and it’s not something hidden.
There’s also a certain amount of modestly academic material that we are sharing with participants. This isn’t by way of discussion papers, this isn’t about saying what do you think of this, what do you think of that, but it is so that those who participate will mainly have at least a rudimentary body of shared reading. They will have read the same things we hope, and will therefore at least understand that some of the things they may not have been exposed to before are actually quite serious arguments. So for instance there are some things that the Pilling Report attempted and didn’t do very well, there are other things that Pilling didn’t even attempt.
On Scripture which is very central to all these arguments, Pilling began to open up some of the discussion among scholars, but in the case of the resources for the Conversations we’ve gone to scholars who have a higher standing among Biblical scholars, who I hope are going to be able to present their case in a way that those who disagree with it can at least see the sense of. These are scholars who do not try to overclaim, they are aware of the stronger and the weaker arguments in support of their position but they take very different viewpoints.
We’ve also tried to expand a bit on the international experience of talking about sexuality within the Anglican Communion, and most interestingly we’ve borrowed, with permission, a fascinating paper that was debated at the Church of Scotland General Assembly back in May on how churches through history have dealt with profound disagreement ..
David Porter: and the other material we have provided is some reflection on what a Process of Conversation is about, and the emphasis being that by and large a lot of people will not change their view and their understandings of process of this, but they may change as people and how they hold that view in relation to the Other. And that reflection on what the process emphasises that ”“ emphasises our responsibility to those we disagree with, as brothers and sisters in Christ. It talks about if you do win the argument how do you care for those who are on the other side of that debate. Because this is as important, at how we conduct it is as important, as whatever conclusions we come to. And that is what we are trying to emphasise through the shared conversations. That we need to give attention to this, as much as the issues under discussion.
Interviewer: David Porter Malcolm Brown thank you very much.
Update: Explanation and Timeline.
(Please note for important background on this case please review the article there–KSH).
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED,
1. The Plaintiffs are the owners of their real, personal and intellectual property.
2. The Defendants have no legal, beneficial or equitable interest in the Plaintiffs’ real, personal and intellectual property.
3. The Defendant TEC, also known as The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America and Defendant The Episcopal Church in South Carolina and their officers, agents, servants, employees, members, attorneys and any person in concert with or under their direction or control are permanently enjoined from using, assuming, or adopting in any way, directly or indirectly the names, styles, emblems or marks of the Plaintiff as hereinafter set out, or any names, styles, emblems or marks that may be reasonably perceived to be those names, styles emblems or marks . . .
4. The Dorchester County clerk is directed, upon the filing of this order, to refund the sum of $50,000.00 to the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of South Carolina.
5. The Defendants counterclaims are dismissed with prejudice.
Read it carefully and read it all (it is a 54 page pdf)
From here and below
See also: A letter from GAFCON Primates January 22nd 2014
To the Faithful of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans and friends
from Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, Primate of Kenya and Chairman of the GAFCON Primates’ Council
January 2015
”˜Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.’ Romans 12:2
My dear brothers and sisters,
As I send this first pastoral letter of 2015, receive greetings in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday, today and forever!
As we begin a new year, we thank God that through Christ he has rescued us from futile ways and taken us up into his eternal purposes. Our new life in Christ brings a fresh dimension to even the most ordinary work because it is now done for God and his glory. What marks out a disciple of Jesus Christ is that this is a person who has not just had a conversion experience, but a person whose whole way of thinking has been radically changed.
One of the great challenges for African Christianity is for the many who identify as ”˜born again’ to become mature disciples of Christ. This is especially necessary given the challenge of what Pope Francis last week described as ”˜ideological colonisation’, which is the practice of tying aid and development resources to the promotion of alien understandings of gender, the family and sexual behaviour.
Money is a very powerful tool and manipulation can happen with varying degrees of subtlety. Such practices must be challenged, but the best defence is for ordinary Christians to have renewed minds that are profoundly shaped by the Bible. When each local church is able to see itself as a colony of heaven, its members will be much more resistant to being colonised by non-Christian ideologies.
In this respect, the Churches of Africa need the GAFCON movement’s emphasis on restoring the Communion’s commitment to biblical truth just as much as the Churches of the West. We are committed to equipping the Anglican Communion as a whole to survive and thrive in the face of many twenty-first century challenges, of which ”˜ideological colonisation’ is just one, and to do this we are building global partnerships and support networks.
So I am very encouraged that connections made at GAFCON 2013 continue to bear fruit. For instance, a few weeks ago, a team from Australia participated in a youth convention in the Church of Uganda’s West Ankole Diocese with over 10,000 attending and next month a mission team from All Saints Cathedral here in Nairobi will be flying to Chicago as part of a reciprocal mission partnership with the Anglican Church in North America’s ”˜Greenhouse’ church planting initiative.
We shall also be strengthening the work of our global fellowship with the launch of the Australian Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans in March and an expanded GAFCON Primates Meeting in London the following month.