My father, who died earlier this year at the ripe old age of 90, had a life that was as varied as it was long.

He served in the Italian campaign in the Second World War, then became an Anglican clergyman, a fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge, and subsequently dean of St John’s Cathedral, Hong Kong. For 21 years he was principal of Morley College, an institute of adult education, in London, and finally director of a large charitable foundation. In his retirement he returned to his first love, church history, completing a project on Restoration church courts that he had put aside 30 years previously and ending his career with seven entries on Restoration Anglican divines for the Dictionary of National Biography, which was published in his 81st year. (“Not my period” he would always declare stoutly when asked a question about a historical event that fell outside the late 17th century, although in fact he wrote what is still a standard history of the movement for Christian unity.)

At the age of 85 he was awarded the rare degree of doctor of divinity by the Archbishop of Canterbury in a ceremony at Lambeth Palace at which Rowan Williams preached a fire-breathing sermon on the threat of secularism, little knowing that my father had long ceased to be a believer.

Read it all.

[I was listening to the speaker on 60 minutes and he said the following}…

:“I have ”“ one teacher I remember was an elderly Jesuit at Xavier (high school in New York City) from Boston. He had a Boston accent. Father Tom Matthews, and he taught me a lesson that I’ve recounted in some of my speeches. He taught me what I refer to as the Shakespeare principle.

The class was reading one of the Shakespeare plays, ”˜Hamlet’ or whatever, and one of my classmates or whatever, sort of smart aleck kid, John Antonelli, as I recall. It’s ridiculous I would remember his name. But [John] made some really smart aleck sophomoric criticism of the play, and Father Matthews looked down at him and he said, with his Boston accent, ”˜Mister, when you read Shakespeare, Shakespeare’s not on trial. You are.’”

And so it was for me and Flannery O’Connor. As I read her work, Flannery O’Connor was not on trial. I was. Sheepishly, I have to admit that I had similarly grossly misjudged the great G.K. Chesterton in the past (see my previous post “Finding My Way to Orthodoxy” http://acatholicthinker.wordpress.com/2012/11/22/finding-my-way-to-orthodoxy/). The work of Flannery O’Connor could be harsh, violent and discomfiting. And yet it is also thick with truth, grace and redemption. To the superficial reader, a yarn filled with unattractive figures on ill-fated endeavors may be all that is perceived. But to those willing to consider her work more deeply, powerful themes of deeply religious truths become apparent. Perhaps the greatest and most pervasive of these truths in Flannery’s stories is the pain, suffering and “meanness” that often accompanies the beautiful grace of God.

Read it all (emphasis mine).

The wedding party stood outside the church, eagerly awaiting the ceremonious arrival of the bride. Instead, drive-by shooters killed four, including two children and the groom’s mother, and injured 18.

Beyond its poignancy, the attack in Cairo’s industrial neighborhood of Warraq was significant for being one of the first to target Egypt’s Christians specifically, versus the now-common attacks on their church buildings.

“Since the revolution, this is the first instance Coptic people were targeted randomly in a church, with weapons,” said Mina Magdy, general coordinator for the Maspero Youth Union, a mostly Coptic revolutionary group formed in response to church burnings in 2011 after the fall of President Hosni Mubarak.

Read it all.

[Same Sex Practice]…goes against the teachings of the Bible and should not be admitted to the Church, conservative Anglican leaders have said.

Gathering in Nairobi for week-long Global Anglican Future Conference, the clergy on Monday said they would preach for adherence to the teachings of the Bible and do not support the infiltration of “secularising” influences.

Read it all.

Ai Aoyama is a sex and relationship counsellor who works out of her narrow three-story home on a Tokyo back street. Aoyama, 52, is trying to cure what Japan’s media calls sekkusu shinai shokogun, or “celibacy syndrome”. Japan’s under-40s appear to be losing interest in conventional relationships. Millions aren’t even dating, and increasing numbers can’t be bothered with sex.

Japan’s under-40s won’t go forth and multiply out of duty, as postwar generations did. The country is undergoing major social transition after 20 years of economic stagnation. It is also battling against the effects on its already nuclear-destruction-scarred psyche of 2011’s earthquake, tsunami and radioactive meltdown. There is no going back. “Both men and women say to me they don’t see the point of love. They don’t believe it can lead anywhere,” says Aoyama. “Relationships have become too hard.”

Japan’s punishing corporate world makes it almost impossible for women to combine a career and family, while children are unaffordable unless both parents work. Cohabiting or unmarried parenthood is still unusual, dogged by bureaucratic disapproval.

Read it all.

Conference members have been enjoying the outstanding venue of All Saints Cathedral, its Trinity Conference Centre and grounds festooned with tents for meals, stands for 44 exhibiting organisations and a street craft market. There are one hundred patient volunteers of whom eighty are members of the cathedral congregation.

The Dean and the Church Council have closed all other Cathedral activities for the week and taken a bank loan of £100,000 to pay for the extra facilities. The overall impression is that this is how a Cathedral and its precincts can be used to resource the whole Church.

There were nine day long ‘mini-conferences’ …on Islam, Marriage and Family, Theological Education, Aid and Development.

Read it all.

It was ably demonstrated from history and contemporary analysis that the West is be default proclaiming a gospel of cheap grace. That means proclaiming a faith without repentance, and which therefore requires no forgiveness; a grace that is self bestowed, not given by God, and therefore a presumption. All this has flowed from the man-centredness from Kant onwards, where ”˜maturity’ implies autonomy and entitlement, leading to rights without duties, and a narcissism that responds to any challenge with irrational rage.

The fruit of this non-gospel is a worldly church promoting itself to others with an attractive mix of technological and financial superiority, but worldly in its theology. It only proclaims as sin things that culture is willing to concede are has, like racism or injustice; what it won’t do is challenge what culture approves. Many examples of the fruit of this were given, from places now persecuted over it.

Read it all.

This morning I stopped to chat with John W Yates III of Holy Trinity Church in Raleigh, N.C.. John was a former study assistant to John Stott and we talked about Uncle John’s influence on North American Anglicans.

Take the time to listen to it all.

(Photo courtesy of Bob Lawrence)

Watch it all (about 18 1/2 minutes).

UPDATE: Here is a written transcript at Anglican Ink

Strokes are increasingly killing younger people, especially in developing countries where unhealthy lifestyle habits have taken hold, according to a study funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

While strokes are usually thought to afflict older people, the number of people ages 20 to 64 who experience them has risen by 25 percent in the past two decades, according to researchers from countries including the U.S., U.K. and Japan. This younger group now makes up 31 percent of total strokes, compared with 25 percent before 1990, the study found.

Read it all.

O God, our Father, we are exceedingly frail, and indisposed to every virtuous and gallant undertaking: Strengthen our weakness, we beseech thee, that we may do valiantly in this spiritual war; help us against our own negligence and cowardice, and defend us from the treachery of our unfaithful hearts; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.

–Saint Augustine

Trust in the Lord, and do good;
so you will dwell in the land, and enjoy security.
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.

–Psalm 37:3-5

This post is sticky – look below the GAFCON links entry for new posts. UPDATED FRIDAY Oct 25th – 15:20 GMT / 11:20 Eastern

UPDATE: The video of today’s (Friday) Press Conference on the draft of the Conference Statement is now online. There is an accompanying Press Release here.

***
The tireless Kevin Kallsen has got some new GAFCON videos uploaded (not easy when you’re dealing with African internet connections!!)

From Tuesday at GAFCON:
VIDEO: Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali: Global Challenge [12 minutes]
VIDEO: Dr. Mike Ovey’s presentation on The Grace of God or the World of the West [50 minutes]

Other videos we recommend include:
(Sunday) Archbishop Welby’s Sermon at Nairobi Cathedral
(Sunday) VIDEO: Archbishop Jensen’s address to the archbishops’ luncheon with Justin Welby [12 minutes]
(Monday) Opening Press Conference
(Monday) Abp. Wabukala welcomes delegates to Kenya [7:48]
(Tuesday) The Rev. Paul Perkin: What is happening in the Church of England [18 minutes]
(Tuesday) The Lonely Church [13 minutes]

All the Anglican TV videos can be found here (YouTube)
The GAFCON videos page is here (Vimeo)

Selected Tweets from the #GAFCON2013 feed – October 21, 2013 (also some tweets from #GAFCON, and #GAFCON13)

Louisa Pfitzner ”@louisapf 21 Oct
Fascinating arvo on East African revival. Key themes centrality of Christ, public repentance, making restitution #gafcon13

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue 21 Oct
Revival does not begin with a church. Revival begins with submission and repentance to Christ. “Revival begins with you!” #gafcon13

Jeff Walton ”@jeffreyhwalton 21 Oct
Bible precious & true: we take away foundation of Christian life when we undermine biblical authority. J. Senyonyi #gafcon #anglican

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue 21 Oct
When theology begins to undermine the authority of the scriptures, the theology has gone bad. – Dr John Senyonyi #gafcon13

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue 21 Oct
Big theme of East African revival is true repentance. Putting past sins aside & right. Men went & paid back those they stole from. #gafcon13

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue 21 Oct
Rev Dr Alfred Olwa addresses #gafcon13 about the East African revival. 1930s to today!!

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather 21 Oct
@gafconference The Gospel transforms or it is no gospel – Archbishop Jensen #GAFCon2013 #preach

AnglicanGeeks ”@AnglicanGeeks 21 Oct
#GAFCON gathers #Anglicans from across the globe to build friendships and share ministry of reaching out in our broken world. #GAFCON2013

Rev. Anson Ann ”@revansonann 21 Oct
Some stats : 2008 GAFCON @ Jerusalem – 19 provinces, 1138 delegates
2013 GAFCON @ Nairobi – 27 provinces, 1352 delegates

David Ould ”@davidould 21 Oct
Jensen doing the roll call of nations! #GAFCON13

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue 21 Oct
Who is here. People from: Argentina, Bermuda, brazil, Burundi, Canada, chile, Congo DR, Fiji, France, Gambia, India, Iran, Ireland #gafcon13
Israel, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Namibia, NZ, Nigeria, USA, Pakistan, Paraguay, PNG, Rwanda, Seychelles, #gafcon13
Singapore, South Africa, sth Sudan, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tanzania, Uganda, uk, Zambia, Australia, Mexico, Germany Sierra Leone #gafcon13

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue 21 Oct
Just heard there will be more than 400 Nigerian delegates here. Incredible. #gafcon13

Karen Stevenson ”@loubaker 21 Oct
Worship with a taste of heaven, all nations..well at least 38 in this worship. Jesus you get the glory #GAFCON2013 @gafconference

Karen Stevenson ”@loubaker 21 Oct
So it was amazing….in a matter of hours we now have friends in 10 new countries. #GAFCON2013 @gafconference

daveclancey ”@daveclancey 21 Oct
Revival doesn’t start in the church. Revival starts in the individual. #gafcon2013

Anglican Future ”@gafconference 21 Oct
“Repentance leads to revival” – #gafcon2013

Canon Jack Lumanog ”@CanonLumanog 21 Oct
Singing “Revive Us Again” with 1,300+ Anglicans from all over the world at #GAFCON2013 in Nairobi. Such a powerful moment.

Porterbrook ”@Porterbrook 21 Oct
Everyday radical discipleship is firmly at the heart of the agenda for #gafcon2013- walking in the death and resurrection of Christ.

Porterbrook ”@Porterbrook 21 Oct
Being challenged and refreshed by African bishops passionately exhorting #gafcon2013 to say “not I but Christ” what ever the cost.

AnglicanGeeks ”@AnglicanGeeks 21 Oct
#GAFCON gathers #Anglicans from across the globe to build friendships and share ministry of reaching out in our broken world. #GAFCON2013

Sam Allberry ”@SamAllberry 21 Oct
Seems right that an Anglican conference – even a global one hosted in Kenya – should formally begin with afternoon tea. #gafcon2013

Selected Tweets from the #GAFCON2013 feed – October 22, 2013 (also some tweets from #GAFCON, and #GAFCON13)

Satan ”@thetempter 22 Oct
Gafcon getting dangerous. Too many calls for solid gospel teaching and solid training. Bad for business. Love, Satan X #gafcon13 #gafcon2013

David Ould ”@davidould 22 Oct
“You are not alone!” – the great #GAFCON13 encouragement we’ve heard over the past few hours

Mel Lacy ”@lacymel 22 Oct
Amazing testimonies of godly Anglicans standing for Jesus in horrendous situations around the world. Praise God for them #gafcon13

Richard Condie ”@CondieR 22 Oct
GAFCON 2 shaping up as stimulating and stretching as 2008. Heard about the persecuted, compromised, and lonely church today. #gafcon2013

Zane Elliott ”@squeakycog 22 Oct
Amazing afternoon discovering that “we are not alone” as we surveyed the state of the Anglican Communion. God is faithful #gafcon2013

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather 22 Oct
As we hear from one another of the challenges facing the Communion let us not forget that darkness does not overcome our Light #GAFCon2013

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue 22 Oct
Church of NZ. Lonely. Isolated. Trying to honor Jesus in a country that prides itself on pushing boundaries. #gafcon13

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue 22 Oct
Shocking stats on UK clergy. 1/4 male clergy don’t believe the trinity, 1/2 that Jesus is unique Saviour. Even fewer of females. #gafcon13

David Ould ”@davidould 22 Oct
Paul Perkins tells #GAFCON13 about the institutionalised compromise of the CofE.

Matt Lemsing ”@mattlemsing 22 Oct
A worldly church will always oppose a church that takes Gods word to the world. #gafcon13 #gafcon2013

Mel Lacy ”@lacymel 22 Oct
If the church is sent into the world, what a tragedy when the church is infected by the world – Paul Perkins #gafcon2013

Matt Lemsing ”@mattlemsing 22 Oct
While the world wants cheap grace, it’s not the grace it needs. It’s greatest needs is that it’s sins be forgiven. #gafcon13

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue 22 Oct
Biblical repentance is about being horrified at ourselves and hoping in Christ. The Western church is teaching the opposite. #gafcon13

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather 22 Oct
“People think revival is the top being blown off, when really its the bottom falling out” #GAFCon2013 #repentance

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue 22 Oct
The cheap grace of western church is repentanceless and self-bestowed. Christ is methodologically excluded. We are exalted. #gafcon13

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue 22 Oct
Mike Ovey firing up #gafcon2013 #gafcon13 with a rebuke of the cheap grace of the West. God’s been ignored!!

David Ould ”@davidould 22 Oct
Dr Mike Ovey of @OakHillLondon gives address on the loss of repentance in the West. #GAFCON13 pic.twitter.com/iA8edtUOEP

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather 22 Oct
Morning tea outside All Saints, enjoying some great Kenyan brew #GAFCon2013 #LaterGram http://instagram.com/p/fxM01cl3tc/

Karin Sowada ”@karinsowada 22 Oct
Rachel, Maasai woman & rep Mothers Union Kenya – ‘a great multitude…from every nation’ Rev 7:9 #gafcon2013 pic.twitter.com/bMUdyqhqJS

Sam Allberry ”@SamAllberry 22 Oct
Just so everyone’s clear, these guys can SING. And dance. At the same time. #feelingEnglish #gafcon2013 pic.twitter.com/g9mvSyBBCl

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue 22 Oct
GAFCON 1 acknowledged that the Anglican Communion had been paralysed by a false gospel. – Bsp Wabukala, Chairman #gafcon13

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue 22 Oct
The paralysis has intensified and we need new wine skins to reach the world with the Gospel. – Bsp Wabukala #gafcon13

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue 22 Oct
Big themes of GAFCON today are atonement, salvation, inspiration and mission. #gafcon13 #gafcon2013

Zane Elliott ”@squeakycog 22 Oct
#gafcon2013 celebrated Holy Communion this morning ‘If you take out the resurrection, xty is an empty shell.’ Most Rev. Emmanuel Egbunu

Anglican Future ”@gafconference 22 Oct
#Anglican leaders began the day singing Oh Worship the King and We are Marching in the Light of God”. #GAFCON2013 pic.twitter.com/XTmev1H5AF

Anglican Future ”@gafconference 22 Oct
Tuesday morning Eucharist! 1,352 #Anglicans at #GAFCON2013 worshipping The Lord. Great way to start a day! pic.twitter.com/BFmbeHd9tp

Canon Jack Lumanog ”@CanonLumanog 22 Oct
I am amazed by the hospitality being extended by the Anglican Church of Kenya for #GAFCON2013. So many bright and smiling faces – it’s totally contagious.

Canon Jack Lumanog ”@CanonLumanog 22 Oct
I admit – I got quite a bit emotional when we gathered @The_ACNA delegates for a group photo at #GAFCON2013. Such a great team!

Canon Jack Lumanog ”@CanonLumanog 22 Oct
#Anglican Archbishops and Bishops gathered in Nairobi, Kenya for #GAFCON2013 pic.twitter.com/4lUCm4wYvp

Since the GAFCON conference delegates broke up into smaller “mini-conferences” today, it’s less easy to get a feel for what transpired. No plenary transcripts or videos. The Twitterverse gives a good overview of the day and glimpses of some of the mini-conferences. It’s also good to get a taste of the preaching on Ephesians 2.

Selected Tweets from the #GAFCON2013 feed, October 23, 2013

Chris Edwards ”@musicbyfaith
Thrilling to hear what’s coming out of Nairobi this week at #gafcon2013 – a strong centre of gravity for the future of biblical Anglicanism.

Jeff Walton ”@jeffreyhwalton
“Without the witness of the spirit of Christ, our witness is futile.” -Dr. Alfred Owla #GAFCON2013 http://bit.ly/16tcypP #Anglican

Richard Condie ”@CondieR
An Aussie (Kanishka Raffel), a Ugandan (Alfred Olwa), a Brit (Mike Ovey), an American (Ashley Null), amazingly stimulating day #gafcon2013

Anglican Future ”@gafconference
“GAFCON is one of those unstoppable movements. We praise God for the leaders.” -#GAFCON2013 FB page comment #Anglican http://tinyurl.com/navgm4q

Canon Jack Lumanog ”@CanonLumanog
Archbishop Ben Kwashi of Nigeria is teaching on the priorities for a bishop’s leadership at #gafcon2013… http://fb.me/2CmiV9c20

Jeff Walton ”@jeffreyhwalton
“This is the heart of the GAFCON meeting: that the gospel may transform the cultures we live in.” -Dr. Alfred Olwa @ #GAFCON2013 #Anglican

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
If Christians think the Church is the place where they get their needs met they won’t respond sacrificially to the Gospel -Tong #gafcon2013

Kukunda Liz Bacwayo ”@busingye
#GAFCON2013 Poverty is not lack of resources, its a mindset #aid&development mini conference . Jesus can change the mindset

Kukunda Liz Bacwayo ”@busingye
#GAFCON2013 Money is needed 4 #development but it doesn’t drive #development . Say what?

Kukunda Liz Bacwayo ”@busingye
#GAFCon2013 #Aid&development mini conference brought out some unexpected reactions. Makes one wonder about how we define #development mini

daveclancey ”@daveclancey
Fellowship must be in the truth for that is the only fellowship there is. #ephesians2 #gafcon2013 #fb

Joshua Kuswadi ”@JoshuaKuswadi
Bishops singing “This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Saviour all the day long.” #gafcon2013 #africansingingrocks #loudandproud

Anglican Future ”@gafconference
“This is wonderful, defining the Unity we are in Christ. Quite Awesome” #GAFCON2013 FB page comment http://tinyurl.com/navgm4q

Matt Lemsing ”@mattlemsing
Nazir Ali giving a brilliant lecture on the history of Islam. #gafcon2013 pic.twitter.com/fZIw0Amiyw

Lee Gatiss ”@LeeGatiss
It’s not enough to just teach theology. We must train people for ministry. #gafcon2013

ACNA ”@The_ACNA
#Anglican women from around the world gather to pray together at #GAFCON2013 https://scontent-a-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1381648_434064726698719_1407687865_n.jpg ”¦ #Episcopal #prayer

David Ould ”@davidould
Very muted applause for @ABCJustin video. #gafcon2013 but massive applause for volunteers!

Rev. Anson Ann ”@revansonann
Kanishka Raffel+ just preached an absolutely marvelous expository sermon from Eph 2 on the Grace of God. Must listen again. #GAFCON2013

Matt Lemsing ”@mattlemsing
Cannot abandon the prophets & apostles without abandoning The Lord.We must not be moved from the foundation that has been laid. #gafcon2013

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue
We grieve those who abandon the cross, the apostles testimony and grace. Without the cross there is no hope. #gafcon2013 @KanishkaRaffel

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue
There must be welcome, reconciliation, fellowship in prayer and the truth here at GAFCON. #ephesians2 #gafcon2013 @KanishkaRaffel

David Ould ”@davidould
with tears, @KanishkaRaffel tells us of the reconciling embrace of repentance, forgiveness and love that grace brings. #gafcon2013

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue
Humanity without Jesus: stateless, friendless, hopeless, godless. #ephesians2 #gafcon2013

David Ould ”@davidould
“the wonder that God has raised YOU????!!!! Praise His Glorious Grace!!!!” – @KanishkaRaffel #gafcon2013

David Ould ”@davidould
if we get grace wrong, we get devotion, evangelism, discipleship, works of service, relationships wrong” – @KanishkaRaffel #gafcon2013

Canon Jack Lumanog ”@CanonLumanog
“If you are spiritually dead, you don’t need a doctor. You need a resurrection.” – Rev Kanishka Raffel #gafcon2013 #anglican

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue
The best words in Ephesians 2 are these…. “But God…” #gafcon2013

David Ould ”@davidould
Now @KanishkaRaffel preaches on Ephesians 2. #gafcon2013 pic.twitter.com/wTsuY7qm8i

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
When we started worshipping together it was beautifully remarkable to join our many cultures. Today it is joyfully normal #GAFCon2013

daveclancey ”@daveclancey
Never has ‘The church’s one foundation’ sounded so good or meant so much. #gafcon2013 #fb pic.twitter.com/YF5btGQS9p

Those who make this journey must look in two directions, the Archbishop said.

‘First, they look at the world. Jesus tells his disciples to let people come to him. To do that they have to be outward looking, in touch with the world, welcoming, generous-spirited, alive with the life of the Christ to whom they will introduce all who come.’

He added that as a Christian, Prince George ‘is to share the life of Christ which is in him, regardless of whom he meets, their faith or nature or habits, so that others find life. That sharing may be in words, or generous actions – most likely both – but it will be both very costly and infinitely rewarding.’

The second direction in which Christians must look is towards Christ, the Archbishop said….

Read it all and note the video link at the bottom for those interested.

The christening of Prince George has taken place in the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace in London.

The prince, third in line to the throne, was baptised by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The christening was private, with only senior royals, four members of the Middleton family, the seven godparents and their spouses among the 22 guests.

Read it all.

This talk generated a lot of “buzz” on the #GAFCON2013 Twitter feed yesterday. Highly recommended!!

The Grace of God OR the world of the West?
The Rev Dr Michael Ovey, Principal of Oak Hill College, London, England
Day 2, Oct 22nd GAFCON 2013

1. Introduction

My first really significant encounter with worldwide Anglicanism came at theological college. It was 1990 and an east African priest was on secondment with us. He preached in the college chapel. He posed a question. Which gospel, he asked, which gospel do you westerners want us to believe? The one you came with or the one you preach now? Which gospel? I was horrified, not because what he said was not true. I was horrified because it was true.

My east African brother`s question has nagged away at me ever since. But how has it come about that we have a different gospel now from the one we first preached. What is this difference between what we westerners say now and what we said then?

I think the difference is nothing less than the grace of God and what we mean by it. The difference comes from the way that western culture and the western church deny or distort God`s grace. The modern west, in both culture and church, is, overall, graceless, and has become so because of its worldliness. That is why I have called this plenary talk the grace of God or the world of the west. Ultimately you cannot have both. It is either/or. My prayer is that as global Anglicans we choose grace, not the world of the west. For those of us who have tried to have grace and the world, I pray for our repentance. My fear is as global Anglicans we will try to have grace AND the world, and that God justly hands us over to the consequences of our sin in rejecting his grace as it truly is and builds his kingdom through others.

But I must now explain why grace is at stake, why the culture of the west denies grace and how the western church distorts grace.

2. Why is Grace at stake?

Let me begin with grace

On first hearing you may well be thinking that I am simply crazy. People in the western church still talk about grace. They talk about it a lot. If anything the charge is that traditional believers like me lack grace. So what am I getting at? It’s this. It`s not enough just to say the word `grace` a lot. The issue is what we mean by it, and whether we mean what the bible means or whether we have made up our own meaning for ourselves.

2.1. Cheap Grace?
Now the kind of grace that I think the western church talks about, and come to that western culture when it thinks about grace at all is this: cheap grace. Cheap grace. I am borrowing from the German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He says this. ‘ʹCheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession…. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate’ʹ1

We especially need to note three points.
”¢ This grace is worldly. Bonhoeffer means that it conforms to the patterns of the world, is no different from the world and listens to the world.2 Crucial. Bonhoeffer was warning us about mixing Christian grace with the world’s idea of grace, and at worst substituting the world`s view of grace for the Christian view. For Bonhoeffer, who was writing in the 1930s, that influence from the world came from the tragic infatuation of some German Christians with Nazism. The precise kind of worldliness may be different now from Nazism then. I`m not saying that modern western culture and the modern western church is pro-­””‘Nazi. I am saying it is pro-­””‘world, just as, in their different way, Nazi Christians tried to be.

This worldliness is at the heart of Bonhoeffer’s criticism. He is echoing the Barmen declaration of 1934, when German Confessing Christians rejected the idea that Christ’s people should listen to any other voice claiming to stand on a par with his. The Barmen declaration comes back to that time and again: the imperative that Christ’s people listen to him the good Shepherd and not to any competing voice. It is Christ alone, not Christ and something else”¦. Whether the something else is Nazism or liberal democracy or an understandable pride in establishing oneself as an independent country. But what does this cheap grace that conforms to the world look like? Bonhoeffer points especially to 2 things that mark out cheap grace from real grace.

Ӣ This grace is repentanceless
Ӣ This is a grace we bestow on ourselves, in other words, it is a grace we give each other when we see fit, rather than according to the pattern of God

We need to look at both aspects, the lack of repentance and bestowing grace on ourselves.

Read it all (PDF File)

The United Methodist Church’s highest court gathers for its semiannual meeting in Baltimore on Wednesday, as the denomination confronts a growing movement of defiant clergy members opposed to church doctrine on gays and unwilling to back down.

They include:

The Rev. Steve Heiss, of Binghamton, N.Y. Heiss must promise by Thursday (Oct. 24), that he will never again preside at a same-sex wedding or face a church trial that could lead to his loss of clergy credentials. He said he will refuse.
The Rev. Frank Schaefer of Lebanon, Pa. He will be tried Nov. 18-19 for officiating at the 2007 same-sex wedding of his son.
The Rev. Gordon Hutchings of Tacoma, Wash. He faces a complaint for presiding at a same-sex marriage in his state.
The Rev. Sara Thompson Tweedy of New York. She faces a complaint of being a practicing lesbian.

Read it all.