Essentials
The Atonement Debate that is dividing evangelicals
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- Written by: Allan Bate
Allan Bate comes to grips with the ongoing debate about the atonement.
After 15 years in fulltime stipendiary ministry within the Anglican Church in Australia I decided to enrol myself in a MA(Min) with the Australian College of Theology so as to receive some much needed professional development.
This year I enrolled in a theological subject which looked at the Meanings of the Atonement. One of the reasons I enrolled in this subject was to assist me in my discussions with my liberal colleagues who argue against, and even strongly oppose my views, on penal substitutionary atonement (PSA). The other reason I chose to enrol was because of the rise in evangelicals who are choosing to leave this doctrine behind, which probably includes even some members of EFAC Australia.
As an isolated evangelical working in a non-metropolitan diocese issues like this sometimes fail to come up on my radar and so it was for this reason that I thought that I would take the opportunity to share some of my insights with you. (I would love someone to do a similar article on Tom Wright and The New Perspective in another issue of Essentials). (In the meantime here is a link to a paper by Tom Wright on the New Perspective)
Read more: The Atonement Debate that is dividing evangelicals
Free to Pray
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- Written by: Libby Hore-Lacy
Libby Hore-Lacy reports on a 24 hour EFAC Retreat.
Free to Pray, a 24hour retreat was held at Belgrave Heights in April this year. The aim of the retreat was to create time and space to attend to our prayer relationship with God. Nicky Chiswell led us in several Bible reflections demonstrating various aspects of prayer and several workshops provided opportunity to explore new ways of contemplative prayer. A few comments from some people who shared our retreat time give some insight into this time:
I haven't missed an EFAC retreat and plan not to! … a most helpful mix of bible input and reflection, balanced with tracts of personal time to spend with the Lord, gently supported by the discreet presence of the leading team. God has used the days to remind me of His Sovereignty and tender love.
Isabell Smith
Priorities for a Mission(al) Society
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- Written by: Mark Short
Mark Short outlines what a Mission Society should look like, and what it has to do with church.
Long before missionalbecame the favourite adjective for churches wanting to serve on the cutting edge, voluntary societies like The Bush Church Aid Society have defined themselves in terms of mission (early editions of the Society"s Real Australian magazine refer to "Home Missions" in contrast to the "Foreign Missions" supported by other Societies). But what does a commitment to mission look like for us?
First, it is important to recognise that we are not a church. We aren"t a local gathering of God"s people around the Risen Lord Jesus.
But we do have a vital and necessary connection with the church. The thousands of people who express our mission through their prayers, giving and going do so largely because their faith has been awakened and encouraged through one or more churches. In turn BCA needs to ensure that the formation and strengthening of churches is central to what we do. If, as Leslie Newbiggin argued, a healthy local church is one of most powerful demonstrations of the gospel to a sceptical age, then we have no place supporting programs that exist in isolation or independent from a local gathering of believers.
So what disciplines will sustain a healthy partnership between BCA and churches? Let me suggest four:
Jerusalem to Nairobi
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- Written by: Richard Condie
Richard Condie reflects on two GAFCON meetings and the contrasts between them.
A lot has changed in the five years since the first GAFCON was held in Jerusalem in 2008. The contrast between it and the second conference held on October 21-26 in Nairobi, Kenya this year was quite marked. Both conferences were inspirational, but in different ways: one to draw a “line in the sand” to deal with a crisis, and the other to mature a movement that is full of hope and forward facing mission.
Opening sessions of large conferences like this often set the background and tone for what follows. GAFCON 1 in Jerusalem opened with a recounting of the unhappy history of the Anglican communion since 1998. The story was one of a slide into liberalism, especially in North America, the dislocation of orthodox believers, civil action in the courts, and the failure of the Instruments of Communion to deal with the situation. It was a sombre stage for the work that needed to be done in defining Anglican identity, making a stand for truth and in charting a new course for the future.
The Big Issue
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- Written by: Kanishka Raffel
Kanishka Raffel reports on the second Global Anglican Future Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya in October 2013.
What was the "big issue" of the second Global Anglican Future Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya in October 2013? Making disciples. GAFCON II took as its theme, "Making Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ". As a gathering of more than 1300 Anglican Christians from 40 nations and 27 Anglican Provinces, GAFCON provided a rare and wonderful opportunity for fellowship among those engaged in the same mission around the world. We gathered as Anglican Christians who proclaim the same Lord by the power of the same Spirit in accordance with the truth of the same biblical gospel, yet in many different contexts.
In the majority world, gospel proclamation takes place in the face of increasing opposition from militant religionists, Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist. Meeting in Kenya so soon after the attack on the Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi provided a sobering reminder that for many of those present at the conference, discipleship and evangelism are pursued in the face of daily threat and violence.
Editorial Summer 2013
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- Written by: Dale Appleby
This issue of Essentials has two major focuses. Two reflections on GAFCON lead into other articles to do with mission and the state of the Anglican church. Kanishka Rafffel reports on GAFCON, that making disciples was the big idea, and Richard Condie contrasts the Jerusalem and Nairobi conferences. We include the GAFCON Statement from Nairobi as well.
Mark Short and Allan Bate help us think about mission and theology in a church that is focussing on mission.
The second focus is on indigenous life and ministry. Murray Seiffert writes provocatively about his experience of ministry in the Northern Territory, and Joy Sandefur has review articles on two important books to do with indigenous life. Her review of Peter Sutton’s book, The Politics of Suffering, is especially important I think. I hope we will have other articles in the future on these topics.
Steven Daly reviews Vishal Mangalwadi, The Book That Made Your World. And Andrew Malone reviews E. Randolph Richards, Paul and First-Century Letter Writing. Plus more.
EFAC Australia is considering making Essentials an electronic journal. We would like your feedback on this proposal. If you haven't yet responded please use the poll on the home page (among others) to register your opinion.
Dale Appleby is the Rector of Christ the King Willetton in the Diocese of Perth and the Editor of Essentials.
Sex and Marriage
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
Five useful books reviewed by Cailey Raffel and Ben Underwood
Married for God: Making your marriage the best it can be
Christopher Ash IVP 2007 ISBN 9781844741892
167 pages, with discussion questions after each chapter plus a comprehensive list of books for further reading
This is not a book of commonsense wisdom about sex and marriage with a coating of Bible verses to make it Christian. Rather, Ash wants to start with God and have God central to his whole discussion about marriage. Recognising that disappointment is one of the biggest reasons for marriage breakdown, he starts with the question, ‘What are proper hopes and aims for marriage?’
Ash calls us to line up our goals behind God’s rather than expecting God to line up his energies behind my goals. His bottom line is: put God at the centre and strive to want what he wants, and you will have a better marriage.