You might want to visit the ABC Compass website where you will see a critical examination of the Sydney Diocese of Australia and an interview with the archbishop there, Peter Jensen. While I may not agree with all the aspects of the contemporary worship, I do admire Sydney's open defiance of politically correct views and theological relativism. (See the Anglican Church League link).
Also, about half-way through the video you will see a communion service in black and white at Moore College in the 1950's. The gray-haired clergyman on the right is David Broughton Knox. Also, David Knox, my rector and the son of Broughton Knox, tells me that the interview with Peter Jensen was conducted in the living room of the home in which David grew up.
The open hostility of the liberal news media is apparent. What is particularly amusing is the idea that conservatives are the ones tearing the Anglican Communion apart. Such could not be further from the truth. Even conservative Anglo-Catholics are bailing out and heading to Rome over this revisionism--not that Rome is the answer but that theological liberalism is the divisive factor here. You will also note in the video that the liberal congregation is elderly and seems to be dying out. Even though they claim to be "inclusive" they can't even put forward any homosexuals whom they claim to be including.
It is also obvious that ABC wants to downplay the popularity of Sydney Anglicans by showing a small evening youth service rather than a thriving morning service attended by hundreds or even thousands. I don't particularly like downplaying traditional hymns because those hymns teach Scriptural and theological truths. But the positive is that they are teaching straight from Scripture. No one can fault them for that.
What I do fault the Sydney Anglicans for--at least from what is said in the interviews--is a sell out to contemporary culture and to spiritual "experience" as a means of evangelism. While this approach is pragmatic and "works" one has to wonder if in the end the results will be the same as what we are seeing here in the US. Evangelicalism as a whole has forgotten the biblical foundations and are more concerned with marketing techniques and packaging the Gospel in the cultural trends that will draw people to church. When this becomes the focus it is not long before liberalism and cultural relativism again rears its ugly head. Throwing out everything old simply because the liberals have re-interpreted the symbols makes about as much sense as throwing out the Bible simply because liberals have re-interpreted the Scriptures to fit their liberal views. We must interpret Scripture faithfully by reason and not by our existential "experience" of Jesus. Jesus is defined by Scripture and not by our "experience" of him in some ineffable encounter in a moment of ecstatic ecstacy. Truth is expressed in propositional form in Scripture and we must never forget that God intends for us to worship Him with our minds as well as with our emotions. We must have an accurate cognitive and rational understanding of who God is and who Jesus is.
Judge for yourself: Anglicanism Sydney Style.
Also, about half-way through the video you will see a communion service in black and white at Moore College in the 1950's. The gray-haired clergyman on the right is David Broughton Knox. Also, David Knox, my rector and the son of Broughton Knox, tells me that the interview with Peter Jensen was conducted in the living room of the home in which David grew up.
The open hostility of the liberal news media is apparent. What is particularly amusing is the idea that conservatives are the ones tearing the Anglican Communion apart. Such could not be further from the truth. Even conservative Anglo-Catholics are bailing out and heading to Rome over this revisionism--not that Rome is the answer but that theological liberalism is the divisive factor here. You will also note in the video that the liberal congregation is elderly and seems to be dying out. Even though they claim to be "inclusive" they can't even put forward any homosexuals whom they claim to be including.
It is also obvious that ABC wants to downplay the popularity of Sydney Anglicans by showing a small evening youth service rather than a thriving morning service attended by hundreds or even thousands. I don't particularly like downplaying traditional hymns because those hymns teach Scriptural and theological truths. But the positive is that they are teaching straight from Scripture. No one can fault them for that.
What I do fault the Sydney Anglicans for--at least from what is said in the interviews--is a sell out to contemporary culture and to spiritual "experience" as a means of evangelism. While this approach is pragmatic and "works" one has to wonder if in the end the results will be the same as what we are seeing here in the US. Evangelicalism as a whole has forgotten the biblical foundations and are more concerned with marketing techniques and packaging the Gospel in the cultural trends that will draw people to church. When this becomes the focus it is not long before liberalism and cultural relativism again rears its ugly head. Throwing out everything old simply because the liberals have re-interpreted the symbols makes about as much sense as throwing out the Bible simply because liberals have re-interpreted the Scriptures to fit their liberal views. We must interpret Scripture faithfully by reason and not by our existential "experience" of Jesus. Jesus is defined by Scripture and not by our "experience" of him in some ineffable encounter in a moment of ecstatic ecstacy. Truth is expressed in propositional form in Scripture and we must never forget that God intends for us to worship Him with our minds as well as with our emotions. We must have an accurate cognitive and rational understanding of who God is and who Jesus is.
Judge for yourself: Anglicanism Sydney Style.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Charlie
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