Easter: conflict, judgement and hope

Apr 6, 2020 by

Easter: conflict, judgement and hope

by Andrew Symes, Anglican Mainstream: It’s not about the donkey. One of the most memorable – and unhelpful – sermons I ever heard on Palm Sunday was a six minute offering by a Bishop,  focussing on the donkey. A humble, hard working animal, a beast of burden, unspectacular, unshowy. Jesus chose this as his mount rather than a white charger. By doing so he showed that although he was the Son of David and the rightful ruler of Israel, he came in peace, not to challenge Roman rule. In...

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A Day to Fast and Pray: Saturday, April 4

Apr 3, 2020 by

A Day to Fast and Pray: Saturday, April 4

By Julius Kim, The Gospel Coalition: […] Billions across the world have watched with dread as COVID-19 continues to spread—infecting hundreds of thousands and greatly disrupting the lives of most of the world’s population. Much has already been lost, and the uncertainty of what more can be lost—and when it will stop—leaves people deeply anxious. For many, the scariest feeling of all is helplessness. But we worship a mighty and sovereign God who is not helpless. We cry out to him in our...

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“Stratospheric” costs of “ugly” new Lambeth Palace Library need explanation

Apr 2, 2020 by

“Stratospheric” costs of “ugly” new Lambeth Palace Library need explanation

Anglican Mainstream report: Satirical magazine Private Eye claims in its latest edition (issue 1519) that the final costs of the new building to house the priceless collection of old books in the Archbishop of Canterbury’s residence will cost £40 million. The article, in the magazine’s architecture section ‘Nooks and Corners’, begins by questioning the building’s architectural merits – “a strong contender for the ugliest building of the year”. The accompanying photo shows an ‘eastern...

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Can Holy Communion be celebrated remotely at home?

Mar 26, 2020 by

Can Holy Communion be celebrated remotely at home?

Different views from two evangelicals: Can Baptism and the Lord’s Supper Go Online? By Bobby Jamieson, The Gospel Coalition: The Lord’s Supper enacts the church’s unity. It consummates the church’s oneness. It gathers up the many who partake of the same elements together, in the same place, and makes them one. (So if baptism binds the one to the many, the Lord’s Supper makes the many one.) So to make the Lord’s Supper into something other than a meal of the whole church, sitting down together...

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Anger, boredom, fear – and their antidote

Mar 25, 2020 by

By Andrew Symes, Anglican Mainstream: “It’s absolutely disgraceful. The government should have ordered a much more draconian lockdown two weeks ago. And why is there no toilet paper in the shops? Someone is to blame for this.” “I’ve been self-isolating for two days and I’m already bored. There’s only so much you can take of scrolling through darkly comic memes about self isolation and toilet paper, and watching reruns of Netflix box sets and old FA Cup semi final classics.” “Well it’s alright...

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The Suffering Church and a Call to Prayer and Fasting

Mar 25, 2020 by

The Suffering Church and a Call to Prayer and Fasting

By Faith McDonnell, Gafcon: […] A group of church leaders in East Africa are looking at the crises facing the world today with both faith and determination. If COVID-19 can spread across the globe, why cannot a movement of God spread across the globe? If those with COVID-19 can infect an average of 3 or 4 others, why cannot those with the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit infect 3 or 4 others? We have seen the contagious character of a deadly virus. Can we create a #prayercontagion? Because...

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