This last year has been a strong year for the League. The first half was dominated by matters relating to the triennial Synod elections. Overall I think the outcome of these activities was very satisfactory, the election or appointment of people to synod committees supported by the ACL meant that it was one of the most successful triennial elections in the history of the ACL.
Membership continues to grow steadily and the news letter is published regularly and with widespread acceptance, as is true of the website also.
As everybody knows the Anglican Church of Australia has become the focus of significant controversy over recent months. Statements by the newly elected Primate have given rise to widespread alarm, especially in Sydney. This culminated in calls for a boycott of his inauguration at St. Andrews Cathedral and the circulation of a petition across the diocese for presentation to Synod in October.
Another spin off from this period of controversy was the Four Corners programme on the Anglican Church. A number of ACL people were featured in the programme. Overall I feel that the programme was reasonably fair, even if some of the voice over comments were simplistic and inaccurate. Generally speaking, the point of view of a substantial number of people in Sydney was given a good airing so that a discerning viewer could judge where the evangelicals in Sydney were coming from.
I believe that the controversies of recent months are likely to continue. There is widespread frustration at the liberal character of the national leadership as well as at the serious decline in the strength of the Anglican Church across the nation. Either the Church will address the real causes of this decline or Anglicanism will become an insignificant relic of a older age, and extinct in many parts of the country.
The role of the diocese of Sydney will be crucial. Though not everything is smooth going here, in comparison to the rest of the country there is a robustness in Sydney that gives reason for optimism that if Sydney was permitted to contribute nationally to gospel ministry much of the decline could be reversed.
People outside Sydney, who complain at what they see as the challenge of Sydney on issues such as lay administration and church planting, need to stop their abuse and try to understand why Sydney is so different. The reason lies in our evangelical character; that is, our firm commitment to biblical authority and our desire to see the nation won for Christ. Many Sydney Anglicans get impatient with a denomination that is slow to change and unwilling to put gospel imperatives ahead of entrenched powers and privileges.
In essence the issue is this: Do we subjugate gospel interests to fit into denominational interests or do we make denominational interests serve the gospel? So many of the tensions within Sydney itself in recent times boil down to this as well.
In an age when denominationalism is in decline across the christian landscape it would be unrealistic not to see that decline and the tensions associated with it not coming to the surface in our denomination and diocese as well.
Episcopal leadership can fight these pressures and if they prevail will accelerate the decline of the very body they say they love. Frankly the new wine of the gospel can no more be contained in the old wineskins of outdated denominationalism than it could be contained in Judaism 2000 years ago.
What is needed at this time is wise, brave and open minds so that out of this period of instability will emerge a stronger and more effective denomination. That may mean something like a revolution in peopleās thinking but in the end Anglicanism will either have to learn to change or it will suffer terminal decline.
At this time our attention is now very much on the Archbishop's election in June. Last year in speaking this matter I said -
"Being Archbishop of Sydney is such a daunting task that it would not be surprising to know that many of the people who would grace that office don't actually want it. That too is a quality much to be admired. Nevertheless the needs of the times may well demand that somebody of outstanding calibre will have to sacrifice his own interests to take on this complex and demanding task.
The office of Archbishop of Sydney, involves not simply the leadership of this great diocese but the de facto leadership of evangelical Anglicans across Australia and the world. We need a man who will fit that role with distinction and strength.
The Archbishop of Sydney needs to be a person with the wisdom of Solomon, the courage of David, the gospel passion of Paul and the kindness of the Apostle John. He operates in the context of a crumbling national church and in a society edging further and further away from its christian roots. He leads a fellowship of christians in the diocese who hold to the authority of scripture as the determinate in matters of policy and strategy and he has the task of giving expression to their aspirations.
He needs to be a person of transparent integrity and godliness. He needs to be someone of outstanding intellectual capacity and theological steadfastness. He needs to be a skilled diplomat, an able administrator and with the capacity to make hard decisions, even at the risk of offending friends. That is the curse of leadership. He needs to be the object of trust and respect. He needs to be accessible yet removed >from the hurly burley of diocesan intrigue. He needs to be passionate for the gospel and open to new ways to deliver it.
These and other factors will be on our minds as we move into this period of consideration.
We in Sydney have been blessed with great archbishops throughout this century and we need to be praying that God will raise up the man for the hour, that he will be recognised and supported by the diocese on a whole so that we can move forward in a united way.
If it was possible for the diocese to move towards a greater degree of unity and co-operation that would be a good thing. The ACL is committed to this outcome, qualified only by its commitment to gospel truth and gospel growth. People who show that commitment, even when they differ on the details of implementation, will find the ACL willing to talk and work together."
Nothing has changed except now people are beginning to focus on likely candidates. It is unlikely that the ACL as an organisation will campaign for any one person, though I am sure that our members will be active in promoting the merits of their favoured name. Last time the ACL organised diocesan wide prayer meetings to provide an opportunity for church members to do what is most important of all - namely to pray to our heavenly Father for his guidance and that his providential power will work to raise the man for the hour.
I have indicated that this will be the last time I will be putting my self forward for election as President of the ACL. I have held this position now since 1994 and I think it is fair to say I have worked as hard as I could to advance the cause of our League. As everybody knows support in the 1993 Triennial elections the ACL suffered some reverses. Most of these were made up in 1996 and last year I believe it is fair to say ACL nominated candidates were supported in an unprecedented way. Many people on the council and outside the council worked hard to achieve these results and I thank everyone who was involved.
It is never healthy for an organisation to be led by one person for too long. An organisation such as ours needs new energy and new ideas and I believe someone younger than I will be needed to carry the torch on. I hope the Council will give much thought to this in the months ahead.
Bruce Ballantine-Jones
President
Canon Bruce Ballantine-Jones OAM is President of the ACL and Rector of the Sydney parish of St. Clement's Jannali.
(Copyright Anglican Church League)
Document added 5 September 2000.
Anglican Church League, www.acl.asn.au