ACL AGM Address 2026 — Dr Lionel Windsor

Posted on June 24, 2026 
Filed under Anglican Church League, Sydney Diocese, Theology Comments Off on ACL AGM Address 2026 — Dr Lionel Windsor

The Rev Dr Lionel Windsor, New Testament Lecturer at Moore Theological College and ACL Council Member, gave the occasional address at the Anglican Church League’s 2026 Annual General Meeting.

His topic was: “Built on the foundation, joined together: Does God care about inter-church organisations?”  A talk on Ephesians 2:20–22.

“How do we define who the ACL is from a theological point of view? There are two dangers when we attempt to define ourselves theologically. At one end of the spectrum, we create too grand a vision and start believing church political networks like the ACL are central to God’s purposes in the universe. Yet at the other end, there is the danger that we become purely pragmatic, seeing the ACL as exclusively a human organisation. …”

– Listen to the full 19 minute talk here:

 

Or download the 19MB mp3 file at this link.

William Tyndale: The most important Englishman in history?

Posted on June 25, 2026 
Filed under History, People, Thanksgiving Comments Off on William Tyndale: The most important Englishman in history?

“William Tyndale was the first person to translate the New Testament into English from Greek, and this was the first NT printed in English. It had an immense impact on the English-speaking world, which reverberates down into our own time. …”

– Tony Watkins at Tyndale House in Cambridge has this sketch of the life and importance of William Tyndale.

“In 2026, Tyndale House [celebrates] the 500th anniversary of the Tyndale New Testament (1526).

This anniversary marks a turning point in the history of the English Bible and an enduring reminder of why William Tyndale matters today: he placed the word of God into the hands of ordinary people, doing so with attention to the original languages and giving his life for this mission.”

Click this link for more.

Why do young people leave the church, and what do we need to change to help them stay? Ruth Lukabyo

Posted on June 24, 2026 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on Why do young people leave the church, and what do we need to change to help them stay? Ruth Lukabyo

From The Pastor’s Heart –

“New research suggests that around 70% of those who attended church regularly at age 11 are no longer attending by their late twenties, with the most vulnerable years stretching from around age 10 through to 25.

Dean of Students at Youthworks College Ruth Lukabyo explores why young people disengage, how inherited faith becomes owned faith and what churches can do to better navigate the critical transitions from childhood to adulthood.

We discuss the practical changes pastors, parents and churches can make to help more young people keep following Jesus for the long haul.”

– Very helpful.  Watch or listen here.

The Anglican Church of Canada has published a [trial] euthanasia liturgy

Posted on June 24, 2026 
Filed under Anglican Church of Canada, Culture wars Comments Off on The Anglican Church of Canada has published a [trial] euthanasia liturgy

From Anglican Samizdat in Canada –

“The state in Canada has euthanised around 80,000 people as part of its Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) programme since its inception in 2016. That’s one in 20 deaths. So far, you have to be over 18 and of sound mind to request termination. The state even pays for it regardless of income, a claim it can’t make about dental care.

To solemnise the occasion, the Anglican Church of Canada has published a series of liturgies to be used at the bishop’s discretion. …”

– Read here.

My Rights — Freedom, life, and liberty?

Posted on June 23, 2026 
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on My Rights — Freedom, life, and liberty?

From Phillip Jensen –

“Today we are looking at freedom from slavery in the beginning of 1 Corinthians 9, but we decided to call this episode ‘My Rights’, for the way the passage has been translated raises the question of ‘rights’. The passage is really about the authority of the Apostle—an authority he does not use in his concern for other people’s salvation.

It is an extraordinary explanation of the nature of Christ’s work of salvation, preached in the apostolic gospel and lived out by the Apostle Paul.”

– Listen (or read the transcript) at Two Ways News.

(You can also join the Supporters Club – scroll down at this link.)

Bishop Richard Condie’s 2026 Presidential Address to the Synod of the Diocese of Tasmania

Posted on June 23, 2026 
Filed under Australian dioceses, for your prayers Comments Off on Bishop Richard Condie’s 2026 Presidential Address to the Synod of the Diocese of Tasmania

Bishop of Tasmania Richard Condie delivered his Presidential Address at the 2026 earlier this month.

It’s now on the diocesan website –

“Synod is about partnership. We each have our roles to play, as we bring our spiritual gifts to bear on our ministry and leadership. Each Parish and sector ministry, each chaplaincy and school has a unique context with unique mission challenges. But Synod reminds us that we do not labour alone, but alongside each other in partnership in the gospel. Paul was very aware of this as he wrote to the Philippian church. He was not a solo missionary, nor was the church in Philippi all on its own. Rather, Paul gives thanks to God for their partnership, their fellowship, their communion in the Gospel, right through his association with then. They were in this together, and so are we.

I am so thankful for your partnership and prayers and give thanks to God for them. I have been especially aware of this in recent days as we have begun to address our challenges around redress, but also in the development of our renewed shared Vision that we will launch at this Synod. We genuinely do this work together and it is a great joy. …”

Bishop Condie speaks around three points –

  1. Where we have come from
  2. Where we are now – redress
  3. The Future – Launching Tasmanian Anglicans 2031.

Under the third heading, he outlines –

– Read it all here.

Plenty of food for prayer for our brothers and sisters and the progress of the gospel in Tasmania.

Image thanks to the Diocese of Bathurst.

Bishop Malcolm Richards reports from DRC on the Ebola crisis

Posted on June 22, 2026 
Filed under World news Comments Off on Bishop Malcolm Richards reports from DRC on the Ebola crisis

SydneyAnglicans.net has this report from Bishop Malcolm Richards, Sydney’s Bishop for International relations. He is on a pastoral visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Photo thanks to Anglican Media Sydney.

Nine Questions every Pastor should ask about their Church’s music

Posted on June 22, 2026 
Filed under Encouragement, Resources Comments Off on Nine Questions every Pastor should ask about their Church’s music

9Marks has republished this 2014 article by Keith and Kristyn Getty, excerpted from their book Sing!: How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church –

“The one thing we have learned above all others as we have traveled with our music these last ten years is this: Good congregational singing begins with the pastoral leadership.

Whatever the denomination, musical style, or cultural background, the singing is directly proportional to the senior pastor’s or leadership team’s care for the subject. It is not primarily the music, or the musical leadership, or the budget. Just like parents can’t blame their child’s ballet teacher if she behaves badly through the week, so the leader of the church, and not the music leader or team, is ultimately responsible for how well the congregation is singing.

With that in mind, here are 10 questions we encourage every pastor to ask. …”

– Read it here.

Last week we linked to Liv Chapman Leggett’s review of the book at The Australian Church Record.

Shaped in Community

Posted on June 21, 2026 
Filed under Edification, Moore College Comments Off on Shaped in Community

The Dean of Sydney Sandy Grant writes in the Cathedral newsletter –

“Dear Friends, today, I republish the first half of an excellent article by Cathedral Canon Dr Mark Thompson from the latest edition of Moore Matters, the newsletter magazine our Moore College, our ministry training theological college.

I asked for Mark’s permission, since what he says about why it is valuable to study theology face-to-face in community is equally true about why it is so important to keep coming to church.

We both acknowledge there are times when this is not possible, for example, my relative in aged care now watches the Cathedral service online, because she can no longer easily get to her local parish. But Mark shows why it is so important to pursue face-to-face community and learning, when he writes…”

– At the Cathedral website.

And see the full Moore Matters Winter 2026.

The State of Theology in Canada – some good news, but not a lot

Posted on June 21, 2026 
Filed under Canada Comments Off on The State of Theology in Canada – some good news, but not a lot

“What do Canadians in 2026 believe about God, the Bible, and salvation? Ligonier Ministries Canada and Lifeway Research partnered to find out. …

Evangelicals were defined by Lifeway Research as people who strongly agreed with the following four statements:

– See the rather mixed results here. (Link thanks to challies.com.)

“Magnifica Humanitas”. The Chart of Roman Catholic Humanism and Its Theological Problems

Posted on June 19, 2026 
Filed under Theology Comments Off on “Magnifica Humanitas”. The Chart of Roman Catholic Humanism and Its Theological Problems

Leonardo De Chirico takes a look at the first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, of Leo XIV, Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. The encyclical is his response to the rise of Artificial Intelligence.

De Chirico examines the place, in this document, of sin and the Atonement – “In MH the cross is only mentioned once… in a quotation from a 19th century French theologian…”

In summary, he writes,

“The voice of the Pope adds new strength to the choir of those who don’t want to succumb to the technocracy of AI and should be heard by all those who share this concern.

Having said that, the theological vision of MH is embedded in the Roman Catholic account of the nature-grace interdependence. …

The language used is Christian as far as the use of words is concerned, but the meaning is Roman Catholic rather than biblical. This results in doctrinal ambiguity at best…”

– See his reasoning at Vatican Files.

What is the Church of England for?

Posted on June 19, 2026 
Filed under Church of England, Opinion Comments Off on What is the Church of England for?

Carl Trueman offers a devastating commentary on too much of the Church of England –

“H. Richard Niebuhr famously denounced the liberal church of his day, summarizing its theology in a single withering sentence: ‘A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.’ What he did not note—but perhaps implied—is that such theology typically manifests in worship that is infantile, offering a pastiche of the wider culture’s predilections that would qualify as kitsch, if its purveyors had the wit to see it as such. The progressive church is always a poor imitation of what the world considered cool the day before yesterday.

Walking through the streets of London in early June, I encountered a first-class example of such third-class theological life…”

– Read it all at First Things.

(Thanks to Julian Mann for the link.)

Anglican Heroes: Katherine Brandon — Church Society podcast

Posted on June 19, 2026 
Filed under History, People Comments Off on Anglican Heroes: Katherine Brandon — Church Society podcast

From Church Society –

“Clare Heath-Whyte tells the story of Katherine Brandon’s life through 16th century England and Europe.

Born Katherine Willoughby, she first married Charles Brandon, one of Henry VIII’s closest friends, and later Richard Bertie, her Master of the Horse.”

– Listen here.

See a portrait by Hans Holding the Younger.

Freedom Matters June 2026

Posted on June 18, 2026 
Filed under Australia, Culture wars, NSW Comments Off on Freedom Matters June 2026

The latest episode of Freedom Matters – for June 2026 – has been released – by Freedom for Faith.

“Our focus today is the Human Rights Bill that’s been introduced by the Greens. We’re going to look at that bill and think about what are the implications for religious freedom in particular.

The Human Rights Bill was introduced by the New South Wales Greens back in March of 2025 … was referred to … a parliamentary inquiry, in March of this year … with the submissions closing on the 3rd of July. There are some real challenges in this bill for religious freedom.”

– Bishop Michael Stead is Chair of Freedom for Faith. He is joined by Monica Doumit, Chancellor of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and Freedom for Faith board member.

– Watch here – 40 minutes.

Have we preached the word richly, but failed to let the word dwell richly among us?

Posted on June 17, 2026 
Filed under Edification, Resources, Theology Comments Off on Have we preached the word richly, but failed to let the word dwell richly among us?

From The Pastor’s Heart this week –

“Have we preached the word richly, but failed to let the word dwell richly among us?

Tony Payne provocatively argues that while evangelicalism has successfully recovered expository preaching and every-member ministry, we have not adequately recovered every-member word ministry.

Tony argues that the Reformation remains unfinished, that we haven’t fully thought through the implications of the priesthood of all believers, and that passages like Ephesians 4, Hebrews and especially 1 Corinthians 11-14 may need to be read rather differently than many of us have assumed.

Tony asks, have we trained people to serve on teams, but not trained them to speak God’s word to one another?

It’s a challenge that reaches into some of our most fundamental assumptions about Christian ministry.

We discuss prophecy, the ministry of women, the role of the pastor-teacher, preaching and discipleship, and what it would actually look like for the word of Christ to reverberate through a congregation rather than stopping at the pulpit.”

– Watch or listen here.

Related:

Let the Word Dwell Richly — by Tony Payne – post 03 June 2026.

Next Page →