It only happens to the best.

The unsurpassable Crystal at Boobs, Injuries, & Dr. Pepper has been travelling the path along which genius all too often drags one.

If you can spare a moment drop by and tell her how much we need her: brilliance of her intensity is too precious for the world to lose.

+Akinola: Sydney's dear friend in Christ.

Sydney's bishops will be boycotting Lambeth because of a fellow believer in Christ who lives in a loving, monogamous marriage with another believer.
Ok, so everyone's heard that by now.

But Father Jake has raised cause to reconsider the person the Sydney bishops chosen to make their new best friend.

Wonder if +Jensen & his "Bible-believing" bishops have ever heard of Aesop and his fable of The Farmer and the Stork? Or since that isn't "biblical", how about the commandment "Thou shalt not kill"?

Help! The Romans are Coming!

World Youth Day will soon be here, and the Sydney Anglican machine is getting nervous about the looming Roman Catholic invasion. Or at least that’s what a confidential report to the clergy of Sydney’s George’s River region suggests, a copy of which just happens to have been leaked to the notorious Duck Noodle Gang. So now “confidential” probably isn’t such a good description any more; how about trying “idiotic” instead?

After an introductory quote lifted from the WYD web site explaining the event’s aims, things quickly move into attack mode:

“… there is a clear targeting of those already baptised (presumably as Roman Catholics). Note also the centrality of the sacraments and not the gospel of Jesus as we understand it.”

Well gee Cromwell: maybe that’s because they’re Roman Catholics? So might it kind of figure they’ll be more interested in Catholic perspectives than they are in presenting yours?

”Again note how while this gives the appearance of orthodoxy, the ‘ultimate witness’ stated here is more in line with the theory of the atonement stated by Peter Abelard - the moral influence view, which falls short of a comprehensive Biblical view of the cross.”

He doesn’t get it, does he? Roman Catholic theology and thought has been influenced by Catholic theologians - that’s kind of obvious for most people. Does he expect they’ll be quoting the latest tract from Matthias Media?

Still, Sydney diocese’s current obsession with theories of the atonement is interesting, given that when I was a student at Moore College “Atonement” was a 4th year elective only very few of us bothered with. This may have now changed, but there’s a whole generation of clergy out there who have never formally studied any of the alternatives to the official penal-substitutionary atonement party line. They may be quick to condemn alternate (or complementary) theories, but it's a certain bet most of them have little or no understanding of what they are – nor of the Biblical foundations upon which these theories were developed.

Abelard’s theology of “moral influence’ is actually central to neo-puritan piety – what Sydney convention is complete without a hearty rendition of “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”? This evangelical standard, along with much of the contemporary musical canon, is theologically far closer to Abelard than to Calvin – something easily overlooked when you’ve no idea of what Abelard actually said, nor why he said it.

”The music and the video clips are appealing and sufficiently ecumenical to fool anyone who does not think too hard about what they are a part of. This thought is reinforced by the fact that WYD seems to be militantly NOT using the title Roman Catholic World Youth Day. Moreover, one of their FAQ’s makes it clear that their invitation is to all youth. ”

Damn these sneaky Roman marketers: the Jesuits must be behind this one. How dare they invite ”all youth”! And note the depths to which they’ll descend in the process of this evil inclusivity: they’re even prepared to mislead the simple by “militantly” abbreviating the event’s title. Not like us - that’s why our outreach year (no manby-pamby “day” for us either) is called "Sydney-Anglican-Bible-Believing-Evangelicals-Opposed-To-Women-and-Gays-and-Lesbians-and-Divorcees –and-Anyone-Else-Not-Forgiven-Like-We-Are-Speaking-in-Church-(Even if they’re wearing a respectable business suit)-Connect -09". That is the name we’re using, isn’t it?

"This is a very large and well coordinated programme. For example, our local Roman Catholic scripture teachers have been undergoing training to equip them to be a part of WYD 2008 since last year."

Shock horror! Voluntary religious education teachers are actually being given training and support? What will those dastardly papists think of next? And how dare they approach the organisation of a major international event in a professional and well coordinated fashion!

"This programme is likely to appear very attractive to our young people, particularly those who are less discerning."

Yep, that’s right. These kids have only been part of our church since early childhood, so there’s every chance Rome’s talons will snatch them away from all they know and love. Especially the kids we think are stupid.

"Clearly the best defence against an inadequate gospel is the true gospel & so I suggest that the best local level response is to innoculate our people as best we may by clearly teaching the Bible. For example, opportunities come at every baptism and Lord’s Supper service. We can also use our small groups and our pulpits to teach clearly on the reformation doctrines and on how to read critically in the light of Biblical truth. I’m sure that we can think of many more ways to get the truth to our people!

There are already some helpful resources out there. "

No, I haven’t made this up: it’s a direct quote. Even more depressing is the fact that the Georges River region is relatively moderate. One can only imagine what the extremists are saying.

The “resources” referred to are prayer (mentioned last) and a whole showbag full of Matthias Media paraphenalia, along with a convenient link to their web site. All told just under a quarter of the document comprises advertising for this company’s wares, and included is the helpful suggestion that people purchase copies of the latest tract-de-jour for a paltry $13.00 a copy (bulk orders only) and give them away. Or else it you can buy a study series which:

"... explores what the Bible tells us about true salvation. The aim of the studies is to learn about how God saves us, why God saves us and what we are saved from. "

Just in case you forget when confronted by the awesome presence of Pope Benny and the World Youth Day Jets, and hey, it’s only $4.95…

***

I’m no fan of the Pope and his Vatican heavies – but I’ve many Roman Catholic friends with a deep and abiding faith in Jesus who feel the same way. I think it’s appalling that our state government is using public funds to subsidise a religious event which will openly discriminate against, and condemn, vast numbers of people whom God loves passionately. In fact the Pope and his Australian right-hand wingnut Cardinal Pell are probably about as far away from the image of Christ found in the gospels as it’s possible to get. The biggest problem, however, is that sectarian drivel like this shows that the “leaders” of my own church aren’t any better.

But don’t take my word for it. Download a copy of this “confidential” report for yourself by clicking here.

Happy Sydney GLBT Mardi Gras!

Kiss someone you love, because love is from God.


*Anyone concernedabout possible hygiene risks involved in the taking of this picture should relax: Fiver's immunizations are all current, so there's absolutely no risk of him catching anything from our little chap. ;-)

This is the Sea.

Some kids grew up with brothers and sisters, or with dogs and farms and football teams, but I grew up with the ocean. I love mountains, and snow, and the great flat western plains of central Australia, where you can drive for three hours without passing another vehicle, or making so much as a single turn on a road leading straight towards the horizon; but these were never part of my childhood. We lived on a narrow isthmus that separates the northern arm of the largest deepwater harbour in the world from the southern reaches of the world’s largest ocean, and the sea in all her sensuality was always insatiably near, and never resting.

Summers meant hot west winds, and crusted salt drying on sunburnt shoulders; winters meant southerlies piercing the neoprene skin of our wetsuits as they carried swells onto deserted beaches.

Our “sport” was sailing; in those days nobody imagined that surfing would one day become a competitive activity. It was a meditation, and as important as dreaming, although often infinitely more frightening. We didn’t ride in waves crashing onto rocks, sand and sea-urchins (whose spines could take weeks to extract from a misplaced foot, or – if you were very unlucky and had been “eaten” by the wave - your face) to become world champions (although one of us subsequently did), nor because we thirsted after the rush of an “extreme sport”: the term wasn’t invented yet. We surfed because that’s what you did when you weren’t sailing, or swimming, or spear-fishing. Because the waves were there, and riding them was as necessary as breathing, probably more so given our youth.

It’s been a long time since I paddled a board through shore-break, or around the outside of Bower Reef. Maybe that’s because I’m no longer fit enough, and not really because only the very young have the hours needed to chase waves.

And we were young then, very young, although at the time we thought otherwise. Don’t we all?

***
This morning I had the honour of speaking with one of the most honourable men I’ve ever met: somebody who left me feeling like I’d become a better person by simply spending time in his presence. This is funny, because he was only recently paroled from prison, where he came to have a similar effect on many of his fellow inmates. As we talked I realised how glibly we speak about forgiveness, and how rarely we stop and allow ourselves to understand what it means. And how much more we can become if we can but dare to live and believe in the forgiveness of which Christ spoke…

Like me, this man has also long loved the ocean, and I know how hard the years spent away from her have been for him. But those years have been served now: he is forgiven; and so are we.

A week back MadPriest had a Waterboys song on his Midnight Jukebox: Church Not Made With Hands. Since then I’ve been devouring everything by Mike Scott and the Waterboys I can find, so this is for you MP: “thanks”. And also for the man whom I was so privileged to meet today. He’ll appreciate the words more than most of us: it’s from the soundtrack to Riding Giants.
Which sort of says it all.

Go ahead trolls, make his day...

BlackStar would like to tell the brave anonymous troll who's been threatening to pay us a visit that he's looking forward to getting acquainted.

I've explained to him that this is unlikely, since the troll's IP address shows he's not even in Australia (nobody is ever truly anonymous on the web - not even Matthian trolls claiming to know me); but having chased and bitten intruders twice before, BlackStar's developed a taste for attackers. Literally.

Friends, on the other hand are always welcome; he's really a very friendly dog if he likes you. People who wish to express opinions different to his are also fine with him, but please don't start raising your voice - BlackStar hates people shouting at his family and friends. Just don't push your luck if you think the Duck Noodle Gang can be scared into silence. We thought about the consequences before starting this blog.

Which is more than trolls ever do before clicking "send".

Well that settles it then.

The Very Reverend Dean Phillip Jensen has announced an "afternoon briefing" on Friday 14th March to discuss "the reasons for, and implications of, recent decisions concerning Sydney’s participation in world Anglicanism."

Four men are listed as speakers for the two hour event: the Dean himself, Anglican Church League President and Moore College lecturer "Duck" Thompson, former journalist turned Archbishop's "Media Advisor" Russell Powell, and lawyer Robert Tong. No women will be addressing the meeting. Nor, it appears, will any Bishops. And since diocesan attitudes towards homosexuality are at the core of these "recent decisions" there will naturally be no homosexuals sharing their perspective and insights.

But there will be a lawyer. Just to show that everyone's got their priorities sorted.