A MOUNTAIN The Australian OUT OF MOW LL’SHI LL CHURCH Deborah Russell n many ways the gospel of spread of the gospel. throughout the 1960s. The Billy Graham I Christ is at the crossroads Mowll placed key people in teaching Crusade was the place where Phillip and “ in our society. Will our and training positions early in his tenure as Peter Jensen, and Robert Forsyth, all nation turn to Christ or continue to turn Archbishop. Foremost among them was possible candidates for archbishop in this its back on him? Clearly it is important T.C. Hammond as principal of Moore election, were converted. RECORD that we elect a Bishop for the Diocese College. Mowll also saved the Church By the time Harry Goodhew was and the Province who will be the right Missionary Society from an untimely elected archbishop in 1993, the Anglican leader at this critical time”. death: refusing to support breakaway ele - church was again struggling to deal with The Bishop of North Sydney, cur - ments in England, he instead gave extra the ever-present conflict between the lib - April 29, 2001 Issue 1883 rently the administrator of the diocese resources and leaders to the CMS in eral and conservative evangelical elements until the new archbishop takes over the Sydney. The Mowlls were also active in in the church. The problem of falling or reins, made these comments as part of an aged care; Mowll Village in Castle Hill’s static church membership and a host of “There was a greater belief from the open letter to Synod members who will Anglican retirement complex bears his other social and spiritual questions con - meet in early June (see part of the letter name in honour of their contribution. And fronted Sydney Anglicans. Problems were 1960s that laypeople were not the passive on page two). they were supportive of international mis - acknowledged, it seems, but there was dis - observers in a Church which was The outgoing archbishop, Harry sions, particularly those to south-east Asia agreement about the best solution. Goodhew, is clear about the problems fac - and China, which they visited in 1956. Goodhew was elected in 1993 as an clergy-run and clergy-led, but were rather ing the Anglican Church. “The larger issue “unashamedly compromise candidate”, the lifespring of every Christian community, for the church is its ability to address says Muriel Porter in The Age . “More rad - Australia’s prevailing materialistic culture,” Sydney is poised ical contenders failed to win the synod with great gifts and responsibility he said in a recent Canberra Times article. to elect “the right vote,” she said. “Observers...feared Sydney “Unless we present the claims of Christ was hell-bent on a path of outright con - in every area of ministry.” with clarity and graciousness, it’s likely to leader at this frontation with wider Anglicanism”. While S. Judd & K. Cable, Sydney Anglicans: a history of the diocese, p. 277. be subsumed as another club with a par - the Anglican church “breathed a sigh of ticular point of view”. critical time ”. relief when Goodhew was elected”, Porter Bishop Forsyth, one of the potential predicts that the watershed may have candidates for archbishop, noted in a Perhaps most importantly of all, arrived with this year’s synod, an echo of Inside this issue of ACR you will recent paper the unprecedented level of Mowll was the man who invited Billy the 1933 showdown between modernism economic and social change taking place Graham to Australia on behalf of the and orthodoxy. find articles, tables, opinion pieces, and static levels of church membership in churches. The American’s visit spurred a Deborah Russell’s mother was the last biblical reflections and interviews some parts of the Anglican church. spiritual revival and inspired gospel activity person confirmed by Archbishop Mowll. “Australian society today is increasingly gathered around the decision facing pluralistic, with growing material prosper - ity but not satisfaction,” he said. “The the Sydney synod in early June: Anglican church continues to struggle the election of a new archbishop. with finding its identity...its place has been slipping for as long as we have been here”. We hope this material helps Some commentators have looked back to past archbishop’s elections to find synod representatives to decide inspiration and direction. The 1933 elec - on their preferred candidate, tion of Archbishop Howard Mowll in par - ticular is seen as offering valuable lessons and provides information for for the present situation. Mowll was elected at a time when Anglican church members who are debate over liberal theology was raging. praying for this matter. Conflict between liberal and conservative wings of the church was rife, and mod - ernism rose up to do damage to both sides. Mowll came to represent and embody Just some of the highlights the conservative face of Anglicanism in Australia, particularly Sydney; he and his John Chapman reminds us of the gospel message wife, Dorothy, were active in mission work, social welfare reforms and the Andrew Dircks from the Church Missionary Society highlights the importance of gospel mission for our church Laurie Scandrett explains changes in the election procedure About this issue Peter Hayward finds an Anglican world looking to Sydney’s lead hen we relaunched Australian when the word of Christ rings out around ing opportunity to bring honour to the Church Record in October, the city, where our churches thrive and name of Jesus. The laity, in particular, have Joanna Warren provides helpful lists W 1998, we spoke of the need we experience real and lasting unity. We an immensely important decision ahead of to “preserve” and “strengthen” the biblical don’t get too utopian (our doctrine of sin them. For the laity are the powerhouse of of questions to ask about candidates evangelicalism of the Anglican Diocese is too well established to make that mis - gospel work in Sydney. It is a time for gath - of Sydney. This issue brings us to a crucial take), but we do imagine that things can ering our courage and doing the best we Peter Bolt objects to the idea that moment in that mission. As we approach get better. The urge arises to strengthen can with what God has given us. we can never reverse the flow the election of a new archbishop, we the things that remain. If this means a bit of re-thinking, tend to look in two directions: backwards But we often neglect to look into one moving out of our own comfort zones, ACR’s tribute to the late Bruce Smith and forwards. other time zone: the present. spending some time in prayer and the When we look back, we see a diocese Unless we can take hold of the pre - Scriptures, seeking to understand God’s Barry Newman is interrogated on what that has experienced generous blessings sent, the future may as well not exist. The own will and priorities, then so be it. The makes (and unmakes) an archbishop from God—times of spiritual growth, con - past neither. We have to make the differ - present beckons; the opportunities are version, fellowship, expansion and mis - ence now. golden. We pray that this issue of ACR Joshua Ng ponders what true unity sion. But we also see the threats to our We believe that, at the beginning of a assists your reflections and has you asking is meant to look like church which arose from the old combi - new millennium, in a city whose growth God that he continue to show us mercy nation: sin, the world, and the devil. At is accelerating at an incredible rate, whose and grace. Greg Clarke says vote for Superman times, we have struggled to survive, which ministry training facilities are operating “For God did not give us a spirit of is why the instinct for preservation arises. at capacity, and whose congregations con - timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, PLUS DETAILED INFORMATION ON We also look forward, hoping and tain some of the best-equipped lay people and of self-discipline” (2 Tim 1:7). THE CANDIDATES… planning and dreaming for better times, of any international church, we have a strik - The Editors The Australian Church Record 2 Sydney to the world The Apostolic Gospel Peter Hayward John Chapman ECUSA by staying within it. Others, such now and into the future? A little surprisingly as Anglican Mission in America (AMiA) there is unanimity at this point. All evangel - are extremely pessimistic and have already icals, both within and without the existing separated from ECUSA and are looking structures of ECUSA, look to Sydney for a for support from like-minded Anglicans thoroughgoing submission to Scripture and around the world. the ongoing ministry of the gospel. All have Which approach is right? witnessed such staggering compromise to Having interacted with ECUSA for the clear teaching of the Bible, that the the last four years it is apparent that both resolution to let the Bible and gospel lead are right. I live in the north-west part of a diocese is simply the most important the United States and it is hard to under - service that Sydney can offer. For 25 years stand how any Bible-believing Christian American Anglicans have witnessed a could in good conscience stay in that retreat from speaking with a clear prophetic denomination. It is not too extreme to say voice for the fear offending those who dis - that the dioceses in this area only margin - agree. If Sydney leads by an ongoing com - Peter Hayward is the minister ally intersect with historic orthodox mitment to Scripture it will inevitably be of an Anglican church in Spokane, Washington, USA.