There are fewer things more joyful than talking about our faith. It’s the stuff which keeps us together. Traditional, historic, evangelical, Christ-centred faith – preservation of orthodoxy, for want of a better name – is why Renewal Fellowship exists. What exactly is orthodoxy? In the view of the Oxford English Dictionary, it’s “belief in or … Read more
Has “liberty of conscience and action” replaced “no divisive course” as the touchstone phrase in our polity? Ministers, elders and deacons promise in our ordination vows to “follow no divisive course but to seek the peace and unity of Christ among your people” and the wider church. It’s widely quoted and tacitly accepted, even though … Read more
No matter what the flavour of our congregation, we are the Stay ‘n Pray group. But we are only part of the family. Among those who adhere to Reformed orthodoxy are those who are Planning to Depart. A few have a plan in place while most are still figuring out a way. Some who have already found New Pasture. And a final group, Discerning, isn’t completely sure where they will be in five years. … Read more
RF Executive Director Andy Cornell, right, talks with Rev. Trevor Payton, Executive Director of Dunamis Fellowship Canada during their fall gathering at Kortright Presbyterian Church in Guelph on Oct. 15. Andy joined the DFC board of directors earlier this year. There’s a natural connection between RF and Dunamis as we are all united in reformed … Read more
Is the evangelical revival of The Presbyterian Church in Canada a lost dream? Not necessarily. The PCC may be officially affirming. It’s entirely possible that “liberty of conscience and action” regarding participation in ordinations and adherence to traditional definition of marriage may just be short-term accommodations. And it’s disheartening to see a majority of commissioners … Read more
The denial of “balance and respect for both definitions of marriage” appeared to be a watershed moment at General Assembly 2022.[i] It revealed what many in orthodoxy have suspected – or feared: That The Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC) is officially “affirming” in accordance with the adoption of Pathway ‘B’– “inclusion” – in 2019. The … Read more
Defining moments from General Assembly 2022 The General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church in Canada provides a four-day snapshot of the state of the church. Anyone concerned about the evangelical renewal of the church would have heard numerous causes for concern. RF Executive Director Andy Cornell watched the entire proceedings and compiled notable and telling … Read more
Good news! The church is growing! The latest annual statistics from the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary indicate that there are fewer atheists around the world today (147 million) than in 1970 (165 million) and the report expects the number to continue to decline into 2050. Almost 2.56 billion … Read more
In recent weeks, many Canadian provinces have ended their mask mandates. For the first time in almost two years, we see each other’s faces in grocery stores and perhaps also in church. And yet for the most part there is no feeling of liberation or great cry of joy. To be sure, we like it. … Read more
As we work towards the renewal and revival of the church in accordance with Biblical orthodoxy, to be effective, we need to understand our church and the world in which we exist. Although this essay references events of 2022, it is intended to shed light on continuing cultural, political and economic trends in an effort … Read more