The year’s best-read stories on Sydneyanglicans.net included a royal wedding, a papal death, an immigration crisis and a minister shortage. Jog your memory with 2005’s ten most popular news items.
1: 40, 39, 38 " Ascension!: The best-read story of the year focused on prayer, as more than seven thousand Christians prayed as part of the Sydney Diocese's 40 Days With The Risen Lord from Easter to Pentecost.
2: Royal wedding bells toll death of Protestantism: Dr Jensen: Changing the date of the royal wedding shows Protestantism is largely dead, said the Archbishop of Sydney Dr Peter Jensen, making it 2005’s second-top story. He said Sydney Anglicans have been the worst offenders in distancing themselves from other Christians rather than fight "our common enemy' " secular humanism.
3: Model marriage - even if they aren't models: Bishop of South Sydney Robert Forsyth said he is not a royal watcher, but Australians might benefit from looking past the fashion and focusing on the way Charles and Camilla married.
4: Passing of a great man: As the world marked the passing of the Pontiff in April, Archbishop Peter Jensen told ABC radio said he was personally challenged by the late Pope John Paul II’s stand on human rights issues, particularly the sanctity of human life.
5: Re-inventing the Cathedral: The Dean of Sydney Phillip Jensen discussed his vision for St Andrew’s Cathedral in March. He outlined his plan to reposition the Cathedral as a centre for solid Bible teaching, moving it beyond its reputation as a tourist attraction.
6: New Pope no champ: Archbishop Peter Jensen released his response to the election of the new Pope. Margaret Rodgers warned Sydney Anglicans not to rely on Benedict XVI as their champion, despite his conservative Christian agenda.
7: Battle lines drawn at UTS: The University of Technology, Sydney became a battleground for religious belief just before Easter as the Bishop of South Sydney, Robert Forsyth and UTS Faculty of Law lecturer, Ian Ellis-Jones debated the central claim of the Christian faith " "Jesus' resurrection: fact or fiction?'.
8: Deportation death sentence: Friends of Christian asylum seeker Amir Mesrinejad said he faced a death sentence if the Department of Immigration pushed ahead with plans to deport him to Iran. The former Muslim was freed from Villawood Detention Centre in September.
9: Controversial book inspires fiery debate: The launch of Sydney Morning Herald journalist Chris McGillion’s book The Chosen Ones: the Politics of Salvation in the Anglican Church prompted fiery debate about about Sydney Diocese’s stance on liberalism, women’s ordinatiion and theological training.
10: Sydney minister shortage: Southern Cross reported that Sydney is in danger of running out of ministers despite record student numbers at Moore College. Graduate numbers have not kept pace with rapid church planting.
