Evangelicalism in the churches

'Evangelicalism in the churches' is one of six major themes to be explored at the Evangelical History Association's Divining the Past conference on July 23.

• Rowland Ward will analyse four Presbyterian heretics from the twentieth century.
• John Macintosh will examine three principals of the influential Moore Theological College in Sydney.
• And Stuart Piggin's paper will engage with the very topical issue of Peter Jensen's (pictured) leadership of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney.

'Most of the many recent studies of Sydney evangelical Anglicanism have been written by critical outsiders,' Piggin says. One of the assumptions of this literature is that 'politics usually damages the church.'

Dr Piggin's contribution to Divining the Past will probe this idea by exploring the contrasting leadership styles of Harry Goodhew (1993-2001) and Peter Jensen (2001 to date). Their styles 'reflect not only two different personalities but different understandings of the nature of evangelicalism. These are reflected in the major challenges and debates of the two episcopates. For Goodhew these included: parish growth, the expansion of low-fee schools, the development of a sexual abuse protocol, the push for lay presidency, and the push against the ordination of women and a new prayer book. In Jensen it has included ‘The Mission’, the Boyer Lectures, the ‘Masord Discord,’ and GAFCON.'

Conference registration is now open - all the details are on the EHA's homepage.