In its 2018 report An Evangelical Episcopate, the Sydney Diocesan Doctrine Commission helpfully elucidated the core responsibilities of a Bishop in the Anglican Church. The first priority of a Bishop is to be a guardian of ‘the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints’ (Jude 3). This is the priority found in the New Testament and in the Anglican Ordinal. Through public proclamation and defence of the apostolic gospel and by personal example the bishop is to do all in his power to ensure that the teaching of Scripture shapes and directs the life, ministry and mission of his Diocese. Other priorities flow from this. The Bishop must order the ministry of the Diocese towards this gospel witness and ministry, he must exercise pastoral concern and insight, he must represent his Diocese faithfully nationally and internationally, and he must administer the work of the Diocese in line with its mission. This is the vital and onerous task of each Bishop and so we must remain deeply committed to pray for our Bishops, and we rejoice in great thankfulness for those who have and continue to discharge these duties. In this edition of Essentials, it is wonderful then to have three such faithful Bishops represented as contributors. In a global and national Anglican context in which Bishops have often been at the vanguard of heterodoxy rather than orthodoxy, it is a great joy to hear from these three brothers, Peter, Kanishka, and Paul in this edition.

Alongside these contributions we have our eyes lifted to see the work of ARDFA amongst some of the most distressed displaced peoples, holding out the love of Christ in the darkness, and we also have our minds stimulated to see with clarity the glory of Jesus’ transfiguration and its purpose for his ministry. I commend our Spring edition to evangelical Anglican friends across Australia.

GAVIN PERKINS, BOWRAL NSW
EDITOR