Phillip Jensen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Phillip Jensen is a prominent Australian clergyman of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, currently the Dean of St. Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney. He is the brother of Peter Jensen, the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney.
Phillip Jensen studied theology at Moore Theological College, and won the Hey Sharp prize for coming first in the ThL (Licenciate of Theology, the standard course of study at that time), a year after his brother Peter also won it. Phillip became chaplain to the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in 1975 and Rector of St Matthias, Centennial Park, in 1977. Phillip Jensen could be described as the "Ian Chappell" of Anglicanism - deeply conservative in his Calvinist theology yet radical and iconoclastic in his ministry style.
Basing his University ministry around expository preaching and "walk-up evangelism", Phillip Jensen and his "Campus Bible Study" revolutionised student ministry. The result was a large number of conversions, large student gatherings at UNSW, and the growth of St Matthias from a group of 20-30 in 1977 to well over 1000 by the mid 1990s. Bombastic, sometimes brusque, Jensen gained many supporters of his ministry and almost as many detractors. His work at UNSW included the creation of the Ministry Training Strategy (MTS) which took willing young men and women and trained them in practical ministry skills, preparing them for a lifetime of ministry, ordained or otherwise. Other initiatives included the establishment of the ministry's media arm - Matthias Media.
It was the exponential growth of the MTS strategy in other universities and churches throughout the 1980s and 1990s that saw student numbers at Moore Theological College grow from around 150 in 1985 to over 400 in 2004. Many of these graduates are now Rectors of Anglican Churches in Sydney, and leaders in many evangelical churches throughout Sydney and the world. Phillip Jensen founded Matthias Media. He also authored the popular Two Ways To Live Evangelistic tract, and founded The Briefing, an insightful and sometimes polemical magazine that mixes conservative Evangelical and Calvinistic theology with intellectual rigour in a uniquely "Aussie" style - which continues to be championed by Tony Payne and Gordon Cheng. He has also been involved in the establishment of some Independent Evangelical Churches and their connection with Anglican Diocese of Sydney. See History of Independent Evangelical Churches in Australia.
Phillip Jensen has spoken publicy against secularism, intellectual relativism, gambling, same-sex relationships and Roman Catholicism[1].
He is an opponent of ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate within the Anglican Church of Australia Jensen often decries what he terms "liberal relativism".
Dean Jensen has been described as a divisive figure by religious leaders such as Sydney Orthodox Rabbi Raymond Apple, and has been criticized in the secular media [2].
In 2003 the Cathedral Chapter of St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney appointed Phillip Jensen as Dean of St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney. His appointment brought accusations of nepotism, as Jensen's brother, the newly elected Archbishop of Sydney, Peter Jensen, was a member of the Cathedral Chapter responsible for Phillip Jensen's election. Archbishop Jensen, however, was not involved in the Chapter's final decision, by secret ballot, to appoint Phillip Jensen as Dean. Phillip Jensen broke with tradition by not being "installed" as Dean, instead simply accepting his licence from the Archbishop at his commencement of ministry at the Cathedral.
It is now widely recognized that Phillip has been influential in shaping Anglican Church League policy. He and a number of influential Sydney Anglicans have promoted lay presidency at the Lord's Supper, and offered opinions on the future structure and functioning of the Anglican Communion in the light of the ordination of practising homosexuals to the episcopacy.
Phillip Jensen's questioning attitude to older Anglican styles of cathedral worship has drawn criticism, but has also removed significant barriers to those not attracted by traditional Anglicanism. Phillip Jensen, like almost all Sydney Anglican clergy, has discarded the traditional Anglican robes of cassock, scarf and surplice, but has retained use of the hood. Choral Evensong on Sunday evenings has been replaced with "The Bible Talks" and a more contemporary style of gathering. The Cathedral choir, however, continues to play an active role in the life of the Cathedral. The St Andrew's Cathedral School's Girls' Vocal Ensemble has for the first time been allowed a regular opportunity to sing in the Cathedral. Liturgy in St Andrew's Cathedral has undergone some change since Phillip Jensen became dean, with regular systematic Bible teaching now the key feature of Sunday services.
[edit] See also
- Sydney Anglicans
- Peter Jensen (brother)
[edit] Notes
- ^ ABC Radio National The Religion Report March 12 2003 cf. Go to external link
- ^ Anglican Media Sydney, October 19, 2004 Dean Jensen Challenges SMH Inaccuracies cf. Go to external link
