Boycott of Lambeth 2008 is “most serious challenge yet”

From George Conger writing in the Church of England Newspaper [boldface mine]:

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s decision to invite the American, Canadian and Central American bishops who consecrated Gene Robinson to Lambeth led to 214 bishops boycotting the conference, a study by The Church of England Newspaper has found.

A review of registration data and attendance figures gathered during the conference finds that 206 diocesan and 8 suffragan bishops declined to attend the July 16 to Aug 3 conference. While boycotts affected the 1998, 1868 and 1888 conferences—the 2008 boycott was the most serious challenge to the integrity of the meeting.

The Anglican Communion comprises 729 dioceses, missionary districts, and ecclesial entities divided into 38 provinces and six extra-provincial jurisdictions. Approximately 260 dioceses and jurisdictions within the Communion were not represented by their diocesan bishops at Lambeth. Not all absences were the result of a conscious decision not to accept Dr. Rowan Williams’ invitation to Lambeth.

A number of sees are vacant, while exigent circumstances prevented some bishops from attending. . .

Of those identified as absent by CEN, 214 bishops from 10 provinces made an affirmative decision not to accept Dr. Williams’ invitation due to reasons of conscience: Australia 7; Southern Cone 1; Episcopal Church 1; Church of England 3; Uganda 30; Nigeria 137; Kenya 25; Rwanda 8; South East Asia 1; and Jerusalem and the Middle East 1.

From Africa’s 324 dioceses, 200 diocesan bishops (61 percent) were identified as having refused Dr. Williams’ invitation. . .

Read it all.

AAC weekly message from Bishop David Anderson, August 22

Via email, from the American Anglican Council, the weekly message from Bishop David Anderson for August 22, 2008 [boldface mine]:

Dearly Beloved in Christ,

Early this week I attended a Common Cause Partnership Lead Bishops' meeting, with discussions naturally centered around outcomes of the Lambeth Conference and the GAFCON Primates' Council meeting, and concerns for finally putting together a North American orthodox Anglican province. From there I went to a CANA-Nigeria Council meeting, with lay and clergy representatives from CANA congregations all over the USA. Visitors from other Anglican judicatories are also present observing the events, both plenary and breakout sessions.

These Anglican gatherings, such as CANA Council as well as AMiA's Winter Conference and ACN events, are so different from the atmosphere of stress and hostility that many experienced when still serving in liberal revisionist dioceses in the Episcopal Church. At these type of orthodox Anglican gatherings one can actually relax, move deeper into worship, accept sound teaching, and fellowship with others who are of similar faith. To God be the glory!

We note that a letter from Bishop Duncan of Pittsburgh to Bishop Lillibridge of West Texas, which was forwarded with permission to the Windsor Continuation Group members, was leaked by someone either in Bishop Lillibridge's office or one of the Windsor Continuation Group members. Does the Windsor Continuation Group really wish to be in conversation with Bishop Duncan or the Common Cause Partnership Federation, a likely new Anglican Province in North America? There are ways to make slight modifications in a document and code them so that the miscreant identifies himself when he leaks a document. Perhaps next time, that might be an appropriate option.

One of the items that Bishop Duncan wished to protest was the treatment of border crossings as the moral equivalence of same sex marriages and gay bishops, a stance that previous Primates' Meetings refused to take. This new equivalence represents a steep moral decline on the part of the Lambeth leadership, and is further underlined by the thought that the orthodox Anglicans who have left, let me say it again, WHO HAVE LEFT the Episcopal Church, would EVER go back into the toxic theological quagmire of heterodoxy that is the leadership of TEC. We are not going into any holding bay; we are the victims and Lambeth is thinking of sending the abused back to the abuser rather than punish the abuser. But remember, if Dr Williams semi-secretly believes in the gay agenda, he cannot and will not ever really discipline TEC; rather, he would send the orthodox back for TEC to have a second go at them. I don't think the orthodox will buy that idea. That train goes to the death camp and we're not getting on it.

Andrew Carey, journalist for the Church of England Newspaper, has done a short but excellent recap on the Episcopal Church, and it is worth your taking a look. I think Andrew really gets it - now if only Dr. N. T. Wright would read, mark, learn and inwardly digest what Carey has said, the C of E would be in a better position to be a help to the Communion.

Now to close with a note of optimism: in northern Virginia, Judge Bellows has again ruled in favor of the local churches in the TEC & Diocese of Virginia lawsuit against the orthodox Anglican churches who left with their property. TEC & Virginia will keep suing and appealing, however, burning up money in lawyers' fees as part of a strategy. For churches to prevail over the bully TEC and the diocese, the churches need to have the local law on their side, the facts on their side, and enough money to stay in court forever. TEC loses on the law and loses on the facts, but if they can burn enough money, they can win by financially exhausting any opponent, as unjust as that is. But now I ask you, is a denomination like that where you want your children and grandchildren to go to church? When you go to a revisionist TEC diocese like Virginia, do you really want your Sunday morning offering to go not to the Glory of God, not to the heat/lights/salaries of a local church, not to mission work, but to persecute orthodox churches in order to force them out of their churches and onto the street? I would think that even the liberals and revisionists would get tired of that after while. For now, the orthodox Anglicans in the USA are praying for a final victory in Judge Bellows' court, and for TEC to move on to the MDG's that they keep talking about.

Blessings and Peace in Christ Jesus,

The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson, Sr.
President and CEO, American Anglican Council

American Episcopal bishop surprises, upsets Lambeth Conference

From the Abilene reporternews [boldface mine]:

The career of Bishop Catherine Roskam of the Diocese of New York has been built on her skills as a cross-cultural ambassador for the modern Episcopal Church.

She led the International Concerns Committee of her denomination's executive council, helped create her diocese's Global Women's Fund and has worked as a consultant on issues of cultural sensitivity. In some circles, she is known as the bishop who dared to rap during a "Hip-Hop Mass" a few years ago in the Bronx.

"My sistas and brothas, all my homies and peeps, stay up -- keep your head up, holla back and go forth and tell it like it is," proclaimed the bishop, in her benediction.

Thus, the diminutive, white-haired assistant bishop was an unlikely figure to inspire bold, angry headlines during the recent Lambeth Conference of bishops from the global Anglican Communion. . .

It was especially important not to inflame already painful disputes between Third World traditionalists and liberals in the United States, Canada, England and elsewhere.

Then, during planned discussions of domestic violence, Roskam spoke out on an unlikely topic -- bishops who beat their wives.

"We have 700 men here. Do you think any of them beat their wives? Chances are they do," argued Roskam, in The Lambeth Witness, a daily newsletter for gay-rights supporters in the 77 million-member Anglican Communion.

"The most devout Christians beat their wives. ... Many of our bishops come from places where it is culturally accepted to beat your wife. In that regard, it makes conversation quite difficult."

The key, she added, is that "Violence against women, and violence against children for that matter, is violence against the defenseless. With women, it goes hand-in-hand with misogyny."

The New York bishop's accusations rocked the conference, which was already tense because of the absence of about 280 conservative bishops -- many from Nigeria and Uganda -- who declined to attend because of the presence of U.S. leaders who backed the 2003 consecration of the openly gay and noncelibate Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. Only 617 Anglican bishops preregistered and some of those failed to attend, according to a report in The Living Church magazine. Thus, nearly a quarter of the bishops in attendance came from the small but wealthy U.S. Episcopal Church.

The most damaging part of Roskam's pronouncement was her tone of moral and cultural superiority, noted commentator Riazat Butt. It was easy for bishops from the Global South to read between the lines and find painful traces of colonialism.

"What bishops should be ... concerned about is her insinuation that a nonwhite culture leads to domestic violence and that white, Western culture is too civilized and too advanced to allow such atrocities to occur," argued Butt, in The Guardian. "Roskam fails to recognize that domestic violence affects people regardless of their class, ethnicity, religion, gender or geography.". . .

Now, a decade later [after Lambeth 1998], a female bishop from a liberal diocese in America provided new evidence that these kinds of cultural stereotypes are hard to bury.

This kind of guilt-by-association game is not going to ease tensions in the Anglican Communion, noted Archbishop of York John Sentamu.

"I have never beaten my wife, although I can't talk about other people," Sentamu told the London Times. "There is a danger of stereotyping people because of the culture they come from and assuming they must surely be doing it. ... I hope Bishop Catherine has got figures and numbers and people. Because if not, she is in danger of causing an unnecessary rumpus."

Read it all.

You know, I read about this at the time and debated whether Bishop Roskam was being racist or arrogant in making the assumptions she did.

I've now decided her words and actions were both:

• racist (and misandrist) because she reproved only non-American/non-European male bishops, and


• arrogant because she implies that those non-American/non-European places are culturally inferior. She says, "Many of our bishops come from places where it is culturally accepted to beat your wife. In that regard, it makes conversation quite difficult." In other words, conversation is difficult because while we recognize that physical abuse is wrong, you don't and so you won't be able to understand our superior perspective.

I hope Archbishop Sentamu continues to ask for those "figures and numbers and people" so we will all know exactly to whom Bishop Roskam is referring, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Archbishop of Canterbury seeks Lambeth compliant partners from Global South *UPDATED and BUMPED*

Update: So maybe I'm not totally off base in my thoughts below - Matt Kennedy agrees with me (does that give me any street cred?):

. . . There have been two meetings of the Global South, Common Cause, and Communion Partner bishops. I am not breaking news. These meetings have been reported elsewhere. The hope has been to mend fences and begin formulating a common strategy that includes both and inside and an outside track.

The fact is that while orthodox bishops were quite divided coming into Lambeth, the most noticeable shift during Lambeth has been in the direction of reconciliation and unity within the orthodox ranks. Communion conservatives and federal conservatives both on the primatial and episcopal level seem to have realized that though their consciences may lead them in different directions, recrimination serves no one’s best interest. . .

Original post: From Virtue Online, some analysis [boldface mine]:

A rival Global South movement is being set up here in Canterbury in an attempt to divide and conquer the Global South movement by encouraging a Lambeth compliant "Communion Partners" movement in an effort to isolate mainstream evangelical and Anglo-Catholics who number 40 million of the 55 million church-going Anglicans throughout the world.

Between 150 and 200 bishops from 17 provinces of the Anglican Communion met last Tuesday at the Kent University campus, with a number of North Americans who included Common Cause Moderator Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh.

Among the speakers were bishops Michael Scott-Joynt (Winchester), Tom Wright (Durham) and Bob Duncan (Pittsburgh) moderation of Common Cause Partnerships. The Rt. Rev. Ian Ernest chair of CAPA spoke and Presiding Bishop Mouneer Anis addressed the gathering and spoke of the 2009 Global South Conference. They are to meet again, thought this is not certain, a source told VOL.

Senior members of the Global South Primates who were not there included Archbishops Peter Akinola, (Nigeria), Emmanuel Kolini (Rwanda), Benjamin Nzimbi (Kenya) and Henry Luke Orombi (Uganda), majority representatives of the Global South.

The design of this Lambeth Global South group of primates and bishops, which comes with the full support of Dr. Williams, is to blunt the Global South group of Primates that met in Jerusalem recently which includes Archbishops Peter Akinola, Peter Jensen, Gregory Venables, Emmanuel Kolini, Benjamin Nzimbi and Henry Luke Orombi and Valentine Mokiwa (Tanzania).

The list of 17 provinces includes Hong Kong, South Korea, North India, West Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Southeast Asia, Myanmar (Burma) Papua New Guinea, Jerusalem/ Middle- East, South India, Burundi, the Southern Cone, West Indies, Central Africa and the Philippines.

Together they represent approximately 6 million Anglicans. Deeply involved in this group is said to be Archbishop John Chew of Singapore, Secretary of the Global South Group and Bishop Mouneer of Egypt who is treasurer whose chairman is Archbishop Peter Akinola. Ironically the Assistant Bishop of Singapore, the Rt. Rev. Rennis Ponniah is not present at Lambeth. . .

The formation of a new Lambeth Global South movement in Canterbury would be designed to reinforce Williams' leadership of the Anglican Communion and thus would give support to his policy of non-action in the face of the actions of the U.S. Episcopal Church. Archbishop Williams' underlying strategy is to produce an inclusive church that will sideline evangelicals of the Global South who reject the theological and moral relativism that has emerged in Global Anglicanism.

Chris Smith, the Archbishop of Canterbury's aide de camp is reported to have met with Archbishop John Chew of Southeast Asia and Presiding Bishop Mouneer Anis of Jerusalem and the Middle East -- leaders of center right Communion Partners group, and Presiding Bishop Gregory Venables of the Southern Cone - a member of the more traditionalist GAFCON primates' council. The Bishop of Durham and other English bishops also met with the primates to formalize a way forward for conservatives amidst the chaos of the Anglican Communion the unfolding train wreck of the Lambeth Conference.

The two conservative factions currently disagree on the best way of responding to the crisis of doctrine and discipline within the Anglican Communion. The GAFCON wing led by seven primates and comprising over 60 percent of the Communion's members, are seeking to reform the Anglican Communion and affirm that Anglican doctrine rather than recognition by the Archbishop of Canterbury is the basis of Anglican identity.

The difference between the "Communion Partner" primates and the GAFCOIN primates can best be summed up in the words of Chew when he spoke to the Church Times, "Whether you like it or not, Canterbury has got to take the lead, and we pray for him and wish him well. Archbishop Chew said that he expressed strong support for the recent Sudan statement. . .

Read it all. I don't know if I agree with this analysis. I think both angles can be worked, one inside and one outside the "official" meetings, like Lambeth. While it's true, there are two "reasserter" camps, I think they have a lot more in common with each other than with the "reappraiser" faction. But individual personalities can always get in the way (and David Virtue has been doing this a lot longer than most of us, so. . . )

I do think that it has been most effective this Lambeth that there be a group that did not come, representing some of the fastest-growing areas, like Nigeria and Uganda, and a group that did show up, like the Southern Cone. Only by the absence of some has the gravity and depth of the situation been realized by Canterbury and others. And by having some there able to represent and articulate the concerns of those absent, all those at Lambeth have been able to hear that witness.

An open wound

From Ruth Gledhill, a poignant piece on her impressions of Lambeth and the absence of the Global South:

We still awaiting precise figures but at present, it seems about 650 bishops and archbishops have registered. The absence of the other 230 is like an open wound running in the side of the conference. Many bishops are wondering how they can claim collegiality if a quarter of their number are not present. The Archbishop of Canterbury invoked their presence in spirit when he was leading the retreat at Canterbury Cathedral yesterday. Strangely, they are almost more present in their absence than if they were physically here. They are missed, even the most extreme among them, and the sense of grief among their brother and sisters is palpable. (That is to say nothing in the press room, as they were great for stories last time.) Dr Williams spoke about this directly, as Rachel Zoll reported. It is terribly shocking to be here, at Lambeth in Canterbury, without so many of the bishops from Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and elsewhere, all places with strong, historic links to Britain and to the Church of England. The Queen, who is hosting the bishops at a garden party at Buckingham Palace a week today, the 24th, will surely notice their absence. She loves her Commonwealth.

Read it all. You know, I can understand what she's saying here, but another part of me says, "So what? Everyone knew what was going to happen when the Archbishop of Canterbury completely ignored the Dar-es-Salaam Communiqué - and now those attending Lambeth are upset about some bishops not coming? Crocodile tears, as far as I'm concerned. GAFCON is looking better and better every day."

GAFCON schedule

From the Global Anglican Future Conference, the schedule (or as they say, the Programme):

Saturday, June 21

• 4:00pm – 6:00pm GAFCON Registration Desk Open

Sunday, June 22

• 11:00am – 5:00pm GAFCON Registration Desk Open


• 3:00pm – 5:30pm Optional Tour at participants’ personal expense:Israel Museum, Shrine of the Book (Dead Sea Scrolls)


• 7:00pm Welcome Dinner


• 8:00pm Welcome Session

Monday, June 23

• 7:00am - 12 noon Pilgrimage to the Mount of Olives / Gethsemane


• 1:00pm Lunch 2:00pm Opening Service of Holy Communion


• 5:00pm Focus Topic The Gospel and Secularism


• 7:30pm Dinner


• 9:30pm End of day of Prayers

Tuesday, June 24

• 8:30am Worship and Exposition - Genesis 12: The Promise of God


• 9:45am Discussion and Prayer


• 11:00am Workshops


• 1:00pm Lunch


• 2:00pm - 4:00pm Optional Seminar: Addressing HIV/Aids (Optional tours at participants’ personal expense.)


• 5:00pm Focus Topic: The Anglican Communion


• 7:30pm Dinner


• 9:30pm End of day of Prayers

Wednesday, June 25

• 8:30am Worship and Exposition - Exodus 24: The Presence of God


• 9:45am Discussion and Prayer


• 11:00am Workshops


• 1:00pm Lunch


• 2:00pm Pilgrimage to Old City, Tower of David, Jewish Quarter, and homes of the Sadducees


• 4:00pm Pilgrimage gathers at Ophel Gardens


• 7:00pm Dinner 8:00pm Focus Topic The Gospel and Religion

Thursday, June 26

• 8:30am Worship and Exposition – 2 Samuel 1 – 17: The King of God


• 9:45am Discussion and Prayer


• 11:00am Workshops


• 1:00pm Lunch


• 2:00pm - 4:00pm Optional Tours at participants’ personal expense.


• 5:00pm Focus Topic Enterprise Solutions to Poverty


• 7:30pm Dinner 9:30pm End of day of Prayers

Friday, June 27

• 8:30am Worship and Exposition - Luke 24: The Son of God


• 9:45am Discussion and Prayer


• 11:00am Workshops


• 1:00pm Lunch


• 2:00pm - 4:00pm Plenary Session


• 5:00pm Pilgrimage to Church of the Holy Sepulchre OR Tour of modern and biblical Jerusalem by coach


• 7:30pm Dinner


• 9:30pm End of day of Prayers

Saturday, June 28

• 7:30am All day pilgrimage to Bethlehem and Galilee

Sunday, June 29

• 8:30am Worship and Exposition - Revelation 21 The Throne of God


• 11:00am Closing Service of Holy Communion


• 1:00pm Closing Lunch

Details of the plenary sessions will be broadcast shortly.

Check it out.

Anglican Communion sits on keg of gun-powder

From Tope Olukole at the Saturday Tribune (Nigeria) [boldface mine]:

ANGLICAN Communion worldwide has been on this journey for ten long years. It has been costly and debilitating for all concerned as most recently demonstrated by the tepid response to the invitations to the proposed Lambeth Conference 2008.

At a time when the church should be able to gather together and celebrate remarkable stories of growth there is little enthusiasm towards the meeting.

There are continual cries for patience and understanding; and yet the record shows that those who hold to the “faith once and for all delivered to the saints” have shown remarkable forebearance while their pleas have been ignored, leaders have been demonised, and advocates marginalised.

In 1998, the Anglican Communion made a deliberate decision with regard to matters of human sexuality; it was supported by an overwhelming majority of the Bishops of the Communion. It reflected traditional teaching interpreted with pastoral sensitivity.

And yet it has been ignored and those who uphold it were derided for their stubbornness. However, the church continued to meet and pray and struggle to find ways to maintain the spirit of unity.

The journey started in February 1997 in Kuala Lumpur. It was there, during the 2nd Encounter of the Global South Anglican Communion, that a statement was issued in which concern was expressed about the apparent setting aside of the Biblical teaching by some Provinces and Dioceses. The statement pleaded for dialogue in a spirit of true unity before any part of the communion embarks on radical changes to church discipline and moral teachings.

Sadly, this plea and several similar warnings have been ignored and ten years later, in February, 2007, the Primates of the Anglican Communion met in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and experienced an agonising time trying to repair the communion that has been so badly broken. Their earlier prediction at the Primates’ Meeting at Lambeth palace in 2003, that rejection of the faith committed to the church would tear “the fabric of our communion at its deepest level,” has proven to be accurate.

In Dar es Salaam, the Primates proposed, as one last attempt to restore unity, a period of seven months for those who have brought the communion to the brink of destruction to reconsider their actions and put a stop to the harmful actions that have so polarised the church. . .

Read it all.
H/t to Anglicans United.

MCJ: Dialing it down

From Christopher Johnson at the Midwest Conservative Journal, the question we will all need to answer:

How likely is it that the Americans and Canadians will be shown the door at the upcoming Lambeth Conference? How likely is it that a united conservative/Global South front will emerge that will demand that the Archbishop of Canterbury declare the Canadian and US responses to the Windsor Report to be completely unacceptable and that both churches were expelled from the Anglican Communion until such time as both decided to respect Anglican teaching?

Short answer: not very. For one thing, Rowan Williams couldn't countenance an action that flies in the face of everything he has ever written and spoken on the subject and continue to show his face in polite European society. Even if he did, a large segment of the Church of England would rebel. Assuming the Archbishop of York, the liberal C of E bishops, along with western Europe, South Africa and Central and South America would join the US and Canada to form the Episcopal Communion the very next day. . .

But all that gets Anglicans in the pews to the basic question. Do you still want to be part of a church that is connected to TEO, even if that connection is only theoretical and has little or no impact on your parish? Or is it time to make a complete and final break with the Anglican tradition?

I've been asking myself that question a lot lately.

Read it all.

GAFCON press conference

Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria speaking at a press conference about GAFCON (Global Anglican Future Conference):

But Uganda, Rwanda, Sydney, Nigeria: we are not going to Lambeth conference. What is the use of the Lambeth conference for a three weeks’ jamboree which will sweep these issues under the carpet. GAFCON will confer about the future of the church, which will set a road map for the future. We are a movement that will move away from the “maybe - maybe not”.

The issue is that church leaders are endorsing what is wrong. They are not willing to make the gospel that the Lord can bring change available. We want to move forward with commitment to the word of God. The question is asked how many people we are. The question is rather how many people we are representing. Four primates who are in the leadership of GAFCON represent more than 30 million Anglicans.

Read it all.

Also was presented the GAFCON Theology Resources Team

Members of the Theology Resource Team for GAFCON met in Lagos Nigeria from January 28-30. They came from Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Australia, Ghana, India, and England. They are pictured here with Archbishop Peter Akinola, the Primate of Nigeria, fourth from the right. The GAFCON Theology Resource Team Conference focused on Authentic Global Anglicanism. . .

And check out one of the papers presented by Rev Professor Stephen Noll, vice-chancellor of Uganda Christian University on The Global Anglican Communion and Anglican Orthodoxy.

Some FAQs from GAFCON

From the Global Anglican Future Conference FAQs:

Why call it in June?
The pilgrimage is to strengthen bishops at a crucial time in the life of the Anglican Communion. Many bishops will not be able to accept the invitation to the Lambeth Conference as their consciences will not allow it. Some will attend both gatherings. The purpose of the consultation is to strengthen them all spiritually.

Is it not really an alternative to the Lambeth Conference?
No.

It is not at the same time or in the same region as the Lambeth Conference. So there will be some who will attend both conferences and thus be able to consult with the Archbishop of Canterbury and others there.

As Archbishop Gregory Venables has said: “While there are many calls for shared mission, it clearly must rise from common shared faith. Our pastoral responsibility to the people we lead is now to provide the opportunity to come together around the central and unchanging tenets of the central and unchanging historic Anglican faith. Rather than being subject to the continued chaos and compromise that have dramatically impeded Anglican mission, GAFCON will seek to clarify God’s call at this time and build a network of cooperation for Global mission.”

GAFCON is a call to vision and action for mission based firmly on the “faith once delivered to the saints” and revealed in Scripture, to reform the church and transform persons, communities and societies through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. African Bishops had this focus at their Lagos 2004 conference. The Episcopal church’s agenda has recently overshadowed it. We now need to develop this gospel agenda for all like-minded in the communion.

It is to outline the mission imperatives for the next 25 years and how to begin to respond to them.

It is a pilgrimage to the places of the Biblical story to renew our faith and commitment. It is to envision the Global Anglican Future.

The Lambeth Conference has a different agenda.

Is this all over a gay bishop?
No.

GAFCON is about churches being grouped by what they have in common. We're for growth, we're for being passionate about the truth. We want to look to the future. That's what the conference is about - Global Anglican Future.

Aren't you splitting the church?
No. Communion depends on having something in common. Churches in the Global South are growing. They're passionate about the truth and their faith. We are building on this strength.

As the Anglican Communion develops, some of the old bonds are loosening, and some new bonds are being formed. That's a good thing. These bonds involve churches which are growing, and which have something distinctive to say to the world.

GAFCON is enthusiastic about mission. Its focus is the future.

Read them all.

2008 Global Anglican Future Conference - A Pilgrimage to our Roots

So, does this announcement mean that I can take down my counter on the right marking the number of days since the Primates' September 30 deadline as stipulated in the Dar-Es-Salaam Communique? Is this the Primates' official answer to ECUSA's non-reply from the HOB meeting? I'm not sure, but I'll think about it.

Press release issued by Primates organizing the Global Anglican Future Conference:

Orthodox Primates with other leading bishops from across the globe are to invite fellow Bishops, senior clergy and laity from every province of the Anglican Communion to a unique eight-day event, to be known as the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) 2008.

The event, which was agreed at a meeting of Primates in Nairobi last week, will be in the form of a pilgrimage back to the roots of the Church’s faith. The Holy Land is the planned venue. From 15-22 June 2008, Anglicans from both the Evangelical and Anglo-Catholic wings of the church will make pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where Christ was born, ministered, died, rose again, ascended into heaven, sent his Holy Spirit, and where the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out, to strengthen them for what they believe will be difficult days ahead.

At the meeting were Archbishops Peter Akinola (Nigeria), Henry Orombi (Uganda), Emmanuel Kolini (Rwanda), Benjamin Nzimbi (Kenya), Donald Mtetemela (Tanzania), Peter Jensen (Sydney), and Nicholas Okoh (Nigeria); Bishops Don Harvey (Canada), Bill Atwood (Kenya) representing Archbishop Greg Venables (Southern Cone), Bishop Bob Duncan (Anglican Communion Network), Bishop Martyn Minns (Convocation of Anglicans in North America), Canon Dr Vinay Samuel (India and England) and Canon Dr Chris Sugden (England). Bishops Michael Nazir-Ali (Rochester, England), Bishop Wallace Benn (Lewes, England) were consulted by telephone. These leaders represent over 30 million of the 55 million active Anglicans in the world.

Southern Cone Primate Gregory Venables said “While there are many calls for shared mission, it clearly must rise from common shared faith. Our pastoral responsibility to the people that we lead is now to provide the opportunity to come together around the central and unchanging tenets of the central and unchanging historic Anglican faith. Rather than being subject to the continued chaos and compromise that have dramatically impeded Anglican mission, GAFCON will seek to clarify God’s call at this time and build a network of cooperation for Global mission.”

The gathering set in motion a Global Anglican Future Conference: A Gospel of Power and Transformation. The vision, according to Archbishop Nzimbi is to inform and inspire invited leaders "to seek transformation in our own lives and help impact communities and societies through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Bishops and their wives, clergy and laity, including the next generation of young leaders will attend GAFCON. The GAFCON website is www.gafcon.org. . .

Read it all and check out their website.

Anglican traditionalists plan summit summer 2008 pre-Lambeth

From George Conger [boldface mine]:

. . . Meeting in Nairobi last week, the Global South Steering Committee, under the presidency of the Primate of Nigeria Archbishop Peter Akinola, discussed plans for a gathering of bishops to be held weeks before the start of the 2008 Lambeth Conference at the University of Kent in Canterbury.

The meeting would not be a shadow Lambeth Conference, but would include traditionalists who may boycott Lambeth. Bishops from Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda and other global south provinces are likely to sit out Lambeth 2008 due to Dr. Williams’ invitation to the liberal American bishops and his rejection of the African consecrated bishops to the US.

Dr. Williams has urged all of the Communion’s bishops to attend Lambeth. In an Advent letter released after the Global South Nairobi meeting concluded, he used his strongest language so far in making the case for all those invited to come. A refusal to attend Lambeth “can be a refusal of the cross - and so of the resurrection,” Dr. Williams said.

Plans for a Global South-led gathering of bishops have been in the works for over a year. However they have gained momentum in recent months as the pace of the disintegration of the Episcopal Church quickened, and as the perception that delay and obfuscation were all that could be expected from the central bodies of the Communion took hold among traditionalists.

Read it all.

Last Chance for Rowan?

A great wrap-up of the week's events by Peter Ould at An Exercise in the Fundamentals of Orthodoxy:

Events have been moving fast in the past week in the USA…

1. Last weekend the Convention of the Diocese of Pittsburgh met (the equivalent of our Diocesan Synods here in the Church of England) and passed a motion that began to remove the Diocese from being part of the Episcopal Church in the USA.

2. In response, KJS, (the US Primate) sent a letter to Bob Duncan, the Bishop of Pittsburgh, basically telling him that he and the Diocese weren’t allowed to leave TEC and that she would sue the pants of him and them if they tried (or words to that effect).

3. Archbishop Akinola, Primate of Nigeria, said that he, and most of Nigeria and huge chunks of Africa and beyond, may not come to Lambeth 2008 if TEC is not disciplined.

4. Yesterday, Bishop Iker of Fort Worth, received his letter from KJS saying “If you leave I will be very Christian and take you to court” (or words again to that effect).

5. The same day the Telegraph reported that Greg Venables, Primate of the Southern Cone, had offered Primatial oversight to US dioceses that want to leave TEC. He confirmed this in a phone call.

6. A whole series of English Bishops, clergy and lay members of Synod came out in support.

Wow

If I was Rowan Williams I would be worried. The orthodox in the USA are no longer saying that they’re going to take action. They now actually are. Primates of the Communion are now offering to take whole chunks of the American church under their wing, and in response 815 is fighting dirty. English Bishops are lining up (expect more in the next few days) to support Pittsburgh et al and it looks as though the Lambeth Conference is falling apart. If he doesn’t come down on the side of Bob Duncan, Iker and the rest, then he faces not just unrest abroad (with calls for a new Primates Meeting being so far ignored from Lambeth Palace) but the possibility of outright mutiny at home.

On top of that though, Rowan also has to contend with a large liberal lobby here in England who will also be highly vocal if he comes down on the side the conservatives in the USA. Does he dare upset Affirming Catholicism and Inclusive Church?. . .

Read it all.

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them

[God] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil — this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.
Ecclesiastes 3:11-14

The "stones" have been scattered across ECUSA. I pray that this is now the time of gathering them back together under committed leadership, for God's glory in Christ Jesus.

Shoe Thursday: Party Time! Disco Inferno!

Hey, we have a great reason to celebrate! So let's dress the part (at least the guys - I really don't want to see what the gals were wearing in 1975).


Muchissimo thanks to ++Gregory Venables, ++Henry Orombi, ++Peter Akinola, and all the other committed Anglican Primates that have given us so much of their time, resources, and understanding to provide us with safe haven in the Anglican Communion. Of course, there's a lot of hard work and sacrifice ahead, but for today, let's enjoy!

So to put us in the party mood, here's Kool & the Gang:

Celebrate good times, come on ! Let's celebrate

There's a party going on right here
a celebration to last throughout the years.
So bring your good times and your laughter
too

we're gonna celebrate your party with you !

let's all celebrate and have a good time!

(photo from the 1975 J.C. Penny catalog, courtesy of the Manolo)

Anglican leader offers haven to US conservatives

Boy, you go to sleep for a few hours, and see what happens! From the Telegraph (U.K.):

The worldwide Anglican Church suffered a dramatic new split last night when a leading conservative archbishop approved plans to adopt breakaway American dioceses, the Daily Telegraph has learned.

Archbishop Gregory Venables is to allow conservative dioceses that are defecting from the pro-gay American branch of Anglicanism to affiliate with his South American province thousands of miles away.

The unprecedented realignment will rock the 70 million-strong worldwide Church and escalate the bitter civil war over gay clergy that is tearing it apart.

It will also dismay the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, who is struggling to avert a formal schism.

Dr Williams is certain come under huge pressure to denounce what liberals will regard as an illicit “parallel” province.

But if he does he will risk the wrath of the powerful coalition of conservative Global South primates from Africa and Asia who are backing the initiative.

He is already facing threats of a conservative boycott of next year's showcase Lambeth Conference in Canterbury if he fails to discipline the liberal Americans over their pro-gay policies.

Global South leaders yesterday stepped up pressure on Dr Williams to postpone the conference, the ten-yearly gathering of Anglican bishops from across the globe, until the row has been resolved.

The crisis could deepen even further if the Diocese of Chicago elects a lesbian cathedral dean to be its next bishop at the weekend.

Archbishop Venables said that the Americans were to blame for triggering the crisis by consecrating Anglicanism's first openly gay bishop in 2003 in defiance of official Church policy.

The British-born Archbishop, who is the Primate of the Province of the Southern Cone, told the Telegraph: "This is a pivotal moment in the history of the Anglican Communion.

"The new realignment demonstrates the depths of the divisions that already exist."

Dr Williams appears to want to keep the Communion together at all costs, but Gospel truth should never be sacrificed for structural unity.

"Conservatives in America and elsewhere cannot wait in limbo any longer. They need a safe haven now."

Archbishop Venables unveiled the decision of his bishops and other leaders after the plans were overwhelmingly approved by his provincial synod during a meeting in Chile last night.

A handful of conservative American dioceses are already in the process of opting out of the Episcopal Church by voting in their diocesan synods to alter their constitutions.

Up to five are expected to become part of the Southern Cone, which covers most of South America except Brazil, over the next six months or so. . .

In a letter sent last night, 46 conservative members of the Church of England's General Synod pledged their support. A number of traditionalist parishes in Canada are also likely to affiliate with the Southern Cone province in protest at plans by liberal dioceses to introduce same-sex blessings.

Read it all.

Open letter to the Primates from Archbishop Akinola

From the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, an open letter from Archbishop Akinola to his fellow primates [boldface mine]:

. . . I write on the 490th anniversary of that moment in Church history when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Cathedral in Wittenberg in which he asserted, among other things, that the truth of the gospel must always take precedence over the structures of the church. It is becoming increasingly clear that we are facing a similar situation today. While it has been my hope that we would be able to share these reflections face to face it seems unlikely that we will be called to meet together in the near future and so I offer these thoughts by letter.

It has been repeatedly stated and most succinctly summarized in the report, 'Road to Lambeth' we face a two fold crisis in the Anglican Communion: a crisis of doctrine and a crisis of leadership, in which the failure of the “Instruments” of the Communion to exercise discipline has called into question the viability of the Anglican Communion as a united Christian body under the common foundation of faith. (See the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral)

The Church of Nigeria is not interested in territorial expansion. The failure to resolve these dual crises has been at the heart of the decision by our Church and a number of other Global South Provinces to offer encouragement and oversight to a growing number of clergy and congregations in the USA. These pastoral initiatives are not and should not be seen as the cause of the crises.

Although they have variously been described as “interventions” “boundary crossing” or “incursions” -- they are a direct and natural consequence of the decision by The Episcopal Church (TEC) to follow the path that it has now chosen.

These pastoral initiatives undertaken to keep faithful Anglicans within our Anglican family has been at a considerable cost of crucial resources to our province. There is no moral equivalence between them and the actions taken by TEC. They are a heartfelt response to cries for help. We acted in accordance with the Gospel mandate. Had TEC, against all godly warnings, not taken actions that tore the fabric of our beloved Communion there would be no need for hundreds indeed, thousands of its members to seek pastoral, episcopal and now primatial care elsewhere.

It has been suggested that our actions violate historic Anglican polity and early church tradition with particular reference made to the Council of Nicea. This assertion is both hollow and made in bad faith since those who make it are more than willing to ignore historic biblical teaching on the uniqueness of Christ, the authority of the Scriptures and the call to moral obedience. With regard to Nicea - while there was concern for proper order there was even greater commitment to maintaining right teaching. This can be seen by the provision of godly bishops and clergy in places where the incumbents were proponents of false teaching.

The world needs to understand that the situation that we now confront is not primarily about structure or conferences but about irreconcilable truth claims. It is worth remembering that in the Biblical narratives religious structures have often been the enemy of revealed truth. When these structures become obstacles, YHWH, in his own way and at a time of his own choosing removed them and brought His people back to Himself. Of course there is value to preserving Anglican structures but we must never do so at the expense of the people for whom our Lord Jesus the Christ gave his life.

Until the Communion summons the courage to tackle that issue headlong and resolve it we can do no other than provide for those who cry out to us. It is our earnest prayer that repentance and reconciliation will make this a temporary arrangement. One thing is clear we will not abandon our friends.

When we met in Dar es Salaam, after a great deal of effort, we suggested a way forward that had the support of all those present – including the Presiding Bishop of TEC. The House of Bishops and Executive Committee of The Episcopal Church quickly rejected this proposal on the grounds that it apparently violated their canons. We now have a counter proposal from TEC and yet there is no indication that it will meet the needs of those for whom it is supposedly designed. This endless series of proposals and counter proposals continues with no apparent conclusion in sight. Sadly, it is becoming increasingly clear that the only acceptable end as far as TEC is concerned is the full capitulation of any who would stand in opposition to their biblically incompatible innovations- this we will never do. There is a way forward - we have written and spoken repeatedly about it – the time for action is now.

I believe that we Primates must meet in the next few months to respond to the crisis that now confronts us. The situation in The Episcopal Church is deteriorating rapidly. Lawsuits are escalating and I have just heard that Bishop Bob Duncan is now threatened with ecclesiastical trial by the Presiding Bishop for his faithful attempts to find a way to protect his faithful members and diocese. Other godly bishops are under the same threat. Their only crime is a desire to continue their Christian pilgrimage as faithful Anglicans. This situation will affect all of us. We dare not let our love for the historic structures of our beloved Communion, important as they are, allow us to destroy its future. We are losing members. We are losing time. We are losing our integrity as an important part of the One, holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

“Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision”. Joel 3:14

+Peter Abuja,

All Saints Day, 2007

Read it all.
H/t to Stand Firm.

Unity in opposition & conflict in power

From Dr. Peter Toon at the Prayer Book Society:

Let us suppose that the aim of the Common Cause Partnership is in due time and through due process to become a Province that is accepted as authentic by at least part of the present Anglican Communion – say the Global South.

Let us also suppose that the model for unity in the process and as a Province is a federation, fellowship, and partnership of ten or more autonomous “Anglican” denominations, jurisdictions and ministries.

Now let us reflect upon this model of provincial unity.

First of all, let us be clear that the doctrinal foundation—if not regrettably the practical theology guiding the weekly activity—is that of the Church of England and the majority of the Provinces of the Anglican Communion as it is now—the classic Formularies of 1662. This undoubtedly is good, for it means that it can be built upon rock rather than the sand of the 1979 formulary of The Episcopal Church (TEC).

Secondly, we may note—and note clearly—that this scheme and model of unity accepts the reality of the American religious scene. It works from, rather than seeks to oppose, the American supermarket of a variety of religions, even a variety of one type with different brand names. That is, it accepts as semi-permanent reality the various groups formed by, or to be formed by, secession from TEC.

In the third place, we may note that such a scheme/model is clearly innovatory in the Anglican Way. It has NEVER been tried anywhere else. Further, it appears to be a total denial of the Anglican principle of one province as one jurisdiction with several constituent dioceses in one geographical area, as was The PECUSA from 1785 to modern times. . .

. . . What I fear—and this haunts me in the day and night—is that the unity created by common opposition to outrageous revisionism in, and infidelity by, TEC will give a false sense of security and achievement not only to the CCP partners but also to their sponsoring African bishops. And that this will lead inescapably to insufficient patience, perseverance, ecclesial comprehensiveness and wise counsel, creating a situation where the ending of the process is not an improvement on the beginning. To secede is difficult, but to secede and then to unite graciously with fellows seceders is an altogether more problematic exercise—as many cautionary tales from American religious history illustrate. . .

Read it all.

U.S. church: Please invite gay bishop to Lambeth

From the Bible Belt Blogger (Frank Lockwood, the religion editor at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette):

ANALYSIS The Anglican Communion wanted the U.S. Episcopal church to stop consecrating gay bishops and to stop blessing same-sex unions. Instead, the bishops voted to maintain the status quo on both issues AND to lobby for openly-gay bishop V. Gene Robinson to get an invitation to the once-per-decade Lambeth Conference. No apologies. No backtracking. No firm promises. The Americans are calling the Africans' bluff (if indeed it is a bluff...) The Archbishop of Canterbury seemingly made clear this week that if forced to choose between U.S. liberals and the Global South, he'll side with the Americans. Now it's up to the Africans. Are they bluffing or will they break away? We'll soon know. The bishop of the Rio Grande, perhaps seeing the handwriting on the wall, announced that he plans to become a Roman Catholic.

Read it all.

Personal encounters: The church's future depends on missionaries, not mission work

A personal story by the Rev. Richard Lindsley Walton Jr., in EpiscopalLife Online:

In our relationship with the Anglican Communion today, particularly with those in the Global South, it appears we Episcopalians are reaping what we so often have sown by the aloofness of our wired money transfers: the deep division of alienation.

With all due respect to our archbishops, diocesan bishops and professional theologians, the essential point is this: It is much harder to dismiss the other when we have lived, worked and worshipped together, when we have shared a common meal. This is especially true about those with whom we have the most profound disagreements. Living together is still the best way to discover what we truly have in common and what it means to be in communion.

From the first hour Katharine Jefferts Schori was elected presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, she made it clear that she believes the church is currently being forced to neglect its most urgent mission. A few months later, on the day Jefferts Schori was officially invested, when addressing in her sermon those who "disdain" the Episcopal Church's theological position on human sexuality, she proclaimed the great importance of making poverty history, of funding AIDS work in Africa, of distributing anti-malarial mosquito nets around the developing world. And yet, as laudable as those aims and projects are, the question is not the importance of mission; it is the means by which we do it.

In 1933, close to 500 Episcopal missionaries were serving outside the United States. By the late '70s, however, there were fewer than 70. And the trend continued to decline, or to show unstable improvement, until the 1990s. . .

. . . The decline in Episcopal mission is a complicated story, but much of it had to do with a trend toward sending money to fund development projects rather than sending missionaries themselves. That trend often was motivated by guilt about colonialism, both political and religious, and by fears of current economic and cultural imperialism.

Yet, when compared to other Christian relief agencies, the Episcopal Church was not even notably generous. That is the bad news. The good news is that by the dawn of the new century, Episcopal Church mission work began a remarkable renewal. The future of that renewal, however, is very much in question. . .

. . . For decades, dioceses around the communion consistently have requested large numbers of educators along with medical personnel, and more specifically theology instructors, but the Episcopal Church often has shied away from education, especially theological education, as seemingly nonessential. . .

Unfortunately, Walton's suggestion for mission is to export ECUSA's brand of theological chaos, but read it all for yourself.