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How long, O Lord, how long?
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August 14, 2007
As you know, the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) at our recent General Synod, chose to move further away from the Church’s Biblically-based, historic teaching. Rather than heeding the requests of the Primates, the church again turned its back on the global Anglican Communion.
This is not merely the opinion of the Network leadership; it is also the view shared by Primates of the Global South as evidenced by the recent statement from the Global South Steering Committee. In this statement, the Global South Steering Committee said they were considering alternative plans for pastoral care for faithful Canadian Anglicans.
Many Network members have wondered aloud why things seem to be moving so slowly. How much longer will we have to wait before Biblically-faithful Canadians are provided with a way of remaining Anglican and in full Communion? Many have emailed us over the last few months, some pleading for help in finding a parish that still honours the Bible as God’s holy, unchanging Word. Others unfortunately, have communicated the sad news that they are regretfully no longer Anglican, feeling they cannot be in fellowship with the increasingly unbiblical and inhospitable ACC.
My heart goes out to those who are suffering – often alone in unfaithful parishes – and desperately holding on to the hope that something will be done for them. I, too, feel an increasing urgency for change. And so I take comfort from the Global South Steering Committee’s specific mention of the need for alternative plans for pastoral care for faithful Canadians.
The Network leadership poured intense energy into working shoulder to shoulder with our Federation colleagues to bring about a change in attitude at General Synod. While many good things came of that effort, a change in direction by the ACC was not one of them. Based on the results of General Synod, we have redoubled our efforts to ensure the Primates are mindful of the plight of the Canadian faithful. Over the last few months we actively have been seeking the Primates’ counsel.
My personal hope is that God will open a way for us before the end of this year. We do know that September 30th is a key date – the deadline the Primates gave to the US Church. We expect that, after that date, they will speak more definitively and events may begin to unfold more rapidly.
We have committed from the start to act in collaboration with leading Primates and to do all we can to remain within the embrace of the biblically-faithful global Anglican Communion. We only ask that this solution allow faithful Canadian Anglicans to focus on the ministry of the Gospel under the authority of the orthodox Anglican Communion.
While I don’t yet know what shape this will take, I covet your prayers for all of us in leadership as we work together with the Primates to come to the best possible solution. Please also remember to uphold members of Network who are in unfaithful parishes and who have little fellowship and support.
In any event, in anticipation of a response from the Primates and in light of the decisions of General Synod, we are planning a gathering for later this year – possibly November – to bring together like-minded Canadian Anglicans. Based on the Primates’ response, we hope at this event to be able to provide a specific way forward for those who feel they can no longer remain part of the Anglican Church of Canada.
Finally, it is critically important to keep in mind the context for all this:
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First, we are not alone. While we who are orthodox (i.e. biblically-faithful) may be in the minority in the Canadian Anglican church, we are part of the vast majority in the global church, where over two-thirds are orthodox. And, incidentally, while the liberal provinces and churches are shrinking in numbers, the orthodox provinces and churches are healthy, vibrant and growing. |
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Second, the crisis is global. Canada is only one of 38 “provinces” in the global Communion. |
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Third, it is a fundamental theological dispute – not merely a disagreement about sexuality. Issues of sexuality are merely symptoms of much deeper disagreements – namely the authority of Holy Scripture and the divinity of Christ. We uphold historic, biblically-faithful Christianity. |
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Fourth, a global realignment has begun. This may well be another Reformation. It is not a matter of some “leaving” the Communion and others “staying”, but a complete realignment that will divide the Communion. On one side, will be the smaller liberal minority – largely wealthy Provinces likely Canada and the US. On the other side will be the orthodox majority – those who remain in the mainstream of historic and Biblical Anglican teaching and practice. Although in the majority, the orthodox are largely from less wealthy Provinces of the Global South. |
Please prayerfully prepare your heart. Whatever solution we reach with the Primates, we must be prepared for difficulty. We know that God is able to change the hearts of those in authority (Proverbs 21:1), but we have to be prepared. In some hostile dioceses, faithful parishes and clergy may suffer. Dioceses may well take legal action and, as a result, congregations may no longer be able to worship in their usual church buildings.
My dear friends, I think we all realize that the way forward is not going to be easy and almost all of us can expect to suffer in one way or another for the stand we take. Yet let us continue to be strengthened and encouraged by the example of the Apostles in Acts Chapter 5, verses 41 and 42: And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
+Donald
The Right Reverend Donald F Harvey
Moderator - Anglican Network in Canada
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