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News – ANiC and AEN
Welcome to St David’s the Faithful (Winnipeg, MB)
A new ANiC church project, St David’s the Faithful, is forming in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Beginning in June, monthly communion services will be offered to which all are welcome! For information on time and location, please call 204-336-0587 or email stdavidsthefaithful@gmail.com.
Prayer update
Thank you for praying for Rhonda Glenn, her husband the Rev Ray David Glenn, and their son Matthew. They are awaiting the pathology report from the biopsy on Rhonda’s brain tumor. While Rhonda’s prognosis seems bleak from a human perspective, we are thankful that our loving God is in full control. As Ray David reports: “The Lord is doing a deep work in my heart and sustaining us both with a mighty arm. Our love for each other has plumbed new depths, as has our trust in the unswerving goodness of our Heavenly Father, “… in Him there is neither variableness nor shadow of turning. James 1:17.” You can follow Ray David’s reports on the St George’s website: www.stgeorgesonline.com
May 15 deadline for applications for youth pastor position
St Matthew’s Anglican Church (Abbotsford, BC) is looking for a full-time youth pastor. For a job description and parish profile, please contact stmatts1@telus.net or call (604) 853-2416. Please note the deadline for applications is May 15, not June 15 as previously announced.
Update from our Chancellor: Vancouver parishes file legal arguments in appeal
On 4 May, legal counsel for the ANiC Vancouver-area parishes filed the factum, or legal arguments, for the appeal in the dispute involving the Diocese of New Westminster. You can see the 88-page factum here.
The Appeal process will involve the following dates:
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June 28 – Deadline for the diocese to file its factum, responding to the parishes’ arguments and making its case for appealing another aspect of the original decision (the awarding of the bequest to Church of the Good Shepherd) |
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July 26 – Deadline for the parishes to file a reply to the diocese’s arguments |
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August 9 – Deadline for the diocese to file a further reply |
The hearing of the appeal will take place in the BC Court of Appeal over four days beginning 14 September 2010.
Please keep the parishes and their legal counsel in your prayers.
If you wish to help the parishes with their appeal, please consider making a donation to the ANiC Legal Fund. This is an important case for all Anglican parishes in Canada and has implications for all Christian denominations in Canada. Your support is needed and greatly appreciated. You can donate online here. Be sure to select “ANiC Legal Fund” on the Fund/Designation drop-down menu. ONLY donations designated for ANiC’s Legal Fund are used for legal defense purposes. ANiC does not use any other regular donations to defend parishes in the courts.
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Cheryl Chang, ANiC Chancellor
Upcoming ordination
Several ANiC members will be ordained to the diaconate (transitional) in the coming weeks. Please keep these people in your prayers as they take this step of faith:
Doug Beattie (Church of the Resurrection), May 16 at 4pm at Grace Baptist Church (Hope, BC)
Marilyn Flower on May 23, 10:30am at St Stephen the Martyr (St John’s, NL)
David McElrea on Thursday, May 27 at 7pm at St John’s Richmond (Richmond, BC)
ANiC parish and project news
St Hilda’s (Oakville, ON) is holding its annual Garage Sale Giveaway on May 15th. The popular event is designed to demonstrate the free love of Christ for people. The surprise element – no payment required – opens the door for sharing about the Good News of God’s free grace.
Calendar of upcoming events – for your interest and prayer support
May 8, 9am-5pm – St George’s (Burlington) women’s conference: “Disciples making disciples”
May 9 – Church of the Messiah (Norwich, ON) Communion celebration with Bishop Charlie
May 14, 7pm – Church of the Ascension (Langley) banquet celebrating parish’s 1st anniversary
May 15, 3pm – Grace Anglican (Clayton, ON) – Service with +Charlie & community barbeque
May 16, 10:30am – Eternal Hope (Carleton Pl, ON) – Service with +Charlie & community meal
May 16, 7pm – St Timothy’s (Montreal, QC) – Confirmation service with Bishop Charlie
May 16 – Good Shepherd (Vancouver, BC) – Confirmation service
May 16, 4pm – Ordination of Doug Beattie to the diaconate at Grace Baptist Church (Hope, BC)
May 16, 3pm – Good Shepherd Richmond official dedication with Bishops Don and Stephen
May 22 – June 2 – Good Shepherd Vancouver & Chinese Mission pilgrimage to Israel and Egypt
May 23 – St Stephen the Martyr (St John’s, NL) – Ordination of Marilyn Flower to the diaconate
May 27 – St John’s Richmond (Richmond, BC) – Ordination of David McElrea to the diaconate
June 3-11 – Anglican Church of Canada General Synod, Halifax, NS
June 7-11 – ACNA House of Bishops, Provincial Executive and Council meet in Amesbury, MA
Sept 13-16 – BC Court of Appeal hearing in Vancouver
June 14-18 – St Luke’s (Pembroke, ON) – "Wholeness through Christ" inner healing week
June 20 – St John’s Vancouver confirmation service – Venue to be announced
Sept 13-16 – BC Court of Appeal hearing in Vancouver
Sept 17-19 – St Luke’s – Spiritual renewal with Bishop Malcolm & Archdeacon Paul Crossland
Sept 18 – St George's Ottawa, Day of Prayer in preparation for the ANiC synod
Nov 3 – Clergy day, Ottawa, ON
Nov 4-6 – ANiC synod with Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, Ottawa, ON
ANiC in the news
Christian Week – April 23 2010 – ANiC plants new Maritime church
Anglican Planet – April 26 2010 – First ANiC church in Maritimes; Satellite churches planned
News shorts – Anglican Church in North America (ACNA)
Archbishops visit Vancouver May 23
The Anglican Coalition in Canada – one of our partner dioceses in the Anglican Church in North America – is hosting both Archbishops Emmanuel Kolini (Primate of Rwanda) and Yong Ping Chung (retired Primates of South East Asia) in the Vancouver area on Sunday, May 23. You are invited to a service at Fraserview Mennonite Brethren Church, 11292 Mellis Drive, Richmond, BC.
Women’s ordination
A bishop in the Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA) writes his clergy to explain the upcoming ordination of a woman in the diocese to the priesthood. Within ACNA there are dioceses that hold to both positions. The letter explains that even within AMiA there are two organizations based on whether the ordination of women is allowed or not: the Anglican Mission in America does not ordain women to the priesthood, while the Anglican Coalition in America does.
News shorts – Canada
ACoC called to “have the courage of its convictions” and reject Covenant
In a refreshingly forthright Anglican Journal opinion piece, the Rev Dr Canon Dean Mercer and the Rev Catherine Sider-Hamilton, both from the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) say, “We suggest that the church, given its present practice with regard to same-sex blessings, cannot in good faith adopt or approve the Covenant.” They argue, “the Covenant offers the Anglican Church of Canada an opportunity to be honest before the world about its commitment to same-sex blessings and its willingness, in the name of its own standards of justice, to walk apart from the universal church. Why can the church not adopt the Covenant? It cannot because the Covenant insists on a primary commitment to the universal and apostolic church, a commitment that the movement for same-sex blessings rejects as opposing its standards of justice.”
Oldest church?
An entertaining article in the Vancouver Sun explores the claims of various churches around British Columbia to the title of “BC’s oldest church”.
Church army rebranded
The Anglican Planet reports that the Church Army of Canada is now named Threshold Ministries. “There will no longer be official titles like “Captain” nor any uniforms. The name change [is intended to] remove barriers and… reach Canada’s vulnerable and disenfranchised with the transforming power of Christ’s love.”
Invitation to Vancouver-area clergy
reFocus Canada is introducing a new program for Greater Vancouver area pastors called Reading Theology Together. “The purpose is to shape and sharpen our thinking as well as develop a deeper devotion to the Lord Jesus and His Word… [We] invite you to bring your cup of coffee each Monday morning at 10 am for a 2-hour discussion of a theological subject. To assist in our thinking we will be reading through Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology over an 8- month period.”
Church musician arrested
The Church of England Newspaper reports that an Anglican Church of Canada musician and former choirmaster has been re-arrested and is facing new charges for sexually assaulting a boy. He had earlier served a sentence for abusing 13 choirboys. Although recently serving in an Ottawa-area church, the latest charges stem from the early 1980s. This troubling account of sexual abuse and church cover-up parallels the current crisis in the global Roman Catholic Church.
Canadian news
Church of England News – April 23 2010 – Canadian synod to offer product placement to corporate sponsors
Anglican Planet – April 26 2010 – BC Diocese to bless same-sex marriages, downsize staff, close churches
News shorts – United States
Harassment and litigation
Florida – The Episcopal Church Diocese of Southwest Florida, under Bishop Dabney Smith, has changed the locks and evicted another faithful congregation from their church building. In what has become a familiar plot line, VirtueOnline reports the clergy and members of St Dunstan’s Anglican Church were taken by the surprise, when the diocese reneged on a promise to negotiate, and locked out the parishioners. But St Dunstan’s priest reports that God provided. “When I got word that we were out on the street, a local Methodist Church offered us a place to worship. We now have new offices and a sanctuary and we will work out a lease arrangement… God has provided for us. He always does.” St Dunstan’s is now an ACNA church under the Diocese of Quincy, which like St Dunstan’s is Anglo-Catholic.
Pittsburgh – ACNA parishes in the diocese of Pittsburgh met recently with Archbishop Bob Duncan to discuss the upcoming legal appeal as well as cost containment, parish actions in the face of the appeal, and “moving forward in mission”. Archbishop Bob told his diocese that the decision to appeal was made after carefully considering all options and after ongoing efforts to reach a negotiated settlement. While he said “We do believe it is necessary to fight this fight,” he added, "The most important thing each parish can do is to move forward in mission… The lawsuit is a distraction - for now a necessary distraction - but the mission of the Gospel must be our abiding focus.”
California – St James (Newport Beach) has filed a petition in the California Supreme Court seeking the right to defend itself in a court of law, a right it had been denied by three-judge panel in an earlier Court of Appeal decision. This decision was characterized as “unprecedented” and “without any basis in law” by the dissenting judge on the panel. The St James news release says, “The Court of Appeal majority essentially ruled that St. James may not defend itself, and that the Episcopal Church is entitled to judgment in their favor based on their allegations alone” – an injustice St James is now seeking to correct.
News shorts – International
Bishop Robinson tells the Pope that homosexuality has nothing to do with scandal
Bishop Gene Robinson (New Hampshire) writes an open letter to Pope Benedict published in the Washington Post offering unsolicited advice on how to handle the sexual abuse scandal engulfing the Roman Catholic Church. Bishop Robinson writes, “I would not presume to instruct you. That would be arrogant. Nor would I impose upon you advice you've not sought.” But that is exactly what the letter does. He offers the abuse prevention safeguards in place in his diocese as a model, advises on how to apologize to victims, and says the pope’s action to date is “a good start”.
The true rationale for the letter comes at the end. Bishop Robinson – the first partnered homosexual bishop consecrated in the Episcopal Church (TEC) – writes:
“However, I believe it is misguided and wrong for gay men to be scapegoated in this scandal. As a gay man, I know the pain and the verbal and physical violence that can come from the thoroughly debunked myth connecting homosexuality and the abuse of children. In the media, representatives of and advocates for the Roman Catholic Church have laid blame for sexual abuse at the feet of gay priests. These people know, or should know, that every reputable scientific study shows that homosexuals are no more or less likely to be child abusers than heterosexuals. Psychologically healthy homosexual men are no more drawn to little boys than psychologically healthy heterosexual men are drawn to little girls.
“Sexual activity with children or teenagers is child abuse, pure and simple. Meaningful consent is impossible, by definition, for the underaged. You will not rid your church of sexual abuse by throwing homosexuals out of your seminaries or out of the priesthood. Homosexual priests have faithfully and responsibly served God throughout Catholic history. To scapegoat them and deprive them of their pulpits is a tragedy for the people they serve and for the church. Yours is a problem of abuse, not sexual orientation.”
Unfortunately, Bishop Robinson’s sweeping claims that there is no connection between homosexuality and abuse of children is unsupported. Wikipedia details the comprehensive and authoritative 2004 John Jay study of allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Roman Catholic clergy in the US – a study commissioned by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and conducted by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. This study found that:
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the allegation implicated about four per cent of active US Roman Catholic clergy |
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81 per cent of the victims were boys, the vast majority between 11 and 19 years, too old to be technically considered pedophilia |
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“149 priests were responsible for almost 3,000 victims, or 27 percent of the allegations” |
LifeSiteNews adds that a study conducted by USA Today in 2002 “…found that 91% of allegations against priests involved male victims… The cardinal’s remarks have also sparked a re-analysis of the data in reference to homosexuality and pedophilia. A lengthy paper issued last month by Brian Clowes of Human Life International cites multiple studies showing that homosexuality is far higher among pedophiles than among the rest of the population. "Celibacy is not the root of the problem," Clowes claims. "Homosexuality is."
David Virtues tackles Bishop Robinson’s letter in a piece called “The Audacity of Gene Robinson.”
A frontpagemag.com editorial says “...it’s important to sort out how much of the current indignation toward Rome represents justified anger, and how much of it represents a larger anti-Christian agenda… Non-Catholic Christians who think the recent media blitz against the Catholic Church is mainly about sex abuse should think again… The attack on the Catholic Church should be seen as part of a larger attack against Christianity itself.” The editorial points out how a number in the media have seizing on the scandal while ignoring the overwhelming homosexual dimension.
Global South Encounter “trumpet” continues to echo
Anglican Communion leaders commenting on the recent Global South Encounter suggest the gathering was a historic, Communion-shaping event.
In his response to the Global South communiqué (or “trumpet”), Archbishop Peter Jensen says that the reason we are seeing different responses to the crisis in the Communion is that some see the crisis down the road and others see it in the rear-view mirror. He believes that the response of the Global South, GAFCon, the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans and ACNA is based on a shared belief that the crisis in the Anglican Communion has happened, so we are redirecting our energy to getting on with building the Kingdom of God together with others who are like-minded. Others, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, seem to feel that the crisis is yet to come; the Communion is perpetually on the precipice. This belief guides their behaviour and focuses their energy. The result is a complete disconnect between the two camps.
Bishop Bill Atwood felt the Encounter took a strong, “stunning” stance that pointed to the future and demonstrated a dramatic shift in global realignment and Communion governance. He writes, “Given the fact that the leaders of 70-80 percent of the active Anglicans in the world were represented in Singapore, it is remarkable that there was so much strength in the Communiqué. There will always be a few cautious people who are hesitant to “do anything,” so the incorporation of language that addresses “the crisis” as a salvation issue is stunning…” He further notes the clear and public recognition of ACNA combined with the broad support of the earlier criticisms of the Episcopal Church (US) and the Anglican Church of Canada by Archbishops Anis, Orombi and Ernest. Bishop Atwood concludes, “It is evident now that the “gathering power” in the Communion has shifted from institutional mandates into theological agreement.”
A Christian Post article, called New power brokers discuss future of Anglicanism, offers us the views of virtually every Primate at the Global South Encounter on the matter of the Anglican Covenant – in the Primate’s own words.
VirtueOnline also has articles on western observers’ reactions and David Virtue’s summary and analysis of the event. Another interesting article discusses the desire of Archbishop John Chew (Southeast Asia) to plant an Anglican presence in China and offers the views of a leader of China’s official “Three Self Patriotic Movement” Church, Elder Fu Xianwei who attended the gathering as an ecumenical observer. Virtue reports that China has “...more than one hundred million Chinese evangelicals in a population of 1.3 billion.” The Christian Post quotes Elder Fu saying, “I hope that the Chinese Church and the Anglican Global South can expand their cooperation.”
Indaba goes online
The Indaba process of conversations begun at the last Lambeth Conference is now also offering a virtual meeting place at the Anglican Communion Office (ACO) website. The ACO says that Indaba conversations “restore trust” and allow Communion members with differences of perspective to “listen to one another”. Last year, the American Anglican Council investigated the funding of the Indaba process and was alarmed to “follow the money” to organizations and donors with an explicitly pro-homosexual agenda. Their concern is that Indaba is ultimately intended to break down resistance within the Communion to the introduction on unbiblical morality.
Three Canadians participated in the most recent Indaba held in Virginia – Dr Ephraim Radner of Wycliffe College (Toronto), Dr William J. Danaher (Huron University College), and Dr Wendy Fletcher (Vancouver School of Theology).
Discussing the upcoming consecration of Mary Glasspool as the second partnered homosexual bishop in TEC, the Anglican Curmudgeon (aka A S Haley) notes that the inaction – and continued “indaba-ing” – of the Archbishop of Canterbury (whom he likens to a sheriff) in the face of TEC’s defiance is undermining his office. Drawn on the classic western movie motif, Haley says, “The image of a clumsy gunslinger, unable to keep from pulling the trigger before he can draw his Colt .45 from its holster, fits ECUSA [the Episcopal Church] to a T. It has recklessly ridden into the middle of the Anglican Communion and proceeded to shoot the place up, just as in a Hollywood grade-B Western. While everyone else ducks and runs for cover, ECUSA whoops it up, gets drunk on its cheap imitations of Scripture, and tosses its collective miter in the air to celebrate its raucous belligerence. It is still big and powerful enough to do considerable damage, but it is the rest of the Communion who will have to pick up the pieces. Meanwhile, the local sheriff hides away in his home, and announces that just as soon as the bully has left, he will sponsor another round of indaba at the local saloon. Talk will go on, accomplishing nothing, but what the sheriff has not noticed is that there are fewer and fewer people at the table. The town is quietly emptying itself, as the ordinary folk have figured out that they can do better under their own devices elsewhere.”
Possible exodus of Church of England clergy as synod votes on female bishops
The Times reports that "The Church of England is expected to pave the way for the consecration of women bishops when it publishes final proposals this week". The proposal is expected to include a provision, or “code of practice", to address the concerns of “traditionalist” clergy. "Although it will not go as far as many want, a code of practice is likely to keep most Anglo-Catholics within the Church of England, given that if they left they would have to find secular employment to give them an income, as well as find a home for themselves, and their family if married." The Church of England Synod will likely consider this proposal when it next meets in June.
However, the Telegraph reports that three Church of England bishops met last week with advisors to the Pope. It says, “They are set to resign their orders in opposition to the introduction of women bishops and to lead an exodus of Anglican clerics to the Catholic Church… The Rt Rev John Broadhurst, the Rt Rev Keith Newton and the Rt Rev Andrew Burnham, the bishops of Fulham, Richborough and Ebbsfleet respectively, are understood to have informed senior Catholic officials that Church of England clergy are keen to defect to Rome.“ A subsequent Telegraph report details the top-secret meetings and adds, "There is still much that remains unresolved, but what is clear from the bishops' meetings is that there is a determination to accept the Pope's offer (to defect to the Roman Catholic Church). The traditionalists realise that they have lost the battle over women bishops and they are preparing for life outside of the Church of England."
New name for SAMS
The South American Mission Society (SAMS) is changing its name to “The Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders” to better represent itself and allow for more opportunities to serve beyond Central and South America.
News in brief from around the world and the Communion
Britain – With British culture and laws becoming increasingly antagonistic to Christianity, the former Archbishop of Canterbury has stepped up and taken the lead in publicly challenging the courts – unsuccessfully in the case of a relationship counselor fired for declining to provide sex therapy to a same-sex couple due to his Christian convictions.
Daily Mail columnist Melanie Phillips comments that “the attempt to stamp our Christianity in Britain appears to be gathering pace… [T]his intolerant denial of freedom is being perpetrated under the rubric of promoting tolerance and equality.. As a result, Britain is turning from a liberal Christian country — whose liberalism is rooted in its religious tradition — into an illiberal, oppressive secular state with no room for religious conscience. Under the camouflage of human rights, this is the way freedom dies.” National Post columnist George Jonas agrees “…that the statist agenda includes stomping out any vestiges of what used to be Christendom”. In a piece that pokes fun at the Archbishop of Canterbury’s unwillingness to get involved in the fray, Jonas begins, “To the surprise of the faithful, last month in Britain the Archbishop of Canterbury defended Christianity.”
Iraq – A bomb attack on a convoy of three buses carrying Christian students to university in Mosul killed one and injured nearly 150. As a result, the Syrian Catholic Bishopric’s buses which transport nearly 1000 students to classes each week will no longer operate – forcing the students to discontinue their classes. Compass Direct News reports that Sunni Muslims frequently target Iraq’s Christian minority, especially in the Mosul area.
Nigeria – Compass Direct News reports that two Church of Christ journalists and five others were murdered by a gang of Muslim youths near Jos where there has been a great deal of Muslim-perpetrated violence recently. The killers used the victims’ cell phones to boast of the murders.
Kenya – The Daily Nation reports that the “Anglican Church of Kenya has decided to oppose the proposed national constitution based on the issues of abortion, Sharia law, and the Bill of Rights.
Zimbabwe – Voice of America reports that the country’s Supreme Court has ruled, on a technicality, that the deposed Bishop of Harare, Nolbert Kunonga, an ally of the country’s dictator Robert Mugabe, is the legitimate bishop. At stake are Church assets in Zimbabwe. The Church of England reports that, days earlier, President Mugabe called for an end to the “embarrassing,” “un-christian” church property dispute between the deposed bishop and the bishop appointed by the Province of Central Africa to replace him, Bishop Chad Gandiya. The faction loyal to the ousted bishop is reported to be “… less than ten per cent of Anglican worshippers.”
Congo – Worldmag.com reports that the Democratic Republic of Congo has been named “the rape capital of the world” by a senior UN official.
Somalia – Islamic extremists reputed to be dedicated to ridding Somalia of its few remaining Christians has murdered another leader of the underground church – the latest in a long string of targeted killings.
Central America – A new primate has been elected for the Anglican Church in Central America. He is the Bishop of Guatemala, the Right Rev Armando Guerra. The Church of England Newspaper says, “Bishop Guerra’s election was welcomed by members of the Global South coalition meeting in Singapore, seeing in the Bishop of Guatemala a kindred spirit on the theological and doctrinal issues dividing the Communion.”
International media coverage
Church of England Newspaper – April 23 2010 – South to South Encounter opens in Singapore
Church of England Newspaper – April 23 2010 – Dr Williams’ pleas for patience falls on deaf ears
Church of England Newspaper – April 29 2010 – The Bible is the hope for Africa’s future…,
Church of England Newspaper – April 29 2010 – Church and state showdown… over Shariah Law
Christian Post – April 27 2010 – Key Anglican leaders sad yet hopeful about future
The Times – April 28 2010 – Archbishop loses key aid in unity fight as Bishop of Durham retires
Soul food
God’s created order marred by sin
Abortion
LifeSiteNews reports that a multi-disciplinary University of Manitoba research study published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry shows “…a link between abortion, mental illness and suicide. The researchers, from the departments of psychology and psychiatry, as well as obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, found that abortion was associated with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance abuse and suicide attempts.” However, the researchers said that the study did not speak to the issue of causation. The study also found that “…depression and drug dependence followed abortion in about half of the women studied. Additionally, women with a household income of $75,000 or more were more likely to report an abortion than those with household incomes under $25,000.”
The National Post says that “Canada is the only democratic country on Earth with nothing to say, legislatively, about abortion…” and that an Angus Reid poll last year “found 92% of Canadians unaware that the country had no laws at all regulating the roughly 90,000 abortions that occur annually”.
Charles Lewis reports that “two American states have made radical moves to challenge the legality of abortion.” Nebraska has passed a law “changing the upper limit on abortion from 24 to 20 weeks, based on scientific evidence that suggested a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks”. While in “Oklahoma a new law now makes it compulsory that women seeking an abortion must first submit to an ultrasound and be forced to either see the image or listen to a description of the image before an abortion can take place”.
The Christian Institute reports that the increased survival rate of premature babies born at 24 weeks, or even younger, is causing a growing demand to lower the abortion limit in jurisdictions where it is set at 24 weeks.
Pornography – CanWest News reports that the Canada’s media and telecommunications regulator, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), has approved a Canadian pay TV pornography channel that is required to show at least 20 percent of Canadian made programming. The pornography channel, owned by Montreal based Sex-Shop Television and called Vanessa, will go to air October 28. An outraged Don Hutchinson, of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, is quoted saying, “We have an official government body [the CRTC] saying that a pornography industry must exist in Canada… Studies have shown that there are various levels of corruption, from organized crime to engagement in human trafficking and prostitution that are all affiliated directly with the pornography industry. The types of violent and explicitly sexual portrayals that are displayed in pornography reduce people to objects." While other pornography channels exist in Canada, this is the first to be required to offer Canadian made content.
World magazine reports that “A growing body of research suggests that the habitual use of pornography—especially internet pornography—can damage people of all ages and both sexes, negatively impacting their relationships, productivity, and happiness, as well as their ability to function in society.” A recent multidisciplinary scholarly examination of pornography’s impact released a report called, “The social costs of pornography”. Among the findings was “…evidence that the prevalence of pornography in the lives of many children and adolescents is far more significant than most adults realize, that pornography is deforming the healthy sexual development of these young viewers, and that it is used to exploit children and adolescents.”
Prostitution and human trafficking – The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada has just released a report on the link between prostitution and sex-trafficking: “Selling Ourselves: Prostitution in Canada, Where are we Headed?” The report compares the Swedish and Dutch prostitution law models and examines the link with human trafficking. The report also examines the Canadian legal framework and offers recommendations to the Canadian government.
On schism…
N T Wight was featured at a recent conference near Chicago. Dr Edith Humphrey, who is well known to many in ANiC, also spoke. In response to a question on the grounds for justifying schism, Bishop Wright responded that “Nothing justifies schism. Schism is what happens when some bits of the church decide to do their own thing and to ignore the rest of the body of Christ. The problem comes of course when the people who are doing that are actually running an entire denomination – or part there of. And then others discern that it is those people who’ve done that who are the schismatics… both sides often call the other one schismatic. And then there is a real difficulty of discernment. And because we are all sinful, frequently the issues are not clear-cut. But in 1st Corinthians we have some pretty clear statements about two things. There are some things which we have to learn to agree to differ on and other things which we cannot agree to differ on. And we need to know how to distinguish which is which… How do you tell the difference between the difference that make a difference and the differences that don’t make a difference [like circumcision, the Sabbath and food laws]? [It is] one of the great challenges of any day… and 1st Corinthians is a great place to start to begin to address that.”
In a brief address, worth rereading, Dr J I Packer made similar comments to those gathered for ANiC’s November 2007 conference – although Dr Packer was clear that the realignment in global Anglicanism was Biblically justified. He said, “Schism means unwarrantable and unjustifiable dividing of organized church bodies, by the separating of one group within the structure from the rest of the membership. Schism, as such, is sin, for it is a needless and indefensible breach of visible unity. But withdrawal from a unitary set-up that has become unorthodox and distorts the gospel in a major way and will not put its house in order as for instance when the English church withdrew from the Church of Rome in the sixteenth century, should be called not schism but realignment, doubly so when the withdrawal leads to links with a set-up that is faithful to the truth, as in the sixteenth century the Church of England entered into fellowship with the Lutheran and Reformed churches of Europe, and as now we propose gratefully to accept the offer of full fellowship with the Province of the Southern Cone. Any who call such a move schism should be told that they do not know what schism is.”
Resources
J C Ryle – A number of sermons and mediations by J C Ryle – one of the most influential and loved 19th century Church of England bishops – have been recorded and posted to Sermon Audio
Theologian R C Sproul, speaking to the “Together for the Gospel” conference offers a fascinating overview of the history of contemporary heresy in the church.
An atheist defends Christianity
An influential American atheist, S E Cupp, says that Hollywood and the media are systematically marginalizing Christianity. In a Citizen Link interview she says, “Hollywood started treating Christianity like it was some kind of social disease decades ago… The liberal media has, in the past 10 years or so, joined in the action… [Because] the moral relativism of liberalism is threatened by the fixed value system of Christianity, which holds people accountable for their actions… now the media is targeting YOU, the private citizen. It's targeting your values, your beliefs, your freedoms, your politics, your way of life, all to advance a secular, liberal agenda of its own… I think it's time Christian America woke from their slumber and saw just how bad it's gotten.”
Just for fun
My pastor-husband Scott has a sweet tooth, so I knew the chocolate chip cookies I'd just baked might disappear before I returned from running errands.
To discourage him, I taped a verse on the wrapped goodies: "Everything is permissible for me -- but not everything is beneficial." - 1 Cor. 6:12.
When I returned I found half the cookies gone and another verse attached: "The righteous eat to their heart's content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry" - Prov. 13:25.
www.mikeysFunnies.com
Thought
"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." - Winston Churchill
Please pray...
For Rhonda Glenn, wife of the Rev Ray David Glenn (St George’s Burlington) diagnosed with a brain tumour. Pray also for other spouses of ANiC clergy experiencing health problems.
For those who will be ordained to the diaconate:
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Doug Beattie to be ordained May 16, then installed at Church of the Resurrection (Hope, BC) |
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Marilyn Flower to be ordained in St John’s NL on May 23 |
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David McElrea to be ordained on May 27 at St John’s Richmond (Richmond, BC) |
For funding of the Anglican Relief & Development Fund Canada’s Kenya Malaria Prevention Project – as well as for funds for Chile earthquake relief.
For ANiC projects, church plants and parishes, especially as they seek to proclaim the Good News to those in their communities who desperately need new life in Christ.
For St David’s the Faithful a new ANiC church project in Winnipeg
For our bishops and clergy and their families.
For adequate funding of the legal cases and disputes involving ANiC congregations:
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For the Vancouver-area parishes appealing the earlier court decision and for their legal counsel Geoff Cowper & Stanley Martin as they prepare for the appeal to be heard Sept 13-16. |
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For all the congregations involved in court proceedings and disputes. Pray for a continued focus on, and blessing upon, their ministry in the midst of this turmoil. Pray for peace for the wardens and trustees who are on the front lines and bear the burden of risk and responsibility. |
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For the leaders and parishioners of the dioceses pursuing eviction of and legal damages against ANiC congregations and wardens. |
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That God will be glorified by our conduct in all court proceedings. |
For the work of the Anglican Communion Alliance (ACA) at the ACoC’s General Synod in June and for the pre-synod ACA-sponsored cross-Canada speaking tour of Canon George Kovoor.
For Christians facing violence and persecution in the Congo, Nigeria, Sudan, and Iraq and other Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu countries.
For the Rev Jess & Erica Cantelon, commissioned by ANiC to minister in Israel where Jess serves as curate of Christ Church Jerusalem and as chaplain of the Anglican International School.
That our nation would return to God and His moral principles.
And now a word from our sponsor
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak… Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.
Ephesians 6:10-24)
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