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Handle with prayer!
News – ANiC and AEN
Welcome Mill Bay church plant!
Christ Church of the Valley (Mill
Bay, BC) is ANiC’s 40th official church plant/parish. The new congregation is
lead by the Rev Andrew Hewlett – one of our Morning Prayer preachers at
Synod.
BC Court of Appeal gives mixed
decision
The BC Court of Appeal issued its
decision from the September 13-16 hearing, agreeing with four Vancouver area
ANiC parishes on issues of law, but still dismissing their appeal. The parishes, St John’s (Vancouver), St Matthews (Abbotsford), Good
Shepherd (Vancouver), and St Matthias & St Luke’s (Vancouver), had appealed
a 25 November 2009 decision of Mr Justice Stephen Kelleher awarding beneficial
ownership of church properties to the Diocese of New Westminster in the case
involving the split in the Anglican Church. The Diocese of New Westminster’s counter appeal of Mr
Justice Kelleher’s decision granting a bequest (worth approx. $2M) to the ANiC congregation of the Church
of the Good Shepherd was also dismissed.
Special Counsel Cheryl Chang
says:
“In my view, the court did not
give due consideration to some critical evidence on issues of doctrine,
Anglican hierarchy and authority. Mdm Justice Newbury states (at para
75), “it is antithetical to the nature of Anglicanism to contemplate “Anglican
ministry” in a parish that has withdrawn from the authority of its diocese and bishop”. However, this ignores the
Windsor Report which stated clearly and unequivocally, in reference to this diocese
and bishop, that it was more antithetical to Anglicanism for a bishop and
diocese to act “unilaterally… in
breach of the legitimate application of the Christian faith as the churches of
the Anglican Communion have received it”. Parishes are withdrawing
from the ACoC in response to this unilateral and “schismatic” action.
“I am also disappointed that the
court concluded Anglican ministry is “as defined by the ACC”, despite the
evidence demonstrating the ACC, in the view of the majority of the world’s
Anglicans, have erred in their definition of Anglican doctrine, and in our
view, breached their own Solemn Declaration or constitution in the process. It
is this fundamental difference on the definition of doctrine, and not the
departure of some parishes, which has caused a split of the entire Anglican
Communion.
“The parishes have 60 days to
file for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. The Trustees
will be meeting with legal counsel, receiving advice, and consulting with the
congregations before deciding whether to appeal or leave their church buildings
at this time. These are not easy
decisions and it is important for the members of the congregations to pray
together and take the time to seek God’s will and discern the way forward.”
See the decision and ANiC’s news
release on the ANiC
website. The Diocese of
New Westminster statement is
here. This statement
concludes, “Bishop Michael Ingham will now contact the
trustees of the four parishes in writing and request a meeting. At those
meetings the bishop’s intent is to confer with the trustees to appoint interim
clergy… to fill the positions of those who have left the Anglican Church of
Canada.”
This week’s American
Anglican Council weekly video,
“Anglican Perspective”, focuses on this court decision. In this two-minute video, Canon Phil
Ashey encourages us from Hebrews10:32-34 which says, “Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you
endured in a great conflict full of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly
exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with
those who were so treated. You suffered… and joyfully accepted the confiscation
of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting
possessions.” (NIV)
Shortly after the decision was
released, Bishop Michael Ingham issued a
pastoral letter calling on Vancouver-area ANiC parishioners to
abandon their clergy in favour of the church buildings and return to the
Diocese of New Westminster. The Anglican
Samizdat blog notes the irony in the letter.
The Diocese of Niagara also
capitalized on the decision by issuing a
news release saying, “…the Diocese of Niagara has indicated that
they will be moving firmly ahead in order to bring the pending lawsuits in the
Ontario courts to a final determination.” It quotes Bishop Michael Bird calling on the ANiC parishes to meet with
diocesan officials “…to put to an end to any further litigation costs” by using the recent resolution with ANiC
parish St Peter by the Park as a model. Again the Anglican
Samizdat provides commentary on the diocese’s statement.
Media coverage:
National Post – November 15
2010 – Dissident
Anglicans can’t keep churches BC court rules
Vancouver Sun – November 16
2010 – Court rules
against dissident Anglicans in Vancouver…
Vancouver Sun – November 16
2010 – Anglican
bishop moves to replace the dissident priests
CBC – November 15 2010 – Anglican
dissidents lose fight for assets
Canadian Press – Dissident
Anglicans won’t get back buildings
Abbotsford News – November
15 2010 – Anglican
church appeal dismissed
ACoC News – November 16
2010 – Breakaway
Vancouver Anglicans cannot keep buildings…
Anglican Journal – November
16 2010 – BC Court of
Appeal upholds church property decision
Anglican Journal – November
18 2010 – Diocese… Issues
statement on court decision
Canadian Christianity –
November 18 2010 – Tradition
Anglicans lose major court decision
You can also see the discussions
on the blogs, including messages of support and encouragement: the AEC blog, the Anglican
Samizdat, StandFirm in
the Faith
Synod
Synod
2010 is now history. Kate covered
the event ably on the AEC blog. A
brief summary report of some synod highlights is now posted to the ANiC website – as are many of the presentations, the approved constitution and canons
and other information.
In
addition to approving a new constitution and canons, synod also elected several
new members of the ANiC Council to replace three retiring board members: Frank
Johnson (Ottawa), Joyce Lee (Vancouver), and John McKay (Vancouver). The new Council members are: Elaine
Pountney (Victoria), Professor Jonathan Patrick (Ottawa) and Michael Bentley
(Vancouver).
During
synod, Bishop Don announced that ANiC’s first chancellor Cheryl Chang was
stepping down and that Michael Donison of Ottawa would serve as ANiC’s second
chancellor. Also, ANiC’s full-time volunteer business manager Ron Bales is retiring from
this position in the New Year. And
the Rev Archie Hunter will now serve as ANiC’s Episcopal Commissary.
Bishop
Don has already written a number of letters as requested by synod, including to
Her Majesty the Queen, to the Archbishop of Canterbury, to a number of active
clergy who were prevented by illness from attending synod, to the three
retiring board members – and more.
Synod
heard a number of excellent sermons and presentations, including two from
Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali who was in Ottawa as part of 125th anniversary
celebrations for St George’s (Ottawa).
Inaugural conference for Asian
Mission in Canada, 21-22 March 2011
Bishop Stephen Leung is
organizing an inaugural
conference for the Asian Mission in Canada. The conference –
which will be held primarily at Regent College in Vancouver, 21-22 March 2010 –
will explore the theme: Discerning contemporary culture: Challenges and
Christian ministry in a permissive age. Featured speakers include: Dr Brian
Stiller, the Rev Warren Lai, the Rev Ken Shigematsu, the Most Rev Dr John Chew
(to be confirmed), the Rev Dr David Pao, Dr Toni Dolfo-Smith, Mr Daniel Komori
and Dr James Houston – and more. Registration for this conference is now open. Evening sessions at Good
Shepherd (Vancouver) are free and open to the public.
Asian Mission launches new
website
The Asian Mission in Canada,
under the leadership of ANiC’s Bishop Stephen Leung, has launched its new website. Check it out and learn about this
exciting new ministry.
Ordinations
Bishop
Stephen Leung has the joy of ordaining Paul Seung-Choi Leung to the
(transitional) diaconate at Good Shepherd Anglican Church (Vancouver) on
December 5 at 2:30pm. Following his ordination, Paul will serve as curate at
Good Shepherd (Vancouver).
On
November 28, at 4pm Bishop Don Harvey will ordain Jane Manary Parent to the
diaconate at St Luke’s Pembroke. Jane is the wife of the Rev Tim Parent, rector of St Luke’s.
Please
pray for Paul and Jane as they prepare for ministry. All are welcome to the
ordinations.
Congratulations
to four new Vancouver-area priests ordained November 21: the Revs Keith Ganzer,
Aaron Roberts, Doug Beattie, and David McElrea.
Condolences
We in the ANiC family extend our
sympathy to our new Chancellor, Michael Donison, and St George’s Associate
Minister for Discipleship the Rev Paul Donison, on the passing of Michael’s
father and Paul’s grandfather, Wesley Donison on November 10. Michael was unable to be present for
his investiture at synod because he was at his father’s side. Please remember the family during this
time of grieving, especially Wesley’s widow Rosemary.
Order of St Joseph’s Guilds
The Rev St Clair Cleveland, who
is on the clergy team at Church of the Epiphany (Hamilton), has launched the Order of
St Joseph’s Guilds. His
desire is to bring together artisans and building trades people from across
ANiC and ACNA to form guilds that would share information and work together to
construct buildings and create furnishings for new church plants and for congregations
forced to leave their church buildings and belongings behind. You can see a presentation on this new
Order – together with photos of the Rev Cleveland’s handiwork – on the ANiC
website.
“Pursuing Intimacy with God” seminar
at St George’s (Burlington), Nov 26-27
The Rev Garth Hunt, ANiC’s
national prayer coordinator, will lead a “Pursuing Intimacy with God” prayer seminar
at St George’s (Burlington) beginning Friday evening, November 26 and
continuing on Saturday November 27. Full information on this free seminar is on the St
George’s website.
New Primate for the Anglican Church
of the Southern Cone
With the completion of his
maximum two terms of service, former Primate Presiding Bishop Greg Venables
(Argentina) has stepped down and passed the Primatial torch to newly elected Presiding Bishop Hector “Tito” Zavala (Chile). Presiding Bishop Venables is well-loved by all in ANiC for
his courageous intervention that allowed us to come under his godly “Communion-preserving”
Primatial leadership when we could no longer remain with integrity in our
former Anglican organization.
With news of Archbishop Tito’s
election arriving during ANiC’s Synod, Bishop Don wrote Bishop Greg: “Greetings
from the Third Synod of the Anglican Network in Canada presently in session in
Ottawa. We have received word that your Provincial Synod has elected our dear
friend and brother Tito Zavala as your successor as Primate in the Southern
Cone. We in this Synod already have expressed our continued gratitude for your
loving Primatial oversight to us and now would appreciate it if you would
convey our love, prayers, and congratulations to Archbishop Tito.”
St John the Evangelist (Calgary) takes first step toward
Rome
St John the Evangelist, an Anglo-Catholic Anglican Church of
Canada parish in Calgary and also a member of
the Anglican Essentials Network, has begun the journey of seeking
entrance into the Anglican Ordinariate promised by the Pope over a year
ago. VirtueOnline
reports that the church vestry unanimously approved this decision
and now parishioners will be asked to vote.
Parish news
St John’s Sudanese (Surrey, BC) has
a new name! Now, it will be known
as St John’s Anglican Church Surrey. The Rev Emanuel Sadarak is the rector at St John’s Surrey.
St Luke’s (Pembroke, ON) reports
a busy fall including: a wonderful parish renewal weekend with Bishop Malcolm and Archdeacon
Paul, a successful church fall supper, and a great weekend with Bishop Charlie
in October celebrating two years as a parish and one year in the new building.
The emphasis at St Luke’s has been on developing small group Bible studies –
now numbering seven – encouraging personal devotions, and building a
Pastoral Care Team to visit seniors and shut-ins.
St Peter (Hamilton) is now St Peter by the Park! The congregation chose to walk away
from their long-time building having reached an amicable agreement with their
former diocese, the Diocese of Niagara. You can see the diocese’s announcement
on its website. St
Peter by the Park also has a newly acquired church building at 55 Victoria
Avenue North, Hamilton.
If your parish has news that
would be of interest to others in ANiC, please email Marilyn or call
1-866-351-2642 extension 4020.
Calendar of upcoming events –
for your interest and prayer support
Nov 26-27 – St George’s
Burlington, Pursuing Intimacy with God seminar with Rev Garth Hunt
Nov
28, at 4pm – St Luke’s (Pembroke ON) – ordination of Jane Manary
Parent to the diaconate
Dec 5, 2:30pm – Good
Shepherd (Vancouver) – Ordination of Paul Leung to the
diaconate
Jan 25-27 – ACNA 2011 church planting summit in Plano, TX with speaker Tim Keller
Jan 25-31 – Anglican
Communion Primates Meeting (Dublin, Ireland)
March 21-22 – Asian Mission
inaugural conference, Vancouver, BC
March
29-31 – ANiC’s 2011 pastors’ retreat near Abbotsford, BC
News shorts – Anglican Church in North
America (ACNA)
“Bishops’ Summit on Church Growth
and Church Planting” in Virginia
Three ACNA bishops held a church
planting meeting in Virginia November 20 that focused on church growth and
evangelism. Nine ACNA parishes in Virginia are involved in litigation with
their former Episcopal Church diocese. VirtueOnline
reports that the next court hearing is December 17.
US litigation news involving ACNA dioceses
Diocese of San Joaquin – An
appeals court has ruled in favour of the ACNA Diocese of San Joaquin,
overturning a lower court decision granting the Episcopal Church (TEC) summary
adjudication. According to the Fresno Bee, “The appellate justices
tossed out a Superior Court judge's decision that the breakaway diocese
couldn't claim a right to the property in a jury trial. The judge essentially
had decided that it was a church matter, not a matter for the civil courts.”
Canon lawyer A S Haley says this decision ensures the
ACNA diocese will have its day in court, forces TEC to “prove through its
documents that there is a trust in its favor on all diocesan church property”,
and strikes a blow to TEC’s litigation strategy of “claiming the property of a
departing Diocese because [TEC] is somehow "hierarchical"…”
Diocese of Fort Worth – In response to the multiple lawsuits – all on essentially the same
issue – filed against him and his diocese, ACNA Bishop Jack Iker has
finally filed one of his own – against the Episcopal
Church lawyers who are harassing him. The suit cites "malicious
prosecution and abuse of process" for filing suits that have "no
factual or legal foundation" and asks for "a remedy against counsel
who unreasonably and vexatiously multiply the proceedings in a case." The Church of England
Newspaper carries a brief
history of the legal wranglings involving Bishop Iker.
More ACNA news
Pittsburgh
Post Gazette – Nov 6 2010 – Anglican
diocese expects ‘tame’ convention this year
News shorts – Canada
Protest registered against
Diocese of Toronto’s actions
The AEC blog
reports that the Diocese of Toronto has now
published Pastoral Guidelines for the Blessing of Same Sex
relationships.
Writing on the Anglican Communion
Institute blog, Diocese of Toronto priests the Rev Catherine Sider Hamilton
and Canon Dean Mercer registered their concerns about the actions of their
bishops both in issuing these Pastoral Guidelines and in ordaining as priest a
woman civilly married to another woman, calling his actions “problematic”. They
conclude, “In all this, it is perhaps the failure of truth that is most
damaging. It is not just that the bishops have introduced doctrinal and moral
innovations under the guise of “pastoral response.” It is also the way they
have done it. For the sake of
public peace, the bishops have proceeded without synodical debate… The bishops
in this way have sought to prevent public opposition and have avoided public
explanation.”
The Rev Dr
Ephraim Radner endorses Sider Hamilton and Mercer’s protest and
their view that these actions by the diocesan bishops have created a wedge “between
loyalty to Gospel and loyalty to bishop”. He also calls on clergy and parishioners in the diocese to publically “make
clear what they believe and what they are prepared to do in the face of these
Guidelines”.
In an article on the Diocese of Toronto action, the Church Times alludes to the hypocrisy of
Communion sanctions against the Episcopal Church and the Southern Cone for
alleged breaches of Communion moratoria, while turning a blind eye to the gamesmanship
in the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC). The ACoC allows dioceses – including Toronto – to authorize
same-sex blessings in contravention of Communion teaching while maintaining the
ACoC’s innocence since the blessings were not explicitly approved by General
Synod. According to the Church Times, “A spokesman for the Anglican Communion
Office said this week that, as the Toronto guidelines were a diocesan matter,
it could not comment on them.”
ACoC parishioners lose their church buildings
Apparently you don’t have to
leave the Anglican Church of Canada to have your building taken away. The Goldstream News
Gazette reports on church closures in the Diocese of British
Columbia, including a puzzling case where the congregation was financial
viable. Some parishioners from the disbanded congregations report they will not
continue in the Anglican Church of Canada – which will further hurt the diocese’s
membership and financial viability. Archdeacon Bruce Bryant Scott is quoted responding, "People get caught up in the idea that
the church is a building… In our consumer-oriented society it's easy to forget
who a church is there to serve. The client is not the congregation; the client
is God."
Counting the cost… of suing ANiC
parishes
The AEC blog discloses the Diocese of Niagara’s financial statements showing costs it
incurred for suing Christians for buildings it doesn’t need for parishioners it
doesn’t have. By AEC blogger David’s
calculations, 13 cents of every dollar given to the diocese was used for this
litigation.
Terrific conferences for clergy and church leaders
The 2011 reFocus Canada preaching
and theology conference is set for February 28-March 2 at Willingdon Church,
Burnaby, BC. This year’s theme is “Growing a Biblical Church” and the speaker
line-up is outstanding: Mark Dever (Washington DC pastor), Ray Ortlund
(Nashville pastor), Rick Reed (Ottawa pastor), Vancouver church-planter Norm
Funk, and John Neufeld (Willingdon Church pastor, Burnaby). Past reFocus
speakers have included Bishop Charlie Masters and Canon David Short. Topics for this conference include: “What is a biblical church? How do we define
successful growth? How does this play out in a new church or an existing
church? What part does expositional preaching play? What does effective
evangelism look like? What does membership and discipline look like in a
biblical church?” For more
information and to register see the reFocus website
The
2011 Gospel
Coalition conference will be held April 12-14 in Chicago,
Illinois. The theme is “They
testify about me: Preaching Jesus and the Gospel from the Old Testament”. The long line-up of speakers includes: R. Albert Mohler, Tim
Keller, Alistair Begg, James MacDonald, Conrad Mbewe, Matt Chandler, Mike
Bullmore and Don
Carson.
New Anglican diocese forming
VirtueOnline
reports that twelve congregations from across Canada have joined the
Traditional Anglican Church of Canada, a new diocese seems to be associated
with the Anglican Province of Christ the King and the Anglican Catholic Church.
Diocese of Saskatoon votes for same-sex blessings
CBC reports that the Anglican Diocese of
Saskatoon very narrowly voted to allow same-sex blessings – with the
proviso that the bishop approve.
Court considers constitutionality
of polygamy
The Canadian Christian Legal
Fellowship is asking for prayer as the Supreme Court of BC began hearing
arguments on November 22 (Monday), about whether polygamy laws are consistent
with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This case could have a profound impact on Canadian society
and law. Specific prayer requests are here.
The National Post
article examining the issues says Vancouver lawyer George Macintosh argues
that “Canada’s anti-polygamy laws are relics of a bygone era when “Christian norms
and values were deemed appropriate” and “Such values are outdated and conflict
with today’s multicultural attitudes and with Canada’s Charter of Rights and
Freedoms.” Mr Macintosh was
appointed to challenge this country’s 120-year-old polygamy ban. The Charter
and the ban are irreconcilable, he says. [Note: George Macintosh is the same
lawyer who represents the Diocese of New Westminster in its litigation with the
Vancouver-area ANiC parishes.]
Other Canadian news
Church of England Newspaper – Nov 12 2010 – Toronto gay
blessing guidelines released
Christian Post – Nov 5 2010
– Toronto
Bishop makes room for same-sex blessings
News shorts – US
Episcopal Church in “cataclysmic
decline”
An article in
the Church of England Newspaper reports on recently released
statistics for the Episcopal Church of the US (TEC). It now reports barely over 2 million members – where
it once numbered 3.5 million in the 1960s – and average Sunday attendance
(ASA) of just under 683,000 – “a cumulative loss of over 19.3 per cent in
ASA from 2002-2009”.
Bishop Robinson to retire
Gene Robinson, Bishop of New
Hampshire, has announced his intention to retire in January 2013 citing “the
emotional and physical stresses of his episcopate.” The Church of
England Newspaper, says he told his synod that “Death threats, and
the now-worldwide controversy surrounding your election of me… have been a
constant strain, not just on me, but on my beloved husband, Mark.”
Communion Partners hold conference
The Communion
Partners held a conference in Orlando on November 16-17 designed to
encourage those choosing to remain within the Episcopal Church. Keynote speakers where bishops and clergy
from Nigeria, Singapore and Thailand
News shorts – International
Fate of Primates’ Meeting in
Dublin in January hangs in the balance
There are reports of
behind-the-scenes negotiations in an effort to salvage the Primates Meeting
which a number of Primates had previously stated they would boycott. A Church of
England article reports that the Archbishop of Canterbury was
contemplating foregoing the planned Primates Meeting for “small group
gatherings of like-minded archbishops”.
Facebook scammer impersonates
Archbishop Henry Orombi
Canon Alison Barfoot of the Church
of Uganda writes: “I have just become aware of a new scam circulating. Someone
has created a fake Facebook page for Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi and is
impersonating him. I can assure you it is NOT him. Please do not accept an
invitation from Henry Luke Orombi or any other similar name from Facebook. If
you have already “friended” him, I recommend “unfriending” him. And, whatever
you do, do NOT send any money. And, as a rule, NEVER send money through Western
Union. That is a sure sign that you are being scammed. Also, the same
fraudsters are impersonating other Ugandan bishops. So, please beware, and if
you get a Facebook Friend invitation from a Ugandan bishop, please confirm it
separately through a known e-mail address with him.”
More fall-out from the attempted
discipline of the Southern Cone
A paper posted
to the Anglican Communion Institute’s blog analyzes the illogic of
Anglican Communion Council (ACC) Secretary General Kenneth Kearon’s purported
discipline of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone cross-border
interventions by providing Primatial oversight for orthodox Anglicans in North
America. In October, ACC Secretary General Kenneth Kearon wrote Bishop Tito
Zavala (now Primate of the Southern Cone) informing him that he was no longer a
member of the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order. The
paper’s authors determine that “…in removing Bishop Zavala, he has acted in an
unwarranted manner” and “In acting as he has, the Secretary General has failed
to distinguish adequately between what the Southern Cone has done and other
violations of the various moratoria requested by one or another of the
Instruments of Communion.”
The paper demonstrates that, by
its own terms, the ACC over-stepped its authority in removing Bishop Tito. In fact, after examining the issue at great length, the
paper concludes “To summarize, there has never been an unconditional moratorium
on interventions in effect. And since TEC rejected the pastoral scheme in the
Dar communiqué out of hand in 2007 the conditions applicable to this moratorium
have not been satisfied and no operative moratorium has been in effect.”
Opposition to the Covenant growing…
primarily from “liberals”
VirtueOnline offers a “state of the
Covenant” summary delineating the detractors on both sides and the
relatively few Provinces to have signed on to date. His conclusion is that “Whatever hope Dr Williams holds out
for it as the touchstone of Anglican unity is dead on arrival. It will not do
what he hopes it will.” Earlier in
the month, “liberal” groups in England expressed
their distaste for the Covenant saying it was a tool of traditionalists
to impose unAnglican authoritarianism. They join “liberals” in North America in
the campaign to defeat the Covenant. Recently a “No Anglican
Covenant” website was launched by these groups.
An article on
VirtueOnline attempts to sort through the mess and in another
article David Virtue
also explores the tepid response to the Covenant by the orthodox in
the Global South. He concludes, “If, increasingly, both sides of the
ecclesiastical aisle see the Covenant as flawed, then the slow but inexorable
break-up of the communion, already begun, will only accelerate as the lines
become more sharply drawn and hardened.”
The Anglican Communion Office
(ACO) has begun its own campaign to rescue to Covenant from the fury and wild
rhetoric of “liberal” opponents. Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan, Director for Unity
Faith and Order in the ACO has written to clarify some points and to urge that it be “debated fairly, with an accurate
reading of the text”. Dr Andrew
Goddard, writing at
length on the Fulcrum blog, also jumps to the Covenant’s defence and
takes the “liberals” to task for “their ill-informed polemic”.
Speaking from an orthodox perspective,
Bishop John Rodgers of the Anglican Mission (AMiA) writes that “…the Covenant
should be seen to be precisely what the Archbishop of Canterbury has said it is
not, a binding commitment to mutual mission and encouragement, to a process of
adjudicating differences that threaten to be Communion-breaking, and to a
confessional standard of Doctrine to which all who sign are committed and to
which they can be held accountable.” However, he says, “It would strengthen the present form of the Covenant
if it were adjusted in two specific ways: first, if the Primates were the body…to
oversee compliance and not the Standing Committee, a committee with no historic
standing in the Communion. And, second, it would be strengthened were the
Jerusalem Declaration added to the standard of Faith to which all signers were
committed and held accountable.”
Drs Chris Sugden and Vinay
Samuel, writing in
the Church of England Newspaper, recount the intentional weakening
of the Covenant through successive drafts to the point where, they argue, if
approved and implemented, it would interminably delay judgement and leave “…
little hope of discipline and thus of consistency. We… [would be] left in a
permanent state of dialogue….”
Diocese of Uruguay seeks split
from Southern Cone over women’s ordination
The Anglican
Communion News Service reports that, following the Synod of the
Southern Cone’s decision not to allow dioceses the option to permit women’s
ordination, the Diocese of Uruguay, which had put the motion to the provincial
synod, has voted to seek transfer to another province within a year. The Church Times
quotes former Primate Bishop Greg Venables saying the diocese might
feel more at home with the Episcopal Church (US) since it doesn’t “take the
same strong stance that some bits of the province take on some of the issues
facing the Anglican Communion”.
The Episcopal
News Service reveals that “On Nov 6, the Episcopal Church's Diocese of Oklahoma voted during its
annual convention to enter into a "covenant companion relationship"
with the Diocese of Uruguay, according to Oklahoma Bishop Ed Konieczny.
Uruguayan Bishop Miguel Tamayo, a native of Cuba, and his wife, the Rev Martha
López, were present at the Oklahoma convention when the relationship was
approved. Konieczny was in Uruguay the next week for the Uruguayan synod when
that diocese approved the covenant.”
Church of England statistics
The Telegraph reports that Church of England statistics show that about 1000 of its 13,000 churches “have
formally registered their objection to women priests” in their parish and 363
refuse to remain under the pastoral care of a bishop that has ordained
women. Interestingly, the
statistics also show an increase in giving despite a more difficult economy.
5 Church of England bishops
resigning to join Roman Catholic Anglican Ordinariate
Five bishops in the Church of
England are resigning effective December 31 in order to join the Anglican Ordinariate
once it is created. The statement is signed by the Bishop of Fulham, the Rt Rev John Broadhurst; the Bishop of
Richborough, the Rt Rev Keith Newton; the Bishop of Ebbsfleet, the Rt Rev
Andrew Burnham; and two retired, honourary assistant bishops, the Rt Rev Edwin
Barnes (Winchester) and the Rt Rev David Silk (Exeter).
Responding to word of these
defections to the Roman Catholic Church, Forward in Faith North America, which
includes many Anglo-Catholics, issued a
statement confirming that it had no plans to follow suit, but would “…remain
an Anglican ministry…”
A number of Anglo-Catholic
churches are currently meeting to discuss the option of the Anglican
Ordinariate and the Telegraph
estimates that “…up to 500 individuals will join the Ordinariate in
the first wave, with more expected to follow once it has become established.”
Plans for the establishment of
the Anglican Ordinariate have been slow coming, but the Catholic
Herald (UK) reports: “Come January, the Ordinariate will be
announced by decree, the Holy Father will choose an Ordinary… and the three
active bishops will be ordained into the Ordinariate in order to serve the lay
people and clergy who will follow them. Come Holy Week — possibly even at
the Easter Vigil — the groups of lay people and former Anglican clergy
will be received. This is likely to be an poignant moment, both for them and
for the Catholic Church in this country.”
How will church property be
treated when Anglicans begin defecting to Rome?
A Telegraph
article explores the question of parish property in the context of
Anglo-Catholic parishes beginning to explore the Pope’s offer of an Anglican
Ordinariate within the Roman Catholic Church. While some Church of England (CoE) officials are insisting
that parishioners will not be able to take their church property with them,
William Fittall, secretary general of the CoE General Synod, suggests that a
sharing arrangement is “entirely possible”. The Archbishop of Canterbury has also
referred matter-of-factly to the sharing of churches. This will be very interesting to watch
considering that many ancient English church buildings were erected while still
under Roman Catholic Church jurisdiction.
Church of England’s Bishop
Wallace Benn under attack
The Bishop of Lewes, Bishop
Wallace Benn – who is a good friend of ANiC, has been under attack in the
British press for recent remarks he made – remarks the media twisted and
took out of context. Video of Bishop Benn’s remarks can be seen
here.
In reply
Bishop Benn wrote:
“Some
media reports have suggested that at Reform’s national conference I likened
those who supported the consecration of women bishops to the Nazis. I did not.
Misrepresentation in the Press is a painful and serious matter that can be
damaging if it is believed. I wish to put on record that… I never mentioned
Hitler or the Nazis… Nor did I even have them in mind as I made clear to Ruth
Gledhill (the reporter in question) when she asked me about this on the day
before the original article appeared in The Times (November 3).
“I
said that the situation in which we find ourselves in the Church feels like
people probably felt as they viewed the year ahead in January 1939. There are
storm clouds on the horizon and warfare around the corner. We all hope and pray
that it won’t happen. The analogy was one of
time not about opponents. I was referring to the huge culture wars over truth
that have been seen in The Episcopal Church in the USA, and are making their
presence sadly felt in the Church of England… I also said that the consecration of women bishops
should not be a church dividing issue, and it will not be, if proper
legislative provision is made for those who hold the traditional position, who
are equally loyal Anglicans. As has been recognised in Synod this year, for
some of us this is a matter of conscience in obedience to the Scriptural
ordering of the Church.”
Commentary on Orthodox
Metropolitan’s rebuke of Archbishop Williams
Professor Stephen Noll has written
an extensive analysis of a speech delivered at an event held in
Lambeth Palace (London) which was attended by the Archbishop of
Canterbury. Orthodox Metropolitan
Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for
External Church was unusually forthright in noting the heresy being tolerated
in the Anglican Communion and identifying the role played by the Archbishop of
Canterbury in tolerating that heresy. He concludes:
“From time to time – less
often than one might wish - the Church and its leaders speak the truth with
boldness and clarity, as commended by the Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 4:2). I
believe the Lambeth bishops spoke such a word in the 1998 Resolution on Human
Sexuality. I believe GAFCON again spoke plainly in 2008. Metropolitan Hilarion’s
address, in my view, was such a word to the Church, to the Anglican Communion,
and to the Archbishop of Canterbury himself. Unless the Communion and its
leaders heed this word urgently – and we are more than twelve years on in
the current crisis - it will be weighed in the balance and found wanting by its
ecumenical partners, it will be fractured internally, and its days will be
numbered as a great historic communion.”
Archbishop
of Canterbury’s leadership style faulted for disintegrating Communion
Having read the Rev Charles
Raven’s new book on Dr Rowan Williams, Shadow Gospel: Rowan Williams
and the Anglican Communion Crisis, A S Haley, US
canon lawyer concludes that a fracture in the Communion – and
in the Episcopal Church – is a certainty. He suggests, “…the Archbishop's inability to withstand the
willful acts in derogation of the Communion taken by ECUSA and the Anglican
Church of Canada -- even following the Windsor Report -- leaves the other
members of the Communion with no choice but to act on their own, whether singly
or in concert. The inevitable result of this loose style of leadership will be
a fragmentation of the Communion...”
In Shadow Gospel, the Rev Raven
says there are two “fundamentally opposed visions of Anglican identity” in the
Communion.
“The one is confessional and is
being articulated with increasing confidence by the leadership of the Global
South; the other represents the seduction of the Church by the spirit of the
age, as seen in its most developed form in the increasingly apostate behaviour
of The Episcopal Church in the United States. This analysis demonstrates that
Dr Williams' theology is not only alien to the former, but also powerless to
resist the latter and, in practice, the result is a doctrinally incoherent Communion
barely held together by a mixture of sentiment and improvisation… [A]t the
heart of these difficulties is a shadow gospel; a theological project which can
speak the language of orthodox faith, yet subverts the supremacy of Scripture
and the essential nature of Christian truth itself.”
“This shadow gospel privileges
form over substance and under Rowan Williams' leadership the pragmatic ethos of
Anglican Communion institutions has sat comfortably with this emphasis upon
ecclesiastical process rather than doctrinal content… But these strategies are
manifestly failing and it is now time to take seriously the calls emerging from
the Global South for what we might call a 'new wineskin' of governance
structures which will free Anglicanism to express its true confessional
identity and make a fresh start in the re-evangelisation of the West.”
News in brief from around the
world and around the Communion
United Nations – According to
Canada Free Press, a resolution before the United Nations “…called “Defamation
of Religions” will lay the legal ground work for a country to legalize
persecution of their citizens if they believe in a different religion than the
state.” The resolution is being
advanced by the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) which represents 57
states with majority or large Muslim populations.
Pakistan – The National Post
reports that a Christian woman has been sentenced to death on
trumped up charges of blaspheming the Prophet Mohammed. Pakistan’s infamous blasphemy law is
frequently used against the tiny Christian minority. Compass
Direct News also reports that a young Christian man, after being
granted bail in a blasphemy case was murdered – seemingly with impunity.
Often the blasphemy charges are laid as a means of gaining control of the Christian’s
business or property. In another
incident, four members of a Christian family were murdered, presumably by an
Islamic terrorist group.
Iraq – The systematic
campaign of terror against the once flourishing Christian community in Iraq
continues. The Telegraph
reports that “…a spate of bomb and mortar attacks targeted the homes
and businesses of Christians in the capital Baghdad, killing six people and
wounding 33… Those attacks came less than two weeks after 44 Christian
worshippers, two priests and seven security personnel died in the seizure of a
Baghdad cathedral by Islamist gunmen and the ensuing shoot-out when it was
stormed by troops.” National
Public Radio (NPR) has an account of the terrorist attack on the
Catholic church that resulted in the deaths of 50 or more.
In a sobering article titled, “Ethnic
cleansing driving Christians out of Iraq”, ABC News recounts the
terror of the past two weeks and reports, “This has been going on for seven years, ever since
the fall of Saddam Hussein, but… the horror of the past two weeks has taken
things to a terrifying new level… Two weeks ago, Al Qaeda-linked militants in
Iraq issued a statement saying all Christians are now legitimate targets.”
Egypt – Barnabas Aid
reports that “Fears for the safety of
Egyptian Christians are growing after a series of false allegations, violent
threats and mass demonstrations against the Church in Egypt. Muslim anger was
ignited last month when entirely unfounded accusations were made on Al-Jazeera
TV that Egyptian Christians were aligned with Israel and stockpiling weapons in
preparation for waging war against Muslims.”
Sudan – An article on the BBC website explores the situation in the Sudan in the lead-up to the referendum on
independence for Southern Sudan. It
says, “…fears in the international community are growing of the risk of renewed
conflict, with southern worries that former civil war enemies in the north will
try to scupper the vote.”
Zimbabwe – A seminary in
Harare – under the Anglican Province of Central Africa – was the
target of a hostile take-over by a former Anglican bishop who is closely
aligned with dictator Robert Mugabe. The Washington
Post reports that, although the 20 armed youths were repelled, it is
not the end of the matter.
Other international news
Anglican Planet – Nov 4
2010 – Orthodox
prelate warns Anglican leader of harm to Ecumenism
Church Times – Nov 5 2010 –
‘Little
Englander’ jibe at Covenant advert
Church of England Newspaper –
November 19 2010 – Uruguay votes
to quit Southern Cone
Soul food
Just for laughs
Henry climbs to the top of Mt
Sinai to get close enough to talk to God. Looking up, he asks, "God, what
does a million years mean to you?"
The Lord replies, "A
minute."
Henry thinks for a moment then
asks, "And what does a million dollars mean to you?"
The Lord replies, "A
penny."
Without missing a beat Henry
asks, "Lord, can I have a penny?"
The Lord replies, "In a minute."
www.mikeysFunnies.com
Thought
Hospitality
is making your guests feel at home – even if you wish they were.
www.mikeysFunnies.com
Of interest
Liberal Member of Parliament,
John McKay writing in
the Anglican Journal, argues for a return of faith in the political
sphere
Resources
A free study guide to accompany
the Rev Ed Hird’s book Battle for the Soul of Canada can be
downloaded here.
Please
pray...
For the people, clergy, lay
leaders and legal counsel for the ANiC churches in Vancouver as they consider
their next steps in light of the BC Court of Appeal’s decision. Also, for all other ANiC parishes
involved in legal disputes as they wrestle with their options in light of this
decision.
For the
ongoing legal challenges faced by ANiC parishes, including:
| • |
The
mediation process involving St George’s & St Alban’s (Ottawa) and their
former Anglican Church of Canada diocese |
| • |
The
ongoing litigation involving St Aidan’s (Windsor) and the ANiC parishes in the
Niagara Diocese region, resulting in mounting expenses |
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.
For the
leaders and parishioners of the dioceses pursuing eviction of and legal damages
against ANiC congregations and wardens.
For
much needed donations to the legal cases and disputes involving
ANiC congregations.
For ANiC’s financial officer Pat
Decker who will have surgery for cancer on December 13
For our bishops and clergy and
their families – especially those battling illness
For ANiC projects, church plants
and parishes, and for their proclamation of the Good News of Christmas to those
in their communities who desperately need new life in Christ
For
funding of the ARDFC’s malaria
prevention project in Kenya.
For persecuted
Christians, especially in Pakistan, Iraq and other Muslim lands.
For a fair
and peaceful referendum in the Sudan in January.
For
repentance and revival in our hearts and in our nation – as well as a
hunger for God and a thirst for His Word.
For all
those in positions of leadership and influence in the Anglican Communion, that
they would seek to honour and obey God above all else.
And now a word from our sponsor
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,
to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre.
For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of
your hands I sing for joy.
How great are your works, O Lord! Your
thoughts are very deep!
The stupid man cannot know; the
fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all
evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever; but you, O Lord, are on high forever.
For behold, your enemies, O Lord, for behold, your enemies shall perish; all
evildoers shall be scattered.
But you have exalted my horn like
that of the wild ox; you have poured over mefresh
oil.
My eyes have seen the downfall of
my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.
The righteous flourish like the
palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
They are planted in the house of
the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God.
They still bear fruit in old age;
they are ever full of sap and green,to
declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock,
and there is no unrighteousness in him.
Psalm 92
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