Friday, May 4, 2007"Jesus Christ is the
same yesterday, today, and forever."
(Hebrews 13:8)
- Message from AAC President Canon David Anderson
- Correction on AAC/South Dakota Event Venue
- U.S. Presiding Bishop's Letter to the Primate of Nigeria Ahead of CANA
Installation
- Archbishop Akinola Responds to the Presiding Bishop's Letter
- "Windsor Bishops" Write Archbishop Williams, Set Meeting Dates
- Anglican Church of Canada May Stop Short of U.S. Church on Same-sex
Blessings
Message from AAC President Canon David Anderson
To the faithful in Christ Jesus,
Grace and Peace.
There are weeks when I pass through the Atlanta airport, switching flights
but not going home, sometimes just changing suitcases in the parking lot but
never leaving the airport premises. It seems that recently this has been the
case. Although I live in Atlanta, Ga., I have spent the past two Sundays at
St. James Anglican Church, Newport Beach, Calif., helping my former
congregation in the transition period after their rector's recent
resignation; and somehow, sandwiched in between, I came back to Atlanta for
the Ameican Anglican Council (AAC) Board of Trustees meeting, which included
a dinner hosted by my dear wife, MaryAnne, at our home. A wife like MaryAnne
is a golden treasure, and this June we will celebrate 40 wonderful years of
Christian marriage.
At the rate that The Episcopal Church (TEC) in the United States is going,
it will fill the ecclesiastical chapter of Ripley's Believe it or Not! As
you may have read in the news, the state of New Jersey has recently had to
deal with a sitting governor, who was married to a lovely woman with a
family, announcing that he was “coming out” as a gay man. Now, this mess has
naturally spilled over into where else but the Episcopal Church USA, also
known as TEC. The divorce proceedings of former Gov. James E. McGreevey, as
unseemly as they are, are now eclipsed by news that
the Roman Catholic former governor is also now a former Roman Catholic. He
was recently received into TEC—but wait, not just received—he has applied
and been accepted to the Episcopal Church’s General Theological Seminary in
New York for a course of study that would normally lead to ordination. Even
some revisionist voices are questioning whether things have gotten a bit out
of order here; isn’t there supposed to be a discernment process—a time to
examine a calling, meet with a discernment committee, and actually be an
Episcopalian for a moment or two before rushing into the ordination process?
I suppose that, for General Theological Seminary, if he has the tuition
money, sooner is better than later; but this does beg credulity. I can see
it now—in just a couple of years, “Bishop McGreevey writes a book about his
spiritual journey, From Governor of a State to Governor of a Church.”
Each week I wait with some anticipation, wondering what will happen in dear
old TEC this week!
It seems that, for some reason, the consecration of the Rt. Rev. Martyn
Minns last August in Abuja, Nigeria, raised far fewer protests from TEC than
the installation of Bishop Minns planned for this Saturday. The service in
northern Virginia will be held in a non-denominational chapel borrowed for
the occasion. It will seat more people than any of the northern Virginia
Episcopal or Anglican churches. Now you might suppose that if this
installation, presided over by Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola, were being
held in one of the large Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA)
churches, such as Truro or The Falls Church, which are currently being sued
over their property by Episcopal Bishop of Virginia Peter Lee and by TEC
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, it might provoke a fuss. But
this is being done on borrowed, non-Episcopal, even non-Anglican property,
and yet both Jefferts Schori and Lee are quite excised over it.
Jefferts Schori, in her letter to Akinola that is posted on the Episcopal
News Service Web site, excoriates His Grace on breaking with the Council of
Nicea’s rulings on jurisdictional boundaries, a tradition that is over 1,600
years old. Since most of her education was in the field of marine
invertebrates, it is excusable that she might have missed a point or two.
First, speaking of the tradition of the church and the religious faith that
birthed it, Jefferts Schori and TEC broke a teaching against homosexual
behavior that is at least 4,000 years old, and violated some significant
Holy Scripture along the way. Second, what does Nicea really teach us? Laity
and clergy need to be under the oversight of godly orthodox bishops, and if
the bishop geographically next door is heretical, then orthodox bishops must
step in to oversee and officiate. A heretical bishop is no bishop at all! It
would therefore follow that the “no bishop at all” then has “no jurisdiction
at all,” and any boundary crossing by the orthodox is “no offense at all.” I
think Jefferts Schori and Lee know this, and that is what really concerns
them.
His Grace, the Most Rev. Peter Akinola, has responded to the TEC presiding
bishop in a most gracious and unambiguous manner; his message is copied
below along with Jefferts Schori’s. Akinola’s letter is also an indication
as to why his province is 18.5 million or more and growing, while Jefferts
Schori's is 2.3 million or less and shrinking.
On a day-by-day basis we receive notes from those who are or have been a
part of the fight for Anglican orthodoxy. We recently received a check from
a lovely lady who advised us that she had no reliable options for orthodox
Anglican churches near her, and, due to her age, she was going to join the
nearby Baptist church, which was a Bible-centered and loving place to be.
She wants to stay on the mailing list, though, so she can still keep up with
what is happening. May God bless her. Another letter was from a couple in a
Reformed Episcopal church, with each spouse sending a donation to the AAC
work that was begun in Tanzania, and asking their parish benevolence
committee to consider support for our work. There are a growing number of
congregations from the Anglican Province of America (APA) and the Reformed
Episcopal Church (REC) that support our work because the AAC is an
organization that (1) is not an ecclesial body, and (2) transcends
boundaries to work with orthodox Anglicans in many ecclesiastical
judicatories. The American Anglican Council carries the battle for Anglican
orthodoxy on behalf of all orthodox Anglicans, and especially those in the
Americas.
Blessings and peace in Christ Jesus,
The Rev. Canon David C. Anderson
President & CEO, American Anglican Council
Correction on AAC/South Dakota Event Venue
Last week's update carried an announcement about a Saturday, May 12, 2007
meeting of the AAC/South Dakota chapter. There has been a change in venue
for the meeting due to the large number of RSVPs so far. The new location
with driving directions may be viewed here.
To RSVP for the Sioux Falls, S.D., event, which will feature
Episcopal/Anglican lay leader Sarah Hey in a strategry workshop setting,
contact the Rev. Tim Fountain at (605) 275-3741.
Presiding Bishop Urges Nigerian Primate to Reconsider Plans to
Install Bishop (of CANA)
Actions would violate ancient customs, display division and
disunity, Jefferts Schori says
April 30, 2007
The Most Rev. Peter J. Akinola
Primate of All Nigeria & Bishop of Abuja
Archbishop's Palace
PO Box 212 ADCP
Abuja
NIGERIA
My dear Archbishop Akinola:
I am writing this letter with my prayers for you and for the entire
worldwide Anglican Communion from a fellow child of Christ.
I understand from press reports you are planning to come to the United
States to install Martyn Minns as a bishop in the Convocation of Anglicans
in North America. I strongly urge you not to do so.
First, such action would violate the ancient customs of the church which
limits the episcopal activity of a bishop to only the jurisdiction to which
the bishop has been entrusted, unless canonical permission has been given.
Second, such action would not help the efforts of reconciliation that are
taking place in the Episcopal Church and in the Anglican Communion as a
whole. Third, such action would display to the world division and disunity
that are not part of the mind of Christ, which we must strive to display to
all.
I would carefully ask that you reconsider your plans to come to this
country for this purpose. This request stems from the hope and vision of
reconciliation which was the mind of the primates as we met in Tanzania.
Your servant in Christ,
Katharine Jefferts Schori
Read the full Episcopal News Service story on this letter
Archbishop Akinola Responds to U.S. Presiding Bishop on CANA
Installation
Source: The Church of Nigeria
2nd May, 2007
The Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori,
Episcopal Church Center
815 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10017, USA
My dear Presiding Bishop:
My attention has been drawn to your letter of April 30th ostensibly
written to me but published on the Episcopal News Service website.
In light of the concerns that you raise it might be helpful to be
reminded of the actions and decisions that have led to our current
predicament.
At the emergency meeting of the Primates in October 2003 it was made
clear that the proposed actions of the Episcopal Church would “tear the
fabric of our Communion at its deepest level, and may lead to further
division on this and further issues …” Sadly, this proved to be true as many
provinces did proceed to declare broken or impaired communion with the
Episcopal Church. Since that time the Primates have established task forces,
held numerous meetings and issued a variety of statements and communiqués
but the brokenness remains, our Provinces are divided, and so the usual
protocol and permissions are no longer applicable.
You will also recall from our meeting in Dar es Salaam that there was
specific discussion about CANA and recognition – expressed in the Communiqué
itself – of the important role that it plays in the context of the present
division within your Province. CANA was established as a Convocation of the
Church of Nigeria, and therefore a constituent part of the Communion, to
provide a safe place for those who wish to remain faithful Anglicans but can
no longer do so within The Episcopal Church as it is currently being led.
The response for your own House of Bishops to the carefully written and
unanimously approved Pastoral Scheme in the Communiqué makes it clear that
such pastoral protection is even more necessary.
It is my heartfelt desire – and indeed the expressed hope of all the
Primates of the Communion – that The Episcopal Church will reconsider its
actions – and make such special measures no longer necessary. This is the
only way forward for full restoration into fellowship with the rest of the
Communion. Further, I renew the pledge that I made to your predecessor,
Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, that the Church of Nigeria will be the
first to restore communion on the day that your Province abandons its
current unbiblical agenda. Until then we have no other choice than to offer
our assistance and oversight to our people and all those who will not
compromise the “faith once for all delivered to the saints.” (Jude 1:3)
You speak in your letter of centuries old custom regarding diocesan
boundaries. You are, of course, aware that the particular historical
situation to which you make reference was intended to protect the church
from false teaching not to prevent those who hold to the traditional
teaching of the church from receiving faithful episcopal care. It was also a
time when the Church had yet to face into the challenge of different
denominational expressions of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
I also find it curious that you are appealing to the ancient customs of the
church when it is your own Province’s deliberate rejection of the biblical
and historic teaching of the Church that has prompted our current crisis.
You mention the call to reconciliation. As you well know this is a call
that I wholeheartedly embrace and indeed was a major theme of our time in
Tanzania. You will also remember that one of the key elements of our
discussion and the resulting Communiqué was the importance of resolving our
current differences without resorting to civil law suits. You agreed to
this. Yet it is my understanding that you are still continuing your own
punitive legal actions against a number of CANA clergy and congregations. I
fail to see how this is consistent with your own claim to be working towards
reconciliation.
Once again please know that I look forward to the day when this current
crisis is behind us and we can all be reunited around our One Lord and only
Saviour Jesus the Christ. Until then be assured of my prayers for you and
The Episcopal Church.
In Christ,
Signed
The Most Revd. Peter J Akinola, CON, DD
Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of all Nigeria
"Windsor Bishops" Write Archbishop Williams, Set Meeting Dates
Source: The
Living Church
April 30, 2007
Seven bishops have written to the Archbishop of Canterbury, assuring him
of their continued “strong support” of the Windsor Report and the process it
recommends.
The "Windsor Bishops" have met twice previously at Camp Allen near
Houston. The group has scheduled two additional meetings for June 18-19 and
Aug. 9-10.
“We want to reassure you that we are committed to the Camp Allen
principles and realize that for us, they are the way by which we intend to
remain united as we move forward in these challenging days,” the bishops
stated in an April 26 letter.
“We also realize that the covenant process is critical to these
discussions, and indeed is the focal point of the work now underway to
define our life together. For us, neither of these commitments has wavered
in light of the recent decisions by the House of Bishops.”
The letter was signed by the following bishops:
• John W. Howe, Central Florida
• James M. Stanton, Dallas
• Jeffrey N. Steenson, Rio Grande
• Edward L. Salmon, Jr., retired, South Carolina
• Don A. Wimberly, Texas
• Gary W. Lillibridge, West Texas
• D. Bruce MacPherson, Western Louisiana
In their letter the bishops refer to themselves as “The Steering
Committee of the Windsor Bishops.”
Anglican Church of Canada May Stop Short of U.S. Church on
Same-sex Blessings
Source:
Church Times
May 4, 2007
By a staff reporter
"Pray with, but don’t bless, gay couples, say
Canadians"
THE Canadian House of Bishops has recommended to the rest of the Anglican
Church of Canada that it pulls back from the outright blessing of gay
couples.
The issue is on the agenda for the Canadian General Synod in June. The
House of Bishops had a preparatory discussion when it met last month, a
meeting attended by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The House ran out of time
to conclude its debate on the blessing of same-sex relationships. As a
result, email voting was necessary in order to approve this
week’s pastoral statement .
In it, the Bishops acknowledge their divisions. Nevertheless, it says,
“we believe it is not only appropriate but a gospel imperative to pray with
the whole people of God, no matter their circumstance. . . To refuse to pray
with any person or people is to suggest God is not with them.”
From this the Bishops conclude that ministers should not refuse to
participate in ceremonies to celebrate a civil partnership. The statement
gives two examples:
“When a civilly married gay or lesbian couple seeks our Church’s
reception of their civil marriage and asks their parish’s recognition, it
may be possible, with their bishop’s knowledge and permission, to celebrate
a eucharist with the couple, including appropriate intercessory prayers, but
not including a nuptial blessing.
“When a gay or lesbian married or committed couple seeks to hold a
reception or celebration in a church for their life in Christ, again,
intercessory prayers for their mutual fidelity, the deepening of their
discipleship, and for their baptismal ministry may be offered, not including
the exchange of vows and/or a nuptial blessing.” The Bishops go on to affirm
the ministry of gay and lesbian clergy “as deeply valued and appreciated”.
The statement says that the Bishops’ recommendation is “less than the
blessing of same-sex unions or marriage”. The reason is that, “as of today,
the doctrine and discipline of our Church does not clearly permit further
action”.
The statement goes on: “To those who fear that these pastoral provisions
have gone too far, we assert that this discipline is entirely consistent
with the doctrine of the Church and with our membership in the Anglican
Communion, and fits within the pastoral guidelines of the Windsor report.”
The Bishops hope that no one will be refused baptism or communion as a
result of being in a committed homosexual relationship. And they ask for a
report on the theology of same-sex relationships, to be produced in time for
the 2010 General Synod.
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