Friday, April 11, 2008
"And when the
priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD, so
that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the
glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD."
1 Kings
8:10-11 ESV
___________________________________
A
Message from Bishop Anderson
Dearly Beloved
in Christ,
Occasionally,
the American Anglican Council (AAC) is asked whether we are "in" or "out" of
The Episcopal Church (TEC). Although the AAC's roots and origin were in TEC,
it is not and never has been an organic part of TEC. The AAC is a separate,
nonprofit organization, with its own membership and bylaws (but no canons!).
The AAC is not in a "leave TEC" or a "stay in TEC" situation; we are simply
a group of Anglicans both in and out of TEC who are concerned about
reformation and renewal, not only for TEC but for the entire Anglican world.
As we cover the
Anglican scene, there are times when we want to cry at what is being done,
such as the pointless depositions of bishops Schofield and Cox, and now the
ruthless inhibition of Bishop MacBurney. There are other times when,
although we have tears in our eyes, we are compelled to laugh as well. Such
a time comes with the arrival of the April issue of Episcopal Life, the
official magazine of TEC. You would think that with TEC's declining numbers,
departing parishes, clergy and bishops, and the deposing of any clergy or
bishops who do leave, TEC would want to hold onto their remaining flock. In
one of the funnier moments this month, we read in the April Episcopal Life,
on page 8, a paid ad TO LEAVE THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND GO TO ROME! When I
heard of this, I just had to pick up our office copy and turn to page 8. I
thought I was being spoofed, but there it was, a rather large ad, two
columns by five and a half inches, not a cheap ad. It says: "The Anglican
Use Society in America, in communion with the Holy See of Rome offers to
Clergy, Religious and Laity of the Anglican Tradition an information booklet
explaining The Pastoral Provision, the canonical instrument that has made
possible their reconciliation with the Holy See as units of common identity
which preserve their Anglican heritage of liturgy, hymnody and
spirituality."
One internet
writer posted the following comment which is worthy of reading: "In other
words, an official publication of the Episcopal Church includes an
advertisement from an official Roman Catholic organization that invites
Episcopal congregations to leave the Episcopal Church and become Roman
Catholic. As part of the package, the Episcopal priests of those
congregations will be ordained as Roman Catholic priests, even if they are
married. Those congregations and clergy will also be allowed to 'retain
certain liturgical elements proper to the Anglican tradition.' Episcopal
Life is running this ad while our Presiding Bishop is deposing Episcopal
bishops for their schismatic actions. My friends, you just can't make this
stuff up!"
The AAC would
have to concur; you just can't make this stuff up! Now from laughter back to
tears, the Bishop of Florida, the Rt. Rev. Samuel Howard, formally deposed
twenty-two priests from the Diocese of Florida. If our memory serves us,
this is the largest mass deposition in TEC ever, surpassing the Northern
Virginia massacre by Bishop Peter James Lee in 2007. When the AAC receives a
copy of the official deposition letter of a priest or bishop, we frame the
letter and hang it on the "AAC WALL OF HONOR – the Order of the Faithful".
We want all who visit the AAC to be reminded that standing fast for the
orthodox Anglican faith in the United States has a price, and that every one
of those deposed by TEC are an important part of the Anglican realignment.
To The Rev. David C. Allert, The Rev. Charles S. Bailey, The Rev. Gary R.
Blaylock, The Rev. Charles H. Coit, The Rev. Gilbert T. Crosby, The Rev.
Mark R. Eldredge, The Rev. Travis Greenman, The Rev. Edwin C. Griswold, The
Rev. George W. Hall, Jr., The Rev. Harald K. Haugan, The Rev. Dorothy Head,
The Rev. James L. Hobby, The Rev. Sharon S. Hobby, The Rev. W. Hall Hunt,
The Rev. Neil G. Lebhar, The Rev. Patrina A. McCarty, The Rev. Lawrence E.
O'Connell, The Rev. William Earl Palmer, The Rev. James M. Parker, The Rev.
Shawn E. Porter, The Rev. Leonard Eugene Strickland, The Rev. George W.
Stockhowe, Jr. - the AAC honors you.
Reverberations
from the Virginia Court ruling in favor of the Anglican District of Virginia
Churches, and against the national Episcopal Church and the Episcopal
Diocese of Virginia, are traveling far and wide. It is the first of three
rulings the court will make, the second one being on the constitutionality
of the Virginia "Division Statute of 1867" and then the third ruling, if
applicable, on the validity of each congregations' vote for separation.
Although the specifics of the case apply to Virginia, and we are not aware
of other states which have a similar "Division Statute," nevertheless the
findings of fact with regard to the decision, the depositions that were
taken, and the information gleaned from them, may well find their way into
other state court houses across the country. A very significant change in
TEC's attitude towards court cases has occurred with the transition from
Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold to Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts
Schori; previously under Griswold, dioceses dealt with the property issues
and the national office of TEC stayed aloof. In contrast, Schori has taken
the "new sheriff in town" approach mentioned by Bishop Lee of Virginia, and
TEC is now participating (quite vigorously!) in diocesan property
litigation. And if a diocese won't sue, TEC just might sue the diocese to
force them to sue the churches.
After several
years of peace in Ohio, the Diocese of Ohio has come under pressure to sue
the breakaway parishes and inhibit the clergy, who long ago went to other
Anglican Provinces. Buckling under TEC pressure, the Diocese has commenced
litigation against five parishes for their property. If the new TEC
tradition holds true, promises or no promises, Ohio will wind up having to
pay their own costs for the punitive litigation and Schori will keep her
purse closed as she did in Virginia.
The Anglican
problems of orthodox faith versus Anglican revisionism which we face in
North America are also present in South America. Several years ago, the
Anglican Diocese of Recife in Brazil was attacked by the Province and
Primate of Brazil, and the wonderful Bishop of Recife, Robinson Cavalcanti,
was deposed in a mock proceeding and an attempt was made to take over the
diocese. Fortunately, Recife had properly incorporated themselves under
Brazilian law, and the legal corporation couldn't be stolen. The Primate of
the Southern Cone, Archbishop Gregory Venables, extended a pastoral welcome
and safe harbor to Bishop Cavalcanti and the Diocese of Recife, and over
time things have moved more and more into a permanent relationship.
Recently, Archbishop Venables traveled to the Diocese of Recife to visit his
bishop and congregations. The reaction of the revisionist Province of Brazil
and their Archbishop Mauricio Andrade was predictable; they screamed like
scalded cats and wrote a letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most
Reverend and Right Honorable Rowan Williams. They assert in their letter,
"What at the beginning of those regrettable events of the schism [Recife's
refusal to acknowledge the depositions] in Recife was seen as a pastoral
care provision for the deposed bishop and those who followed him, has become
a formal primatial reception of those deposed. It has also been transformed
into unacceptable acts of primatial nature within the jurisdiction of our
province." The AAC disagrees with Brazil, however, and fully supports
Archbishop Venables' actions and care. We applaud his visit as a way of
bringing the diocese more fully into both the Southern Cone and into greater
recognition in the larger Anglican world. Our blessings to both Cavalcanti
and Venables.
Blessings and
peace in Jesus Christ,
The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson
President and CEO, American Anglican Council
___________________________________
AAC
Interview with Bishop Mark Lawrence
The following is
an excerpt of an interview with the Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina,
Mark Lawrence. Further portions of the interview will be included in the
AAC's next edition of Encompass. If you do not currently receive Encompass
and would like to get the free mailing,
click here. The linked form will allow you to join the AAC as a member
and receive Encompass.
American
Anglican Council: What was your opinion of the HOB Meeting?
+ Lawrence:
Actually, not that much of the 6 days, or however long it was, was taken up
with business. I think that's probably a misunderstanding that many people
have about the House of Bishops gathering. Much of the time is spent in
small groups listening at small tables to presentations. In fact there was
only one morning and a little bit of the afternoon that was actually spent
in any parliamentary/legislative/business portion of the meeting. Much of it
was what I would call relationship building and at least at this point,
presentations in preparation for Lambeth.
While it was new, it was very similar to experiences at General Convention
at the table groups. Every morning you're at the same table group. It had
a similar feel.
I can't
really say it's serious Bible study. There are various reflections on
Biblical passages. You don't have any time to go into much depth on
anything. So it's basically, I would say, surface level about the
scriptures. But you know there is opportunity to talk about substantive
things. It's just that somebody has to be the one that wades into the deep
water.
AAC: Were you
that one?
+Lawrence: Yeah
I did, sure. Other people did it other times. It's just a matter of who
wants to wade in and what happens after that.
AAC: Was any
progress toward reconciliation made at this House of Bishops' meeting?...
To read the rest
of the exclusive AAC interview
click here.
_______________________________
Letter of Inhibition against The Rt. Rev. Edward H. MacBurney
Source: Forward
in Faith North America
Date: April 8,
2008
It is with deep
regret that I must inform you of this action that has been taken against
Bishop Edward MacBurney.
Bishop
MacBurney's son, Page, died two days after this letter was signed.
We received the
letter in the mail today, and I had to read it to Bishop MacBurney over the
phone since he had not yet received it.
More to follow.
Bishop Keith L.
Ackerman SSC
Bishop of Quincy
Forward in Faith
members are urged to hold Bishop Edward MacBurney in their prayers and to
pray for the repose of the soul of Page MacBurney. May he rest in peace.
Read the letter
of inhibition by
clicking here. (pdf)
__________________________________
Brazil:
Bishops protest unauthorized visit
Source:
Episcopal News Service
Date: April 9, 2008
The bishops of
the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil issued an open statement April 9
expressing their "strong repudiation" of a recent unauthorized visit by
Southern Cone Archbishop Gregory Venables to Recife "where he took part in
and celebrated at official occasions outside his Province without the
knowledge and consent of the Archbishop of the Province of Brazil and this
House of Bishops."
The full text of
the statement, dated April 3 and released on April 9, can be found by
clicking here.
__________________________________
Ohio:
Episcopal diocese sues breakaway parishes
Source:
The Plain Dealer
Date: April 9, 2008
By: David Briggs
The Episcopal
Diocese of Ohio is suing to regain control of several churches that broke
away in protest over the election of a gay bishop and other doctrinal issues
that have divided the denomination.
Dissatisfied
members of St. Barnabas Anglican Church in Bay Village, the Anglican Church
of the Transfiguration in Cleveland, Church of the Holy Spirit in Akron, St.
Luke's Anglican Church in Fairlawn and St. Anne in the Fields in Madison can
leave the diocese, but they cannot hold on to the land buildings, the church
said in the lawsuit filed in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.
The diocese
wants the court to rule that the church holds the rights to the property...
Read the rest of
the article by
clicking here.
__________________________________
New
Mexico: Congregation of Episcopal church in Cloudcroft leaves diocese
Source:
Las Cruces
Sun-News
Date: April 10, 2008
Associated Press
- The clergy and congregation of the Episcopal mission Church of Ascension
in Cloudcroft have split from the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande and
joined the Anglican Province of Uganda.
The diocese said
this week its trustees and standing committee were told of the decision last
week.
"The prayers of
the trustees and the standing committee go with those people of Ascension
who feel they must leave the Episcopal Church," the diocese said in a news
release. "We are saddened by their decision, but pray the Lord will bless
their community with faith, hope and love."
The diocese said
conversations between the two sides "were respectful, cordial and
acknowledged respective positions."
A number of
congregations and churches in the United States have split from the
Episcopal Church and joined churches of the Anglican Communion in Africa and
Asia after the selection of a gay bishop in 2003 and a woman bishop in 2006.
Last October,
Jeffrey N. Steenson resigned as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio
Grande. Steenson said in a letter to clergy in the diocese that his
conscience was "deeply troubled about where the Episcopal Church is
heading..."
Read the rest of
the article by
clicking
here.
