"By mercy and truth iniquity is purged, and by the fear of the LORD
men depart from evil." Proverbs 16:6 KJ21
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Message from Bishop David Anderson
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Bishop Anderson
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, In our work of defending the historic Christian faith from the nonbelieving and theological distortionists within the Anglican Communion, we often link up with similar groups within the Presbyterian and Methodist denominations. The AAC is happy to cooperate with the Presbyterian Lay Committee, for example, which is fighting the good fight within the Presbyterian world. Indeed, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) now has several writs of certiorari before them, and in particular an Anglican one and a Presbyterian one, both from Georgia. Groups in different denominations are helping each other by providing an amicus brief to tag onto the writs filed. In the current season, amici briefs seem to be on the move. Now we read that the Anglican Communion Institute, based in Texas, and a number of current and retired TEC bishops and clergy have together filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Diocese of Ft. Worth (Anglican) with the Texas Supreme Court (see story below). Their issue is not the right of departure per se, but the historic and real structure of the Episcopal Church as a non-federal body, where the authority lies in each diocese with the bishop, and not in a superstructure based in New York City. It makes me think of that salsa advertisement where the Texas cowboys deride a faux cowpoke because he got his salsa from NEW YORK CITY. Salsa aside, both Ft. Worth and now the amicus filers are correct, and we pray that the Texas Supreme Court will see the truth and grasp it. This is also covered by David Virtue here with helpful commentary by Cheryl Wetzel of Anglicans United. All of Texas was once orthodox, and the Diocese of Texas under stalwart Bishop M. "Ben" Benitez especially so. Under a subsequent progression of bishops, revisionist creep has taken the diocese from +Ben's day to the current Bishop Doyle's announcement that he will permit same sex blessings/marriages in his churches. You can find it on StandFirm here.
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As I mentioned above, a Georgia Presbyterian Church, Timberridge, in McDonough, having lost in the Georgia Supreme Court, is hoping to have its day in court with SCOTUS, possibly with Christ Church, Savannah and Bishop Seabury Church, Groton, CT. Now we hear that the largest Presbyterian Church in Colorado has voted to leave PCUSA, as the most "progressive" branch of Presbyterians is called. First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs has voted to leave both their local Pueblo Presbytery and their Presbyterian denomination over theological issues which are disrupting the Anglican, Lutheran and Methodist Churches as well. An article covering this can be found below. The Methodists are also fighting these same battles, but oddly, their rather unique structure is making their trip over Niagara Falls less likely (though nothing is for sure). It seems that the Methodist Church is set up internationally with voting at their every-four-years General Conference based on church size. The most "progressive" parts of the USA Methodists are shrinking, following the same pattern as other revisionist churches. As the revisionist portions of the USA Methodists shrink, the African and Asian portions of the Methodist Church, which are more theologically orthodox, are growing. As these demographics change, it appears the gates may hold. Naturally, revisionist Methodists would like to restructure their church to offload the African/Asian votes, but we pray that they won't be successful. Read more here, and the story is also found below.
In Quincy, Illinois, a judge has refused TEC's motion for summary judgment and sent the issue to trial and in the process, after TEC wasted time and money in their harassment tactics, the judge directed that TEC pay the Anglican Diocese of Quincy's legal fees that were taken up by TEC's submissions and withdrawals. The Anglican Curmudgeon covers it here. The likely response of TEC will be refusal to pay, endure contempt charges, appeal, and burn up more of Quincy's money. This is, after all, not about the law, not about facts, only about money and the probable misuse by TEC of mission money, meant for other more Christian purposes, being squandered on litigation ad nauseam.
I suppose none of us wanted to live in boring times, but by God's providence He has placed us at the fulcrum of history, in an epic battle between the singular truth of Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Savior of the World, against the many legions of Satan's helpers, false prophets and deceivers. The place is here and the battle is now, and you and I are a part of it - don't hide, make the months and years left to you count. True soldiers for Christ run to the sound of battle.
May our Lord bless and sustain you in your part in this battle.
+David
The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson
President & CEO, American Anglican Council
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The Chaplain's Corner
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Canon Ashey
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Dear Friends in Christ,
I am about to head off for the final session of an extraordinary gathering of 200 Anglican leaders from 30 countries and 25 provinces all over the globe.
This FCA Leaders Conference, "Jesus the Christ: Unique and Supreme," has been a very encouraging milestone in the GAFCON movement to reform and renew Anglicanism confessionally. Our final session this morning will (God willing) produce a conference statement and commitment. I have been privileged to lead a team of researchers and recorders to help pull together insights from all of the participants regarding how we can move forward. Please pray that the Lord will grant us grace to move together in the unity of the Holy Spirit.
On Wednesday evening, I accompanied Bishops John Guernsey of ACNA and Mark Lawrence of South Carolina to Holy Trinity Claygate in the Diocese of Guildford. The Evangelical Society there hosted a gathering on "How can Anglicans in TEC and ACNA work together?" The session was recorded and you can find the whole program here.
I encourage you to listen to it - you will be blessed. Both Bishops spoke well as one might expect, but they also spoke well of each other, of their decisions and ministries, and of their friendship and mutual support. There were some very good questions at the end. The AAC provided background briefing for everyone who attended through our "Tearing the Fabric 2012" document.
I believe this meeting was a milestone in encouraging Anglicans to come together and work for Gospel truth and Gospel mission in the days ahead, and a way forward together in the spiritual crisis that is currently besetting our Anglican Communion.
I will have more to share next week.
Yours in Christ,
Phil+
The Rev. Canon Phil Ashey
Chief Operating and Development Officer, American Anglican Council
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| Anglican Perspective | This week's Anglican Perspective is live from the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Leaders Conference in London.
View Anglican Perspective here.
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Friend of Court Brief Filed in Fort Worth Lawsuit
| Source: The Anglican Communion Institute, Inc.
April 23, 2012
Today several bishops of The Episcopal Church joined The Anglican Communion Institute, Inc. ("ACI"), in submitting an amicus curiae brief to the Texas Supreme Court in the lawsuit arising out of the withdrawal of the Diocese of Fort Worth from The Episcopal Church. All of these bishops and all of the officers and directors of ACI remain in The Episcopal Church and have submitted this brief solely because they disagree with the characterization of the governance of The Episcopal Church as submitted in support of the motion for summary judgment that the trial court granted in this case. As is well known, these bishops and ACI oppose the decision by the Diocese of Fort Worth to leave The Episcopal Church. They have no intention of withdrawing from the Church, but it is precisely because they intend to remain in the Church that they are concerned that the trial court ruling has misunderstood, and thereby damaged, the constitutional structure of The Episcopal Church.
In their brief, the bishops and ACI argue that the summary judgment ruling by the trial court in the Fort Worth litigation violated the First Amendment to the United States Constitution because it immersed the court in an impermissible "searching" and "extensive inquiry into religious polity." Under the Supreme Court's First Amendment jurisprudence, courts may constitutionally defer to a church authority rather than apply neutral principles of law only if they can identify the appropriate ecclesiastical authority without conducting such an extensive inquiry into church governance. In the case of The Episcopal Church, its governing constitution specifies that the diocesan bishop is "the Ecclesiastical Authority" in the diocese. Acceptance of TEC's claim that there are other bodies or offices with hierarchical supremacy over the diocesan bishop would require the Court to become embroiled in a searching historical analysis of difficult questions of church polity without any explicit language in the church's governing instrument on which to base its conclusion. The First Amendment does not permit such a result.
The amicus curiae brief can be read here.
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TEC bishop of Texas announces plan to navigate proposed blessings rite
| Source: Diocese of Texas
April 25, 2012
By Carol E. Barnwell
Bishop C. Andrew Doyle announced April 24 at a special meeting of diocesan clergy his
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Bishop Doyle
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response to the possible approval at this summer's General Convention of an authorized rite for the blessing of same-gender relationships. Doyle outlined his plan to help unify the Diocese of Texas, addressing both liberal and traditional congregations' positions at the gathering at Camp Allen.
Doyle began working with former Secretary of State James Baker in 2010 to develop the outline of his plan. He has since received support for his leadership from people in the diocese who represent the broad diversity of opinion on the blessing of same-gender covenants.
"My plan does not ask for further debate or require approval," Doyle told the clergy gathered at Camp Allen. "I have not asked people to change their positions or even to like the plan that I am setting before us. It is my deepest desire to offer a generous breadth of pastoral care for our members throughout the diocese."
The plan contains several options:
1.Congregations may choose to take no action, one way or the other.
2.Traditional congregations/rectors may state that they will not conduct or participate in rites for blessing persons of the same gender, sponsor for ordination anyone or employ any clergy who are in a non-celebrate relationship outside holy matrimony.
3.Following General Convention, one congregation in Houston and one congregation in Austin will be granted permission to bless same-gender covenants. Both the rector and the congregation must support such a liturgy and must complete the congregational education portion of the process. Additional congregations may request permission in the future. A provision for clergy who wish to do blessings of same-gender relationships outside the church is also included....
The rest of the article may be found here.
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Methodist General Conference begins in Tampa
| Source: OneNewsNow
April 24, 2012
By Charlie Butts
Nearly 1,000 delegates representing 12 million church members are on hand in Tampa for today's start of the 11-day 2012 United Methodist General Conference, where homosexuality is the top issue of controversy.
The General Conference, the only body that officially speaks for the denomination,  meets every four years to determine the denomination's future direction. Mark Tooley of The Institute on Religion & Democracy (IRD) is there, and he says the potential ordination of actively homosexual clergy and the issue of same-sex "marriage" are major concerns.
"Currently, the church's official stances are biblical and require clergy to be monogamous in traditional marriage, or celibate, if single, and also [prohibit] any celebration of same-sex unions in Methodist churches," he reports. "Obviously, the liberal side of the church very much wants to change that and will be pushing very hard and knows that time is running out for its cause."
One of the reasons for those advocates' concern, he explains, is the growth of the church in Africa.
"The U.S. church, where all the liberals are located, is declining and losing representation, while the Africans, who are very conservative, will probably become a majority within the denomination within ten years or less," Tooley predicts. "So, this year, 2012, may be the last opportunity for the liberal side to win on sexual issues."...
The rest of the article may be found here.
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Largest Presbyterian Church in Colorado Votes to Leave PCUSA
| Source: Christian Post
April 23, 2012
By Michael Gryboski
The largest Colorado congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) has voted to leave the denomination over theological differences.
First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs voted Sunday morning to leave the Pueblo Presbytery of PC(USA) in large part due to the denomination's decision in 2010 to allow the ordination of non-celibate homosexuals.
Of the 1,769 congregants of the 4,000-strong church present for the vote, 1,689 members voted in favor of dismissal from PC(USA) to join the recently created Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians....
The rest of the article may be found here.
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Chuck Colson, RIP
| Source: ChuckColson.org
April 27, 2012
LANSDOWNE, Va., April 21, 2012 - Evangelical Christianity lost one of its most eloquent and influential voices today with the death of Charles W. "Chuck" Colson. The Prison Fellowship and Colson Center for Christian Worldview founder died at 3:12 p.m. on
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Chuck Colson
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Saturday from complications resulting from a brain hemorrhage. Colson was 80.
A Watergate figure who emerged from the country's worst political scandal, a vocal Christian leader and a champion for prison ministry, Colson spent the last years of his life in the dual role of leading Prison Fellowship, the world's largest outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families, and the Colson Center, a teaching and training center focused on Christian worldview thought and application....
The rest of the article may be found here.
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GAFCON/Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans: The movement begins its mission
| Source: GAFCON/FCA
April 27, 2012
Contact: Russell Powell
Leaders Conference, London
23 to 27 April 2012
GAFCON 2008 declared it was 'not just a moment in time but a movement of the spirit'. Now, at a conference in London, 200 Anglican leaders committed to mission and mutual support.
The Global Anglican Future Conference in Jerusalem established a Primates Council representing the majority of the world's Anglicans and set up a global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans as a movement within the Communion.
The leaders met at St Mark's Battersea Rise in London for five days of prayer, planning and plenary sessions.
Seminars ranged over key topics such as evangelism, family, economic empowerment, the Gospel, church and spiritual leadership under pressure.
Opening the event, GAFCON/ FCA Chairman Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, Primate of
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Archbishop Wabukala
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Kenya, told the delegates they were called to "a great prophetic purpose at this critical point in the life of our communion." The Archbishop outlined the extent of unbiblical teaching in the communion and declared "The heart of the crisis we face is not only institutional, but spiritual."
"After some 450 years it is becoming clear that what some have called the 'Anglican experiment' is not ending in failure, but is on the verge of a new and truly global future in which the original vision of the Reformers can be realized as never before" the Archbishop said.
In a plenary address, Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali concluded that the Anglican "Instruments of Unity" have failed dramatically and that the FCA is called to model an alternative way for the churches of the Anglican Communion to gather and relate to one another in such a way as to carry out the Great Commission in the coming decades.
In their final conference 'Commitment', the leaders resolved to work together in an ever-strengthening partnership, to stand by each other and to engage in a battle of ideas on behalf of the Biblical Gospel.
The next Global Anglican Future Conference was also announced. The event, with invitees including clergy and lay people, as well as bishops, is scheduled for May 2013.
"One delegate came up to me and said 'Now I know that I am not alone'. Though they are the majority, the orthodox often feel isolated." said FCA general secretary Archbishop Peter Jensen. "There are people everywhere who believe the same gospel, preach the same thing and stand for the same truths. That is the dynamic of this conference. People who felt powerless have now been given confidence."
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FCA Leaders Conference Statement and Commitment
Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Leaders Conference
In 2008 the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) was held in Jerusalem, drawing together more than 1100 Anglicans from around the world, including bishops, clergy and laity.
GAFCON recognized that the conflict in the Anglican Communion since 1998 was a crisis of Gospel truth, not only regarding matters of human sexuality, but the authority of Holy Scripture as God's inspired Word and the unique Person and Work of Jesus Christ for salvation. In view of this crisis, the Conference unanimously affirmed that our core identity as Anglicans is expressed in these words: The doctrine of the Church is grounded in the Holy Scriptures and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In particular, such doctrine is to be found in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, the Book of Common Prayer and the Ordinal. We intend to remain faithful to this standard, and we call on others in the Communion to reaffirm and return to it.
 Claiming that GAFCON was "not just a moment in time but a movement in the Spirit", the 2008 Conference gave birth to a contemporary statement of faith, the Jerusalem Declaration (JD) and to a society, the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA) led by a Council of Primates. The movement has become a family and fellowship with increasing trust and affection. The goals of the FCA are twofold: to proclaim and defend the gospel throughout the world, and to strengthen the church worldwide by supporting and authenticating faithful Anglicans who have been disenfranchised from their spiritual homes.
Since 2008 the Primates of those Anglican Provinces who endorsed the Jerusalem Declaration have met regularly and recognized the Anglican Church in North America as a legitimate Province in the Anglican Communion. Many dioceses, parishes and individuals have also endorsed the Jerusalem Declaration. National and regional branches of FCA have been formed in South Africa, UK and Ireland. The Primates have also endorsed Being Faithful: The Shape of Historic Anglicanism Today as a helpful commentary on the Jerusalem Declaration.
From 23-27 April 2012, the FCA held its first conference for Anglican leaders, addressing the theme of Jesus the Christ, Unique and Supreme. Over 200 leaders from 30 countries and 25 provinces, including bishops, clergy and laity, shared in our fellowship in the Gospel and recommitted ourselves to the goals of the FCA. We gathered in a remarkable spirit of joy and unity as we affirmed the lordship of Christ, his uniqueness and sufficiency.
We received from Anglican leaders accounts of terrorism leading to death and destruction in Nigeria, and of persecution and ostracism of believers in Islamic and Hindu societies; we heard from a Christian pro-life and pro-marriage advocate who has been maligned by the secular media in England, with precious little support from the Church establishment. We heard numerous accounts from Anglican leaders around the world who have been harassed by their own bishops and fellow clergy for their Gospel witness, yet have been grateful for the stance of the FCA. We note that The Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Church of Canada are proceeding post-haste to approve same-sex blessing rites with total disregard for the conscience of their own members, for the moratoria mandated by the official Instruments of the Anglican Communion, and for the broken state of communion where more than half the world's Anglicans are represented by the FCA.
The chairman of the FCA, the Most Rev. Eliud Wabukala, Primate of Kenya, opened the Conference with a keynote address on the identity of confessing Anglicans in the light of the current crisis, highlighting the fact that "The heart of the crisis we face is not only institutional, but spiritual." We were also reminded that we are not wrestling against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Eph 6:12).
Bible studies from Paul's letter to the Colossians were delivered each morning. The Conference theme of the supremacy of Christ over all creation, including his church and our very lives, was powerfully presented to the gathered leaders. In light of the twofold goals of the FCA, special attention was given in workshops to the nature of the gospel and the nature of the church. Other workshops addressed major concerns of the GAFCON movement as articulated in the Jerusalem Declaration: leadership (clause 7), the family (clause 8), evangelism (clause 9) and economic empowerment (clause 10).
The Conference recognized the gospel as the life-transforming message of salvation from sin and all its consequences, through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is both a declaration and a summons: announcing what has been done for us in Christ and calling us to repentance, faith and submission to his lordship. Any compromise of the gospel is a compromise of the authority of Christ as King.
The second major goal of the Conference had to do with the nature of the church as an expression and vehicle of the gospel. The Rev. Dr Ashley Null reviewed the history of Anglican polity over five centuries and concluded:
Effectiveness in mission is the highest historic priority in Anglicanism, for the church derives its existence, purpose and power from the faithful proclamation of the gospel in word and sacrament. Because of this divine call, the church has God's assurance of his abiding presence among his people. Nevertheless, since the church as a human institution can err, adapting the proclamation of the gospel to a specific culture can all too often lead to the culture adapting and changing the gospel to its own human idolatries. Therefore, a global fellowship is necessary to help individual national churches to discern whether a specific gospel proclamation is adapting to the culture or capitulating to it.
In a plenary address on "Jesus, the Lord of the Church and his Mission," Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali noted that St Paul presents the church as an exalted communion known to God, the Jerusalem above (Gal 4:26), and also as an earthly community of believers gathered together for the preaching of God's Word, the sacraments duly administered, and effective church discipline (Article XIX; Second Book of Homilies). Applying this pattern to the current Anglican situation, Bishop Nazir-Ali concluded that the Anglican "Instruments of Unity" have failed dramatically and that the FCA is called to model a biblical way for the churches of the Anglican Communion to gather and relate to one another so as to carry out the Great Commission in the coming decades. This way needs to address different forms of missional leadership, gathering the church with traditional episcopal leaders as well as leaders exercising oversight in parochial and non-parochial ministries. The Primates' Council will have responsibility for planning, directing and driving this agenda.
Conference participants formed networks that will pursue ongoing work in areas vital to the movement, including:
* episcopal leaders - a forum for bishops to encourage one another, improve communication and welcome new members, including those not yet a part of the FCA
* pastors - a forum for FCA pastors to provide mutual encouragement and develop Christian discipleship
* evangelists - a forum to equip lay evangelists and church planters to proclaim the gospel, edify the church and serve society
* women in ministry - a forum for women in ministry to share challenges, resources and prayer
* theological educators - a forum to encourage and train theological educators in developing biblical patterns of theological education, to resist revisionist intrusions and to share theological resources
* cross-cultural workers - a forum for cross-cultural workers to share their needs and to connect people to available resources and networks
* aid and development workers - a forum to promote a biblical theology of development, which includes economic empowerment and self-sustainability
* lawyers - a forum for lawyers to assist the FCA in the pursuit of its mission and to offer members counsel in matters of civil and canon law.
It is vitally important for the FCA to activate these networks, as they represent the outworking of the gospel in the daily lives of millions of believers and their neighbours. They also represent areas of need where revisionist organizations, both secular and Anglican, lure orthodox people with offers of aid, invitations to conferences, scholarships and the like.
Archbishop Wabukala concluded his opening address with these words, echoing Micah 6:8
So what does the Lord require? He has called us to a great prophetic purpose at this critical point in the life of our Communion. After some 450 years it is becoming clear that what some have called the 'Anglican experiment' is not ending in failure, but is on the verge of a new and truly global future in which the original vision of the Reformers can be realized as never before. We do not need to repudiate or belittle our history, but learn from it and set ourselves now to walk humbly with our God into the future and the hope that he has planned for us.
In response, Archbishop Jensen, the FCA General Secretary, challenged participants to
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Archbishop Jensen
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agree on a "statement in the form of a commitment." In affirming this statement, we commit ourselves to the following:
* to reaffirm the Jerusalem Declaration and Statement
* to commend the Jerusalem Declaration to others as the basis for resolving the spiritual crisis currently besetting the Anglican Communion
* to invite Anglicans around the world to join FCA in order to serve Christ and his mission
* to promote and fund the networks in their various aims to strengthen the Church
* to create a network for ministry among young people
* to pray for the work and ministry of FCA and for each other.
At the conclusion of the Leaders Conference, it was announced that a second Anglican Future Conference will be held in May 2013. This Conference will further the work of the FCA to renew and reform the Anglican Communion. This leads to a further specific commitment from leaders and their churches:
* to gather for GAFCON 2 in May 2013
* to obtain funding and resourcing for GAFCON 2.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:20-21)
St Mark's Church, Battersea Rise
London, UK
27 April 2012
The Conference commitment can be downloaded here.
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England: Chair of Canterbury Crown Nominations Commission appointed
| Source: Anglican Communion News Service
April 27, 2012
The Prime Minister has appointed the Rt Hon the Lord Luce KG, GCVO to be Chairman of the Crown Nominations Commission for its selection of the next Archbishop of Canterbury to succeed the Most Reverend and Rt Hon Rowan Williams. Dr Williams has announced that he will stand down on 31 December 2012.
Commenting on his appointment, Lord Luce said:
"It is a great privilege to have been invited by the Prime Minister to chair the Crown Nominations Commission for the selection of the next Archbishop of Canterbury. I approach the task with humility and a strong sense of the responsibility that I and my colleagues on the Commission share."
"I am very conscious of the significance of the Archbishop's role both nationally and across the world. It is, of course, of great importance both to the Church of England and to the wider community in our country, given the Church's contribution to our society at all levels. The Archbishop is also the head of world-wide Anglican Communion. And the appointment of an Archbishop of Canterbury also means a great deal for other Christian denominations and for other faiths."
"Archbishop Rowan has made an outstanding contribution in all of these spheres. Finding a worthy successor will not be an easy task for the Commission."
"The responsibility of chairing the Commission is, of course, a heavy one. But I am fortified by the knowledge that I will be supported and advised by the other members of the Commission who have a wide range of talents and experience."...
The rest of the article may be found here.
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