"Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation." Isaiah 12:2 NASB
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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, Last week I commented briefly on the fact that the Methodist Church may stop short of following the Episcopal, Lutheran and Presbyterian churches over the theological Niagara Falls. Reports from their 2012 General Conference in Florida would seem to bear this out. I quote from the New York Times: "The United Methodist Church, at its convention in Tampa, Fla., on Thursday, voted not to change long-contested wording in its book of laws and doctrines that calls homosexuality 'incompatible with Christian teaching'." And also, "The vote was 61 percent to 39 percent against the change to the church's "Book of Discipline," indicating little change to the deadlock on an issue the church has been debating for the last four decades. The delegates also defeated a compromise amendment proposed by the advocates of equality for gay members, which said that Methodists can agree to disagree on homosexuality and still live together as a church. The debate on the floor of the convention, which is held only once every four years and draws about 1,000 delegates, illustrated the deep divisions and demographic shifts in the church. A delegate from Africa likened homosexuality to bestiality only moments after several American delegates pleaded with the conference to "hear the pain" of gay church members. When protesters supporting gay rights interrupted the convention with loud singing after the vote, the moderator ended the morning session early and closed the convention hall to visitors." It is not impossible that after the General Conference adjourns and there are four years left until the next, some Methodist bishops might decide to ignore this vote and/or make exceptions in their own jurisdictions, circumventing the will of the General Conference.
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In the revisionist mind, nothing is ever over until they win, while the traditionalists tend to be more focused on fair play and living within the rules and agreements. The only saving grace is that the revisionist Methodists are diminishing in the USA as the false gospel of inclusive toleration fails to bring enough new people into the church to balance deaths and departures. Some areas of Methodism are more conservative and run counter to this decline, and are seeing growth, such as in North Georgia.
Additionally, the international component of the Methodists' General Conference is more orthodox and is also growing, so the demographic future argues for increased orthodoxy, if catastrophe in the short term can be prevented. The New York Times article is here.
Speaking of staying the course, it looks like the Church of Ireland will stop short of buying fully into the American Episcopal (TEC) Church's path into theological and spiritual insanity. A motion presented at the General Synod points them in the right direction:
"Having regard to the present discussions in the Church of Ireland on Human Sexuality in the Context of Christian Belief, the General Synod affirms that:
- The Church of Ireland, mindful of the Preamble and Declaration, believes and accepts the Holy Scriptures as revealing all things necessary for eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ;
- The Church of Ireland continues to uphold its teaching that marriage is part of God's creation and a holy mystery in which one man and one woman become one flesh, as provided for in Canon 31:
'The Church of Ireland affirms, according to our Lord's teaching that marriage is in its purpose a union permanent and life-long, for better or worse, till death do them part, of one man with one woman, to the exclusion of all others on either side, for the procreation and nurture of children, for the hallowing and right direction of the natural instincts and affections, and for the mutual society, help and comfort which the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity'.
The Church of Ireland recognizes for itself and of itself, no other understanding of marriage than that provided for in the totality of Canon 31;
- The Church of Ireland teaches therefore that faithfulness within marriage is the only normative context for sexual intercourse. Members of the Church of Ireland are required by the Catechism to keep their bodies in 'temperance, soberness and chastity'. Clergy are called in the Ordinal to be 'wholesome examples and patterns to the flock of Jesus Christ'." ( Read the entire motion here.)
In the State of Georgia, we note that Christ Church Anglican, Savannah, which recently filed a Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) for an appeal of the courts' rulings in Georgia which awarded all of Christ Church's property and assets to TEC, has accepted a settlement offer worked out with the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, and with the settlement, withdrawal of the appeal to SCOTUS. Read the entire settlement announcement here.
Bishop Seabury Church, Groton, CT, and Timberridge Presbyterian, McDonough, GA, are going forward full speed with their Writs of Certiorari, and the AAC fervently hopes that SCOTUS agrees to take up this issue of fundamental and basic justice. How can any organization or person construct an involuntary trust on someone else's property? If basic laws of trust and property title were followed uniformly, then church denominations that wished to assert ownership of local church property could put their own names on the title, and then everyone who gave to a capital funds drive would know clearly and in advance that their gift was really to the diocese and/or the national denomination. Or is that too clear and too fair for certain churches to tolerate?
I commented last week on the Amicus brief filed by the Anglican Communion Institute and certain respected conservative bishops and theologians on behalf of the Diocese of Fort Worth (ACNA). Their point was that although they differed with Fort Worth on the action of leaving TEC, they agreed with Fort Worth that the polity and structure of TEC was such that the diocese was the basic unit of the church, and that TEC has been mischaracterizing the authority of its national leadership as an overarching, hierarchical structure. As anger at these TEC bishops who signed the brief is building within certain TEC groups, some TEC-oriented blogs have postings which call for TEC Canon Title IV discipline to be brought against the signatories. One person posted in all seriousness, "The seven Bps could be charged in my opinion for interfering in the internal matters of another Diocese. Not only is it problematic that they promote the notion that the schismatic groups ARE Dioceses, but they fail to support the actual TEC people who have remained as the legitimate Diocese in Ft Worth and other places. They also interfere with the Bishops of TEC exercising canonical jurisdiction. For that, I believe, they could be charged." Other bloggers have expressed similar thoughts in slightly different words.
Although a frequently-mentioned charge might be "conduct unbecoming a clergy person" the reality is that the Amicus brief is seen as injurious to TEC's overstatement of their structure and hierarchy, and might hurt them in court. Freedom of speech and expression is a thing of the past in the new "1984 version" of the Episcopal Church. The AAC hopes that the voices calling for Title IV discipline are overruled, and what freedom of speech that is left in TEC is allowed to continue. We also pray that the Supreme Court of Texas fully understands the truthfulness put forward by Fort Worth's appeal and the briefs filed on their behalf, and reverses the lower court.
One of my former bishops and a leader in the revisionist movement in TEC, Bishop J. Jon Bruno, diocesan of Los Angeles, has received hard news, that he has a particularly difficult type of leukemia. Word we receive from Los Angeles is that he will attempt to continue his work administratively, but the day-to-day trips and travels will be taken over by other bishops on his staff. He has been in active litigation against departing Anglican congregations since 2004, and at the time of Katharine Jefferts Schori's election as Presiding Bishop of the TEC House of Bishops in 2006, he was rumored to have played a significant role behind the scenes. His letter to his diocese can be read here.
Finally, a comment about the AAC's lack of comment on the unfolding AMiA story. We minister to and serve people in TEC, the ACNA, and AMiA, and we find the situation in the Anglican Mission complex, confusing, and still rapidly evolving. Even now, with some of the AMiA people remaining in PEARwanda, and linked to ACNA as well, and some of AMiA now with Chairman Bishop Murphy and, however briefly, linked to the Congo, and other bishops asking for temporary coverage with local ACNA dioceses and bishops, we think that prognostication and guessing at motives or projecting outcomes is simply not helpful. We wish to provide whatever help we can to all those within the large umbrella that AMiA once covered, and we lift them all up in our prayers.
Blessings and Peace in Christ Jesus,
+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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Canon Ashey looks at the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Leadership Conference Statement and Commitment and discusses the way forward for a Communion in crisis. View the video here.
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Savannah: Christ Church Anglican announces settlement
| Source: Christ Church via email
May 3, 2012
Christ Church Anglican (CCA) in Savannah, GA has agreed to settle a 4 ½ year legal battle with The Episcopal Church (TEC), and The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia. At the
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Historic Christ Church building
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heart of the dispute was a lawsuit against CCA, the Senior Pastor and fourteen members of the 2007 Vestry (Board) including money damage claims by the Diocese against these individuals in excess of $1million. "While we never agreed that our people had any personal liability, we are pleased to see these claims dropped as this threat of personal financial loss has hung over our people for more than four years. These parishioners served as volunteer directors on a non-profit 501-C3 board and made decisions to try to stand for their beliefs and fulfill their duty to protect the non-profit corporation they served," said John Albert, CCA Senior Warden
In 2007, Christ Church Anglican, established in 1733 and predating the formation of TEC by 56 years and the TEC Diocese of Georgia by 90 years, conducted a congregational vote by which 87% of the congregation supported the Vestry's decision to disaffiliate from TEC over core theological differences. Subsequently, TEC sued Christ Church Anglican, its pastor, and the 14 individual members of the 2007 board. After the Georgia Supreme Court ruling on November 21, 2011, CCA turned over possession of its three buildings (including the church building on Johnson Square) and the parking lot, all worth in excess of $6 million.
As set forth in the settlement agreement, the Church will adopt the title "Christ Church Anglican." "We see the addition of 'Anglican' to our name as a way of identifying our roots going back to our beginnings in Savannah as a Mission of the Church of England in 1733. God has given us the privilege of living out a truth we have always believed, that the Church is not the building but the people of God. God has blessed us in this struggle, as we have maintained the vast majority of our congregation while adding new members who are excited to be part of a church that seeks to live out its beliefs. Orthodox Anglicanism is alive and well in Savannah and we look forward to a bright future," commented The Rev. Dr. Marc Robertson, Christ Church Anglican's senior pastor....
The rest of the story may be found here.
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ACNA receives two AMiA bishops
| Source: Anglican Ink
May 1, 2012
By George Conger
The Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) has received two bishops from the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA) as honorary temporary assistant bishops.
The Rt. Rev. T.J. Johnston will serve as an assistant bishop to the Rt. Rev. Foley Beach of the Anglican Diocese of the South and the Rt. Rev. John Miller will serve as an assistant bishop to the Rt. Rev. Neil Lebahr of the Gulf Atlantic Diocese, Anglican Ink has learned.
A memorandum of understanding dated 18 April 2012 endorsed by Bishops Johnson and Miller and by Bishop Leonard Riches and Charlie Masters on behalf of the ACNA states the agreement serves to "provide a temporary jurisdictional connection" and will last for 180 days, with an interim review at the 90 day mark.
Under the agreement the two bishops will exercise delegated episcopal ministry within the ACNA over those AMiA clergy who have requested transfer from the oversight of the Province of Rwanda to the ACNA. At the end of the 180 day period the AMiA clergy, including the two bishops, may remain in the ACNA or be transferred to a jurisdiction of their choosing....
The rest of the story may be found here.
A joint statement by Archbishops Duncan and Rwaje regarding AMiA bishops is here.
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Methodists vote to keep stand against same-sex relationships
| Source:USA Today
May 4, 2012
TAMPA, Florida (AP) - After an emotional debate, Methodists at a national legislative meeting Thursday upheld the denomination's policy that same-sex relationships are "incompatible with Christian teaching."
Delegates at the General Conference voted by about 60% to 40% against softening the language on homosexuality in their Book of Discipline, which contains church laws and doctrine. The meeting is held once every four years, which means the policy won't come up for a conference vote again until 2016....
The rest of the story may be found here.
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Egypt: Diocese Consecrates Canadian Theologian as Bishop for Horn of Africa
| Source: The Diocese of Egypt via VirtueOnline
May 3, 2012
In an amazing gathering that brought together archbishops and bishops from the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the Coptic Catholic Church, as well as representatives of the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, government officials, Ambassadors, prominent writers, and politicians, the Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa celebrated the consecration of The Rev. Dr. Grant LeMarquand as the new Area (Assistant) Bishop for the Horn of Africa. The Rev. Dr. Grant LeMarquand, long-serving Professor of Biblical Studies and Mission at Trinity School for Ministry will be installed on October 27th in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
 "Grant is a great choice for this appointment. He and his wife Wendy have extensive experience as missionaries which should prepare them well for this new calling," said the Very Rev. Dr. Justyn Terry, Trinity's Dean and President. "We will certainly miss his presence on the Trinity Faculty, but we wish him every blessing as he embarks on this new phase of ministry." Grant will continue teaching at Trinity until June of 2012. He and his wife Wendy plan to move to Gambella, Ethiopia in July or August.
The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis, together with The Rt. Rev. Michael Lewis (Diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf), The Rt. Rev. Dr. Bill Musk (Area Bishop for North Africa), and The Rt. Rev. Ghais Abdel Malek (the retired Diocesan Bishop of Egypt) participated in the consecration of LeMarquand.
Other representatives from around the Anglican Communion attended, including: Archbishop Robert Duncan of ACNA; Bishop Peter Tasker of Sydney; representatives of The Diocese of Singapore and The Diocese of South Carolina (our companion dioceses); The Diocese of Pittsburgh; The Diocese of Tennessee; The Diocese of Texas; the Honorary Chairman and Secretary of the Egypt Diocesan Association in the UK; Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, Pennsylvania; The Church Missionary Society, UK; and The Church Missionary Society, Australia. Many people sent greetings, including The Most Rev. & Rt. Hon. Dr. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury....
The rest of the story may be found here.
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Nigeria: Anti-Christian violence rages on
| Source: Barnabas Fund
May 1, 2012
Around 300 Christians have been killed in one diocese alone, and 27 people died in attacks on three church services as anti-Christian violence in Nigeria continues unabated.
The Rt Rev Timothy Yahaya, Bishop of Jalingo, Taraba State, in Nigeria's Middle Belt, told Barnabas Fund that 300 Christians have been killed in his diocese in a series of incidents over the last three weeks.
Then on Sunday (29 April), three church services in Northern Nigeria were targeted in attacks that left 27 people dead....
The rest of the story may be found here.
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England: Anglican preacher barred from pulpit over opposition to gay marriage
| Source: Telegraph
May 4, 2012
By John Bingham
An Anglican lay preacher has been banned from the pulpit after encouraging parishioners to oppose against gay marriage - in line with official Church teaching.
Peter Gowlland, 78, was accused of sowing discord among worshippers at the liberal-leaning All Saints Church in Sanderstead, Surrey, by inviting them to sign a petition against the Government plans to introduce same-sex weddings.
Despite being told by his Archdeacon to "withdraw" from ministry for two months as a result, Church authorities continued to insist last night that he had "not been suspended".
The retired science teacher says he was told "we don't do that here" by a fellow lay reader when he set out a pile of leaflets promoting the former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey's Coalition For Marriage before a Sunday service last month.
Matters came to a head shortly during the service when he urged parishioners in his sermon to be "bold like the apostles" and register their opposition to the redefinition of marriage.
It prompted what might pass in the Church of England for a public showdown: a brief and polite disagreement with two other lay readers in front of the congregation, a retired bishop and the visiting Worldwide President of the Mothers' Union....
The rest of the story may be found here.
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