Thursday 28th July 2005
“Bishops Challenge Seizure of Connecticut Parish
A Second Open Letter to the Bishop and Standing Committee of Connecticut”
“Dear Bishop Andrew and Brothers and Sisters of the Standing Committee,
Seventeen bishops, thirteen of them diocesans, wrote you on the 14th of April. We wrote you about the very public conflict between you, the Bishop and Standing Committee, and six Connecticut parishes.
In April we pled that you might turn back from this conflict. We asked whether it was not Bishop Andrew's actions that had abandoned the (Anglican) Communion: participation in the New Hampshire consecration, ordination of same-sex partnered clergy, and refusal to allow appeal to the Panel of Reference. We called on you as Bishop and Standing Committee to turn back from continued abuse and mis-application of the Canon on Abandonment of Communion [Title IV, Canon 10] in dealing with these six parishes and their clergy...”
Read the letter at the Anglican Communion Network website.
See also “Bishop Smith Defies Rowan Williams’ Anglican Panel of Reference”.
Thursday 28th July 2005
“Bishops in the mire” – by Ruth Gledhill
“Once again, the Church of England is in danger of making itself look ridiculous in the eyes of the world in its complicated manoeuvrings over the issue of gay sex.
Its pronouncement on ‘gay marriage’, in response to the 2004 Civil Partnerships Act which comes into force in December, states that clergy can register their partnerships as long as they pledge chastity...”
Read the full article at The Times.
Wednesday 27th July 2005
“The Crucifixion of Recife”
This article by Peter Moore, President Emeritus, Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, Ambridge, Pennsylvania, was published last week.
“Nothing has aroused my ire more in recent months than the effort of the Province of Brazil to oust the Rt. Rev. Robinson Cavalcanti, Bishop of the Diocese of Recife, from his job and denigrate one of the most vibrant parts of the Anglican Communion in this Hemisphere. Well-funded with U.S. dollars from 815 Second Avenue, the Primate of Brazil has swooped in and tried to take over this bustling diocese and in the meantime rid himself of the only bishop in his Province who has had the guts to say that the Emperor has no clothes.
Bishop Cavalcanti did the unspeakable. He participated in a confirmation service in Akron, Ohio with a number of other retired Episcopal and courageous Anglican bishops because the solidly revisionist Diocese of Ohio has been resolutely determined to support V. Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire and to brook no opposition to its fierce loyalty to the Episcopal status quo post G.C. 2003.
More than that Cavalcanti has been clear in his open criticism of his Primate’s attempt to depose him – breaking that Anglican gentleman’s agreement that high-placed prelates must be credited with being innocent before shown to be guilty....”
Read the full article on VirtueOnline.
Tuesday 26th July 2005
Fort Worth appeals to the Panel of Reference – and Scottish ministers consider an appeal
The Bishop and Standing Committee of the Diocese of Fort Worth have appealed to the Panel of Reference, citing “serious theological dispute”. They write to the Archbishop of Canterbury,
“...we now appeal to you and the primates for some means by which we can remain full members of the Anglican Communion.”
See the letter and related documents here.
“Unlike those dioceses, parishes and individuals who have been ostracized in recent times by authorities of the Episcopal Church (ECUSA) for their orthodox stand on homosexuality, the Diocese of Fort Worth continues to go through various degrees of marginalization and intimidation for upholding the church’s traditional practice of holy orders in our refusal to ordain or license women as priests. By making the ordination of women priests mandatory, the Episcopal Church set itself apart from the mind of the rest of the Anglican Communion long before there arose the current divisive issues of the ordination of practicing homosexuals and the blessing of same sex unions...”
Reac the full appeal here.
See also this report from The (UK) Herald – “Episcopal gay clergy row heads for tribunal hearings”
“The bitter row between ministers and bishops over gay clergy in the Scottish Episcopal Church is set to spill over into the wider Anglican communion. Repeated demands to retract a controversial declaration that being a practising homosexual is not a bar to ministry have been rejected by bishops.
A concerned group of ministers, which claims to represent mainstream orthodox followers of the religion, is now threatening to take the theological disagreement to an international tribunal set up by and reporting to the Archbishop of Canterbury...”
Monday 25th July 2005
Recife Ordinations
Although he supposedly has been deposed by the Primate of the Province of Brazil, Bishop Robinson Cavalcanti is still recognised as Bishop by his own diocese and is still ministering.
In this photo, Bishop Cavalcanti ordained new deacons last week at the co-cathedral in Joao Jessoa City, Paraiba state, Brazil. Click photo for a larger version.
Monday 25th July 2005
“American Anglican Council Statement:
Bishop Smith Dismisses Role and Authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Panel of Reference”
‘In an article dated July 22, 2005, the Church of England Newspaper reports that Andrew Smith, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut, has “warned” the Panel of Reference “that it will have no role in the battle for alternate episcopal oversight (AEO)” in the Diocese of Connecticut. According to the report, Diocesan Director of Communications Karin Hamilton says Bishop Smith “does not envision a role for it [the panel] in the present conflict as he wishes to resolve the present dispute ‘domestically’.”...’
From The American Anglican Council.
Friday 22nd July 2005
“Mediating Panel not wanted in US diocese”
“Plans for an international Panel of Reference to investigate divisions between traditionalists and liberals will not affect a key American diocese. The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Panel of Reference has been warned that it will play no role in the battle for alternate Episcopal oversight (AEO) in the diocese of Connecticut, a spokesman for Bishop Andrew Smith told The Church of England Newspaper... ”
From The Church of England Newspaper.
Friday 22nd July 2005
“Connecticut: Bishop, staff meet with Bristol parishioners” – read the Diocese of Connecticut’s story on the takeover of St. John’s Bristol
“The Rev. Susan P. McCone, newly appointed priest-in-charge, preached and celebrated at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Bristol during the 9 a.m. worship service July 17...
The rector of St. John’s, the Rev. Mark H. Hansen, has been charged with abandoning the communion of the church and was inhibited July 13 by the Rt. Rev. Andrew D. Smith...
More than 100 people came to a meeting at St. John’s on Sunday evening... ”
Read the full press release here –and read the sermon preached on Sunday.
Tuesday 18th July 2005
Statement of the Vestry of St. John's Episcopal Church, Bristol, Connecticut – in Response to Actions of Bishop Andrew Smith
“We are deeply disappointed and shocked by the action you have taken in the last week in invading our parish home without announcement, and without permission, changing the locks on the doors so we are locked out of our own building, and inhibiting our rector. We cannot understand this action. It certainly does not seem to be the behavior of someone who wants to reconcile himself with this parish.
We believe that canon, civil, and criminal laws have been violated, and that we have cause for legal action against you...”
Read the full text of the statement here – and see earlier reports below.
Saturday 16th July 2005
Communiqué from the Panel of Reference
The Panel of Reference, of which ACL Chairman Robert Tong is a member, has just concluded its first meeting in London. A Communiqué has been released.
“This first plenary meeting was devoted to the preparation of the work of the Panel, and of the rules of procedure which the Panel decided to adopt. The result of its discussions and the mandate of the Archbishop of Canterbury by which the Panel was established are set out in the documents below....”
The text of the communiqué may be found here.
Note this line: “In cases where Anglican congregations wish to invoke the procedures of the Panel, approach should be made to...”
(Photo: Anglican Communion News Service.)
Thursday 14th July 2005
“I have been working at this church for 11 years at a feverish pace to get this church where it is today. In one brief moment it was all torn away from me.”
Three reports on the inhibition, yesterday, of one of the Connecticut Six, the Rev. Mark Hansen – and the takeover of his church by Bishop Andrew Smith (pictured right) –
1.) Timeline of events from Virtue Online in an interview with Mark Hansen.
“It was a Gestapo raid. Some of my parishioners are irate that these strangers are going through my confidential pastoral files...”
2.) Comment from Dr. William Witt, a member of the church.
“The bishop had planned his timing well. There was only an AA meeting and the church secretary in the building when Drew Smith showed up with Chancellor, computer hackers, and a “priest-in-charge.” The entourage made demands of the church secretary, admonishing her with canon law. She responded that she was just a secretary, not an Episcopalian, and didn’t know anything about canon law. Several times during the day she was in tears. The hackers set to work on the computer, took down the church’s website, and brought in a locksmith to change the locks...”
3.) A report from The Washington Times.
“Connecticut Episcopal Bishop Andrew Smith on Wednesday suspended one of six priests accused of refusing to recognize his authority in the wake of Smith's support for the denomination's first openly gay bishop...”
The church’s website, www.stjohnsbristol.org, now redirects to the Diocesan website.
A Personal Statement in Response to Bishop Smith’s Inhibition – from The Rev. Mark Hansen – 13th July
“I am personally devastated by Bishop Smith’s actions today. In inhibiting me on the grounds of abandonment of communion, he has misrepresented facts and caused tremendous stress on both my family and St. John’s Church. The bishop is fully aware that family circumstances necessitated a sabbatical leave. I have informed him of the fact that our son has needs requiring a variety of specialized support services. The needs are real, and the services are expensive. In inhibiting me, the bishop has knowingly and willfully endangered my family’s well-being and security. If the bishop had issues with my contractual arrangements with the congregation, surely his concerns could have been expressed through pastoral rather than canonical actions, particularly in light of his knowledge of my specific circumstances.
I have done all in my power to be faithful to providing for my family, but I have never lost sight of my responsibility to St. John’s. I have had the full support of the church leadership and congregation and remain committed to the church. Despite the bishop’s claims to the contrary, St. John’s has never been without pastoral care in the form of supply clergy for both weekday coverage and Sunday services. I am deeply saddened at the tactics displayed by Bishop Smith and his 12 associates who ignored pleas of St. John’s elected leadership, intimated those who attempted to reason with them, and hacked into computers to obtain confidential church records. How can this possibly be construed as being “concerned for the life and ministry of St. John’s”?
My wife Ceil and I ask for your prayers during this difficult trial.”
Thursday 14th July 2005
Statement from the Pan Anglican Conference, Bahamas
The Pan American Conference of orthodox Communion-committed Anglicans met in Nassau, Bahamas, from July 6-8and issued this statement concerning the Diocese of Recife.
Resolution on Recife
“The Anglican Pan American Conference meeting in Nassau, Bahamas July 6-8, 2005, notes with profound concern and regret the lack of restraint by the Primate of Brazil, Orlando Santos de Oliveira and the Province of Brazil in the precipitous actions taken against The Rt. Revd. Robinson Cavalcanti, by not allowing the Panel of Reference an opportunity to mediate the conflict.
In this way, the Province of Brazil has failed in its fiduciary and pastoral duty towards the diocese of Recife. The rush to judgment being both unwarranted and untimely has caused a fundamental lack of confidence in the findings of the court. Therefore we are constrained to maintain our relationship with Bishop Cavalcanti and the clergy and lay people who continue to recognize him as their bishop.
Further, we implore the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates of the Communion to call for a halt to the legal process in Brazil regarding this issue and to conduct a fair and impartial inquiry into the conflict.”
Wednesday 13th July 2005
“Jensen opposes female bishops”
“The Church of England’s decision to move towards ordaining women bishops would be a divisive issue in the worldwide Anglican Communion, Archbishop of Sydney Peter Jensen said today.
A synod meeting in England yesterday voted to “remove legal obstacles” in church law to women bishops...”
From The Australian.
Monday 11th July 2005
“Primate must be a man for all factions”
“The selection of a moderate, Brisbane Archbishop Phillip Aspinall, to lead the Anglican Church in Australia seems a wise decision at a time when the biggest threat to the church is disunity and, potentially, schism...”
Editorial from The Australian (scroll down).
Sunday 10th July 2005
“Moderate wins Anglican leadership”
“Brisbane Archbishop Phillip Aspinall was yesterday chosen to lead Australia’s 4 million Anglicans.
The 45-year-old theological moderate, who has an MBA, gained a majority in all three electoral houses – bishops, clergy and laity – seeing off a strong challenge from Sydney's Archbishop Peter Jensen...”
Full story from The Age.
Saturday 9th July 2005
Archbishop of Brisbane elected Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia
Phillip Aspinall, Archbishop of Brisbane, was this afternoon elected Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia by the Board of Electors of the Primate – which comprises diocesan bishops, and representative clergy and lay members of the General Synod.
Archbishop Aspinall will be Primate until the next General Synod to be held in 2007 (when a decision will be made about creating a full-time position of Primate).
After being consecrated as a Bishop in 1998, he was appointed Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Adelaide and was elected as Archbishop of Brisbane in 2001. Before taking up his position in Adelaide Archbishop Aspinall was Director of Anglicare in Tasmania.
Archbishop Aspinall was recently in the news over the dismissal of Anglo-Catholic Rector of All Saints’ Wickham Terrace, David Chislett. (1 2)
According to a press release from the General Synod office – “The Primate of the Anglican Church has a varied portfolio of
responsibilities. He retains his role as a diocesan bishop, but at the same time he chairs the meetings of the General Synod of the Church and its attendant Boards and Committees, as well as the annual meeting of bishops. He represents the Anglican Church of Australia in many forums of the worldwide Anglican Communion.”
More info about Archbishop Aspinall may be found here.
ABC Report here.
Friday 8th July 2005
Archbishop Peter Jensen writes to the Bishop of London concerning the Terrorist Attacks
Archbishop Peter Jensen today sent this letter to Bishop Richard Chartres, Bishop of London –
“8th July 2005
Dear Bishop Richard,
I write to express the profound shock and sadness with which Anglicans in NSW and Sydney heard the news and saw the TV images of the bombings that occurred in London yesterday.
Our thoughts and our hearts are with you and your clergy as you minister to the people of London with the assurance of the comfort and compassion to be found in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Be assured that you are all constantly in our prayers. Our prayers are for the relatives of victims who died in this appalling onslaught, and for those who have been injured. We pray also that there might be a lessening of fear and insecurity for people as they go about their daily work and lives.
London has a special place in the hearts of many Australians and the people of this State. We recall too that for Anglicans, in the early days of this colony, there was a special relationship with the Diocese of London. There is a real sense in which many of us feel like Londoners.
We know that God’s justice and righteousness will prevail, and that evil will be overcome.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.
Yours faithfully
Dr Peter Jensen
Archbishop of Sydney and
Metropolitan of New South Wales”
Note: A special service of prayer and support for the British community after the London bombings will be held in St Andrew’s Anglican Cathedral, George Street, Sydney on Sunday 10 July at 10:30am.
Friday 8th July 2005
Archbishop of Canterbury’s Statement on the London Terrorist Attacks
“The appalling events in London this morning have shocked us all. So I want first and foremost to extend my personal sympathy and condolences to everyone who is suffering and grieving at this time...”
Read the press release here.
Thursday 7th July 2005
Election of new Australian Primate set for Saturday
On Saturday (9th July), the Primatial Election Board will meet in Sydney to elect a new Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia. The new Primate will hold office until the next General Synod, in 2007 (when a decision will be made about creating a full-time position of Primate).
The Primatial Election Board is complosed of every Australian diocesan bishop, as well as 24 members (12 lay and 12 clerical) who were elected at the 2004 General Synod.
According to a media release from the General Synod office, possible contenders include (but are not limited to) the Archbishops of Brisbane (Phillip Aspinall) and Sydney (Peter Jensen) and the Bishops of Bendigo (Andrew Curnow), Canberra and Goulburn (George Browning) and Tasmania (John Harrower).
There will be a special service in St. Andrew’s Cathedral at 10:00am on Saturday, prior to the election. A statement on who is elected is likely to be made late on Saturday afternoon.
Monday 4th July 2005
New website promotes Evangelism through Jazz
Moore College graduate (and former ACL Council member) Con Campbell is widely known as a top Jazz Saxophonist. Over the last few years, Con and friends have combined Jazz with Evangelism in a way that has been appreciated by many. Con has today launched a website to explain the idea –
“It is a privilege to share the good news of Jesus with others, and to play jazz in the process is heaps of fun. This site will give you an idea of how we have been sharing Jesus through jazz. ‘What is the connection between Jesus and jazz?’ I hear you ask. Good question! I hope the site will give you an idea.
Perhaps my band and I can partner you and your church in sharing Jesus...”
See Con’s website here.
Saturday 2nd July 2005
“The Promotion of a Different Gospel
Will Irish neutrality on the sexuality issue jeopardise our links with the Global South?”
“Reform Ireland welcomes the biblical stance being taken by the provinces of the Global South on the issue of human sexuality. Their statement of intent to create a network of biblically orthodox provinces within the Anglican Communion is to be commended and supported...”
This comment from Reform Ireland.
Thursday 30th June 2005
“Shipwreck and Kingdom: Acts and the Anglican Communion” – Bishop Tom Wright’s closing address to the meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council, Nottingham, 28 June 2005
“Ever since the eighteenth century, western protestantism has been pulled more and more towards a denial, explicit or implicit, of the great central truths of Christian faith – sometimes, indeed, towards watering them down while still saying the words, sometimes actually to open mockery of the idea of the Trinity or the resurrection or the full meaning of the cross.
And what has happened, exactly as the eighteenth-century Deists intended it should, is that God is no longer a player on the world scene; Jesus is Lord far away in heaven, or in the secret places of my heart, perhaps, but he can’t tell me how to run my business or which way to vote.....”
Read his sermon here.
Tuesday 28th June 2005
Recife Diocese Open Letter To The Archbishop Of Canterbury And To The Primates Of The Anglican Communion
“Dear Sirs,
Peace and Grace be with you!
The Anglican Diocese of Recife, Brazil – as all of you know – is composed by faithful people, both clergy and lay, loyal to the Anglican Communion and to the spiritual leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
For a long time you have followed its difficult challenge of keeping its autonomy, identity and beliefs, under heavy pressure, illegal actions and distorted versions from Brazilian Provincial Authorities.
The Diocese has appealed to you since last year, looking for support and for a necessary and urgent institutional solution. Unhappily, no action was taken up to now.....”
Read the full letter here.
“The Crucifixion of Recife”
Recife Ordinations
