The Anglican Future Conference — A Report

Posted on June 10, 2015 
Filed under Australia, GAFCON

Caitlin HurleyA report by Rev Caitlin Hurley, ACL councillor.

In late March, 460 Anglicans gathered in Melbourne for the inaugural Anglican Future Conference.

The conference was a joint initiative of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Australia (FCA-A) and the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion (EFAC).

My first observation of the conference was the geographical diversity of its delegates. It felt like each state of Australia was represented. It was immensely encouraging to see so many Sydney-siders in attendance. It was truly a national conference. The conference benefitted greatly through the attendance of a significant contingent of our brothers and sisters from New Zealand.

Kanishka RaffelAmong the key speakers for the conference was Kanishka Raffel who taught powerfully from 2 Peter. I cannot encourage you enough to listen to his talk on 2 Peter 2 and false teachers. [Watch it here.] He faithfully and clearly talked us through what false teachers look like in our contemporary context.

Ashley Null, an internationally recognized scholar on the theology of the English reformation, presented three talks about Archbishop Thomas Cranmer and his understanding of scripture, salvation and worship as God’s saving work. On more than one occasion delegates were heard reflecting that the biblical Anglicanism represented by Cranmer was the Anglicanism they wanted to be associated with.

On the Wednesday evening the General Secretary of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON), Dr Peter Jensen, hosted a session titled Standing with the Global Anglican Community. Dr Jensen shared how the Anglican Communion is faring around the globe. The prognosis was that the structures of the Communion were not faring very well but that the GAFCON movement was providing a solid place for those committed to biblical Anglicanism to stand together and share both support and fellowship. A constant refrain from those who shared was that after leaving the their old national church structures—either as a result of force or willingly—their churches grew.

nz_testimonyThe most challenging portion of this evening was hearing from the New Zealand delegates about the Church in New Zealand. In New Zealand ordained clergy must submit to the authority of General Synod. This effectively means that if General Synod passes a motion, the clergy are bound to that motion. Recently Motion 30 was passed by the General Synod. This motion has allowed for the creation of a working party to provide a process for and structure by which the blessings of same-sex relationships can occur within the church. The conference heard three different responses to motion 30 from leaders within the New Zealand church.  These responses ranged from a desire to work through the process until it became untenable, to a conscientious inability to submit to this motion. The rector who was unable to submit to the motion lost his license, rectory and church building as a result. This rector and his Parish Council were in attendance at the conference. It was humbling to stand with a group of faithful men and women who have stood for and suffered because they believe in the authority of Scripture and the Lordship of Christ.

Of course, over the past few years we have heard of Anglicans in America, Canada and the United Kingdom either being forced out of their church buildings or leaving voluntarily. What struck me at this conference, however, was the frightening recognition that I was now hearing a similar story from friends only a three-hour flight away. The challenge to the authority of Scripture and the Lordship of Christ is at our doorstep. Although our national church is set up differently, the New Zealand situation does raise the question how long will it be before confessing Anglicans in Australia are faced with a similar situation?

This is where the work of GAFCON and FCA (Australia) are immensely important. It was totally appropriate that the first national branch of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans was launched at the conference with much acclamation and rejoicing. This movement in its global and local manifestations seeks to uphold the authority of Scripture and the Lordship of Christ. In the Australian context this will be achieved through promoting orthodoxy and providing recognition, fellowship and assistance to those who have been disaffiliated from their diocese because of the unorthodox actions of others. It is true that a movement such as FCA (Australia) in and of itself is not going to bring people to salvation but it can help limit the damage of aggressive secularism and culturally conformed Christianity within the church. By providing support for those committed to biblical orthodoxy, it enables parishes and their parishioners to get on with the work of the Great Commission.

gav-poole-fca-launchThe Anglican Church League is proud to be in partnership with FCA Australia. The ACL was the major sponsor of the FCA Australia launch. On the night of the launch it was delightful and encouraging to see two organisations publicly standing together to fight for biblical orthodoxy.

I look forward to seeing how members of the ACL and FCA Australia can work together to promote the gospel both here in Sydney and around Australia.

Caitlin Hurley is an assistant minister at one1seven churches Redfern and Green Square, and executive assistant to the general secretary of GAFCON: the Anglican reformation movement. She is also a member of the Anglican Church League Council.

Photos courtesy of FCA Australia.