ACC ‘forms its own views’

“The Anglican Communion Standing Committee, which met April 6-7 in Lusaka, Zambia, issued the following report to the 16th Meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council…

The Standing Committee received a report from the Archbishop of Canterbury on the Primates’ gathering in January 2016 and noted the stated commitment of the Primates to ‘walk together’ despite differences of view. The Standing Committee welcomed the formation of a Task Group as recommended by the Primates to maintain conversation among them with the intention of restoration of relationship, the rebuilding of mutual trust, and healing the legacy of hurt. The Standing Committee considered the Communiqué from the Primates and affirmed the relational links between the Instruments of Communion in which each Instrument, including the Anglican Consultative Council, forms its own views and has its own responsibilities…”

– from The Episcopal News Service.

Related: Media briefing gives outline for ACC-16. (Anglican Communion News Service.) Should we hope for at least a mention of evangelism or the Great Commission?

Archbishop Mouneer Anis explains why he is not going to ACC-16 Lusaka

“Archbishop Mouneer Anis writes a sombre letter to his fellow Primates informing them he will not be attending the upcoming ACC-16 meeting in Lusaka.

Whilst he had every good faith to attend, the clear disregard for the Primates’ decision reached in January 2016 Primates Gathering, that TEC not is not to be represented in the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion, prevents him from doing so in good conscience.” (From GAFCON.)

Here’s the text of his letter. Paragraph breaks added for ease of reading.

My dear brother archbishops,
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I am writing to let you know that I have decided not to attend the ACC-16 in Lusaka. My decision has come after a long period of prayer and conversations.

As many of you know, it is not easy for me to withdraw from meetings, but this time I felt that if I were to attend, I would be betraying my conscience, my people, and the Primates who worked hard last January to reach a temporary solution in order to keep walking together until such time as we can reach a permanent solution.

I thought that the decision of the Primates’ Meeting in January would be followed through and TEC would not be represented in the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion but sadly this is not the case.

I don’t mind the participation of TEC in the General Meeting of the ACC, but the decision of the Primates was very clear that they should not be nominated or elected in internal standing committees. Although I was disturbed by the statements made by the chairman of the ACC while he was in the USA, I had still intended to attend the meeting. However, as it became clear that the decision of the Primates’ Meeting about the participation of TEC in the Standing Committee would be disregarded, it was then that I decided not to attend.

I see that there is a lot of confusion about the role of the Primates’ Meeting and the ACC. Neither have jurisdiction within provinces, but both have roles in regulating the relationship between provinces. The Primates’ Meeting has “enhanced responsibility in offering guidance on doctrinal, moral and pastoral matters” (Lambeth 1988) and to make “intervention in cases of exceptional emergency which are incapable of internal resolution within provinces, and giving guidelines on the limits of Anglican diversity” (Lambeth 1998).

Some think that because the ACC is the most representative of the instruments (including bishops, clergy, and laity), it is more authoritative. This is not true. It’s very name, “consultative”, reminds us that it is not an “Anglican Synod” but merely an advisory group. The Instruments of Unity, in order to have good relationships, need to support each others’ decisions in those areas of responsibility given to them by Lambeth Councils.

I will be praying for the members of the ACC-16 so that they may affirm and respect the decisions of the Primates’ Meeting. If this happens, it will bring hope back and we will be able to think of the future together.

+ Mouneer Egypt

The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis
Archbishop of Episcopal / Anglican Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa.

Via GAFCON.

You won’t be late

“I have had punctuality bred into me, even now, if I am meeting my sisters, I know they will be at least 10 minutes early and sometimes I am even earlier.

Some people are habitually late, I am habitually early.

Oscar Wilde said that he was always late on principle, the principle being that punctuality is the thief of time. Evelyn Waugh believed punctuality to be the virtue of the bored, those who have nothing better to do than to be on time.

The writer of Hebrews says that there is an appointment we will all meet, none will be either early or late…”

– A concise reminder of the truth, from David Cook.

Back to Basics Part 5 — The power of the gospel

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. That is what the Bible tells us. We are commanded to enter the kingdom of God by entrusting ourselves to Christ as our Lord and Saviour. That is, we enter and continue through repentance and faith.

The Canterbury meeting of the Primates made space for the summons to repentance to be heard once more.

Why is this so vital?…”

– GAFCON General Secretary, Dr. Peter Jensen, shares the fifth of six reflections on January’s Primates’ Meeting in Cambridge.

Reflections on Archbishop Mouneer Anis’ boycott of ACC-16 Lusaka

“The announcement yesterday by Archbishop Mouneer Anis (Jerusalem and the Middle East) that he will not be attending the upcoming Anglican Consultative Council meeting (ACC-16) has sent shock waves through the leadership of the Anglican Communion…

The Episcopal Church’s intention to continue to participate in the Joint Standing Committee of the ACC (also known as the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion), was just too much. It was a clear and direct rejection of the discipline prescribed by the Primates. It is an act of rebellion aided and abetted by Chairman Tengatenga’s denunciation of the Primates authority.”

– The American Anglican Council’s Canon Phil Ashey asks is there now any reason at all for any of the GAFCON and Global South Primates to attend ACC-16.

He also looks at the Constitution of the Anglican Consultative Council, and argues why Biblically faithful Primates need to act.

Read his full piece here.

New 9Marks Journal — April 2016

“Church documents are a prosaic topic, to be sure. But they facilitate unity. They protect a church from being governed by the passions of the moment. And they force a congregation and its leaders to be careful, deliberate, reflective, and, hopefully, biblical. Not bad, for a boring old administrator’s job.

To put it another way, church documents are kind. It is kind to tell people what you think up front. It is kind [to] say what you will expect from them or how disagreements will be resolved…”

– The latest issue of 9Marks Journal is out. The theme is “Confessions, Covenants, and Constitutions”.

Justin Mote on Applying the Bible

In the latest Preaching Matters from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, Justin Mote speaks about applying the Bible – including five tips on things you can do to make application better.

See the 11 minute video here.

Reflections on discipleship (part 1)

“How do you get someone to do something when they are afraid; they lack confidence and competence; they are uncomfortable; they have no experience; they have no vision or passion? This is the question that often plagues pastors and ministry leaders as they seek to empower people to serve…”

– At Equal but Different, Lesley Ramsay has the first in a series of encouraging posts on disciple-making.

Learning to Speak Christian in an Online World

At Moore College’s Centre for Christian Living, two weeks ago, the topic was “Learning to Speak Christian in an Online World”.

The aim of the centre is “to bring Biblical ethics to everyday issues”.

Watch Lionel Windsor’s talk. Practical and encouraging.

See also the intro by CCL Director Tony Payne and The Q&A afterwards.

Might make you want to get Lionel’s book. (Or like us on Facebook.)

Insulting religion and legal consequences

“Two recent news items raised interesting issues of free speech about religion and its legal consequences. One was a comment by Mr Peter Fitzsimmons; the other a report about an ‘anti-Muslim’ banner being flown at a football game…”

– Neil Foster, at Law and Religion Australia, looks at two very topical examples of speech relating to religion.

Back to Basics Part 4 — Repentance

“As we think through the significance of the meeting of Primates in Canterbury, we come to the key subject of repentance.

The issues before us have doctrinal and political aspects. But, finally, they are spiritual and that is why repentance matters.

The original tragic division in the Anglican Communion was the responsibility of certain North American Anglicans. They have been invited back into communion with those who severed relationships.

But this is not simply a matter of apology without change.

The need is repentance, with the hope of reconciliation and restoration…”

– GAFCON General Secretary, Dr Peter Jensen, writes the fourth of six reflections in the light of January’s Primates Meeting.

Taking God at his Word — free audiobook April 2016

Christian Audio’s free book for April 2016 is Kevin DeYoung’s Taking God at his Word.

Here’s the link.

Two new bishops for Melbourne

“Archbishop Philip Freier has announced the appointment of the Revd Dr Paul Anthony Barker and the Revd Dr Bradly Scott Billings as Assistant Bishops in the Diocese of Melbourne…”