Experiencing the Anglican Future

“My constant prayer before we met in Jerusalem was a simple one, ‘Lord, meet us in Jerusalem’.

I believe he did. …”

– Dr. Peter Jensen offers some encouraging reflections on GAFCON 2018.

Related:

Dr. Stephen Noll has published Part 1 of his Commentary on the GAFCON 2018 Letter to the Churches.

GAFCON Chairman’s Letter July 2018

‘I will fulfil my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the LORD – in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD.’ – Psalm 116:18,19

“My dear people of God,

Like the psalmist of old, we came to Jerusalem in the presence of God’s people with great thanksgiving. Since our first gathering in 2008 we have seen the Almighty God powerfully at work. By his grace, we have provided a home for the spiritually homeless and hope for orthodox Anglicans around the world who longed to see the reform and renewal of our beloved Communion.

We expressed our thanksgiving not only in joyful worship, but also by committing to a shared vision and shared action. …”

– Read Archbishop Okoh’s July 2018 pastoral letter. (Photo: GAFCON Media.)

Interview with Archbishop Ben Kwashi

“AB Kwashi seemed calm and joyful when he greeted us today. One would never know that just the night before last, his own compound was attacked, all his cows stolen by Fulani raiders, and his neighbor murdered while trying to protect his friend (the Archbishop). The terrorists seemed to be sending the Archbishop a warning. …”

– This interview with Archbishop Ben Kwashi was conducted earlier this week, just after the attack on his compound. (Link via Anglican Mainstream. Photo: Patheos.)

A turning point in the history of Anglicanism — must read

“Almost 1700 years ago, on 20 June 325AD, 318 bishops concluded a very significant meeting. They had gathered in Nicaea because errors had arisen in the church which were so profound that they undermined the very foundation of the Christian message. Those bishops renounced the heresies and upheld orthodox Christian doctrine which had been revealed by God through the Scriptures.

On 22 June 2018, 316 bishops (along with 669 other clergy and 965 laity), concluded another very significant meeting. They gathered in Jerusalem because errors have arisen in the church which were so profound that they undermined the very foundation of the Christian message. Those delegates renounced the heresies and upheld orthodox Christian doctrine which had been revealed by God through the Scriptures.

Those in Jerusalem were gathered from around the Anglican communion and represented the majority of that fellowship. But as this was the third GAFCON that has been held, a justifiable question is whether this conference will make any lasting difference in the way the conference at Nicaea did?…

In order to answer that question, it is worth understanding the context in which this movement has arisen.”

– Here’s a must read article from Dr. Ed Loane – published at SydneyAnglicans.net.

(Photo: Moore Theological College.)

Church of Ireland Bishop gives thanks for GAFCON

Bishop Harold Miller, of the Diocese of Down and Dromore in the Church of Ireland, attended GAFCON 2018 in Jerusalem:

“I have just returned from the third Global Anglican Futures Conference (GAFCON) in Jerusalem, which took place from 18–22 June. It was a wonderful experience to be with so many Anglicans from all over the world and I wanted to share some reflections and observations. …”

– Most encouraging. Read it at the Diocese of Down and Dromore website.

“Letter to the Churches” encapsulates authentic Christianity with clarity, firmness and grace

“The Conference in Jerusalem which has just ended was an extraordinarily rich experience. Not just the dynamic worship, outstanding teaching, and cross-cultural fellowship in small groups and one to one.

A huge amount of information has been presented formally from up front and informally in the form of interviews and blogs. Much of this will be lost in time; the life-changing experience of delegates may fade, but what remains is the Conference Statement. …”

– At Anglican Mainstream, the Rev. Andrew Symes provides some initial reflections on GAFCON’s ‘Letter to the Churches’.

Letter to GAFCON Primates from Anglican Consultative Council Secretary General

George Conger at Anglican Ink has published the letter from Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative Council, to the GAFCON Primates – dated 13th June 2018.

“I am persuaded to write to you all, as members of the Primates’ Meeting and therefore and one of the four instruments that make up the smooth running of our Communion of Churches, about this month’s letter from the Chairman of GAFCON. …”

– The full letter may be read here (PDF), courtesy of Anglican Ink.

Related:

GAFCON 2018 Final Statement – read here

Read the GAFCON 2018 Final Statement – Letter to the Churches.

Reactions to the Gafcon 2018 Conference Statement from leaders in Europe, Africa, North and South America and Australia

The GAFCON Media Team have been busy, and have now uploaded this compilation of reactions from Anglican leaders in Europe, Africa, North and South America and Australia.

Most encouraging.

GAFCON Leadership transition announced

As GAFCON 2018 ended in Jerusalem yesterday, leadership of the nine new ministry networks was announced, as well as news about the transition to a new Chairman of the Primates Council and a new General Secretary:

“The conference gave thanks for the extraordinary leadership of Archbishop Nicholas Okoh (Nigeria), Gafcon Primates Council Chairman, and Archbishop Peter Jensen (Australia), Gafcon General Secretary.

At the close of the conference, the beginning of a leadership transition was announced as both will be retiring in 2019.  Archbishop Okoh will be succeeded by Archbishop Foley Beach (North America) in April of 2019, and Archbishop Peter Jensen will be succeeded by Archbishop Ben Kwashi (Nigeria) in January of 2019.

The four leaders will serve together during the coming months to ensure a smooth transition.”

– Many will give thanks to Almighty God for the leadership of Archbishop Nicholas Okoh and Archbishop Peter Jensen.

Read the full news release, “Largest International Gathering of Anglicans in 50 Years Celebrates 10 Years of Growth”.

Further from George Conger, Anglican Ink –

“Archbishop Kwashi will be assisted by regional deputy secretaries. The Rt. Rev. Bill Atwood of the ACNA will coordinate GAFCON’s work in North and South America, the Most Rev. Glenn Davies, Archbishop of Sydney, will look after the Antipodes and Asia, the Rt. Rev. Andy Lines will coordinate Europe/UK, the Most Rev. Laurent Mbanda, Archbishop of Rwanda, will look after East Africa, and the Rt. Rev. Henry Okeke, Bishop of Mbamili, Nigeria will look after West Africa.”

Dominic Steele spoke with Archbishop Foley Beach and Archbishop Ben Kwashi straight after the last GAFCON 2018 session. Watch here.

Photos: GAFCON Media.

Essentials of the GAFCON 2018 Letter to the Churches

“The Gafcon 2018 Letter to the Churches is respectful and firm, said the chair of its drafting group, Archbishop Glenn Davies of Sydney. Working through the night they assessed all the comments received from the regional meetings on Thursday.

After Archbishop Laurent Mbanda of Rwanda read the statement, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, the chairman of the GAFCON Primates’ Counci called for a voice vote. A unanimous ‘Aye’ was followed by a call for nays. …”

– Anglican Mainstream’s Chris Sugden shares his take on the Letter to the Churches.

Response to the ACC Secretary General’s Criticism of Gafcon’s Ministry Networks

Here is a media release from GAFCON:

As nearly 2,000 delegates from over 50 countries were travelling to Jerusalem for Gafcon 2018, Dr. Josiah Idowu-Fearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), wrote a letter to the Primates suggesting that his office alone should have a monopoly on all ministry networks in the Anglican Communion.

In a letter dated 13 June 2018, the Secretary General criticised Gafcon for developing grassroots ministry networks, describing them as un-Anglican and inaccurately suggesting that they harbour “potential for schism.”

On behalf of Gafcon, Archbishop Peter Jensen made a strong response to these false allegations today:

“The attempt by Anglican Communion Office to challenge the Gafcon Primates for supporting new ministries is further evidence of how much the institutional form of Anglicanism is out of touch with spiritual reality.

The launch of our networks is a sign of spiritual vitality which ought to be welcomed and applauded. Voluntary movements getting involved in much needed ministry has a long tradition within the Anglican Communion.

This anxious missive suggests a fear that people are not under the control of some central organisation. Had the institutions of the Communion been clearer in their theological stance, movements of reform and renewal like Gafcon may not have arisen. Now, however, the wisdom of God is displayed in that the work and the workers are adding to the ministry of the gospel. Thanksgiving rather than criticism is surely the appropriate response.”­

The Jerusalem Statement from the first Gafcon conference in 2008 came to “the devastating conclusion that we are a global Communion with a colonial structure.” Ten years later, Dr. Fearon’s letter is another example of this persistent reality.

Background

For decades the Anglican Consultative Council and its secretariat, heavily funded by western revisionists, has shown little respect for the matters of conscience which currently separate Anglicans.  The recent history of its networks reveals a pattern of trivializing the Communion’s challenges by attempting to draw orthodox Anglicans into closer cooperation with those who continue to tear the fabric of the Communion.  Gafcon is stepping into this vacuum to provide leadership and ministry networks for those who share a common foundation in Scripture.

– from GAFCON.

Related:

“A letter has been received by GAFCON primates meeting here in Jerusalem written by Josiah Idowu-Fearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative Council condemning the actions of the Primates in establishing seven new Networks to reach the growing demands of the Anglican Communion.

While the letter has not been made public, Sydney Archbishop Glenn Davies confirmed the existence of the letter at a press conference today and described it as written in a fit of ‘pique’ by the Secretary General. …”

(Photos: GAFCON Media.)

“Claims the Anglican Communion News Service (ACNS) was denied accreditation at the GAFCON III conference are incorrect, the director of communications for the pan-Anglican gathering in Jerusalem tells Anglican Ink…”

 

Largest International gathering of Anglicans in 50 years meets in Jerusalem

“The largest international gathering of Anglicans in 50 years is meeting in Jerusalem this week under the theme “Proclaiming Christ Faithfully to the Nations.”  1,966 delegates from over 50 countries have come on the 10-year anniversary of the renewal movement’s founding in the Holy Land to launch 9 new ministry networks. …”

– Encouragement from GAFCON, with links to some highlights of GAFCON 2018 so far.

To illustrate the international nature of the gathering, the Media team has posted ‘The Fashions of GAFCON’.

“GAFCON is not an alternative Anglican Communion because …”

“A recurring theme of the first two days of GAFCON has been ‘We are not leaving Anglicanism. Others have left by departing from the Anglican formularies, particularly its commitment to the authority of scripture.’  …

Archbishop Stanley Ntagali reported the May 30 decision of the Uganda House of Bishops on any participation in the Lambeth Anglican Communion.

  1. We are not attending Lambeth 2020
  2. Unless godly order is restored we will not attend other meetings invited by Canterbury
  3. Unless ACNA and the new Brazil Province are invited we will not attend any meetings invited by Canterbury

This was greeted by a standing ovation followed by spontaneous singing of the East African Revival Hymn Tukutendereza Yesu (We praise you Jesus). …”

– Chris Sugden reports on GAFCON 2018 at Anglican Mainstream.

Photo of Archbishop Ntagali – GAFCON Media.

GAFCON described as ‘ecumenical gathering’ by Anglican Communion News Service

“The third international conference organised by the Gafcon movement has begun in Jerusalem. Organisers say that 2,000 people are taking part – media reports suggest that 230 are from Uganda.

The ecumenical gathering attracts a large number of Anglicans. Many in Jerusalem are now members of independent churches set up in opposition to official Anglican Churches and Provinces. …”

– Here’s a rather sad news report from the Anglican Communion News Service.

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