Spiritually Discerning the Redefinition of Marriage
“Between the 11th and 15th of January 2016 the Primates of the Anglican Communion met to deliberate over a number of issues, including the question of a growing demand for affirming homosexual unions within the Western provinces.
This week, in his Presidential address to the General Synod, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby spoke of the Primates meeting, the beauty and energy of the Anglican communion coming together in unity, as well as the crucial process of decision-making and development not being a matter of canons and rules, but one of discernment by the Spirit, based in relationship – but apparently not in revelation. Amidst all the Christian-sounding terminology, what is it that the archbishop was actually saying?
When Welby’s address is read in conjunction with the recently published letter of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to Jayne Ozanne, a homosexual activist and director of Accepting Evangelicals, a clear pattern and approach to the questions of marriage and human sexuality on the part of the Anglican church emerges, which reflects the radically changed priorities of the established church – a process that has been going on for many decades – to declare man’s word for the cultural moment rather than God’s unchanging word to the world. …”
– So, whose word is our authority?
Dr Joe Boot, Senior Pastor at Westminster Chapel, Toronto, has published this strong piece at the Ezra Institute of Contemporary Christianity. Read the full article here.
TEC will go to the ACC meeting in Lusaka and they will vote, ACC chairman says
“The Episcopal Church “cannot be kicked out of the Anglican Communion and will never be kicked out of the Anglican Communion,” the chairman of the Anglican Consultative Council told a seminary audience last week…”
– Report from Anglican Ink via GAFCON.
GAFCON Chairman’s Pastoral Letter February 2016
“Some of you are asking what GAFCON’s approach will be during the three years that TEC are subject to sanctions and what will happen at the end of that time, given that TEC appear to have moved well beyond the possibility of changing course.
At our Primates Council in April, we will take counsel together on these matters, but I can say that all of us in the GAFCON movement need to set our faces to go to Jerusalem. While we honour Canterbury as the mother See of the Anglican Communion, it was at Jerusalem that we placed our hope for the future in Jesus and the truth of the Bible…”
– Read all of Archbishop Eliud Wabukala’s letter here.
Archbishop of Canterbury gives his take on the Primates’ meeting
From the Anglican Communion News Service:
“The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has used his presidential address to the Church of England’s General Synod to update members on last month’s Primates Meeting and Gathering in Canterbury. He also gave his impression about the current state of the Anglican Communion.”
– This is Archbishop Welby’s fullest account of his understanding of what took place in Canterbury last month. Worth reading in full. Photo: ACNS.
Bishop Charlie Masters’ Reflections on Canterbury – Two weeks after
Bishop Charlie Masters, of the Anglican Network in Canada, shares some further reflections on what happened at the Primates’ Meeting in Canterbury –
“Those of us who have been living through what’s known as the realignment of Anglicanism – which incidentally began June 15, 2002 in Vancouver – are familiar with the image of the iceberg. What you see above the waterline though it may be immense is actually less than 1/8 of the complete iceberg; 7/8 of the iceberg looms below the surface. It is a big mistake to assume that the visible ice is all there is.
As Archbishop Foley said in his statement what happened at these meetings was only a beginning. But it IS a beginning, for which we can thank God.
As to the issue of discipline, although one could argue that the scope was far too narrow and the discipline far too weak and that others, including the ACoC should have been included, nevertheless this small step of discipline WAS taken. What was done was a good beginning…”
– Read it all on the ANiC website – or here as a PDF file.
ACNA clarifies Archbishop Beach’s participation at Primates 2016
“The Anglican Church in North America has received numerous questions regarding whether or not Archbishop Beach was ‘a full voting member of the Primates Meeting…’.”
– Statement from ACNA.
‘The Ugandans remember’
In this week’s video chat (Anglican Unscripted) between Anglican TV’s Kevin Kallsen and Anglican Ink’s George Conger, the topic is the Primates’ Meeting, and the TEC response.
They ask if the exclusion of TEC from certain kinds of participation is a consequence (as the Archbishop of Canterbury says) or discipline? They also respond to suggestions from some in North America that only the Anglican Consultative Council, and not the Primates, has authority to act on these matters.
Watch it here. 18 minutes.
Related
Legalism v. love — Peter Ould on responses to the Canterbury communique – Anglican Ink.
“Here’s two simple things to remember.
i) They’re absolutely right (the ones who claim the Primates have no statutory power to demand such a sanction / consequence)
ii) It doesn’t matter in the slightest, the sanction / consequence is still going to happen because the force behind them is not one of law but one of love…”
A grubby little incident – by Robert Tong at SydneyAnglicans.net, on the 2009 Anglican Consultative Council -14 meeting in Jamaica.
“In a naked display of political power, the American Episcopal Church leadership stopped the Rev Philip Ashey, the clergy representative of the Province of Uganda, from taking his place at the 14th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council held in Jamaica…”
Canadian Primate reponds to criticism
“I am aware of sharp criticism over what some regard to have been a failure on my part to stand in solidarity with The Episcopal Church in openly rejecting the relational consequences it bears as a result of The Primates’ Meeting, or in accepting similar consequences for our own Church. Allow me to comment on each of these matters. …
I was not and am not prepared to take any action that would pre-empt the outcome of our deliberations at General Synod in July. As the report ‘This Holy Estate’ declares, ‘It is for the General Synod to decide the matter’ in accord with the jurisdiction given it regarding ‘the definition of doctrine in harmony with the Solemn Declaration’.’
– Anglican Church of Canada Primate Fred Hiltz speaks about the fallout from the Primates’ Meeting.
‘Primates reaffirm teaching on marriage’ — encouragements and concerns
“In the immediate aftermath of the gathering of Anglican Primates last week, what are we to make of it all? … Some of the initial headlines suggested that all will be well for the Church, but a closer analysis shows that there are some real concerns going forward, as well as some encouragements…”
– Anglican Mainstream’s Rev. Andrew Symes comments on the outcomes of the Primates’ Meeting.
Amidst some real encouragements, he turns to the apologies which have been voiced by some –
“While part of the Church’s role is to encourage love of neighbour and pastoral care of all people, its Gospel witness is compromised if it suggests that it is saying sorry to people whose feelings have been hurt by the clear teaching of the Bible and basic principles of Christian discipleship.”
Reform Media Statement, Jan 16th, 2016
Reform in the UK has published this media statement in the light of last week’s Primates’s gathering:
REFORM Media Statement – 16th January 2016
Read more
Anglican TV interviews ACNA Primate Foley Beach on the Primates’ Meeting
“tremendous for GAFCON.”
In this 20 minute interview with Archbishop Foley Beach, recorded by Anglican TV’s Kevin Kallsen, Archbishop Beach speaks about his experience of the Primates’ 2016 meeting. Very frank, informative and encouraging.
‘Time for GAFCON to lay down conditions for Lambeth 2020’
“GAFCON needs to make clear soon that it will not participate in Lambeth 2020 if the ACNA bishops are not invited. If it does not publicly lay down this condition, then that would allow the revisionist institutional narrative to gain momentum in the Anglican Communion.”
– in an opinion piece published at Anglican Mainstream, The Rev Julian Mann argues that GAFCON needs to set its sights on the 2020 Lambeth Conference (if it hasn’t already).
Photo: Julian Mann with Archbishop Dr. Ben Kwashi.
Dr Peter Jensen reflects on how the Primates’ meeting went
“A small beginning to what we long for – the renewal of our Communion.”
Peter Jensen interviewed from London by Dominic Steele
Dominic Steele writes:
“Dr Peter Jensen, the General Secretary of GAFCON and Former Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, will be speaking with me from London at 9pm on Sunday night on 2CH 1170 about the outcome of the important meeting of the international leaders of the Anglican Church this week in Canterbury.”
The interview was conducted, as advertised, and the audio file is now available on Dominic’s website.
Dominic also spoke with David Ould for his take on Primates2016.
Primates’ 2016 press conference
Kevin Kallsen at Anglican TV has made available his video of the Primates’ Press Conference. The event was held at 1500 BST on Friday 15th January. The GAFCON Primates had left shortly before.
The meeting began with Archbishop Welby announcing the sad news of the wife of the Archbishop of Wales.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…