GAFCON — threat, option, or only future?
“Two Archbishops walk into a bar for a relaxing drink after a hard day’s work in committee. One of them, in placing his order, starts a conversation with the man serving the drinks. He beckons to his purple shirted companion and over the next few minutes, the two of them share the Gospel with the bartender, and lead him to faith in Christ. Later both prelates testify that for them, this was the highlight of the conference.
Thankfully its not impossible to imagine that this story involved Most Reverends Welby and Sentamu, but in fact it was related by one of the GAFCON Primates who had been told the story by his two fellow Archbishop-evangelists at their meeting last week…”
– Andrew Symes at Anglican Mainstream asks if GAFCON is a threat to the Anglican Communion.
Archbishop of Canterbury visits Cairo
Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, visited Cairo earlier this week, to stand with Christians facing persecution.
Here’s a report on the Diocese of Egypt website.
GAFCON Primates Communique 17 April 2015 — We are not leaving the Anglican Communion
Next GAFCON Conference in 2018
“We are not leaving the Anglican Communion.”
“We invite all faithful Anglicans to join us in renewing the Communion…”
“This week, from 13th to 17th April 2015, we have met in London for prayer and fellowship in order to help chart the future of global Anglicanism. We are uniting faithful Anglicans, growing in momentum, structured for the future, and committed to the Anglican Communion. …
We are excited to announce that the next GAFCON conference will be in 2018. This global gathering now serves a critical function in the life of the Anglican Communion as it is an effective instrument of unity which is capable of gathering the majority of the world’s Anglicans. … A further announcement will be made when the details of the venue have been confirmed.
… We continue to encourage and support the efforts of those working to restore the Church of England’s commitment to Biblical truth. Equally, we authenticate and support the work of those Anglicans who are boldly spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and whose circumstances require operating outside the old, institutional structures. …
We are not leaving the Anglican Communion. The members of our churches stand at the heart of the Communion, which is why we are committed to its renewal. We belong to the mainstream, and we are moving forward.”
– The GAFCON Primates Council has released this encouraging Communique after their meeting in London. Full Communique below: Read more
Beginning in Jerusalem: The Theological Significance of the 2008 Global Anglican Future Conference
Archbishop Peter Jensen gave the Richard B. Gaffin Lecture at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia on March 18, 2015.
In “Beginning in Jerusalem: The Theological Significance of the 2008 Global Anglican Future Conference”, he explains the reasons for GAFCON, giving a glimpse of the pain involved, and the hope for the future. Speaking to his Westminster audience, he said, “You perhaps need to enter into our experience so you can prepare yourself for what may come.”
This is a sobering encouragement to watch. Thanks to Church Society for the link.
Related:
GAFCON Final Statement and the Jerusalem Declaration – 29 June 2008.
The Jerusalem Declaration formatted as a PDF file.
Archbishop sends message to Kenya after attack
Anglican Diocese of Sydney
Public Statement
Friday 3rd April, 2015
Archbishop Glenn Davies this afternoon sent a message of condolence to the Anglican Primate of Kenya, Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, after the attack on Garissa University which killed more than 140 students.
The text of the message reads:
We are shocked and dismayed by this wanton and deliberate attack on Kenyan citizens in Garissa where Christians in particular seem to have been singled out.
The violence and loss of life is sickening.
We grieve with the families of students who have lost loved ones, some of whom were deliberately targeted because they own the name of Jesus.
May God enable you and the church to stand firm in this time of testing.
You may be assured of our prayers for peace in the nation of Kenya, for healing for those injured and bereaved, and for our brothers and sisters to stand firm in the face of persecution and to be filled with a spirit of love, the perfect love which drives out fear (1 John 4:18).
– source SydneyAnglicans.net
Pakistan bomb attack — March 15 2015
“The attacks took place as Christians met together for Sunday morning worship services in the predominantly Christian neighbourhood of Youhanabad in Lahore, capital of Pakistan’s Punjab province. The two churches targeted were separated from each other by about half a kilometre…”
– Barnabas Fund has this summary and appeal for prayer and financial assistance.
And the Primate of The Church of Pakistan, Bishop Samuel Azariah, also asks for prayer. (Anglican Communion News Service.)
Phillip Jensen on Anglican Evangelicalism
In the latest Preaching Matters video from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, Phillip Jensen speaks about what it is to be an Evangelical Anglican.
In doing so, he explores the difference between ‘followers of Calvin’ and ‘followers of Calvinism’. (Mike Ovey responds here.)
GAFCON Lent Pastoral Letter
“A Church that is no longer able to say ‘it is written’ has placed itself in great spiritual danger, but that is where the Anglican Communion could be led according to a review just released of ‘Living Reconciliation’, a book written to promote the ‘Continuing Indaba’ project…”
– Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, Chairman of the GAFCON Primates’ Council, writes in his Lent Pastoral Letter.
‘Whole church’ movement gathers momentum
“The Australian branch of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GFCA), a worldwide movement promoting reform of the Anglican Church around the biblical gospel, is set to be launched.
The GFCA was created at the landmark Global Anglican Future Conference, or GAFCON, in Jerusalem in 2008. Now the Australian body is being launched at the Anglican Future Conference in Melbourne on March 26…”
– Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net previews the Anglican Future Conference 2015 to be held in Melbourne 25 – 27 March. The ACL is one of the sponsors.
See also the ACL’s related day conference in Sydney on Saturday 21 March.
Uganda urged to remember Janani Luwum
“More than 20,000 people gathered in Mucwini, Kitgum, today to honour and celebrate the life, ministry, and martyrdom of Archbishop Janani Luwum, the Church of Uganda’s 2nd Ugandan Archbishop.
After arresting him on false charges, former President Idi Amin Dada assassinated him on 16th February 1977…”
– from The Church of Uganda.
Many readers will remember Bishop Festo Kivengere visiting Sydney after the assassination – and his powerful evangelistic talks and book “I love Idi Amin”.
Related: Moore College’s audio files of Bishop Festo Kivengere.
Living Reconciliation ‘Deeply Problematic’
“Dr Martin Davie, a widely respected Church of England theologian, has exposed serious flaws in ‘Living Reconciliation’, a book published recently by the Anglican Communion Office to champion its ‘Continuing Indaba’ project…”
– from GAFCON. And the book in question.
‘South Carolina Decision a full vindication for victims of ECUSA’s Oppression’
“Circuit Judge Diane S. Goodstein’s carefully crafted 46-page decision in the case brought by Bishop Mark Lawrence’s Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina (along with 35 of its parishes, plus St. Andrew’s, Mt. Pleasant) against the Episcopal Church (USA) and its rump group (ECSC, or “Episcopal Church in South Carolina”) is a complete vindication of the positions taken and arguments advanced for so long, by so many, inside and outside the Church. It is a vindication first, for the Right Reverend Mark Lawrence…”
– Christian lawyer A.S. Haley sums up the South Carolina decision.
See also this report from the Diocese of South Carolina. (Photo: Bishop Mark Lawrence.)
Jesus Seminar’s Marcus Borg dies
“Marcus J. Borg, a New Testament scholar, theologian and author who was associated for years with the search for the historical Jesus and who sought to put the New Testament in what he believed was its proper context, died Jan. 21. …
There will be a memorial service honoring Borg’s life at [Portland] cathedral on March 22. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will officiate.”
– Report from The Episcopal News Service. Photo: www.marcusjborg.com
GAFCON Chairman’s Pastoral Letter — January 2015
“My dear brothers and sisters,
As I send this first pastoral letter of 2015, receive greetings in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday, today and forever! …
One of the great challenges for African Christianity is for the many who identify as ‘born again’ to become mature disciples of Christ. This is especially necessary given the challenge of what Pope Francis last week described as ‘ideological colonisation’, which is the practice of tying aid and development resources to the promotion of alien understandings of gender, the family and sexual behaviour.
Money is a very powerful tool and manipulation can happen with varying degrees of subtlety.”
A letter from GAFCON Primates — responding to the ‘Transformation Through Friendship’ communiqué
“A Consultation of GAFCON Primates and Bishops of Africa was held in Nairobi on 3rd & 4th December 2014 to consider a response to the ‘Transformation Through Friendship’ communiqué released from New York on 28th October, signed by five African Primates, including the Chairman of CAPA (the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa), Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi, and the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States.
A letter was sent from the Nairobi meeting to Archbishop Ntahoturi, copied to the other African Primates and as no reply has been received, the letter is now being made public in order to avoid misunderstanding.
The New York Communiqué does not speak for the Anglican Provinces of Africa and it is a matter of very great regret that the ‘Continuing Indaba’ strategy has led to the division of African Anglicans.”
From the letter:
“First, the document itself is a manipulation. It is in fact, not principally about “Friendship” but is in fact an attempt to further advance the unbiblical and false teaching of The Episcopal Church.
Second, we reject the characterisation that the communiqué represents “African Primates and Bishops.” Given that there is absolutely no acknowledgement that there are other African Primates and Bishops who do not agree, the document, of which you were a collaborator and signatory, presents itself falsely. It does not represent the faith of the overwhelming majority of African Christians…”
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…