GAFCON votes to expand
GAFCON is continuing to build for the future:
“To affirm and endorse the position of the Primates Council in providing oversight in cases where Provinces and Dioceses compromise biblical faith, including the affirmation of a duly discerned call to ministry. This may involve ordination and consecration if the situation requires.”
GAFCON News Release, Friday 25th October 2013 –
The second Global Anglican Future Conference, which concludes this weekend in Nairobi, resolved to expand its leadership role in supporting and recognising Anglicans in places where Biblical faith has been compromised.
A meeting of bishops within the conference this week voted without dissent to affirm the Primates Council in recognizing and overseeing theologically isolated Anglicans. This includes the expansion of the Anglican Mission in England and similar bodies around the Communion.
The text of the GAFCON Bishops’ resolution follows:
To affirm and endorse the position of the Primates Council in providing oversight in cases where Provinces and Dioceses compromise biblical faith, including the affirmation of a duly discerned call to ministry. This may involve ordination and consecration if the situation requires.
The 331 Bishops and Archbishops attending GAFCON 2013 met at All Saints Cathedral, a greater number than in the first GAFCON in Jerusalem in 2008.
“We came to Nairobi seeking God’s guidance for the future. Should we stop? Should we slow down? The Bishops told us we must go on.” said Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, Primate of Kenya and Chairman of GAFCON.
The General Secretary of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, Dr Peter Jensen, said “The problems of the communion in the 21st Century were aired last weekend. But this conference, this movement, is not just calling attention to the dysfunction, it’s about building for the future.”
The General Secretary described GAFCON as unique – gathering Archbishops, Bishops and clergy as well as lay men and women.
Those attending also took part in smaller groups discussing issues such as marriage and family, women, Gospel and culture, theological education and Islam.
The conference attracted 1,358 delegates – 871 Clergy, 487 laity.
There will be a final conference communiqué released tomorrow with more detail and further announcements about the future of the movement.
– from GAFCON. Photo: Andrew Gross, ACNA. (Emphasis added.)
Women’s mini-conference
The Women’s mini-conference is the focus of this highlights video from GAFCON.
Bishop Charlie Masters talks about the Diocese of Niagara
“At GAFCON 2, Bishop Charlie Masters discussed how ANiC [Anglican Network in Canada] priests were treated by their former church. …”
– Anglican TV via Anglican Samizdat.
(Context: earlier posts mentioning Charlie Masters and St. George’s Lowville.)
Global challenge – the UK situation
Paul Perkin, Vicar St Mark’s Battersea Rise in London gave GAFCON attendees an update on the situation in the UK –
“The largest Anglican church in England has 23 ordained ministers and thousands of young people being discipled to follow Christ. It is producing over 30 ordinands every year. …
So Jesus is the sovereign, risen Lord, miraculously active in the UK, prospering gospel evangelism, pouring out his Holy Spirit, growing the churches and planting new ones, and bringing glory to himself in it all.
However, the opposite to the dream of the church penetrating the nation is the nightmare of a secular nation invading the church. This is the contrary scene and it is also happening in Britain.”
– Read his remarks via the GAFCON website
or watch them via Anglican TV (19 minutes).
The Grace of God OR the world of the West?
“My first really significant encounter with worldwide Anglicanism came at theological college.
It was 1990 and an east African priest was on secondment with us. He preached in the college chapel. He posed a question. Which gospel, he asked, which gospel do you westerners want us to believe? The one you came with or the one you preach now? Which gospel? I was horrified, not because what he said was not true. I was horrified because it was true.
My east African brother’s question has nagged away at me ever since. But how has it come about that we have a different gospel now from the one we first preached. What is this difference between what we westerners say now and what we said then? …”
– Dr. Mike Ovey, Principal of Oak Hill College, speaking at a GAFCON Plenary session. Full text PDF from GAFCON. Watch it here, courtesy Anglican TV. (Photo: Stephen Sizer.)
See also:
Archbishop Peter Jensen – “GAFCON is a way of delivering friendship and unity” – Sunday 20th October – transcript (GAFCON) and video (Anglican TV).
GAFCON 2013 Tuesday Highlights
A 2 minute 40 second video-montage of Tuesday at GAFCON in Nairobi.
The Global Challenge
Archbishop Dr Eliud Wabukala, Primate of Kenya and Chairman of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans –
“The challenge we face is that the nations which were once the spiritual powerhouses of world wide mission have now become deeply secularised and even hostile to the Christian faith and the Churches of those lands have more often than not been strongly influenced by the societies in which they are set.
I am aware that for some of you, the threat of violence from Islamic extremism may be uppermost your minds, and we have had a painful reminder of that reality recently here in Kenya, but that which really rots the fabric of the Communion is the much more insidious process by which weak churches are gradually taken captive by the surrounding culture.”
– from The Chairman’s Address at GAFCON on Tuesday 22nd October. Read it all.
The official photo of Bishops and Archbishops attending gives some indication of the shift in global Christianity. See who you can spot in the full size version. (Photo: GAFCON.)
The Archbishop’s earlier greetings can be seen here from Anglican TV.
GAFCON not ‘a breakaway movement’
“Leaders of the Global Anglican Future Conference … refuted characterizations in the western press of the gathering as a breakaway movement, with recently retired Archbishop Peter Jensen of Sydney responding that ‘nothing could be further from the truth.’…”
– Report from GAFCON.
Edited highlights from the press conference may be seen here on Vimeo.
Nairobi conference confirms major realignment in Anglican Communion
“Although initially expecting 1100, the final total is 1,352 Archbishops, Bishops, clergy and lay people, men and women, from almost 40 countries. The number of bishops attending is 331, of whom 30 are Archbishops.. …” – from GAFCON.
Archbishop Welby addresses GAFCON
Kevin Kallsen of Anglican TV has posted video of Archbishop Welby’s sermon at All Saints’ Cathedral in Nairobi yesterday.
‘Welby backs GAFCON vision for a renewed Church’
“The Archbishop of Canterbury offered his qualified personal endorsement to Gafcon today, telling the congregation of All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi his vision for the future of the Anglican Communion was of a Bible-based church dedicated to mission and evangelism – goals shared by the Gafcon movement of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA).
… he conceded the existing instruments of communion were no longer fit for purpose in ordering the life of the Anglican world. …”
– From George Conger at Anglican Ink.
Nairobi Cathedral welcomes Primates for GAFCON 2013
Thousands packed multiple services at Nairobi’s All Saints Cathedral on the eve of the Global Anglican Future Conference (Sunday 20th October).
Leading the joyous congregants was the Primate of Kenya and chairman of GAFCON, Eliud Wabukala, along with members of the GAFCON Primates Council and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Archbishop Justin Welby joined Archbishop Robert Duncan, Primate of the Anglican Church in North America, Presiding Bishop Tito Zavala of the Southern Cone, Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul of Sudan, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh of Nigeria and Archbishop Henri Isingoma of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Archbishops Duncan and Bishop Zavala joined in celebrating communion while Archbishop Welby preached, in a truly international event.
The Archbishop of Canterbury spoke of a ‘new Anglican Communion’ saying new structures were needed for the 21st Century.
Later the Primates and Archbishop Welby attended a luncheon reception.
“It is a great privilege to have shared this lunch with you and to be here as you set off on this extraordinary week which I hope and pray will move the whole Anglican Communion forward.”
The General Secretary of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Dr Peter Jensen said “I believe that the new Anglican Communion could be seen at the first GAFCON in 2008.”
“This great gathering in Nairobi is a model for our partnership with each other within the Anglican Communion, based on the truth of the Bible.” Dr Jensen said.
Source: GAFCON. Photo: Russell Powell.
Welcome to Nairobi
Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, Archbishop of Kenya and Chairman of GAFCON, welcomes GAFCON attendees – and also the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is present for the earlier two-day GAFCON Primates’ meeting.
“I am very happy to welcome you to All Saints Cathedral this morning and I especially want to recognise His Grace, the Archbishop of Canterbury who will be our preacher this morning. This is the second visit to Kenya he has made this year so we are very privileged! It is a great joy that we are together in this service as we enjoy fellowship in Christ with our brother Primates.
But the word on everybody’s lips today is GAFCON. … We are welcoming over 1,300 delegates from around the world, some of whom are already with us to share in our worship this morning. We are so happy you are here and we welcome you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. …”
– Read it all at the GAFCON website. Photo: Russell Powell.
Beware of imposters
Just in case you get any appeals for money –
“It has been ascertained that there are accounts on Facebook purportedly using the name of the Primate of the Anglican Church in Nigeria Most Rev. Nicholas D. Okoh asking for funds for various projects. This is no doubt the handiwork of fraudsters to extort money. To link the name of the Primate with these clandestine activities on the Internet is deceitful. Primate Okoh will not ask for this, never.
We therefore warn people of questionable character to desist from these illegal acts or face the wrath of God.”
– from the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion.
Update: Scam warning for Anglican Communion members.
GAFCON and the Archbishop of Canterbury
“The Archbishop of Canterbury will visit GAFCON primates just before the opening of GAFCON 2013 in Nairobi.
GAFCON Primates are holding a two day meeting, then 1200 leaders and lay people from the UK, Asia, Africa, the Pacific and South America will fly in to Nairobi for the Global Anglican Future Conference starting on Monday, October 21st.
GAFCON Chairman Eliud Wabukala invited Archbishop Justin Welby to send greetings to the conference and he indicated he was unable to do so in person because of commitments during the week. His office has since confirmed he will make a flying visit to speak with the Primates.
The general secretary of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, Dr Peter Jensen, says “The Archbishop’s decision to come to the Primates meeting is a recognition of the importance of such a large and significant gathering of Anglicans from around the world and he will be made very welcome.”
Issued 7/10/13.”
– News from GAFCON.
Related: Unforced Anglican errors from The Telegraph – GetReligion.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…