Crown Nominations Commission — nothing to report

“This week’s meeting of the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) has been accompanied by much speculation about possible candidates and the likely timing of an announcement of the name of who will succeed Dr Rowan Williams as Archbishop of Canterbury  … There will be no comment on any speculation about candidates or about the CNC’s deliberations.”

– from the Anglican Communion News Service.

Archbishop of Canterbury interview: I don’t think I cracked it

The Telegraph in the UK has an exit interview with Archbishop Rowan Williams –

“Teetering piles of books crowd the floor of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s study. He apologises for the clutter; he is having a clear-out. Dr Rowan Williams has more than three months to go before he leaves office, yet already the preparations are under way. As we sit by the fireplace lined with icons for what he intends to be the last major interview of his episcopacy, he is happy to sift through the highs and lows of a decade at Lambeth Palace…”

– Read here.

Beware of Anglicans bearing gifts

The American Anglican Council’s Phil Ashey reflects on statements by the Anglican Communion Office’s Secretary General on the relationship of TEC to the Anglican Communion.

Canon Ashey writes:

“This is like an arsonist’s victim saying ‘What is surprising and heartening is that we are in conversation with the arsonist, and that even though our house has burned down the conversation has been a great learning experience for all of us.’

Secretary Kearon’s statement is important because it gives insight into the mind of those who are shaping the agenda for the upcoming Anglican Consultative Council meeting (ACC-15) in Auckland, New Zealand in October.”

– Read it all here.

When to jump ship?

“Anyone in a mainline denomination infected by liberalism, or some other divergence from the evangelical faith, will have faced the question of when to stay or when to go? How bad does the denomination have to get before you decide to abandon ship? Recently, this question came closer to home as an evangelical Anglican pastor in Australia, when a bishop in another diocese knowingly appointed a clergyman in an open same-sex relationship to charge of a parish. …”

– Over at The Briefing, Sandy Grant mulls the question – with help from John Charles Ryle.

Communiqué of the Global South Primates, Bangkok, 20 July 2012

“We, the Primates and representatives of 17 Global South Provinces, met in Bangkok, Thailand, from 18-20 July 2012, in conjunction with the Global South Conference on the Decade of Mission and Networking. …

6.  We note with great sadness the passing of Resolution A049 at the 77th General Convention of The Episcopal Church which authorized a liturgy for blessing same-sex unions. This action confirms our disappointment that The Episcopal Church has no regard for the concerns and convictions of the vast majority of Anglicans worldwide.

7.  We stand in solidarity with our brethren in the Communion Partners who have dissented from this action. …”

– from the Communiqué from the meeting.

South Carolina speaks out on TEC General Convention

The Bishop of South Carolina, Mark Lawrence, has requested that a letter be read aloud to all congregations in his diocese today, following landmark votes at the TEC General Convention during the week –

“Given these changes in the doctrine, discipline and worship of the Episcopal Church the question that is before us is: ‘What does being faithful to Jesus Christ look like for this diocese at this time? How are we called to live and be and act?  In this present context, how do we make Biblical Anglicans for a Global Age?’”

Read the text of his letter below – Read more

NZ Church to hold conversations ‘with the wider community’ on marriage

“Without dissent, and after a debate that at times included displays of raw emotion, the synod passed a resolution that “asks Episcopal Units to hold conversations in our church and with the wider community about the nature of marriage.”

It’s clear that the mover of the resolution, the Rev Glynn Cardy, of St Matthew-in-the-City, in Auckland, hopes this will lead, eventually, to the possibility of gay and lesbian couples getting married in Anglican churches…”

– more ‘conversations’ coming to the Anglican Church of NZ. Text of resolution here.

‘Divine Conference’ attracts 2000 to All Saints Nairobi

“In the West the adjective ‘divine’ is used more to describe chocolate or clothes than the things of God, but the ‘Divine Conference’ held at Nairobi’s All Saints’ Cathedral last month, 24-27 May, was intended to be exactly what it said it was – a time given to God for his glory and to seek his face. …”

– Charles Raven, now based in Kenya, looks at what’s happening in East Africa. At Anglican Mainstream.

USPG to change its name

The 311-year-old United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel will change its name:

“…over the decades, this view of mission has shifted, and the focus today is on inspiring local communities to unlock their potential…”

– Report from the Anglican Communion News Service. Related: USPG.

New Archbishop of Uganda elected

“On 22nd June 2012, at a press conference held at the Archbishop’s Palace, Namirembe, the Rt. Rev. Nicodemus Okille, Dean of the Church of the Province of Uganda, announced that the Rt. Rev. Stanley Ntagali was elected the 8th Archbishop of the Church of Uganda. The election was held during a meeting of the House of Bishops on Friday, 22nd June, 2012, at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Namirembe…”

– Report from The Anglican Communion News Service.

An important contribution to a vital debate

An important book, which meets a desperate need, is due to be launched next week.

“Sometimes we all just wish this debate would go away. Christians aren’t preoccupied with this subject, they’re preoccupied with Jesus. However, this is the form in which the gospel of Jesus is under most direct challenge just at the moment and we need the courage and the resources to take our stand on the teaching of Scripture.” – Mark Thompson

ACL President Dr. Mark Thompson explains why the book is important:

“The debate about homosexual behaviour and the concerted attempt by the gay lobby and others to gain legitimacy by rebadging homosexual liaisons as ‘same-sex marriage’ is quite intense at the moment. A culture bankrupt of any moral compass increasingly accepts the gay lobby’s caricature of Christians who take the Bible’s teaching on the subject seriously as bigots and homophobes.  Read more

St. Hilda’s says goodbye to a building

“Today was our last Sunday worshipping in the building that has been known as “St. Hilda’s” for the last 53 years. A negotiated settlement with the Diocese of Niagara will result in the building being turned over to the diocese on June 1st. …”

– Anglican Essentials Canada blog reports on the last service at St. Hilda’s Oakville in Ontario.

Photo: David Jenkins. More photos here.

An Anglican Conference focussed on the Future

Gav Poole was among the attendees at the FCA Conference in London –

“The crisis has happened, there is impairment within the communion and now we look forward to the renewal of the Anglican communion.”

“The Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA) leaders conference was held in London, 23 to 27 April. It was made up of 200 delegates within the Anglican communion from 30 countries. The theme of the conference was ‘Jesus the Christ: Unique and Supreme’.

The conference was designed to critique the current state of the Anglican communion and under teaching from the Scriptures move the delegates to a common commitment as to the direction of the FCA and its role within the Anglican communion. The program included Bible studies, services, seminars and networking. It culminated in the adoption of a conference commitment at the end of the week.  Read more

Southern Cone declines to ratify Bishop of Uruguay’s election

“The House of Bishops and provincial executive committee of the Iglesia Anglicana del Cono Sur (de América) have declined to ratify the election of the Ven. Michael Pollesel as Bishop of Uruguay.

At the close of their 21 – 25 May 2012 meeting in Montevideo the bishops released a statement saying that ‘after discussion and prayer and in accord with its canons the Provincial Executive of the Cono Sur together with its College of Bishops did not ratify the election of the Ven. Dr. Michael Pollesel as bishop-coadjutor for Uruguay’…

Last December, Dr. Pollesel, the former general secretary of the Anglican Church of Canada … was elected Bishop of Uruguay by the diocesan synod to succeed Bishop Tamayo who retires in June.

Concerns whether Dr. Pollesel shared the Cono Sur’s doctrinal and Scriptural views or followed those prevalent in the Anglican Church of Canada were raised after his election…”

– Full story at Anglican Ink.
(Photo of ACA Archbishop Fred Hilz with Dr Michael Pollesel: Anglican Journal.)

The costly faithfulness of The Falls Church

“The Falls Church is one of hundreds of congregations across the country that have given up their buildings rather than stay affiliated with a branch of their church they believe denies the final authority of Scripture. …”

– Alicia Constant writes about Falls Church at The Gospel Coalition. (h/t Tim Challies.)

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