How God has used GAFCON over the last 10 years

“I’m travelling in Tanzania at the moment and am aware that many in Australia will have heard of the happenings at GAFCON in Kigali, but may not be fully aware of what led to this point and just how significant this is for our fellowship with Anglicans around the world. So let me share some of the testimony I gave to the conference about why GAFCON matters.

It was not a complete history and so I apologise for any incorrect or missing elements. But I spoke as a person who had the great privilege of attending GAFCON 2008 in Jerusalem when I was a rector in a Western Australian parish in the Diocese of Perth – a diocese self-described at that time as a liberal and progressive diocese…”

– Archbishop of Sydney Kanishka Raffel shares something of the history of GAFCON. Great cause for thanksgiving to Almighty God.

Photo: The Western Australian contingent at GAFCON 2008 in Jerusalem, with Kanishka Raffel at right. With thanks to Russell Powell.

Brett Murphy — I have joined the Free Church of England (GAFCON)

The Rev Brett Murphy, who recently announced he was leaving the Church of England, shares that he has joined the GAFCON-aligned Free Church of England.

Most encouraging, and a reminder that GAFCON encompasses a range of Anglican churchmanship which is committed to Biblical orthodoxy.

Gafcon Collect

“Eternal God and gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ died for our redemption; commissioned His disciples to preach the good news; and sent the indwelling Holy Spirit in every generation to embrace and proclaim salvation in Christ alone: 

Arise and defend your Church, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. Shine the light of your Holy Word upon hearts darkened by error and strengthen the work of Gafcon so that the Anglican Communion throughout the world proclaims Christ faithfully to the nations, that captives may be set free, the straying rescued, and the confused restored. Bind your children together in truth, love, unity, and courage, that we, with all your saints, may inherit your eternal kingdom, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen.”

– from GAFCON.

Bishop Jay Behan gives thanks for GAFCON

“I rejoice at our relationship with Gafcon. We at CCA owe so much to our Gafcon family.

At a time when we had left the old structure in New Zealand (ACANZP) and had lost buildings, monies, status and structure, and when we were feeling pretty small and isolated, it was Gafcon who said to us: ‘We recognise you as authentically Anglican. We stand alongside you. Please know you are part of a global Anglican family.’

They did that in word, in decision (as the Gafcon Primates formally recognised the establishment of CCA), and in action as many of the global Gafcon leaders came to New Zealand for my consecration in 2019. …

It makes us part of a global family. It allows us to be in gospel partnership with brothers and sisters around the planet, and it requires us to care about and be involved in ministry outside of our own context.”

– In the latest edition (19 June 2023) of Ministry Matters from the Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa New Zealand, Bishop Jay Behan gives thanks for Gafcon.

Other encouraging articles in thus issue, edited by Geoff Robson.

Tomorrow (25 June 2023) is Gafcon Sunday!

GAFCON Sunday 2023

“This is a critical time for the Anglican Communion.

The 2022 Lambeth Conference demonstrated the deep divisions in the Anglican Communion as many bishops chose not to attend, and some of those who did withdrew from sharing at the Lord’s table.

Since then the General Synod of the Church of England voted in February 2023 to welcome proposals by the bishops to enable same-sex couples to receive God’s blessing, which is contrary to the teaching of God’s Word. Resetting the Global Anglican Communion is now an urgent matter which was welcomed in the Kigali Commitment, the statement from GAFCON IV in Kigali, Rwanda.

The goal is that orthodox Anglicans worldwide will have a clear identity, a global ‘spiritual home’ of which they can be proud, and a strong leadership structure that gives them stability and direction as Global Anglicans.

This Gafcon Sunday (25 June 2023) will mark 15 years of faithfully proclaiming the unchanging word of God to a lost and desperate world. There is much to do, and your help is needed. …”

– Learn more from the GAFCON website.

GAFCON Press Release: Archbishop of Canterbury lacks the moral justification to challenge GAFCON for rejecting Homosexuality

Here is a Press Release from the Gafcon Primates Council concerning the Archbishop of Canterbury’s criticism of the Archbishop of Uganda –

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY LACKS THE MORAL JUSTIFICATION TO CHALLENGE GAFCON FOR REJECTING HOMOSEXUALITY

In his recent letter to the Primate of the Church of Uganda, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Justin Welby, expressed “grief” and “sorrow” over the Church of Uganda’s support for the reinforced Anti-Homosexual Law passed by the Parliament and Government of Uganda. Unfortunately, he did not express any grief or sorrow over the crisis that has torn apart the Anglican Communion under his watch nor the downward slide of the compromised Church of England (and the Canterbury Cathedral) which is his See.

We recall that in the past, the Archbishop of Canterbury had issued similar statements criticising the positions of the Anglican Provinces of Kenya and Nigeria. It seems the history of colonisation and patronising behaviour of some provinces in the Northern Hemisphere towards the South, and Africa in particular, is not yet at an end. We commit ourselves strongly to obedience of the commandments of God as contained in the Holy Bible, one of which is marriage between man and woman as instituted by God from the beginning of the creation (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:18, 21-15).

We hereby question the rights and legitimacy of the Archbishop of Canterbury to call the leadership of Gafcon to honour commitment to Lambeth Resolution I.10, when he has led his church to undermine the teaching of the church as expressly stated in the same resolution. It is contradictory and self-serving for the Archbishop of Canterbury to cite Resolution I.10 to defend practising homosexuals whereas the following very vital parts of the Resolution have been flagrantly and repeatedly violated by Canterbury and allied western revisionist churches:

  • That the teaching of Scripture, upholds faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union,
  • That it rejects homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture and
  • That Lambeth cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions;

Rather than becoming a spokesperson and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights, Archbishop Justin Welby, the Church of England and other revisionist Anglican Provinces in the West which have chosen the path of rebellion against God in matters of biblical authority should instead, show sorrow for sin and failure to follow the word of God, the primary source for Anglican theology and divine revelation. The Archbishop and co-travellers should first protect Lambeth I.10 by repenting of their open disregard for the Word of God and harbouring sin. No resolution can have more force than the Word of God which both Gafcon/GSFA stand to defend. In other words, they must take away the log in their eyes before attempting to help others.

We, in Gafcon and GSFA had earlier declared unequivocally that we no longer recognise the Archbishop of Canterbury as the head, leader or spokesperson of the Anglican Communion. He has lost every power and authority to dictate to or advise other Primates and Provinces of the Communion who oversee 85% of the Global Communion. It is pertinent to remind Archbishop Welby that Africa is no longer a colony of the ‘British Empire,’ and the Church of England has no jurisdiction over the Anglican Provinces on the continent of Africa. As such, he should stop meddling with the internal affairs of the Anglicans on the continent of Africa.

We stand together in our commitment to the Bible and the essence of the Christian faith. We will stand together with Christ and shall resist all attempts to pollute our faith. The part of Lambeth Resolution I.10 which enjoins non-discrimination against persons who experience or practice homosexuality is not an endorsement of the sinful act, but a call for a normal pastoral approach and the responsibility of Church ministers to offer care and counsel to sinners of all categories.

Therefore, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NKJV).

The Most Rev Dr Laurent Mbanda
Chair of the Gafcom Primates Council

14 June 2023.

Source: GAFCON. Download the PDF file of the press release here.

The Fall of Canterbury

“The Kigali Commitment recognizes that Archbishop Welby has abandoned his office and that Instruments of Communion have failed to uphold essential doctrine regarding human sexuality, thereby undermining their very purpose. Those signing the Commitment no longer recognize the authority of the existing Communion structures. The Commitment empowers GAFCON and the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches to establish new structures for orthodox Anglicans wherever they are. …”

– At First Things, Matt and Anne Kennedy share their thoughts on GAFCON IV.

Image: At GAFCON Jerusalem in 2018, Russell Powell (left) interviews the Kennedys. (Well worth watching.)

Highlights, insights, reflections and things I learned in Africa – Dominic Steele

Dominic Steele at The Pastor’s Heart:

“In almost every personal conversation I’ve had since returning from Africa I’ve been asked about my personal reflections on the almost four weeks that Catherine and I spent there.

How was Gafcon? What was significant? What stood out? How has Africa impacted you?”

– Watch or listen here. Most encouraging.

“We are the Anglican Communion; we represent 85% of all church-going Anglicans” — Bishop Glenn Davies

“We have a de facto re-ordered Communion now. We are not leaving the Anglican Communion, but reforming it along Cranmerian lines, where the Scripture is supreme and obedience to Scripture is essential; we represent 85% of Anglicans worldwide and are moving forward. …”

– David Virtue at VirtueOnline has published an interview with Bishop Glenn Davies.

Photo: Bishop Davies speaks at GAFCON IV in Kigali.

Southern Cross, May – June 2023 now available

The May – June 2023 issue of Southern Cross, the magazine of the Diocese of Sydney, is now available.

Copies can be picked up at local churches, and you can also download it here.

From Russell Powell:

“Southern Cross this month has all anyone needs to know about GAFCON IV, including the Archbishop writing on Why GAFCON matters, as well as 

Bishop Stuart Bell interviewed on GB News

The Anglican Network in Europe’s recently-consecrated Bishop Stuart Bell spoke with Calvin Robinson on GB News last weekend.

While both attended GAFCON IV, they have differing opinions on the way forward. Bishop Bell spoke of the impending collapse of the Church in Wales.

GAFCON IV and the revolution in world Anglicanism

“Lambeth Palace needs to ‘wake up and smell the coffee.’ As an English Anglican, my experience at GAFCON was deeply sobering. The churches to which the vast majority of Anglicans belong feel completely betrayed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and by the Church of England as their mother church. …”

– Martin Davie writes at Christian Today.

Photo: GAFCON IV.

Trekking through Tanzania

“On a trip to honour veteran CMS Missionary Helen Hoskins and to visit Sydney’s Anglican Aid projects, Archbishop Raffel is travelling through Tanzania.

Soon after the final session of GAFCON IV in nearby Rwanda, the Archbishop was on his way to a series of engagements in the Diocese of Mara. …”

– Story from Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net.

GAFCON 101 – everything you need to know

From David Ould:

“I wrote this brief article last week for my church newsletter. It’s a basic primer on what GAFCON is, how it came about, what happened at Kigali and why it was necessary.…”

– Read here.

Photo: Bishop Glenn Davies at GAFCON IV in Kigali.

A 3 minute report on GAFCON IV to play in your church

From The Pastor’s Heart.

Download link just above the video on that page.

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