GAFCON Reflections from the UK
“I’m not a GAFCON cheerleader. Or, at least, I wasn’t.
Though, given the ‘presenting issue’ that birthed GAFCON, I have always been theologically sympathetic to this movement of fellow conservative Anglican brothers and sisters, I have been, am, and likely will be again from time-to-time quietly critical of some of GAFCON’s decisions, statements, and actions. And my time in Jerusalem last month as part of the UK delegation was not one of unabated joy and optimism from start to finish. GAFCON – like every Christian body this side of the eschaton – is far from perfect.
But if I was doubtful of this before, I am now no longer…”
– At Church Society’s blog,Tom Woolford, a curate in Blackburn Diocese, offers his personal reflections from GAFCON 2018.
GAFCON Chairman’s Letter July 2018
‘I will fulfil my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the LORD – in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD.’ – Psalm 116:18,19
“My dear people of God,
Like the psalmist of old, we came to Jerusalem in the presence of God’s people with great thanksgiving. Since our first gathering in 2008 we have seen the Almighty God powerfully at work. By his grace, we have provided a home for the spiritually homeless and hope for orthodox Anglicans around the world who longed to see the reform and renewal of our beloved Communion.
We expressed our thanksgiving not only in joyful worship, but also by committing to a shared vision and shared action. …”
– Read Archbishop Okoh’s July 2018 pastoral letter. (Photo: GAFCON Media.)
Interview with Archbishop Ben Kwashi
“AB Kwashi seemed calm and joyful when he greeted us today. One would never know that just the night before last, his own compound was attacked, all his cows stolen by Fulani raiders, and his neighbor murdered while trying to protect his friend (the Archbishop). The terrorists seemed to be sending the Archbishop a warning. …”
– This interview with Archbishop Ben Kwashi was conducted earlier this week, just after the attack on his compound. (Link via Anglican Mainstream. Photo: Patheos.)
Three Aussies in Galilee
Last week, on The Pastor’s Heart, Dominic Steele spoke with Kanishka Raffel (St. Andrew’s Cathedral) and Ray Galea (MBM Rooty Hill) about their reactions to GAFCON 2018.
Coming up on Tuesday 3rd July at 2:00pm AEST:
“On ThePastorsHeart.net we are talking about and with the minister who loses it all, when the diocese moves into apostasy, leaving you and your people as faithful followers of Christ Jesus, but without denominational support and sometimes stripped of your church building and house.
Next week on The Pastor’s Heart we will get back to our regular format of a live discussion and you asking questions, but this week we are still dealing with issues raised by the #Gafcon2018 Conference in Jerusalem a few weeks ago.”
A turning point in the history of Anglicanism — must read
“Almost 1700 years ago, on 20 June 325AD, 318 bishops concluded a very significant meeting. They had gathered in Nicaea because errors had arisen in the church which were so profound that they undermined the very foundation of the Christian message. Those bishops renounced the heresies and upheld orthodox Christian doctrine which had been revealed by God through the Scriptures.
On 22 June 2018, 316 bishops (along with 669 other clergy and 965 laity), concluded another very significant meeting. They gathered in Jerusalem because errors have arisen in the church which were so profound that they undermined the very foundation of the Christian message. Those delegates renounced the heresies and upheld orthodox Christian doctrine which had been revealed by God through the Scriptures.
Those in Jerusalem were gathered from around the Anglican communion and represented the majority of that fellowship. But as this was the third GAFCON that has been held, a justifiable question is whether this conference will make any lasting difference in the way the conference at Nicaea did?…
In order to answer that question, it is worth understanding the context in which this movement has arisen.”
– Here’s a must read article from Dr. Ed Loane – published at SydneyAnglicans.net.
(Photo: Moore Theological College.)
Prayers urged for Archbishop Ben Kwashi and Nigeria
“The premises of the Archbishop of Jos was breached overnight by suspected Fulani Herdsmen days after he was appointed General Secretary of GAFCON for the Anglican Church worldwide.
Archbishop Ben Kwashi who was named GS just this week after a meeting in Israel attended by hundreds of Anglican leaders from around the world is believed to have recently returned to Nigeria only for this attack to occur.
The esteemed clergyman posted on his Facebook page decrying attacks and insecurity inspite of a curfew announced following last weekend’s massacre of at least 238 people …
Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi also lamented the death of a driver during last night’s attack…”
– Troubling news from Plateau State in Nigeria.
(Photo: Archbishop Kwashi with Archbishop Foley Beach during GAFCON 2018.)
Related: Christians Slaughtered. Yawn.
Church of Ireland Bishop gives thanks for GAFCON
Bishop Harold Miller, of the Diocese of Down and Dromore in the Church of Ireland, attended GAFCON 2018 in Jerusalem:
“I have just returned from the third Global Anglican Futures Conference (GAFCON) in Jerusalem, which took place from 18–22 June. It was a wonderful experience to be with so many Anglicans from all over the world and I wanted to share some reflections and observations. …”
– Most encouraging. Read it at the Diocese of Down and Dromore website.
Two GAFCON summary videos you could show this Sunday
Earlier, we posted a link to “GAFCON 2018 in 90 seconds” from SydneyAnglicans.net, which you might like to download and show in church.
Thanks to GAFCON and Dominic Steele, above is another, which runs for 3:27.
You can also see the assembly on the Temple steps in this video.
Abp Ben Kwashi is GAFCON’s new general secretary. Meet Ben and Gloria Kwashi.
“Archbishop Ben Kwashi of Jos, Nigeria will replace current General Secretary, Archbishop Peter Jensen of Australia, who has served Gafcon in the role since its inception 10 years ago.
This leadership transition will be graduated over the next several months as Kwashi’s and Jensen’s terms overlap in a period of planning. Kwashi will fully take over in January 2019.”
That’s me, 34th from the right
“I am a 2008er. That is, I was probably one of the first Australians to know about the Global Anglican Future Conference and one of the first to register in 2008.
I went to the London leadership conference in 2012, GAFCON II in Nairobi in 2013 and I have just returned from GAFCON III in Jerusalem. As a member of the media team at all three GAFCONS, I have been privileged to see things up close.
I have never been prouder to be an Aussie – given the way my brothers and sisters from Anglican churches across Australia got stuck in to help in Jerusalem. …”
– Russell Powell (who is only 4th from the right in the photo above) shares his reflections on GAFCON 2018 at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Photo: GAFCON Media.
“Letter to the Churches” encapsulates authentic Christianity with clarity, firmness and grace
“The Conference in Jerusalem which has just ended was an extraordinarily rich experience. Not just the dynamic worship, outstanding teaching, and cross-cultural fellowship in small groups and one to one.
A huge amount of information has been presented formally from up front and informally in the form of interviews and blogs. Much of this will be lost in time; the life-changing experience of delegates may fade, but what remains is the Conference Statement. …”
– At Anglican Mainstream, the Rev. Andrew Symes provides some initial reflections on GAFCON’s ‘Letter to the Churches’.
GAFCON Announces New Leadership
“As the 2018 Gafcon Jerusalem conference came to a close on Friday, the Primates’ Council announced the election of Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi, Province of Jos (Nigeria), as the next General Secretary, and Archbishop Foley Beach, primate of the Anglican Church in North America, as the next Chairman of the movement. The announcement was received with roaring applause from the nearly 2,000 delegates in attendance.
Kwashi will replace current General Secretary, Archbishop Peter Jensen of Australia, who has served Gafcon in the role since its inception 10 years ago. After the announcement, Jensen was recognized by the conference in an emotional moment including a presentation culminating with a standing ovation. …”
– Story and photo from GAFCON.
See also: GAFCON Leadership transition announced.
GAFCON 2018 in 90 seconds
From SydneyAnglicans.net: A slideshow designed for churches to show during services as a way of informing people about GAFCON 2018. Download here.
GAFCON a ‘subversive movement’, Irish bishops who attended, ‘an absolute disgrace’
“Attendance by two Church of Ireland bishops at the conservative Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon) meeting in Jerusalem last week has provoked deep anger among the church’s clergy.
They have described it as ‘an absolute disgrace’, ‘schismatic’, and as illustrating ‘how utterly out of touch some senior clergy’ were with church membership.…”
– A very unhappy reaction to GAFCON reported in The Irish Times.
See also:
Trevor Johnson and Tim Anderson from Gafcon Ireland react to the ‘Letter to the Churches’. Video.
A good reminder to pray for Ireland. (Image: from the launch of GAFCON Ireland.)
GAFCON 2018 Final Statement – read here
Read the GAFCON 2018 Final Statement – Letter to the Churches.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…