Statement from the Task Force of GAFCON UK in response to John Bingham’s article in the Daily Telegraph 29/8/2016
“GAFCON UK warmly commends the initiative of Rev Dr Peter Sanlon and others from a number of parishes in the Home Counties to set up a ‘shadow synod’ as stated in John Bingham’s article ‘Parishes begin Church split’.
This is a grass-roots initiative by local congregations which is representative of the views of many across the country, and is in line with the concerns of Anglicans from the GAFCON movement worldwide…”
– A statement from the GAFCON UK Task Force – via AMiE. (Photo: Dr. Peter Sanlon, St Mark’s, Tunbridge Wells.)
And here is the online version of the article by John Bingham in The Telegraph.
The Rev Dr Peter Sanlon, Vicar of St Mark’s Church in Tunbridge Wells, who is hosting this week’s meeting, said: “If senior leaders of the Church of England water down the teaching of the Church of England on key issues like homosexuality, then this synod could easily evolve in to a new Anglican jurisdiction in England.
“The Archbishop of Canterbury has signalled that he is aware of the possibility that a significant proportion of the church will not accept a change in the church’s teaching.
“This could be the beginning of that playing out.”
After “Shared Conversations” what Gospel will the Church of England share?
“In Nairobi, Kenya I still remember a Sunday lunch Archbishop Eliud Wabukala hosted for Archbishop Justin Welby and other Archbishops, bishops and honored guests gathered the day before GAFCON 2013 began.
During that lunch, Archbishop Peter Jensen gave the opening remarks. He reminded all those present—and as he looked directly at Archbishop Justin Welby—that he and other GAFCON Primates had been asked not once, not twice, but three times to go back to their Bibles and reread what it had to say about issues of sexuality. Archbishop Peter Jensen said that he and the GAFCON Primates had done so, and had concluded that God’s word on homosexuality and same-sex marriage was clear, authoritative and unchanged. On the eve of GAFCON 2013, he cited this conviction as among the principal reasons he and others in GAFCON were standing for Biblical clarity and authority.
Immediately following, Archbishop Welby was invited to give remarks. He came forward and thanked Archbishop Jensen for his stirring speech. He then gave brief remarks that concluded with, “please don’t forget lost people.” And then he sat down.
The Archbishop of Canterbury failed to engage Archbishop Jensen’s remarks about Biblical clarity and authority. In that context, his plea not to forget lost people reveals the false dichotomy that seems to be at the heart of Canterbury’s thinking and the ‘Shared conversations.’ It is just this: that if we hold fast to the clarity and authority of the Bible, we will never reach lost people…”
– American Anglican Council’s Canon Phil Ashey writes about a revealing incident in Nairobi, and the apparent thinking behind the Church of England’s Shared Conversations. Emphasis added.
(Photo: Canon Ashey reporting from Nairobi in 2013.)
GAFCON Statement on Proposed Primates’ Meeting 2017
Just released:
“In the last week, there has been news of a potential Primates’ Meeting scheduled to begin October 2, 2017. Consequently, we have received a number of inquiries, both from the media and our membership, asking the question of whether or not the Gafcon Primates will attend.
For all who had hoped that attendance at the January 2016 Primates’ Gathering might restore godly order to the Communion, the results were clearly discouraging. Gafcon is fully committed to guarding the unchanging truth of the Gospel, and restoring the Bible to the heart of the Anglican Communion. In due course, the Gafcon Primates will take counsel and together make a decision about the wisdom of attending future meetings.
The next meeting of the Gafcon Primates’ Council is in April of 2017. We give thanks for the courage that is being shown by our members across the globe, as they share God’s Word both ‘in season and out of season’. Please continue to pray for the continued growth of this reformation movement.”
How we became GAFCON — 5 minute video
Archbishop Dr Peter Jensen describes how GAFCON came about, and why it is needed, in this new video.
Pass the link around.
And here is a 60 second video from Dr Jensen on the same topic.
See also: Where are we now? The aftermath of the January meeting of the Primates – Peter Jensen.
“In January this year, the Primates of the Anglican Communion were summoned by the Archbishop of Canterbury to a meeting. So serious is the crisis in the Communion about the authority of God’s word that almost every Primate attended.
As I have said previously, the result was the mildest possible rebuke over the greatest offence for the greatest offenders, with the hope that there may be repentance.
It is now perfectly clear that the meeting failed in its intention. Far from being rebuked, the leaders of the Episcopal Church said that they intend to continue in their present course and indeed to export their ideas vigorously to the rest of the world…” (Read more.)
Canterbury is only as helpful as he is faithful
“So the Archbishop of Canterbury has called for yet another meeting of the Primates of the Anglican Communion for October, 2017. As if this meeting could cure the wound that has been made even more incurable by his own personal failure to uphold the recommendations of the meeting he called in January of this year—failures that I documented several weeks ago in “At this point, why should we care about the Anglican Communion?”.
When I last wrote about this, I emphasised the Archbishop’s failure to defend the special role of Bishops to guard the doctrine, discipline and order of the Church…”
– The American Anglican Council’s Canon Phil Ashey points out that the way forward is not through Canterbury.
Pastoral Letter from GAFCON Chairman Archbishop Okoh, July 2016
Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria and Chairman of the GAFCON Primates Council has released his July Pastoral Letter.
Read it here at the GAFCON website.
Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit welcomed by GAFCON Primates
“Following his enthronement as the sixth Archbishop of Kenya on Sunday 3rd July in All Saints’ Cathedral, Nairobi, the Most Rev Jackson Ole Sapit met with the GAFCON Primates who had travelled from as far away as South America to be present for this day of prayer, preaching and colourful celebration…”
– from GAFCON.
President Kenyatta congratulates new Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop
“President Uhuru Kenyatta has congratulated the newly enthroned Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop, the Most Reverend Dr Jackson Nasoore Ole Sapit.
Speaking at the enthronement service at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi, President Kenyatta wished Archbishop Sapit success in his duties as Head of the Anglican Church in Kenya and assured him of his support…”
– from Capital News. (Earlier photo from the Anglican Church of Kenya.)
A leading Anglican theologian exposes the ‘Third Way’ myth
“Myths are not necessarily old. A new myth is being invented by Anglican church leaders who claim to be orthodox and even evangelical.
They tell us that differences between Christians about the acceptability of same-sex relationships are secondary issues and the Church should therefore follow a ‘Third Way’…”
– Canon Charles Raven (pictured), Membership Development Secretary for GAFCON, highlights this commentary by Dr Martin Davie.
ACNA Provincial Council 2016
Canon Phil Ashey sends this video report from the ACNA Provincial Council, currently meeting in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
GAFCON 3 to be held in Jerusalem in 2018
News from GAFCON:
GAFCON Conference 2018
June 22, 2016
The Chairman and fellow Primates of the GAFCON Council are pleased to announce that the third GAFCON conference will be held in Jerusalem in 2018.
Jerusalem has a special place in the hearts of the GAFCON movement as it was the location of the first conference in 2008. Moreover, Jerusalem stands as a constant reminder of the birth of the Gospel and the movement’s determination to remain true to the teachings of our Lord and his Holy Word.
GAFCON was greatly blessed by both the initial conference and the second meeting in Nairobi in 2013. When Anglicans from across the Communion come together in unity it is a tremendous blessing, and we are excited to see the Church built up in the land where it was given its foundation.
Dates and further details will be announced in due course.
ACL AGM pledges support for Archbishop Nicholas Okoh
This motion of support for Archbishop Nicholas Okoh of Nigeria was passed unanimously by the Anglican Church League’s Annual General Meeting tonight, 16th June 2016 –
“The Anglican Church League gives thanks to God for the strong spiritual leadership of the Chair of the GAFCON Primates Council, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh of Nigeria.
In particular, we stand with the Archbishop in his call to the leaders of the Church of England to uphold the teaching of the written word of God on human sexuality, to distance themselves from the false teaching and corrupt practice of the American Episcopal Church, and to give themselves afresh to the proclamation of the crucified and risen Christ and the re-evangelisation of Europe.
We pledge our prayerful support of Archbishop Okoh as he continues to lead the GAFCON movement with grace, faithfulness and boldness.
We call on all Anglicans across the world to join with him in upholding biblical truth and genuine Christian discipleship, which is characterised by humility and a resolute commitment to the teaching of the Bible, the centrality of the gospel of Christ, and the new life of faith, repentance and obedience.”
GAFCON UK offers Scottish churches alternative episcopal oversight
As the Scottish Episcopal Church moves towards allowing same-sex marriage, the GAFCON UK Panel of Bishops has offered alternative episcopal oversight to those churches which many need it.
This letter from GAFCON UK has been released by The Scottish Anglican Network:
“We are saddened and appalled that the Scottish Episcopal Church will next week debate amending its Canon C31, so as to adopt a wholly unbiblical approach to human sexual relationships. To so amend the canon would sever the church from the teaching of Christ and His Apostles, and also the considered and expressed conviction of the vast majority of the bishops of the Anglican Communion at Lambeth 1998, which was reinforced by the Anglican Primates Gathering only months ago.
We stand with you and pray for you as you resist this unhelpful and dangerous innovation. Should the church decide to follow the revisionist approach, disobey the clear teaching of Scripture, and thus cause a break with orthodox Christian teaching, the Gafcon UK Panel of Bishops offers to provide alternative episcopal oversight, and thereby your recognition as faithful Anglicans by the worldwide Gafcon movement, which represents the majority of Anglicans worldwide.
We remind the Scottish Episcopal Church of the cautionary words of Jude that unbiblical standards in sexual ethics “….deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Chr ist”. This is an issue over which the Scottish Episcopal Church is dividing the church, and we will stand united with faithful Anglicans in Scotland seeking to uphold the plain doctrinal and moral teaching of the Holy Scriptures.
Warmly in Christ,
The Rt Rev John Ellison, The Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, The Rt Rev Wallace Benn, and The Rt Rev Ken Barham, on behalf of the Panel of Bishops, Gafcon UK
The Rev Paul Perkin, The Rev Michael Ovey, on behalf of the Exec Committee, Gafcon UK
The Rev Canon Andy Lines, Mr. Dan Leafe on behalf of the Anglican Mission in England.”
GAFCON Chairman’s June 2016 Pastoral Letter
“My dear people of God,
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him! As the new Chairman of GAFCON I greet you in Jesus’ name and thank God for all of you, from north and south, east and west.
First, I want to thank my predecessor, Archbishop Eliud Wabukala who will soon retire as Primate of Kenya. Under his leadership our movement has been greatly strengthened and our second great conference in 2013 which he hosted in Nairobi showed that GAFCON was here to stay. As a Primate, I understand the very heavy burdens of our office and I thank God for my brother’s wisdom, courage and perseverance. I also assure his successor, Archbishop elect Jackson Ole Sapit, of my prayers and look forward to his fellowship in the GAFCON family.
I have been involved with GAFCON from the beginning and I am convinced that this is a movement called into being and sustained by the Lord of the Church himself. In every age, the devil is at work to destroy the Church, but we stand firm in the confidence that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The Apostle Paul tells us that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We therefore preach the gospel, make disciples and commit ourselves to prevailing prayer, knowing that the most dangerous attack on the Church today is not persecution from the outside, terrible though that can be, but a globalised secular ideology which has established itself inside the Church.
We must therefore devote ourselves to the task of restoring the Bible to the heart of the Anglican Communion and this is the way to true unity. The divisions which have been so destructive in recent years have come about because some have chosen to abandon biblical doctrine and it has become increasingly clear since the meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in Lusaka last month that those traditionally entrusted with leadership in the Communion will do nothing to call them to repentance.
GAFCON is evidence that despite this deep failure, God has not given up on the Anglican Communion. Indeed, in his mercy and grace, he is renewing it and we look forward with great anticipation to GAFCON 2018 as a gathering of the nations for the nations as we magnify the one true God who has rescued us from futile ways and brought us into the Kingdom of his Son.
As we prepare for GAFCON 2018, we shall also press forward in developing networks, training key leaders, encouraging sound biblical theology and resourcing our supporters throughout the world. We shall also not shrink back from standing with faithful Anglicans who find themselves in jeopardy.
In the beginning, the focus of our concern was North America and we thank God that he has raised up the Anglican Church North America as a new wineskin in that continent. Now our concern is increasingly with the British Isles. A line has been crossed in the Church of England itself with the appointment of Bishop Susan Goff, of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, as an Assisting Bishop of Liverpool. The false teaching of the American Episcopal Church has been normalised in England and this divisive act has meant that the Church of Nigeria’s Akure Diocese has had no alternative but to end its partnership link with Liverpool Diocese.
At our recent Primates Council meeting in Nairobi we reaffirmed our solidarity with the leaders of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans in the UK and the Anglican Mission in England at this testing time.
When the GAFCON movement began in 2008 with our first conference in Jerusalem, my predecessor as Primate of All Nigeria and former Chairman, His Grace Peter Akinola, declared that GAFCON was a rescue mission for the Anglican Communion. His words were prophetic and they are being fulfilled. Let us be confident of all that is yet to come. Let us work and pray for the reform and renewal of our beloved Communion. Let us trust in our God who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.
The Most Revd Nicholas D. Okoh
Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria and Chairman, the GAFCON Primates Council.”
– via GAFCON.
Dominic Steele interviews Peter Jensen at the Nexus16 Conference in Sydney
Dominic Steele conducted an on-the-spot interview with Peter Jensen at the Nexus16 Conference at Annandale on May 23.
If you didn’t see it as part of the live stream, you can watch the segment here, via the GAFCON website.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…