GAFCON: A moment and a movement — report on Belfast meeting
“A meeting of church leaders from across Ireland has been challenged to remain biblically faithful but to ‘dare to do new things’ in the face of a ‘new spiritual darkness’ in the west.
The General Secretary of the Global Anglican Future Conference, Dr Peter Jensen, who addressed the event at Belfast’s Willowfield Church, told the story of GAFCON’s beginnings in the landmark conference of Bishops, clergy and lay leaders in Jerusalem in 2008, through to the Nairobi meeting in 2013 and the movement’s unifying work today across the Anglican world…”
Update:
Here’s a report from The Belfast News Letter.
and a correction to that report, from Philip Robinson GAFCON Operations Manager.
GAFCON: A Moment and a Movement
This event, coming up on Friday June 19th, will be of interest for readers within travelling distance of Belfast.
It’s being organised by the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (UK & Ireland), and is a discussion on the future of global Anglicanism – with:
The Rt Rev Dr Peter Jensen – General Secretary, GAFCON
The Rev Canon Andy Lines – General Secretary, Anglican Mission in England
Mr Philip Robinson – Operations Director, GAFCON and the Global FCA.
The Anglican Future Conference — A Report
A report by Rev Caitlin Hurley, ACL councillor.
In late March, 460 Anglicans gathered in Melbourne for the inaugural Anglican Future Conference.
The conference was a joint initiative of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Australia (FCA-A) and the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion (EFAC). Read more
GAFCON Chairman’s Pentecost Letter 2015
“One of the great lessons of the East African Revival was that a genuine movement of the Spirit will impress on our hearts that the Scriptures really are the inspired and authoritative Word of God.
We cannot separate the Spirit from the Spirit-inspired Scriptures. The gift of the Holy Spirit is given to enable Christians to grow in biblical holiness and to equip them with gifts to build up the church in a hostile world.
It is therefore a tragedy when Christian leaders whose minds have been captured by the spirit of the age commend the values of the world to the Church and claim they are led by the Spirit of God. …”
– Read the full letter from Archbishop Eliud Wabukala here.
(Photo: Diocese of Kenya.)
Former SAAB showroom home to Baton Rouge Anglican church
“At first glance, a Cadillac dealer’s showroom may not seem like a ‘mission outpost’ of Christianity, but that’s exactly how Holy Cross Anglican Church was described by a visiting bishop when he blessed the congregation last Sunday evening…”
– Story from The Advocate, Baton Rouge. Photo: Gerry Lane Cadillac.
GAFCON — threat, option, or only future?
“Two Archbishops walk into a bar for a relaxing drink after a hard day’s work in committee. One of them, in placing his order, starts a conversation with the man serving the drinks. He beckons to his purple shirted companion and over the next few minutes, the two of them share the Gospel with the bartender, and lead him to faith in Christ. Later both prelates testify that for them, this was the highlight of the conference.
Thankfully its not impossible to imagine that this story involved Most Reverends Welby and Sentamu, but in fact it was related by one of the GAFCON Primates who had been told the story by his two fellow Archbishop-evangelists at their meeting last week…”
– Andrew Symes at Anglican Mainstream asks if GAFCON is a threat to the Anglican Communion.
GAFCON Primates Communique 17 April 2015 — We are not leaving the Anglican Communion
Next GAFCON Conference in 2018
“We are not leaving the Anglican Communion.”
“We invite all faithful Anglicans to join us in renewing the Communion…”
“This week, from 13th to 17th April 2015, we have met in London for prayer and fellowship in order to help chart the future of global Anglicanism. We are uniting faithful Anglicans, growing in momentum, structured for the future, and committed to the Anglican Communion. …
We are excited to announce that the next GAFCON conference will be in 2018. This global gathering now serves a critical function in the life of the Anglican Communion as it is an effective instrument of unity which is capable of gathering the majority of the world’s Anglicans. … A further announcement will be made when the details of the venue have been confirmed.
… We continue to encourage and support the efforts of those working to restore the Church of England’s commitment to Biblical truth. Equally, we authenticate and support the work of those Anglicans who are boldly spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and whose circumstances require operating outside the old, institutional structures. …
We are not leaving the Anglican Communion. The members of our churches stand at the heart of the Communion, which is why we are committed to its renewal. We belong to the mainstream, and we are moving forward.”
– The GAFCON Primates Council has released this encouraging Communique after their meeting in London. Full Communique below: Read more
Beginning in Jerusalem: The Theological Significance of the 2008 Global Anglican Future Conference
Archbishop Peter Jensen gave the Richard B. Gaffin Lecture at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia on March 18, 2015.
In “Beginning in Jerusalem: The Theological Significance of the 2008 Global Anglican Future Conference”, he explains the reasons for GAFCON, giving a glimpse of the pain involved, and the hope for the future. Speaking to his Westminster audience, he said, “You perhaps need to enter into our experience so you can prepare yourself for what may come.”
This is a sobering encouragement to watch. Thanks to Church Society for the link.
Related:
GAFCON Final Statement and the Jerusalem Declaration – 29 June 2008.
The Jerusalem Declaration formatted as a PDF file.
Archbishop sends message to Kenya after attack
Anglican Diocese of Sydney
Public Statement
Friday 3rd April, 2015
Archbishop Glenn Davies this afternoon sent a message of condolence to the Anglican Primate of Kenya, Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, after the attack on Garissa University which killed more than 140 students.
The text of the message reads:
We are shocked and dismayed by this wanton and deliberate attack on Kenyan citizens in Garissa where Christians in particular seem to have been singled out.
The violence and loss of life is sickening.
We grieve with the families of students who have lost loved ones, some of whom were deliberately targeted because they own the name of Jesus.
May God enable you and the church to stand firm in this time of testing.
You may be assured of our prayers for peace in the nation of Kenya, for healing for those injured and bereaved, and for our brothers and sisters to stand firm in the face of persecution and to be filled with a spirit of love, the perfect love which drives out fear (1 John 4:18).
– source SydneyAnglicans.net
GAFCON Easter Pastoral Letter 2015
“… last week it was my privilege as Chairman of GAFCON to share in the launch of the Australian branch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans.
I believe this is a new beginning for united gospel witness across the continent, sharing the same determination and passion for the gospel as that of the pioneering Anglican chaplain and missionary, Richard Johnson, who led the first recorded act of Christian worship on Australian soil on Sunday 3rd February 1788…”
– Chairman of the GAFCON Primates’ Council, Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, writes an Easter Pastoral Letter.
The ACL celebrates the launch of FCA Australia
The Anglican Church League sponsored the launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA), Australia at Scot’s church, Melbourne on 26 March 2015.
“The establishment of FCA Australia is recognition that we are not immune to the challenges of the wider communion. The ACL celebrates this launch and joins with you in praying for the newly formed FCA Australia board.”
The ACL’s President, Gav Poole, spoke at the launch reception —
“The ACL is a grassroots movement made up of lay and clergy members. We promote ministry that is reformed, protestant and evangelical.
By reformed we mean ministry that has its genesis in the sixteenth century reformers who recaptured the Biblical faith that we are saved through faith in Christ alone and that God is sovereign in life and salvation.
By protestant, we protest Biblical aberrations, name and warn against false teaching. Our unity is in the gospel, not structure and institution.
By evangelical, we fully trust in the powerful gospel of Jesus Christ which provides the only solution to human rebellion. The gospel is not just one of many messages but our only one.
This week, as we seek solutions to our many struggles, please be encouraged that faithful, clear and bold proclamation of the gospel along with earnest prayer to the Lord of the harvest is always rewarded.
One of the goals of the ACL is to promote the evangelical character of the Sydney diocese. Like it or not, the Sydney diocese is what it is today largely due to the work of the ACL.
It is a testimony to the fact that we can achieve far more together than apart.
Is a privilege to sponsor tonight’s event. The establishment of FCA Australia is recognition that we are not immune to the challenges of the wider communion.
The ACL celebrates this launch and joins with you in praying for the newly formed FCA Australia board.
Thank you for the opportunity to sponsor this event.”
Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Australia launched
“An Australian branch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans has been launched in Melbourne, watched by delegates from across Australasia at the Anglican Future Conference…”
– Russell Powell has this report at SydneyAnglicans.net.
And the GAFCON website has the text of Archbishop Eliud Wabukala’s address:
“… it is my prayer that FCA Australia will be powerfully used by God as an instrument of renewal and reform in the Anglican Church here. I long to see all orthodox Anglicans united in a common commitment to pioneering a new wave of evangelism which will have a deep and lasting impact on this nation.
However, I also want to encourage you to look beyond Australia. As you come together in this Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, commit to becoming even stronger partners with orthodox Anglicans throughout the world.…”
Related: Today David Ould published interviews he has recorded with Archbishop Eliud Wabukala and Dr. Ashley Null at the conference.
Anglican Future Conference opens in Melbourne
“The Anglican Future conference has opened in Melbourne with a call for faithfulness and clarity in proclaiming the Gospel in Australasia.
More than 400 delegates have gathered in Melbourne, from all over Australia and New Zealand…”
– Russell Powell has this report at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Is there a Future for Confessional Anglicanism? — conference audio
On Saturday 21st March 2015, the Anglican Church League held the “Is there a Future for Confessional Anglicanism?” conference in the Chapter House of St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney.
Those present considered our Anglican inheritance, our current challenges and our potential future under God.
Glenn Davies, Archbishop of Sydney; Ashley Null, authority on Archbishop Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation; and Mark Thompson, Principal of Moore Theological College, were the speakers.
Listen to the talks via these links:
Archbishop Dr. Glenn Davies:
The State of Play in the Anglican Church of Australia.
27MB mp3 file and 100kb PDF file outline.
“The ACL’s role in Sydney is to keep the Diocese evangelical. That’s our role. Our role is to be ever vigilant … What one generation fights for, the next generation accepts and the third one forgets. … The stronger ACL is, the stronger the Diocese of Sydney is; the stronger the Diocese of Sydney is, the better the national church will be.”
Dr. Ashley Null:
Our Inheritance.
“The very heart of Cranmer’s understanding of the mission of the church is to proclaim the gospel … to renew the hearts and minds and lives of the English people.”
Dr. Mark D. Thompson:
Where next for confessional Anglicanism?
17MB mp3 file or 160kb PDF file.
“I am an Anglican – not just by historical accident but by conviction. I am convinced that here is a good – more than good, something that has proven to be powerfully effective over almost five hundred years — expression of gospel principles and gospel priorities … Yet to be true to that heritage I must be a gospel man first.”
Photo by Scott Blackwell.
GAFCON Lent Pastoral Letter
“A Church that is no longer able to say ‘it is written’ has placed itself in great spiritual danger, but that is where the Anglican Communion could be led according to a review just released of ‘Living Reconciliation’, a book written to promote the ‘Continuing Indaba’ project…”
– Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, Chairman of the GAFCON Primates’ Council, writes in his Lent Pastoral Letter.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…