GAFCON preview of the Primates’ Meeting
“Archbishop Justin Welby has called the Primates of the Anglican Communion to meet in Canterbury 11th-16th January to find a way to resolve the spiritual and moral crisis that has beset the Communion throughout the opening years of the twenty first century.
This is a courageous initiative and the GAFCON Primates will attend in the hope that Archbishop Welby will, like them, stand firm to guard the gospel we love, knowing that we cannot rewrite the Bible to suit the spirit of a secular age.
Many orthodox Primates did not attend the last Primates Meeting in 2011 under the chairmanship of his predecessor, Rowan Williams. They were not prepared to share in fellowship with provinces like The Episcopal Church of the United States (TEC) which had rejected the clear teaching of Scripture and the collegial mind of previous Primates Meetings and the Lambeth Conference 1998 by pressing ahead with the blessing of same sex unions and ordaining those in such relationships.
This time, GAFCON and the other orthodox Primates are willing to attend, but they know that after many years of debate, action is needed to restore the spiritual and doctrinal integrity of the Communion they care for so deeply. They are clear that their continued presence will depend upon action by the Archbishop of Canterbury and a majority of the Primates to ensure that participation in the Anglican Communion is governed by robust commitments to biblical teaching and morality.
It has been suggested that the way forward is for the Anglican Communion to abandon the idea that there should be mutual recognition between the provinces and that it should instead find its unity simply in a common relationship with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
This is not historic Anglicanism; the See of Canterbury is honoured and respected as the Mother Church of the Communion, but the unity of the Communion does not depend upon the Archbishop of Canterbury. Rather, it depends upon the various provinces being able to recognize each other, with all their differences of culture, as truly apostolic and committed to the faith as it has been received. Tragically, that recognition has now broken down and affection for Canterbury is no substitute. As the GAFCON movement affirmed in the Jerusalem Declaration of 2008,
‘While acknowledging the nature of Canterbury as an historic see, we do not accept that Anglican identity is determined necessarily through recognition by the Archbishop of Canterbury’.
The Anglican Communion is in danger of losing the gospel of God’s costly grace to us sinners for the poor substitute of cheap grace which makes us comfortable but can neither save nor transform. The choice before the Primates as they gather in Canterbury is whether they will recognize this reality and take the difficult but necessary action to restore the bible to its central place in the life of the Communion, or whether they will accept a merely cosmetic solution which will see it increasingly taken captive by the dominant secular culture of the West.”
– From the GAFCON website.
A reminder of what is at stake at the Primates’ meeting
In March 2015, GAFCON General Secretary Archbishop Peter Jensen gave the Richard B. Gaffin Lecture at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.
His topic was “Beginning in Jerusalem: The Theological Significance of the 2008 Global Anglican Future Conference”. You can watch it on Vimeo.
Dr. Jensen explains the reasons for the formation of GAFCON, giving a glimpse of the pain involved, and the strong gospel hope for the future.
This is a sobering encouragement to watch, and is very helpful background for understanding why the GAFCON Primates are not likely to compromise at next week’s meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
See also:
GAFCON Final Statement and the Jerusalem Declaration – 29 June 2008.
The Jerusalem Declaration formatted as a PDF file.
The Anglican Communion is at a Crossroads– GAFCON website.
Archbishop Stanley Ntagali, Primate of Uganda, Pastoral Message – January 2016.
ACNA Archbishop sees ‘no easy answers without repentance and Gospel Truth’
Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, Dr. Foley Beach, writes asking for prayers ahead of the crucial Primates’ Meeting in Canterbury next week –
“I see no easy answers without repentance and Gospel Truth. Pray for wisdom. Pray for confidence in the Truth of God. Pray for boldness. Pray for humility. Pray for repentance. Pray for healing.
What is at stake? It is really not about me or about the Anglican Church in North America. It is the reputation of Jesus Christ. It is the souls of millions of people who are being taught a false Gospel and are being led into spiritual and sexual bondage under the pretense of the Christian Faith.”
Crisis in the Anglican Communion: recent history and potential outcomes
“GAFCON presents itself not as an alternative, breakaway Anglican Communion, but as the majority of the Anglican Communion, committed to renewing worldwide Anglicanism based on united confession of Christ and adherence to the Bible and the historic formularies, and necessarily rejecting revisionist doctrine and practice.
They are calling on Archbishop Justin to exercise leadership, and re-commit the Anglican Communion to a clear orthodox theology and practice as a basis for united mission in the world…”
– Anglican Mainstream’s Andrew Symes pens an overview of where the Anglican Communion stands, how we came to this point, and possible outcomes to next week’s Primates’ Meeting called by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Background reading:
- When to make a stand – Dr Mark Thompson (PDF, 2015)
- The Anglican Debacle: Roots and Patterns – Dr Mark Thompson (2008)
- The Limits of Fellowship – Phillip Jensen (2008)
- A Crisis in Koinonia – David Short, Rector of St. John’s Vancouver (2004)
– all from our Resources section.
We urge all our readers to pray for a Christ-honouring outcome to the Primates’ Meeting.
And from The Anglican Mission in England:
“AMiE would like to welcome the GAFCON Primates to England for the Primates’ meetings in Canterbury, 11-15 January, and assure them (and the other Primates) of our prayers for this significant meeting.
We are grateful to the GAFCON Primates for their support of our work in England as well as recognising the Anglican Mission in England ‘as an authentic expression of authentic Anglicanism both for those within and outside the Church of England‘ (Nairobi Commitment 5).
Along with others we are encouraging all AMiE supporters to pray for Archbishop Justin Welby, the Primates and for a God-glorifying outcome to their meetings.”
Pastoral Message and Call to Prayer from the Primate of Uganda
The Most Rev. Stanley Ntagali, Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, has sent this Pastoral Message and Call to Prayer to all the leaders in his Church.
He addresses the coming Ugandan elections, and also next week’s Primates’ gathering called by the Archbishop of Canterbury –
“The Archbishop of Canterbury understands that the first topic of conversation in the ‘gathering’ of Primates is the restoration of godly order in the Anglican Communion. This is the unfinished business from the non-implemented, but unanimously agreed, Communique from the 2007 Primates Meeting in Dar es Salaam…”
– Read it all at the GAFCON website. (Photo credit: Diocese of Bristol.)
Archbishop Welby requests prayer for Primates’ Meeting
“The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, is asking people to pray for the Primates of the Anglican Communion who will be meeting in Canterbury on 11-16 January 2016. The leaders of the 38 Anglican provinces will be at the gathering, which was called by Archbishop Justin Welby in September last year. …
The agenda will be set by common agreement with all Primates. It is likely to include the issues of religiously-motivated violence, the protection of children and vulnerable adults, the environment, and human sexuality.”
– Report from the Anglican Communion News Service.
The meeting just might also address faithfulness to Christ and obedience to his word.
See also: The Anglican Communion is at a Crossroads – from Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, Primate of Kenya and Chairman of the GAFCON Primates Council,
“The Archbishop of Canterbury has called together all the Primates of the Anglican Communion for a meeting in Canterbury 11th – 16th January 2016 which we believe will be decisive for the future of the Communion. …
Will Christ rule our life and witness through His word, or will our life and witness be conformed to the global ambitions of a secular culture?
This was the reason GAFCON was formed in 2008: to renew a Communion in crisis, drifting from biblical truth. While the presenting issue was human sexuality, this was really just one symptom of a deeper challenge, the emergence of a false gospel which rejects the core Anglican commitment to the truth and authority of the Bible.
GAFCON works to make this fundamental issue of biblical truth clear to Anglicans everywhere so that, equipped by God’s word and empowered by His Spirit, we can live under the lordship of Christ and make him known as Lord and Saviour to a world in desperate need of Him.
The GAFCON Primates will attend the Canterbury meeting, but they are clear that their continued presence will depend upon action by the Archbishop of Canterbury and a majority of the Primates to ensure that participation in the Anglican Communion is governed by robust commitments to biblical teaching and morality.” (emphasis added)
Why GAFCON truly matters
“We are now walking in a new spiritual darkness. The churches are ill-prepared. But God is thoroughly prepared; he is not at a loss. There is nothing to fear; but we need to work out what new tactics are required for this new context. Without doubt, we will walk by faith; but what does this mean?”
– GAFCON General Secretary Peter Jensen writes an encouraging reminder of why we need GAFCON.
Guard what you love
Here’s a short introduction to GAFCON.
Archbishop Wabukala writes to GAFCON clergy
GAFCON Chairman, Archbishop Eliud Wabukala has written to GAFCON clergy concerning the Primates’ gathering in January –
“Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray you will take a moment to read this important message.
As those who are ordained, we have a special responsibility to care for the people of God. In the foundational liturgy of our Communion, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer described this work as being that of messengers, watchmen and stewards of the Lord.
For many of us that calling is becoming harder as we face the challenges of a compromised church and an increasingly hostile culture. GAFCON was formed in 2008 to enable faithful gospel ministry to survive and thrive in today’s world as we stand united in our testimony to the truth of God’s Word.
Sadly, that truth continues to be called into question in the Anglican Communion and I am writing to invite you to partner with us as a decisive moment approaches. …”
– Read the full letter here via Anglican Ink.
See also: The Anglican Communion is at a Crossroads (on GAFCON’s updated website).
Update: Archbishop Wabukala has also issued this GAFCON Chairman’s Christmas Pastoral Letter, 2015.
(Archbishop Wabukala welcomes Archbishop Welby to Nairobi’s All Saints Cathedral in this 2013 photo by Russell Powell.)
Bishop Duncan to retire as Bishop of Pittsburgh
“During his address to 150th Annual Convention on Saturday, November 6, held at St. Stephen’s Church, Sewickley, the Most Reverend Robert Wm. Duncan, D.D., Archbishop Emeritus of the Anglican Church in North America, and Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh, formally announced his desire to retire from diocesan leadership effective June 30, 2016…”
– from The Diocese of Pittsburgh. (Image courtesy Anglican TV.)
Archbishop Wabukala ‘to retire in June 2016’
“The Primate of the Anglican Church of Kenya, the Most Rev. Eliud Wabukala, has informed the members of the Kenyan House of Bishops that he will step down in June 2016, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65…”
– George Conger has a brief report at Anglican Ink.
GAFCON Chairman’s Pastoral Letter October 2015
Speaking of the meeting of Primates called by the Archbishop of Canterbury for January 2016, GAFCON Chairman Eliud Wabukala writes:
“I believe this will be an historic meeting unlike anything that has gone before. There is now a shared realisation that the time for dialogue is over and there must be a decision that will settle the future direction of the Communion and free us from being dragged down by controversy and confusion.”
– Read his full October 2015 Pastoral Letter here.
GAFCON Chairman’s September 2015 Pastoral Letter
“…it has become clear over the last twenty years that the Communion is becoming a source of weakness as Churches which have rejected the truth as Anglicans have received it spread false teaching, yet continue to enjoy full communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Our GAFCON movement believes in a much richer vision. We seek to unite. We recognise and embrace those who sacrifice for the sake of the gospel, not only those who persevere in the face of violent persecution but also those who persevere despite being marginalised and even forced out of their traditional spiritual homes by the rise of false teaching in the Church. To them we say ‘You are not alone’ as we join together to make Christ known.…”
– GAFCON Chairman Eliud Wabukala writes in his latest Pastoral Letter.
What brings us together
“Early this week Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, announced that he was inviting the leaders of the Anglican Communion to gather, reflect and pray over the Communion’s future. We later learned through his ‘aides’ that he was open to the Communion moving to a looser federation-like structure. Ruth Gledhill, a long-time reporter on Anglican events, gave a hearty endorsement of this possibility …
While I like Ruth Gledhill’s writing, I don’t share her enthusiasm for the Archbishop’s ‘vision.’ Why can’t I get on board with it and just ‘let go and let God?’ Because that would mean I ‘let go’ of the truth. …
What brings us together as Anglicans isn’t shared mission or endless indaba.”
– At the American Anglican Council, Canon Phil Ashley sees problems with the Archbishop of Canterbury’s hope of holding the Anglican Communion togther.
ACNA Archbishop Foley Beach on the proposed Primates’ gathering
The Archbishop of the Anglican Church of North America, Foley Beach, writes about his invitation to the Primates’ gathering in January:
“The challenges facing the Anglican Communion over the last couple of decades are no secret, and it is time to face them.”
Full text:
“Many of you have heard the news that I have been invited to attend a gathering of the Primates of the Anglican Communion this coming January.
I did indeed receive a personal call from Archbishop Justin Welby inviting me to attend and participate.
If my fellow GAFCON Primates accept the invitation, and I am expecting that they will, then I have also pledged to attend. The challenges facing the Anglican Communion over the last couple of decades are no secret, and it is time to face them. Previous meetings of the Communion, from the 1998 Lambeth Conference to the 2007 Primates Meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, gave clear direction for maintaining and restoring order within the Communion. Unfortunately, these resolutions were not followed which further divided the Communion. The resulting situation is one in which the fabric of the Communion continues to be torn.
I am thankful for the way in which GAFCON has proclaimed the Good News of Jesus Christ, and has been seeking the renewal and restoration of the Communion.
I ask your prayers for myself, as well as the other GAFCON and Global South Primates, as we continue to seek to evangelize, proclaim the Gospel, and work for the restoration of the Anglican Communion’s life and witness.
In Christ,
The Most Rev. Dr. Foley Beach.”
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…