Archbishop of Canterbury response to TEC Resolution on Marriage
“The Archbishop of Canterbury today expressed deep concern about the stress for the Anglican Communion following the US Episcopal Church’s House of Bishops’ resolution to change the definition of marriage in the canons so that any reference to marriage as between a man and a woman is removed…”
– from the Anglican Communion News Service.
And the changes agreed to at TEC General Convention:
Dearly beloved: We have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of N. and N. in Holy Matrimony. The joining of two people in a life of mutual fidelity signifies to us the mystery of the union between Christ and his Church, and so it is worthy of being honored among all people. (Emphasis added. Page 98 of this PDF file, h/t AS Haley.)
New TEC Presiding Bishop elected
“The Episcopal Church’s General Convention made history June 27 when it chose Diocese of North Carolina Bishop Michael Curry to be its 27th presiding bishop.
He will serve a nine-year term that officially begins Nov. 1. On that date, Curry will succeed current Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and he will become the first person of color to hold that position.”
– Report and photo from The Episcopal News Service.
Some background:
“Throughout his ministry, Bishop Curry has also been active in issues of social justice, speaking out on immigration policy and marriage equality.”
Falls Church Anglican seeks new home
“The Falls Church Anglican, the large congregation of defectors from the Episcopal Church denomination who occupied but was eventually forced by the courts to vacate the historic Falls Church site on S. Washington St., has bought a new five-acre location… within a mile of its former site in Fairfax County…”
– The Falls Church New-Press reports on Fall Church Anglican’s purchase of a new property. (The report is not terribly sympathetic.)
For background, see The costly faithfulness of the Falls Church. from May 2012.
(Photo of Rector, John Yates II from a video from Falls Church Anglican.)
GAFCON Chairman’s Pastoral Letter, June 2015
Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, Chairman of the GAFCON Primates’ Council, writes:
“My dear brothers and sisters,
Grace and peace to you in the name of our only Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
It is a strange thing that in the Church we can see both extraordinary strength and extraordinary weakness at the same time.
The strength of Christian faith has been revealed in a most profound way by members of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston following the shooting of nine of its members during a bible study…
In contrast, there are too many examples in the Church of weakness in the face of the subtle challenges of cultural and financial pressure. In Africa we are still too dependent in our thinking on outside agencies. This makes us vulnerable to relationships designed to buy influence and damages the integrity of our witness, while in the more economically developed world there is too often a fear of being out of step with secular culture.
In this context I cannot avoid mentioning a very disturbing event in England…”
– Take the time to read it all, including a quote from Archbishop Peter Jensen at last week’s FCA meeting in Belfast.
Prominent Oxford Diocese Evangelicals call for the resignation of the Bishop
“This morning not one but two prominent evangelical ministers in the Diocese of Oxford appeared on BBC radio to call for the resignation of Bishop Alan Wilson…”
– David Ould has the details.
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.
Evangelicals call for the Church of England to uphold the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Here’s a Joint Press Release from Reform and Oxford Diocesan Evangelical Fellowship:
“This week began with Katherine Jefferts Schori, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church (TEC) of the USA, preaching in Westminster Abbey; it will end, we are told with Canon Michael Smith of York Minster blessing the York Gay Pride March. In between we have seen the Bishop of Buckingham describe doctrine that he swore to teach and pass on as ‘lousy’.
Nowhere in any of this has there been the clear message of the Gospel that despite our rejection of his ways we are all loved by God and can find forgiveness through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is not surprising, then, that the majority of the world’s Anglicans now look to the Primates of Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) for Leadership – the only question is whether after weeks like this one, those in the Church of England who wish to proclaim this Gospel will be forced to follow the same path…”
– Read the whole thing here (PDF). via Anglican Mainstream.
Related:
Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori preaches at Westminister Abbey. – Abbey website.
York Minster Joins in with Gay Pride – Minster FM.
‘Archbishop Welby joins faith leaders calling for action on climate change’
“The Archbishop of Canterbury has joined faith leaders in Britain pledging to fast and pray for the success of key international negotiations over climate change, in a new declaration warning of the ‘huge challenge’ facing the world over global warming…
In the Lambeth Declaration, which will be launched tomorrow, signatories call on faith communities to recognise the pressing need to make the transition to a low carbon economy.”
– When you have a theological vacuum, something will fill it. Photo: Lambeth Palace.
Related:
- Evangelicals call for the Church of England to uphold the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 5:11-21.
- Albert Mohler responds to Pope Francis’ ‘Laudato Si’ –
“My guess is that the secular press will make much of the Pope’s statements on climate change and very little of his affirmation of historic Catholic teachings that run contrary to the modern secular worldview.”
The Pulse June–July 2015
The latest issue of The Pulse, the magazine of the Presbyterian Church in NSW, is up on their website. (PDF file.)
It includes a profile of Kevin Murray, incoming state Moderator and Moore College graduate. (h/t Gary Ware.)
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.
Bishop Iker and Diocese win All Saints Fort Worth case
“News has just been received that Bishop Iker and his Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth are the victors in the separately-tried lawsuit to determine the ownership of the grounds and property of All Saints, Fort Worth…”
– A S Haley has some good news on the Diocese of Fort Worth. Photo: Bishop Leo Iker.
(This is referring to the real Diocese of Fort Worth, not the new one created by TEC – from the latter comes this news –
Bishop Rayford B. High, Jr. , said, “…I am disappointed in the decision but I know this will be appealed…”)
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
Anglican Future Conference videos
Videos of talks from the Anglican Future Conference in Melbourne in March 2015 (programme) are now available, thanks to the Peter Corney Training Centre.
They are terrific resources – check them out and consider how you might use.
Church and religious leaders send letter on Same-Sex Marriage to Prime Minister Abbott
“Archbishop Glenn Davies has joined other church and religious leaders in signing an open letter to the Prime Minister against same-sex marriage.
Parliament could take steps to redefine marriage as early as August.
The letter, signed by Dr Davies and the Catholic Archbishop Anthony Fisher as well as 36 other religious leaders including the heads of Pentecostal and orthodox churches as well as senior rabbis from the Jewish community and leaders from both the Sunni and Shia Islamic communities, expresses ‘grave concerns’ regarding ‘Bills that have or will be introduced into the Federal Parliament to change the definition of marriage in Australian law’.…
It ends with a request for a meeting with the Prime Minister and MP’s to further discuss the issue.”
– read the full report at SydneyAnglicans.net – and please be encouraged to pray about this matter.
and a Media Release from Catholic Communications.
Focus on Evangelism: Church of North India
“The Church needs to focus on evangelism and be united to take up challenging issues together, participants of a mission consultation held in New Delhi have concluded. …
Through his death on the cross and commission to ‘make disciples of all nations’, Jesus had entrusted the Church and individual Christians with a ‘significant responsibility’ to proclaim, witness to and transmit the Gospel to all people, [Provincial Secretary Alwan] Masih said…”
– an encouraging report from The Anglican Communion News Service.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…