Evangelical and Catholic letter to The Times on the Women Bishops measure

The General Synod of the Church of England will vote on Women Bishops this week. A letter was published in The Times on Saturday –

“As active priests from both the Catholic and Evangelical groupings of the Church of England, we write to express our deep concern over the draft Women Bishops Measure. We believe that our future ministries will be severely prejudiced if the General Synod votes to approve the draft Measure…”

It was signed by The Rev. Rod Thomas, Chairman of Reform and Canon Simon Killwick, Chairman of the Catholic Group in General Synod – and 324 others. There are many familiar names in the list. John Richardson has the full text, the list of signatories, and some comments.

Related: General Synod: women bishop vote in balance (EV News from Church Society, 19 November 2012.)

(Photo: Church of England website.)

South Carolina — time to turn the page

The Special Convention of the Diocese of South Carolina has just concluded. Bishop Mark Lawrence summed it up:

“We have spent far too many hours and days and years in a dubious and fruitless resistance to the relentless path of TEC.”

Confusion or clarity in South Carolina?

From a ‘pastoral letter’ to South Carolina from TEC Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori:

“Katharine, a servant of Christ, to the saints in South Carolina.

May the grace, mercy, and peace of Christ Jesus our Savior be with you all. …

As the confusion increases, I would like to clarify a number of issues which I understand are being discussed…”

A S Haley, The Anglican Curmudgeon, offers some commentary on the Presiding Bishop’s letter:

“mimicking the style of one of St. Paul’s epistles… This is boilerplate for 815… The mantra about dioceses needing the ‘consent’ of General Convention to disaffiliate is based on no language in the Church’s Constitution or Canons whatsoever.”

And in his own ‘Message to the the People of South Carolina‘, Bishop Mark Lawrence writes:

“As I have stated at various deanery and parish forums in the diocese this present crisis was brought about through the convergence of three dimensions of our diocesan life and the national church’s leadership—theology, morality and polity. All three have undergone and continue to undergo revision within The Episcopal Church (TEC). This Diocese of South Carolina for well over a quarter of a century has steadfastly resisted these revisions as it has sought to remain faithful to the doctrine, discipline and worship of Christ as this Church has received them.

…you need to know that the national leadership of TEC is taking steps to undermine this diocese. What we are faced with is an intentional effort by the ill-advised TEC organization to assume our identity, one that we have had since 1785. …

My reason in mentioning this last point, just days before our Convention, is to protect our parishioners and parishes from deception and confusion.”

 

ACL President encourages members to pray for the Archbishop of Canterbury

Statement from ACL President Gav Poole:

The ACL congratulates Bishop Justin Welby on his appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury designate.

This is an honoured office which played a key role in the protestant reformation.

Bishop Welby has his work cut out for him. The credibility of the Archbishop’s office has been eroded in recent times due to a failure to properly deal with the liberal revisionist agenda which has beset the Anglican Communion in the West. He serves a communion which is in serious impairment.

It remains to be seen whether the Archbishop will demonstrate clarity and bravery on many of the issues that have plagued the communion. We will be looking for leadership that is faithful to Jesus and solidly Biblical.

There are many faithful Anglican Bishops, clergy and congregations in North America who have suffered at the hands of the provincial leadership. We pray as the Archbishop must reach out to them and ensure they receive adequate oversight.

The FCA Primates have called for the chairman of the Anglican Primates’ meeting to be elected by the Primates. We pray that the Archbishop will encourage that development.

Rev Gav Poole
President
Wednesday, 14 November 2012.

Diocese of Niagara moves to sell vacated buildings

Anglican Essentials Canada reports that the Diocese of Niagara is moving towards selling property vacated by two Ontario congregations – St Hilda’s Oakville (vacated in May) and Church of the Good Shepherd in St Catharines.

Earlier related posts on this site.
Photo: David Jenkins.

Presiding Bishop backs ecclesiastical coup in South Carolina

“Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has declared the ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese of South Carolina vacant and has backed a faction within the diocese that is seeking to fill the ‘vacuum’ created by the suspension of Bishop Mark Lawrence.

The loyalist ‘Transitional Committee’ has also declared the South Carolina Standing Committee to be vacant and has formed a ‘steering committee’ to act in its place.

On 11 Nov 2012, the steering committee announced that it had taken charge of the diocese…”

– George Conger at Anglican Ink has the latest.

And from lawyer A S Haley, The Anglican Curmudgeon:

“…the Diocese of South Carolina is organized as a corporation under South Carolina law. That fact guarantees its own independent, legal identity in the State’s courts and before all of its executive and legislative bodies, officers and agencies. For the Bandit Bishop and her minions to try to appropriate that identity for their own nefarious purposes is fully akin to what would be called ‘identity theft’ in any other context.”

(Photo: TEC Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori with Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams last week in Auckland. ACNS, via ENS.)

Royal Commission on child abuse

Media release from SydneyAnglicans.net –

A public statement from the Archbishop of Sydney on the Prime Minister’s announcement of a Royal Commission into child abuse and institutional response.

“The Diocese of Sydney expresses its unqualified abhorrence of child abuse, wherever it occurs. While the terms of reference have yet to be decided, we will work and pray for an outcome which will result in a safer society for the most vulnerable.”

Dr Peter Jensen,
Archbishop of Sydney
12/11/2012 AD

American Anglican Council on the Archbishop of Canterbury announcement

Bishop David Anderson of the American Anglican Council writes:

“Archbishop Welby, in his new appointment, will have to work with the more orthodox Global South provinces, especially the GAFCON Primates who represent a huge majority of the churchgoing Anglican world. The new Archbishop will need to find a way to disengage the Anglican Communion Office and the office and work of the Archbishop from the incestuous ties with the American Episcopal Church’s money, influence and power.”

Read more

New Archbishop of Canterbury announced

Just in:

“Justin Welby appointed 105th Archbishop of Canterbury

The Queen has nominated the Right Reverend Justin Welby, MA, Hon FCT, the Lord Bishop of Durham, for election by the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury in the place of the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Rowan Douglas Williams, MA DPhil DD FBA, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England and Metropolitan.”

– The official announcement.

Story from SydneyAnglicans.net.

In a statement issued after the announcement, the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Peter Jensen, said “We welcome the appointment of Bishop Welby to the ministry of Archbishop of Canterbury. It remains an important role though obviously the events of the last decade have diminished its significance in the world-wide Anglican Communion. Bishop Welby has our prayerful support.” Dr Jensen said. “We look forward to him speaking with clarity from the word of God about the gospel and its impact on the issues confronting the Church in England and the West.

Message of welcome to Archbishop of Canterbury Designate

November 9, 2012 – from Archbishop Eliud Wabukala   Read more

Some questions for the new Archbishop of Canterbury

Mark Thompson does us a great service by respectfully raising key questions for the next Archbishop of Canterbury –

“There is a great deal that is wonderfully hopeful in this appointment. Bishop Welby self-identifies as an evangelical. He is able to communicate clearly and winsomely. However, as he prepares to take up this challenging role at a very challenging time, one characteristic that has not been attributed to him is ‘courage’. So there are a number of questions which I would like to put — or at least have someone put — respectfully but seriously, to the next Archbishop of Canterbury.” 

Full text here – Read more

Fake e-mail sent to South Carolina clergy

“The Diocese of South Carolina reports that an email fraudulently bearing the name and seal of the diocese was sent to its clergy inviting them to attend a clergy conference. … Sources in the diocese also report that members of the clergy are being pressured not to attend the diocese’s 17 November 2012 special convention…” – Report from Anglican Ink.

Read the Diocese of South Carolina’s statement here.

“The sender intentionally impersonated the diocese with an unauthorized use of our Diocesan seal and by stating that the sender was the Diocese of South Carolina…”

Report: Bishop of Durham to be Archbishop of Canterbury

A report from The Telegraph –

“Sources have confirmed that the Eton-educated bishop [Justin Welby, Bishop of Durham] will be announced as successor to Dr Rowan Williams as early as Friday, after the Crown Nominations Commission put his name forward to Downing Street. …”

Photo: Diocese of Durham.

A Report from the Anglican Consultative Council meeting in Auckland

Canon Phil Ashey reports from what he sees as an “intensively stage managed and choreographed” meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council.

Canon Ashey is Chief Operating and Development Officer of the American Anglican Council.

Here’s his conclusion:

“In terms of what schemes seem to be emerging, I would respectfully suggest the following as a “pincer” movement that ACC/ACO is going to place upon confessing Anglicans:

1.  Through Continuing Indaba dialogue and stories, bolstered by the work of the BILC resources, Biblical interpretation of human sexuality and its limits will be rendered value-neutral with no limits on Biblical interpretation within the Communion. Lambeth 1.10 will be declared in effect non-binding;

2.  Then, through the new Code of Conduct and the Safe Church resolution, any objection to sexual expressions that are not Biblical will be deemed “harassment,” chilling any speech and bringing consequences to those who, in Anglican communion meetings, dare to raise the subject.”

Read his full report to see why – Read more

‘Cloak and dagger’ Archbishop of Canterbury selection

“The committee choosing the next leader of the world’s 77 million Anglicans is facing growing discontent from within the Church amid clams that the long-running process has become a ‘cloak and dagger’ procedure.…

The first that the world’s 77 million Anglicans are expected to know of the identity of their new leader will be when the name is announced from Downing Street.”

– Opinion piece in today’s (UK) Telegraph.

Pastoral Letter from Archbishop Wabukala

Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, Chairman of the FCA Primates Council, has released this Pastoral Letter:

“The Primates’ Council has just concluded its October 2012 meeting in Dar es Salaam where we witnessed the blessing of God in a number of key areas:

•  In the increase of our numbers
•  Through the achievements of our April meeting
•  By the testimonies of those who are joining with us
•  In the new funding provided for our communication efforts
•  Through our decision to meet again in a Global assembly
•  By the recognition that we are not alone in this spiritual battle …”

– Read it all here.

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