An open letter from Calvary

This open letter form Calvary Health Care was posted on Friday, in anticipation of today’s ‘hostile takeover’ of Calvary Public Hospital, Bruce, by the ACT Government –

“This Sunday marks the end of an era for Calvary. We have been a trusted healthcare provider for public patients in the ACT for 44 years, providing care from birth to end of life, and everything in between.

Since Calvary Public Hospital Bruce opened its doors in 1979, we have been there for significant moments in the lives of many patients and their loved ones. …”

– Read it all here.

Related:

Canavan and Pocock call for Inquiry into the Calvary Hospital Takeover – Australian Christian Lobby.

Walking Together?

“There has been much talk in the church of ‘walking together’ despite differences.

Obviously on some issues and in some ways that is good. We don’t want a new church every time we disagree about the colour of the carpet. Churches can endlessly fracture over secondary matters, as the proliferation of denominations and congregations shows. But we must ask: walking together despite what differences? Walking in what direction? In what manner? What is the basis, purpose and mode of our unity, of our walking together? …”

– Marc Lloyd looks at what the Bible says about ‘walking together’ – at Church Society’s website. (Emphasis added.)

A possibly related photo: The Bishop of London speaks at the General Synod of the Church of England in February 2023.

Evangelicals in the Church of England are running out of options

“The Prayers of Love and Faith bus has departed and there is nothing CEEC can now do to stop it.

At the pre-Synod press briefing on June 22, the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, said the new services ‘are on track for November’. CofE evangelicals now belong to a denomination whose leadership has forsaken the traditional Christian sexual ethic and has earned the condemnation of the overwhelming majority of the worldwide Anglican Communion for doing so. …

It is actually not too late for CEEC to start to co-ordinate an exit strategy out of the CofE. The large evangelical churches among its members have resources and they could lead the way. Of course, leaving would be difficult, risky and messy.”

– An opinion piece in Christian Today by former CofE vicar Julian Mann.

Image: Members stand to seek the call at the Church of England’s General Synod in February 2023.

Related, from the General Synod meeting – good news is preached, even if the majority choose to close their ears:

Be encouraged again by Ben John’s appeal to the Church of England General Synod.

Gafcon Collect

“Eternal God and gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ died for our redemption; commissioned His disciples to preach the good news; and sent the indwelling Holy Spirit in every generation to embrace and proclaim salvation in Christ alone: 

Arise and defend your Church, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. Shine the light of your Holy Word upon hearts darkened by error and strengthen the work of Gafcon so that the Anglican Communion throughout the world proclaims Christ faithfully to the nations, that captives may be set free, the straying rescued, and the confused restored. Bind your children together in truth, love, unity, and courage, that we, with all your saints, may inherit your eternal kingdom, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen.”

– from GAFCON.

Bishop Jay Behan gives thanks for GAFCON

“I rejoice at our relationship with Gafcon. We at CCA owe so much to our Gafcon family.

At a time when we had left the old structure in New Zealand (ACANZP) and had lost buildings, monies, status and structure, and when we were feeling pretty small and isolated, it was Gafcon who said to us: ‘We recognise you as authentically Anglican. We stand alongside you. Please know you are part of a global Anglican family.’

They did that in word, in decision (as the Gafcon Primates formally recognised the establishment of CCA), and in action as many of the global Gafcon leaders came to New Zealand for my consecration in 2019. …

It makes us part of a global family. It allows us to be in gospel partnership with brothers and sisters around the planet, and it requires us to care about and be involved in ministry outside of our own context.”

– In the latest edition (19 June 2023) of Ministry Matters from the Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa New Zealand, Bishop Jay Behan gives thanks for Gafcon.

Other encouraging articles in thus issue, edited by Geoff Robson.

Tomorrow (25 June 2023) is Gafcon Sunday!

Why is sexuality such a big deal?

“Why is the debate on sexuality and marriage in the Church of England (and other churches) such a big deal? Why can’t we just agree to disagree—to get on together and learn to live with difference?

Two groups regularly say that to me.

The first is those who want change in the Church’s teaching. Why are evangelicals making such a fuss? they ask. The Church has altered its practice on marriage in various ways in the past? Why can’t we make this adjustment now?

But the other group are those who are busy getting on with the business of planting new churches, growing current ones, and reaching young people. They are often younger, and have not been engaged so much with the ‘politics’ of the Church (lucky them!). Why can’t we just get on with the business of ministry? Will this issue really make much difference? After all, we have continued with gospel ministry in the past when the leadership has believed all sorts of questionable things—so why is this different?

An immediate response to both groups might be to say – you are right, it is not such a big deal. We are not talking about central Christian doctrines like the incarnation, salvation, or the Trinity. But here’s an interesting test case …”

– At Psephizo, Ian Paul lays out why sexuality is such a big deal, and a huge debate for the Church of England.

The Global Anglican 2022 Digital Digest

Church Society has published a Digital Digest with excerpts from Volume 136 of The Global Anglican:

“This new digital digest aims to make some of the best content from the previous year accessible to everyone.

Included are all four editorials from Peter Jensen, as well as an extra editorial piece from Bishop Keith Sinclair, published ahead of the 2022 Lambeth Conference.

There are four further articles and ten book reviews, selected from the four issues that comprise volume 136.”

It’s available for free download on this page – as an encouragement to subscribe.

Photo: Church Society Director Dr Lee Gatiss with Global Anglican Editor Dr Peter Jensen.

GAFCON Sunday 2023

“This is a critical time for the Anglican Communion.

The 2022 Lambeth Conference demonstrated the deep divisions in the Anglican Communion as many bishops chose not to attend, and some of those who did withdrew from sharing at the Lord’s table.

Since then the General Synod of the Church of England voted in February 2023 to welcome proposals by the bishops to enable same-sex couples to receive God’s blessing, which is contrary to the teaching of God’s Word. Resetting the Global Anglican Communion is now an urgent matter which was welcomed in the Kigali Commitment, the statement from GAFCON IV in Kigali, Rwanda.

The goal is that orthodox Anglicans worldwide will have a clear identity, a global ‘spiritual home’ of which they can be proud, and a strong leadership structure that gives them stability and direction as Global Anglicans.

This Gafcon Sunday (25 June 2023) will mark 15 years of faithfully proclaiming the unchanging word of God to a lost and desperate world. There is much to do, and your help is needed. …”

– Learn more from the GAFCON website.

CEEC remains committed to Lambeth I:10 and therefore opposes the criminalisation of LGBT+ people

Published  by the Church of England Evangelical Council, 13 June 2023:

CEEC is fully committed to Lambeth I.10 in its entirety. This means upholding biblical teaching concerning sexual “abstinence…for those who are not called to marriage” between a man and a woman and not “legitimising or blessing” same-sex unions or ordaining those in them. It also means both “rejecting homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture” and calling on all people “to minister pastorally and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn irrational fear” of gay people. As all human beings are equally created as God’s precious image-bearers CEEC agrees with the Primates of the Anglican Communion in 2005 that, “The victimisation or diminishment of human beings whose affections happen to be ordered towards people of the same sex is anathema to us”.

If we are to be faithful in our Christian witness, all these convictions need to shape how we respond in any and every culture. As our then National Director, Bishop Keith Sinclair, recently reminded the GAFCON conference, we need to recognise that: “Different parts of Lambeth 1.10 will challenge our different cultures in different ways, sometimes in difficult ways, but that is what will happen when we do not conform to this world but allow the Spirit of God to transform us by the renewing of our mind. At all times and in all places we will find we have to be countercultural, including in relation to sexuality”.

We recognise that there are challenges in understanding and responding to different cultural contexts. The role of law in relation to sexual behaviour and wider social policy and cultural commitments – such as supporting family structures and resisting global forces seen as undermining these structures – is complex. We also confess that we and the Church of England have failed and continue to fall short in various ways in our churches and in our responses to our own culture. We believe that the Primates of the Communion were right in 2016 to state their “rejection of criminal sanctions against same-sex attracted people”. We oppose the criminalisation of consensual homosexual behaviour, especially when combined with severe penalties and requirements to report people for their behaviour. We believe such laws encourage victimisation of those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or same-sex attracted and make the church’s commitment to listen to, care for, and disciple all people, regardless of sexual orientation, much more difficult to live out.

On the basis of these convictions, we are committed to further reflection on these matters and are engaging privately, through EFAC, with GAFCON and GSFA. We continue to pray for Christians and non-Christians whose lives such laws impact so severely and for all of us that, in our diverse cultures, we will learn from each other and bear faithful witness to Christ in word and deed.

**********************************************************************************

For further reflections on these issues we recommend the following articles:

Kirsten Birkett, “Don’t criminalise gay people”, Church Society (2021).

Sean Doherty, “Why LGBT People Should Not Be Criminalised”, Living Out (2021), recently republished as “Jesus would fight the criminalisation of LGBT people and so should we”.

Fulcrum, “Fulcrum Briefing on ‘The Anti-Homosexuality Bill’ in Uganda”, Fulcrum (2009).

Peter Jensen, “The Challenge of, and the Challenge to, Gafcon”, Church Society (2023).

Ian Paul, “Statement on the criminalisation of LGBTQI+ people” (2021).

Ephraim Radner & Andrew Goddard, “Rights, Homosexuals, and Communion: Reflections in light of Nigeria”, Fulcrum (2006).

Source: CEEC.

GAFCON Press Release: Archbishop of Canterbury lacks the moral justification to challenge GAFCON for rejecting Homosexuality

Here is a Press Release from the Gafcon Primates Council concerning the Archbishop of Canterbury’s criticism of the Archbishop of Uganda –

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY LACKS THE MORAL JUSTIFICATION TO CHALLENGE GAFCON FOR REJECTING HOMOSEXUALITY

In his recent letter to the Primate of the Church of Uganda, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Justin Welby, expressed “grief” and “sorrow” over the Church of Uganda’s support for the reinforced Anti-Homosexual Law passed by the Parliament and Government of Uganda. Unfortunately, he did not express any grief or sorrow over the crisis that has torn apart the Anglican Communion under his watch nor the downward slide of the compromised Church of England (and the Canterbury Cathedral) which is his See.

We recall that in the past, the Archbishop of Canterbury had issued similar statements criticising the positions of the Anglican Provinces of Kenya and Nigeria. It seems the history of colonisation and patronising behaviour of some provinces in the Northern Hemisphere towards the South, and Africa in particular, is not yet at an end. We commit ourselves strongly to obedience of the commandments of God as contained in the Holy Bible, one of which is marriage between man and woman as instituted by God from the beginning of the creation (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:18, 21-15).

We hereby question the rights and legitimacy of the Archbishop of Canterbury to call the leadership of Gafcon to honour commitment to Lambeth Resolution I.10, when he has led his church to undermine the teaching of the church as expressly stated in the same resolution. It is contradictory and self-serving for the Archbishop of Canterbury to cite Resolution I.10 to defend practising homosexuals whereas the following very vital parts of the Resolution have been flagrantly and repeatedly violated by Canterbury and allied western revisionist churches:

  • That the teaching of Scripture, upholds faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union,
  • That it rejects homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture and
  • That Lambeth cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions;

Rather than becoming a spokesperson and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights, Archbishop Justin Welby, the Church of England and other revisionist Anglican Provinces in the West which have chosen the path of rebellion against God in matters of biblical authority should instead, show sorrow for sin and failure to follow the word of God, the primary source for Anglican theology and divine revelation. The Archbishop and co-travellers should first protect Lambeth I.10 by repenting of their open disregard for the Word of God and harbouring sin. No resolution can have more force than the Word of God which both Gafcon/GSFA stand to defend. In other words, they must take away the log in their eyes before attempting to help others.

We, in Gafcon and GSFA had earlier declared unequivocally that we no longer recognise the Archbishop of Canterbury as the head, leader or spokesperson of the Anglican Communion. He has lost every power and authority to dictate to or advise other Primates and Provinces of the Communion who oversee 85% of the Global Communion. It is pertinent to remind Archbishop Welby that Africa is no longer a colony of the ‘British Empire,’ and the Church of England has no jurisdiction over the Anglican Provinces on the continent of Africa. As such, he should stop meddling with the internal affairs of the Anglicans on the continent of Africa.

We stand together in our commitment to the Bible and the essence of the Christian faith. We will stand together with Christ and shall resist all attempts to pollute our faith. The part of Lambeth Resolution I.10 which enjoins non-discrimination against persons who experience or practice homosexuality is not an endorsement of the sinful act, but a call for a normal pastoral approach and the responsibility of Church ministers to offer care and counsel to sinners of all categories.

Therefore, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NKJV).

The Most Rev Dr Laurent Mbanda
Chair of the Gafcom Primates Council

14 June 2023.

Source: GAFCON. Download the PDF file of the press release here.

Calvary Hospital media release after Supreme Court dismisses application

13th June 2023

Calvary is disappointed by the ACT Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss the application challenging the validity of the Health Infrastructure Enabling Act 2023.

Calvary National Chief Executive, Martin Bowles, said the decision to mount a legal challenge against the proposed compulsory acquisition of Calvary Public Hospital Bruce was taken in the best interests of staff, the broader Calvary business and the Canberra community.

“The past five weeks have been harrowing for our Calvary Public Hospital Bruce staff and partners, our organisation as a whole, the wider community and even those working at Canberra Health Services,” Mr Bowles said.

“For 44 years Calvary has been a trusted local healthcare provider in the Territory and we were committed to the remaining 76 years of our contract. However, the ACT Government instead chose to legislate to end a longstanding commercial arrangement with us, even though we have not breached the conditions of our contract.”

This was despite previously providing an option to the ACT Government to transfer land, build a new hospital and ensure Calvary continue delivering the public health services.

“However, Calvary will comply with the legislation in relation to transition and we look forward to receiving a detailed and more realistic plan from the ACT Government,” Mr Bowles added.

Calvary stands by its actions since May 2022, entering negotiations in good faith and investing considerable time to reach a compromise with the ACT Government over the proposed new hospital.

“I want to personally thank our 1800 staff, who have remained dedicated to delivering outstanding care even during these trying times and Calvary will ensure they are appropriately supported throughout the transition period,” Mr Bowles said.

Calvary will consider the ACT Supreme Court judgement once it is made available.

– Source: Calvary.

Related:

Media release – dated 9th June 2023, from The Australian Christian Lobby:

“The dismissal of Calvary Health Care’s application for an injunction to stop the takeover of Calvary Public Hospital by the ACT Supreme Court exposes the vulnerability of all Australians to totalitarianism by law, according to the Australian Christian Lobby. …”

Archbishop of Uganda Responds to Archbishop of Canterbury on Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023

The Archbishop of Uganda has responded to this statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury, released yesterday –

“The Most Rev Dr Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, released the following statement in response to the public letter to him from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Archbishop Justin Welby, the Primate of All England, has every right to form his opinions about matters around the world that he knows little about firsthand, and that is what he has done in his recent statement about the Church of Uganda’s widely held support for the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023. Our support has been made very clear by our earlier statement, so it does not require repeating.

He and many other Western leaders seem to think that the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 criminalizes homosexuality. It does not. Homosexuality was already criminalized; it simply reaffirms what was already in the colonial-era penal code, including a maximum sentence of the death penalty for aggravated homosexuality (which the Church of Uganda opposed).

Even if the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 was not signed into law, homosexuality would remain criminalized in Uganda, as it is in more than one-third of the world’s countries. Even if the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 is overturned by the Supreme Court, homosexuality will remain criminalized in Uganda. What is new is specifically outlawing the promotion of homosexuality and same-sex relationships as a moral alternative to God’s natural design for marriage between one man and one woman.

We wonder if Archbishop Justin Welby has written to encourage the Anglican Bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf to publicly advocate for decriminalizing homosexuality in the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East? Why are African countries like Ghana and Uganda singled out for such virtue signaling?

Sadly, as we stated – together with leaders of 85% of the Anglican Communion – in the Kigali Commitment of Gafcon IV in April 2023, we “can no longer recognise the Archbishop of Canterbury as an Instrument of Communion, the ‘first among equals’ of the Primates. The Church of England has chosen to impair her relationship with the orthodox provinces in the Communion.” We do pray for him and other leaders in the Church of England to repent.

The Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu
ARCHBISHOP OF CHURCH OF UGANDA.”

Photos: Archbishop of Canterbury and Church of Uganda websites.

Church of England Evangelical Council holds ‘resistance’ meetings over same-sex blessings

“The Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) is planning to hold ‘large-scale meetings’ in June, but only for those who have signed up to “resist” moves to bless same-sex couples in church. …

The invitation says that the meetings — at All Souls’, Langham Place, in London, on 17 June, and at Holy Trinity, Platt, in Manchester, on 19 June — are ‘being held in order to take counsel together regarding the proposals around the Prayers of Love and Faith, and to hear the wisdom of voices from around the Anglican Communion’. …”

– Story from Church Times. (Link via Anglican Mainstream.)

Government Takeover Scandal

In her latest video, the Australian Christian Lobby’s Wendy Francis discusses the alarming takeover attempt of the Catholic Calvary Hospital in Canberra.

The Fall of Canterbury

“The Kigali Commitment recognizes that Archbishop Welby has abandoned his office and that Instruments of Communion have failed to uphold essential doctrine regarding human sexuality, thereby undermining their very purpose. Those signing the Commitment no longer recognize the authority of the existing Communion structures. The Commitment empowers GAFCON and the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches to establish new structures for orthodox Anglicans wherever they are. …”

– At First Things, Matt and Anne Kennedy share their thoughts on GAFCON IV.

Image: At GAFCON Jerusalem in 2018, Russell Powell (left) interviews the Kennedys. (Well worth watching.)

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