CofE & King Charles at odds over ‘other’ faiths at Coronation
“In an article printed [in] Daily Mail, King Charles has reportedly been in a dispute with Church leaders over the extent to which non-Christian faiths should participate in his upcoming Coronation ceremony. …”
– Kevin Kallsen reports at Anglican.Ink.
From barefoot refugee to leader in Global Anglicanism – with Archbishop Laurent Mbanda
In the lead up to the big GAFCON gathering in Kigali next week (17 – 21 April 2023), Dominic Steele has this fascinating interview with the Primate of Rwanda, Archbishop Dr Laurent Mbanda.
– Watch or listen at The Pastor’s Heart.
New Principal for Oak Hill College
The Rev. Dr James Robson has been announced as the next Principal of Oak Hill College in London after the news, last month, that Johnny Juckes had decided to step down from the position.
Announcement from Oak Hill College – photo from Keswick Ministries.
A new deanery chapter for the City of London
As foreshadowed by William Taylor and others, the abandonment of the authority of Scripture by the Church of England’s House of Bishops is having repercussions for relationships between Bible-believing churches and their heterodox bishops.
The latest from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate:
“After the House of Bishops’ recent departure from the Bible’s teaching on marriage and sexuality, new leadership structures are needed.
A new Church of England City deanery chapter has been formed and is taking 5 steps to promote ongoing healthy Church of England ministry.
Here’s an update from St Nick’s and St Botolph’s.”
Watch the four minute video here.
According to Christian Today, “The deanery chapter held its first meeting in the City of London on Monday, attended by 10 clergy.”
Members of the new deanery have decided to take five steps – here’s a rough transcript from the video:
First, to meet together regularly and to invite all clergy in the city of London who are all clergy … who are compelled to resist all episcopal leadership from the House of Bishops on the grounds that their proposed Prayers of Love and Faith undermine the Church of England’s doctrine of marriage such that we can no longer walk in Partnership together.
Second, the meeting elected an acting Area Dean.
Third, some training curates in our deanery have felt forced to pause their post-ordination training. We therefore decided as a chapter that we will aim to provide necessary and equivalent ongoing training for these individuals.
Fourth, we acknowledge that there is an urgent matter relating to the selection of candidates who want to pursue Church of England ministry but are unable to apply because of the House of Bishops’ recent departure from faithful Biblical teaching. Therefore senior leadership from the churches within this deanery chapter will nominate a group of people who can select new prospective ordinands.
Fifth, there is also an urgent matter relating to the deployment of current Church of England ordinands who are hoping to get ordained this summer. We know that many because of conscience are unable to be ordained by the diocesan bishop or any bishop acting on her behalf. Therefore senior leadership from the churches within this deanery chapter will commission these individuals so that they are enabled to work within Church of England churches until such a time that their ordinations can take place.
Do pray for all who seek to be faithful to God’s word in the Church of England.
Anglican Diocese of the Arctic Defies National Church over Same-Sex Marriage
Here’s a story from Canada we missed from a couple of weeks back –
“The largest of the 30 dioceses in the province of 1.5 million square miles, the Diocese of the Arctic claims evangelical solidarity with bishops and clergy not recognized by the Lambeth Conference but with GAFCON and the Anglican Network in Canada.
Two bishops, David Parsons and Joey Royal (Suffragan) from the far north will attend GAFCON IV next month in Rwanda, standing with the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) and the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). …”
Photo: The Diocese of the Arctic.
Bishop Andy Lines: “GAFCON IV comes at a very key moment”
From GAFCON:
Bishop Andy Lines in the UK shares why the upcoming Gafcon IV conference in Kigali is so important for authentic Anglicans like youwho want to see more people come to Christ.
Anglican Network in Europe responds to the Archbishop of the Church in Wales
Here’s a Press release from the Bishops of the Anglican Network in Europe, 24th March 2023:
The Bishops of the Anglican Network in Europe have seen correspondence from the Most Rev’d Andy John and the Bench of Bishops of the Church in Wales to their clergy concerning the recent consecration of Rt. Rev’d Stuart Bell as a Bishop for the Anglican Convocation in Europe (ACE). In this letter they make clear that they do not recognise Stuart Bell’s episcopal ministry, and instruct Church in Wales clergy to “stand back from receiving communion at services held under the auspices of ACE”.
Archbishop John and his Bench are correct in their assessment that members of ACE are not under the oversight of the bishops of the Church in Wales. They are also right to locate the immediate cause of this division in the decision by the Governing Body of the Church in Wales in September 2021 to permit blessing of same sex couples in church. However, the background to that decision has been many years of promotion by Church in Wales’ leaders of a radically different interpretation of Scripture and Christian life, influenced by Western secularism, and not consistent with orthodox Christianity as recognised by the majority of the Anglican church worldwide.
Stuart Bell, in his powerful speech following his consecration, said that the emergence of ACE in Wales is a tragic necessity in the face of false teaching in the national church. The Archbishop and his Bishops may sincerely believe that all Anglicans in Wales should simply accept what has happened and “live with difference”. But this is not the view of the vast majority of the Anglican Communion. Both Gafcon and the Global South Fellowship of Anglican have stated clearly that the leadership of the Church in Wales have violated Lambeth 1:10 and further torn the fabric of the Communion.
Contrary to what Archbishop John and his Bishops have said, it is the the Church in Wales which has placed itself out of communion with the majority of Anglicans worldwide by departing the historic, orthodox, biblical faith. Faithful Anglicans living under such failed oversight need a spiritually safe home and a hope for the future. We are grateful that Gafcon has provided this by authorising ACE as a genuine Anglican jurisdiction.
As ACE develops in Wales under Bishop Stuart’s leadership, its members will continue to make plans for the future together, and enjoy fellowship, with those faithful Anglicans who remain in the Church in Wales. Our unity with them remains in the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ revealed in his word written, not in recognition by erring institutional structures.
ENDS
See also:
Watch Bishop Stuart Bell’s consecration last weekend – or skip straight to Bishop Bell’s speech following his consecration.
Image: Bishop Bell speaks after his consecration.
“Not Just Us – Not Just Now” – Lessons from New Zealand
“As faithful Anglicans in the Church of England consider how best to respond to the proposed Prayers of Love and Faith, there is much to learn from brothers and sisters in New Zealand. Not least because it was the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia (ACANZP) that was, according to the answer to Q177 at the February 2023 General Synod, “The example that [CofE] bishops considered in some more depth during their residential meetings.”
In a letter to his diocese, Bishop Jay Behan, of the Church of Confessing Anglicans, Aotearoa, New Zealand (CCAANZ), wrote recently …”
– Read the excerpts from Jay Behan’s letter, and his calls to prayer, at Anglican Futures.
Photo: Bishop Behan addresses the congregation at his service of consecration in Christchurch in October 2019.
Church of England Ordinands ask for Alternative Episcopal Oversight
Published by Anglican Mainstream:
“By A Group Of Ordinands Currently In Training.
During the debate on Living in Love and Faith at General Synod in February, the Archbishop of York spoke about the need for some settled way of ensuring that everyone has a place within the Church of England.
We agree wholeheartedly, and fully support the campaign by the Church of England Evangelical Council for a settlement that will enable those like us who cannot accept the recent proposals from the House of Bishops to remain in the Church of England by establishing necessary visible differentiation from those who support their use.
However, any such settlement is likely to take years of painstaking negotiation. Therefore, it offers no immediate solution for ordinands due to be ordained as deacons and priests in the near future. For this reason, we have written this short statement to raise awareness of our situation and to call on bishops to provide a temporary solution while we await a long-term one. …”
Stephen Noll: The Next Step — Formation of a New Communion of Churches
Dr Stephen Noll has concluded his series of 14 Theses suggesting ways forward for Biblically faithful Anglicans –
“These Fourteen Theses represent an attempt to sketch a providential history of global Anglicanism over the past twenty-five years. …
These Theses describe an ‘Ebenezer moment’ for the Anglican Communion and propose a critical next step: a costly but necessary separation from the Church of England as the mother church and from the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury as a focus of Anglican unity. In truth, this separation has been happening since 1998, as Global Anglicans have begun charting their own way forward.
Any genuine reform of the Church involves a threefold cord: renewal of faith and mission; reform of doctrine, discipline, and worship; and reordering of church polity at the local, regional and international levels. …”
“Airbags on Pokies” — The Dean of Sydney
Sandy Grant, the Dean of Sydney, writes about the choice before NSW voters this Saturday –
“Friends in Christ, I encourge you to join me in this prayer for our State, with the election of a new Parliament this Saturday, 25th March:
Almighty God and Loving Heavenly Father, we humbly ask you to direct the hearts of those who seek election to our state parliament, and of us as we exercise our democratic freedoms. May we vote unselfishly for the common good. Protect politicians from the temptation of self-serving. Enable them to make realistic promises and help them keep their word. Uphold those elected to serve in the new Parliament through all the heavy demands that come upon them, that they may serve with integrity. May the decisions of our parliaments, state and federal, lead to the safety and welfare of this country, so that peace and happiness, truth and justice may be established among us. Amen.
As you know, I have spoken strongly in favour of reforms to prevent and minimise harm from poker machine use, which currently sees people in NSW lose $8 billion a year. That’s about $23 million per day! And the worst losses are often in the poorer areas of our city.
I have been calling for reform for almost 15 years, since I first became aware of the dreadul damage done by poker machines on their users and families.”
– Read it all at the Cathedral website.
Image: If only modern poker machines took bets of just 25 cents.
Motion putting pressure on Church of England passed by MPs
“Yesterday, Ben Bradshaw MP’s ‘ten minute rule motion’ aimed at forcing the Church of England to conduct same-sex marriages was passed by the House of Commons without a vote.
The motion does not change the law. But it sends a message that some politicians are becoming increasingly willing to compel acceptance of same-sex marriage on those who disagree. …”
– Report from Coalition for Marriage in the UK.
Archbishop Ben Kwashi GAFCON IV
Archbishop Ben Kwashi has this brief message of encouragement for all who are going to GAFCON IV – a great reminder for us all to pray for the gathering.
A Celtic Blessing — Bishop Stuart Bell consecrated for Anglican Convocation in Europe
In a service with a distinctive Welsh flavour, including harpists, songs, prayers and Bible readings in Welsh, Stuart Bell was consecrated on Saturday 18 March as bishop to serve within the Anglican Convocation in Europe (ACE).
Led by Archbishop Foley Beach representing the Gafcon Primates, and Bishop Andy Lines, the Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Network in Europe, the service marked a significant moment in the history of the Principality.
Stuart will assist Bishop Andy Lines in providing support and encouragement, oversight and accountability for ACE clergy and congregations within Wales. His consecration represents the continuing provision by the global Anglican family of a home for those seeking to remain faithful to the Biblical gospel of Jesus Christ and uphold historic, orthodox, biblical, confessional Anglicanism.
In his sermon, Archbishop Foley emphasised that the ministry of a bishop is to ensure the message of the church remains the message of Jesus, by teaching the Word of God, defending the faith and proclaiming Jesus boldly and unashamedly.
Asked about Stuart’s consecration, Archbishop Foley said, “It will now give the people of Wales a godly and faithful bishop who upholds the theology and moral teaching of the Bible and our Anglican tradition.”
Stuart himself reflected, “It seems to me that this a twofold testimony. A testimony as orthodox Anglicans in Wales to the Biblical gospel of Jesus Christ which is our responsibility to faithfully present to all who will receive it; and, sadly, a testimony specifically against the Church in Wales which has stepped away from that Biblical gospel.”
In his greeting to the congregation Stuart publicly re-affirmed three life-time commitments: “Firstly to Jesus Christ as my Lord and myself as his disciple. Secondly to the Scriptures as recorded in the Bible, to believe them, to trust them, to seek to live them, and to preach them faithfully. Thirdly, I re-affirm my commitment to Wales, to commend Christ to Wales and to seek to bring Wales to Christ… until my last breath.”
– Source: The Anglican Convocation in Europe.
Praying for GAFCON IV preparations
Today’s prayer request from GAFCON:
“GAFCON IV, April 17-21, Kigali, Rwanda is taking place at a very significant moment in the Anglican Communion.
Pray for all the contributors to be able to prepare well in their area of the programme.”
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…