GSFA, ACNA, and the Future of Conservative Anglicanism

“The 176 delegates, observers, and invited guests who gathered for the First Assembly of the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) on June 11 in the Egyptian desert surely brought a variety of hopes with them.

Some had been working on what is now called the GSFA’s Covenantal Structure for nearly a decade, and were excited to see the body finally convene and elect its leaders. For them, these are crucial steps in building the kind of institution the Anglican Communion hasn’t been in a long time, a body that acts like a global church, standing firm against false teaching and binding its members in mutual submission and common order. …“

– This report, by Mark Michael at The Living Church, is one perspective on what happened at the GSFA Assembly. (We’ll post links to other reports if they come to hand.)

Click here for the full size version of the Assembly group photo, courtesy of GSFA via The American Anglican Council.

Canterbury Cathedral to offer Prayers of Love and Faith for same-sex couples

“Same-sex couples already in civil partnerships or civil marriages, or who have sealed a covenanted friendship, can now be offered Prayers of Love and Faith at Canterbury Cathedral, following a unanimous decision by the Dean and governing Chapter. This step has already been taken by many churches and cathedrals. …”

– As if to underline the importance of both GAFCON and the just-concluded GSFA Assembly, Canterbury Cathedral has published this announcement. (With thanks to Anglican.ink for the tip.)

Photo: Dr David Monteith, Dean of Canterbury, with thanks to Canterbury Cathedral.

Related:

Global South Bishops ‘aggrieved’ by appointment of new Dean of Canterbury – October 2022.

Communique from the First Assembly of the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches

“The First Assembly of the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches – GSFA 9th Trumpet, 11-15 June 2024, St Mark’s Conference Centre, El Khatatba, Egypt …

A total of 200 participants from across 40 nations gathered as orthodox Anglican leaders for the 1st Assembly of the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA).

This is the first Assembly of the GSFA after the Global South Churches adopted a new Covenantal Structure in 2019 to bind their communion in Gospel life and witness together as a covenanted ecclesial body within the Anglican Communion.

To maintain continuity with the past and remember our roots, we have chosen to recognise GSFA’s 1st Assembly as also the 9th Trumpet of Global South churches since its first gathering at Limuru, Kenya in 1994. …”

– Read the full Communique released over night at the GSFA website.

Two updates from the GSFA Assembly

Two reports from The American Anglican Council’s Canon Phil Ashey:

“Last night, we crossed an important finish line! The members of the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans (GSFA) formally and unanimously ratified the Cairo Covenant and its covenantal structures. Among the most important sections are those that define how Anglicans read the Bible and what authority we give to its reading. …”

– Ratifying the Cairo Covenant.

and then a further update via Anglican Mainstream:

“The Global South Fellowship of Anglicans (GSFA) achieved their third objective of Assembly 2024: the election of godly leaders among the Primates Council, the Council of Bishops, and the Assembly.”

– Global South Assembly – The Structures come together.

Final Communique expected tomorrow.

Can the GSFA help the CofE bishops tell right from wrong?

“Church of England bishops are not known for their transparency – but sometimes there is a rare glimmer of honesty, particularly when a journalist is prepared to ask the right question.

This week, Dave Piper, a radio journalist, used Facebook to ask Rt Revd Martyn Snow, the Bishop of Leicester a simple question and wonderfully he received an honest answer. …”

– This post at Anglican Futures looks at the dilemma facing the Church of England Bishops who want unity over truth.

By way of answer, it draws attention to the address at the GSFA Assembly by the Rev. Sam Ferguson, Rector of The Falls Church Anglican in Virginia:

“Living up to the challenge, in less than an hour, he set out three of the unarticulated assumptions which shape the world in which we live and are seen in the LGBT movement.  He then offered a glorious, biblical alternative to each one.”

Can the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans chase the snakes out of the Anglican Communion?

“Yesterday, in a monastery in the Egyptian desert, the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans (GSFA) met for their first Assembly, under their new covenantal structures. Their purpose? To reset the Anglican Communion.

In his keynote address, the current Chair of the GSFA, the Primate of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, Archbishop Justin Badi, set out their plan. …

The Global South Fellowship of Anglicans has waited twenty-five years for the Instruments of the Anglican Communion to bring order to the divided church community, but they will wait no longer.”

– Susie Leafe writes at Christian Today.

The Assembly videos can be seen here.

Report from Global Assembly of Global South Fellowship of Anglicans, Egypt

From the American Anglican Council’s Canon Phil Ashey:

“Dear friends in Christ,

I am writing from the St. Mark’s Coptic Monastery in Khataba, Egypt, where almost 200 delegates from 11 Anglican Provinces, 3 ‘Provinces-in-formation’ duly constituted by Gafcon and recognized as such by the GSFA, and numerous mission agencies from over 40 countries are gathering for the first Global Assembly of the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans (GSFA). This Global Assembly marks an historic ‘reset’ of the Anglican Communion with regards to:

1.    What Anglicans believe (a common confession of faith based on Biblical faith, Apostolic tradition and the Anglican formularies);

2.    A true and genuine Communion of Anglican Churches based upon covenantal structures that provide clear and fair criteria for membership– with mutual accountability and discipline within the boundaries of Reformational Anglicanism; and

3.    A passionate commitment to Christ’s Great Commission to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:16-20) –  undeterred by false teaching – through mission partnerships that will enable Anglicans to proclaim Christ faithfully to all nations…”

– e-mail, via Anglican Mainstream.

GSFA takes on the challenge of resetting the Anglican Communion

Anglican Futures has published the second of three posts on the aims of this week’s Global South Fellowship of Anglicans Assembly in Egypt:

“The GSFA are resetting the Anglican Communion by creating a means of global accountability and discipline.” (Emphasis added)

– Read the second post – though you might want to begin with the first in the series, “The GSFA – a potted history”.

Image: GSFA leaders at Lambeth in 2022.

Latest George Whitefield College newsletter

Screenshot

The latest newsletter (May 2024) from George Whitefield College in Cape Town has been uploaded to their website.

Good to see what’s happening, and as fuel for your prayers. (Click PRINT FULL NEWSLETTER for the PDF version.)

Anglican Global South leaders meet in Egypt to reset and renew the Anglican Communion

“The Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) is a recognised grouping within the  Anglican Communion which includes some 75% of Anglicans worldwide and traces its origins to the  first ‘South to South’ Encounter in Kenya in 1994. Since then, regular ‘Encounter’ gatherings have  brought the voice of Global South to the wider Anglican Communion and next week, 11th-15th June, a  group of 200 leaders is being gathered by the GSFA in Egypt as its ‘1st Assembly’ under a new  Covenantal structure.

The Assembly will meet in the context of the rapid growth of Anglican Churches of the Majority  World, in contrast to the Western Churches which, on the whole, have been unable to resist a  cultural drift away from orthodox Christianity. …”

– Report on the upcoming GSFA Assembly in Egypt.

via Anglican.ink. Image: GSFA.

Is Article 20 a Roadblock to “Prayers of Love and Faith” in the Church of England?

Quick answer: “Yes”.

Longer answer at Anglican Futures.

Related:

“Prayers of Love and Faith” – Church of England.

‘Crunch Point’ on Religious Freedom: Catholic Schools and Hospitals May Close, Warns Anthony Fisher

“The Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, has warned the church will be forced to consider closing religious schools if the government strips them of the ability to preference the employment of teachers supportive of Christian teachings.

Archbishop Fisher, one of the nation’s most senior Catholic leaders, declared more radical ­actions could be needed in ­response to the infringement of religious liberties, and raised the prospect of withdrawing educational services as happened in the landmark 1962 Goulburn school strike. …”

– Story from The Australian (paywall).

Image: Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney.

‘Episcopal Church unveils new Pride shield in celebration of LGBTQ+ inclusion’

We haven’t linked to news of The Episcopal Church in the USA in recent times. Here’s the latest:

“In affirmation and celebration of The Episcopal Church’s LGBTQ+ members, the Office of Communication is pleased to unveil a new Pride shield available online for churchwide use. …”

– From The Episcopal Church.

Gerald Bray Interview on the BCP — Church Society

From Church Society:

“Lee Gatiss talks to Gerald Bray about Gerald’s new Companion to the Book of Common Prayer.”

– Listen here.

How should we respond to the world as we now find it?

The Anglican Diocese of the Living Word’s Missions Conference and Synod was held in Pennsylvania over the last few days.

Dr. Carl Trueman was the invited speaker.

In his first talk, he focussed on the underlying things that shape the way we think today. Starting at 5:35.

In his second talk, Dr. Trueman speaks of the three things the church has to do in our present context. That address starts at 34:12.

(Prior to his address, Gafcon General Secretary Bishop Paul Donison is interviewed from 18:18.)

The previous night, the Rev. Yoel Ben David gave his testimony of conversion from Judaism.

At the start of the Conference, Bishop Julian Dobbs gave this address. This, alone, is well worth hearing.

The videos are available with thanks to Anglican TV.

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