Sydney Standing Committee supports Archbishop on Lambeth Decision
The Standing Committee of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney has given its full support to Archbishop of Sydney Dr Peter Jensen’s decision not to attend the Lambeth Conference.
The decision was announced earlier this month and this was Standing Committee’s first meeting since then. Read more
More Canadians join Southern Cone
Seven Anglican congregations voted this weekend to accept the episcopal oversight of Bishop Donald Harvey… under the Primatial authority of Archbishop Gregory Venables …
See the voting figures in the full press release from The Anglican Network in Canada.
See also “Anglican rift grows deeper” from The Ottawa Citizen –
“Meanwhile, parishioners at St. John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver prayed on Sunday for unity and strength in dealing with ‘the hurdles that lie ahead’ as they gathered for the first time since last week’s landmark vote.”
Second Ottawa congregation votes to split
For the second time in less than a week, an Anglican congregation in Ottawa has voted to leave the diocese over the contentious issue of same-sex marriage.
Parishioners of St. Alban the Martyr Saturday night voted overwhelmingly in favour of the break …
Story from The Ottawa Citizen. (images courtesy St. Alban the Martyr.)
Vancouver Island priests inhibited
The two priests of St Mary of the Incarnation, in Victoria (Metchosin) were inhibited late Friday afternoon by Diocesan Archdeacon, the Venerable Bruce Bryant-Scott.
The Venerable Sharon Hayton, rector, (pictured) and the Rev Andrew Hewlett, assistant priest, received notice late Friday afternoon (February 15), that disciplinary action was being commenced against them although no charge was given under the Church’s canons. Read more
First Ottawa church breaks from diocese
One Anglican congregation has broken away from the Ottawa diocese over same-sex unions, and another votes Saturday on whether to follow suit.
This week, Rev. Alex Lewanowicz, minister for Bearbrook, Navan and Vars, gave up his minister’s licence with the Anglican Church of Canada and agreed to serve here under a South American archbishop instead. “For integrity’s sake, I’ll put my money where my mouth is,’ he said Friday. …
Report from the Ottawa Citizen. (Photo: Anglican Network in Canada.)
Update: see also “Five Anglican parishes set to separate from Church”.
GAFCON Response to Evangelical English Bishops
Five GAFCON Bishops have responded to a letter which was signed by 20 English bishops and released in late January –
To Bishop David James and colleagues
Brethren
We have received your letter encouraging us to attend the Lambeth Conference with you.
We trust that we are united in faithful obedience to the Scriptures and also to the Anglican Formularies. We understand your desire to continue to support the efforts of the Archbishop of Canterbury. As GAFCON Bishops and primates, we share with you a commitment to the communion and its future. We ask you to understand that we have reached a different conclusion and request you to understand our decision. Read more
Canada vote encouraging, says bishop
Retired Sydney bishop Ken Short says the strength of the vote to break with the Anglican Church in Canada by the Vancouver congregation led by his son, the Rev David Short, will encourage other congregations considering a similar move. …
Russell Powell reports for SydneyAnglicans.net
Press coverage of St. John’s Shaughnessy
Canadian news agencies are reporting on the vote of St. John’s Shaughnessy to join the Province of the Southern Cone –
Anglican Church Loses Largest Congregation
“Rev. Short said his parish asked to be put under the jurisdiction of a Canadian bishop who shared its orthodox views, but they were offered a compromise that was not satisfactory. … Read more
Bishop Harvey welcomes St John’s
“St John’s has shown true leadership both now and over the past difficult years. I look forward to ministering with them and moving forward together in mission and in full communion with the tens of millions of orthodox Anglicans worldwide who have been so supportive of us.”
Press release from the Anglican Network in Canada.
St. John’s Shaughnessy has voted to join Southern Cone
Members of what is described as the largest congregation in the Anglican Church of Canada voted strongly Wednesday to split with Vancouver-area Bishop Michael Ingham over his support for same-sex blessings.
“It means that the community speaks with one mind,” said St. John’s Shaughnessy Anglican Church spokeswoman Lesley Bentley, after a preliminary count showed that out of 495 ballots cast, only 11 opposed the split and nine abstained. …
The vote means the church, which has more than 700 members, will break with Ingham and join with the conservative Anglican bishops of the Diocese of the Southern Cone, which includes Argentina and Paraguay. …
Report from The Vancouver Sun.
ABC Religion Report on the Archbishop of Canterbury’s comments
From ABC Radio National’s The Religion Report on 13th February 2008:
“The Archbishop of Canterbury’s suggestion that some form of sharia law is inevitable in Britain has provoked public outrage – The Times has labelled him a traitor and there have been calls for his resignation. Now Rowan Williams says he has been misunderstood – he never intended to suggest there should be parallel legal jurisdictions. We speak to the author of Londonistan, Melanie Phillips, about why Britain’s elites seem so strangely reluctant to defend the idea of a common culture.”
Transcript and audio from the ABC website.
Uganda not going to Lambeth either
Church of the Province of Uganda
Statement by the Provincial Assembly Standing Committee on Lambeth Conference 2008
1. The Lambeth Conference is a gathering that brings together the Bishops of the Anglican Communion from all 38 Provinces of the Communion at the invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The conference is usually held every ten years. It provides Bishops with an opportunity for “worship, study, and conversation,” discussing and making resolutions that affect the Anglican Communion. Read more
St. John’s Shaughnessy to vote today on breaking with church
“The fate of what is described as the largest congregation in the Anglican Church of Canada hangs in the balance tonight.
Members of St. John’s Shaughnessy Anglican Church, a neo-Gothic landmark in the heart of the city’s wealthiest neighbourhood, are gathering for an expected vote on breaking with Vancouver-area Bishop Michael Ingham over same-sex blessings … Read more
Statement from the Archbishop of Sydney on the Government’s apology to the Stolen Generations
The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr. Peter Jensen, welcomes the government’s apology.
Dr Jensen says, “As Christians, we know that repentance and forgiveness liberates people to serve one another.”
“I hope the apology will help to reconcile indigenous and non-indigenous Australians and that it will make a real difference in the lives of those affected.”
– Media release from Sydney Diocese.
UK Anglican Bishop Fined £47,345 and Sent for ‘Re-Education’
The Anglican bishop of Hereford has been ordered by a court to undergo “equal opportunities training” and pay a fine of £47,345.00… for refusing to hire an active homosexual for a position of trust with young people. The ruling also stated that Hereford diocese staff “involved in recruitment should receive equal opportunities training”.
Story from Life Site. (Photo: Diocese of Hereford.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…