FCA General Secretary responds to the Global South to South Encounter

Archbishop Peter Jensen:

“In my judgment, the assembly was unresponsive to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s video greetings. I don’t think that what he said was obscure. It just seemed to be from another age, another world. His plea for patience misjudged the situation by several years… He seemed to suggest that the consecration of a partnered lesbian Bishop will create a crisis. In fact the crisis itself has passed. We are now on the further side of the critical moment; the decisions have all been made; we are already living with the consequences.”   (Read it all.)

The Fourth Blast of the Trumpet

The image of the trumpet blast seems to be an over-dramatic description of the communiqué issued from the latest Global South Encounter. In fact, the response to it has been somewhat muted. But as a guest at the conference, I believe that it fully deserves the title ‘trumpet’ and will in time be regarded as an historic statement.

One reason why it fails to create a strong reaction is that it simply confirms the obvious. The crisis moment has now passed. Many of the Global South provinces have given up on the official North American Anglicans (TEC and the Canadian Church) and regard themselves as being out of communion with them. They renew the call for repentance but can see that, failing something like the Great Awakening, it will not occur. The positive side to this is that they are committed to achieving self-sufficiency so that they will cease to rely on the Western churches for aid. That is something the Global South has been working on for some time, with success.

In my judgment, the assembly was unresponsive to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s video greetings. I don’t think that what he said was obscure. It just seemed to be from another age, another world. His plea for patience misjudged the situation by several years and his talk of the Anglican covenant was not where the actual conference was at. He seemed to suggest that the consecration of a partnered lesbian Bishop will create a crisis. In fact the crisis itself has passed. We are now on the further side of the critical moment; the decisions have all been made; we are already living with the consequences. And it was in working out the consequences that the communiqué may eventually be seen to be historic.   Read more

N. T. Wright to leave Durham

“The Bishop of Durham, Dr N. T. Wright, has announced that he will be retiring from the See of Durham on August 31 …  and will take up a new appointment as Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of St Andrews in Scotland…”

– from the Diocese of Durham and also the University of St. Andrews.

(Photo: Diocese of Durham.)

New Bishop of Bunbury

“On Saturday, 17th April 2010 Anglicans from around the South West and Great Southern gathered together in Bunbury and elected The Rt. Revd. Allan Ewing to be the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Bunbury. Currently Bishop Allan is serving in the Diocese of Canberra/Goulburn.”

– from the Diocese of Bunbury website.

ANZAC Day message from Peter Jensen

The video of Archbishop Peter Jensen’s ANZAC Day message is available from SydneyAnglicans.net.

Fourth Trumpet — from GSE4

The Fourth Anglican Global South to South Encounter (meeting at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Singapore, 19th – 23rd April 2010), has issued this Communique.

Here are some excerpts.

“We welcomed the election of the Most Rev’d John Chew as the new Chairman, the Most Rev’d Henry Orombi as Vice-Chairman, The Most Rev’d Mouneer Anis as Secretary, the Most Rev’d Nicholas Okoh as Treasurer …

15. As a sign of our fellowship and an encouragement to our purpose, at the beginning of our assembly God sent into our midst two Nepalese Anglicans, members of the new Anglican Church in this principally Hindu and Buddhist nation. … We rejoice with them in their newfound faith and their determination to be obedient to the Word of God in a setting where such obedience is very costly. …

16. In contrast, we continue to grieve over the life of The Episcopal Church USA (TEC) and the Anglican Church of Canada and all those churches that have rejected the Way of the Lord as expressed in Holy Scripture. …

17. We uphold the courageous actions taken by Archbishops Mouneer Anis (Jerusalem and the Middle East), Henry Orombi (Uganda) and Ian Ernest (Indian Ocean) and are encouraged by their decision not to participate in meetings of the various Instruments of Communion at which representatives of The Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Church of Canada are present. …

19. We were pleased to welcome two Communion Partner bishops from The Episcopal Church USA (TEC) and acknowledge that with them there are many within TEC who do not accept their church’s innovations. We assure them of our loving and prayerful support. …

Read it all.

GSE4 Day 3 — 21st April 2010

“What does it mean for the Churches in the Global South to be a ‘Light for the Nations?’

The day started with Archbishop Robert Duncan presiding at Holy Communion. In his homily, Abp Peter Jensen reminded us that we, who are “deeply, truly and permanently loved” are truly free. We do not “go our own way” to find freedom, but we come to Jesus, the bread of life…”

– The report on Day 3 of the fourth Global South-to-South Encounter, in Singapore, from the Global South website. (Photo: Global South Anglican.)

Episcopal diocese sues to get church back

“The Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin filed a lawsuit last week against St. James Anglican — the historic Red Church — in Sonora. It was news to St. James’ priest, the Rev. Wolfgang Krismanits, on Monday afternoon.

“We’ve had no word whatsoever,” he said. “I’ve seen nothing yet. I didn’t get an e-mail. I didn’t get a phone call.”…

– full story from The Modesto Bee in California.

And in another parish: St. John the Evangelist, Stockton, California.

(Photo: The Red Church.)

Expose and banish darkness

Anglican TV has posted online video of Archbishop Akinola’s welcome to the GSE4 in Singapore yesterday.

“This, sadly, is the eighth year since we have not all been in communion with one another, globally, in the same Anglican Church. It appears that some of our leaders value the ageing structures of the communion much more than anything else, hence, the illusion that with more meetings, organisations and networks the crises will disappear. How wrong.”

‘The Gospel of Jesus Christ’ — Abp Okoh at GSE4

This evening Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, the new Primate of Nigeria, gave the opening thematic address of GSE4 at Singapore’s St Andrew’s Cathedral. He was preceded by welcomes from the Conference host, Archbishop John Chew and Chairman, Archbishop Peter Akinola.

– Read them on the Global South website.

(Photo: Church of Nigeria.)

GSE4 in Singapore begins today

“Most of the 130 primates, bishops, clergy, senior lay leaders, associates and observers have arrived in for the 5-day Encounter which starts today, Monday 19th April. …

A few have been stranded or delayed due to last week’s global “ash-ed Wednesday”. One key Primate who has been delayed is Abp Henry Orombi, along with some other UK participants…”

– from the Global South Anglican website.

New sponsorship opportunity

“The Anglican Church of Canada is pleased to announce that for the first time in its 117 year history, General Synod is offering religious based organizations and affiliates the opportunity to support its triennial national convention through a variety of unique sponsorship initiatives.

‘We hope that inviting the support of corporate sponsors for General Synod will have a positive impact on the Church’s ability to ensure the sustainability of this gathering for years to come’ explains Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada…”

– Press release from the Anglican Church of Canada.

A Conversation with Bishop Don Harvey

Kevin Kallsen of Anglican TV spoke this week with Bishop Don Harvey of the Anglican Church in North America. He’s posted the interview here.

Welcome to Bishop of Wollongong

SydneyAnglicans.net reports there will be a local welcome to Wollongong for newly-consecrated Bishop Peter Hayward at St Michael’s Cathedral Wollongong tomorrow (Saturday 17th April) at 10:00am.

(Photo: Sydneyanglicans.net and St. Michael’s.)

New bishop for Anglican Church in Auckland

“The Anglican church welcomes a new Bishop of Auckland tomorrow when the Very Reverend Ross Bay is ordained at the Cathedral of Holy Trinity in Parnell…”

– from Stuff.co.nz.

Global South Encounter 4

The Fourth Global South Anglican South to South Encounter (GSE4) will be held next week at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Singapore, and prayers are urged for this strategic meeting. Pray also for those travelling from Sydney for this event.

A prayer guide has been prepared by the Church of Uganda. See it here.

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