Lambeth absentees press on as letters wait to be sent out
A month after the Lambeth Conference, the 230 or so absent Anglican bishops have not yet been contacted in order to “build bridges” with them. In the mean time, their leaders have stated that they have heard nothing from Lambeth to give them pause as they seek to form a new North American province. …
– report from Bill Bowder in Church Times.
(Photo: Joy Gwaltney – taken at the final GAFCON session.)
Persecution Index 11: Orissa
One of the biggest waves of anti-Christian violence for some years is currently sweeping through the state of Orissa in India. Websites and blogs from the area have for many months been reporting deaths, mainly of Dalits or low-caste Indians, and thousands fleeing for their lives. But as sites here are reporting now, the persecuction is reaching a new intensity. …
– Ruth Gledhill reports at Times Online.
New fears of schism in Anglican Church
The day in 2003 when the Archbishop of Canterbury forced his friend Dr Jeffrey John to reject his appointment as Bishop of Reading became a defining moment of his archiepiscopate. The consecration of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire became a defining moment for the entire Anglican Communion.
Now Britain could be about to have its own “Gene Robinson moment” with growing support in the province of Wales for his election to a bishopric, possibly as soon as in Bangor next month. …
– Ruth Gledhill reports in TimesOnline. (Photo: The Cathedral and Abbey Church of Saint Alban.)
Vancouver Magazine on St. John’s Shaughnessy
“On a Sunday morning earlier this year, hundreds of Anglicans pour through the doors of St. John’s Shaughnessy Church. The stately grey building at the corner of Granville and Nanton is home to a well-heeled and diverse congregation: parents with a clutch of teenage sons, elderly women in wheelchairs, youthful couples.
Sitting near the front with her husband is soft-spoken, 72-year-old Gail Stevenson, who has attended the church her whole life. Closer to the back, sitting all by himself, is 46-year-old Steve Schuh. Many of the parishioners sit in the same pew week after week—pews that may soon be pulled out from under them. …”
– Jonathan Graham at Vancouver Magazine reports on the challenges facing St. John’s Shaughnessy and like-minded churches in that city. (Hat tip: Ed Hird.)
California clergy receive ultimatum
The Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin, based in Stockton, California, has written to clergy affiliated with the breakaway Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin, based in Fresno, California, asking that they affirm their loyalty to him or be deposed from the ordained ministry. …
– George Conger reports for Religious Intelligence. (Photo: Bishop Jerry Lamb greets TEC Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori – Episcopal Life Online.)
Standing against the culture of death
Back in May, Al Mohler spoke of the family of Trig Paxson Van Palin, a little boy born with Down Syndrome.
“…Trig Palin is now in a very rare group of very special children, because it is now believed that the vast majority of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome before birth are being aborted.”
Trig’s mum, Sarah Palin, is the Governor of Alaska, and was yesterday announced as the running mate for Senator John McCain for the US Presidency.
– Read Albert Mohler’s article here. He also spoke of it on his radio programme. (Hat tip: Justin Taylor.)
See also this page about Trig from the Governor’s Office.
GAFCON Communiqué on establishment of the Primates Council and Fellowship
The first meeting of the GAFCON Primates Council took place in London from Wednesday 20th to Friday 22nd August 2008.
“Given that some esteemed colleagues from the Global South have strongly commended the Windsor Process to us, we are reluctant to say that it cannot work. But there is nothing new here such as to make us hesitate from the course we are taking, given the urgency of the situations with which we are dealing and the realities already on the ground.”
The full Communiqué is reproduced below. Read more
Bishops write to GAFCON Primates Council
This letter was sent to Archbishop Peter Akinola, Chairman of the GAFCON Primates Council, by five bishops from North America. It is referred to in the GAFCON Primates Council communique.
“As requested we have carefully studied the Reflections of the Windsor Continuation Group – in particular the section that refers to our ministry within North America. We offer these comments…”
New Westminister letters to parishioners
The Diocese of New Westminister has released the letters sent to members of St. Matthias and St. Luke Vancouver, and St. Matthew’s Abbotsford.
There are links from this page on the New Westminster website.
St. John’s Shaughnessy responds to New Westminster
From St. John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver –
The Diocese of New Westminster (DNW) initiated action against St. Matthew’s Abbotsford and St. Matthias – St. Luke Vancouver on August 26th and is seeking to take over governance of the parishes. We are deeply disappointed by this action as it fails to recognize:
- repeated attempts by the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) parishes to seek dialogue before litigation;
- repeated statements from the Primate of Canada that any such action will damage the public witness of the church;
- repeated calls from the Anglican Communion to refrain from such hostile action
It is a sad irony that the Diocese invoked Canon 15 on the same day that the Archbishop of Canterbury released his Pastoral Letter to all Bishops of the Anglican Communion reflecting on the recent Lambeth conference saying: Read more
Ian Cox new Archdeacon
It’s been announced that Ian Cox, currently the Rector of Brighton/Rockdale, will become the new Archdeacon of Liverpool in the Georges River region of Sydney Diocese from December 1st.
Please pray for Ian as he prepares to take on this new role.
SydneyAnglicans.net has the story.
New Westminster moves to seize control of ANiC parishes
From the Anglican Network in Canada
On August 26, 2008, the Anglican diocese of New Westminster informed St. Matthew’s in Abbotsford and St Matthias and St Luke’s in Vancouver that the bishop had dismissed the parish Wardens and other officers (Trustees) that were duly elected by the congregation and appointed new Wardens who are more “loyal” to the bishop. According to their press release, these actions were taken to regain “control of the parishes”, which includes control of the properties and buildings. Read more
New Westminster takes steps against Southern Cone clergy
“The Diocese [of New Westminster] has taken steps under Canon 15 towards removing clergy who have left the Anglican Church of Canada rather than accepting the decisions of the Diocesan Synod and General Synod.
The Diocese has invoked the provision that returns control of the parishes to the Diocese, an action that was approved by Diocesan Council.
The parishes are St. Matthew’s Abbotsford and St. Matthias and St. Luke, Vancouver…
No steps have been taken at present at Good Shepherd, and at St. John’s Shaughnessy, Vancouver, two other parishes where former diocesan clergy remain who have left the Anglican Church of Canada…”
– from the Diocese of New Westminster. A press release (pdf format) may be found here.
Archbishop of Canterbury writes on Lambeth
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has today sent a letter to the bishops of the Anglican Communion, setting out his personal reflections on the Lambeth Conference.
“The Conference was not a time for making new laws or for binding decisions… The Conference Design Group believed strongly that the chief need of our Communion at the moment was the rebuilding of relationships – the rebuilding of trust in one another – and of confidence in our Anglican identity. …”
– from the Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury. (Photo: Lambeth Conference media.)
Evangelical Fellowship of India calls for prayer for peace
Following the murder of a Hindu leader, the Evangelical Fellowship of India reports widespread attacks on Christians in Orissa State, North India.
Anglican Mainstream has published this report along with a request for prayer.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…