GAFCON Primates’ Council Communiqué April 2016
Posted on April 22, 2016
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The GAFCON Primates have released this Communiqué after their meeting in Nairobi this week.
“We are a global family of authentic Anglicans standing together to retain and restore the Bible to the heart of the Anglican Communion. Please continue to pray for our global Anglican future.”
Be sure to read the Appendix too.
_______________
Primates’ Council Communiqué
April 22, 2016 – Nairobi, Kenya
Introduction
We the Primates of the Global Anglican Future Conference met in Nairobi, Kenya from April 18-21, 2016. We give thanks for the gracious hospitality of the Anglican Church of Kenya, their Primate, the Most Rev. Eliud Wabukala, and All Saints Cathedral Diocese. As the location for GAFCON 2013, All Saints holds a special place in our history and in our hearts, and we have been encouraged to be here again.
We began our meeting with prayer and a Bible study that focused on Mark 2:1-12. In this passage, the Scriptures retell the story of a man who could not walk, but was assisted by friends who helped bring him to Jesus. Unable to get their friend through the front door, they loved him enough to find another way.
It is a story about the grace of God at work both in the power of fellowship and the merciful love of Jesus. We ourselves have received His forgiveness, and because He first loved us, we are passionate about doing all that we can to bring others into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. We met this week to find practical ways of removing obstacles so that all those who need healing can be brought close to Jesus, be forgiven of their sins, and walk again.
Mission and Discipleship
GAFCON works to guard and proclaim the unchanging, transforming Gospel through biblically faithful preaching, teaching, and programs which free our churches to make disciples by clear and certain witness to Jesus Christ in all the world.
This week we made progress on a wide variety of initiatives to build up the body of Christ. We planned for GAFCON 2018, approved a program that will facilitate bishops’ training, received good news from our provinces and branches, added staff to further the ministry, and made a transition in Primatial leadership. We have also paid careful attention to the facts that have arisen from the Anglican Consultative Council’s meeting in Lusaka.
GAFCON 2018
As a global family we are continuing to make preparations for GAFCON 2018. This will be the third conference since our founding, and the ten year anniversary of the Jerusalem Declaration. The GAFCON movement uniquely draws together the majority of the world’s Anglicans, both clergy and laity, into one proportional and representative body.
We are excited to gather for worship that represents the breadth of the Anglican Communion, as we come together under the authority of the Bible. The conference will provide teaching from God’s Word, fellowship that spans continents, break-out sessions that teach on the themes of mission, discipleship, and evangelism, especially in places where persecution is rife.
It is our hope and prayer that disciples will be so inspired by the vision of the glory of God among the nations, that the Church will be revived and joyously released to spread the love of Jesus.
A coordinator has been appointed to take this work forward, a planning team is being formed, and more will be shared in the coming months.
Bishops’ Training
The Bishops’ Training Institute, launching in September 2016, will equip bishops to be men of prayer, diligent in Bible study and godliness. The inaugural class will bring together twenty new bishops from across the world. Its vision and mission is to equip today’s bishops for effective ministry by seeking the wisdom of the whole church, and especially senior bishops. It will gather, train, mentor, challenge, and sustain episcopal leadership so that today’s bishops will be empowered to live for Christ and make Him known.
Growth
We give thanks for the continued growth of GAFCON. Our meeting included representatives from ten provinces (Congo, Kenya, Myanmar, Nigeria, North America, Rwanda, South America, South Sudan & Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda) and two branches (Australia and the United Kingdom).
We also celebrated the newest branch of the movement that has been founded in New Zealand. While we were meeting in Nairobi, 500 people came together in Auckland and Christ Church, New Zealand to stand together for the truth of the Gospel. They have our full support, and we are excited to see what God will do in and through them in the years to come.
Staffing the Movement
GAFCON has demonstrated that it is a growing movement that now requires more staff to undergird its development. Mr. James Stileman has been appointed as our Operations Manager to work with the General Secretary, the Most Rev. Peter Jensen, in growing GAFCON’s capacity to serve the movement. The Rev. Canon Charles Raven is heading a new office of Membership Development, and will be working to increase and strengthen GAFCON’s branches and provinces. Ms. Tina de Souza has joined us to head our Communications Department, and she has overseen the development of our website and overall communications strategy. We welcome this team, and give thanks for their dedication to the cause of Christ.
Leadership
We also give thanks for the wise and faithful leadership of the Most Rev. Eliud Wabukala, as his term as our Chairman comes to an end. His six years of service came at a critical time in the life of our movement, and he has put us on a good footing as we enter this next chapter of our life together.
We are excited to announce that the new chairman of the Primates’ Council is the Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, Primate of the Anglican Church of All Nigeria. He is joined in leadership by the new vice-chair, the Most Rev. Stanley Ntagali, Primate of the Anglican Church of Uganda. Archbishops Okoh and Ntagali have been deeply committed to the GAFCON movement since its founding, and are well prepared to lead.
Canterbury to Lusaka
We went to Canterbury out of a desire for unity. In our hearts we desire to see the tear in the fabric of the communion mended. The sanctions passed at that meeting were the mildest possible rebuke to only the worst of the offenders, but they were one step in the right direction. Regrettably, these sanctions have not been upheld. This is disappointing, but sadly not surprising. A more comprehensive statement appears in the appendix to this document.
Conclusion
This is an important time in the life of our churches. The grassroots outpouring of messages of support has shown the strength of our movement, and we are deeply thankful for the prayers of our laity and clergy over the last few months. We are a global family of authentic Anglicans standing together to retain and restore the Bible to the heart of the Anglican Communion. Please continue to pray for our global Anglican future.
Members of the Primates’ Council Present
The Anglican Church of Kenya
The Most Rev. Eliud Wabukala
Anglican Church of All Nigeria
The Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh
Anglican Church in North America
The Most Rev. Foley Beach
Province de L’Eglise Anglicane au Rwanda
The Most Rev. Onesphore Rwaje
The Anglican Church of Tanzania
The Most Rev. Jacob Chimeledya
The Church of the Province of Uganda
The Most Rev. Stanley Ntagali
Appendix: From Canterbury to Lusaka
Last January, we spent time together at the Primates Gathering contending for a restoration of godly order within the Anglican Communion. The sanctions passed at that meeting were not in themselves capable of restoring order, but they were a potential first step.
At that meeting, we acknowledged the reality of the “significant distance” between us and “expressed a desire to walk together” if possible. This distance was created when The Episcopal Church walked away from the Anglican Communion’s doctrine on sexuality and the plain teaching of Scripture.
Within hours of the meeting’s end the public responses from many bishops, clergy, and lay people of The Episcopal Church made it clear that they did not desire to share the same journey. The biblical call to repentance is a call to make a 180 degree turn. It grieves us that many in The Episcopal Church have again rejected this call. While we desire to walk together, until there is true repentance, the reality is that they are deliberately walking away from the Anglican Communion and the authority of Scripture at a distance that continues to increase.
The recent meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in Lusaka, Zambia has again highlighted the inability of the current instruments to uphold godly order within the Communion. Delegates from the Episcopal Church, by their own admission, voted on matters that pertained to polity and doctrine, in defiance of the Primates. This action has damaged the standing of the Anglican Consultative Council as an instrument of unity, increased levels of distrust, and further torn the fabric of the Communion.
Nonetheless, we give thanks that these events have brought further clarity, and drawn GAFCON closer together in the mission of the Gospel. We are of one mind that the future of the Anglican Communion does not lie with manipulations, compromises, legal loopholes, or the presentation of half-truths; the future of our Communion lies in humble obedience to the truth of the Word of God written. What others have failed to do, GAFCON is doing: enabling global fellowship and godly order, united by biblical faithfulness. This unity has provided us with great energy to continue to work for the renewal of the Anglican Communion.
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from GAFCON. Photo: GAFCON.
Shakespeare’s Bible?
Posted on April 22, 2016
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On the eve of the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare (died 23 April 1616, at the age of 52), Bible Society Australia has released this video of a Bible they believe was his.
Dr. John Harris explains, at this link.
‘FCANZ recognises WHCC as authentically Anglican’
Posted on April 21, 2016
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Here’s an update from The Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans NZ, who have now posted the media release we previously reported.
While the update on the FCANZ website doesn’t add to the headline, here’s some background on West Hamilton Community Church (WHCC).
Moore College Open Events coming up in May
Posted on April 21, 2016
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Here’s a good opportunity to learn about Moore College – especially if you are contemplating being better equipped for mission and ministry –
Open Night – Monday 2 May 7:15pm – 9:00pm.
Open Week – Monday 2 May – Friday 6 May.
Pakistan court grants bail to chief suspect in oven killings of Christian couple
Posted on April 20, 2016
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“A Pakistani court has granted bail to the lead suspect in the brutal 2014 killings of a young Christian couple, burned alive in a brick kiln where they worked as bonded labourers, itself illegal in Pakistan…”
– This report from World Watch Monitor.
No consequences, so it’s full steam ahead
Posted on April 20, 2016
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That’s the impression one might gain from reading “A letter from Lusaka” – a Letter to members of the Episcopal Church from TEC’s three members of the Anglican Consultative Council.
“Because this ACC meeting was held in the shadow of the January Primates Gathering and Meeting that sought to restrict our participation as members from The Episcopal Church, we want to assure you that we participated fully in this meeting and that we were warmly welcomed and included by other ACC members. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby did report to the ACC on the Primates Gathering and Meeting on the first day of the meeting. Beyond that report, ACC members seemed to have little energy for answering the primates’ call for consequences, for discussing disagreements over human sexuality, or for taking up the call of Anglican Communion Secretary-General Josiah Idowu-Fearon to pursue the Anglican Covenant. Yesterday, in fact, a resolution that sought to pursue further consequences against The Episcopal Church was withdrawn just before it was scheduled for debate.
Instead our fellow ACC members and we were enlivened by our shared concerns about intentional discipleship, gender-based violence, climate change, religiously motivated violence, food security and other issues that affect all of us across the Anglican Communion…”
– Read it all at The Episcopal News Service.
Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans New Zealand launched with two conferences
Posted on April 19, 2016
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“Nearly 500 Anglicans from around New Zealand, including the Vicars of many larger churches, have met together this week at two conferences in Auckland and Christchurch to launch the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans NZ (FCANZ). FCANZ is a local expression of the Gafcon movement, and a message of support was read out at the conferences from Most Rev Dr Eliud Wabukala, Chair of the Gafcon Primates.
Video greetings were also received from Most Rev Foley Beach (Primate of ACNA) and the Rt Rev Richard Condie (Bishop of Tasmania and Chair of FCA Australia).
Rev Canon Vaughan Roberts (St Ebbe’s, Oxford) gave 4 talks on True Gospel, True Sex, True Love and True Unity, and was joined by Rev Canon David Short (Vancouver), Dr Peter Adam (Melbourne), Rev. Dr. Sarah Harris (Auckland) and others.
The formation of FCANZ has been in response to the passing of Motion 30 in 2014 and the subsequent release of the ‘A Way Forward’ Report, due to be presented to the General Synod of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia next month. The report proposes the blessing of same-sex civil marriages thereby rendering them as “rightly-ordered” relationships opening up the possibility for those in them to be accepted as candidates for ordination.
Rev Jay Behan, Chair of FCANZ, said ‘This week has been a hugely significant moment for orthodox Anglicans in New Zealand. FCANZ is committed to promoting faithfulness and providing fellowship, and orthodox Anglicans now know that through the FCANZ there is a place for all orthodox Anglicans in New Zealand, whether they are inside or outside the current Anglican structures.
We continue to pray that General Synod will pull back from making a decision which will tear the fabric of the communion, undermining the allegiance to General Synod for many Anglicans in New Zealand.’
– Media release from FCANZ, via Anglican Mainstream.
Anglican Consultative Council declines to go along with ‘consequences’
Posted on April 19, 2016
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“An April 18 Anglican Consultative Council marathon resolution-passing session saw ACC members take stands on climate change, gender justice, safe church environments, youth involvement in the communion, solidarity with persecuted people, and interfaith and ecumenical relations, among other issues.
And the council declined to endorse or take any action similar to the primates’ call in January for three years of so-called “consequences” for the Episcopal Church…”
– A sadly unsurprising decision by the Anglican Consultative Council – via The Episcopal News Service. (Related: Genesis 3:4.)
Prayer requested for GAFCON Primates Council meeting this week
Posted on April 18, 2016
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The GAFCON Primates Council is meeting this week in Nairobi (18th-23rd April 2016). As ever, they value your prayers as they seek to guard the gospel so it can be faithfully proclaimed.
From GAFCON:
The January gathering of Primates in Canterbury saw many people around the world praying for the GAFCON Primates and the wider Anglican Communion. Thank you if you were one of those people. As the GAFCON Primates Council meets this week in Nairobi, they would value your prayers again. Below are some points to guide your prayers as well as your praise to our God who is rich in mercy and grace.
- for the Primates’ willingness to serve the Anglican Communion through the GAFCON Primates Council despite the heavy burdens they carry in their own Provinces.
- for the courageous and faithful leadership of Archbishop Wabukala as he stands down as chairman at this meeting.
- for safety in travelling and at the venue, for visa arrangements to go smoothly and for everyone to arrive as scheduled.
- that the Primates will be united and strong in their love for God’s Word and their resolve to see the Church of God healed and renewed.
- for wisdom in the decisions that need to be made about GAFCON 2018 and the development of the GAFCON movement.
- for the Advisers, Consultants and Secretariat staff who will be supporting the Primates.
- for this meeting to be an encouragement to the Anglican Church of Kenya.
Northwest Network April 2016
Posted on April 18, 2016
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The latest issue of Northwest Network has been released by the Diocese of North West Australia.
Download your copy (PDF file) to help you pray for the people of North West Australia.
Stott Bowdlerised
Posted on April 16, 2016
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“Recently I bought a copy of John Stott’s brief and famous exposition of the Christian gospel, Basic Christianity, which I intended to give to a friend.
The book was first published in 1958 and has sold several million copies. It is at once simple and refined, gentle and uncompromising, and many people in the Anglophone world can trace their conversions to reading Stott’s little masterpiece. If any “spiritual classics” were published during the second half of the twentieth century, Basic Christianity surely is one. …
The Basic Christianity people are buying and reading today is a bad imitation of the original.”
– A disturbing observation from Barton Swaim at First Things. (via Tim Challies.)
Update: Here’s a response from Eerdmans.
SMBC celebrates Centenary
Posted on April 15, 2016
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Sydney Missionary and Bible College at Croydon is this weekend celebrating its Centenary, beginning with a Thanksgiving Service on Friday night April 15 2016.
Principal Stuart Coulton introduced past Principal, and now Presbyterian Moderator General, David Cook. Preaching from Hebrews 1:1-4, David exhorted his hearers to hold fast to the Bible, the revealed word of God, and to be constantly vigilant against drifting from the truth.
The Centenary celebrations will continue on Saturday April 16 with an Open Day.
A highlight of the day will be the launch of the College’s centenary history, Out of Darkness, by Academic Vice Principal Anthony Brammall (pictured).
The book is available from the College.
Back to Basics Part 6 — Will you stand with us?
Posted on April 15, 2016
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“No one wants to see an end to the Anglican Communion. That is why the Primates went to Canterbury.
Certainly the leaders of GAFCON are clear on this point. They are not proposing to replace the Communion. They are dealing with schism, not provoking it.
Their insight has always been clear: since the institutional structures have failed to hold the fellowship together around the truth, the answer must be a spiritual one.
A prophetic voice is needed…”
– In the last of his six-part series Back to Basics, GAFCON General Secretary, Dr. Peter Jensen, invites like-minded Christian believers to stand with those who stand for the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
All Saints’ College on market to pay diocese’s bank debt
Posted on April 14, 2016
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“All Saints’ College is to be sold to help the Anglican Diocese of Bathurst repay a multi-million dollar debt to the Commonwealth Bank.
Plans to sell the school were confirmed on Saturday during the first day of a local synod meeting. Nine other unidentified church properties across the diocese have also been earmarked for sale to repay the debt…”
– Story from The Western Advocate. (Photo: Bishop Ian Palmer.)
‘Catholic church reminds campaigning business that Catholics are its customers, too’
Posted on April 14, 2016
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“Archdiocese of Sydney business manager Michael Digges wrote to corporations whose logos were featured with their permission on a full-page Australian Marriage Equality advertisement in May last year…”
– from The Australian (paywalled) via The Herald Sun.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…