Canadians set to make ecclesiastical history
Fourteen bishops, including several archbishops, many from the Global Anglican Communion, led by the Archbishop of the Southern Cone, the Most Rev. Gregory Venables, will make an historic visit to Vancouver, British Columbia, this weekend to officially launch an ecclesial organization that will stand in permanent opposition to the theologically liberal Anglican Church of Canada. …
– Story from VirtueOnline. (Photo: Diocese of Recife.)
Archbishop of Canterbury ‘recognises only Anglican Church of Canada’
The propaganda war hots up prior to tomorrow’s deadline for former New Westminster clergy who have aligned with the Anglican Network of Canada. From the Diocese of New Westminster website:
The Archbishop of Canterbury has said the only church body in Canada that belongs to the Anglican Communion is the Anglican Church in Canada. …
The letter from the Archbishop, who heads the Anglican Communion… was in reply to a letter of concern from the Brandon bishop about the activities of the Anglican Network in Canada.
From the New Westminster website.
See also this story from three months ago and another from last weekend.
Canadian Primate to Venables: please stay home
Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, writes to Archbishop Gregory Venables, Primate of the Southern Cone, asking him to cancel a planned, unauthorised visit this week to Canada. (This letter assumes Archbishop Venables’ visit needs to be authorised!)
“With this provision in place we believe there is no need for pastoral interventions by Primates or Bishops from jurisdictions outside of the Anglican Church of Canada.”
And to read about being “Compelled by Christ’s Love”, see the Anglican Network.
Read Archbishop Hiltz’s full letter here – Read more
Anglican Church of Canada chooses litigation over negotiation
News Release from the Anglican Network in Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada’s House of Bishops has rejected an overture from the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) to seek negotiated settlements of property disputes rather than pursue litigation.
Bishop Donald Harvey, moderator of ANiC, expressed his disappointment, and said that, while he was fully aware of the sensitivities of “diocesan autonomy” and wasn’t surprised at this response, “I had hoped the Primate would have attempted to facilitate negotiations between the dioceses and the Anglican Network parishes.” Read more
St. John’s Shaughnessy stays focussed
David Short, the Rector of St. John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver, writes –
A number of people have asked me what has happened since our Vestry vote of February 13th to join the Anglican Network in Canada and receive the Episcopal oversight of Bishop Don Harvey under the jurisdiction of the Southern Cone. Across the country, 14 other congregations have voted to join the Network and the response of the different dioceses has been varied. … Read more
St. Mary’s Metchosin aligned with majority of Anglicans
“As the minister at St. Mary of the Incarnation Church in Metchosin, I write in response to the editorial ‘When churches lose their way’ of April 8.
I too am saddened that the apparent “fighting” appears to have distracted us from our mission as a Christian church. However, the picture is a much bigger one, and the stand we have taken was a matter of being faithful. …”
Sharon Hayton is the Rector of St. Mary of the Incarnation Church in Metchosin on Vancouver Island. She writes in the Victoria B.C. Times Colonist.
See our earlier stories here. (Photo: Diocese of British Columbia.)
Bishop Michael Ingham’s Easter Message
“For resurrection to come, some things must die. This church of ours, for example, is moving through a great time of change. And the paradox is that in order for the Gospel to live, some aspects of the church may have to die. Anglicanism has survived centuries of turmoil – world wars, religious wars, the end of slavery, the emancipation of women – but Anglicanism as we have known it for four hundred years may not survive the movement for dignity and respect that is now being sought for gay and lesbian people today.
There is a great struggle going on in our church between those who see God in the traditions of the past, and those who see God in the new wind of the Spirit challenging our old assumptions about human nature…”
A classic liberal interpretation of what “The Resurrection of Jesus” is about – from the Diocese of New Westminster. (Photo: New Westminster.)
Updated website for St. John’s Shaughnessy
For all who are upholding St. John’s Shaughnessy in their prayers – their website has been updated – and has a new address.
The new website can be seen at stjohnsvancouver.org.
More Canon XIX Charges in Canada
The Rev George Sinclair, despite relinquishing his licence for ministry in the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC), has been issued a Notice of Presumption of Abandonment of the Exercise of the Ministry according to ACoC Canon XIX by the Bishop of Ottawa.
He joins good company with Dr J I Packer and the rest of the Vancouver-area ANiC clergy who received the same notice earlier from the Diocese of New Westminster. …
– from the Anglican Network in Canada newsletter. George is on the leadership team of the Anglican Network of Canada. (Images courtesy St. Alban the Martyr.)
New Westminster: ‘Imagining our future’
“New Westminster Anglicans have come up with seven values that parishioners in the diocese hold – and have begun work on a vision for the next decade. … The values and vision for the diocese should be based on what people in the diocese care deeply about. This is what we’ve tried to discern in a series of ten workshops held during October and November. Over 250 people from a large majority of the diocese’s parishes were involved. …”
The list of ‘Values’ and ‘Vision’ words may reflect what is being taught in the churches – see the story (published January 27) from the Diocese of New Westminster – and read more detail in the report (pdf) from the consultants who ran the workshops.
On Life and Ministry with J.I. Packer
In October 1999, Mark Dever spoke with Dr James Packer about life and ministry.
Well known to many as the author of Fundamentalism and the Word of God, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God and Knowing God, Dr. Packer is a member of St. John’s Shaughnessy which has recently voted to break ties with the Anglican Church of Canada.
This fascinating and informative interview sheds light on the recent history of evangelical Christianity and its continuing battle with liberalism.
The 64 minute audio (mp3) file is available here as a 29MB download.
(Photo: Martin Dee / Regent College, Vancouver.)
David Short, J I Packer face legal action
Ecclesiastical charges have been filed by a Canadian Bishop against former Sydney Anglican, the Rev David Short and one of the world’s top Anglican theologians, Dr J.I. Packer.
Bishop Michael Ingham has launched legal action over the vote by their congregation in Vancouver to seek alternative oversight from a South American bishop. …
The charges not only involve revocation of licence, but also seek to nullify the ordination of Mr Short and Dr Packer. …
Full story by Russell Powell from SydneyAnglicans.net. (updated)
Two New West parishes ask for same sex blessings
Two parishes in the Diocese of New Westminster have voted to ask to be added to the list of places where same sex blessings may take place.
St. Mary’s Kerrisdale in Vancouver, and the Church of the Holy Spirit in Whonnock, Maple Ridge, by large margins voted to ask Bishop Michael Ingham to grant his permission for the parish to conduct services for persons in committed, monogamous same sex relationships. …
Full press release from the Diocese of New Westminster.
Realignment and Gospel Unity in Canada
Over the weekend, more Canadian churches voted on their relationship with the Anglican Church of Canada –
Islanders split from national church
“Parishioners from a Vancouver Island Anglican church have become the latest Canadian congregation to separate from the national body, primarily over the issue of same-sex marriage. … St. Mary, located in the rural Victoria suburb of Metchosin, will now align with the Anglican Network in Canada…” Read more
Bishop Ingham sends ‘notice of presumption of abandonment’ to St. John’s Shaughnessy
Bishop Michael Ingham has asked eight of his clergy to formally declare whether they’re in or out of the Anglican Church of Canada.
The priests have been involved in a series of meetings in which congregations in two Parishes in the diocese have voted to join a foreign Church. Read more
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…