All you need is love – in the Diocese of Niagara, anyway
“Here is the video the Diocese of Niagara is sending to Lambeth. I am trying to think of something nice to say about it.”
– Anglican Essentials Canada’s blog on the video being sent from the Diocese of Niagara to Lambeth. (5 minute, 15.7MB wmv file – direct link.)
Canadian Primate claims all is well
Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, has challenged the statement issued by a global group of conservative Anglicans accusing the Anglican Church of Canada and The Episcopal Church in the United States of proclaiming a “false gospel that has paralyzed” the Anglican Communion. …
– Story from the Anglican Journal (of the Anglican Church of Canada).
See, however, Archbishop Hitlz’s full statement, with interspersed commentary from Anglican Essentials Canada.
1 Corinthians 6 and legal proceedings
M E M O R A N D U M
Date: June 4, 2008
From: J.I. Packer
Re: 1 Cor 6 and Legal Proceedings regarding properties maintained, occupied and used for ministry by ANiC congregations
1. At Corinth, for no better reason apparently than litigiousness or greed, or maybe revenge, believers were taking each other to court before pagan judges (vss. 1, 6). Paul rebukes them, saying:
- This dishonours God, flaunting failure in the church by washing dirty Christian linen in public;
- This dishonours the church, implying that none of its members is fit to judge even small cases, when God is in fact equipping them all to judge major matters (involving angels!) one day;
- This dishonours the Christian calling, which requires willingness to be defrauded rather than disrupt fellowship.
This, however, is not the situation ANiC faces. …
– Read the full Memorandum (PDF file – updated link) on the Anglican Network in Canada website. (Photo: Ed Hird.)
The future may rest in Africa
The Lambeth Conference is held every 10 years by Anglicans worldwide to celebrate, pray and work out issues that are bound to arise in any large family. That is, until now. …
At least four Anglican provinces – Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda – are expected to stay away next month because of what they see as the Church’s drifting into permissiveness and sin, especially in North America. Those four national churches not only represent a startling 30 million members – more than a third of the total global membership – but also the region likely to become the new spiritual centre of the faith. The numbers help tell the tale: Canada and the United States are closing churches as membership plummets; in Africa, they cannot build churches fast enough to keep up with demand. …
– Story by Charles Lewis, National Post, Canada.
Arctic synod greatly disappointed at same-sex moves
The synod of the diocese of the Arctic, meeting in Iqaluit, Nunavut from May 27 to June 3, passed a motion criticizing decisions by four dioceses of the Anglican Church of Canada that support blessing same-sex unions.
“Synod expressed great disappointment as some diocesan synods have decided to move forward with approving the blessing of same-sex civil marriages, after General Synod 2007 (made) it clear that this would not be allowed until the Lambeth Conference had time to discuss the issues this summer,” said a press release issued by the diocese of the Arctic synod. “This then indicates that Canadians are not serious about unity elements that hold the church together.” …
– Report from the Anglican Journal. See also Diocese of the Arctic website. (Photo: Christopher Patterson.)
Short and Packer threatened by Bishop Ingham with charges of trespassing
Former Sydney Anglican, the Rev David Short, who has been charged with abandoning Anglican doctrine, has now been threatened with charges of trespassing if he sets foot on the property of St John’s Shaughnessy, in moves which could see more Canadian churches forced from their properties.
Mr Short, who is the rector at St John’s, and all other clergy belonging to the Anglican Network in Canada in the Diocese of New Westminster received letters outlining the charges from Bishop Michael Ingham on Monday.
The letters also advised that the clergy were forbidden to ‘trespass’ on the church properties, exercise any ministry and remove anything from the properties, including books. …
– Read the full report from SydneyAnglicans.net. Emphasis added.
(Photo: David Short and James Packer.)
New Westminster synod wrap up
The New Westminster Synod was held in Vancouver on May 30 and 31. Here are some excerpts from the synod edition of the diocesan newspaper, ‘Topic’ –
Members of Synod split over whether the diocese should oppose the legalizing [of] brothels. In the end the majority (128 votes) agreed … that the Diocesan Council should explore uniting with other churches and faiths to tell the Vancouver City Council and Provincial Government “institutionalization of violence towards women and children through legalization of prostitution and the establishment of brothels” was wrong.
In a report to about 300 synod members… the bishop [Michael Ingham] insisted that the decision of four congregations to join the South American Anglican Church of the Southern Cone, was not simply “divorce” but “schism…the setting up of an unlawful authority” to challenge the rightful authority, which is Diocesan Synod.
Also, the synod adopted Bishop Ingham’s ten priorities for the diocese for the next decade.
Read the special synod edition of Topic (1.1MB PDF file) on the New Westminster website.
Bishop of Yukon to stay on after synod fails to elect successor
The Most Rev Terrence O. Buckle, Archbishop of Yukon, Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of BC & Yukon, announced this morning that he has decided to remain in office after none of the four candidates in yesterday’s diocesan synod received the required majority of votes to succeed him.
Thirty-five delegates at Yukon Diocese’s special episcopal synod deliberated, prayed, and voted all day and into the evening at Christ Church Cathedral, Whitehorse. In the end, however, the synod adjourned without selecting a coadjutor bishop to serve alongside and then replace Archbishop Terry Buckle, who had announced his intention to retire at the end of this year. …
– Report from Anglican Essentials Canada. (Bishop Buckle is one of the few Canadian bishops supportive of biblically faithful Anglicans.)
Judge orders congregation to leave their church building
This press release has just been issued by the Anglican Network in Canada –
29 May 2008
A B.C. Supreme Court judge, Madam Justice Allan, has ordered the congregation of St. Mary of the Incarnation in Metchosin (St. Mary’s), to hand over their church building to the diocese of B.C. in the Anglican Church of Canada, pending the resolution of a trial over who is entitled to ownership of the building. Read more
Diocese of Huron Synod: Same-sex blessings and native spirituality
The Synod of the Canadian Diocese of Huron “has overwhelmingly voted to grant permission to clergy ‘whose conscience permits, to bless… civil marriages between same-sex couples’.”
Additionally, in his Synod Charge, Bishop Bruce Howe spoke of his vision for the diocese – to “deepen our transition and reformation to be the Church of today and tomorrow”. He said, “As the Church embraces native or First Nations spirituality it strengthens all of us on our journey.” One wonders where the journey will lead.
Read the Bishop’s charge (pdf) at the Diocese of Huron website.
(Photo: Bishop Bruce Howe – Diocese of Huron.)
Anglican Church of Canada sets stage for same sex marriage
“Anglican Church of Canada Council of General Synod – Highlights from May 24
Revision of the marriage canon
…the following resolution was adopted: the Council of General Synod –
- concurs in the Faith, Worship and Ministry Committee’s understanding that it is to address the particular category of “legally qualified persons,” i.e. same-sex couples at least one of whom is baptized Christian;
- agrees that development of a theological rationale for the marriage of such couples should precede the preparation of any draft amendments to or revision of the Marriage Canon;
- requests the committee to report to the COGS no later than November 2009, and
- directs that, if the Faith, Worship and Ministry Committee develops such a rationale, it should, in conjunction with the Handbook Concerns Committee, prepare draft amendments to, or a draft revision of, the Marriage Canon for consideration by the COGS in March 2010 for possible submission to the 2010 session of the General Synod.”
from the Anglican Church of Canada’s Council of General Synod meeting in Mississauga, Ontario. Emphasis added.
New Westminster: Assets must be protected
Bishop Michael Ingham has told his Diocesan Council that he feels he has no option but to protect the property and assets of the Diocese of New Westminster and the Anglican Church of Canada, and warned that the diocese may find itself in the civil courts to do so. … He said the diocese had attempted to “create space” for people of differing opinions. …
– from the Diocese of New Westminster.
Ontario churches to meet elsewhere
Members of two Anglican churches are choosing not to worship in their buildings tomorrow in the wake of a court order that they share the facilities with the diocese they have left.
A Superior Court ruling on Monday required three breakaway churches to share the property Sunday mornings until ownership is decided…
– Report from The Hamilton Spectator.
See also St. George’s Lowville and St. Hilda’s Oakville. (Photo: Rev. Charlie Masters, St. George’s Lowville)
Faith Today Interviews J.I. Packer
Faith Today, the magazine of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, has interviewed Dr J. I. Packer for its current issue –
I could have said ridiculous. I could have said fantastic. I could have used other adjectives but I’ll stick with grotesque. I do not think a bishop who has not convicted me of grave moral or heretical practices is in a position to revoke my spiritual authority in Word and Sacrament. The most he can do is withdraw my permission to minister in The Anglican Church of Canada.
Since the thing that has occasioned this is the decision St. John’s and other churches have taken to leave The Anglican Church of Canada, revoking my authority to minister in the ACC changes absolutely nothing.
So I’m not losing sleep over it. Though over age, I am still a professor at Regent College and director of the Anglican studies program at Regent. No action on Michael Ingham’s part can change either of those things.
It’s worth reading the full interview here. (Photo: Ed Hird.)
‘Stunning’ creed from Toronto Youth Synod
“We believe in Jesus of Nazareth, who is our brother, who wants not to be idolized but to be followed.
We believe that we dwell in the presence of the Holy Spirit; without her we are nothing;…”
– a prayer used as a creed at the recent Anglican Church of Canada’s Toronto Youth Synod. (Graphic: Anglican Church of Canada.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…