The need for GAFCON
“The immediate cause for GAFCON was the invitation from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams to those who had consecrated Gene Robinson as a Bishop to attend the Lambeth Conference. This invitation was sent in July 2007, and the timing was significant as I will show later.
Following this invitation, Archbishop Peter Akinola made a visit in October 2007 at his own expense to London to meet with Archbishop Rowan Williams to ask him most seriously to delay the Lambeth Conference until the issue of the consecration of Gene Robinson by the Episcopal Church could be resolved. When Archbishop Williams proved immovable on this certain things became crystal clear to Archbishop Akinola and his colleagues. …”
– Chris Sugden spoke at last week’s launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, Southern Africa. Read the full text at Anglican Mainstream.
FCA launched in South Africa
“Seventy Anglican clergy and laity are today (September 3) attending the launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (South Africa) at St John’s Church in Port Elizabeth…
– from David MacGregor in Port Elizabeth.
Why FCA UK and Ireland?
“Let me start with my nightmare: in my negative moments it seems not just realistic but likely.
In my nightmare the Church of England, Church in Wales, Church of Ireland and Episcopal Church of Scotland continue on their gradual drift towards the apostasy of The Episcopal Church in America, so that within twenty, or maybe only ten years, it becomes virtually impossible for orthodox Christians to be ordained…”
– Vaughan Roberts, Rector of St Ebbe’s Church in Oxford, spoke at the launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans in the UK and Ireland last month.
His talk has now been posted at the GAFCON website. (Photo: Joy Gwaltney.)
Conservatives prepare to fight for ‘soul of nation’
A “New Reformation” was talked of at the official launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA) on Monday. Speakers none the less reiterated their desire to remain part of the Church of Eng land and the Anglican Communion while upholding “orthodox, biblical Anglicanism”. …
– Church Times reports on the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans launch last Monday. (See previous: the text of Peter Jensen’s address.)
Peter Jensen: The Jerusalem Declaration – why it matters
An address to the FCA UK launch by Archbishop Peter Jensen, Archbishop of Sydney.
“Many are still angry that the Jerusalem GAFCON was held. Some of the most angry are those who agree with the theology of the GAFCON movement but cannot accept that a moment for decisive action had arrived. To such persons I say, I admire you and honour you as brothers and sisters in the Lord. But it seems to me that every day that has passed since the GAFCON has only vindicated the decision to hold it.”
Jim Packer is one of the giants of the real world-Anglicanism. Amongst the wise of this world he is disdained, but his praises are sung in all the churches. Astonishingly, in the eyes of his institutional church he is no longer one of us. He has chosen to separate himself from what he has called the sanctification of sin.Is he still an Anglican?
When we can seriously ask that question, something is deeply wrong. We are at a watershed, at a parting of the ways. Decisions have to be made. Read more
On Being Moderately Faithful
“Although the GAFCON movement is firmly rooted in the apostolic faith and the historic reformation formularies of the Church of England, this very clarity has been very unsettling for those whose instincts are first and foremost to preserve the Church as an institution and the whole system of power and patronage which goes with it, formal and informal. The most unsettled are evangelicals who want to preserve the status quo…”
– At SPREAD, Charles Raven answers critics of next week’s launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans in the UK.
“Repent and Refocus on mission” — Bishop of Rochester to say at launch of FCA
Anglican clergy and laity attending the launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans in the UK and Ireland in London on July 6 will hear the Bishop of Rochester call for ‘repentance and a renewed commitment to evangelism and mission’. …
– Press release via Anglican Mainstream. (Photo: Joy Gwaltney, GAFCON.)
Events associated with the launch of FCA
Anglican Mainstream has posted a list of events in churches in and around London on Sunday July 5th in association with Be Faithful!, the launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans in UK and Ireland.
A number of visiting Anglican leaders will be in London and are speaking at events at these churches –
9:30 a.m. St Peter’s Bushey Heath Bishop Michael Nazir Ali (Rochester)
10:30 a.m. St Michael’s Chester Square. TBA
6:00 p.m. St Mark’s Battersea Rise. Archbishop Peter Jensen (Sydney)
6:30 p.m. St Mary’s Lewisham, Bishop Keith Ackerman (USA)
6:30 p.m All Saints Woodford Wells, Canon Vinay Samuel (India)
6:30 p.m. Christ Church Virginia Water TBA
6:30 p.m. St Peter’s Harold Wood Bishop Colin Bazley (former Primate of the Southern Cone)
8:00 p.m. St Nicholas Sevenoaks. TBA
Be Faithful! FCA launch in UK
“The Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA) is being officially launched in the UK and Ireland in London on Monday, July 6th 2009.
Be Faithful! aims to encourage and envision Anglicans committed to the orthodox teachings of the Anglican Church and passionate about global and local mission.”
– Download the brochure (PDF file – direct link) from the GAFCON website for full details.
Recognition for North American Anglicans
The April 16 communiqué issued by the GAFCON/FCA Primates’ Council declared the Anglican Church in North America as genuinely Anglican and recommends that Anglican Provinces affirm full communion with the ACNA.
What does this mean? …
– ACL Chairman Robert Tong writes at SydneyAnglicans.net
GAFCON – Game Over or New Game?
John Richardson writes on the lack of media interest in the GAFCON Primates’ announcement of their recognition of the new Anglican Province of North America –
“Some have read this as indicating that GAFCON is washed up. Personally, I believe it is rather because the national press now recognise there is no story in the division of the Anglican Communion — not because the Communion has survived the pressures of recent years but because it quite evidently has not. As a headline, ‘Anglican Communion Faces Split’ is now entirely on a par with ‘Dog Bites Man’.”
Bp Bob Duncan interview — 16 April 2009
Bishop Bob Duncan was at the meeting in London as the GAFCON Anglican Primates Council moved to recognise the Anglican Church in North America.
Russell Powell recorded a six minute video interview with him last night for Anglican TV.
Watch it here. (h/t/ Anglican Mainstream.)
Update: Russell Powell has now posted a story on the Primates’ meeting – at SydneyAnglicans.net.
ACNA recognised by GAFCON Primates
Communiqué from the GAFCON/FCA Primates’ Council –16 April 2009
In the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We meet in the week after Easter, rejoicing again in the power of the risen Lord Jesus to transform lives and situations. We continue to experience his active work in our lives and the lives of our churches and we rejoice in the Gospel of hope. Read more
GAFCON Primates meet in London with North American Bishops
Representatives of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) led by Pittsburgh Bishop and Archbishop designate Bob Duncan met Wednesday with the Primates.
All Primates were present.
The Primates Council was established after the GAFCON conference in Jerusalem in 2008 and contains leaders representing about 40 million Anglicans worldwide almost 75 percent of the communion. …
– read the report on the GAFCON website.
UK launch of Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans planned
“The launch in the UK and Ireland of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA), an orthodox Anglican movement for mission at global and local level, is to take place on July 6 in London.
The Fellowship is the outworking of last year’s GAFCON conference in Jerusalem, at which 1200 delegates signed up to the Jerusalem Statement. Those attending Gafcon 2008 represented some 40 million Anglicans world-wide, 70% of the total active membership of 55 million. …”
– Details from Anglican Mainstream.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…