Recently, words were written, and spoken, that demonstrate that the fabric of communion is indeed torn through. This is not to say it could not be mended, but certainly, at the present time, there are in effect, 2 Communions, and may soon be 3.
In a letter from the Global South steering committee to the Bishop and Diocese of South Carolina, the Primates of the GS make clear that they recognize only one diocesan bishop of South Carolina, +Mark Lawrence, do not recognize the legitimacy of the "renunciation" of his orders proclaimed unconstitutionally by the Presiding Bishop of TEC, and recognize the Diocese of South Carolina as the one and only Anglican Diocese of South Carolina.
In a few weeks time, the Presiding Bishop will convene an unconstitutional convention in South Carolina to select a bishop for a replacement diocese that will be recognized by less than 1/2 of Anglican provinces and Primates, and less than 1/3 of Anglicans worldwide. There will be, in effect, 3 Anglican Communions- those, in concert with the Global South, which will recognize +Mark Lawrence as the Bishop of South Carolina, those that recognize the TEC designated bishop, and those who try to maintain the "ecclesiastical fiction" that they can recognize both.
That ecclesiastical fiction has been maintained for the last several years in hopes that the Communion could somehow be patched together after the schism perpetrated by the leadership of the Episcopal Church.
The ecclesiastical reality became more evident a few days after the letter was sent, during the installation of the new Primate of the Church of Uganda, Archbishop Stanley Ntagali. While the words themselves are well worth a read, what may be most noteworthy is who it is who spoke the words in the sermon delivered during the installation of the new Archbishop. This event was attended by Anglican bishops and archbishops from around the world (including the Abp. of York, John Sentamu, representing the ABoC and CoE).
A few conclusions we can draw:
1. TEC discipline is no longer recognized as legitimate in the majority of the Anglican world, and TEC orders are considered on a case by case basis.
2. The majority of Anglicans and Anglican provinces don't see membership in the ACC as the determining factor in Communion relationships.
3. (most important of all) The Global South is now acting on its own authority. The letter in support of South Carolina is not a petition to Canterbury, or a request to the ACO to put this on the agenda of the next Primates or ACC meeting. This statement is authoritative and crystal clear- +Mark Lawrence is THE bishop of South Carolina- not one word of Anglican fudge.
4. The orders and jurisdiction of ACNA are recognized by the majority of the Anglican world.
An opinion, reading between the lines:
I do find it interesting that the GS letter does not mention ACNA. But if I were an adviser to the HoB of ACNA, I would recommend that they consider also the implication that +Mark Lawrence is THE Anglican bishop of South Carolina. The GS Primates nowhere say anything about sharing that jurisdiction with 4 or 5 overlapping ACNA jurisdictions (the REC jurisdiction, the new ACNA diocese, the misc PEAR/AMiA churches, and the non-geographic ACNA dioceses), not to mention whatever Continuum or other Anglican entities might exist there. Perhaps there is a subtle hint in the message for all of us who view ourselves as "conservative" or "traditional" Anglicans to put our house in order, at least in terms of straightening out our ecclesiatical spaghetti of jurisdictions. Would it not be appropriate for an FiF church in S Carolina to petition +Lawrence for (and for him to grant) oversight from the FiF non-geographic diocese? Or for ++Duncan to work out an arrangement so that ACNA church plants aren't cutting into S Carolina congregations?
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Friday, November 30, 2012
Communion crisis?
In Western Anglicanism, we seem to be at a particularly critical time in the life of the church. Three events, which at first glance seem unrelated, but which share a commonality, have brought us to a point where the future of the church really does hang in the balance in England and the US.
1) The new Archbishop of Canterbury. From a personal point of view, can't say he would have been my choice, since he seems dead set on the elimination of Anglo Catholicism by enforcing women bishops without any provision for 1/3 of the laity of the CoE who disagree (and maybe more, given that the trend for political correctness with CoE has of late been so strong, and traditionalists tend to respect the bishop commands, even one of the multitude of revisionist affirming catholic and "evangelical" bishops appointed in the last 10 years, whether they agree or not). He has been, at least, something of a friend to the GS, and has stood, presumably, against gay marriage, and has been seen as in the conservative camp among "open evangelicals." But his first statements upon election appear to be attempts to outdo his predecessor in obfuscation. While the Global South, and even several Gafcon provinces, initially welcomed his elevation, it remains to be seen if he heeds the warnings evident in several of those welcomes, and indeed demonstrates a willingness to move to a governance model for the Communion that respects the theology of the vast majority of Anglicans worldwide, or continues in the current model, in which a small group of western revisionists control all the leadership positions and all the money and all the communications apparatus.
2) The vote on women bishops in the CoE. To everyone's shock, while 90% of the bishops and 75% of the clergy are willing to break promises made to traditionalists and drive every Anglo Catholic out of the CoE, a few valiant laity were willing to stand up to them and vote down a measure they found unacceptable. Now the bishops are labeling their own parishioners pariahs. There will now be another vote in a few months, since the leadership has decided that women bishops must be fast tracked, rather than follow procedure. Huge pressure will be brought upon the laity to change their votes, no matter how bad the new proposal is. The coming few months will determine whether the leadership falls back on the proposals of the Rochester report, which, had it been acceptable to the revisionists, would have allowed for women bishops years ago, and a continuation of provision for traditionalists along the lines of that provided, and promised in perpetuity, in the PEV scheme (for Americans, in British English, the word "scheme" means "plan", not "nefarious plot" as it means in US English). However, since the revisionist majorities have voted this down, even in terribly watered down form, it seems unlikely to garner support now. More support appears to fall to the "no provision at all, they can leave if they want to, we will keep all the property" TEC type approach. We will see what happens. My guess is that in the end, the Archbishops will approach 6 or 8 lay members seen as "wobbly" in the 34% that voted "no," and will find out the absolute minimum they will accept in order to change their vote, then check with the most ardent "all or nothing" revisionists to make sure that is acceptable, and keep up this back and forth until next summer, and the measure will pass by a slim margin in the Synod laity. Anglo Catholics and the "Reform" Evangelicals will then drift out of the Church over the next ten years, as their priests and bishops are replaced by women. And we will probably see a few parishes leave enmasse, either for Rome or whatever new ACNA-like Anglican entity arises in England as a result.
3) The debacle in South Carolina. Face it, at the top in TEC, there is no law, no justice, no Truth and no light anymore. Canon law is merely a persecution mechanism. Property is the theology, the ecclesiology, the scripture, tradition and reason of the current era House of Bishops. I cannot detail this nearly so well as ACI has, so for more detail, read the Open Letter to the HoB, posted at anglicancommunioninstitute.com .
The commonality in these three events is that politics has become so entrenched in the church. Very few (although thankfully there are a few) involved in the decisions that brought about these events were asking "what is Christ asking of me" or "what is best for the church" or "what will ensure the highest degree of communion possible within the church today, and with the church through the ages." Political expediency and calculation rule the day.
But in all of this, please keep in mind that while we see these as major crises, the REAL major crises are in Africa and Asia, where Christians are being persecuted not by lawyers and revisionist bishops seeking to deprive them of corporate property and using their diocesan name and seal, but by armed thugs looking to murder them, and burn their homes and churches to the ground. So, let us be sure, that while +Mark Lawrence, +Justin Welby and the traditionalists of CoE all need our prayers, so too do the millions of unknown, unnamed fellow Christians in villages in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Iran, and a hundred other places around the world. Some shed their blood, almost every day, in the name of Christ. All He has asked of us in the West, is to remain faithful to him, and do our best to stem the tide of revisionism in our churches.
TJ
1) The new Archbishop of Canterbury. From a personal point of view, can't say he would have been my choice, since he seems dead set on the elimination of Anglo Catholicism by enforcing women bishops without any provision for 1/3 of the laity of the CoE who disagree (and maybe more, given that the trend for political correctness with CoE has of late been so strong, and traditionalists tend to respect the bishop commands, even one of the multitude of revisionist affirming catholic and "evangelical" bishops appointed in the last 10 years, whether they agree or not). He has been, at least, something of a friend to the GS, and has stood, presumably, against gay marriage, and has been seen as in the conservative camp among "open evangelicals." But his first statements upon election appear to be attempts to outdo his predecessor in obfuscation. While the Global South, and even several Gafcon provinces, initially welcomed his elevation, it remains to be seen if he heeds the warnings evident in several of those welcomes, and indeed demonstrates a willingness to move to a governance model for the Communion that respects the theology of the vast majority of Anglicans worldwide, or continues in the current model, in which a small group of western revisionists control all the leadership positions and all the money and all the communications apparatus.
2) The vote on women bishops in the CoE. To everyone's shock, while 90% of the bishops and 75% of the clergy are willing to break promises made to traditionalists and drive every Anglo Catholic out of the CoE, a few valiant laity were willing to stand up to them and vote down a measure they found unacceptable. Now the bishops are labeling their own parishioners pariahs. There will now be another vote in a few months, since the leadership has decided that women bishops must be fast tracked, rather than follow procedure. Huge pressure will be brought upon the laity to change their votes, no matter how bad the new proposal is. The coming few months will determine whether the leadership falls back on the proposals of the Rochester report, which, had it been acceptable to the revisionists, would have allowed for women bishops years ago, and a continuation of provision for traditionalists along the lines of that provided, and promised in perpetuity, in the PEV scheme (for Americans, in British English, the word "scheme" means "plan", not "nefarious plot" as it means in US English). However, since the revisionist majorities have voted this down, even in terribly watered down form, it seems unlikely to garner support now. More support appears to fall to the "no provision at all, they can leave if they want to, we will keep all the property" TEC type approach. We will see what happens. My guess is that in the end, the Archbishops will approach 6 or 8 lay members seen as "wobbly" in the 34% that voted "no," and will find out the absolute minimum they will accept in order to change their vote, then check with the most ardent "all or nothing" revisionists to make sure that is acceptable, and keep up this back and forth until next summer, and the measure will pass by a slim margin in the Synod laity. Anglo Catholics and the "Reform" Evangelicals will then drift out of the Church over the next ten years, as their priests and bishops are replaced by women. And we will probably see a few parishes leave enmasse, either for Rome or whatever new ACNA-like Anglican entity arises in England as a result.
3) The debacle in South Carolina. Face it, at the top in TEC, there is no law, no justice, no Truth and no light anymore. Canon law is merely a persecution mechanism. Property is the theology, the ecclesiology, the scripture, tradition and reason of the current era House of Bishops. I cannot detail this nearly so well as ACI has, so for more detail, read the Open Letter to the HoB, posted at anglicancommunioninstitute.com .
The commonality in these three events is that politics has become so entrenched in the church. Very few (although thankfully there are a few) involved in the decisions that brought about these events were asking "what is Christ asking of me" or "what is best for the church" or "what will ensure the highest degree of communion possible within the church today, and with the church through the ages." Political expediency and calculation rule the day.
But in all of this, please keep in mind that while we see these as major crises, the REAL major crises are in Africa and Asia, where Christians are being persecuted not by lawyers and revisionist bishops seeking to deprive them of corporate property and using their diocesan name and seal, but by armed thugs looking to murder them, and burn their homes and churches to the ground. So, let us be sure, that while +Mark Lawrence, +Justin Welby and the traditionalists of CoE all need our prayers, so too do the millions of unknown, unnamed fellow Christians in villages in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Iran, and a hundred other places around the world. Some shed their blood, almost every day, in the name of Christ. All He has asked of us in the West, is to remain faithful to him, and do our best to stem the tide of revisionism in our churches.
TJ
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
ACI's latest
It has been a very long while since I posted anything here. It is late, and I won't say much for the moment, hopefully will expand on this over the next few days, as time and inspiration warrant. But, briefly....
If you have not already read it, I highly recommend the Anglican Communion Instititute "Open Letter."
http://www.anglicancommunioninstitute.com/
And for all those unfamiliar with the history of the "current unpleasantness" contrived by the PB of TEC against the Diocese of South Carolina, be sure to read the appendix included with the letter.
The importance of this letter seems lost on some conservative Christians. There seems a tendency among those who see TEC as too far gone to write off the effort made by the ACI as pointless. I do find a certain irony in the idea that those who follow Anglican blogs would find such work worthless, or dismiss it because TEC bishops are unlikely to act on it.
1) The three priests of ACI have extensively documented the non canonical (and potentially illegal) activities of the PB. The ACI writers have (by risking deposition themselves, no doubt) taken on the task of laying out the numerous canon violations engaged in by the PB in what has become a persecution of the Diocese of South Carolina, and its bishop, +Mark Lawrence.
2) The letter presents the case directly to the House of Bishops of TEC- there is no longer "plausible deniability" that would allow them to say they were "unaware" of the facts or that there "were no grounds" for complaint.
3) The letter effectively counters the misinformation campaign being carried out by TEC's official news outlets, and spokespersons. The letter is being read widely abroad, and has been quoted on blogs worldwide. Much of what is in it is common information to those of us who have closely followed Anglican affairs in the US, but comes as a shock to many in Europe, Asia and Africa, who cannot imagine church affairs being conducted in such manner.
So, for what little it may be worth from an old Anglo Catholic who has been out of TEC for several years now, the good fathers of ACI (the Rev's Turner, Seitz and Radner), and their colleague Mr. McCall, will have my prayers in the coming days, and my thanks.
Gracious Father, we pray for thy holy Catholic Church. Fill it
with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt,
purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is
amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in
want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake
of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen. (BCP 1979)
If you have not already read it, I highly recommend the Anglican Communion Instititute "Open Letter."
http://www.anglicancommunioninstitute.com/
And for all those unfamiliar with the history of the "current unpleasantness" contrived by the PB of TEC against the Diocese of South Carolina, be sure to read the appendix included with the letter.
The importance of this letter seems lost on some conservative Christians. There seems a tendency among those who see TEC as too far gone to write off the effort made by the ACI as pointless. I do find a certain irony in the idea that those who follow Anglican blogs would find such work worthless, or dismiss it because TEC bishops are unlikely to act on it.
1) The three priests of ACI have extensively documented the non canonical (and potentially illegal) activities of the PB. The ACI writers have (by risking deposition themselves, no doubt) taken on the task of laying out the numerous canon violations engaged in by the PB in what has become a persecution of the Diocese of South Carolina, and its bishop, +Mark Lawrence.
2) The letter presents the case directly to the House of Bishops of TEC- there is no longer "plausible deniability" that would allow them to say they were "unaware" of the facts or that there "were no grounds" for complaint.
3) The letter effectively counters the misinformation campaign being carried out by TEC's official news outlets, and spokespersons. The letter is being read widely abroad, and has been quoted on blogs worldwide. Much of what is in it is common information to those of us who have closely followed Anglican affairs in the US, but comes as a shock to many in Europe, Asia and Africa, who cannot imagine church affairs being conducted in such manner.
So, for what little it may be worth from an old Anglo Catholic who has been out of TEC for several years now, the good fathers of ACI (the Rev's Turner, Seitz and Radner), and their colleague Mr. McCall, will have my prayers in the coming days, and my thanks.
Gracious Father, we pray for thy holy Catholic Church. Fill it
with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt,
purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is
amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in
want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake
of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen. (BCP 1979)
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