|
Trinity Church North Patrick St Dublin, TX 76446 Office 254.445.4833 Vicarage 325.356.2198 Cell 254.842.1228 |
| Some pages require
Adobe Reader® |
|
©2005-08 Trinity Church Established 1890 Contact the Webmaster |
 |
|
Friday, February 15, 2008 "And He said to him, 'Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.'" Matthew 19:17 NASV
________________________________ A Message from Bishop Anderson Beloved in Christ, Some of my readers have been concerned that I am too hard on the Archbishop of Canterbury. Part of our problem at the American Anglican Council is that we sit on a vast amount of information and evidence of intent, which is too extensive or too confidential to be put into articles in a brief update format. This information does affect my analysis of Dr. Williams' actions and the trajectory of his mission. We believe that, over time, the accuracy of our analysis of his actions will prove very high. At times we do try and introduce humor, where humor is possible, for often the alternative is to cry - and we believe that a good laugh is better than a good cry (though that may be more a product of my own Scottish/German ancestry). With regard to the Sharia uproar, we are at a loss to know whether to laugh or cry, since this issue both in England and throughout much of the Anglican Communion has real on-the-ground impact. I can not recall such an uproar in England and throughout the Communion since the Jeffrey Johns imbroglio. Once more the Queen has had to share her concern (in a most reserved, proper and refined manner) about the impact of this recent statement by Williams and the response it has elicited. This time, however, there is no Jeffrey Johns to take the fall for the Archbishop. In a way, his explanations just dig him in deeper. Implicit in one explanation is the notion that he thinks on such a high and intellectual level that the rest of us, being somewhat less intelligent and more common, simply don’t understand him... thus it is all nothing but a misunderstanding. It may be a misunderstanding, but not the kind that he imagines, and I am not convinced that the problem is a gulf between intellects. But, with all of the commentary on the internet about his remarks on Sharia, there is no need to repeat the analysis which is available in the English press. The Primates organizing the Global Anglican Future Conference and Pilgrimage have issued a response to the English Evangelical Bishops who wrote them encouraging them to attend the upcoming Lambeth Conference 2008. The Primates remind the bishops why we are where we are, and why the proper response is to avoid the compromise of integrity that attendance at Lambeth along with the TEC miscreants would produce. It is well written; perhaps the English bishops should themselves reconsider and stand with the orthodox standard bearers. The office for propaganda and deception of the Episcopal Church has a lexicon of twisted words and a formula for drafting statements that bend the truth into a pretzel. A few days ago the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church announced that she had accepted four bishops’ renunciation of ordained ministry, one of whom, for example, is the Rt. Rev. David Bena, Suffragan Bishop of the Convocation of Anglicans in North American (CANA). The problem is, he did not renounce his ordained ministry - in fact, in his letter to her last year he specifically emphasized that he was NOT renouncing his ordained ministry. Yet Jefferts Schori breezily announces that she has accepted his renunciation. This perversion of the truth under her signature is in marked contrast to her letter of response to Bishop Bena last year, which was cordial and appropriate, on the very same subject: “...you have been enrolled in the Anglican Province of Nigeria. I have informed the Secretary of the House of Bishops and the Recorder of Ordination that by this action you are no longer a member of the house of Bishops of the Episcopal Church nor are you enrolled as a person in any order of the Episcopal Church.” This mischaracterization of clergy’s resignation from Episcopal parishes or dioceses, or from the House of Bishops, as a renunciation of their Holy Orders - which were into “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church” - is a serious and deliberate deception being practiced by TEC bishops across the United States. We must say regarding anything issued by TEC, let the reader beware. We have heard that details of days and times of the GAFCON gathering will be forthcoming shortly. Perhaps details about how invitations will be handled and who may attend will be posted soon. We are hearing of growing interest among clergy and laity about who may attend. Blessings and Peace in Christ Jesus, The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson, Sr. ___________________________________ CANA
Clarifies Status of Bishop Bena On February 12, it was announced that the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church (TEC) had accepted four bishop’s renunciation of ordained ministry and included in the list of bishops was the Rt. Rev’d David Bena, Suffragan Bishop of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA). CANA Bishop Martyn Minns responded by saying, “This announcement is misleading because Bishop Bena has most definitely not renounced his ordained ministry nor has he been ‘deprived of the right to exercise the gifts and spiritual authority as a Minister of God’s Word and Sacraments conferred on him in Ordinations’ as stated in the TEC news release. Bishop Bena is a faithful bishop in good standing within the Anglican Communion and continues to fully exercise his ordained ministry. “The background to this action is that on February 1, 2007, Bishop Bena was transferred from the Diocese of Albany to the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) to serve in CANA. On March 6, he wrote to the Presiding Bishop to advise her of this action and to resign from the Episcopal Church House of Bishops. In his letter he stated that, ‘In transferring from one Province of the Anglican Communion to another, I do declare that I am neither renouncing my Orders as a bishop, nor am I abandoning the Communion of the Church.’ “In a letter dated March 13, 2007, the Presiding Bishop wrote back thanking him for his letter: ‘informing me that you have been enrolled in the Anglican Province of Nigeria. I have informed the Secretary of the House of Bishops and the Recorder of Ordinations that by this action you are no longer a member of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church nor are you enrolled as person in any order of the Episcopal Church.’ She also wrote that it was her prayer, ‘that God may bless us both in a ministry of reconciliation.’ “One year later to now describe his action as a ‘renunciation of ordained ministry’ is confusing at best and at odds with the Presiding Bishop’s earlier response. Bishop Bena’s resignation from the Episcopal Church came after a season of discernment during which he came to the conclusion that the Episcopal Church no longer embraced the Gospel that he had been called to proclaim nor taught the ‘faith once and for all delivered to the saints.’ His desire was to continue his ordained ministry but within another branch of the Anglican Communion and this he continues to do so with great effectiveness within CANA,” concluded Bishop Minns... Read the rest of the
article by clicking
here. Canada: St. John's Shaughnessy votes to leave diocese Source: The
Vancouver Sun Members of what is described as the largest congregation in the Anglican Church of Canada voted strongly Wednesday to split with Vancouver-area Bishop Michael Ingham over his support for same-sex blessings. "It means that the community speaks with one mind," said St. John's Shaughnessy Anglican Church spokeswoman Lesley Bentley, after a preliminary count showed that out of 495 ballots cast, only 11 opposed the split and nine abstained. "What it is is very uniting." The vote means the church, which has more than 700 members, will break with Ingham and join with the conservative Anglican bishops of the Diocese of the Southern Cone, which includes Argentina and Paraguay. It was a move that Ingham, who is out of the country this week, had earlier warned would be "schismatic." He said if the church tries to operate under the authority of a South American Anglican bishop or anyone else, it will not be legally able to hold onto the church property. Bentley said that despite a letter from the Anglican Church of Canada on Wednesday stating that if a parish decides to separate, property disputes will be costly, congregants are prepared to fight. "We don't see why we should have to go," said Bentley, adding that churchgoers have been supporting the parish since 1932. She said the church had a commitment from people to pay legal fees should they need to defend the property in court.... Read the rest of the
article by clicking
here. Uganda Not Attending Lambeth
Source: Church of the Province of Uganda (Via E-Mail) Statement by the Provincial Assembly Standing Committee on Lambeth Conference 2008 1. The Lambeth Conference is a gathering that brings together the Bishops of the Anglican Communion from all 38 Provinces of the Communion at the invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The conference is usually held every ten years. It provides Bishops with an opportunity for worship, study, and conversation, discussing and making resolutions that affect the Anglican Communion. 2. At the 1998 Lambeth Conference under Resolution 1.10 the Bishops overwhelmingly passed a resolution that rejects homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture. The conference also rejected the blessing of same-sex unions. 3. In 2003, in flagrant disregard of this resolution of the 1998 Lambeth Conference, the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (TEC) elected as Bishop Gene Robinson, a divorced man living in an active homosexual relationship. The Primates, who are the Archbishops of all the 38 Provinces of the Anglican Communion, met shortly after that and warned the Episcopal Church not to proceed with the consecration of a practicing homosexual as a Bishop. They warned that, if they proceeded with the consecration, their action would tear the fabric of the Anglican Communion at its deepest level. Less than a month later, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church presided over the consecration of Gene Robinson. This action has divided the Anglican Communion in a profound way. 4. The Primates of the Communion have asked the American Church to halt further consecrations of practicing homosexuals and ceremonies for the blessing of same-sex unions. Regretfully, TEC has continued to bless same-sex unions, in ceremonies that were presided over, among others, by two Bishops. 5. The Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA) produced a statement entitled The Road to Lambeth that calls for this crisis to be resolved before the next Lambeth Conference is convened. The House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda endorsed this position at their meeting in December 2006. Since this crisis has not yet been resolved, the Bishops of the Church of Uganda have resolved that they will not be participating in the Lambeth Conference to be held in July 2008 in Canterbury, England, a position that the Provincial Assembly Standing Committee strongly endorses. This decision has been made to protest the invitations extended by the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Rowan Williams, to TEC Bishops whose stand and unrepentant actions created the current crisis of identity and authority in the Anglican Communion. 6. The Church of Uganda, by this decision, wishes to reaffirm our commitment to the resolutions of the 2006 Provincial Assembly and Resolution 1.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference, which, in substance, denounced homosexual practice and called upon the Church to remain faithful to the Holy Scriptures. 7. Consultations are going on at different levels on how to deal with this crisis, which, among others, include planning for a meeting of Biblically orthodox Anglican Bishops, clergy, and laity to be held in Jerusalem in June 2008. We request the Church to continue in prayer as efforts are being made to find a lasting solution to this crisis. Further developments regarding this matter will be communicated to the Christians in due course. Issued in Kampala this 12th day of February 2008 The Most Rev. Henry
Luke Orombi GAFCON
Response to Evangelical English Bishops To Bishop David James and colleagues Brethren We have received your letter encouraging us to attend the Lambeth Conference with you... We think it is important to let you know our reasons for not acceding to your request, and also to make them public since your letter is public. We have a number of concerns. First, the Lambeth Conference is not a two hour seminar discussing a contentious issue. It is three weeks in which we bishops and our wives are called to share together our lives, our prayer, our bible study, our meals, our worship and the Lord's Supper, to be a family together. You will know that some of us have not been able to take communion with the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church since February 2005, - a period of about three years. The reason is that TEC took an action to consecrate Gene Robinson as Bishop in 2003 contrary to the resolution of the Lambeth Conference, an action of which they have not repented. The consecrators of Gene Robinson have all been invited to Lambeth, contrary to the statement of the Windsor Report (para 134) that members of the Episcopal Church should "consider in all conscience whether they should withdraw themselves from representative functions in the Anglican Communion". You will know that some of those who objected to this consecration in the United States and have made arrangements for orthodox oversight from other provinces including ours have been charged with abandonment of communion. Their congregations have either forfeited or are being sued for their properties by the very bishops with whom you wish us to share Christian family fellowship for three weeks. To do this is an assault on our consciences and our hearts. Further, how can we explain to our church members, that while we and they are formally out of communion with TEC, and provide oversight to these orthodox colleagues, we at the same time live with them at the Lambeth Conference as though nothing had happened? This would be hypocrisy. We are also concerned that the invitation list reflects a great imbalance. It fails to address fundamental departures from historic faith that have triggered this crisis and yet excludes bishops of our own provinces, of Rwanda, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda who teach and practice Biblical faith. As constituted, the invitations suggest that institutional structures are superior to the content of the faith itself. We are also mindful of the press interest in the Conference, and in the presence in some form or other of Gene Robinson and his male partner, and of 30 gay activists. We would be the continual target of activist campaigners and media intrusion. In these circumstances we could not feel at home. All of us have attended Lambeth before. As far as we are aware, only a few of you have been to a Lambeth Conference. In 1998, we had great difficulty in making our case heard in the face of the process of the conference. At that conference we were blessed with the leadership of Archbishop George Carey who has always been a champion of orthodox biblical teaching on sexuality. We have come to the conclusion, from the failure of the instruments of the Communion to take action either to discipline the Episcopal Church or to protect those who have asked the Communion for protection, that there is no serious space for those of an orthodox persuasion in the councils of the Communion to be themselves or to be taken seriously. We are therefore not persuaded by your arguments to attend. We have looked at all the facts for some time. To find a solution we have proposed the postponement of the conference, the calling of a Primates' meeting and work towards the conclusion and endorsement of the Anglican Covenant by individual provinces. Our request has not been heeded. We must attend to the care of our bishops, clergy and people... ...Yours in Christ, Archbishop Peter
Akinola (Nigeria) Archbishop of
Canterbury appoints Windsor Continuation Group The Archbishop of
Canterbury announced the formation of the Windsor Continuation Group (WCG),
as proposed in his Advent Letter The members of the group are: The Most Revd Clive
Handford, former Primate of Jerusalem and the Middle East (chair) They will be joined as a consultant by:
Dame Mary
Tanner, Co-president of the World Council of Churches Canon Andrew Norman of the Archbishop of Canterbury's Staff and Canon Gregory Cameron of the Anglican Communion Office Bishop Clive Handford, who will be chairing the group, said: "We are conscious as we undertake this work that the Archbishop has given us an important responsibility to assist the Communion to move forward. A significant element of our work will be face-to-face conversation with those who have key roles in shaping the future of our common life. I believe in the Anglican Communion, and hope that our work will help it to find healing and new strength." The group will be working intensively in the period running up to the 2008 Lambeth Conference, where its initial work will contribute to the shared discernment of the bishops in strengthening the life and identity of the Anglican Communion. The Archbishop of Canterbury commented: "I am deeply grateful to those who have accepted the invitation to carry forward the important work in our Communion's life that I indicated in my Advent Letter. This is a demanding assignment. I trust they can count on our prayers throughout the Communion as they bring their combined wisdom and attentiveness to the strengthening of our common life through the Windsor Process."
|