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Friday, September 5, 2008
"Sow for yourselves
according to righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God); reap
according to mercy and lovingkindness. Break up your uncultivated ground,
for it is time to seek the Lord, to inquire for and of him, and to require
His favor, till He comes and teaches you righteousness, and rains His
righteous gift of salvation upon you."
Hosea 10:12 AMP
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A message from
Bishop David Anderson
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Quincy diocese
'likely' to leave Episcopal Church
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TEC Bishop
Chane says Williams scapegoated homosexuals
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Canada: it is
impossible to go back, bishops say of moratoria
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Wales: resignation
threat over potential gay bishop appointment
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Lambeth
absentees press on as letters wait to be sent out
_________________________
A message from Bishop David Anderson
Beloved in Christ,
In the United States, there is high interest in what will happen at the TEC
House of Bishops meeting in late September. Will Presiding Bishop Katherine
Jefferts Schori heed advice being given her and leave Bishop Duncan alone
for the time being, or will she proceed with her deposition plans for him?
If she tries to depose him based on what he might do in the future, will she
succeed or fail? Also, will the fact that the dioceses of Pittsburgh, Fort
Worth and Quincy are all poised to take votes in their respective Diocesan
Conventions with regard to separation from the Episcopal Church affect the
proceedings?
Presiding Bishop Schori seems to have only one response to crises and that
is to invoke the names of "Dewey, Sue'm & Howe" and commence litigation. We
would suggest to her a great little book called "Getting to Yes" which might
offer a few more options in conflict situations. If Bishop Schori opens up
too much litigation all at once she may find herself in the same position
that some nations have been - fighting in too many theatres of battle at
once and unable to maintain adequate material and resources for each one. If
she thinks she can use the trust fund reserve or the pension fund, she
should look down the hall to the picture of Ellen Cooke, former TEC
treasurer, who was sent to the "time out" box for just such actions.
North of the border in Canada, things are tense as the Anglican Church of
Canada in the Diocese of New Westminster continues its assault on the
orthodox Anglicans occupying their own property. The attacks by TEC and the
Anglican Church of Canada on faithful Anglican believers continue unabated
in courtrooms across the North American continent.
In the US, most of the churches that TEC is suing are still able to occupy
their buildings and hold services while litigation is underway, whereas in
Canada several churches have effectively been thrown out onto the curb,
pending full trial. Cheryl Chang, a lawyer and legal director for the
churches, reported that the judge "ordered us out at both churches and gave
both churches to the diocese until full trial."
The reality is that the orthodox primates of the Anglican Communion can help
those under attack in North America with provincial recognition and strong
intercommunion and missional ties, but when it comes to litigation, the
provinces overseas can do little to help us win the court battles.
Recognition of a new North American province for the orthodox, and
revocation of provincial status for the Anglican Church of Canada and TEC
would both be helpful, but the latter is unlikely.
Across the pond in the United Kingdom, the election of a new bishop for
Bangor, Wales occupies much space in the news and on the blogs. As we
reported last week from a reliable source, plans are afoot to place the name
of Dean Jeffrey Johns on the slate. Since he identifies himself as a
celibate gay priest who is in a registered civil partnership, his becoming
an Anglican bishop would pose problems for a great part of the global
Anglican Communion. With the opposition mounting and threats by one senior
cleric in Wales to quit if this happens, one wonders if Dean Johns' name
will be officially put forward, and if so, whether he would gain sufficient
support for election. His elevation to the episcopacy would pose a
significant problem for many bishops, archbishops and primates, yet in the
case of New Hampshire in the United States, the diocese went ahead
regardless of the problems caused.
Surely Archbishop Barry Morgan advised Dr. Williams about this prior to it
becoming public; if not, the Archbishop of Canterbury (the former primate of
Wales) might have just cause to be cranky when reading of it in the London
papers. Although, since the release of the Pitt letters, it is painfully
clear that the arch primate himself shares a sympathetic view of homosexual
issues, surely for the sake of the church he is charged with defending he
can arrange for this to be turned aside. As we noted last week, everyone is
aware of the situation in advance of the election and there are therefore no
free passes.
Some claim that since Dean Johns identifies himself as being celibate, thus
meeting the letter of the church's official standard, and since civil
partnerships are legal, there should be no obstacle to his appointment. But
consider this: does the church's rule need amendment? Is a bishop in a
same-sex civil partnership a wholesome example to the flock?
It is time for Christian leaders to be clear about what they believe, speak
boldly and publicly in such a way that removes ambiguity, and let their yes
be yes and their no be no. So much of what bishops and leaders say today is
double-meaning spiritual mush designed to offend no one. The Good News of
Jesus Christ requires plain, clear, simple speech that can reach both the
executive in his corner office and the plough boy in the field. May we
recover that virtue and grace.
Blessings and Peace in Christ Jesus,
The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson, Sr.
President and CEO, American Anglican Council
_________________________
Quincy diocese 'likely' to leave Episcopal Church
Source:
Religious Intelligence
By George Conger
August 31, 2008
The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Quincy has sent a 35-page report to
all members of the diocese, responding to questions and concerns over plans
for the diocese to quit the Episcopal Church.
On Nov 7-8 the Quincy synod will have the second reading of a constitutional
amendment that would permit the diocese to withdraw from the Episcopal
Church and affiliate with another province of the Anglican Communion. While
no formal resolution so far has been submitted to the synod that would seek
formal separation, the president of the standing committee, the Rev James
Marshall told The Living Church magazine such a move was likely.
Quincy joins the American diocese of Fort Worth and Pittsburgh in scheduling
formal votes in the coming months that would permit the diocese to withdraw
from the Episcopal Church. Last year the Synod of the Diocese of San
Joaquin, based in Fresno, California, voted to withdraw from the Episcopal
Church and was accepted into the Province of the Southern Cone of America
under the archiepiscopal oversight of Bishop Gregory Venables of Argentina.
...
The entire article may be found at the link above.
_________________________
TEC Bishop Chane says Williams scapegoated homosexuals
Source:
The Guardian
By Riazat Butt
September 5, 2008
The Archbishop of
Canterbury has pandered to conservatives in the Anglican communion by
scapegoating and marginalising homosexual Christians, a senior cleric
claimed yesterday.
The Right Rev John Bryson Chane, Bishop of Washington (DC) and one of the
most influential figures in the liberal-majority wing of the US Episcopal
church, made the remarks about the Lambeth conference, the 10-yearly
gathering of the world's Anglican bishops that took place in Canterbury in
July and August this year.
The three-week summit saw Rowan Williams attempting to avoid schism by
reinforcing a ban on gay bishops and same-sex blessings, moratoriums aimed
at appeasing conservative evangelicals who were infuriated at the inclusive
nature of some US and Canadian churches.
Chane said: "There was far too much recognition of those who chose not to
participate in this Lambeth conference and far too little recognition of
those bishops who chose to come."
His comments, in an article called Stop the Scapegoating, published on a US
website, are the most scathing yet about Williams, and he is the first US
liberal to break ranks with his church and condemn Lambeth. Bishops from the
Episcopal church maintained a united front at Canterbury, despite internal
divisions over central issues, and remained on-message by stressing the
positives. His assessment is more critical than the one issued by primates
from the breakaway conservative movement the Global Anglican Future
Conference (Gafcon). ...
Read the entire letter by Bishop Chane here
The rest of the Guardian article may be found at the link above.
_________________________
Canada: it is impossible to go back, bishops say of moratoria
Source:
Anglican Journal
Sept. 2, 2008
By Marites N. Sison
Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, said he
wasn't surprised with the Lambeth Conference's call for a moratorium on
actions that have led to divisions over sexuality. He said that bishops
needed to be honest that this has been "a huge, huge challenge to
implement." ...
Earlier, the Windsor Continuation Group (WCG) suggested that the moratoria
be "retrospective." However, the final document issued by bishops dropped
the word "retrospective," which has further sowed confusion. The WCG was
formed last February by Archbishop Rowan Williams to "address outstanding
questions arising from the Windsor Report and the various formal responses
from provinces and instruments of the Anglican Communion."
Victoria Matthews, a member of the WCG and bishop of the diocese of
Christchurch, New Zealand, said that the body's proposal for a
"retrospective" moratorium on same-sex blessings means that dioceses such as
Vancouver-based New Westminster "will be asked to reconsider and withdraw
that right. It isn't just from here on there will be no new ones…"
The use of the word "retrospective," which has the potential to affect a
number of Canadian dioceses, has been questioned by some Canadian bishops.
Bishop Michael Ingham, whose diocese - New Westminster - voted to allow
same-sex blessings in 2002, reacted strongly to the WCG's proposals,
describing it as "an old-world institutional response to a new-world reality
in which people are being set free from hatred and violence." Bishop Ingham
called the WCG proposals "punitive in tone, setting out penalties and the
like, instead of inviting us into deeper communion with one another through
mutual understanding in the body of Christ." He added that the suggestion of
a pastoral forum "institutionalizes external incursions into the life of our
churches." ...
George Elliott, suffragan bishop of Toronto (York-Simcoe), said, "I don't
think there's a going back. I think there are ways in which we can perhaps
slow down or continue to consider what a moratorium might be. But I don't
think it's possible to go back. I don't think it's fair to go back." He said
that dioceses that have moved ahead "and done it faithfully," have done it
in the context of Canadian church polity. "It would be absolutely
devastating to even think about moving back to where we were before."
Some bishops have likened the idea of a retrospective moratorium to
"attempting to put toothpaste back in the tube," said Bishop Philip Poole,
suffragan bishop of Toronto (York-Credit Valley).
"Having made a decision at some point in the past has changed the way we
live, and you can't say ‘we'll just go back where we were,'" said Archbishop
Caleb Lawrence, bishop of Moosonee and metropolitan (senior bishop) of
Ontario. ...
The rest of the article may be found at the link above.
_________________________
Wales: resignation threat over potential gay bishop appointment
Source: TimesOnline
September 4, 2008
By Ruth Gledhill
A senior clergyman in Wales is threatening to resign if the openly gay Dean
of St Albans is appointed Bishop of Bangor.
Canon Peter Jones, treasurer of Bangor cathedral and a vicar in the diocese,
said homosexual acts are "sinful and wrong" and the appointment of Dr
Jeffrey John would force him to consider his position.
Dr John two years ago celebrated a civil partnership with his partner the
Rev Grant Holmes but their relationship has not been physical for many
years. As such he meets the requirements under Anglican church teaching that
homosexuals should be celibate.
Dr John is among those to be nominated as successor to Bishop of Bangor Tony
Crockett who died of cancer earlier this year. Five years ago he was
appointed Bishop of Reading but was forced to withdraw after a conservative
backlash.
Canon Jones told the Western Mail: "I would be strongly opposed to the
appointment. Jeffrey John is a strong advocate of changing the Church's
traditional teaching on homosexuality and I accept the teaching of holy
scripture that homosexual acts are wrong. Therefore to have someone
deliberately seek to undermine that teaching - that is clearly not someone
who is suitable to hold office as a bishop in the Church of God." ...
The rest of the article may be found at the link above.
_________________________
Lambeth absentees press on as letters wait to be sent out
Source:
Church Times
by Bill Bowder
September 5, 2008
A MONTH after the Lambeth Conference, the 230 or so absent Anglican bishops
have not yet been contacted in order to "build bridges" with them. In the
mean time, their leaders have stated that they have heard nothing from
Lambeth to give them pause as they seek to form a new North American
province.
The Archbishop of Canterbury and Canon Kenneth Kearon, the secretary general
of the Anglican Communion, committed themselves at the Lambeth Conference to
ensuring that the absent bishops were kept fully informed of what had taken
place, and of the process expected to lead to the Anglican Covenant.
All the Primates have been sent copies of Dr Williams's post-Conference
reflections; but on Wednesday the promised "bridge-building" letters had
still not been sent out. "I know it is being worked on in the office, and it
is in process. But the letters have not physically gone out to everyone
absent yet," a source in the Anglican Communion Office said. ...
The rest of the article may be found at the link above.
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