News & Commentary

Breakaway Anglican Congregation Has Its Last Sunday at Va. Property

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:56:25 -0400

May 15, 2012

A departing Anglican congregation held its final services at a Virginia church property that they lost to The Episcopal Church in a years-long court battle.

The Falls Church Anglican, a congregation that broke away from the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia years ago over the increasingly liberal theology of the denomination, held two services on Sunday, leaving the property to a much smaller Episcopal congregation.

Jeff Walton, member of the Institute on Religion & Democracy and an attendee of the two services, told The Christian Post that the Anglican congregation's services were "forward-looking" in their focus.

"There was a celebratory mood to the services, as the large congregation seemed to have moved past any disappointment about the ruling," said Walton. "The message was that God was sending the church out from the building in order to do new things, and that complete trust was being placed in Him." . . .

Read the entire article here.

Vienna pastor’s spiritual journey leads him home

Wed, 09 May 2012 15:33:15 -0400

May 9, 2012

By Gregg MacDonald

For Johnny Kurcina Jr., Mark 6:4, "A prophet is without honor only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own home," has special meaning.

"I'm determined to prove that wrong," said Kurcina, 36.

Amid controversy and court battles between the local Episcopal and Anglican dioceses, Kurcina, a 1993 graduate of James Madison High School, recently started an Anglican church in his native Vienna. He is ministering to a congregation of about 250, and that number continues to grow.

The church is an offshoot of the Anglican half of the Falls Church, which has been embroiled in a legal land battle over church property for several years with its Episcopal cousins.

Eleven local churches broke from the Episcopal Church in early 2007 to join a more conservative Anglican Church under the auspices of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America. The Anglican churches, however, kept the Episcopal church properties.

In January, Fairfax County Circuit Judge Randy Bellows reversed his original 2008 ruling that the breakaway congregations were entitled to the properties.

Kurcina began Christ Church Vienna late last year and continues to be amazed with its success. Services are in the Louise Archer Elementary School cafeteria, where parishioners sit in plastic chairs and the walls are adorned with lunch menus.

"Holding services in a school cafeteria does hold some challenges," Kurcina said. "We are not allowed to use wine for communion so we use grape juice, and our candles look real but the flame is really a small flickering light bulb because we are not allowed to use real flame candles on school grounds."

Despite the obstacles, the church continues to draw new parishioners.

"My idea was just to bring Jesus to anyone who would accept him," Kurcina said. "I thought we would perhaps garner interest from about 50 people, mostly friends, family, neighbors and acquaintances. It has been through the grace of God that we have been able to minister to so many more." . . .

Read the entire article here.

NC Episcopal Church Officials Oppose Marriage Amendment

Wed, 09 May 2012 15:37:29 -0400

May 8, 2012

By Jeff Walton

North Carolina voters head to the polls today in order to weigh a proposed amendment to the state constitution defining marriage between one man and one woman as the only recognized domestic legal union. The state's Episcopal Church leaders have been visible opponents to the measure, as were California's Episcopal Church bishops during the Proposition 8 campaign that ended a brief window of same-sex marriages in that state.

North Carolina already has a statute banning same-sex marriage. A vote in favor of the amendment on May 8 would codify the law into the state's constitution, making it less likely to be overturned by legislative action or the courts. The amendment was referred to the statewide ballot by the North Carolina House, which voted 75-42 in favor and the State Senate that followed with 30-16 approval in September.

In January, the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina's annual convention approved a resolution opposing the measure, citing "the Episcopal Church's historical support of gay and lesbian persons as children of God and entitled to full civil rights." The resolution passed on a voice vote.

The diocesan resolution pointed to language from the church's 2006 General Convention in Columbus, Ohio that opposed "any state or federal constitutional amendment that prohibits same-sex civil marriage or civil unions."

In late April, all three Episcopal Church bishops in North Carolina signed a joint letter opposing the constitutional measure.

Bishop Michael B. Curry of the Diocese of North Carolina; Clifton Daniel of the Diocese of East Carolina and G. Porter Taylor of the Diocese of Western North Carolina cited scripture in their letter.

"Jesus has taught us that the greatest and most important of all the commandments of God are to love God and to love our neighbor," the letter reads. Quoting Matthew Chapter 22 verses 37-40, the letter continues, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." . . .

Read the entire article here.

Virginia Anglican Congregation Stands in Faith Despite Leaving Property

Mon, 07 May 2012 13:32:40 -0400

May 4, 2012

FAIRFAX, Va. - Church of the Apostles, an Anglican congregation located in Fairfax, Va., today announced that it has reached a final settlement of its lawsuit with the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia and The Episcopal Church. Under the settlement, Apostles will transfer its buildings and land, $230,000, and some personal property to the Episcopal Diocese.

There is a mutual release of all claims. Despite the high cost of its 2006 decision to disaffiliate from the Episcopal Church, Apostles looks forward with great excitement and confidence to continuing its robust and spirit-filled ministry at another location. Apostles is grateful to be walking this new path with other area congregations, as part of the Anglican Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic, formed to reflect our common understanding of Anglican traditions and the historic Christian faith.

David Harper, Apostles Rector, said: "Although the settlement involves the loss of our church home, which has been our base for spreading the Gospel for almost 40 years, we realize that this is the appropriate time to leave it behind. God is in control of our past, our present, and our future, and we trust that in time He will help us obtain a new church home of our own. We are seeking His guidance as we move forward, continuing our focus on exuberant worship and local and worldwide ministries of hope and healing through the power of the Holy Spirit. We also continue to embrace our unique synthesis of the Evangelical, Pentecostal, and Catholic traditions: "Three Steams, One River." At Apostles, we have always believed that our church is its people and programs, not its buildings. This experience has only served to reinforce that reality."

"We are deeply grateful to be able to hold our regular Sunday worship services at Whole Word Fellowship in Oakton, Va. at 3:30 PM, and to use facilities that other area churches have generously made available for our various ministry needs. We also appreciate the grace extended by the Episcopal Diocese over the period in which the settlement was negotiated, and we agreed to go our separate ways," concluded Harper.

Church of the Apostles is a member congregation of the newly established Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic, a regional and growing diocese of the Anglican Church in North America, dedicated to reaching North America with the transforming love of Jesus Christ. The Diocese consists of 35 member congregations.

FCA and the Way Forward: Anglican Perspective

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:38:46 -0400

May 4, 2012

Canon Ashey looks at the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Leadership Conference Statement and Commitment and discusses the way forward for a Communion in crisis.

Anglican Perspective is a weekly 2-minute teaching video produced by the American Anglican Council. Each week, the Rev. Canon Phil Ashey, AAC Chief Operating Officer, looks at current events from an orthodox, biblical Anglican perspective.

Savannah: Christ Church Anglican Announces Settlement

Thu, 03 May 2012 11:40:32 -0400

May 3, 2012

Christ Church Anglican (CCA) in Savannah, GA has agreed to settle a 4 ½ year legal battle with The Episcopal Church (TEC), and The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia. At the heart of the dispute was a lawsuit against CCA, the Senior Pastor and fourteen members of the 2007 Vestry (Board) including money damage claims by the Diocese against these individuals in excess of $1million. “While we never agreed that our people had any personal liability, we are pleased to see these claims dropped as this threat of personal financial loss has hung over our people for more than four years. These parishioners served as volunteer directors on a non-profit 501-C3 board and made decisions to try to stand for their beliefs and fulfill their duty to protect the non-profit corporation they served,” said John Albert, CCA Senior Warden

In 2007, Christ Church Anglican, established in 1733 and predating the formation of TEC by 56 years and the TEC Diocese of Georgia by 90 years, conducted a congregational vote by which 87% of the congregation supported the Vestry’s decision to disaffiliate from TEC over core theological differences. Subsequently, TEC sued Christ Church Anglican, its pastor, and the 14 individual members of the 2007 board. After the Georgia Supreme Court ruling on November 21, 2011, CCA turned over possession of its three buildings (including the church building on Johnson Square) and the parking lot, all worth in excess of $6 million.

As set forth in the settlement agreement, the Church will adopt the title “Christ Church Anglican.” “We see the addition of ‘Anglican’ to our name as a way of identifying our roots going back to our beginnings in Savannah as a Mission of the Church of England in 1733. God has given us the privilege of living out a truth we have always believed, that the Church is not the building but the people of God. God has blessed us in this struggle, as we have maintained the vast majority of our congregation while adding new members who are excited to be part of a church that seeks to live out its beliefs. Orthodox Anglicanism is alive and well in Savannah and we look forward to a bright future,” commented The Rev. Dr. Marc Robertson, Christ Church Anglican’s senior pastor.

Also included in the agreement, is a requirement that all litigation be dropped including CCA’s appeal to the US Supreme Court which asked the Court to decide whether the “neutral principles”doctrine embodied in the First Amendment permits imposition of a trust on church property when the creation of that trust contradicts the state’s property and trust laws. “It was a hard decision to give up our appeal as we are aware of the pain many other Anglican Churches which are being sued by TEC are experiencing, but we are encouraged by the fact that two other strong cases, (Timberridge Presbyterian Church, McDonough, GA and Bishop Seabury, an Anglican parish in Groton, Conn.) are going forward and feel we have supported their effort with our appeal. However, at this time we feel our primary call is to build a stronger Anglican presence in Savannah,” stated Albert.

Judge Michael Karp’s 2008 decision declared that all church property “was held in trust for the Diocese and the national church”, so other aspects of the settlement provide that CCA will relinquish any claim to the Endowment Funds worth some $2.3 million and return $33,000 of operating funds pursuant to an accounting of funds at the time of disaffiliation. The Diocese however agreed to assume a $33,000 debt obligation from CCA. “We have left all our material possessions on Johnson Square, but that which we have taken with us is far more valuable: our people, the historic faith and the Holy Spirit. We have no regrets,” said CCA senior pastor, Marc Robertson.

On December 11, 2011, two weeks before they were required to vacate, Christ Church held its final service in its historic building on Johnson Square. Following that service, the entire congregation of more than 400 people processed down Bull Street to Independent Presbyterian Church (IPC), where they were welcomed by 500 IPC members and Pastor Terry Johnson who stated “our faith is your faith and our buildings are your buildings.” Christ Church now holds Sunday services at 8 a.m., 9 a.m., and 9 p.m. at IPC and Wednesday and Friday noon services at St. Andrew’s Reformed Episcopal Church.

ACNA receives two AMiA bishops

Tue, 01 May 2012 11:16:11 -0400

May 1, 2012

Bishop Foley Beach, Anglican Diocese of the South

By George Conger

The Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) has received two bishops from the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA) as honorary temporary assistant bishops.

The Rt. Rev. T.J. Johnston will serve as an assistant bishop to the Rt. Rev. Foley Beach of the Anglican Diocese of the South and the Rt. Rev. John Miller will serve as an assistant bishop to the Rt. Rev. Neil Lebahr of the Gulf Atlantic Diocese, Anglican Ink has learned.

A memorandum of understanding dated 18 April 2012 endorsed by Bishops Johnson and Miller and by Bishop Leonard Riches and Charlie Masters on behalf of the ACNA states the agreement serves to "provide a temporary jurisdictional connection" and will last for 180 days, with an interim review at the 90 day mark.

Under the agreement the two bishops will exercise delegated episcopal ministry within the ACNA over those AMiA clergy who have requested transfer from the oversight of the Province of Rwanda to the ACNA. At the end of the 180 day period the AMiA clergy, including the two bishops, may remain in the ACNA or be transferred to a jurisdiction of their choosing. . .

Read the entire article here.

We should elect our chair, say Primates

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 04:51:30 -0400

April 27, 2012

Archbishop Wabukala, Kenya

By Ed Thornton

THE Primates of Nigeria and Kenya suggested this week that the Archbishop of Canterbury should no longer chair the Primates' Meeting. The chairman should instead be elected by the Primates themselves, they said.

The Archbishop of Nigeria, the Most Revd Nicholas Okoh, and the Archbishop of Kenya, Dr Eliud Wabukala, suggested the idea at a press briefing on Monday, shortly before the start of a leadership conference of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA) at St Mark's, Battersea Rise, in London (News, 6 April). A spokesman for the FCA said that delegates from about 30 countries were attending the conference, representing about 55 million "of all churchgoing Anglicans".

Archbishop Okoh said: "My thought is that it will be better to have an Archbishop [of Canterbury] who is respected, honoured, for historical reasons, but that the Anglican Communion eventually should think about organising itself around a chairman, who will have a tenured office, of four or five years, and then hand over to another person."

He continued: "It seems that the Church of England is not carrying along everybody in the Communion, and that is why you can see there is a crisis; if we will solve the problem, we have to change the system."

Archbishop Okoh noted the way that the Commonwealth now elects its leadership. "It is the same thing; the Church of independent countries - no longer the British Empire - must make some changes. It is not something that should remain permanent that the Archbishop of Canterbury, whether he understands the dynamics in Africa or not, remains the chair, and whatever he says, whether it works or not, is an order." . . .

Read the entire article here.

FCA Leaders Conference Statement and Commitment

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:06:26 -0400

Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Leaders Conference
Statement and Commitment

In 2008 the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) was held in Jerusalem, drawing together more than 1100 Anglicans from around the world, including bishops, clergy and laity.

GAFCON recognized that the conflict in the Anglican Communion since 1998 was a crisis of Gospel truth, not only regarding matters of human sexuality, but the authority of Holy Scripture as God's inspired Word and the unique Person and Work of Jesus Christ for salvation. In view of this crisis, the Conference unanimously affirmed that

our core identity as Anglicans is expressed in these words: The doctrine of the Church is grounded in the Holy Scriptures and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In particular, such doctrine is to be found in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, the Book of Common Prayer and the Ordinal. We intend to remain faithful to this standard, and we call on others in the Communion to reaffirm and return to it.

Claiming that GAFCON was "not just a moment in time but a movement in the Spirit", the 2008 Conference gave birth to a contemporary statement of faith, the Jerusalem Declaration (JD) and to a society, the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA) led by a Council of Primates. The movement has become a family and fellowship with increasing trust and affection. The goals of the FCA are twofold: to proclaim and defend the gospel throughout the world, and to strengthen the church worldwide by supporting and authenticating faithful Anglicans who have been disenfranchised from their spiritual homes.

Since 2008 the Primates of those Anglican Provinces who endorsed the Jerusalem Declaration have met regularly and recognized the Anglican Church in North America as a legitimate Province in the Anglican Communion. Many dioceses, parishes and individuals have also endorsed the Jerusalem Declaration. National and regional branches of FCA have been formed in South Africa, UK and Ireland. The Primates have also endorsed Being Faithful: The Shape of Historic Anglicanism Today as a helpful commentary on the Jerusalem Declaration.

From 23-27 April 2012, the FCA held its first conference for Anglican leaders, addressing the theme of Jesus the Christ, Unique and Supreme. Over 200 leaders from 30 countries and 25 provinces, including bishops, clergy and laity, shared in our fellowship in the Gospel and recommitted ourselves to the goals of the FCA. We gathered in a remarkable spirit of joy and unity as we affirmed the lordship of Christ, his uniqueness and sufficiency.

We received from Anglican leaders accounts of terrorism leading to death and destruction in Nigeria, and of persecution and ostracism of believers in Islamic and Hindu societies; we heard from a Christian pro-life and pro-marriage advocate who has been maligned by the secular media in England, with precious little support from the Church establishment. We heard numerous accounts from Anglican leaders around the world who have been harassed by their own bishops and fellow clergy for their Gospel witness, yet have been grateful for the stance of the FCA. We note that The Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Church of Canada are proceeding post-haste to approve same-sex blessing rites with total disregard for the conscience of their own members, for the moratoria mandated by the official Instruments of the Anglican Communion, and for the broken state of communion where more than half the world's Anglicans are represented by the FCA.

The chairman of the FCA, the Most Rev. Eliud Wabukala, Primate of Kenya, opened the Conference with a keynote address on the identity of confessing Anglicans in the light of the current crisis, highlighting the fact that "The heart of the crisis we face is not only institutional, but spiritual." We were also reminded that we are not wrestling against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Eph 6:12).

Bible studies from Paul's letter to the Colossians were delivered each morning. The Conference theme of the supremacy of Christ over all creation, including his church and our very lives, was powerfully presented to the gathered leaders. In light of the twofold goals of the FCA, special attention was given in workshops to the nature of the gospel and the nature of the church. Other workshops addressed major concerns of the GAFCON movement as articulated in the Jerusalem Declaration: leadership (clause 7), the family (clause 8), evangelism (clause 9) and economic empowerment (clause 10).

The Conference recognized the gospel as the life-transforming message of salvation from sin and all its consequences, through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is both a declaration and a summons: announcing what has been done for us in Christ and calling us to repentance, faith and submission to his lordship. Any compromise of the gospel is a compromise of the authority of Christ as King.

The second major goal of the Conference had to do with the nature of the church as an expression and vehicle of the gospel. The Rev. Dr Ashley Null reviewed the history of Anglican polity over five centuries and concluded:

Effectiveness in mission is the highest historic priority in Anglicanism, for the church derives its existence, purpose and power from the faithful proclamation of the gospel in word and sacrament. Because of this divine call, the church has God's assurance of his abiding presence among his people. Nevertheless, since the church as a human institution can err, adapting the proclamation of the gospel to a specific culture can all too often lead to the culture adapting and changing the gospel to its own human idolatries. Therefore, a global fellowship is necessary to help individual national churches to discern whether a specific gospel proclamation is adapting to the culture or capitulating to it.

In a plenary address on "Jesus, the Lord of the Church and his Mission," Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali noted that St Paul presents the church as an exalted communion known to God, the Jerusalem above (Gal 4:26), and also as an earthly community of believers gathered together for the preaching of God's Word, the sacraments duly administered, and effective church discipline (Article XIX; Second Book of Homilies). Applying this pattern to the current Anglican situation, Bishop Nazir-Ali concluded that the Anglican "Instruments of Unity" have failed dramatically and that the FCA is called to model a biblical way for the churches of the Anglican Communion to gather and relate to one another so as to carry out the Great Commission in the coming decades. This way needs to address different forms of missional leadership, gathering the church with traditional episcopal leaders as well as leaders exercising oversight in parochial and non-parochial ministries. The Primates' Council will have responsibility for planning, directing and driving this agenda.

Conference participants formed networks that will pursue ongoing work in areas vital to the movement, including:

• episcopal leaders - a forum for bishops to encourage one another, improve communication and welcome new members, including those not yet a part of the FCA
• pastors - a forum for FCA pastors to provide mutual encouragement and develop Christian discipleship
• evangelists - a forum to equip lay evangelists and church planters to proclaim the gospel, edify the church and serve society
• women in ministry - a forum for women in ministry to share challenges, resources and prayer
• theological educators - a forum to encourage and train theological educators in developing biblical patterns of theological education, to resist revisionist intrusions and to share theological resources
• cross-cultural workers - a forum for cross-cultural workers to share their needs and to connect people to available resources and networks
• aid and development workers - a forum to promote a biblical theology of development, which includes economic empowerment and self-sustainability
• lawyers - a forum for lawyers to assist the FCA in the pursuit of its mission and to offer members counsel in matters of civil and canon law.

It is vitally important for the FCA to activate these networks, as they represent the outworking of the gospel in the daily lives of millions of believers and their neighbours. They also represent areas of need where revisionist organizations, both secular and Anglican, lure orthodox people with offers of aid, invitations to conferences, scholarships and the like.

Archbishop Wabukala concluded his opening address with these words, echoing Micah 6:8

So what does the Lord require? He has called us to a great prophetic purpose at this critical point in the life of our Communion. After some 450 years it is becoming clear that what some have called the ‘Anglican experiment' is not ending in failure, but is on the verge of a new and truly global future in which the original vision of the Reformers can be realized as never before. We do not need to repudiate or belittle our history, but learn from it and set ourselves now to walk humbly with our God into the future and the hope that he has planned for us.

In response, Archbishop Jensen, the FCA General Secretary, challenged participants to agree on a "statement in the form of a commitment." In affirming this statement, we commit ourselves to the following:

• to reaffirm the Jerusalem Declaration and Statement
• to commend the Jerusalem Declaration to others as the basis for resolving the spiritual crisis currently besetting the Anglican Communion
• to invite Anglicans around the world to join FCA in order to serve Christ and his mission
• to promote and fund the networks in their various aims to strengthen the Church
• to create a network for ministry among young people
• to pray for the work and ministry of FCA and for each other.

At the conclusion of the Leaders Conference, it was announced that a second Anglican Future Conference will be held in May 2013. This Conference will further the work of the FCA to renew and reform the Anglican Communion. This leads to a further specific commitment from leaders and their churches:

• to gather for GAFCON 2 in May 2013
• to obtain funding and resourcing for GAFCON 2.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:20-21)

St Mark's Church, Battersea Rise
London, UK
27 April 2012

FCA Leadership Conference-2012: Anglican Perspective

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 07:28:16 -0400

April 25, 2012

This week, Canon Ashey is in London for the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans' Leadership Conference. This conference represents the marjority of the world's Anglicans with representatives from all over the globe. The AAC is helping with conference organizing and media as well as serving in other ways.

Friend of Court Brief Filed in Fort Worth Lawsuit

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:51:34 -0400

Monday, April 23rd, 2012

Today several bishops of The Episcopal Church joined The Anglican Communion Institute, Inc. ("ACI"), in submitting an amicus curiae brief to the Texas Supreme Court in the lawsuit arising out of the withdrawal of the Diocese of Fort Worth from The Episcopal Church. All of these bishops and all of the officers and directors of ACI remain in The Episcopal Church and have submitted this brief solely because they disagree with the characterization of the governance of The Episcopal Church as submitted in support of the motion for summary judgment that the trial court granted in this case. As is well known, these bishops and ACI oppose the decision by the Diocese of Fort Worth to leave The Episcopal Church. They have no intention of withdrawing from the Church, but it is precisely because they intend to remain in the Church that they are concerned that the trial court ruling has misunderstood, and thereby damaged, the constitutional structure of The Episcopal Church.

In their brief, the bishops and ACI argue that the summary judgment ruling by the trial court in the Fort Worth litigation violated the First Amendment to the United States Constitution because it immersed the court in an impermissible "searching" and "extensive inquiry into religious polity." Under the Supreme Court's First Amendment jurisprudence, courts may constitutionally defer to a church authority rather than apply neutral principles of law only if they can identify the appropriate ecclesiastical authority without conducting such an extensive inquiry into church governance. In the case of The Episcopal Church, its governing constitution specifies that the diocesan bishop is "the Ecclesiastical Authority" in the diocese. Acceptance of TEC's claim that there are other bodies or offices with hierarchical supremacy over the diocesan bishop would require the Court to become embroiled in a searching historical analysis of difficult questions of church polity without any explicit language in the church's governing instrument on which to base its conclusion. The First Amendment does not permit such a result.

Read the entire article here.

Read the amicus brief here.

Archbishop of Canterbury to lose worldwide Anglican role under traditionalist plans

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 04:17:24 -0400

April 24, 2012

From left: Archbishops Okoh, Wabukala

and Jensen during a press conference

at the FCA Leadership gathering.

By John Bingham

THE Archbishop of Canterbury could be stripped of his role as figurehead of the worldwide Anglican Church, leaders representing 40 million churchgoers have signalled as they launched a scathing attack on a liberal drift within the Church.

A coalition of bishops and leaders from Africa, the Americas and Australasia said it was time for a "radical shift" in how the church is structured away from models of the "British Empire".

They criticised what they called "revisionist attempts" to abandon basic doctrines on issues such as homosexuality and "turn Christianity merely into a movement for social betterment" during Dr Williams's tenure.

And they said it was now clear that the leadership in England had failed to hold the 77 million-strong worldwide Anglican Communion together, leaving it in "crisis".

They spoke out as 200 clergy and laity from 30 countries gathered in London to discuss what they called the "present crisis moment" in the church.

The meeting of leaders of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans comes amid growing warnings of a split over issues such as homosexuality. . .

Read the entire article here.

Media Release - FCA Primates Council

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:07:37 -0400

Media Release
Leaders Conference, London
23 to 27 April 2012

The Primates Council of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans met over three days, April 19th- 21st in London.

With great anticipation we greet the delegates to the first FCA Leaders Conference as they gather in London.

Over two hundred leaders from thirty countries will hear God's word and commit to one another for the preaching and defence of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in and through the Anglican Communion. From this meeting will emerge key networks and commission capable of strengthening the worldwide churches and delivering the Christian message to the world.

We pray for those responsible for the appointment of the next Archbishop of Canterbury that they will look for a godly leader of God's people. We believe that in the future development of the Anglican Communion the chair of the Primates Meeting should be elected by the Primates themselves. We believe that the future of our Communion relies on adherence to Scriptural authority, faithful and Christ-centred preaching of this word, the blessing of God's Holy Spirit, godly leadership and the spiritual commitment of God's people. These spiritual realities and the reality of worldwide Anglicanism should be reflected in the structures of the Anglican Communion.

From the beginning the thrust of our FCA movement has been forward-looking. We have therefore confirmed the decision to call GAFCON II for May next year in a venue shortly to be announced. We believe that the joyful meeting of orthodox Anglicans from all over the world will be a dynamic force for restating the gospel of Jesus Christ in the face of revisionist attempts to change basic doctrines and turn Christianity merely into a movement for social betterment. It is the preaching of the Gospel of Christ crucified which saves men and women and transforms the world.

TEC: Tearing the Fabric - 2012 Edition

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:40:39 -0400

April 20, 2012

The Episcopal Church: Tearing the Fabric of communion to Shreds (2012)

Executive Summary

"When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" Psalm 11:3

The Episcopal Church has been systematically destroying the foundations of Anglican Christianity within the United States and tearing the fabric of the Anglican Communion to shreds. In this report, we demonstrate, through the words of TEC leaders, their actions and their defiance of both the Bible and the instruments of Anglican unity, why orthodox Anglicans in North America were led to form the Anglican Church in North America in order to preserve and promote an Anglicanism that is truly biblical, missionary and united.

Catalog of Heresies: Quoting Episcopal Church Leaders

TEC leaders, including the presiding bishop, have denied Jesus as the only way to the Father, denied the divinity and uniqueness of Jesus Christ, denied the Resurrection, denied heaven and hell, denied salvation through the cross of Jesus Christ, denied the authority of Holy Scripture, denied the Creeds, and denied Biblical standards for human sexuality.

Fruits of TEC's Theology

The fruits of TEC's new theology include a refusal to reaffirm the historic articles of the Christian faith, syncretism, the promotion of abortion, weakening traditional marriage, promoting same-sex blessings and other sexual aberrations, communion for the unbaptized, and promoting these abominations throughout the Communion.
A "baptismal theology" detached from catholic and biblical doctrine and the pursuit of "justice" are frequently cited as the rationale for these actions.

Declining Membership

Also a result of TEC's new theology and the 2003 consecration of a bishop in a homosexual relationship, TEC membership has dropped 16 percent from 2002 to 2010 (the most recent data reported by TEC)-from 2,320,221 members down to 1,951,907 members.
Average Sunday attendance has dropped by 22 percent during this period; the median average Sunday attendance in a TEC parish is now only 65 people.
TEC reports that 511 parishes and missions have ceased to exist during this period. From 2003 to 2012, at least 314 congregations have split or completely withdrawn from TEC.

Litigation, Uncanonical Acts, and Harassment

TEC leadership has accelerated its litigation against departing parishes and has initiated at least 78 lawsuits against parishes, clergy and individual lay leaders. TEC has spent nearly $22 million on litigation.
TEC leadership has violated its own canons to depose or remove 12 bishops and at least 419 priests and deacons who should have been transferred to another province of the Anglican Communion.
The Presiding Bishop uncanonically dissolved a lawfully constituted Standing Committee, appointed another, called a Special Convention and bypassed a Standing Committee in the appointment of an Interim Bishop within the Diocese of San Joaquin.
Bishop Lawrence and the Diocese of South Carolina have been plagued by uncanonical interference and harassment by the Presiding Bishop, TEC Executive Council, Disciplinary Board of Bishops, and the bishops of Province IV (Southeast U.S.).

The full report is available below or here.

Congo to give a temporary home to the AMiA

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:38:59 -0400

April 16, 2012

By George Conger

The Anglican Province of the Congo has given the Anglican Mission in America a temporary home while it seeks to find a permanent place within the Anglican Communion.

In a statement released on 13 April 2012, the chairman of the AMiA, Bishop Chuck Murphy told supporters he had received "an official letter from Archbishop Henri Isingoma of the Anglican Church of the Congo, receiving me as a Bishop of the House of Bishops in his Province and offering us a new canonical residence."

The move to the Congo, Bishop Murphy wrote, came in response to a "recent letter from Archbishop Rwaje asking our bishops to translate to another Anglican jurisdiction by the end of this month." On 2 April the primate of the Anglican Province of Rwanda (PEAR), Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje, asked the AMiA bishops who had resigned to "declare the ecclesiastical jurisdiction to which they wish to be translated within the next few weeks." PEAR clergy in America were asked to state their intentions by August as to whether they wished to remain in Rwanda, transfer to the ACNA or to another Anglican province.

Bishop Murphy stated the AMiA would continue to develop its particular ecclesiology under the cover of the Congo. "As we continue to transition toward a Mission Society with oversight provided by a College of Consultors, we remain committed to the multi-jurisdictional model that launched the Anglican Mission in Singapore," he said, adding that "toward that end, conversations with other jurisdictions including the Anglican Church in North America will continue." . . .

Read the entire article here article here.

Joint Statement from Truro Anglican Church, Fairfax and the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:26:58 -0400

April 17, 2012

Truro Anglican Church and the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia announced today a settlement that concludes five years of litigation that arose after Truro Anglican and other parishes left the Episcopal Church in 2006 to become part of what is now the Anglican Church in North America.

The settlement follows a January ruling in which the Circuit Court of Fairfax County held that all real and personal property held by the parishes at the time they left the denomination belongs to the Diocese.

Under terms of the settlement, the Diocese has given Truro Anglican a rent-free lease of the church buildings at 10520 Main Street in Fairfax, as well as two rectories, until June 30, 2013. Truro Anglican will deed the properties to the Diocese by April 30, 2012, and will pay the operating costs of the properties during the term of the lease. In addition, the Diocese has the option to use a small portion of the church building during the lease, as determined between the Rev. Tory Baucum, rector of Truro Anglican, and the Rt. Rev. Shannon S. Johnston, bishop of the Diocese of Virginia.

Additionally, Truro Anglican has agreed to pay $50,000 to resolve diocesan claims for liquid assets due under the court's order. The parties had already agreed on division of the tangible personal property held by Truro Anglican.

In several previous settlements, Anglican parishes that leased Episcopal property agreed to sever ties with all Anglican bodies during the term of the lease. Under today's settlement, however, the parties have agreed that Truro Anglican will maintain its affiliation with the Anglican Church of North America and its Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic. Because the Diocese and Truro Anglican are part of different ecclesiastical bodies who share the Anglican tradition, they have agreed to follow a process during the term of the lease by which bishops may visit Truro Anglican with the permission of Bishop Johnston.

An important feature of this settlement is that both sides have agreed to enter into a covenant of mutual charity and respect. This document will frame the way the Diocese and Truro Anglican will deal with one another and speak of one another. The covenant is being drafted by the Rev. Baucum and Bishop Johnston.

"This is an important step for the Diocese of Virginia and Truro Anglican," said Bishop Johnston. "What the Diocese has sought since the court's ruling has been a 'witness' and not merely an 'outcome.' The parties have carried on a public dispute for five years and it is important that we publicly begin to make peace."

Bishop Johnston and the Rev. Baucum have been meeting together for prayer and conversation for over a year. "Bishop Johnston and I have become friends," said the Rev. Baucum. "In spite of our significant theological differences, we care for and are committed to each other as brothers in Christ."

"We are grateful for the Diocese's generosity in allowing us to continue to use the property for another 15 months at no cost," said the Rev. Baucum. "This allows us time to make a good transition to interim facilities and then to our new church home."

"Tory and I believe that this is an opening for a transformative witness to many across the worldwide Anglican Communion," added Bishop Johnston.

Communique from 5th Reconciliation Meeting between AMiA/Rwanda

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:44:26 -0400

LGBT Activists Move Sexuality Dialogue to Africa

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:32:16 -0400

BY RALINDA B. GREGOR, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Encompass: First Quarter, 2012

In October, many of the Episcopal Church's (TEC) leading activists for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) concerns met with African Anglican bishops and clergy to discuss theological and "justice" perspectives on LGBT sexuality. The meeting included contextual Bible study, presentations by TEC representatives, and twice - daily tea breaks for socializing among the participants, all within the framework of the Indaba process. About 15 of the participants were from North America and 30 hailed from Africa - specifically Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

The Chicago Consultation, a group of Episcopal and Anglican bishops, clergy and lay people who support the "full inclusion" (i.e. ordination and marriage/blessings) of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Christians in the Episcopal Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion, funded the conference in Durban, South Africa. (Chicago Consultation news release) The Ujamaa Centre of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, a theological and ideological community development organization that focuses on poor and marginalized people, hosted the meeting. The Ujamaa Centre, led by Professor Gerald West, views Christianity through the lens of liberation theology, and its name - Ujamaa - is a term for African socialism.

Some of the African participants were unwilling to make their participation publicly known and their names have not been released. However, various TEC participants have talked and written about the conference and revealed some individuals' names.

Ujamma Centre and Chicago Consultation hosted the gathering at the Salt Rock Conference Center overlooking the ocean near Durban, South Africa.

During the conference, four TEC representatives shared their stories with the group. The Rev. Winnie Varghese spoke from her perspective as a lesbian Episcopal priest. The Rev. Bonnie Perry, partnered lesbian and co-founder of the Chicago Consultation, shared the story of her "inclusive" parish, All Saints Episcopal in Chicago, Illinois. Bishop Jeff Lee, Diocese of Chicago, shared TEC's theology of the Baptismal Covenant (see also God's Call and Our Response) which supports TEC's actions in consecrating non-celibate gays and lesbians and developing official rites for same-sex blessings as a matter of justice for all who are baptized. The Very Rev. Samuel G. Candler, dean of St. Philip's Cathedral in Atlanta, Ga., told the corporate story of TEC - how the decisions of General Conventions since 1964 have explored sexuality issues and laid the framework for the current policy not to bar anyone from the ordination process based on sexual orientation.

Another one of the speakers was Canon Grace Kaiso, General Secretary of the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa (CAPA). Kaiso spoke on the three different viewpoints African Anglicans have about TEC: 1) TEC is an example of Western cultural imperialism and moral decay; 2) Acceptance of what TEC does but they don't want gays and lesbians at bishop level or higher; and 3) Progressive - homosexual identity is not a choice, progress comes incrementally.

According to Perry and Candler, it was the first time many of the African church leaders had met an American, not to mention an openly gay or lesbian person. In a sermon following the meeting, Perry related how one Tanzanian priest told her, "I must confess my sin to you. I did not know about gay people. I have been wrong about what I thought about you. Now I will go and tell people. I have a platform. I am a teacher. I will go and tell my people that we have been wrong about gay people. I am so sorry." Perry also related how Canon Kaiso asked her, "When can I come to your church? I want to go to All Saints for that is how church should be."

Bishop Lee said that he discussed TEC's theology of the Baptismal Covenant (which essentially asserts that all who are baptized are entitled to all of the sacraments all of the time) with a Tanzanian priest who told him, "Very orthodox, and practical too. I can use this!"

While the Chicago Consultation claims it won over a few African Anglican hearts and minds by hosting this conference, their February 24 email to supporters suggests that their more immediate goal was to win over the "movable middle" in TEC and convince them there will be no serious repercussions for approving same sex blessings at General Convention in July. The letter promises a report and video of the conference will be released soon and states: "Opponents of the full inclusion of LGBT people in the life of the church frequently argue that doing justice within our church will ruin our relationships with others in the Anglican Communion. This honest, joyful gathering demonstrated that this is not the case." However, others see meetings like this as little more than disingenuous political moves.

"Any time a member of a conservative province participates in Continuing Indaba or meetings such as the one held in Durban, it's used by the revisionists as a sign of agreement with TEC and the Anglican Church of Canada's moves toward ordaining lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals to all three clergy offices and approving same-sex blessings and marriage. It is not just a conversation across differences" said the Rev. Canon J. Philip Ashey, AAC chief operating officer. "Make no mistake about it, the Chicago Consultation and TEC leadership believe it is their "Manifest Destiny" to spread their false gospel to the rest of the Anglican Communion. By hosting this conference they hope to gain a foothold in the conservative African provinces, and they are using their new African "friends" to try to prove to the rest of TEC that there will be no cost to approving same-sex blessings," Ashey added.

See more coverage on the South Africa Sexuality Dialogue:

Anglican Mission in the Americas: The Aftermath

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:35:19 -0400

BY ROBERT H. LUNDY, EDITOR

Encompass: First Quarter, 2012

The abrupt breakup of the Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA) has left many clergy and their parishes looking for a new ecclesial home. Recognized as a vibrant Anglican expression of evangelism and church planting, the AMiA seemed to fall apart as its leaders' long-held relationship with the Province de L'Eglise Anglicane au Rwanda (Anglican Church of Rwanda, PEAR) disintegrated. The Bishop and Chairman of AMiA, the Rt. Rev. Chuck Murphy, along with all but two of his fellow bishops, resigned from PEAR in December of last year in order to form a "Mission Society" that was, among other things, free from the oversight of the church of Rwanda. As of yet, it remains to be seen how many of the AMiA's 150+ churches will follow Murphy and leave their ecclesiastical relationship with the Church of Rwanda to establish a new mission society.

PEARUSA leaders along with ACNA leaders prepare for Holy Communion during the Sacred Assembly meeting. Photos courtesy PEARUSA

For those churches who want to remain officially connected with PEAR, a new option has emerged. The Province de L'Eglise Anglicane au Rwanda en USA (PEARUSA) formed after a January, 2012 meeting in Raleigh, N.C. and serves those clergy and parishes who want to stay connected to Rwanda as well as those wanting to reconnect with the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).

In 2010, AMiA's leadership chose to distance themselves from the newly started ACNA. Where AMiA was once an organization with "dual citizenship" within the ACNA as well as Rwanda, it pulled out of the ACNA, changing its status to "mission partner." Some inside the AMiA were disappointed by this distancing and wanted the opportunity to officially reconnect with the ACNA; now the establishment of PEARUSA by the Archbishop of Rwanda, Onesphore Rwaje, has rekindled hopes for those who want to be structurally within the ACNA.

The Rev. Clark Lowenfield, Rector of Hope Pointe Anglican Church near Houston, Texas is among those formerly in AMiA who are now in PEARUSA and would like to join the ACNA. Lowenfield says there are a number of parishes in his region alone that desire as much, however "there is a very high value on doing things decently and in order" within the group. That's good news for a mission organization that has been through such turmoil in recent months and is made up of churches that may be headed in different directions.

PEARUSA leadership including Bishop Thad Barnum (far left) during the Sacred Assembly meeting

Bishop Thad Barnum is one of two AMiA bishops who did not resign but chose to remain canonically resident under the Church of Rwanda. He, along with Bishop Terrell Glenn, is also on the steering team for PEARUSA and is picking up the pieces from the AMiA's breakup. In ministering to clergy and parishes wondering where they should look for oversight, Bishop Barnum is taking his cue from the Archbishop of Rwanda. "Archbishop Rwaje has said (to PEARUSA members) ‘just tell us where you're going and how we can help.'" It is this generous approach to helping Christians navigate a complex alphabet soup of organizational acronyms that Barnum hopes will keep a spirit of Christian unity among the members of PEARUSA and ACNA. "I would love to see this not be divisive. I would like to see a dynamic serving in ACNA and Rwanda and a dynamic unity."

The ability to dynamically serve within Rwanda and ACNA may come from what is being called a missionary district for those churches who want to be part of both provinces. At a February 26-28 meeting, the PEARUSA steering team set forth two ecclesiastical possibilities for its members. One was for a new North American Missionary District to be formed that would allow parishes dual citizenship in ACNA and Rwanda. This arrangement would be similar to the relationship AMiA parishes enjoyed before 2010. The second option was for parishes to directly affiliate with ACNA and be fully under its oversight. Before PEARUSA parishes decide which option they want, the House of Bishops of the Church of Rwanda must discuss and approve the two options. The Rwandan bishops will meet on March 29 to address the options presented by the PEARUSA steering team.

Limits to Dialogue: Anglican Perspective

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:17:28 -0400

March 28, 2012

This week, Canon Ashey discusses the recent attempt by activists for Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) causes to move their agenda to the continent of Africa and how this is effecting the Anglican Communion.