Conservative Anglicans lament 'brokenness' of Communion
by Maria Mackay
Posted: Monday, June 23, 2008, 8:03 (BST)
More than 1,000 conservative Anglican leaders were in Jerusalem on Sunday to open a week of discussions looking at the future of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola, the face of the conservative movement, stopped short of forecasting an imminent schism but said that the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) was the last opportunity to salvage the 77-million-strong Communion.
"Those who failed to admit that by the unilateral actions they took in defiance of the Communion have literally torn the very fabric of our common life at it deepest level since 2003, are grumbling that we are here to break the Communion," he said in his opening address.
"Similarly, those who fail, for whatever reason to come to terms with the painful reality that the Communion is in a state of brokenness and lacked the ability to secure a genuine reconciliation, but simply carried on the work of the Communion in a manner that is business as usual are not happy with us."
The Archbishop of Uganda, the Most Rev Henry Orombi, declined to comment on whether GAFCON was the first step in a split from Canterbury. "Perhaps a question like that is best answered at the end (of the conference) rather than at the beginning," he said.
The Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Rev Peter Jensen, said that unity was the goal but admitted that it might not be achieved.
"What we would like to see is the renewal of the Communion so that we can all again walk together," he said. "I'm not confident that it can be done."
GAFCON comes just weeks ahead of the Lambeth Conference, a 10-yearly gathering of Anglican bishops from around the world.
GAFCON's head of media relations, Arne Fjeldstad, said that most of the 300 bishops attending the Jerusalem conference would boycott Lambeth.
Conservative Anglicans have been at odds with the Communion's leadership after it failed to discipline the US Episcopal Church over its consecration of the openly gay Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire in 2003, a move they regard as unbiblical.
Orombi urged the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, to take a tougher line.
"We have been on fire for quite a while, and he just cannot leave us burning and delay. At what time will you salvage us?" he asked.
"Supposing another part of the communion begins to do something which is contrary to the word of God, how is it going to stand up and say no to that? That's my challenge."
Their concerns go beyond the issue of homosexuality, however, to the general interpretation of the Bible among liberals, and question marks over the authority of Scripture and of the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
A guideline issued to GAFCON delegates, "The Way, the Truth and the Life", stated: "Repeated attempts at dialogue have been made by those committed to the teaching of Scripture. However, experience has shown that the revisionists are not willing to listen."
It added: "We want unity...but not at the cost of re-writing the Bible to accommodate the latest cultural trend."
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Added: Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 21:07 (BST)
As an Anglican, I have to fully agree with GAFCON. If the Communion is to be reestablished, then a return to scriptural ways is necessary.
The CofE has literally bent over backwards to accomodate PC diversity, to the point that we/they are in danger of disappering
up our/their own cassocks!
The Gospel is about coming to Jesus, God's Son, repenting - turning away from our sinful, God-rejecting nature - and becoming a new person In Him.
This means, as Paul wrote, taking on the nature of Christ. Using scripture to justify doing as our flesh demands outside of God's sanctions demeans God, denies the Holy Spirit's work in and through us, and turns people away from the Truth of the Good News of Jesus.
Our designated leaders must stamp their SCRIPTURAL authority on the recent debacle of last week, sack the presiding vicar and censure the two gay men, both ordained!, who 'married', to stabilise the CofE. If not, schism is on the horizon, and Satan's plans for division is furthered.
PCness is not totally scriptual if it allows 'men to do that which seems RIGHT IN THEIR OWN EYES'. We are warned in scripture about what God will let happen as a result, but will allow every chance for repentence to take place, right up to the last possible moment. And then some!!!
As a true Christian (still being saved) we need to heed the sequence of events as set out in Revelations, Daniel, Ezekiel and the other prophets as concerning the last days. The last 2000 years might have had its false starts as to when they will begin, but events, technology and the spreading global lawlessness has never before come together in the way it has done since the reformation of the State of Israel. The signs of Sodom and Gomorrah have never been so prevalent as they are now, so it's no surprise that we, as a global Christian Church, are in such dire straits as we are. But we are told, by Jesus, that at such time to look up, watch and pray, because our redemption is coming, but still be the light and salt of the Gospel in this present world.
Preaching over; Christians know what they have got to do, in their locality and church families.
Let's roll.
Chris Maguire, Ventnor, IoW, UK
Added: Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 19:27 (BST)
Orombi urged the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, to take a tougher line.
"We have been on fire for quite a while, and he just cannot leave us burning and delay. At what time will you salvage us?" he asked.
"Supposing another part of the communion begins to do something which is contrary to the word of God, how is it going to stand up and say no to that? That's my challenge."
Always remember that in 1988 at the Lambeth Conference the entire communion decided to allow dioceses like Nigeria to allow practicing polygamists to be baptized into the Body of Christ. If I'm not mistaken it was Resolution 26.
Yep, it is.
http://www.lambethconference.org/resolutions/1988/1988-26.cfm?pageview=print
Resolutions from 1988
Resolution 26
Church and Polygamy
This Conference upholds monogamy as God's plan, and as the ideal relationship of love between husband and wife; nevertheless recommends that a polygamist who responds to the Gospel and wishes to join the Anglican Church may be baptized and confirmed with his believing wives and children on the following conditions:
(1) that the polygamist shall promise not to marry again as long as any of his wives at the time of his conversion are alive;
(2) that the receiving of such a polygamist has the consent of the local Anglican community;
(3) that such a polygamist shall not be compelled to put away any of his wives, on account of the social deprivation they would suffer;
(4) and recommends that provinces where the Churches face problems of polygamy are encouraged to share information of their pastoral approach to Christians who become polygamists so that the most appropriate way of disciplining and pastoring them can be found, and that the ACC be requested to facilitate the sharing of that information.
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If anyone should tell you they did this because polygamy is dying out in Africa look again.
Anglican, Arkansas
