I would call attention to the following excerpts,
5. We were very saddened with the recent actions of The Episcopal Church in America who went ahead and consecrated Mary Glasspool last May 2010, in spite of the call for a moratorium(1) and all the warnings from the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion and the 4th Encounter of the Global South.It was a clear departure from the teachings of the Apostles as well.
This was a clear departure from the standard teaching of the Anglican Communion as stated in Lambeth Resolution 1.10. We are also concerned about similar progressive developments in Canada and in the U.K.
6. Being aware of the reluctance of those Instruments of Communion to follow through the recommendations of the Windsor Report(2) and taken by the Primates Meetings in Dromantine(3) and Dar es Salaam(4) we see the way ahead as follows..."Reluctance...to follow through..." is a nice way of saying that the Anglican Communion has no ....s, well, you know what I mean.
D. We are committed to network with orthodox Anglicans around the world, including Communion Partners in the USA and the Anglican Church in North America, in holistic mission and evangelism. Our aim is to advance the Kingdom of God especially in unreached areas.How about those being held prisoner by revisionist priests and bishops?
7. Finally, we are very aware of our own inadequacy and weaknesses hence we depend fully on the grace of God to achieve his purpose in the life of his church and our beloved Anglican Communion.Yes, we love the Anglican tradition, but the "Communion" as it is currently "structured" is sinking fast.
The footnotes help fill in a bit of the background
1. The Windsor Report Section 134.1 The Episcopal church (USA) be invited to express its regret that the proper constraints of the bonds of affection were breached in the events surrounding the election and consecration of a bishop for the See of New Hampshire, and for the consequences which followed and that such an expression of regret would represent the desire of the Episcopal Church (USA) to remain within the Communion(2) the Episcopal church (USA) be invited to effect a moratorium on the election and consent to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate who is living in a same gender union until some new consensus in the Anglican Communion energies.Note the "The Episcopal church" leaves out the capital "C" at the beginning of the first sentence but gives them a full capital "C" later on may just be a Freudian typo (Hah!, I typed "typoo") on the part of the editor, but I am going to take this as confirmation of my practice. "T.E.c.", as it shall henceforth be abbreviated, had and never will express any regret over what it believes are the actions of a holy spirit.
The Windsor Report Section 144.3 We call for a moratorium on all such public Rites, and recommend that bishops who have authorized such rites in the US and Canada be invited to express regret that the proper constraints of the bonds of affection were breached by such authorizations.For those of you who have not been following the news from north of the border, yes, the Anglican church of Canada too.
2. Windsor Report. Section D. 157 There remains a very real danger that we will not choose to walk together. Should the call to halt and find ways of continuing in our present communion not be heeded, then we shall have to begin to learn to walk apart.Of course, this will be brushed aside as mere culturally contextual, homophobic grumbling from a few mixed up Africans, but I would encourage all to respond to such claims with a loud voice, "Do not despise those who follow in the way of the Lord."
"Before I formed you in Africa I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
(apologies to Jeremiah 1:5)
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Corrections/revisions...
ReplyDeleteThis meeting of the African Primates still leaves Anglicanism in limbo and in a state of serious illness, conflict and error.
While the African primates sent TEO and Kearon packing, removed the Continuing Indaba agenda presentation from the program, they embraced Rowan Williams, communed with him and did not confront him about his own Province and the presence of homosexual priests who have been granted spousal benefits for their partners. (nor did Robert Duncan) They (and ACNA) continue in fellowship with Canterbury and the Church of England.
Moreover, the standards of Lambeth 98, Resolution 1.10, Windsor and even the moratoria only prohibit the consecration of new homosexual bishops, but leave those already 'consecrated' in place and permit 'gay' priests and the claim of 'gay' identity. These operative standards constitute both a compromise of Scripture and an advance for the pansexual agenda. There will NEVER be peace or unity or health in the Anglican Communion until this is corrected. Quite the contrary.
No, this CAPA meeting left the Anglican Communion in a worse state than when it began. Now, we see that even the Africans will flinch and give ground to the enemy.
Yes, the cost of removing the 'gay' 'priests' and their 'spouses' as well as the 'gay' 'bishops' would create a lot of turmoil and more lawsuits, but the spiritual and ecclesial toll of continuing in compromise and error will prove far greater.
I am disillusioned... sad... angry.
As I see it, the AoC, and T.E.c. are content with a loose Anglican Communion while events continue to demonstrate the flaws in such a "structure."
ReplyDeleteCAPA's protests could have been much stronger, but still would not have had any impact on the churches of the west who will remain committed to their agendas as long as they believe they are guided by the holy spirit.