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"Anglican Church of Canada is being lead astray," says theologian
by J.I. Packer
VANCOUVER (3/18/2005)--Our recently elected primate, Andrew Hutchison, told some 400 people in Toronto’s St. James Cathedral on March 16 that the Anglican Communion is already “broken” over the sanctifying and blessing of same-sex relationships. The communiqué from the Primates’ meeting in Ireland in February has effectively suspended ECUSA and ACC from active membership in the Anglican Consultative Council pro tem. Fourteen Primates had felt unable in conscience to share the Eucharist with those of their peers who would accept the blessing of homosexual couples.
Several features of the Primate’s address were regrettable. Describing himself as a “small-l liberal” he declined to treat the issue as one of theology, involving biblical authority, the meaning of holiness and repentance, and the terms of the gospel itself. He ignored the massive constituency of mainstream Anglicans who see the issue in those terms. In effect he treated them as if they didn’t exist.
He did affirm the autonomy of the ACC as if this excused unwillingness to be bound today by the Solemn Declaration of 1893, the ACC’s foundational document, and the refusal to take seriously the remonstrances of many Anglican leaders. He showed readiness to let what, for him, is now the established policy of blessing same-sex unions disrupt full communion within the Anglican fellowship, and did not seem to see this as an unhappy outcome. He criticized the Archbishop of Canterbury, the official leader of the Anglican Communion, for lack of leadership, apparently because he did not come out in support of the ECUSA-ACC policy drive. All this is very sad.
In addition to swallowing any disappointment we may feel with our own official leaders, and praying for them regularly in the ongoing discharge of their office, it is imperative that all who believe the ACC is being led astray in this area of pastoral policy should stand up and be counted.
The June Conference in Toronto, announced some time ago on this website, will be a critical opportunity for mainstream Anglicans concerned for preserving the bonds of communion within our church to inaugurate key steps for faithful continuance within that worldwide Communion. We hope that the Conference will be packed and that, by their presence, Canadian Anglicans will make a powerful statement to the world.
It appears to me that our liberals would like orthodox Anglicans to die off or leave the church, so that they can have everything their own way. Those who appreciate the riches of our Anglican heritage, and who wish to remain in full fellowship with the livelier, healthier, growing parts of the Anglican world will instead, with God’s help, seek Anglican renewal at every level – in faith, in spirituality, in holiness of life, in biblical literacy, in mission outreach, in proactive discipling – and will vigorously oppose whatever obstructs this. So help us God! Let us all pray and work, work and pray, for the fulfilling of this hope.
© 2005, Dr. J.I. Packer, Anglican Essentials Canada.
