You are here
"We can't simply go on as we are if we are to flourish and grow as the Church of England." --- Archbishop Justin Welby
The hallmark of evangelicals is not so much an impeccable set of words as a submissive spirit, namely their *a priori* resolve to believe and obey whatever Scripture may be shown to teach. They are committed to Scripture in advance, whatever it may later be found to say. They claim no liberty to lay down their own terms for belief and behavior. They see this humble and obedient stance as an essential implication of Christ's lordship over them. --- John R.W. Stott
We see more and more headlines each day about the increasing persecution of Christians around the world. It is a consequence of the reach of our modern technologies that there are more Christians alive today than at any previous time in history. But it is also a consequence that as their numbers grow, so their persecutions grow. --- Allan S. Haley - THE ANGLICAN CURMUDGEON
It is time for Christians to make it their top political priority to vote against any politician who promotes a homosexualist agenda. If they do not, they will leave their children with a legacy of oppression against Christian believers, which they themselves had the luxury of avoiding for most of their adult lives. Who is foolish enough any longer to vote for candidates who regard said voter and his or her family as hateful, ignorant bigots and support policies and appointments that will codify that assessment in the law? --- Dr. Robert A. J. Gagnon
Life is filled with hard choices, and it is childish to think that you can avoid them. It may seem to get you out of a lot of hard work, but the idea of the equivalence of religions is simply a falsehood. Every religion, even those that appear more inclusive, makes its own unique claims. But Jesus' claims are particularly unnerving, because if they are true, there is no alternative but to bow the knee to him. The annunciation pushes the exclusivity of Jesus right in our face. It demands a response and shows us there is a lot of hard work to do. --- Tim Keller, Encounters with Jesus
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
www.virtueonline.org
December 19, 2014
In a historic move ending centuries of all-male leadership in the Church, the Rev Libby Lane has been named as the new Bishop of Stockport. The big news of the week was the announcement by the Church of England that it had chosen its first female bishop just four weeks after approval to elevate women to the role.
Rev Libby Lane, who has spent much of her career working in the North East, was announced as the new Bishop of Stockport, an assistant in the Chester Diocese.
The historic move comes a month after the General Synod in York approved legislation to elevate women to the position and 20 years after the first women were ordained as priests.
It marks a dramatic change in the Church of England. It comes as it was revealed that the Government is planning to introduce legislation in Parliament to allow female bishops into the House of Lords.
Rev Lane, 48, said she is grateful for the opportunity but admitted she is "somewhat daunted" by the position.
She commented, "On this historic day as the Church of England announces the first woman nominated to be Bishop, I am very conscious of all those who have gone before me, women and men, who for decades have looked forward to this moment. But most of all I am thankful to God.",
Some have criticized the appointment, including the evangelical group REFORM which said Mrs. Lane, and other women, that it is against Christian teachings to elevate women to the office of bishop.
Rod Thomas, chairman of the group, alleges it is "against the biblical model of good church leadership."
The Archbishop of Canterbury said he is "absolutely delighted" at the appointment of Libby Lane as Bishop of Stockport. "Her Christ-centered life, calmness and clear determination to serve the Church and the community make her a wonderful choice.
"She will be bishop in a diocese that has been outstanding in its development of people, and she will make a major contribution. She and her family will be in my prayers during the initial excitement, and the pressures of moving."
The Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu, who will preside over her consecration in York as Minster noted, "It is with great joy that on January 26, 2015 - the feast of Timothy and Titus, companions of Paul."
Sources tell VOL that she appears to be just a run of the mill diocesan cleric - but she is obviously in favor with her bishop, Peter Chester (another former Evangelical), who has appointed her. "No special qualifications - just a nice smile. She is quite underwhelming - but we are at least grateful that it isn't one of the hard left campaigners."
In Wales the choice of a woman bishop must rankle the Archbishop of Wales, Barry Morgan. The Church in Wales won the race in the vote for women bishops,
but Morgan has lost the chance to appoint the first woman bishop in England and Wales.
To recall, the Archbishop expressed delight at the result when the Church in Wales voted to accept women bishops, adding ominously that "he now hopes the church will have the courage to embrace further change".
The WalesOnline reported after the vote: "This time, the bishops proposed a two-stage process -- holding a vote on the principle of women bishops but not appointing any until the constitution was amended to establish provisions for traditionalists. But Archdeacon Peggy Jackson and Canon Jenny Wigley tabled an amendment which opposed this two-stage compromise. Under their proposal, women could be appointed a year after the vote and the bishops would establish a code of practice to ensure that "all members of the Church in Wales" have a "sense of security in their accepted and valued place. When asked if he tried to persuade them not to take this action, Morgan said: "It's not my job to persuade people to do things which are against their conscience."
It was suggested that the 2008 rejection of female bishops in the Church in Wales was one of the most disappointing moments in Archbishop Barry Morgan's time at the helm of the Anglican Church. Perhaps that accounts for his vindictiveness towards anyone who disagrees with him by simply excluding them.
You can read more about this appointment in today's digest.
*****
"It seemed good to us and the Holy Spirit"--Ah, well not exactly. The Church Times obtained a copy of a report -- Talent Management for Future Leaders and Leadership Development for Bishops and Deans: A new approach. It was formulated by an out-of-touch group of bishops chaired by the elite Prebendary the Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint, the former aloof HSBC chairman. Excitingly -- almost rivetingly -- it speaks of a "culture change for the leadership of the Church".
Two million quid for a "new approach" and "culture change" for church leadership?
What was wrong with the old approach? Or the New Testament pattern?
You can read all about the mandatory processes, frameworks, bureaucracies, implementations, reviews and "residential modular development programs" entitled "Building healthy organizations", "Leading growth" and "Reinventing the ministry". The Church of England is adopting the corporate jargon and management-speak of the secular world. Instead of pastors and shepherds, we're getting directors and CEOs. All of this is to be inflicted on an elite "talent pool" of up to 150 "high-potential individuals", overseen by something called the "Development and Appointments Group" (does the DAG eventually replace the CNC?), all managed by an enlarged staff under Caroline Boddington, the Archbishops' Secretary for Appointments at Lambeth Palace.
Two million quid developing just 150 bishops and deans?
The recommendations have come under fire from the Very Rev. Prof. Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, who called them a "dish of basic contemporary approaches to executive management with a little theological garnish".
He added, "This report mentions the word 'leadership' 171 times but the word 'pastoral' not once, and says very little about God. It is like writing a report about Tesco without mentioning groceries. It is a really poor piece of work."
The report's steering group contained no academics in the crucial areas of educational studies, management and leadership, or theology and ecclesiology, said Prof Percy. None of the authors was an ordained woman. "Any academic from those areas would have provided substantial critical interlocution with this report and those voices were excluded. Instead, we got a spiel of executive management-speak."
After writing an article for the Church Times that was highly critical of the proposals, Prof Percy said he had received "hundreds of emails and tweets, and I cannot find anyone who thinks this is a good thing".
Would the Church of England's "Development and Appointments Group" deem poor, ignorant, hot-headed fishermen to be "ready now" to lead the worldwide Church of Christ? Apparently not.
****
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby made an unannounced overnight visit to Kenya, claiming to have an invitation to meet President Uhuru Kenyatta, but no one knew anything about it, VOL learned.
There was embarrassment all around. To save face, Welby ended up meeting with Deputy President William Ruto in his office, not at State House.
A Lambeth Palace spokesman confirmed that Archbishop Justin did have a brief meeting with Archbishop Eliud Wabukala and the Deputy President during a brief visit to the region last week, but the Kenyan Archbishop was not invited to join Welby in meeting with the Deputy President.
You can read the full story in today's digest.
*****
Is the Church of England busted flush, writes an Anglican priest. "Of course the Church of England is busted flush and it has been so for decades: from the 1960s when it gave up believing the New Testament, the Resurrection, the Virgin Birth and Our Lord's miracles; through the 1970s and 1980s when it replaced the matchless liturgy of the English Church with trash and doggerel," writes the Rev. Dr. Peter Mullen.
It continues on into the 21st century and Archbishop Rowan Williams' last sermon before he retired wherein he stated, "The Church has a lot of catching up to do with secular mores."
Whatever happened to "Be ye not conformed to this world..." as St. Paul urges. But of course the Apostle would be deemed homophobic by today's theological and ecclesiastical standards, deemed also hate-filled and more.
Read more here: http://tinyurl.com/mork5kg
*****
The bishop of Peshawar, following what he called "another unimaginable horror," the Church of Pakistan has decided to cancel its Christmas celebrations.
Peshawar Bishop Humphrey Peters spoke solemnly about the aftermath of the recent attack by the Taliban on a school that left 132 children and nine adults dead.
"It is another unimaginable horror that has been unleashed upon this beautiful city," he said. "The church has already taken the decision to cancel Christmas as a celebration. Instead we will be using the time to come alongside those in the wider community who are grieving and injured.
"How can we celebrate and host parties when our city has been so devastated? We will still gather to worship but in a simple, stripped back and prayerful way."
The attack on the Army School in Peshawar, just a few blocks from St. John's Anglican Cathedral, came just 15 months after twin suicide bombers from a group affiliated to the Taliban murdered more than 100 worshipers of All Saints Church in Peshawar.
*****
In Fayetteville, Ga: All Saints Church was dedicated this week to the Gospel and Glory of God, after seven years of desert Church-in-a-box wandering. The story, written by Mary Ann Mueller documents the day they began worshipping in their own sanctuary. That day finally came on December 7, 2014, when their long advent ended with the joyful celebratory dedication of their new church by ACNA Archbishop Foley Beach. At that point, what was originally called "The Anglican Church of Fayette County," became All Saints Anglican Church--Peachtree City, and finally moved into its own permanent sacred space.
"We are gathered together today to dedicate and consecrate this beautiful sanctuary for holy use," Fr. Michael Fry, All Saints' first rector told his joyful congregation last Sunday afternoon. "It is a wonderful occasion and in many ways the culmination of a long journey."
You can read the full story here or in today's digest. http://tinyurl.com/l98d3c4
*****
Western NY Episcopal, Roman Catholic bishops spoke with one voice this week and called for Buffalo's new prosperity to be shared with all. Overlooking evidence of construction and new life in Buffalo, New York, Bishop Richard J. Malone and Bishop R. William Franklin met recently to discuss their final thoughts about the historic joint pastoral letter they co-authored. The letter, which calls for the new prosperity taking root in Buffalo to be shared with all, will be read in churches on the Third Sunday in Advent.
"A new generation of Western New Yorkers is envisioning new opportunities and making them a reality. With regard to education, medicine, technology and quality of life, this is the time for which we have all waited and prayed and worked. This wave of prosperity benefits not only the city, but the entire region," they wrote. "Yet at this time not everyone is benefiting. Blacks and Hispanics still live in poverty in greater proportion than do other groups in our population. Children still go to bed hungry. Jobs and security elude too many families. And because some are left out and locked out, the rest of us are poorer. We fail to benefit as much as we might from this new golden age."
In announcing the letter, Malone explained that their goal "is really to raise consciousness among our own parishioners, both in the Catholic and Episcopal dioceses. Perhaps in a humble way to suggest, here is a lens that the two bishops are providing to which we as Christians can look, both at the reasons for hope right now with the development happening in our area, but also to see the challenges and opportunities to make sure what is happening becomes inclusive of the broad spectrum of our people."
*****
St. Paul's Parish K Street, a landmark parish of the Episcopal Church in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington and known for being one of the earlier Anglo Catholic churches in the United States, recently held an all-day Vestry retreat at the Virginia Theological Seminary that focused on its - and the parish's -- continuing "discernment regarding the issues of the sacramental role of women clergy and the blessing of same-sex unions and marriages," according to a parish notice. A report to the parish is being prepared for discussion at the Vestry's next meeting on December 16. The parish note stated that "this specific discernment is part of the broader discernment concurrently underway regarding all aspects of St. Paul's mission and ministry as we prepare to call our 10th Rector."
For many parishioners within Episcopal Church congregations around the nation, but especially in the Diocese of Washington, "discernment" does not mean discernment, but is seen as a code word that brings up painful memories, such as the forced visitations at three Anglo-Catholic parishes by the late Bishop Jane Dixon that began in 1996. One of the three congregations, St. Luke's Bladensburg, left TEC with its building when it became part of the Catholic Church's ordinariate in the United States, and earlier this year moved its services to the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Washington, D.C. Ascension & St. Agnes in Washington, D.C., formerly a flagship for Anglo-Catholic witness, quickly abandoned its resistance and embraced both Dixon and the current bishop, Marian Budde, and has also abandoned the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. Only St. Paul's K Street was seen as a remaining Anglo-Catholic witness.
Thus it is no surprise to hear one irate Anglo-Catholic write to VOL "Oh, yes, the 'discernment' canard. That is so 1990s. Been there. Done that. No good can come of this. We all know there is no discernment going on here - it is, has always been and will always be a combination of propaganda, coercion and lies. This is how the extreme Left advances its intolerable and evil agenda, pretending to shroud it in enlightenment when it is properly described as advancing the heart of darkness."
*****
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has been informed that the six-year sentences handed down to three members of the Church of Iran denomination have been revoked following an appeal hearing on 9 December. Pastors Behnam Irani, Matthias Haghnejad and Deacon Silas Rabbani were informed yesterday that charges against them had been dropped. Pastor Haghnejad and Deacon Rabbani were subsequently released; however, Pastor Irani remains in Ghezal Hesar Prison in Karaj, where he is serving a one year sentence for action against the state and a five-year sentence for "action against national security".
The three clergymen were initially charged with Mofsed-e-filarz, or spreading corruption on earth, while the two pastors faced the charge of Moharebeh, enmity against God, both of which are capital offenses. However, these charges were later dropped and they were tried for "action against national security" and "creating a network to overthrow the system", and we're each sentenced to six-year imprisonments.
In other news, Hossein (Daniel) Baraunzadeh and Rahman (Zia) Bahman have been released from prison. The two men were part of a group of Christians that were arrested at a picnic in May. Although most of them were released following interrogation, the two men, along with Amin Khaki, were imprisoned. However, while Hossein Baraunzadeh and Rahman Bahman have been released, Amin Khaki remains imprisoned.
Hundreds of displaced Iraqis, forced to evacuate their towns, will celebrate Christmas in a refugee camp in Erbil They represent a tiny fraction of over three million Iraqi people "internally displaced" - many of them in Kurdistan. The autonomous region in Northern Iraq is being pushed to breaking point by sheer number of new settlers Families are safe, for now, from any immediate danger but dropping temperatures pose another serious threat.
*****
Midwives in Scotland lost their fight for conscientious objection to abortion this week. The Scottish Supreme Court told pro-life midwives they must participate in abortions or lose their jobs.
The Scottish Supreme Court rejected the opportunity to uphold the right of conscientious objection for senior midwives who refuse to supervise abortions performed on a labor ward. A decision issued in the Supreme Court has been condemned by those who backed the Glasgow midwives' fight for their right to work in the NHS without being involved in abortions.
The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), which paid the midwives' legal expenses throughout the case, has said that senior midwives who refuse to kill babies could be forced to leave the profession.
*****
Anglican churches in Canada continue to close. St. George's Anglican Church, in Saint John, New Brunswick, on the city's west side, is 193 years old and the nation's oldest church is up for sale for $134,900. It will be shuttered up for the winter as it waits for a buyer
The Rev. Rob Salloum says with an aging population, the parish faces financial challenges. "We certainly don't make these decisions lightly or quickly and so we do want to make sure the people we serve understand where we're at, and that they will understand that we're still very much alive and serving God on the west side".
The congregation, which merged with neighboring St. Jude's when that church closed in 2012, will now worship with another nearby parish, The Church of the Good Shepherd, said Salloum.
*****
A British hermit who only leaves his hermitage to distribute pamphlets promoting Christian teachings on homosexuality and abortion expects to be imprisoned for breaking the terms of his bail and continuing to confront his country's "culture of death."
"At first I agreed to do no more leafleting," Brother Damon Kelly, 53, told LifeSiteNews. "But I've wrestled with it, I've sought spiritual counsel. And I've decided I have to obey God's law and not the State's law. Which will land you in a lot of trouble."
Brother Damon is the leader of a trio of Catholics called the Black Hermits who are under personal vows to their local bishop and based in Corby, Northamptonshire.
The hermit also told LifeSiteNews he's decided he cannot follow the advice of his lawyer, Michael Phillips, who has told him that if he confines himself to giving out his material on the street, he'd be protected by the right to free speech.
"The problem with that," Brother Damon said, "is that I can distribute 1,300 leaflets via mail slots and boxes in just two hours. I could only give out 200 in the same time on the street." The hermit has more than a 1,000 pamphlets with a Christmas theme and he believes God is calling him to distribute them in a timely fashion--by mailboxes.
Brother Damon has been arrested nine times by police without ever being charged. Six times, including last week in Cambridge, he has been "bailed"--assigned a date to return to the police station and, based on his adherence to the terms of his bail, either have it removed or be charged with disturbing the peace. So far, Brother Damon has obeyed the bail conditions and ceased leafleting in five different counties. Several bails have expired and several are still in force.
*****
Nearly six months after his nomination, David Saperstein, America's first non-Christian ambassador of international religious freedom, was confirmed by the US Senate 62-35 on Friday. Rabbi Saperstein, a former law professor and director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, fills a position vacant since October 2013.
"Like most Jews, I know all too well that, over the centuries, the Jewish people have been a quintessential victim of religious persecution, ethnic cleansing, and demonization," Saperstein said at his confirmation hearing in September. "We have learned, first hand, the costs to the universal rights, security and well-being of religious communities when good people remain silent in the face of such persecution."
*****
A Harvard professor speaks out on religion and democracy. This is 90 Seconds you won't regret seeing. Clay Christensen on Religious Freedom. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/embed/YjntXYDPw44
*****
Mere Anglicanism: Salt & Light: The Christian Response to Secularism, January 22-24, 2015
The dawn of the 21st century marked a turning point for America and much of Western culture. We now find ourselves in a world that is growing increasingly apathetic and even hostile to things religious, and especially to things Christian. How are we as believers to respond? How are we to engage an unbelieving and even resistant culture with the Good News of Jesus Christ in a way that is both winsome and compelling?
To find out join us for the Mere Anglicanism 2015 conference held January 22-24, 2015 at the Charleston Music Hall. Conference preacher: John Guest. Scheduled speakers are: N.T. Wright, Alister McGrath, Os Guinness, Michael Nazir-Ali, Mary Eberstadt, and Ross Douthat. Limited number of seating is available. We expect the conference to sell out by year end. You may register at www.mereanglicanism.com or contact Stellena Mumma, the Parish Church of St. Helena, (843) 522-1712, ext 228.
*****
VOL'S WEBSITE HACKED BY EXTREMIST MUSLIM GROUP CALLING THEMSELVES MECA. VOL'S website was hacked by an extremist Islam group this week complete with denunciations calling for death to Israel, the West, Jerusalem belongs to Muslims and much more. This is cyber warfare, not simply hacking. It was a bit scary to say the least, but it does indicate that someone is watching what we post about Islam and they clearly don't like it. VOL will not be intimidated by this kind of hacking, read cyber warfare. We have filed a formal complaint with the IC3 unit of the FBI. We are clearly engaged in both spiritual warfare and cyber warfare.
*****
We are still struggling with a readership that values what VOL does but seems reluctant to contribute financially to its support. We don't understand that. Most of our readers are reasonably well off and are not starving or living totally off Social Security. If you are genuinely poor, living on the edge or in the Global South we ask nothing of you. However we don't understand the reluctance by so many who daily come to the website and then never support VOL. Our overall rate of participation in the funding drives is, I am told, better than most based on the enthusiasm the readers show for the content and issues.
People seem to accept paying for telecommunication services, internet services and cable entertainment services. Not yet for an online news service that serves the Anglican world with stories you won't read anywhere else. The future of VOL News depends on our and your ability to change that.
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation. To keep our small staff paid, stories written, research done and website maintained we need your help. We are a lean ministry with minimal overhead. We are stripped down for survival. We do not receive corporate money. We are falling short on our fall fundraising drive. If you are not an active donor, and you believe in what we do, please get behind VOL with a tax-deductible contribution.
You can send your deductible donation here:
VIRTUEONLINE
570 Twin Lakes Rd
P.O. Box 111
Shohola, PA 18458
Or you can make a contribution through VOL's PAYPAL link here: http://www.virtueonline.org/support-vol/
Thanks for your support,
In Christ,
David
