Christ with his people. There is good biblical evidence that God not only suffered in Christ, but that God in Christ suffers with his people still. Is it not written of God, during the early days of Israel's bitter bondage in Egypt, not just that he saw their plight and 'heard their groaning', but that 'in all their distress he too was distressed'? Did Jesus not ask Saul of Tarsus why he was persecuting him, thus disclosing his solidarity with his church? It is wonderful that we may share in Christ's sufferings; it is more wonderful still that he shares in ours. --- From "The Cross of Christ" by John R.W. Stott

Our human predicament. 'Death' is the one word which summarizes our human predicament as a result of sin. For death is the 'wage' sin pays, its grim penalty (Rom. 6:23). And this is true of each form which death takes. For Scripture speaks of death in three ways. There is physical death, the separation of the soul from the body. There is spiritual death, the separation of the soul from God. And there is eternal death, the separation of both soul and body from God for ever. All are due to sin; they are sin's terrible though just reward. --- From "The Message of 2 Timothy by John R.W. Stott

Many evangelicals, especially the missionaries among them, find it difficult to live with the tension between love for Muslims as fellow human beings and meeting the challenge of Islam as an ideological, religious and political system. They have chosen to use interfaith dialogue and accommodation as the means of resolving that tension. But a Muslim analyst has claimed that Christian Westerners and Islamists understand dialogue differently. For Westerners, dialogue is a critical intellectual engagement to resolve problems; for Islamists dialogue is a bridge they can walk over (to further their goals). http://www.barnabasfund.org/Recent-Changes-in-Christian-Approaches-to-Islam.html

Many in the church are afraid to lead a better life, but not afraid to continue in the quagmire of their inertia. Because they consider themselves to be sinners, they tremble to approach the way of sanctity, but they are not afraid to persist in their vices. --- St. Gregory Dialogos (the Great), Pope of Rome 590-604

Where orthodoxy is optional, orthodoxy will sooner or later be proscribed. --- Richard John Neuhaus

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
www.virtueonline.org
March 12, 2010

To no one's surprise, Canon Mary Glasspool has received the necessary consents from the House of Deputies to be the next suffragan Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. She awaits HOB approval which seems almost certain. An avowed lesbian, she will now stand alongside V. Gene Robinson, the homosexual Bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire, as poster bishops of a new progressive and inclusive church, frightened neither by the prohibitions of Holy Scripture and its judgment against their behavior, nor the worldwide Anglican Communion, the majority of whom are in impaired or broken communion with the American Episcopal church.

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will duly anoint Ms. Glasspool and Diane Jardine Bruce as the harbingers of God's new thing that He or She is doing in a world that is increasingly embracing spiritual lawlessness and defiance against both Holy Scripture and sexual sin.

Of course there are other homosexual bishops or so Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori has told us, on more than one occasion, but she won't tell us who. Never mind, the mindset of The Episcopal Church is fixed and there is no turning back. TEC will go forward even as it withers and slowly dies. (ASA is now under 700,000). Perhaps, as the argument goes, as the last lights are being turned out, the last Trust Fund emptied and the last parish sold to a saloon according to Mrs. Jefferts Schori's instructions, a seed will fall to the ground and bring forth new life. Such vain hopes. For the moment, TEC is on a pansexual high, a rush more potent than heroin. You can read full accounts in today's digest.

*****

In the Diocese of South Carolina, a legal battle between the Diocese and the Episcopal Church looms closer if a series of resolutions are passed at the diocese's annual convention on March 26.

Three of five resolutions seek to tighten control over the diocese by the diocesan bishop and urge the Presiding Bishop to drop legal counsel. If passed, the 219th Convention of the Diocese of South Carolina will affirm its legal and ecclesiastical authority as a sovereign diocese within the Episcopal Church, will declare the Presiding Bishop has no authority to retain attorneys in this Diocese that present themselves as the legal counsel for the Episcopal Church in South Carolina, and will demand that the Presiding Bishop drop the retainer of all such legal counsel in South Carolina who have been obtained contrary to the express will of this Diocese.

Another resolution would give "explicit canonical force" to Bishop Mark Lawrence's practice of "dealing pastorally with parishes struggling with their relationship with the diocese or province." The resolution would add a section to the diocesan canons giving the ecclesiastical authority in the diocese the power "to provide a generous pastoral response" to such parishes.

The Diocese of South Carolina had scheduled its convention for March 4-5, but Lawrence wrote to the diocese in early February saying that the convention would be delayed until March 26 in order for him, the diocesan Standing Committee and the diocese "to adequately consider a response" to what he called an "unjust intrusion into the spiritual and jurisdictional affairs of this sovereign diocese of the Episcopal Church." Bishop Mark Lawrence.

All this looks to be the prelude to an all out ecclesiastical war between the bishop and the Presiding Bishop. You can read my full account in today's digest.

*****

The Diocese of Dallas, consistent with its bishop and his orthodox stand on faith and morals, repudiated homosexual fornication and rights for same sex unions at its recent special Diocesan Convention, indicating that it is still possible for an orthodox bishop in a revisionist denomination to take a stand for truth.

What if anything the Presiding Bishop can or will do about the repudiation of resolutions D025 and C056 by Bishop James Stanton and his diocese remains to be seen. For the moment, Mrs. Jefferts Schori has her sights set on the Diocese of South Carolina.

*****

The Diocese of Ft. Worth is going to be the first out of the legal gate in a press release from that diocese. The (original) Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth has been sued for all of its money and property by the faux Diocese of Ft. Worth, which has never been officially admitted into union with the General Convention of ECUSA. The suit is currently on appeal to a higher court over the issue of whether a Diocese has the legal ability to realign itself with a denomination other than ECUSA.

However, unlike the case in San Joaquin, there is now a date - April 12 to 16 - set for oral argument in the Court of Appeal -- and it will occur in the same week that oral arguments have been set in the Supreme Court of Virginia on the litigation between ECUSA, the Diocese of Virginia, and the Anglican District of Virginia. The Court of Appeals for the Second District of Texas, which hears appeals from Ft. Worth will hear oral argument on the writ sought by the Episcopal Diocese and Bishop Jack Iker. So Texas will go first, and Virginia and California will not be far behind. San Joaquin attorney A.S. Haley predicts that at least one of these cases, and perhaps more, will not go well for ECUSA, making its litigation strategy that much more difficult. Suzanne Gill, Director of Communications for The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, described the announcement as "encouraging."

*****

The rump Diocese of San Joaquin sued yet another Fresno church this week. The Episcopal Diocese of the San Joaquin filed a lawsuit Thursday against St. Columba's -- a Fresno parish that joined dozens of other churches in seceding from the national Episcopal Church in 2007.

The diocese maintains that it and its bishop are the rightful owners of the various parish properties -- including real estate and cash -- within the diocese.

The diocese has filed similar lawsuits against at least two other churches that also were part of the secession.

*****

The VA Supreme Court has set April 12th - 16th as the hearing date for the The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Virginia. The appeals of the ruling by Judge Bellows are in our favor, says a press release from the Anglican District of Virginia (ADV). The Circuit Court, under Judge Randy Bellows, ruled resoundingly in favor of the churches that voted overwhelmingly to separate from the Diocese of Virginia and remain in the Anglican Communion, following Bishop Peter James Lee's Special Committee's protocol written by the chancellor of the Diocese of Virginia as well as statute 57-9 of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.

"Our parishioners have exercised their religious freedom by staying true to the Gospel, and have tried to do so in a way that avoided the need for government interference in our affairs. We continue to regret the necessity for defending ourselves in secular court, but remain fully prepared to do so and are confident in our legal position," said Jim Oakes, Chairman of the Anglican District of Virginia.

"In the meantime, our doors continue to be open wide to all who want to worship with us. We are ready to put this litigation behind us so we can focus our time, money and effort on the work of the Gospel," Oakes said. All in ADV are encouraged to continue to be in prayer for the members of the Virginia Supreme Court as they review the briefs that have been filed in advance of the oral arguments.

Here is a statement from the Diocese of Virginia. "The Supreme Court of Virginia has notified the Diocese it intends to hear arguments during the week of April 12-16, 2010 in the case The Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Virginia v. Truro Church, et al. The Diocese is challenging the constitutionality of Virginia's one-of-a-kind division statute (Va. Code § 57-9(A)) and the rulings of the Circuit Court, which allowed former Episcopalians to claim Episcopal Church property as their own.

"We welcome this news and the opportunity to appear before the Court a little more than a month from now," said Henry D.W. Burt, Secretary of the Diocese. "We believe this law is clearly unconstitutional and there is too much at stake - for all churches in Virginia - to let it remain in effect. 15 other churches, dioceses, judicatories and national denominations, both hierarchical and congregational in structure, have submitted briefs as amici curiae, or 'friends of the Court,' in support of the Diocese's position on the need to strike down the Division Statute. We are deeply grateful for their support."

Mr. Burt noted further, "For more than 200 years, the Episcopal Church has had the freedom to govern itself without government interference. We look to the Court to protect the religious freedoms upon which this Commonwealth and our nation were founded."

*****

From El Paso, Texas, the orthodox Anglican rector of St. Francis on the Hill says he and his parish will take their fight with the Diocese of the Rio Grande to keep the parish out of the hands of the diocese all the way to the Texas Supreme Court.

Rev. Dr. Felix Orji also took issue with a newspaper article about their rendition of things telling VOL that St. Francis never left the Episcopal Church because of non-acceptance of women in ordained ministry. "The fact of the matter is that St. Francis actually does accept and celebrate the ordination of women in the diaconal and priestly ministries." The church has two female deacons.

"Secondly, the impression was also given that St. Francis does not accept gay people. The truth, however, is that we do accept all people, including gays and lesbians. This is an acceptance that calls for a radical transformation expected of every single one of us by God and enabled by the Holy Spirit. It is God's expectation of all Christians to repent and turn away from a lifestyle that is contrary to the Word of God, and that includes gays and lesbians. The Bible condemns homosexual practice and not homosexuals. The Bible calls them to repent and lead a life of holiness, and that is our hope and prayer.

"Let me now set the facts straight as to why we left the Episcopal Church. We left the Episcopal Church because the leadership of the Episcopal Church has abandoned the primary authority of Bible with respect to Christian doctrine and practice, and here are some examples. First, the Bible teaches that Jesus is the only way to salvation. The leadership of the Episcopal Church consistently and vehemently denies this truth, insisting that Jesus is not the only way to salvation - that there are many other ways. "Second, the Bible teaches that sexual activity should only be in the context of male and female marital relationship. Third, the Bible teaches that marriage is only between male and female. The Episcopal Church says that is no longer true, that homosexual marriage should be upheld and celebrated by the Church along with heterosexual marriages. Fourth, the Bible teaches that Christians should not take one another to court, but the Episcopal Church has consistently ignored such clear teaching of Scripture and has taken fellow Christians to court in order to unjustly deprive them of property that belongs to the worship of God by faithful Anglicans."

The rector noted that last Sunday Judge Gonzalo Garcia decided not to give "summary judgment" to the diocese, TEC or St. Francis on the Hill Church. The judge told attorneys for all parties that on reflection he wanted them to argue their cases at trial. He left it up to counsel, whether they wanted a "jury" or "bench" trial. (A bench trial takes place with just the judge hearing the arguments and witnesses.) The date has not been set but a tentative time frame being looked at is early May.

*****

The Diocese of Springfield is looking for a new bishop. A search process is underway for receiving nominations for the election of the 11th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Springfield, Illinois. The deadline is April 12.

The process to elect a new bishop began late last year after Bishop Peter H. Beckwith, who was consecrated Bishop of Springfield on Feb. 29, 1992, announced his retirement, effective Feb. 1.

"In a general sense, I think most people want a bishop who is a pastor to both the clergy and people, someone who can communicate with them, and who will try to see how best we can increase membership in the diocese," said the Very Rev. Dr. Anthony B. Holder, president of the diocesan standing committee.

He said that the results of a diocesan survey, still being tabulated, will be available next week. Those results will be included in a diocesan profile that will be posted on the website.

Nomination packets are available on the diocesan website. Bishop nominees will have until May 13 to forward their information and supporting materials to the search committee.

A final slate of nominees is expected to be announced in early August. The next bishop is expected to be elected during the regular Sept. 17-18 annual convention gathering of the diocese, with the consecration planned for the spring of 2011.

*****

On March 26-28 Trinity School for Ministry will once again host a conference for Sudanese pastoral leaders from around the U.S. All of these leaders came to the U.S. as refugees and have a leadership role in Sudanese churches. All are welcome to join these Sudanese pastors for worship on Sunday morning at 11:00 am in Trinity's chapel.

*****

Julia Duin, Religion Editor of the Washington Times writes: "I was wondering how and when local clergy were going to get involved in next week's gay marriage-fest in the District and, true to form, the local Episcopal bishop John Chane has stepped in with guidelines for his clerics on how and where to do these ceremonies. Read them at: http://www.edow.org/marriage/

"This is no great shock, of course, in that the diocese has had its own gay marriage rite on the books since 2004. It was put on ice (at least officially) for a few years while the Episcopal Church debated the matter, but since last summer - when the denomination voted to allow gay unions - the ice has melted. The bishop - who has himself presided at same-sex unions says he's allowing his 135 active clergy to do so as well, but no cleric will be forced to do so.

"The bishop says that if a local parish is being used as the site for a same-sex ceremony, its governing board and rector must OK the transaction. His orders are solely for DC clergy. The only other Episcopal clergy allowed to perform these rites at an Episcopal church in the district must be from states that allow civil same-sex marriages: Iowa, Vermont and Massachusetts."

*****

A once truly orthodox leading evangelical bishop in the Church of England, the Rt. Rev James Jones of the Diocese of Liverpool has rolled over on to the gay bandwagon and has declared that same sex unions are now acceptable to him and presumably to God. Jones said he is "in sympathy" with a recent vote in Parliament to allow the use of religious elements in same-sex civil partnerships.

He now urges the Church to accept "a diversity of ethical convictions", allowing "a more humane pastoral theology". Jones' stance on religious same-sex partnerships is markedly different from certain other conservative Anglican bishops.

An amendment recently approved by the House of Lords will give churches the freedom to host same-sex partnership ceremonies if they choose, but will not require them to do so.

However, Michael Scott-Joynt, the Bishop of Winchester, has been widely criticized for suggesting that the law will allow clergy to be sued for refusing to carry them out, a claim inaccurately reported as fact in parts of the media. He disagrees with Jones.

Jones' comments come weeks ahead of the formal appointment of the USA's first openly lesbian Anglican bishop. He appears to be encouraging evangelicals not to over-react against this. Really. The Bishop compared the Church's divisions over sexuality with its ability to accommodate a variety of attitudes to war.

"The day is coming when Christians who equally profoundly disagree about the consonancy of same-gender love within the discipleship of Christ will, in spite of their disagreement, drink openly from the same cup of salvation," he added. In 2003, Jones vocally opposed the possible appointment of an openly gay bishop in the Church of England. However, he later apologized for his aggressive behavior on that occasion and resolved to listen more to those with other views on sexuality.

Anglican Mainstream, a group whose focus is on opposition to homosexuality, has now sought to distance themselves from James Jones. Speaking to the Times, Dr. Chris Sugden insisted that Jones was not representative of "orthodox Anglicans", saying that "the Bishop of Winchester, Michael Scott-Joynt has been a more significant spokesman in the last number of years".

A number of orthodox Anglican writers have stepped up to the plate condemning Jones' change of heart. You can read the analyses of such writers as Charles Raven, John P. Richardson and Peter Ould in today's digest.

*****

The Primate of the Anglican Church of Nigeria Archbishop Peter Akinola told the News Agency of Nigeria that the Episcopal Church is in league with the Devil for waging a "demonic" campaign of litigation against breakaway orthodox dioceses and parishes in the U.S. He described the lawsuits as a "major challenge" saying it is not CANA going to court; it is the demonic powers in the so-called Episcopal Church that are suing CANA parishes.

"They are fighting us with everything they have with the hope of crushing us. It is so ungodly, so demonic and they are determined to completely wipe us out and this is costing millions of dollars, money that could have been used in more positive work of the gospel, is now being used for legal battle. It's so sad."

*****

In the ongoing break-up of the Diocese of British Columbia, the deep thinkers who are closing some dozen or more churches have decided to close down Brentwood Chapel, the only evangelical parish in the diocese as it seeks to cluster parishes in their decline. As a result, its pastor, the Rev. Mark Davison has resigned and joined the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) as a priest under Bishop Trevor Walters, a new Network bishop based in Vancouver. Davison will begin a new church plant on the Peninsula. You have to wonder just how stupid the liberal bishop is on Vancouver Island.

As well as dumping the one solid evangelical left in the diocese, the diocese then announced it would allow same sex blessings in its remaining parishes. By the end of the week, an announcement came saying that because the diocese was disintegrating, they will not have another bishop after Bishop James Cowan resigns or retires. They will presumably have to merge and come under the Bishop of New Westminster, Michael Ingham whose own diocese is in steep decline. The truly absurd thing is the liberal leadership on Vancouver Island called the sweeping changes "prophetic."

But closing churches could be a boon for arts groups. A Victoria Times Colonist article discusses the impending closures of churches on Vancouver Island and the possible uses for the vacated buildings. It indicates that there has been interest from Jewish and Buddhist groups. Other possible uses for the buildings discussed in the article include theatres, day-cares and community centres.

*****

The Anglican Diocese of Chile is responding to the urgent needs of its members after a magnitude-8.8 earthquake devastated parts of central Chile on Feb. 28, claiming almost 800 lives and affecting nearly two million people.

In a letter to the diocese, Chile Bishop Héctor Zavala reported that the general situation of the church is good. "There has been no loss of life, although there is some structural damage to buildings which will need to be repaired during the second stage of recovery," he said.

But the region most affected is Concepción, Chile's second largest city located 71 miles from the earthquake's epicenter, where many of the 500,000 inhabitants are without basic supplies.

Zavala and other diocesan clergy were en route to Concepción on March 3 in trucks full of supplies such as food and clothing. The region is still without electricity making communication challenging.

There are three Anglican congregations -- two Spanish speaking and one English speaking -- in Concepción that share two church buildings. Although the diocese could not verify if the earthquake had caused any damage to the churches, a staff member told ENS that one of the buildings is being used to distribute supplies.

In his letter, Zavala said about 70 families from the Anglican churches in Concepción had been affected and are now sleeping in tents in three different parts of the city: Manqimavida, San Pedro de la Paz and Las Lomas. "As the families are grouped together they can share cooking pots and maximize the few provisions they have between them," he said.

Zavala urged the church "to unite and mobilize" in support of the churches in Concepción, and asked pastors and lay leaders throughout the diocese to organize prayer networks in each church.

*****

The Anglican Church of Australia is literally going through a number of trials of some of its bishops. The Rt. Rev. Michael Hough of the Diocese of Ballarat has been cooling his heels since complaints of bullying and harassment were filed against him by 13 clergy and lay people in 2008. He is considered ultra liberal and deemed hateful and hurtful by a number of his priests.

Now another bishop, the Rt. Rev. Ross Davies, the Anglo-Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of the Murray has been accused of bullying and abuse. He has been handed charges including "emotional and verbal abuse and bullying" as well as protecting a former archdeacon, Peter Foote, who's been off the job since being accused of sexual impropriety in 2008. This is particularly sad as it was this bishop who appeared on Philadelphia's mainline at the Church of the Good Shepherd when Fr. David L. Moyer was consecrated a bishop by TAC Archbishop John Hepworth. Both these cases are under review by the Episcopal Standards Commission of the Anglican Church of Australia.

*****

The second meeting of the Anglican-Methodist International Commission for Unity in Mission (AMICUM) took place near Bath, England, February 19-26, hosted by the World Methodist Council, at the Ammerdown Centre. The Commission is pursuing the common purpose of both world communions to be united according to the will of God, for the glory of God, and the well-being of God's church, and for the effectiveness of God's mission in the world.

Members of AMICUM represent the Anglican Communion and the World Methodist Council, and come from all regions of the globe. AMICUM is monitoring the many ways in which Anglicans and Methodists are already working in close partnership around the world. Situations where the relationship is leading to joint mission will be offered to the wider church as models for encouragement and a stimulus to dialogue, including the experience of United Churches and the historic Black Churches in the Methodist tradition, as well as current dialogues and relationships. The diversity within and between the communions is being evaluated, and the questions being considered include women's issues, ethical concerns, and the influence of different cultural contexts.

Studies are being undertaken into the role of bishops, and into the goal of working towards a common interchangeable ordained ministry, including the healing of wounds from the past. AMICUM is drawing on the history common to both churches - the things we share, as well as the things that make us distinct. The Commission will meet again in February 2011 in Cape Town, South Africa.

*****

From Jos, Nigeria came this story. "January 17th was a Sunday morning and as usual Christians left their homes to congregate in churches to worship. That day has since become a remarkable day in history with sad memories for Christian and Muslim communities in Jos and its environs. A few days after that, leaders began to gather to see how to resolve what the perceived problems, or real problems, or even imaginary problems were. I myself became a part of a group with industrialists, businessmen and women, academics and religious leaders, both Christian and Muslim, to discuss these matters. We even spent a day at a forum listening to elders and religious leaders in Jos and spent another day listening to the youth. In all the conversations the Christians and Muslims spoke up frankly and aired their understanding of the grievances they have. We are in the process of putting together ideas as to how to move forward.

"News then broke on Sunday 7th March that two other villages plus Dogo na Hauwa had been attacked by Muslim Fulani from about 3a.m. to 5a.m. Some of these communities may never again be recognised in history because generations have been wiped out. Hundreds of corpses of men, women, children and grandchildren littered the burnt houses, roads, bush paths, farm areas and hiding places. Tears and endless wailings until voices croaked and words are no more.

"Is there no other way by which matters can be resolved except through this sadistic and cruel way of making peoples' lives miserable? For me, as a Christian, human life is so sacred that no-one, absolutely no-one, should tamper with it, no matter what religious faith you belong to. Human life is so sacred and we have to teach and train people to value it: it is a gift from God.

"It was curfew time when these attackers came in and carried out their heinous activities. Who are responsible for these areas? What happened to those who should enforce the curfew? The purpose of the curfew is to stop events like this.

"Failure of government to provide full security for its citizenry leaves a people with very little option but to provide for their own kind of security. History has shown that these kinds of security are bred in vengeance, retaliation, bitterness, hatred and malice. This gives birth to an almost endless cycle of senseless violence as can be seen in many nations of the world today. Where is our government in all the levels of governance? Where were they on this night? Where were they on 17th January? Shall we continue to have the ugly sight of mass burials? Are there no leaders who fear God, who will swallow their pride and choose to be humble before God for the sake of those faces of slaughtered children?"

*****

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