The primates' statement in Canterbury asked Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to appoint a task group "to maintain conversation among ourselves with the intention of restoration of relationship, the rebuilding of mutual trust, healing the legacy of hurt, recognizing the extent of our commonality, and exploring our deep differences, ensuring they are held between us in the love and grace of Christ."

These primates are now claiming that they have been deceived because of statements made by American Presiding Bishop Michael Curry who later spun the actions of the Primates as a mere "temporary measure". He went further to say "that it may be part of our vocation to help the Communion and to help many others to grow in a direction where we can realize and live the love that God has for all of us!"

They further cite the ACC chairman, Bishop James Tengatenga who came out publicly rejecting the moral authority of the primates as leaders of the church and "affirmed in clear terms" that the Episcopal Church would "participate fully and without restriction" at the Lusaka meeting -- contrary to the promises made in Canterbury.

As ACC-16 in Lusaka approached it became apparent to a number of GAFCON primates that they had been thoroughly misled. The Nigerian Primate described the upcoming meeting as "a well-rehearsed scheme to apply persuasion, subtle blackmail and coercion against those still standing with the Scriptures" on human sexuality." He went further saying that they are succeeding!

Referring to what happened at Canterbury he said that those who held orthodox views on human sexuality were branded and denounced as "homophobic", leaving no one in doubt "that we were in the wrong place." He called for a "special status" for orthodox Anglicans.

The orthodox primate said that as long as orthodox Anglicans are candidates for revisionist provinces to gradually embrace the new sex culture, "it will be unwise to deliberately walk into a well-prepared camp of recruitment, blackmail, indoctrination and toxic relationship." He said he would not attend ACC-16 in Lusaka.

Prior to that the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Stanley Ntagali said he would not attend Lusaka citing as his reasons the failure of the Anglican Communion to restore godly order, and the Episcopal Church's long history of apostate acts, starting in 2003, when the Episcopal Church ordained a known, non-celibate, homosexual to the episcopacy. He said the Anglican Communion must show itself capable of restoring godly order. He went on to say that the Anglican Communion needed a new "constitution" as the so-called Instruments of Communion are broken.

Kenyan Archbishop Eliud Wabukala then announced he would not attend Lusaka and responded to Archbishop Justin Welby's plea to attend the Lusaka meeting saying that reconciliation without repentance will not save the Anglican Communion. He said the promises made at the meeting to the primates would not, or could not, be kept.

Wabukala said that London-based Anglican offices were "not being used so much as instruments of unity but as instruments to cajole orthodox Global South provinces of the Communion into acquiescence with the secular sexual culture which has made such inroads into the Anglican Churches of the West."

It was Egypt's turn to feel the sting of treachery by what happened in Canterbury. Egyptian Archbishop Mouneer Anis wrote saying that it would be a betrayal of his conscience, my people, and the Primates who worked hard last January to reach a temporary solution in order to keep walking together until such time as we can reach a permanent solution.

He said he thought that the decision of the Primates' Meeting in January would be followed through and TEC would not be represented in the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion. "Sadly this is not the case...the decision of the Primates was very clear that they should not be nominated or elected in internal standing committees. He was clearly mislead. He too, said he would not attend Lusaka.

The issue can now be seen for what it is: that these primates were clearly misled. Archbishop Welby issued a plea for them to attend, saying that "we face a choice, of being distracted by difference or being intentionally united in discipleship to Jesus Christ." Given the situation, that sounded to some like saying why can't we all just get along and "differences" be put aside.

But those "differences" have eternal consequences when it comes to sexuality. This is being played out even in England where the Dean of St. Paul's cathedral David Ison - a self-confessed evangelical announced back in 2012 that he had performed ceremonies when he was Dean of Bradford.for homosexual couples who had had civil partnerships.

The leadership of the Church of England remains resolutely opposed to gay marriage, with the Archbishop of York Dr. John Sentamu declaring "marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman."

Following his appointment to St. Paul's by the Queen, Dr. Ison calmed concerns by saying that he had prayed with such a couple rather than performed a liturgical ceremony.

However after time he later publicly advocated that marriage should be available to same-sex couples, saying that it was better to refer to "Christian marriage" rather than to homosexual or heterosexual unions, and then claimed that the Church of England is "obsessed with sex."

"You can regard two Christian gay people as wanting to have the virtues of Christian marriage," Dr. Ison said. Ison then went on to say that gay people should be able to adopt and insisted that "marriage doesn't belong to the Church."

He then indicated he would continue to provide ceremonies in the cathedral to affirm and pray for homosexual couples. The role of the Church is to be both inclusive and challenging, he opined.

Evangelical Anglicans in the Diocese of London whose first concerns on the dean's appointment were calmed, expressed deep disappointment following his later public advocacy for same-sex marriage. Some have refused to attend St Pauls or have their clergy ordained there. They fear they were misled by someone who had attended an evangelical college and held the post of Dean of Bradford who is appointed by evangelical patrons.

Misleading seems increasingly to be the tactic and order of the day. A deal was made to keep the GAFCON primates in. Now it is being raked up all over again.

As the ACC opens up in Lusaka a number of orthodox primates now feel misled. The agreement they made mattered. There is now no legitimacy in the Communion leadership, if those making the agreements with them are being misled afterwards. These primates are not going to be a party to it.

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