Are you sick and tired of groveling apologies for homophobia? Then stop. You don't need to apologize for something you never felt, said or did. --- Anonymous

"Will we accept public ridicule because we are standing up for truth? Are we so afraid of disestablishment (in the CofE) that we will compromise the Gospel in order to preserve our increasingly imaginary secular privileges?" --- Prof. Gerald Bray

Can anyone seriously disagree that the Episcopal Church, which has chosen the way of the world, the flesh, and the devil (1 John 2:15-16), has put itself in the position of being "at war with our Lord's Church?" --- Allan S. Haley

"Because evil is so deeply entrenched within us, self-salvation is impossible. So our most urgent need is redemption, that is to say, a new beginning in life which offers us both a cleansing from the pollution of sin and a new heart, even a new creation, with new perspectives, new ambitions and new powers. And because we were made in God's image, such redemption is possible." --- John R. W. Stott

Note for the five Justices in the "majority": the word "marriage" nowhere appears in the United States Constitution. So where, pray tell us, do you find the source of your power to define the word for the entire country? --- Attorney Allan S. Haley

Dear Brothers and Sisters
www.virtueonline.org
July 24, 2015

One by one, the handful of remaining orthodox Episcopal bishops are emerging with statements denouncing The Episcopal Church's recent General Convention decision to change the marriage canons and pronounce that God changed His mind and now approves of same sex unions and rites to flow from it. 26 of 129 bishops (almost 20%) voted against that disastrous denominational decision. Now they must live with the consequences and fall out in their own dioceses.

First up was Dallas Suffragan (interim) Bishop Paul E. Lambert who, speaking on behalf of the yet to be installed Bishop George Sumner, said "no" to gay weddings, citing his responsibility as successor to the apostles. He, along with 19 Communion Partner bishops, dissented in a statement from the church's actions.

Lambert's "no" was somewhat muted when he acknowledged that the diocese had a number of gay priests who should have been tossed out when James Stanton was bishop. Sumner, who is scheduled to take office in November, could change that, but he claims a solid evangelical theology so perhaps not. He is a Harvard and Yale divinity school grad. We'll see if he holds the line.

Lambert's main mantra was, "Once you go down this slippery slope, where do you draw the line?" He continued, "The scripture commends marriage to be worthy between a man and a woman. No matter how you look at it or twist it around, it is very clear. Our lord, Jesus, said when a man takes a woman to become one flesh, what God has joined together let no man put asunder: I mean it just goes one after another.

"I do not believe that we in the 21st century, we very few Christians (who are) Episcopalians, have the warrant to make those decisions to change the interpretation of scripture by redefining what we believe to be holy matrimony."

Next up was the Bishop of Albany, Bill Love, an evangelical catholic who said the Diocese of Albany will continue to uphold the Church's traditional understanding of marriage as that "solemn and public covenant between a man and a woman in the presence of God" (BCP 422). The Diocese of Albany's marriage canons, Canon 16.1 "Celebration or Blessing of Marriages by Clergy" and Canon 16.2 "Marriages on Church Property" remain in effect. "In addition, as stated earlier, I will honor and uphold the precepts of the Communion Partners Salt Lake City Statement.

"Those gay and lesbian couples who, in spite of all that has been said above, still want to and believe they should be married, can take advantage of the provisions allowed for in General Convention Resolution A054. I will work with the bishops of the surrounding dioceses to assist them in doing so. I have, in fact, already begun conversations with the bishops of Vermont and Central New York. Whatever provision is ultimately decided upon will not violate Diocese of Albany Canons 16.1 and 16.2."

The most definitively opposed to these innovations was Bishop Daniel Martins of Springfield, IL who said the new marriage liturgies will not be authorized in the Diocese of Springfield.

"No member of the clergy who is either canonically resident in the diocese or resident elsewhere while licensed in the diocese may preside or officiate at any service in which the recently-adopted rites are used, either in whole or in part. This restriction applies both within the bounds of the diocese and beyond them.

"No resident or licensed cleric may sign the civil marriage certificate for a union between persons of the same sex. No resident or licensed cleric may preside or officiate at the Blessing of a Civil Marriage for persons of the same sex. Failure to abide by these expectations will be understood as a breach of an ordained person's canonical vow of obedience to the Bishop, and dealt with accordingly."

Unlike Bishop Love, he gave no indication he would work with any other diocese to allow gays from his diocese to marry.

The least definitive and offering the most precarious of "no's" was the Bishop of Central Florida, Gregory O. Brewer who said The Episcopal Church's recent decision to change its canons to reflect a gender-neutral understanding of who may be married in our churches and by our clergy ... are actions that have been taken at the expense of Biblical faithfulness. "While our motivation is our desire to care for people, we put ourselves in a spiritually dangerous position when our actions, however well meaning, put us in conflict with the teaching of Scripture. I am not saying that this is an easy or simple issue -- it is not. And so, like the writer of Proverbs, I am 'crying out for wisdom.'

"I feel no need to change my stance regarding my lack of support for the Church approving same-sex marriages, and I plan to uphold the teaching on Holy Matrimony that is reflected both in the Scriptures and in the Book of Common Prayer."

Brewer followed up, "There are also pastoral considerations yet unanswered. I give only one example: should legally married same sex parishioners come forward for a blessing at their anniversary when it is the parish's custom to publicly offer these blessings? My answer would be to welcome them and pray for them -- so long as the prayers used do not come from the BCP marriage service."

Wrong answer. This is to tacitly acknowledge that sodomy is good and right in the eyes of God and that God, at some point, blessed their "gay" union and can now be blessed again even if the rubrics of the BCP are not used. That is the thin end of the wedge. It is the foot in the door. Sooner or later someone will come along and push the door wide open and demand that they be married; he will either have to resign or compromise. There is no third way. Staying in TEC is going to get harder and harder for bishops like Brewer. Will they ultimately compromise their souls for a faux unity and a morally degraded Church?

He did once already. Two gay men came to him and wanted their son baptized. He said he would. The brouhaha that erupted eventually led to the resignations of the top two priests at the cathedral of St. Luke's in Orlando. The two men and their son were never heard from again. It looks more and more like a set up and not the "institutional homophobia" that the (Rev.) Susan Russell raged about.

As VOL hears from other bishops, we will post their views to the website.

*****

The ongoing saga of Los Angeles Bishop Jon Bruno and his run in with St. James the Great parish in Newport Beach might be his undoing and bring about his downfall now that presentment charges have been filed against him by a group of liberal loyalists. The irony should not be missed. He has revealed his hand as a bully, a liar, and an enforcer that outdoes even his police days as a cop on the LA beat.

VOL writer and researcher Mary Ann Mueller has done an historical review of this parish and its relationship with the diocese. The bottom line is that Bruno wants to sell the property for $15 million to make up for the legal fees of $9 million he has paid to date in his efforts to take back the parish and sell it at well below market value. Right now the legal wrangling means he can't sell it. He may now find he is out of a job ere long. Here's hoping.

*****

The Church of Wales in its death throes. According to blogger AncientBriton, the decline and fall of the Church in Wales is inevitable. A video of Archbishop Barry Morgan outlines his survival strategy and gives some clues to the dismemberment of the Church in Wales as the bishops implement Morgan's strategy for their survival, i.e. retain all the bishops with their expensive diocesan structures, get rid of paid parish clergy, and fool the laity into running the ministry areas nobody wants apart from Barry and his bench sitters.

Despite all Dr. Morgan's political posturing, the secularized Church in Wales (CinW) is barely significant in Anglicanism representing less than 0.04% of the Communion. According to CinW published figures the average adult Sunday attendance in Wales is 31,048 out of a population of 3,063,456 (1%). With seven bishops being supported, that works out at a mere 4,435 attendees per bishop.

When it suits them, the CinW hierarchy refer to other provinces such as in the Church of England as examples of good practice as they did in support of their women bishops legislation. Archdeacon Peggy Jackson referred to CofE proposals when she conned the CinW Governing Body into accepting the Jackson/Wigley amendment which gave Barry Morgan a free hand to do exactly as he planned. Having secured the vote to appoint women bishops, he made no alternative sacramental and pastoral provision in the CinW Code of Practice, contrary to proposals in the Church of England. His bench sitters went along with him.

The population of Wales is about the same size as the population of the diocese of Chelmsford, but with a greater average Sunday attendance. They manage with one diocesan and three assistant bishops. Alternatively, based on population density, Wales with 381 people per square mile, is similar to the diocese of Lincoln. They manage with a diocesan bishop and one assistant.

A strategy is being implemented under the heading "Serving community, inspiring people, transforming church". Serving and inspiring, no; transforming the church, yes, but not in a manner recognized by the vast majority of the world's 80 million Anglicans of which Wales makes up a mere 0.039%. Yet Dr. Morgan would have his Church members believe that it is he who holds the keys.

Canterbury Ave. Sunday attendance 622,000
York " " " 227,400
CinW " " " 31,048

In Wales it has been not so much a case of Statistics For Mission but the consequences of omission. Jesus said, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age".

Rather than "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, the Church in Wales has become obsessed with a mission to reflect society, misusing the Bible in the process. Questions, such as, What did Jesus say about women priests/homosexuality/gay marriage, etc, etc?, are posed to provide the predictable answer, "Nothing", ignoring what has been commanded. A faith based on what wasn't said rather than what was said is doomed to fail.

The same mistakes have been made in the Church of England, also in steep decline, as they too follow the path set by the US Episcopal Church (TEC), but the rot has been more severe in the Church in Wales.

If Wales were a Church of England parish rather than a separate province, the faithful would still have the benefit of alternative Episcopal oversight. But the bench of bishops seem determined only to feather their own nests at the expense of everyone else.

Clerics who have seen the light are already departing for the Church of England. Ideally, the 2020 strategy would be for the province to return to the Church of England where honoring promises ameliorates the sins of omission. That would give all an equal chance of survival since equality is the name of the game.

*****

A further example of what wasn't said from the York Synod of the Church of England recently:

"Elliot Swattridge, who represents the Church of England Youth Council on the Synod, said: "When Jesus instituted the first celebration of the Eucharist during the last supper his words were simple: 'Do this in remembrance of me'.

"In this characteristically simple statement he instructed the entire body of his disciples to participate in not only receipt but also the administration of communion.

"Note that Jesus did not state 'do this but never administer it unless you have been ordained'. Neither did he state 'do this but only of you are over 18 years of age'."

Therefore, children and worshippers who have not been confirmed should be allowed to administer the sacrament at Eucharist services!

*****

Over the years the Continuing branches of Anglicanism in North America have seen their fortunes rise and fall, but mostly fall. Internal wranglings have left them small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, though it should be observed that the top players -- including the Anglican Catholic Church led by Archbishop Mark Haverland, the Anglican Church in America led by the Rt. Rev. Brian Marsh, the Diocese of the Holy Cross led by Bishop Paul Hewett, the Anglican Province of America led be The Most Reverend Walter Grundorf, and the United Episcopal Church of North America led by the Most Rev. Peter D. Robinson -- are in serious talks with each other and the ACNA.

One Continuing Anglican group that has always been on the outer edge is the Anglican Province of Christ the King (APCK) led for decades by the late Robert Morse. Its new leader, Eugene James Provence was supposed to lead the church into a new future of openness with other Continuing groups. That is not going to happen. VOL learned this week of allegations of sexual misconduct by Provence which may result in him having to step down from his position. The divorced bachelor's allegations of sexual misbehavior are in a story posted in today's digest.

*****

The distinguished academic and historian of Christianity William Owen Chadwick (May 20, 1916-July 17, 2015), known for his work on the Victorian Church of England and Cardinal Newman and Michael Ramsey, died this past week.

The religious historian, aged 99, was one of the most remarkable men of letters of the 20th century. He held two Cambridge University chairs over a period of 25 years, was its vice-chancellor during the student unrest of the late 1960s, chaired a commission that transformed the structures of the Church of England, and declined major bishoprics.

His range of publication was exceptional: he was a master of the large canvas -- The Secularization of the European Mind in the Nineteenth Century (1976) or The Popes and European Revolution (1981); of the full-scale biography, such as those of Hensley Henson (1983), the stormy petrel of church politics, and of Michael Ramsey (1990); and of the cameo, as in Victorian Miniature (1960), his study of the fraught relationship between a 19th-century squire and parson, drawing on the papers of each, or as in Mackenzie's Grave (1959), his wonderful story of the bishop sent to lead a mission in the Zambesi and whose disappearance brought out the best and the worst in Victorian Christianity and public life.

In addition to his one textbook -- The Pelican History of the Church: The Reformation (1964), the first book on many reading lists for a quarter of a century -- he produced several books for a wider readership, including A History of Christianity (1995), and a short biography of John Henry Newman (1983), but few articles or reviews.

His main concern lay with the intellectual and pastoral dilemmas of churchmen. In the 1950s and 60s, he wrote on unfashionable subjects in unfashionable ways; but by the 80s his agendas had become central to much historical writing. His first book was a brief study of John Cassian, the spiritual writer who brought ideas from Egypt to the west in the years around AD400, and whose writings transformed monastic life, especially through its influence on St Benedict.

*****

Planned Parenthood and Baby Part Company. After the video showing Planned Parenthood selling baby parts emerged, Planned Parenthood published its own video denying the allegations.

Now another video has been released showing a different Planned Parenthood executive wrangling over the price of baby parts. Once again, "intact" parts are at a premium, necessitating the application of a "less crunchy technique" when murdering the baby.

The recent undercover operation by an antiabortion group has cast light on some of the gruesome details behind the abortion clinics' cooperation with biotech companies in the supply of aborted fetal remains for research purposes.

The story is as grotesque as you might imagine with the Planned Parenthood senior director of medical research detailing some of the ways in which her organization could help meet the biotech companies' needs: "We've been very good at getting heart, lung, liver, because we know that, so I'm not gonna crush that part, I'm gonna basically crush below, I'm gonna crush above, and I'm gonna see if I can get it all intact."

We aren't accustomed to hearing human beings described in such a way, like meat cut to order, and part of the shock perhaps lies in the cavalier reminder that by ten weeks human fetuses do have functioning vital organs. Use of the term "crush" to describe the method is likewise highly evocative, and uncharacteristic in the usual context of abortion advocacy -- where people are at pains to avoid language that might accurately describe the procedures taking place.

Antiabortion activists are using the video to support claims that Planned Parenthood is selling fetal organs to biotech companies. Planned Parenthood denies it is selling the organs. The argument that it is merely receiving reimbursement for time and resources allocated to the donation of fetal tissue may see the allegations falter.

- See more at: http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/saturn-devours-his-children/16540#sthash.FJH1LPtp.dpuf

*****

Defend Our Children, for the future of Italy and the West. On 20th June 2015, in St. John Lateran Square, one million people, dozens of thousands of them families, responded to the call of the new committee Defend Our Children, to gather together.

People said "no" to civil unions and gender theory in schools. The committee Defend Our Children was founded on June 2nd, 2015. Among the promoters are: Simone Pillon, Gianfranco Amato, Costanza Miriano, Mario Adinolfi, Alfredo Mantovano, Jacopo Coghe, and spokesman Massimo Gandolfini - people who have always been committed to the protection of the family.

The goal was very precise: to defend the future of our children by refusing the "Cirinnà Bill" on civil unions -- which it equates with marriage -- and promotes gay adoptions, as well as the ideological colonization of schools through gender theory. These are two threats to the family, and especially to the weakest individuals in our society: our children.

The mainstream media was silent about this. When it did speak, realities were conveniently twisted, insulting the organizers and families, accusing them of being part of "uncivil Italy." Despite the backlash, the demonstration's effects were felt. On June 23rd the government gave a neutral opinion regarding the Cirinnà Bill, which is no longer "locked down". This means that the Parliament's members are now free to express their vote.

On the same day, the parliamentarian Meloni openly asked the government to express its real position regarding gender theory. However, Clause 16 of the Government's amendment on school reform, approved by the Senate on June 25th, opens a window to the teaching of gender ideology in schools.

The family demonstration encouraged the foundation of a Parliamentary cross-committee, gathering some one hundred members "to defend and support the family." These events have an important influence even on local administrations. Mr. Brugnaro, Mayor of Venice, stopped the distribution of a thousand volumes ("anti-discrimination fables") bought by the previous administration. In fact these stories are aimed to instill gender theory into children.

The fight in defense of children in Rome has a great symbolic importance in Europe and in all Western countries. After the Irish developments, Italy is now under the spotlight. This attention is especially dangerous because it is aimed at influencing the discussions of the continuing Synod on the Family.

Italy is one of the last "protected environments" in which lobbies can spread gender ideology through "the new colonization", as Pope Francis defined it. The result of the debate could indicate a change of trend for the rest of Europe.

Sursum Corda!

*****

Registration is underway for the 2015 Georgia Anglican/Episcopal Men's Conference set for Sept. 25-27 in scenic Blue Ridge, Georgia. St. Luke's Church -- "The Parish Church of the Mountains" -- will host the conference.

"When Christ and Culture Collide: Confronting Secularism with the Gospel" is the title of this year's event. Men, lay and ordained, from all states and denominations are welcomed.

Speakers will include the Rev. Canon Philip Ashey, chief operating and development officer for the American Anglican Council and a former instructor at Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, Ambridge, PA, and Richard C. Baker, attorney, Mauck & Baker, Chicago.

Registration forms are available at http://www.stlukesblueridge.org/Men's%20Conference%20Brochure.pdf

For more information, call W.A. "Tony" McConnell, conference publicity chairman, at (706) 632-8245 or email stlukes@tds.net.

Special conference rates are available at
Douglas Inn & Suites, Blue Ridge, GA
(706) 258-3600
1192 Windy Ridge Road Blue Ridge, GA, 30513, United States of America
http://www.douglasinnblueridge.com/
douglasinn.blueridge@gmail.com

*****

Some 50,000 Catholic Charismatics came together at an ecumenical gathering that included Orthodox and Catholic oriental Patriarchs, Anglican and Lutheran bishops, as well as Pentecostal pastors in St Peter's Square on July 3, 2015 where Pope Francis met with them. Pope Francis told the gathering that the Anglican Martyrs of Uganda -- 23 young Anglicans killed by King Mwanga of Buganda in 1886, along with 22 Roman Catholic young men -- should be venerated as Catholic martyrs to the faith, too. The Pope's remarks came at the close of the 38th National Convocation of the Renewal in the Holy Spirit Movement held in Rome from July 3-4, 2015.

In his impromptu address to the conference, reported by Vatican Radio, Pope Francis said unity does not mean uniformity. It is not a "spherical" unity in which "every point is equidistant from the center and there is no difference between one point and another. The model is the polyhedron, which reflects the confluence of all the parts that nonetheless maintain their originality, and these are the charisms, in unity but also diversity."

Francis also spoke of the "unity of the blood of martyrs, that makes us one. There is the ecumenism of blood. We know that those who kill Christians in hatred of Jesus Christ, before killing, do not ask: 'But are you a Lutheran, Orthodox, Evangelical, Baptist, Methodist?' They say, 'You are Christian', and behead them. ... Fifty years ago, Blessed Paul VI, during the canonization of the young martyrs of Uganda, referred to the fact that for the same reason the blood of their Anglican companion catechists had been shed. They were Christians, they were martyrs. Forgive me, and do not be scandalized, but they are our martyrs! Because they gave their lives for Christ, and this is ecumenism of blood. We must pray in memory of our common martyrs."

*****

Is This the End of Christianity in the Middle East? ISIS and other extremist movements across the region are enslaving, killing, and uprooting Christians, with no aid in sight.

This story is written by Eliza Griswold, for the New York Times. She is the daughter of former Episcopal Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold. It makes for interesting reading.

Read on....

There was something about Diyaa that his wife's brothers didn't like. He was a tyrant, they said, who, after 14 years of marriage, wouldn't let their sister, Rana, 31, have her own mobile phone. He isolated her from friends and family, guarding her jealously. Although Diyaa and Rana were both from Qaraqosh, the largest Christian city in Iraq, they didn't know each other before their families arranged their marriage. It hadn't gone especially well. Rana was childless, and according to the brothers, Diyaa was cheap. The house he rented was dilapidated, not fit for their sister to live in.

Qaraqosh is on the Nineveh Plain, a 1,500-square-mile plot of contested land that lies between Iraq's Kurdish north and its Arab south. Until last summer, this was a flourishing city of 50,000, in Iraq's breadbasket. Wheat fields and chicken and cattle farms surrounded a town filled with coffee shops, bars, barbers, gyms, and other trappings of modern life.

Then, last June, ISIS took Mosul, less than 20 miles west. The militants painted a red Arabic ''n,'' for Nasrane, a slur, on Christian homes. They took over the municipal water supply, which feeds much of the Nineveh Plain. Many residents who managed to escape fled to Qaraqosh, bringing with them tales of summary executions and mass beheadings. The people of Qaraqosh feared that ISIS would continue to extend the group's self-styled caliphate, which now stretches from Turkey's border with Syria to south of Fallujah in Iraq, an area roughly the size of Indiana.

To read the full story go here: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/magazine/is-this-the-end-of-christianity-in-the-middle-east.html?_r=0#

*****

We are asking our readers for a "fair shake" on donations. We have never held the view that all VOL readers would donate all the time, nor do we expect it. We also know there are extenuating circumstances that don't allow you to do that. But less than 1% of VOL's readers make a tax-deductible donation. We don't think that's right or fair. We survive totally on donations, no corporate givers only our readers. So please give us a hand once in a while. This is the "silly season" for news but it is not appearing that way in the Anglican Communion. These are not dull days. A realignment is well under way that will not be stopped for the summer or any time soon.

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In Christ,

David