Observant love. True love is always observant, and the eyes of Jesus never missed the sight of need. Nobody could accuse him of being like the priest and Levite in his parable of the Good Samaritan. Of both it is written, "He saw him." Yet each saw him without seeing, for he looked the other way, and so 'passed by on the other side'. Jesus, on the other hand, truly "saw." He was not afraid to look human need in the face, in all its ugly reality. And what he saw invariably moved him to compassion, and so to compassionate service. Sometimes, he spoke. But his compassion never dissipated itself in words; it found expression in deeds. He saw, he felt, he acted. The movement was from the eye to the heart, and from the heart to the hand. His compassion was always aroused by the sight of need, and it always led to constructive action. --- John R.W. Stott

What brings us together as Anglicans isn't shared mission or endless indaba. What brings us together as Anglicans is a common confession of Jesus Christ as Lord as revealed in the Scriptures. Out of that flows the greatest missionary imperative of all--Christ's Great Commission to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:16-20), teaching them to obey all that Christ has commanded--including food for the hungry, and justice for the oppressed. --- Phil Ashey, American Anglican Council

On the one side are the shrinking liberal churches of the West, whose primary identity appears to be "running errands" for liberal social causes. On the other side are the growing churches of the Global South, whose historic connection with Christianity is doctrinal, not merely institutional. One side of this church is a shell. The other is the heart. --- Trevin Wax, Religion News Service

Uncontested deity. The New Testament letters contain no hint that the divine honours given to Jesus were the subject of controversy in the church, as was the case, for example, with the doctrine of justification. There can be only one explanation of this. Already by the middle of the first century, the deity of Jesus was part of the faith of the universal church. --- John R. W. Stott

Dear Brothers and Sisters
www.virtueonline.org
September 27, 2015

The Pope of the Roman Catholic Church touched down on U.S. soil this week, the fourth pope to do so and clearly the most popular. Christians make up 2.2 billion (32%) of the world's 6.5 billion people. One billion of these 2.2 billion Christians are in the Roman Catholic Church. By any reckoning, he is the most popular, most approachable pope in modern history. It's hard to find anyone who dislikes him. He has a 90% approval rating by Catholics of all stripes and 70% of all Americans like him. There are those conservative Roman Catholic theologians who think he is caving in on abortion, annulments, divorced persons taking communion, and more. But none of these things have happened at a theological or ecclesial level. The Pope is demonstrating a pastoral concern for his flock and he is winning hearts, minds, and souls.

His words cannot be viewed through the prism of left or right, Republican or Democrat, socialist or capitalist, they must be viewed through a spiritual prism that transcends all these categories. This is hard for politically conscious Americans, many of whom tend to see everything through political lenses and categories.

What is of more than of passing interest is that half of evangelical pastors in America say Pope Francis is their brother in Christ!

When I grew up, I was taught that the Pope was the anti-Christ. I no longer believe that and neither do millions of evangelicals and former Fundamentalists.

More than one-third say they value the Pope's view on theology, while 3 in 10 say he has improved their view of the Catholic Church.

Those are among the findings of a new study of 1,000 Protestant senior pastors, released this week from Nashville-based LifeWay Research.

Overall, the survey found that many Protestant pastors have taken a liking to Pope Francis.

Nearly 4 in 10 say the Pope, known for his humility and concern for the poor, has had a positive impact on their opinions of the Catholic Church. Almost two-thirds view Pope Francis as a genuine Christian and "brother in Christ."

For 43 percent of Protestant pastors, Pope Francis has not changed their views of the Catholic Church. However, half say the current pope has affected their opinions--and almost three times as many cite a positive impact (37%) over a negative one (14%).

However, half of Protestant pastors say they do not value Pope Francis' opinion on matters of theology.

Sixty-seven percent of all Americans think that Pope can and should speak out about political and social issues. His approval rating among U.S. Catholics is a whopping ninety percent and fully seventy percent of all Americans. The House and Congress can garner little more than a ten percent approval rating!

You can read a number of stories on the Pope's visit to the U.S. starting in Washington, working through New York City, and then to my hometown Philadelphia. I have posted some of the best commentary on the Pope's visit. I have refrained from hard news as most of you can see it on television and, short of sudden violence against the Pope, I am posting reflective pieces that puts the pope in his role of spiritual leader and as Bishop of Rome. I should remind readers that this is an Anglican, not a Roman Catholic News Service; stories that have an Anglican/Episcopal angle will get priority. You will see a couple of articles that mention the homogenital former bishop New Hampshire Gene Robinson who is doing his best to inject himself into the Papal visit. He has gone nowhere. Nobody really cares what he thinks and about the only worthwhile news to report is that he is now wearing an earring to show his availability for a new sexual partner.

I was fortunate enough to obtain a press pass and I met with a number of Catholic leaders and my dear friend, Rick Warren, America's leading Protestant mega pastor who has a profound love of all things Anglican. I have written a story about my meeting him again and his speech (along with others) that he delivered to the World Meeting of Families.

He is a generous and gracious man who supported GAFCON financially and has experienced much suffering in the suicide death of their son. We talked briefly about the easy access to guns in America and how his son was able to buy a 9-millimeter Glock online with no background check even though he had long history of mental illness. Gun madness will see 30,000 Americans kill each other this year. In the next 18 months as many Americans will shoot each other as those who died in Vietnam! In terms of freedom around the world, the U.S. ranks 12th behind countries like Canada (6th) and New Zealand (third). Guns are a form of servitude not freedom apparently.

If there is any good news, it is that Rick and his wife are able to meet all kinds of people and minister to those who have lost sons and daughters to violence, death, and disease. It is a healing time for them. "You don't get over it, you get through it," he told me.

Making the rounds here at the World Families meeting is a book titled NOT JUST GOOD, BUT BEAUTIFUL, the complementary Relationship between Man and Woman. Pope Francis along with religious leaders headlines this book. It renews the conversation on marriage and family. Some of the contributors include Rick Warren, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Johann Christoph Arnold, Cardinal Gerhard Muller, Sister Prudence Allen, and many others. It is produced by Plough Publishing House and can be purchased at www.plough.com and at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Not-Just-Good-Beautiful-Complementary/dp/0874866839

I have posted a number of stories on this huge event. Most of you have been following the news. My intention is to provide good commentary on what transpired here; stories you might not read anywhere else. Some I have written, other stories by serious Catholic commentators. I hope they fill in the blanks for you.

*****

A woman bishop has become the first in the Church of England to lead an ordination service.

Four clergy will be ordained by Rev Dame Sarah Mullally in Devon this weekend.

They have spent a year as deacons but once ordained they will be able to perform weddings and lead Holy Communion services.

Dame Sarah said it was "another step towards making women bishops a normal part of the Church of England".

On Saturday she ordained Leisa McGovern and Sheila Walker in Ottery St Mary and on Sunday Glyn Lewry and Jill Purser will be ordained in Sampford Peverell.

Dame Sarah, who was the fourth female bishop to be appointed in the Church of England, was consecrated as the new Bishop of Crediton in July.

The Church of England consecrated its first female bishop during a ceremony at York Minster in January.

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PEARUSA, the American Anglican branch of the Anglican Church of Rwanda, has moved legally to the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), but will remain relationally connected to Rwanda

The announcement was made at The Synod of the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda at its regular meeting on September 23rd, 2015, in a move for Anglican unity.

By affirming the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) as an Anglican Province, and by holding true to Anglican order, the Synod is calling for the legal transfer of PEARUSA to the ACNA under Archbishop Foley Beach by June. 2016. This call includes the PEARUSA Networks becoming ACNA Dioceses.

At the same time, Archbishop Rwaje and Presiding Bishop Steve Breedlove also announced that PEARUSA would now transition into Rwanda Ministry Partners, a ministry association within the ACNA.

You can read the full report in today's digest.

*****

The Governing Body (GB) of the Church in Wales was told this week that it has lost 40% of its members since Bishop Gregory Cameron was ordained. He does not see a dying church -- only the pattern of "every Sunday" worship is dying! If that sounds familiar, compare the attitude of the Archdeacon of Norwich who claimed that the citizens of Norwich were "doing their churchgoing differently" (i.e. staying at home) when challenged after the 2011 census revealed the City of Norwich to be the most godless city in England.

Not to be deterred, another bishop saw promising but tentative signs of change despite the continuing downward trend: the rate of decline has slowed. Given the severity of the crisis, one would have thought more time would have been devoted to the subject of Membership and Finances, but there was a pressing need to move on to consider the refugee crisis, not those made refugees in their own church, but those fleeing persecution abroad. Archbishop Barry Morgan thoughtfully reminded GB members that they should not be there if they dissented from the Statement from the Bench of Bishops and their Emergency Motion.

However, there was plenty of time to advance same sex marriage where the LGBT lobby and +Barry's acolytes gladly pushed his agenda at the expense of the Church. There was no formal motion but a 'straw poll' was used to inform the Bench how to take the subject forward. This is how GB voted:

OPTION 1= No change; Option 2=Blessing, Option 3=same sex marriage

Bishops 1 2 3
Clergy 21 1 26
Laity 28 6 32

The required majority would not have been met had the vote been for real; nevertheless, Morgan has been gifted by the Governing Board what he failed to gain when consulting the membership as a whole. This shows the extent of influence the LGBT lobby has where it matters and has enabled the media to declare "Church in Wales votes YES for gay marriage."

Not to be deterred, Archbishop Morgan's next crusade, while SSM goes on the back burner, is a return to the question of an Archiepiscopal See and the need for more, not fewer bishops, no doubt to accommodate his female accomplices. Meanwhile, the Anglican Communion is about to be dismembered.

*****

Samizdat, an orthodox Canadian Anglican blogger has weighed in on new Marriage Canon machinations in the Anglican Church of Canada.

The Anglican Church of Canada's commission on the marriage canon has produced its report. Insomniacs may find relief from their suffering by reading all 65 pages, he writes.

"The commission had no intention -- and was never asked -- to determine whether same-sex marriage is in accord with God's intent for marriage as revealed in the Bible. Instead, it worked diligently to demonstrate that same-sex marriage is 'theologically possible.':

"It is", he added, "one of three 'logical possibilities' being put forward by the commission, and something of a middle way between the other two. The other two possibilities, according to the report, are, on the one hand, to see same-sex marriages as an 'undifferentiated' form of Christian marriage, essentially identical to heterosexual marriages; and, on the other, to see them as 'blessed partnerships' rather than covenants before God.

"The commission said it arrived at a conclusion that it is 'theologically possible' to extend the marriage canon to include same-sex couples, without thereby diminishing, damaging, or curtailing the rich theological implications of marriage as traditionally understood.

"The idea appears to be to remove the boundaries that presently constrain marriage without changing the definition of marriage. It doesn't take much effort to realize that this is a clumsy sleight of hand. There is nothing that is not to a large extent defined by its boundaries; remove them and you are left with, as in music when everyone plays any note they want no matter how irrelevant, nothing but noise.

"Nicholls also stressed that the report does not suggest ways of changing the definition of marriage as it is currently laid out in church law. Rather, it is looking at changing those parts of the marriage canon that restrict marriage to male-female relationships.

""We're talking about the same vows, the same purpose, and the same definition of marriage. None of that has changed," said Nicholls.

"The assurances made to conservatives during the 2004 General Synod that same-sex blessing would not lead to same sex marriage were, as anyone with any sense knew, barefaced lies.

"Given that the Canadian church already affirmed the 'integrity and sanctity' of homosexual relationships at its General Synod in 2004, the commission said its report accepted that the current definition of marriage could be expanded to include same-sex couples."

Samizdat says Archbishop Fred Hiltz is worried that the church might "come apart over this". Perhaps Hiltz has had no access to the Internet for the last 10 years and is unaware that the church "came apart" over this quite some time ago. There were even lawsuits; did no one tell him?

"Does it keep me awake at night? Yes, it sure does. I do not want to see the church divide over this. The St. Michael Report used the helpful language of "core doctrine" and other kinds of doctrine. Core doctrine meaning the kind that's reflected in the creeds of the church. They [Primate's Theological Commission members] said, in the St. Michael Report, that they didn't believe the blessing of same-sex unions was a communion-dividing issue. I kind of think about that language still, at the back of my mind," I would hope that the church would not come apart over this", said Hiltz.

The "conscience clause" that permits clergy to opt out of marrying same-sex couples could, of course, be challenged in a civil court. Supposedly, the clause would hold.

The chancellor of CoGS, Canon David Jones, noted the "extraordinarily credible" legal opinion quoted in the report, suggesting that invoking the conscience clause could withstand legal challenge.

The question is, if a priest is sued for refusing to marry a same-sex couple, would the Anglican Church of Canada spend the money necessary to defend him? I would not count on it. Dean Peter Wall from the liberal-extremist Diocese of Niagara is already muttering against the conscience clause:

Dean Peter Wall of the diocese of Niagara felt that the conscience clause goes too far: "The drafters of the resolution were very generous--I think to a fault--with their interpretation of the word 'congregation.'" He said, explaining that the Anglican Church "has always been based on synodical and episcopal leadership and direction," and that he is "concerned about congregationalism," and the possibility of an individual church telling its priest whom he or she can or cannot marry.

If voters fall obediently into line with current prejudices -- theological possibilities, to use ecclesiastical jargon - the marriage canon will be changed at the 2019 General Synod, by which time no one outside and few inside the church - other than gay clergy and a handful of octogenarian conservatives - will care.

It is precisely why the ACNA and its Canadian branch the ANiC cannot live with the ACoC, and why in January it will be seen as one more arrow in the heart of Anglican unity disavowed by GAFCON and Global South primates. This should confirm in the minds of archbishops Eliud Wabukala (Kenya) and Nicholas Okoh (Nigeria) that they cannot ever sit in the same room as Jefferts-Schori/Michael Curry of Fred Hiltz. Those days are gone.

*****

Archbishop Justin Welby will welcome people fleeing the war-ravaged country of Syria in a four-bedroom cottage at the palace, his official London residence.

His gesture follows a similar move by the Catholic Church after Pope Francis said two refugee families would move into Vatican housing, but Lambeth Palace said it was something the Archbishop has been considering for "a while".

A spokeswoman said the cottage on the palace grounds is currently being redecorated and could provide room for a "family or two."

She said: "As a Christian who leads the Church of England, it is something he feels absolutely passionate about.

"As the Archbishop has said, Jesus was a refugee, and there are refugees here who are desperate for sanctuary from war-torn places and the archbishop is completely torn about their situation and wants to make a difference."

The rent for the refugees will be paid for by charitable funds under the Archbishop's personal control, the Sunday Times said.

It also emerged today that Syrian refugees will be brought to Britain more swiftly under a fresh push to tackle the growing crisis announced by the Government.

*****

The Anglican diocese of Montreal is to consecrate its first female bishop next week. Mary Irwin-Gibson, the bishop-elect, was born in Sarnia, Ont., but grew up around Montreal. She was ordained a priest in 1982, just six years after Canada's Anglican church allowed women to serve in the role.

Irwin-Gibson, who studied at the Universite du Quebec à Montreal, replaces Bishop Barry Clarke. The newly-elected bishop faces declining attendance in Montreal-area churches: there are just 11,000 people on the parish rolls compared to 93,000 in 1960.

This is unlikely to stem the rapid decline of the Church. The Diocese of Quebec is all but out of business, and the former Bishop of Quebec tried to become Bishop of Montreal to unite them. That failed. In time they will both disappear. It has been ordained of God that He will not allow heresy to reign indefinitely.

*****

The head bishops of the Anglican and Evangelical Lutheran churches in North America met in Washington, D.C. to talk about how to more fully live out and affirm their full communion relationships.

Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada; Katherine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church (TEC); Susan Johnson, national bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC); and Elizabeth Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), continued a tradition of annual meetings that began in 2010. The meetings provide an opportunity for the bishops to have some time alone to speak informally together about topics that concern the four churches.

And what will they discuss of earth shattering importance that heaven will notice and most churches could care a less about? The "four-way" dialogue. One of the topics of the "four-way" dialogue includes lay presidency, a dispensation that allows for lay people to preside over Eucharistic services in some circumstances. A circumscribed form of this was adopted by the ELCIC in July.

That's it. The Diocese of Sydney raised this issue up several years ago and it got shot down almost unanimously by the Anglican Communion. If TEC and ACoC go for this, it will be another nail in the coffin of the Anglican Communion.

*****

FINAL WORD goes to Pope Francis and what he did and did not say to Congress.

Catholic writer R.R. Reno opined that it was a modest speech; one generous to the American experience but lacking in the sharpness this Pontiff is sometimes capable of.

The repeated use of the term "dialogue" was irritating. It's a buzzword among today's technocrats. They use it as a softening word, one that signals that they are not coming to dominate us, but instead to "listen" and play the role of "honest brokers."

In the body of the speech, he made two general appeals:

Toward the beginning, he appealed to a spirit of welcome to immigrants, which I think resonates with most Americans. But he did not say anything specific about current political debates, either here or in Europe. Those debates have to do with the practical, political limits that even the most welcoming society must sometimes put on immigration. Pope Francis's recent comments about the migrant crisis in Europe indicates that he's aware of these limits and respects the need for political leaders to grapple with them.

At the end of the speech, Francis appealed to a spirit of solicitude for the well-being of the family. Again, he steered clear of specifics, making no mention of no-fault divorce or same-sex marriage.

In three areas he was more specific: He called for the abolition of the death penalty. This has been a priority for the Church going back to John Paul II.

He denounced the international arms trade, another standard Vatican trope. He prefaced this with a vague endorsement of negotiation for peace, which could be read as an endorsement of Obama's approach to Iran. No surprise there. In general, the Vatican is pro-negotiation and anti-conflict.

One thing the Pope did not say and perhaps should have said at least to placate notions that he is not an ill-disguised Socialist is that more than 1 billion people have been lifted out of extreme poverty in 20 years through the United Nations championed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), "the most successful anti-poverty movement in history."

You can read this and other stories in today's digest.

We apologize for the lateness of this weekly digest but we were hugely "interrupted" by the presence of the Pope and the fact that the cell phone usage of two million -- mostly people from out of town -- soaked up all the bandwidth, temporarily killing e-mail communication.

Warmly in Christ,

David

CORRECTION: VOL said Pope Francis was the third Pope to visit these shores. We erred. He is the fourth.