Dear Brothers and Sisters,
www.virtueonline.org
July 12, 2007

It is the calm before the storm. Across the Anglican Communion a huge debate is raging over whether or not a now drafted Covenant can hold the communion together.

This past week that was vigorously debated by the Church of England's Synod held in York. They averted a schism over homosexuality when the Synod backed a process that would allow the expulsion of rebel provinces from the Anglican Communion.

Some liberals in the established Church oppose the introduction of an Anglican "Covenant" outlining a common doctrine, to be endorsed across all 38 provinces, because they fear it will limit the traditional diversity that has become a hallmark of Anglicanism.

The Synod, meeting in York, voted overwhelmingly to "engage positively" in the creation of the covenant after a series of speakers warned that the dispute over homosexuality had exposed deep flaws in how Anglican unity is maintained. The covenant will prevent any province from consecrating an openly gay bishop, as the US did in 2003 with the election of Gene Robinson to New Hampshire, without risking expulsion.

The covenant will also put in place a curial-type structure that would mean other doctrinal innovations could also be jeopardized.

The Archbishop of the West Indies, the Most Rev Drexel Gomez, who chaired the group that published the proposed draft covenant this year, warned that the "bonds of affection" that once held the Anglican Communion together were strained, "indeed, some would say broken".

He said, "Suspicion is rife, as well as accusations of heresy, bad faith, and of theological and ecclesiological innovation."

An international group appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, one of its strongest advocates, has already drawn up a draft version. You can read full stories on the Synod in today's digest.

ALSO present for this occasion was the Anglican Bishop of Jos in Northern Nigeria, the Rt. Rev. Ben Kwashi. He gave a lecture on "The Anglican Communion: An African Perspective", which was attended by almost a quarter of members of General Synod. Kwashi who is also the chairman of Sharing of Ministries Abroad (SOMA) and coordinating Bishop of The Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) spoke at the Anglican Mainstream Fringe meeting at the General Synod. You can read what he had to say here: http://tinyurl.com/ytrfa8

THE Archbishop of York delivered his Presidential Address to the Synod speaking on the theme of fear, and how fear can stop people from going forward with God. He drew under this theme the present troubles in the Anglican Communion asserting that the fear of division is paralyzing the Communion. He also spoke about the fear of terrorism and said that we should not speak of radical and moderate Muslims, but rather of those who use the Q'uran for political aims. He did not explain how this understanding meshed with history.

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IN other news on the global front, Reuters reports that NIGERIA'S ARCHBISHOP PETER AKINOLA, the leading critic of western liberals in a growing Anglican dispute over gay priests, insists he has no ambition to lead a breakaway church. He denies plans to split the Anglican Communion. That may be, but if he and his fellow CAPA bishops decide not to attend Lambeth 2008 then we will have a de facto schism even though it is not de jure.

Akinola recently told London Times religion writer Ruth Gledhill on the subject of homosexuality, "All we are saying is do not celebrate what the Bible is saying is wrong. If the Bible says it is an aberration, it is an aberration. Do not do it." The Nigerian archbishop said calls from the West for African churches to be more liberal was an attempt to reimpose old imperialist attitudes. "For God's sake, let us be. When America invades Afghanistan, it is in the name of world peace. When Nigeria moves to Biafra, it is an invasion."

Clearly on the hot seat is the Archbishop of Canterbury who will have to make a decision about what to do when he addresses the American House of Bishops in September.

An upcoming meeting of the Anglican Communion Network in Bedford, TX set for July 30-31 led by Bishop Robert Duncan will see some 80 ACN representatives gather at St. Vincent's Cathedral for two full days to discuss their future in the Episcopal Church. Whole dioceses are weighing their future in The Episcopal Church, which cannot go unnoticed by the deep thinkers at Lambeth Palace. VOL will be there to cover this event for its readers.

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The PROVINCE OF SOUTHERN AFRICA is looking for a new archbishop to replace the liberal Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town Njongonkulu Ndungane who retires next year. Three candidates, all black have been nominated for the post. The candidates are University of South Africa (Unisa) vice-chancellor Professor Barney Pityana; the bishop of Grahamstown, the Right Reverend Thabo Cecil Makgoba; and the bishop of Pretoria, the Right Reverend Johannes Thomas Seoka.

Ndungane, who replaced the first black archbishop of the Anglican Communion, now Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, in 1996, announced last year that he would retire next year, the 160th anniversary of the diocese of Cape Town, the mother diocese of the Anglican Church of southern Africa. Pityana may be disadvantaged in the race as he is just an ordinary priest and has not held posts even as dean of a cathedral or archdeacon. He received public attention in 2002 when the Mail & Guardian reported alleged extravagant spending at Unisa including R2-million renovations to his stately historic mansion and R1, 7-million on buying back the property sold by the university. There were also reports of an expensive trip to Mauritius taken by Pityana.

"That has never been on my mind," he told London's Times newspaper in an interview. "We are going nowhere. We have our traditions; we have not broken the law. It is your churches that are breaking the law. You are the ones doing what should not be done with impunity."

It'll be interesting to see if this province turns to the right on sexuality issues under a new archbishop and joins the rest of its African partners or if it will still play footsie with the American Episcopal Church that generously feeds its coffers. Time will tell. A move towards orthodoxy in this province would see a clean sweep for the African Anglicanism that is experiencing spiritual revival.

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PROTESTANTS are viewing with dismay a new document authorized by Pope Benedict XVI restating Roman Catholic views that Protestant denominations are not churches "in the proper sense." It is being criticized as setting back the quest for Christian unity. The document states that Protestant denominations of the Reformation "have not preserved the genuine and integral substance of the Eucharistic mystery [and] cannot, according to Catholic doctrine, be called 'Churches' in the proper sense". The general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, the Rev. Setri Nyomi, said of the document, "It makes us question the seriousness with which the Roman Catholic Church takes its dialogues with the Reformed family and other families of the church. It makes us question whether we are indeed praying together for Christian unity."

Christian communities born out of the Reformation, which would include the Anglican Communion, "do not enjoy apostolic succession in the sacrament of Orders." Because they have failed to preserve the "integral substance of the Eucharistic Mystery," they cannot "be called 'Churches' in the proper sense," the document concluded. In contrast the Orthodox branches constitute true churches, but they suffer from a "wound" because they do not recognize the primacy of the pope.

Some critics argue that Benedict didn't "narrow" anything. All he did was reiterate what Vatican II actually stated and what is CLEARLY articulated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (written under John Paul II's watch).

From an Anglican perspective it is a serious setback to Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) talks and will have a chilling effect among the Anglican Communion's Anglo-Catholics who believe they are authentic Catholics, albeit not Roman. The pope cited the 'absence of a sacramental priesthood'. Many, like Dr. Peter Toon, believe that truly speaking Anglicanism is Reformed Catholicism, neither Roman Catholic nor Fundamentalist. Anglicanism is the true Via Media.

IN another move by Rome, Pope Benedict's move on allowing a revival of the Latin Mass, though optional, is interesting in light of The Episcopal Church's outlawing of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. The Episcopal Church, on the other hand, is so off in extreme left field that many believe they have left the playing field of orthodoxy entirely! A good start by TEC in further talks about reconciliation is to permit what Benedict is permitting - allow the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, reestablish the conscience clause regarding women's ordination, and call sodomy a disordered behavior.

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In the U.S. events are coming to a head in a number of dioceses. In the DIOCESE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA this past week a flare up occurred between Bishop John W. Howe and the President of the Standing Committee, the Rev. Don Curran over whether or not a diocese can secede from the Episcopal Church.

What makes this dog fight particularly egregious is that it is a battle between two conservatives over what could be the fate of this diocese. The truth is if there was not a major crisis in The Episcopal Church over doctrine and morals this discussion would not even be taking place! But it is. Curran wants the legal right to secede from The Episcopal Church, but Howe says no. It all has to do with their "accession clause" to the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church which the TEC has declared "null and void." Curran objected to Howe's saying that his ruling could not be over-ruled. For the moment Bishop Howe does not want to go down the road of secession. He wants to wait. Many in the diocese feel otherwise. You can read Bishop Howe's letter exclusively at VOL's website or here: http://tinyurl.com/2jogch

Said Howe, "We are going to refer it to the "Task Force," but I think when we finally deal with it, it will pass unanimously and have my full support."

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SEWANEE: UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH marks its 150th Anniversary with a 10-month-long celebration of its sesquicentennial anniversary. The school is planning to publish three books in conjunction with this celebration. The first, ebtitled "Ecce Quam Bonum: A Pictorial History of the University of the South" is now available for sale at the university bookstore. The next two books are expected to be published in the late fall. The first is a narrative history authored by Samuel R. Williamson, vice chancellor emeritus, and the second a collection of essays by Sewanee professors and alumnus.

All is not well at the Episcopal Church's only university. If you go to Sewanee's website, you will find that the university now has a Women's Studies Department with course offerings such as "Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Studies." This course provides "a survey of the history, politics, culture, psychology, biology, and literature of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgendered people." Sewanee did change its name from "Sewanee, the University of the South" to "Sewanee: The University of the South." Not all of Sewanee's alumni are singing the university's praises.

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MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS. In the DIOCESE OF CONNECTICUT three of four Episcopal parishes in the Diocese's North Central Episcopal Regional Ministry have voted to merge and form one single parish. Parishioners of St. Mary's and St. Andrew's churches in Enfield along with Calvary Church in Suffield voted for the merger at a special meeting on June 25, according to an article in the Journal Inquirer newspaper. The North Central Episcopal Ministry or NCERM, which was formed in November 1991, consists of St. Mary's, St. Andrew's, Calvary Church, and Grace Church in the Broad Brook section of East Windsor. Grace Church, which had decided to join the new parish in December, reversed its decision and voted not to join in the merger. "The reality is that the congregations were small, independent, and struggling in terms of finances as well as the small number of parishioners," said a diocesan spokesman. Or perhaps it is because liberalism can never grow churches and revisionism is a bankrupt philosophy that ultimately kills churches.

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In the department of making words mean whatever you want them to mean, lesbian priest ELIZABETH KAETON of Chatham, NJ, recently described herself as "a passionate radical Orthodox, Anglo-Catholic with a joyful Evangelical spirit." As one VOL reader observed, "she is a liar in that she deceives herself believing her deception is truth. Hers is a classic example of the self-fulfilling rationalization in that, as a bisexual, she tossed off her Catholic faith and husband coincident with a sexual affair with another woman. She did this advocating that her behavior was/is an expression of a new freedom. To drag Christ into it compounds the error and magnifies the deception." Amen.

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From the society pages of THE NEW YORK TIMES comes word that John Evans Alexander and John Smith Lipsey affirmed their partnership at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Rabbi Lisa Edwards and the Rev. Susan Russell, an Episcopal priest, led the commitment ceremony. Of course this is in complete defiance of the Windsor Report recommendations, but of course we all know, Episcopal liberals have diplomatic immunity from ecclesiastical prosecution.

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CANADA: The dust has barely settled and already different interpretations of the decisions General Synod made last month about human sexuality have led one parish to offer blessings to same-gender unions publicly, and another to say that it would not deny a parishioner's request for a same-sex marriage. During its seven-day meeting in Winnipeg, the church's highest governing body approved a resolution saying that same-sex blessings are "not in conflict" with the church's core doctrine but defeated another that would have given dioceses the power to offer them in churches.

In Victoria, B.C., the rector of St. Saviour's Anglican Church, the Rev. Antonio Osorio, invited lesbian and gay couples to be blessed in his parish during the Sunday service July 1. Four couples showed up to be blessed.

The bottom line is that parishes and clergy that have been doing blessings will continue to do so. Since the canon (church) law definition of marriage has not been revised, performing same-sex marriages "would be a deliberate act of disobedience." General Synod asked for a review of the marriage canon to be done before it meets again in 2010.

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SILENCE PLEASE. Pennsylvania Bishop Charles E. Bennison has not been brought up for trial on Presentment charges that he violated his fiduciary duty in running the diocese. It's been several months now and we have heard nothing despite unanswered e-mails to Bishop Dorsey Henderson who heads the Title IV Review Committee. So why the silence? Well Bennison is a clone of Mrs. Schori's and one of the "elect". She also is trying to get all those nasty Bennison entries at Wikipedia deleted about his cover-up of his brother's sexual assault of a minor.

It is ironic that when two liberal bishops laid presentment charges at the feet of Bishop William Cox for crossing diocesan boundaries the Review Committee was ready to act immediately to depose him. He fled to the Province of the Southern Cone to save them the trouble. Clearly there is a double standard here. Mrs. Schori did not return e-mails.

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UGANDAN archbishop Henry Luke Orombi says Anglicanism has been built on three pillars: martyrs, revival, and the historic episcopate. Yet each of these refers back to the Word of God, the ground on which all is built: The faith of the martyrs was maintained by the Word of God, the East African revival brought to the people the Word of God, and the historic ordering of ministry was designed to advance the Word of God. You can read the full article in today's digest or click here: http://tinyurl.com/2fql2o

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EPISCOPAL/MUSLIM CLERIC. The recent announcement by a woman priest Ann Holmes Redding saying she was both a Muslim and an Episcopalian (but not necessarily a Christian) is merely a "dust up" to some. The Muslim priest was inhibited by the bishop of Rhode Island for a year. In any event, should she return in good standing to TEC, it will decidedly NOT be as an Anglican. A conservative blogger queried if Ms. Redding might soon make the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca (in her Anglican collar, no doubt)!

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In the DIOCESE OF CENTRAL NEW YORK, the Rev. Tony Seel received a notice of inhibition by certified letter today from the Bishop and the Standing Committee. They determined he had abandoned the Communion of the Church by transferring his orders to CANA. Seel told the bishop and the Standing Committee in separate conversations that he had not abandoned the Communion, but has instead transferred to another province of the Communion.

The letter from the Standing Committee stated that "some" of our parishioners have aligned with CANA. "The truth is that 88% of our parishioners voted to leave PECUSA and the Diocese of Central NY. There aren't even enough 'somes' for the diocese to attempt to say that they haven't lost a parish." We will all soldier on with the support of our Commander in Chief, our Lord Jesus, and the godly leadership of CANA," he told VOL. IN TODAY'S DIGEST you can read how the 19 Anglican parishes are holding up in the Diocese of Virginia. It's not as bad as you think. Jim Oakes, vice chairman of the Anglican District of Virginia says they are getting on with the mission and ministry of the church and doing quite well, thank you very much. The legal fees for both sides however could reach $10 million, no small change by any standard.

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HEARD ON THE GRAPEVINE. The Rev. John Guernsey, a deposed priest in the Diocese of Virginia and soon to be a bishop for North American Ugandans was told by David Booth Beers that "we have several billion dollars we can use to go after parishes." This speaks volumes and begs the question, where IS the money coming from? How many National church Trust funds will be looted to pay all these bill? Inquiring minds want to know.

Today's digest contains a wide variety of stories including why an Episcopal Academic believes a conciliar approach could fix the Episcopal Church's problems. Two African-American Episcopalians face off over race and sexuality. You can these and more at the website. www.virtueonline.org.

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