The four gospels. The gospels are not biography; they are testimony. --- From 'The Upper Room Discourse', in "Christ the Liberator", by John Stott and others.

"It will cost a man the favor of the world. He must be content to be thought ill of by man if he pleases God. He must count it no strange thing to be mocked, ridiculed, slandered, persecuted, and even hated. He must not be surprised to find his opinions and practices in religion despised and held up to scorn. He must submit to be thought by many a fool, an enthusiast, and a fanatic - to have his words perverted and his actions misrepresented. In fact, he must not marvel if some call him mad. It is always unpleasant to be spoken against, and forsaken, and lied about, and to stand alone. But there is no help for it. The cup which our Master drank must be drunk by His disciples. They must be 'despised and rejected of men' (Isaiah 53:3). Let us set down that item last in our account. To be a Christian it will cost a man the favor of the world." --- Bishop J.C. Ryle

Dear Brothers and Sisters
www.virtueonline.org
November 26, 2010

In his first Presidential Address to the Church of England Synod which voted overwhelmingly to accept the Anglican Covenant, the Archbishop of Canterbury urged members to recognize the value of the Covenant for the life of the Anglican Communion. He commented, "The Covenant text itself represents work done by theologians of similarly diverse views, including several from North America. It does not invent a new orthodoxy or a new system of doctrinal policing or a centralized authority, quite explicitly declaring that it does not seek to override any province's canonical autonomy. After such a number of discussions and revisions, it is dispiriting to see the Covenant still being represented as a tool of exclusion and tyranny."

It was a desperate plea by the ABC to the Synod to ratify the Covenant at a time when both liberals and conservatives around the Communion no longer believe it will hold us altogether. His plea won the day. The bishops voted 39 to 0 with the clergy and laity voting overwhelmingly for it as well.

Williams also warned of the consequences if the Church of England does not engage in the inevitable changes that will occur within the Communion, including the affect on Communion relations - which could in turn affect vulnerable churches:

"It is an illusion to think that without some changes the Communion will carry on as usual, and a greater illusion to think that the Church of England can somehow derail the entire process. The unpalatable fact is that certain decisions in any province affect all. We may think they shouldn't, but they simply do. If we ignore this, we ignore what is already a real danger, the piece-by-piece dissolution of the Communion and the emergence of new structures in which relation to the Church of England and the See of Canterbury are likely not to figure significantly. All very well, you may say; but among the potential casualties are all those areas of interaction and exchange that are part of the lifeblood of our church and of many often quite vulnerable churches elsewhere. These relations are remarkably robust, given the institutional tensions at the moment, and, as I've often said, many will survive further disruption. But they will be complicated and weakened by major fracture and realignment."

Dr Williams describes the Covenant as a tool with which disagreement within the Communion could be managed, even if such disagreement would not be resolved.

Contrast this statement with that of Katie Sherrod, a liberal Episcopal writer from the Potemkin Diocese of Ft. Worth, in her newfound rhetoric about barbed wire and the Covenant: "I know this is exactly what the proposed Anglican Covenant will do to the Anglican Communion. It seeks to wrap rings of bureaucratic barbed wire around the Holy Spirit, imprisoning the Spirit in processes of discipline designed to enforce unanimity of theology, of interpretation of Scripture, and who knows what else. It is a document born out of fear that seeks to force an institutional solution onto a relational problem. It is designed to control and punish."

These two views draw into sharp focus the diversity of thought and mind about the covenant and what might be its future, if any.

Before the dust settled on the archbishop's appeal for unity, eight GAFCON/FCA Primates who had met in Oxford in early October released a statement from their meeting. They explained that they will not be present for the next Primates' meeting to be held in Ireland: "For the sake of Christ and of His Gospel we can no longer maintain the illusion of normalcy and so we join with other Primates from the Global South in declaring that we will not be present at the next Primates' meeting to be held in Ireland. And while we acknowledge that the efforts to heal our brokenness through the introduction of an Anglican Covenant were well intentioned we have come to the conclusion the current text is fatally flawed and so support for this initiative is no longer appropriate."

The Primates Council includes The Most Rev'd Gregory Venables, GAFCON/FCA Chair, The Most Rev'd Justice Akrofi, Archbishop, Anglican Province of West Africa The Most Rev'd Robert Duncan, Archbishop, Anglican Church in North America The Most Rev 'd Emmanuel Kolini, Archbishop, Anglican Church of Rwanda The Most Rev'd Valentino Mokiwa, Archbishop, Anglican Church of Tanzania The Most Rev'd Nicholas Okoh, Archbishop, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), The Most Rev'd Henry Orombi Archbishop, Church of Uganda And the Most Rev'd Eliud Wabukala, Archbishop, Anglican Church of Kenya.

Together these men represent 80% of the communion, which raises the question: What exactly will the meeting in Dublin next year amount to if the major players are not there?

*****

As the liberal Episcopal Church slowly implodes, the contradictions and lies grow quantifiable by the day.

Consider this. The Episcopal Church's Presiding Bishop has made a major power grab by imposing national canons on the church that override and supersede diocesan canons.

The Episcopal Church has rewritten the church's Title IV canons with sweeping changes that severely limit diocesan powers and centralize power in the National Church.

The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society has formally put into writing, with the force of Canon Law, that TEC is a "hierarchical church" to which all must accede. At the same time, The Episcopal Church claims to promote inclusivity and diversity and more laity input.

The sweeping changes made by the national church with the passage of Resolution A185 at the 2009 Episcopal General Convention are unprecedented in TEC's history. As fear and paranoia grip the church, the grab for power and money grows greater.

TEC has less and less theology holding it together. The (homo/bi/trans) sexual zeitgeist are becoming more firmly entrenched by the week. What binds the church together is not the faith of Scripture, the Creeds or history, but the ravings of a small group of people bent on having their sexual proclivities be center stage and worshipped at the church's altar - at the expense of almost everything else. "Do this in remembrance of me," becomes "Do the 'other' in remembrance of somebody."

So it is marvelously ironic that the powers that be at 815 2nd Avenue, New York, New York, are centralizing power in order to fight for parish properties and fleeing dioceses, persecute orthodox clergy and bishops, impose women's ordination and pass sexual resolutions that have no basis in Scripture, history or tradition. At the same time, they complain mightily about a Covenant that will clip their sexual wings, accusing its designers of the very centralizing powers they loathe and hate.

How ironic, how totally hypocritical. You can read the full story in today's digest.

*****

The Bishop of the Diocese of New Westminster, Michael Ingham is on the warpath. The Supreme Court of British Columbia handed four congregations over to the diocese and the bishop, but made some very pertinent comments to the bishop about empty parishes and same-sex unions.

Neither side in the long, bitter war over Anglican Church property in Vancouver and Abbotsford expects any Christmas services to be moved elsewhere this December.

But Vancouver-area Anglican Bishop Michael Ingham began moving Tuesday to replace the dissident priests at four congregations that have failed to obtain legal control of Anglican Church properties valued at more than $20 million.

The conservative priests have already resigned from the Anglican Church of Canada to work for a breakaway Anglican organization. The diocese said in a statement that those clergy "will need to continue their ministry in other locations."

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

*****

The Diocese of Pittsburgh and the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) recognized the new Southern Cone Archbishop this week. The election of the Rt. Rev. Hector "Tito" Zavala, Bishop of Chile, as Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Province of the Southern Cone is the first indigenous Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Southern Cone. Bishop Zavala (and his family) ministered as a friend and priest for three years during his time of study at Trinity School for Ministry. The Diocese of Chile and the Diocese of Pittsburgh were linked for many years as companion dioceses. The Province of the Southern Cone extended to the bishop, clergy and people of the Diocese of Pittsburgh spiritual cover and continuous support during their time of transition in the forming of the Anglican Church in North America.

A resolution was unanimously passed by both the diocese and the new Anglican province.

This action cements the ACNA with orthodox Anglican Primates in the Global South, further isolating liberal primates like Katharine Jefferts Schori (US) and Fred Hiltz (Canada).

*****

The Anglican District of Virginia's Bishops' Summit on Church Growth and Church Planting was a great success, according to a diocesan spokesman. Nearly all of the 40 plus worship communities within ADV were represented by 120 congregational leaders. Presentations were made by The Rev'd Canon David Roseberry of Christ Church, Plano, TX, on "How to Organize a Disciple-Making Church." The Very Rev'd John Yates of The Falls Church spoke on "2 Timothy 2:2 - Becoming a Disciple-Making, Church Planting Mentor" while The Rev'd William Beasley of Redeemer Anglican Church covered the issue of "Raising up Church Planting Lay Catechists." Eight workshops rounded out the day, all concerned with the particulars of planting and growing churches that make disciples. Words of exhortation were given by CANA Archdeacon Julian Dobbs, Bishop John Guernsey, and Bishop David Bena. Bishop Bena ended the conference by stating, "Now the Holy Spirit ministry begins - putting all these Godly plans into action." ADV and its churches have already planted 11 new congregations since it was founded four years ago.

It is quite amazing when you think about. Here are a number of parishes fighting for their properties and instead of focusing on the legalities of all this, which is what TEC does, they are getting on with the business of planting new churches.

*****

FIRES in Episcopal institutions seem to be all the rage these days. Sacramento fire officials determined that a fire that destroyed offices of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California was deliberately set, a diocesan spokesperson said this week.

Officials have no suspects in the Oct. 21 early morning four-alarm fire that destroyed one building housing the River City Food Bank and heavily damaged the bishop's office, the Rev. Canon Britt Olson, diocesan canon to the ordinary, said in a Nov. 22 telephone interview.

Bobbi Yeo, diocesan canon for administration, said that the buildings had been appraised at a total of about $800,000 in 2002. She expects the monetary losses to reach at least $1 million.

Recently the chapel at the Virginia Theological Seminary was also destroyed by fire.

*****

The Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC). a diocese in the Anglican Church in North America and part of the global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans which affirms the Jerusalem Declaration, recently had an ordination service wherein four deacons were ordained to the priesthood, a sign that orthodox Anglicanism is also on the move north of the border.

On November 21, Bishops Donald Harvey and Trevor Walters ordained the Rev's Keith Ganzer, Aaron Roberts, Doug Beattie, and David McElrea to the priesthood. This service was held at Broadmoor Baptist Church in Richmond, BC. Bit by bit, orthodox Anglicanism is growing in Canada even as the liberal Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) withers and dies. God is never mocked; the ACoC is reaping what it has sown.

*****

Episcopalians for Traditional Faith gave thanks and praise for the Resurgence of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer this week.

"We gather together this Thanksgiving Day with family, friends, and neighbors to enjoy fellowship and to thank God for all His 'goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all men.' (1928 Book of Common Prayer, page 19) We reflect on our God-given freedom in the closing line of this traditional hymn from The Hymnal (1940).

"Freedom to worship as we believe is foremost among our many blessed freedoms. Episcopalians for Traditional Faith (ETF) emphasizes this freedom in advocacy within the Episcopal Church for the scripture-based, traditional 1928 Book of Common Prayer (BCP). Laity, priests, and bishops all have freedom of choice to worship as they believe. We believe that after comparing the various liturgies, Episcopalians tend to choose the 1928 BCP."

If you don't have a copy handy, go to http://etf1928.org/ the ETF website and click on the red Prayer Book on the upper left of the home page.

*****

Miracle in Boat Amid Pakistan Flooding. Record breaking monsoon rains left an estimated one-fifth of the area of Pakistan under water since the flooding began in late July. Anglican Relief and Development (ARDF), in cooperation with Global Teams, has provided over $7,500 for relief work including clean drinking water for over 230,000 Pakistani flood victims. There have been reports of miracles on a daily basis from the team on the ground. Here is just one. A leader was bringing a boat full of people to safety when the center plank of the boat fell into the water. To their amazement, the boat did not sink or fill with water. It was as if God had placed a glass sheet in its place. The people were amazed to see what God can do. It was only after they reached dry ground and everyone was safe that the boat began sinking. Not only did the Believers grow stronger in their faith, but the 25 people rescued also thanked God and began praising Him. Thanks be to God for this miracle.

*****

Police raid Sudan churches' offices during referendum build-up. The head of the Sudan Council of Churches has been calling for close scrutiny of out-of-country referendum registration processes in Kenya, Uganda and Egypt, while also reporting that police recently stormed the council offices breaking down doors, and conducted a search.

The Rev. Ramadan Chan Liol, the general secretary of the council, said police forced their way into the council's offices in Amarat Khartoum on Nov. 14 as 200 men who arrived in seven trucks cordoned off the building.

The churches' leader said one police officer said the building was suspected of being a hideaway for weapons. The raid came as Africa's biggest country is preparing for a plebiscite on Jan. 9 to determine if the north and south will split, Chan noted. Chan, the general secretary of the body that groups Orthodox, Protestant and Roman Catholic churches, said southern Sudan's people are also concerned about their votes being manipulated to sway the referendum's result in favor of unity. [ENI News]

*****

Anglican and Catholic Archbishops register for historic Sudan referendum

In January 2011, Sudan is holding a referendum on the proposed autonomy of Southern Sudan

By Rachel Coleman
ACNS News Service
November 26, 2010

International Coordinator in the Office of the Archbishop Province of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan

In a spirit of fraternity, The Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan and the Catholic Archbishop of Juba registered together at Hai Jalaba referendum registration centre today. But registering, they now qualify for voting on Referendum Polling Day scheduled for 9 January 2011. Accompanying them was the presidential advisor on Religious Affairs, H E Tijwok Adheaguer.

At 10 o'clock in that morning the two Archbishops were in line surrounded by an SSTV film crew and SSRadio reporters eagerly awaiting to leave their thumbprints at the table and obtain their referendum cards. There was much laughter and camaraderie between Archbishop Daniel and Archbishop Paulino. They had come together regonising that the Referendum will be a momentous religious issue for the Church in the Sudan. they both spoke briefly about the importance of registereing and, importantly, completing the process by voting on polling day.

H E Tijwok, Adheraguer thanked the Archbishops for their commitment to social issues and for actively encouraging people to register for referendum.

They rounded off the even at the school next to the centre greeting the English Language students.

*****

The ultra liberal Dean of Southwark, the Very Rev Colin Slee, died this week. The only question is who will replace him. You will recall that this is the same cathedral that Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori preached in without her miter, at the request of Lambeth Palace.

A VOL reader said that it will almost certainly be someone more orthodox than Slee. The new diocesan is much more conservative than most, and the bishop will want someone more sympathetic.

*****

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Advent blessings,

David