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"May God console you! What saddens you is the fact that others have occupied the churches by violence, while during this time you are on the outside. It is a fact that they have the premises ... but you have the Apostolic Faith. They can occupy our churches, but they are outside the true faith. You remain outside the places of worship, but the faith dwells within you.
Let us consider: what is more important, the place or the faith? The true faith obviously. Who has lost and who has won this struggle ... the one who keeps the premises or the one who keeps the faith? True, the premises are good when the Apostolic Faith is preached there, they are holy if everything takes place there in a holy way ...You are the one who are happy; you who remain within the Church by your faith, who hold firmly to the foundations of the faith which has come down to you from apostolic tradition ... If a jealousy has tried to shake it on a number of occasions, it has not succeeded. They are the ones who have broken away from it in the present crisis. No one ever, will prevail against your faith, beloved brothers. And we believe that God will give us back our churches some day.
Thus the more violently they try to occupy the places of worship, the more they separate themselves from the Church. They claim that they represent the Church, but in reality, they are the ones who are expelling themselves from it and going astray. Even if Catholics faithful to tradition are reduced to a handful, they are the ones who are the true Church of Jesus Christ."
Words of encouragement from St Athanasius...to the early Christians of the 3rd century who had refused to accept the Arian heresy and whose church buildings were occupied by ecclesiastical leaders who had failed to uphold the Catholic Faith.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
www.virtueonline.org
July 3, 2006
According to two orthodox Episcopal bishops it takes only four dioceses legally and ecclesiastically to form a new province. (In the Roman Catholic Church it is three). Could such a new province occur in North America, "it very well could," said one of the bishops?
As of this writing, six dioceses have asked for alternative primatial oversight (APO) - Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Springfield, Central Florida, Ft. Worth and San Joaquin, (can Quincy be far behind) - and their message is the same; the election of a woman bishop to succeed Frank Griswold as the next Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church was a bridge too far and they want out from under The Episcopal Church's oppressive authority.
Members of the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh went a step further and also published its intent (pending ratification by the diocesan convention this November 3-4) to "withdraw its consent, pursuant to Article VII of the Constitution of the Episcopal Church, to be included in the Third Province of the Episcopal Church" envisioning the drawing together of a new Windsor-compliant Tenth Province in the Episcopal Church.
What we now have is a serious fracture, but not open schism (as yet) in The Episcopal Church. No one is threatening to leave The Episcopal Church (Fort Worth Bishop Jack Iker made that clear to the Houston Chronicle). http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4339 But clearly things cannot continue as they are - unraveling at the speed of light - without someone running up a white flag and declaring the battle is over.
Dr. Rowan Williams proposal to create a two-tiered Anglican Communion-one tier of "covenant" churches in communion with Canterbury and another tier of churches only in "association" has ripped the stomach right out of the liberals, revisionists and pansexualists. They were caught completely off guard thinking, and hoping that Dr. Williams would never dare offend them, and somehow he would manage to keep everyone at the table. They were sorely wrong. From organizations like Integrity, Pittsburgh's PEPboys, liberal ECUSA bishops and a host of other liberals in England and Canada the screams of betrayal could be heard across cyber space. Williams and Duncan are being publicly vilified like few leaders I have seen. The final battle is only just beginning.
The Archbishop of Canterbury's idea is that the "covenant" churches would be those in agreement on the role of the Bible and tradition in Anglican teaching and ministry. Those in looser "association" would include presumably the unrepentant and more heterodox Episcopal Church (USA) and in time, Canada, and perhaps some provinces in Europe and Southern Africa.
In an earlier statement Dr. Williams offered some hope, but when the writing showed up on the wall, "thou (ECUSA) hast been weighed in the balances and found wanting", the gig was up. Covenants and confessional statements aside, he laid down what he knew he would have to do.
Months ago, a high ranking Church of England official told VOL that when push came to shove, Rowan would come down on the side of the faithful, whatever his private thoughts might be on homosexuality or how we would relate to other religions. He has finally shown his colors and done it.
As the week wore on and it became apparent that the liberals were losing the battle for the soul of the church, they themselves threatened the Communion with their own brand of schism. London Telegraph religion writer Jonathan Wynne-Jones broke the story on Sunday with a screaming headline: "Liberals may split from Canterbury over homosexuals." Liberal clergy in Britain are preparing to turn to America's Anglican bishops for leadership in a move that could produce "civil war" and destroy the Church of England, he wrote.
According to Wynne-Jones a delegation of influential liberals flew out to the American Church's General Convention in Ohio last month to discuss building closer ties with their counterparts in the United States. You can read the full story here. http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4405
And now the fall out begins. You can read a number of stories in today's digest pulling the various strands together in the battle for the soul of the Anglican Communion.
TWO contrasting events occurred this week that show the polarization in The Episcopal Church and how impossible it is to keep the sides together at the same table.
The first was an announcement by the Rev. Martyn Minns of Truro Episcopal Church in Truro, Virginia that Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola was going to lay hands on him and make him a bishop of his CANA churches in North America. This got Virginia Bishop Peter Lee in a right snit and he blasted back at Minns calling it "an affront to the traditional, orthodox understanding of Anglican Provincial Autonomy." Really. Minns will shortly step down as rector of this prestigious evangelical parish. His predecessor was John W. Howe, now Bishop of Central Florida. This is a plum parish for the right man. There are also rumblings that as many as 20 or more orthodox parishes might be ready to flee the liberal diocese.
Up in the DIOCESE OF NEWARK it was announced by the Standing Committee that one of the four candidates for bishop to succeed John Croneberger, is The Rev. Canon Michael Barlowe, an openly gay man who has been living with his lover for 23 years! They apparently see no contradiction in this, and then they wonder why their in-your-face act might get them thrown out of the communion! You can read that story here: http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4389
BUT ACTS of rebellion were everywhere. Three ordinands from St. James, Newport Beach (a parish that fled the DIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES) were ordained by the Rt. Rev. Evans M. Kisekka of Luweero in Uganda who is in the United States touring the four churches in the country under his jurisdiction. This was the first ordination ceremony since their departure from the diocese. "It is just an incredible celebration beyond any magnitude of description I can give," St. James Pastor Praveen Bunyan said. More than 10 Anglican clergy members participated in Saturday's ordination service.
SIZE MATTERS. Just to show you how and why numbers count and size matters, the departure of Canon David Roseberry's parish, Christ Church, Plano in the Diocese of Dallas should be considered a major upset. His parish has 4,500 active members, more than 2,200 who attend regularly. By contrast, Bishop Katherine Schori's ENTIRE Nevada diocese has 32 parishes with average COMBINED Sunday attendance of 2,300. Communicants in good standing number 4,700! In short one Texas church is as a big as the entire diocese of the new revisionist Presiding Bishop. Think about that.
A READER in Southeast Asia told VOL that people in Asia (where he is now) are really very upset that the Episcopal General Convention would just go ahead with American arrogance and appoint a woman Presiding Bishop. "The gay thing is viewed as complicated over here ("What are they really doing?" is a common question); but appointing a woman is simply like slapping the rest of the Communion in the face and priests are just shake their heads. It is unbelievable that they would have done something this provocative when there are so many other global issues still to be straightened out." Indeed.
The truth is the Asians have worked out a wonderful way to allow women in ministry. They call them 'pastors' and they plant churches, become missionaries, evangelize, teach catechism, but the bishop comes around once a month to baptize, dispense Eucharist and perform all other sacramental acts. And the churches are growing like crazy. No wonder they found the actions of GC2006 so offensive.
ONE of the comments following Bishop Keith Ackerman's Pastoral letter (at www.virtueonline.org) said that there were several liberal parishes in this diocese. Not true, wrote Mrs. Jo Ackerman to VOL. "I'm afraid that that person has his information wrong. We have a few liberal people in a few parishes - but for our clergy they are all united with the Bishop. We are still growing and prospering and the Lord provides." http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4349
AND from the DIOCESE OF ATLANTA came this from a reader. "This week church members have had a very difficult time reaching anyone on staff (Canons, etc.) at either the Cathedral of St. Philip or the diocesan office to comment on Anglican Communion matters. The staff is in hiding. There are two nervous receptionists who apparently screen calls. No one is available to take the parishioners' calls even though staff is known to be on duty. Voicemails are not answered. When people visit in person to discuss matters, somehow there's not anyone available to speak to them. This is true even for parishioners who are being very persistent. Bishop Neil Alexander, Dean Sam Candler and company must really understand that they're in hot water. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution this week had at least one large article about TEC's expulsion problem. Very bright, well-educated parishioners have been stunned to find out in the past week that the expulsion of TEC was even a possibility, because Alexander and Candler did not do an adequate job keeping the laity informed."
A MEMBER of the American Anglican Council and a resident of Reno, Nevada, home state of the newly elected TEC Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori wrote VOL to say that he could think of no better act of assertive (in your face!) communication to the new TEC Bishop than for the AAC to assist those few (of us) in Reno to establish an orthodox Anglican Church in Northern Nevada. "As of this date, those of us who are Anglican Believers must worship as Missouri-Synod Lutherans or Greek Orthodox. Please prayerfully consider this possibility and pass on this request on to Rev. Canon Anderson." Done.
THE METHODIST CHURCH showed some sense this week and voted down same-sex blessings during its weeklong Conference in Edinburgh. The Methodist Church has voted against offering blessings for same-sex civil partnerships, although it will still offer informal private prayers. According to observers, the lengthy debate was conducted in an atmosphere of care and respect and was followed by a vote of approval for the statement of good practice issued by the Methodist Council last December.
BUT South African Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu rejoiced at Jefferts Schori election. "Whoopee!" he exclaimed in an exclusive videotaped interview with Trinity Church Wall Street about the election of Mrs. Schori as 26th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. "I am thrilled to bits and so deeply thankful that this has happened," the Archbishop said when asked about the election. "I became so aware when women were ordained to the priesthood for the first time in our church just how much we had impoverished ourselves previously." When asked how this election will advance the conversation of reconciliation throughout the Anglican Communion he responded, "Why can't we say we want to give the world this particular gift: We are different, but so what?"
A CARTOON at VirtueOnline's website about new names for the Trinity, that included Father, Son and Holy Spirit; Mother, Child and Womb; Rock, Redeemer and Friend and Rock Rope and Scissors, got one wag energized to write: "Why not Huey, Dewey and Louie?" Indeed.
ONE OF the most offensive diocesan bishops to comment on the actions of General Convention was the Bishop of Long Island, Orris Walker. His denigrating assessment of what happened was sent to all his priests and it called them names using the three "n-words". Here is a sample of what he wrote: "Let me assure you that we are a long way from the dire predictions coming from various corners of the globe and the usual group of nattering nabobs of negativity." I wonder who he had in mind. Just to refresh your memory, this diocese ranks as one of the most sexually scandal ridden dioceses in the TEC. PENTHOUSE magazine once featured a priest in "The Boys from Brazil" whom Walker vigorously defended.
SOME GOOD NEWS. Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry will enroll Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola's son for the Fall Semester, Dean Paul Zahl confirmed to VOL. In other news the board of TESM will consider a name change following convention. They might just drop the "E" word from their title. We shall see.
AS A SIGN of how things are really turning, Canon Chris Sugden of Anglican Mainstream has invited AMIA Bishop Chuck Murphy to England to conduct a number of evangelistic missions in parishes around his country. Evangelicals in the Church of England are intent on capturing some of the Global South's energy in their own church planting efforts and have invited the American-based bishop, consecrated in Singapore and sent from Rwanda as a missionary bishop to the United States, to speak at a number of events in early July. "I'm personally happy to go," said Bishop Murphy from his office in South Carolina. "It will allow us to present the passion and vision we have for church planting in the AMiA among the leaders of the Church of England, in ways that will strengthen our bonds and relationships." Bishop Murphy also welcomes the opportunity to set the record straight about the Anglican Mission. "Not everything said about us over the last several years has been fair and helpful. I anticipate that listeners will find it refreshing to get a first hand report and look at what we're doing." Indeed.
AND on July 15 Lord Carey and Bishop Bob Duncan will be among the featured speakers at a day long function to talk about unity. Playing host to this event, which will be held at All Saints Church in Chevy Chase Maryland, is the Rev. Al Zadiq. Your scribe will be there to cover this event.
I have written a number of stories about the fallout from General Convention and posted a variety of Diocesan responses to General Convention including international responses from the UK and Nigeria. New stories are posted daily to the website www.virtueonline.org. Please make a point of checking back frequently for the latest news. Between 25,000 and 30,000 go daily to the website making it the most widely read orthodox Anglican website in the Anglican Communion.
The fallout from convention and the Archbishop of Canterbury's response to Bishop Schori's election will go on for months. The make up of Lambeth 2008 is now truly up in the air. Who will be invited, who won't?
We will keep you posted.
All Blessings,
David W. Virtue DD
PS. VOL's team worked long, hard hours to bring you the news from General Convention, and we are not letting up now. The beat goes on and so do the costs to run a website, pay staff, medical benefits and much more. Some of you have been extraordinarily generous and I thank you. VOL still needs your financial support. If you can spare a few dollars, you can make a tax deductible donation to:
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