The current custodians of some of England's great cathedrals treat them so lightly that they are used for raves, and that agnostics and atheists arguing for something on cultural grounds could look like a preference for 'external form' over 'interior integrity'. --Joseph Shaw, Crisis Magazine

The prosperity gospel is an "insidious disease" that has "very little of the character of the Gospel in it." -- Gordon Fee

Dear Brothers and Sisters
www.virtueonline.org
July 12, 2024

The Episcopal Church elected a new Presiding Bishop this past week, a moderate bishop of all shades of opinion, the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, but with a surprising link to an evangelical institution -- Grove City College -- none of his predecessors had anything like an evangelical itch.

In his address to the General Convention in Louisville, Ky., Bishop Rowe invoked the gospel on several occasions but laced it with the woke issues of the day including the full inclusion of homosexuals, anti-racism and more.

By contrast, the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) also got a new leader in the person of Bishop Steve Wood, a man who also invoked the gospel but with a clear take on what it meant. According to a report in the Living Church, ACNA's new archbishop, Steve Wood is, "passionate for evangelism."

"Roughly 130 million people in America do not know Jesus Christ," Wood told a press conference. "That is the most animated aspect of who I am: I want everyone to come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ," he said.

The two men have very different understandings of evangelism and I explore them in this piece I wrote here: https://virtueonline.org/tec-and-acna-tale-two-evangelisms

Moving forward, the evidence is overwhelming that the ACNA will grow as the gospel of God's grace is preached and the Episcopal Church will continue to wither and die because it cannot articulate a clear understanding of the gospel of redemption and grace. What TEC excels in is a parody of the gospel.

A prevailing concern for the ACNA is the ordination of women to the priesthood, an issue that has simmered beneath the surface for the 15 years that ACNA has existed. It has the potential to erupt. Bishop Wood's position is nuanced. The Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas Policy for Women in Order has supported the ordination of women as deacons and priests in the church, with the provision that women may not serve in the office of rector.

You can read more stories about this election here: https://virtueonline.org/general-convention-elects-youngest-episcopal-presiding-bishop-record and here: https://virtueonline.org/new-acna-archbishops-position-womens-ordination-could-have-repercussions-denomination

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Across the pond, the Church of England found itself in the throes of possible schism over the blessing of same sex marriage.

CofE evangelicals have started a parallel province over the issue which threatens to tear the church apart over Synod's decision to move towards approval of prayers for same-sex blessings in "stand-alone services".

John Dunnett, national director of the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), said: "It is deeply disappointing that despite hearing repeatedly in speeches of the need to build trust by avoiding bad process ... synod passed the motion, and the prayers of love and faith bus continues to move forward. General Synod's decision will sadly trigger the launch of a de facto parallel province ... and CEEC will work with our partners in the Alliance to make this a reality".

The CEEC has already started a fund in which churches opposed to same-sex blessings can deposit their money, rather than with the CofE. It has also already organized a service at All Souls Church, Langham Place, to create "overseers", who will take over the bishops' role of pastoral oversight and spiritual help to clergy opposed to same sex blessings. But the CEEC says it is not leaving the church: "We are committed to remaining within the Church of England and hope that the bishops will come to the table to negotiate an acceptable settlement."

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby whined and pleaded for an alliance of traditionalists to stay within the church. He told the synod: "I cannot imagine the Church of England without the Alliance network, members and friends ... That they all flourish in this church, including firmly those in the Alliance, is indispensable to the gospel in this land."

Evangelical theologian Ian Paul had this to say; "Nothing has changed. The doctrine of the Church of England has not changed--and because of Canon A5, which roots our doctrine not only in Scripture but also in the Formularies of the Book of Common Prayer and the Thirty-Nine Articles, there really is no way that it can change."

Having said that, Paul went on to say that he could not see any workable way in which a formal separate province will be set up. "What will happen is that there will be growing lack of cooperation and communication between those committed to the doctrine of the Church and teaching of Jesus, and those bishops who reject it. (Again: how do we have bishops leading our Church who do not believe the doctrine they promised to uphold and teach?) We need to be honest, and say we are in impaired communion with those who will not teach the truth."

A source told VOL that there are two key issues for the Alliance to resolve.

1. Do they consider that a degree of separation within the Church of England, but remaining in communion with it, is an appropriate response to the gravity of what the bishops are doing?

A sort of Quantum Province, both in and out at the same time?

2. Or are they prepared to walk away without all of the endowments which currently sustain their ministry -- historic buildings, clergy housing and stipends etc. -- to form a new Free Church? (Clergy, according to English law, retain their pension rights.)

At the moment everything is up for grabs. You can read a number of stories here:

https://virtueonline.org/cofe-evangelicals-start-parallel-province-dispute-over-same-sex-marriage
https://virtueonline.org/church-england-moves-closer-services-blessing-same-sex-couples
https://virtueonline.org/church-society-leader-blasts-bishop-oxford-over-same-sex-marriage-blessings
https://virtueonline.org/llf-decision-point
https://virtueonline.org/alliance-responds-bishop-oxford-attempt-avoid-schism
https://virtueonline.org/anglican-alliance-challenges-church-england-archbishops-over-plans-bless-same-sex-unions
https://virtueonline.org/efac-global-expresses-deep-disappointment-over-llf-milestone
https://virtueonline.org/gsfa-pastoral-letter-following-church-englands-general-synod-july-5-9-2024

A truly disturbing fact in all this is the failure of the Church of England to see what happened in Canada and the US. The result here was full blown schism resulting in the birth of the Anglican Church in North America.

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A truly terrible blow to evangelicals in the UK was the arrest of the former vicar of Emmanuel Church Wimbledon Jonathan Fletcher. He is charged with historical sex offences dating between 1973 and 1999. Metropolitan Police said Fletcher, 81, appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. He has been charged with eight counts of indecent assault and one of grievous bodily harm, for offences dating between 1973 and 1999. You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/former-vicar-emmanuel-church-wimbledon-jonathan-fletcher-charged-historical-sex-offences
Another abusive evangelical offender John Smyth of Iwerne Camps fame died before he could be charged with similar offenses.

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CONVERSION THERAPY. As pansexualists tighten their grip on society and the church, the issue of conversion or reparative therapy has once again reared its head. Church leaders in the UK are warning Keir Starmer the new Labor Prime Minister that if conversion therapy becomes law, it could become an anti-Christian charter.

'Conversion therapy' is an elastic term. It is being used to conflate mainstream, traditional Christian teaching on sexuality and gender with abuse.
Church leaders fear two-thousand-year-old Christian beliefs could be criminalized within the first 100 days of the new Government. Activists want a conversion therapy law to target ordinary Christian practice and gender-critical parents are also likely to be caught.

Leading church leaders representing more than 1300 churches have written to the new Prime Minister expressing their "concern at the lack of religious literacy in British public life and the unwarranted hostility this can breed towards those in Bible-believing churches". You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/church-leaders-warn-starmer-conversion-therapy-law-could-become-anti-christian-charter

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In yet another unfolding scandal it was reported that the IDF had closed the only Episcopal hospital in Gaza.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and Anglican leaders worldwide condemned Israel's forced closure of Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, which is operated by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.

However, the Israeli Defense Forces rejected an allegation leveled by The Episcopal Church that it ordered the evacuation and closure of the church-run hospital in the Gaza Strip.

The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem claimed Monday that the IDF "compelled" it to close the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City and evacuate all the staff and patients from the facility during its ongoing war with the terror group Hamas. There was military activity that took place in the vicinity of the hospital on Sunday.

Responding to the allegation, the IDF told Reuters in a statement that it ordered civilians in certain areas of Gaza City to evacuate so it could reduce potential civilian casualties as it launched new military operations against terrorist groups. The IDF says it told Palestinian health authorities that hospitals could remain in use and there was no need to evacuate. You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/idf-denies-episcopal-church-claim-it-ordered-evacuation-gaza-hospital

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The Episcopal Church dodged a bullet on the Israeli war in Gaza. At its recent General Convention, they pulled back from its suicidal edge by not accusing Israel of genocide and apartheid in its war with Hamas. Peace, however still remains elusive. Antisemitism remains a global problem.

This was in stark contrast to pre-convention resolutions labeling Israel as a genocide state in its destruction of Gaza. Delegates admitted that Hamas might actually be part of the problem (really), and Israel was simply reacting in kind.
Furthermore, there have been lies told that the Israelis have been starving Gazans, a charge they refute.

PM Bibi Netanyahu again vowed that Israel would achieve its goals in its war against Hamas: returning hostages from Gaza, eliminating Hamas' military and governing capabilities, ensuring that Gaza will not constitute a threat against Israel and also returning displaced Israeli residents securely to their homes in both the south and the north. Could one be clearer than that?

You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/episcopal-church-dodges-bullet-israeli-war

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I had the privilege spending time with one of the Anglican Communion's most erudite and pastoral theologian bishop's -- The Rt. Rev. Dr. C. FitzSimons Allison. I flew to Georgetown, SC to meet this extraordinary former Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina.

At 97, Bishop Allison is the oldest living Anglican bishop in North America. He resides with his wife Martha, to whom he has been married for 74 years, on their 900-acre residue of a rice plantation in Georgetown, SC. His son and daughter-in-law live nearby and keep an eye on them both. They are surrounded by a lifetime of family, relatives, friends, and clergy.

Bishop C. (stands for Christopher) FitzSimons Allison is an evangelical theological bishop with a distinctive and remarkable history. He is a rare breed of scholar, leader, pastor, author, and southern gentleman. As a thoroughly orthodox bishop in faith and morals he has held the line on faithfulness to scripture, to the creeds, the 39 Articles of Religion and the historic episcopacy; standing against the steady encroachment of revisionism in his beloved church. You can read my interview; THE LION IN WINTER: Portrait of a Faithful Anglican Bishop here: https://virtueonline.org/lion-winter-portrait-faithful-anglican-bishop

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CULTURE WARS

John Stonestreet, president of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview was a plenary speaker at the recent ACNA assembly in Latrobe, PA. He gave a particularly good address that will appeal to VOL readers. It is found on youtube. You can see it below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-skl6KizE4M&ab_channel=AnglicanChurchNA

America's All Out Religious War: https://virtueonline.org/americas-all-out-religious-war

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Next week I celebrate my 80th birthday and I would like readers to throw some support to my favorite missionary organization; LOVE FOR THE LEAST.

The couple running it live most of their lives in Kurdistan traveling throughout the ME and Africa making disciples for Christ; training local leaders to take the gospel to unreached people groups.

They have big needs: REFUGEE WORK. On Dec. 2022 the UN cut off all assistance to the 1mm refugees and displaced persons in N. Iraq. $50 provides a food basket with a month's worth of staples for a refugee widow and her children.

$300 sponsors a month of children's support and trauma care activities. 100% goes to the refugees, zero overhead. "We are allergic to overhead," he writes.

DISCIPLE MAKING: We are presently engaging 35 Unreached People Groups, including 4 Unengaged Unreached People Groups (first Gospel engagement in history) with 2,300+ churches in the Middle East and East Africa. This week the Anglican Church is baptizing 100 Muslims on the once thought impenetrable Swahili Coast.

Our vision is the Highway of Holiness. An unbroken chain of multiplying churches from Tehran, Iran, to Latakia, Syria. 900 miles, 118 million Unreached Muslims, 52 UPGs. Geographically we are two thirds there in two years of work. Turkey, where we have 50+ churches, Tanzania and Kenya are in addition.

Please consider a tax-deductible donation to this vital ministry. You can hit the online link here: https://giving.lovefortheleast.org/give/384996/#!/donation/checkout

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PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO MY EXPANDING MINISTRY AND OUTREACH

I have done a YouTube interview with Dr. Gerry McDermott on the War in Israel. You can see it here: https://youtu.be/98nNyRRWIz4?si=HEnsrJHU1eRYNjC2

I have also started a SUBSTACK with my scribblings on the Middle East with the war in Israel. You can see them here: https://substack.com/@davidvirtue2?utm_source=user-menu

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VOL is on the move. We will shortly host a new website making it more reader friendly. Our lists will be coordinated and flow faster and more evenly. We could use your support. There are no salaries, but there are bills to pay, travel to be done, correspondents and a webmaster to pay.

If you can help, please send a tax-deductible donation to the address below:

VIRTUEONLINE
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Warmly in Christ,

David