Dear Brothers and Sisters
www.virtueonline.org
April 3, 2009

It was another wild week in the Episcopal Church and in the wider Anglican Communion.

In England, The Rt. Rev. Michael Nazir-Ali announced his intention to step down as Bishop of Rochester, as of September 1, after nearly 15 years on the job, probably the brainiest evangelical bishop in the CofE. This bishop should have been the Archbishop of Canterbury, but got skewered by the press.

His resignation is a terrible blow, not just for the Church of England, but for Britain, wrote Melanie Phillips in the "Daily Mail". The bishop says he is resigning so that he can work for endangered or beleaguered Christian minorities both abroad and in the UK.

It's a shocking rebuke to the church that he has to leave his post of influence and authority as a bishop in order to carry out the church's core duty to defend its own against attack, she wrote.

Shocking - but hardly surprising. Across the world, in countries such as Nigeria and Sudan, millions of Christians are being persecuted at the hands of militant Islam, with forced conversions, the burning of churches and widespread violence. Yet in the face of this global onslaught, the Church of England makes scarcely a peep of protest. The Archbishop of Canterbury has a policy of appeasement in the guise of Interfaith dialogue. He seems to be unwilling to confront the Islamic elephant inside England. Dr. Williams' views are symptomatic of the multi-culturalist relativism of the 20th century that has disarmed the defenders of western civilization. The loss of Bishop Nazir Ali is a great tragedy for England. The CofE has lost one of the few champions of orthodoxy in the House of Bishops, which is where it counts.

Both Dr. Philip Giddings Convenor, and Canon Dr. Chris Sugden, Executive Secretary of Anglican Mainstream had this to say, "We wish to express warm appreciation for the ministry of Bishop Michael Nazir Ali as a senior Bishop in the Church of England, and in and beyond the Anglican Communion. He has exercised a ministry as a "Christian public intellectual" and apologist for the Christian faith in our public life which has made a very significant contribution to our national life. Our prayers and good wishes are with him and his family for God's blessing on the new ministry to which he is being called to strengthen and encourage Christians and churches in minority situations."

One commentator, George Pitcher speculated in the "Daily Telegraph' that the bishop mistakenly gambled on GAFCON becoming predominant and that his departure signifies its demise as an effective movement in the Anglican Communion."The traditionalist schism" we are assured "has fizzled out". This is total unmitigated rubbish. GAFCON has only just begun its advance in The Anglican Communion. It already speaks for more church-going Anglicans than the Lambeth Conference does.

The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) primates' council will meet in London, April 13-18. The Rt. Rev. Robert Duncan, Bishop of Pittsburgh in the Anglican Church of the Southern Cone and Archbishop-designate of the Anglican Church in North America, has been invited to attend as a guest, according to The Rev. Peter Frank, director of communications for the diocese. So what does this tell Mr. Pitcher? It says he and his liberal pals are on the wrong side of history. GAFCON represents more than 80% of the entire church-going Anglican Communion.

I have posted a number of commentaries on his departure. I urge you to read Charles Ravens and Melanie Phillips in particular.

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ON the Episcopal domestic scene the craziness continues.

The Rt. Rev. Geralyn Wolf bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island finally deposed The Rev. Dr. Ann Redding, an Episcopal priest who refused to renounce her Islamic faith. Redding had plenty of time to think about it, but was given a deadline to make her choice. She couldn't, so the bishop made it for her. On April 1, Wolf officially deposed her. She is forbidden to practice as an Episcopal priest. However, she remains free to live out her newly embraced Islamic faith.

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In the DIOCESE OF COLORADO, Bishop Rob O'Neill won back the property of Grace and St. Stephen's in Colorado Springs. The 500 returning members broke out the champagne glasses. The move doesn't come without baggage - namely, the cost of the church itself. A $2.4 million mortgage remains on the North Tejon Street property. Monthly upkeep is about $25,000. Furthermore, the structure is more than 80 years old. Unexpected repairs are looming. The returning congregation is already facing a more than $20,000 boiler repair. "If you're going to have this building, you got to know it will cost you a lot of money," said Donald Armstrong, rector of St. George's Anglican Church, formerly the parish rector. "It takes $1.2 million a year to keep the church open," he said. And they don't have it. The majority of the congregation moved with Armstrong to St. George's down the road and will operate at a tenth the cost with more money going to mission.

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The DIOCESE OF QUINCY made a pre-emptive strike this week petitioning the Circuit Court of Illinois in Quincy to issue a Declaratory Judgment clarifying the rights of the Diocese to hold and manage its endowment funds. The petition was filed in response to actions taken by leaders of the Episcopal Church in New York claiming that trust funds held by the diocese must remain in the Episcopal Church. Quincy formally separated from the Episcopal Church at its annual Synod in November, 2008. "We hoped from the beginning to avoid any legal action," said Fr. John Spencer, President of the Standing Committee which oversees the diocese. In his dreams. TEC will come down on them like a ton of bricks...as they are doing in Pittsburgh, San Joaquin and Ft. Worth where an offensive is just beginning. You can read the full story in today's digest.

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Let me hear you say it: Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done.

Just when you think the lunacy couldn't be exaggerated further, the new president of EPISCOPAL DIVINITY SCHOOL, The Rev. Dr. Katherine Ragsdale who is openly gay and an outspoken advocate of abortion and "LGBT" rights, recently preached a sermon in which she opined that abortion was not only a right, but a blessing. "When a woman wants a child, but can't afford one because she hasn't the education necessary for a sustainable job, or access to health care, or day care, or adequate food, it is the abysmal priorities of our nation, the lack of social supports, the absence of justice that are the tragedies; the abortion is a blessing.

"And when a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion - there is not a tragedy in sight -- only blessing. The ability to enjoy God's good gift of sexuality without compromising one's education, life's work, or ability to put to use God's gifts and call is simply blessing." Naturally, Bishop Tom Shaw praised her appointment. Shaw is the Monk of Massachusetts, who once told the HOB he was gay, but celibate.

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The NEW HAMPSHIRE House narrowly passed a bill that would allow gay couples to marry. The final vote on HB 436 was 186-179. It came after nearly three hours of debate. The bill now moves to the Senate. The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Bishop of New Hampshire and the U.S. Episcopal Church's first openly gay bishop, testified in support of the bill, calling it a matter of fairness. "I am delighted, because it's clear to me that New Hampshire values one class of citizenship and not two," Robinson said of the House vote. "And I'm delighted that (the bill) threatens people of faith in no way."

The IOWA SUPREME COURT this week unanimously upheld gays' right to marry. "The Iowa statute limiting civil marriage to a union between a man and a woman violates the equal protection clause of the Iowa Constitution," the justices said in a summary of their decision. No word from Episcopal Bishop Alan Scarfe at the time of posting. Naturally The Episcopal Church's sodomite organization Integrity USA applauded the Iowa Supreme Courts' ruling. "Iowa is now the third state where same-gender couples can marry," said Integrity President Susan Russell. Integrity calls on the Episcopal Church to be on the right side of history by moving forward on ecclesiastical marriage equality during General Convention in Anaheim this July." At least six dioceses have submitted resolutions to General Convention supporting marriage equality.

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Could yet another diocese be forming? Ugandan Anglicans in the U.S. have come up with a name, the DIOCESE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. At a Blue Print for a New Church conference held at Holy Cross, Loganville, GA, this past week, under the direction of the American Anglican Council (AAC), the idea was put forth. The conference drew some 120 orthodox Anglicans to study, pray, learn, and fellowship together and to hear four leaders of the Common Cause Partnership talk about their experiences on leaving TEC and how fleers can help themselves. Plenary sessions covered the first three chapters of Ephesians with workshops on Alpha, Church Plants, Congregational Conflict and the Sticky Church. The four leaders later gave a press conference reported in full in today's digest. You can read the full story here or in today's digest. http://tinyurl.com/d3lt7l

Bishop David C. Anderson said the AAC has a three-fold ministry inside TEC --- to those in a departure mode, to those who have left TEC or were never a part of TEC. "We want to teach people how to be effective in a hostile diocese and to protect themselves. Orthodox parishes are on the bishop's radar screen and they have a wonderful plan for your removal. You need to be aware of that and take precautions, to make it more difficult and have the ability to be more outspoken about the issues that matter and to have a measure of security."

Anderson said the AAC has compiled a vast amount of useful information when congregations feel they have to leave.

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Just what is stable in TEC anymore? Not much it seems. An official "State of the Church" report reveals a denomination conflicted and in decline. 64% of Episcopal congregations acknowledge conflict over the ordination of gay clergy. TEC is losing one diocese a year in terms of lost membership. The cause of all this angst and departure is the consecration of the openly homosexual Bishop of New Hampshire, V. Gene Robinson. This act has proven to be the single greatest cause of conflict in The Episcopal Church. It has resulted in rapidly declining and permanently lost members and considerable financial decline with little hope of recovery. A report by the Committee on the State of the Church said that TEC seems unwilling to recognize the presence of that major source of internal controversy. There are none so blind as those who will not see, apparently. You can read the full story here or in today's digest. http://tinyurl.com/c3m89b

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Notwithstanding the bad news, Mrs. Katharine Jefferts Schori was in Philadelphia this past week at a DIOCESE OF PENNSYLVANIA sponsored event to answer questions about the state of the church and to help the diocese move on from the disastrous years of Charles E. Bennison. It was hard going as she ducked and weaved around awkward questions about why Charles is still drawing a six figure salary while doing nothing for it...and when, pray, will the diocese be finally rid of him, opined several lay Episcopalians. Jefferts Schori said she was stuck with due process, but the diocese is now in good hands with the liberal former suffragan bishop of Long Island, Rodney Michel. She put her best foot forward, but few of the 250 grey heads seemed convinced. One angry layman asked why the national church was so bent on getting rid of Fr. David Moyer and taking his church in Rosemont away from him. The Presiding Bishop replied that this was a diocesan decision. Christopher Hart, who led the meeting, just smiled. You can read the full story in today's digest or here: http://tinyurl.com/cdf4to

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The CHURCH PENSION FUND portfolio declined in 2008, but investments are 'well-positioned,' a report says. The CPF investment portfolio declined by 18.8 percent in 2008, but still has $1.3 billion more in assets than in liabilities, according to a recent report mailed to fund participants. "No one knows the duration of the current global economic and financial problems, but the fund remains in an enviable position," wrote Dennis Sullivan, Church Pension Fund president, in a March 20 introduction to "Perspective," a periodic newsletter from his office. "Despite the recent declines, the fund's reserves are sound and benefits are secure," the newsletter said. "We do not know what the next months will bring, but we believe the investment portfolio is well-positioned for the long term." Wrote a knowledgeable insider, "The fund is the only competent segment of TEC."

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The DIOCESE OF SOUTH DAKOTA is looking for a new bishop. There is only one outstanding candidate, a priest from the Diocese of North Dakota. He is The Rev. John Floberg. He's managed to maintain sincere, traditional faith while working closely and constructively with the national church, serving on several national Episcopal bodies (including Native American Ministries). This would be a plus for South Dakota, which relies on the national church for operating funds and must balance mid-American sensibilities with a very different national church leadership perspective. He also has a strong commitment to Reservation ministry, staying in that challenging field over the years with some good results, as evidenced at Standing Rock Mission's site. He served positively with Bishop Smith of ND.

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The bishop of the DIOCESE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, John W. Howe got a not so polite letter from a member of the national Executive Council urging the diocesan council of Central Florida to nullify a resolution disassociating from the abortion rights organization known as the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC).

The Central Florida board wrote a letter opposing the church's official pro-abortion stand, which has offended the national church's political sensitivities on the subject. John Vanderstar, of Washington, D.C., said he understood that Episcopalians hold varying political positions on the morality, legality and necessity of abortion, and that "this is a sensitive subject for many people. But the board's harsh language with regard to RCRC is neither fair nor accurate. Moreover, the action of the council was squarely supported by positions adopted by General Convention that date back some 40 years."

Bishop Howe told Vanderstar, that while he had not initiated the board's resolution to disassociate from the RCRC, he fully supported it. "I am, frankly, deeply embarrassed that the Executive Council adopted this affiliation in the first place," said Howe. Howe is a past president and chairman of the board of the organization now known as Anglicans for Life.

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A BARNA Survey Shows How Liberals and Conservatives Differ on Matters of Faith People's interest in - and reactions to - the social and political actions being made by President Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress have heightened public awareness of the different perspectives held by liberals and conservatives. Our latest survey indicates that those differences are related to substantially different spiritual beliefs, behaviors and alignments. Nearly one-third (32%) of all adults consider themselves to be "mostly conservative" on social and political matters, and about half as many (17%) claimed to be "mostly liberal" on such matters. To find out how they differ regarding matters of faith, and some implications of this research, click here. http://m1e.net/c?27709955-Es6kN6bklPn8s%404110909-gsw6VsV2JWPxs

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Membership in homosexual-oriented churches founded as an alternative to traditional religions is dwindling as mainline churches become more "gay friendly," the "Riverside Press-Enterprise" reports. As one example, the newspaper noted that membership in the homosexual Catholic organization Dignity has declined by nearly half over the last 10 years. A reporter David Olson interviewed Mark Shirilau, who calls himself the archbishop of the Ecumenical Catholic Church, which he founded in 1987 "to provide a religious home for gays and lesbians." The Ecumenical Catholic Church "adheres to the majority of Roman Catholic teachings and uses a blend of Roman Catholic, Episcopal and Lutheran liturgy," according to the newspaper. Shirilau, who resides in Riverside, stated that even he no longer worships in the Ecumenical Catholic Church, preferring instead to attend an Episcopal church.

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Catholic and Anglican bishops are appealing to the government and the TAMIL rebels saying the civilians of Vanni are "desperate," and that their needs must be "addressed without delay." The Christian leaders stress the "immediate and absolutely urgent need to recognize that this is a very critical humanitarian crisis." Instead of continuing to foster "endless debates" over the real number of civilians trapped in the region, the bishops say, it is necessary to "take immediate steps to alleviate their suffering."

The bishops acknowledge that the security zone on the coast is proving to be an important means for removing the refugees from the violence of the war, and thank the government for organizing the transportation of the sick and injured to Trincomalee. At the same time, they ask for "the avoidance of the use of heavy artillery and multi-barrel shelling in the areas where civilians reside." The bishops ask the government, the Tamil Tigers, and all parties to have "the humility and the courage" to agree on sending food aid through the World Food Program for as long as necessary.

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Tens of thousands of Brits are waking up to the fact that they really don't believe in the Christian Faith and have no use for the Church of England. So many are writing in and wanting to "de-baptize" themselves. Church of England evangelicals, led by Canon Dr. Chris Sugden, have been arguing for some time now that the 26 million Anglicans the Church of England statistically claims is a fiction and that the 80 million Anglicans worldwide is an untrue number.

The real figure is closer to 55 million, if you take out the 25 million plus making the Cof E figure closer to 2 million.

You can read the full story here. www.secularism.org.uk/debaptism.html http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.ae71a038e9b3b47af4f0e9eac9598fd8.2b1&show_article=1

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CLOISTERED WHISPERS. Things are falling apart in TEC and a new North American Anglican province is in play. What about the possibility of an Anglican Province in England? Don't laugh. It could happen. The Anglo-Catholics have been pushed into a corner and marginalized. Evangelicals feel isolated by the liberal mainstream. Women are pushing their way onto center stage to the chagrin of both Evangelicals and Anglo-Catholics. If US Anglo-Catholics and Evangelicals can come together under ACNA, why not England?

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PERVERSION PAYS. If you were wondering why the lobbying for homosexuality is so powerful, influential and successful in the US, Americansfortruth.com revealed this week that homosexual activists and lobbyists have huge budgets and its advocates and leaders make enormous salaries.

Joe Solmonese of the Human Rights Campaign tops the list of homosexual activists with his annual salary of $338,400 to promote homosexuality, bisexuality and gender confusion (transsexuality) for the Washington, D.C.-based lobby organization.

HRC took in $41.4 million in 2007 and employs 151 full-time workers. A story in the in the homosexual newspaper "Washington Blade", published the salaries of the CEO or ED for the 30 largest "gay" and AIDS organizations. Here are just a few of the top "gay" salaries along with the total FY 2007 revenues for each group and the number of its full-time (FT) and part-time (PT) employees.

* Joe Solmonese, Human Rights Campaign: $338,400; [$41.4 million; 151 FT, 9 PT]
* Lorri Jean, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center: $327,000; [$48.5 million; 255 FT, 40 PT]
* Neil Giuliano, GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation): $271,034; [$7.1 million; 49 FT]
* Eliza Byrd, Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) : $283,644; [$12.8 million; 38 FT]
* Chuck Wolfe, Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund: $220,000; [$5.2 million; 17 FT]
* Kevin Cathcart, Lambda Legal: $290,916; [$20.8 million; 99 FT] * Matt Foreman [former E.D.], National Gay and Lesbian Task Force: $192,540; [$8.1 million; 44 FT] For more go here: www.aftah.com

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New laws to allow a GAY ROYAL COUPLE to take part in a civil partnership and become joint monarchs of England are being demanded in England. The call followed Gordon Brown's move to bring equality to the Monarchy by scrapping the law which gives males priority over females in the Royal line of succession. He also wants to sweep away the ban on members of the Royal Family marrying Roman Catholics - unless they give up their claim to the throne.

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WASHINGTON DC has a higher rate of HIV than West Africa. That's what a new government report has found. The city's mayor, Adrian Fenty, plans to respond to the crisis "by promoting testing for the virus, preventing transmission by providing free condoms and needle exchanges, and doing more for those already living with HIV/Aids." Washington D.C. is one of two U.S. cities that already has major condom-distribution programs, having handed out more than 1.5 million last year. One and a half million condoms later, the epidemic is only getting worse. The obvious solution? You can read the full story here: http://www.firstthings.com/blog/2009/03/30/dcs-hiv-rate-higher-than-west-africa/

PS. There is no word from Episcopal Bishop John Chane who is an advocate of pansexuality. It is ironic that HIV/AIDS is diminishing rapidly in Uganda because the ABC program is working, while The Episcopal Church advocates the deadliest behavior in modern times.

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An independent group reported that it found no evidence of financial malpractice or dishonesty in its review of the 2008 LAMBETH CONFERENCE FINANCES. But the group said poor communication and risk management contributed to the conference's shortfall of more than half a million dollars. Although the $564,000 deficit was less than the $1.74 million shortfall that was projected late last summer, the Lambeth Conference Funding Review Group said the smaller deficit was primarily because fewer bishops than originally expected attended the conference. Planners for the July conference committed expenditures before confirmed funding, a practice the review group called "precarious" and which made a shortfall "arguably inevitable."

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The Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, in one of his sharpest attacks yet on threats to the environment, has warned that God will not save mankind from his own environmental "stupidity." The spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion said in a lecture at England's York Minster recently that the world faces "a whole range of doomsday prospects," ranging from global warming to threats from what he called "bio-terror" weapons.

In such end-of-the-world scenarios, Williams said, "The ultimate tragedy is that a material world capable of being a manifestation ... of divine love is choked, drowned or starved by its own stupidity. To suggest that God might intervene to protect us from the corporate folly of our practices is as un-Christian and un-biblical as to suggest that he protects us from the results of our individual folly or sin."

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BRITE DIVINITY SCHOOL at Texas Christian University has announced the establishment of an Episcopal Studies Program rooted in classical Anglican tradition. The Episcopal Studies Program will begin on Aug. 24 with the opening of the fall 2009 semester. The Rev. Fred Barber, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, has been named part-time acting director of the new program, which will allow candidates for the Episcopal priesthood to complete the Master of Divinity in preparation for ordination without leaving North Texas. The program has the enthusiastic support of The Rt. Rev. Edwin F. (Ted) Gulick Jr., provisional bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth.

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For an interesting perspective on Gene Robinson's take on the Bible you might like to look at this link: http://jandyongenesis.blogspot.com/

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HARARE HELLHOLE. The Government of Zimbabwe took its first steps towards resolving the long-running feud between the Anglican Church factions in Harare by meeting Dr. Nolbert Kunonga Archbishop of the Province of Zimbabwe and Bishop Sebastian Bakare of the Province of Central Africa, following violent clashes between parishioners over control of church properties. Home Affairs Co-Minister, Giles Mutsekwa told Parliament that the Government is disturbed by the discord in the Anglican Church. "It has involved the police that we are in charge of and the image of the police has been tarnished," he said. You can read the full story here: http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=2588&cat=1

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The Church in the Province of the West Indies is planning a PROVINCIAL YOUTH GATHERING (CPWI), 2009 which will take place in Jamaica from 18 - 25 July 2009.

The theme for this Gathering is "ANGLICAN YOUTH: CO-WORKERS WITH CHRIST - CALLED TO BE DISCIPLES." Apart from providing opportunities for Worship and Bible Study, several issues will be addressed. These will include the following: Being Anglican; Our Faith, Our Ministry and Our Witness; Anglican Communion concerns and challenges, being agents of change. There will also be skills training in mission and workshops focusing on worship, witness and work in the current Caribbean context, The Rt. Rev. L Errol Brooks told VOL.

"It is our hope that this Gathering will, among other things, assist the process of strengthening our youth in their walk with Christ, give them with a centre of gravity amidst all the changes and challenges with which they are confronted, deepen a sense of unity between them, provide them with an opportunity to dialogue with the wider Anglican Commission and look at ways of creating a more effective Ministry within the Province."

The Provincial Youth Commission needs your help. The projected cost of hosting the Gathering is US$200,000.00. "Our Provincial Synod, each diocese within the Province and our young people are committed to raising a substantial portion of this sum. Notwithstanding this, we are hoping that our partners and friends will assist us in our efforts. Please consider donation to support this Youthful effort."

Checks can be made payable and sent to:

The Provincial Youth Gathering (CPWI)
c/o The Diocese of the North Eastern Caribbean and Aruba
P O Box 23 St John's
Antigua,
West Indies

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World renowned Anglican theologian Dr. J.I. Packer speaks to new Christians: You can see a three-minute video clip here: http://vimeo.com/3856168

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The Spring 2009 issue of THE NORTH AMERICAN ANGLICAN is now available. This is a Eucharist-centered issue, including eleven articles pertaining to various aspects of Holy Communion, as well as many other articles on various topics. Also included is a brand new article by Dr. J. I. Packer. You can read the table of contents here: www.39articles.com The North American Anglican is now available in a hardcover edition. This is a perfect addition for your church or home library, said the Rev. Joseph Gleason. You can purchase your copy here: http://stores.lulu.com/39articles You can also check out the new Anglican radio broadcast, The Bible Lighthouse. For more information, go here: www.biblelighthouse.com

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VIRTUEONLINE welcomes readers today from Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria and Tunisia. We pray that God will be with you as you work to extend His Kingdom in that area of the world.

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VOL will shortly break new ground with a Global Anglican Theological Institute. We hope to have it up and running within a week. Please consider supporting this new venture with a tax deductible donation.

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All Blessings,

David