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More priests, parishes flee...ARCIC dead over women bishops...Parsley, Bennison

"Official ecumenism with the leadership of post-Reformation churches has become more difficult; particularly in ethical questions we are drifting apart. This is leading to the self-destruction of these churches, as has become evident in the Anglican Communion but also in some Lutheran churches." Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Vatican's "Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity," in Diakrisis, a Tuebingen-based institute of confessing Christian communities.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
www.virtueonline.org
2/8/2006

The above words from Cardinal Kasper ring with resounding clarity and truth as both the Episcopal Church USA and the Church of England reel and roil from crisis to crisis.

It was another week in which priests and parishes fled the Episcopal Church. From Florida to Virginia to San Diego, orthodox priests announced that they had had enough of ECUSA's apostasies and were leaving.

On the international scene the Church of England committed itself to the ordination of women bishops at the cost of unity with the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the leader of the four million Roman Catholics in England and Wales, expressed disappointment, and in a paper to the synod of the Catholic Bishops' Conference said that ordaining women bishops would be "a risk too far for the Church of England".

It was "inevitable" that there would be women bishops in the Anglican Church and so ecumenism was "at a plateau". As co-chairman of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) for 16 years, the Cardinal spent much of his earlier ministry bringing about closer relations between the two churches. This week he said that he was saddened that many of its conclusions, such as in the area of authority, had not been "received" into the Anglican Church. You can read Ruth Gledhill's story in today's digest.

In another international development that bodes ill, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey said he was "ashamed of being an Anglican", telling The Jerusalem Post that the Church of England's plans to disinvest from companies whose products are used by the Israeli government in the territories (backed by current Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams), was "a most regrettable and one-sided statement," and one that "ignores the trauma of ordinary Jewish people" in Israel subjected to terrorist attacks. You can read that story today.

On the ECUSA home front, Alabama Bishop Henry Parsley, wannabe replacement for Frank Griswold, has realized his dream for which he has been campaigning for several years; he has reached the "Final Four."

"It is no surprise to us in Alabama as former Episcopalians," wrote a VirtueOnline reader. "He lobbies the "ins"- the power group in charge of ECUSA. Louie Crew is a regular visitor to Alabama and is joined by Susan Russell a California lesbian priest and Integrity leader. Parsley also authorized the late ultra-liberal priest the Rev. Paul Cosby to practice in Alabama. Cosby described Birmingham as having a few good people in spite of the majority. Cosby described the "faces of evil" at Christ the Redeemer an orthodox parish in Montgomery several years ago. Cosby was active in Via Media. That parish is no longer the same problem for the Alabama diocese. It has shrunk from 225 members to 25. The building is rented to a Montessori School and what looks like a Korean church. The former Rector Doug McCurry refused to knuckle under, and left to form Legacy Church under AMiA with about 200 of the parishioners."

At last year's diocesan convention many of the delegates sought to reduce contributions to ECUSA, but Bishop Parsley insisted on an increase. Resolutions were carefully censored. Even the word 'repentance' was not allowed. What they do is no longer our concern. We still wish for a once influential church to not dissolve. To use a colloquial expression, the "chances are between slim and none," said the source.

And VirtueOnline has a story in today's digest of Parsley's letter to Kenyan Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi, and how he said his presence at the recent AMIA conference in Birmingham, Alabama went against the Windsor Report by crossing diocesan lines. Parsley conveniently overlooked the fact that the Windsor Report also forbade ordaining homosexual bishops, gay rites and more, but I suppose if you are running for PB it's important to speak out of as many sides of your mouth as possible. That way Parsley might win.

IN THE DIOCESE OF PENNSYLVANIA Bishop Bennison has agreed to allow Bishop Clayton Matthews to mediate his situation. Matthews holds the title of Bishop of the Office of Pastoral Development for the Episcopal Church. In truth Matthew's is Frank Griswold's consigliore for bad boy bishops. He has his hands full these days with messes in Connecticut and Southern Virginia. If history is anything to go by, Bennison should not count on Matthew's coming down on his side, even though they are fellow revisionists. It was Griswold/Matthews who managed to lever Jo Mo Doss out of office when he was Bishop of NJ though it cost the diocese a bundle. About $1.5 million some estimates say. Bennison might still be shown the door, but the landing will be soft if the payout is big enough....presuming of course that there is enough monies left in the Trust Fund to dip into.

In another move, the rector of the largest evangelical parish in the diocese has asked Bennison to voluntarily step down. The Rev, Greg Brewer, rector of the Church of the Good Samaritan, the largest evangelical parish in the diocese wrote a letter to his people saying Bennison should go. One wonders how much more public humiliation Bennison can take. Does he think he can walk across the Schuylkill River without drowning?

IN OTHER NEWS, Bishop Bennison is pushing forward the installation of the new rector at St. Asaph's in Philadelphia to try and get him in under the radar, a source told VirtueOnline. The new rector there is the Rev. Calvin Rodney Hudgen who will be living in the parish rectory with his male lover. The new rector has not even begun to serve at St. Asaph's yet. Bennison is evidently afraid that the news of this appointment will stir up more problems and he hopes to avoid this by making it a done deal this Saturday, said the source. Calls to the parish and diocese went unreturned.

And just a reminder of Bennison's Fiscal management: From the Standing Committee comes this:

* It is our belief that at least $11.6 million has been spent from Diocesan trust funds over the past few years.
* At this point we do not know whether we have $4 million or zero available trust funds to fund the 2006 budget.
* Endowment funds have been used and are gone that had previously provided income for our on-going ministries. The Diocese was forced to propose a mandatory assessment at the last Convention. It failed.
* The level of spending is such that they are relying on trust funds that may no longer exist, to cover a budget deficit for 2006.

So who's minding the store?

Now if you want to know what $11.6 million will buy you in Africa, consider this. A priest told VirtueOnline that they built a cathedral in Kitgum, in the Province of Uganda for $20,000! In the high rent districts of Kampala, a church to house 700 can be built for somewhere between $50,000 and $60,000.

So for a diocese (Pennsylvania) that has not built or opened one new church in God knows how long, you could have built 240 Anglican churches in Uganda and they would all be filled to overflowing in a matter of months!

In the DIOCESE OF CENTRAL NEW YORK, the bishop is playing mum over the $4.35 million lawsuit that was filed by attorney David Goulding on behalf of the ousted priest the Rev. David Bollinger. The lawsuit names Bishop Skip Adams, the Diocese of Central NY and former comptroller Gael Sopchak as defendants. A letter did arrive last week stating that Fr. Bollinger's inhibition has been extended for another 90 days. This makes it over a year since Fr. Bollinger was permitted to function as a priest.

Multiple sources told VirtueOnline that the diocese has hired one of the most expensive law firms in Syracuse to handle the lawsuit. Ironically this was the same diocese that could not afford to continue the ministry of the Thornfield Conference Center and tore it down. "In the past two years, our impoverished diocese has paid $30,000 for a forensic audit, hired a public relations firm and now an expensive law firm. As our bishop tells us, a budget is a theological statement, and the forensic audit, PR firm and expensive law firm speak volumes about the bankrupt theology of the Diocese of Central NY," said the source.

From the DIOCESE OF TENNESSEE comes word that a fourth nominee has popped up on the radar screen to run for bishop. His name is the Rev. Dr. Winston Charles. He is graduate, Sewanee class of 1970 and holds a Ph.D. from New York General. His credentials look good on paper, but a source told VirtueOnline that he was nominated by petition from the more liberal elements in the diocese. He is rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Raleigh, the ultra-liberal DIOCESE OF NORTH CAROLINA.

NUMBERS, NUMBERS, NUMBERS. In the DIOCESE OF FLORIDA, the parish of St. John's in Tallahassee recently fled the diocese and its Bishop John Howard, but that didn't stop the bishop's Canon Kurt Dunkle from making the observation that although the rector and bulk of the vestry at St John's had left the diocese, only "35 percent of the congregation had followed. There were still 1,100 people" at St John's said Dunkle to The Living Church. Dunkle made the claim that the majority of the members of St. John's have decided to remain in the Diocese of Florida and the Episcopal Church USA.

Where did Dunkle get that figure? Certainly not based on Average Sunday Attendance (ASA) which is the only true barometer of a parish's health. "Membership" or "Baptized members" have fluctuated from 1,900 to 2,400 over the years, but the real attendance figures are between 500 and 800 and over 80 percent of them left with the rector. So Dunkle is spinning the numbers to make the diocese look good. One shrewd observer noted that Canon Dunkle was "counting ghosts" or gravestones perhaps?

"CHOOSE THIS DAY" a video everyone is talking about, that shows the abandonment of the Episcopal Church from its historic roots, from Scripture and ultimately from the worldwide Anglican Communion, is meeting resistance from the PEP boys, a group of revisionist Episcopalians in Pittsburgh.

Upset by what they see in this and another video "The Decision", Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh (PEP) are making available a handout intended to counter what they call "the anti–Episcopal-Church rhetoric of videos being distributed on DVD and on the World Wide Web."

The two videos, premiered at its "Hope and a Future" conference in Pittsburgh in November, are being promoted by the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes (NACDAP), and brilliantly highlight the theological, moral, historical and Scriptural dilemma and decline the ECUSA now faces.

Ticked off by these orthodox videos, the PEP boys have produced a two-page handout, "False Choices and Bad Decisions: Facts behind 'Choose This Day'." It's ironic when you think about it. For years the liberals, the so-called progressives, pansexualists and revisionists have had it all their own way. Now their ox is being gored by an orthodox remnant who dares to stand up to them and say that the ECUSA is filled with purple emperors who have no spiritual clothing.

You can purchase the "Choose this Day" video for $7.00 at this link http://anglicandecision.org/ Buy it and show your friends, church and anyone else interested in learning more about the real roots of our problems. You will find it very enlightening.

MID-SOUTH ANGLICANS UNITED IN COMMON CAUSE will hold a Conference on Mission and Ministry in May 2006. A steering committee of various Anglican entities in the Mid-South (Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee) announced plans for a conference targeting mid-America Anglicans. The conference, entitled "The Way Forward: Equipping the Saints," is scheduled for May 11-13, 2006, at First Evangelical Church, Memphis, and will focus on practical aspects of mission and ministry. The Rev. Canon Michael Green, internationally renowned author, preacher and evangelist, is the featured plenary speaker, and breakout sessions will address how to develop vital and effective ministries.

Common Cause Partners, chaired by Anglican Communion Network (ACN) Moderator Robert Duncan, was formed in June 2004, and membership currently includes leaders of the American Anglican Council (AAC), the Anglican Communion in Canada (ACiC), the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA), the Anglican Province of America (APA), the Anglican Essentials Federation in Canada, Forward in Faith North America (FiFNA), the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC), and the Reformed Episcopal Church (REC). These Common Cause Partners "stand united in commitment to Biblical faithfulness within a missionary movement during this defining moment in Anglicanism." For more information, go to www.anglicancommoncause.org.

From the DIOCESE OF CONNECTICUT comes this word. The Rev. Dr. Mark H. Hansen who got railroaded out of his church, St. John's, Bristol by the Bishop Andrew Smith, has been received and his orders recognized by Dom Robinson Cavalcanti, Bishop of the Diocese Anglicana de Recife in Brazil.

Writes Hansen: "To come under the oversight of a man of such learning, conviction, and courage, who understands and upholds classical Anglicanism in its spiritual and intellectual fullness, is truly a gift. I can only attribute this favorable outcome to divine grace and the power of prayer - your prayers - for which I cannot thank you enough."

Hansen says his future is still uncertain but adds, "I am mindful that we are all struggling together through these days of uncertainty and travail. We must remain confident that these are merely the birth pangs of a new Anglicanism, more faithful than ever to Christ the Alpha and the Omega."

ANGLICAN RELIEF & DEVELOPMENT FUND the outreach arm of the Anglican Communion Network, disbursed over $1.5 million in grants in its first year of operation for aid projects for Anglican brothers and sisters in many countries of the Global South. Here is where the money went too:

*34,500 people receiving medical care *13,000 people receiving clean water and sanitation improvements *39,400 people counseled concerning disaster trauma *13,000 people educated on improved sustainable farming techniques *32,600 people hearing the Gospel *8,500 people tested for HIV/AIDS and counseled

ARDF works through Geneva Global Inc., a professional services firm providing independent research and insight on more than 90 of the world's poorest countries. Geneva has developed a multinational staff of more than 100 professionals from 30 different countries and a trained network of more than 500 local field experts. This enables Geneva to identify and qualify little known, but highly effective, local projects in the world's hardest places.

Recently, ARDF provided over $40,000 in relief to the survivors of the recent earthquake in Pakistan, providing shelter to 800 individuals and three months' food supply to 1,600 people. Local relief workers receiving these funds are serving those most susceptible to illness and death in the wake of the Pakistani disaster. The local project implementer, Kevin Higgins of GLOBAL TEAMS, said, "We could not have done this without ARDF. God has given us great favor in the North of Pakistan, and we want to walk through this doorway of opportunity in a well planned and focused way."

ARDF has already approved 11 grants totaling more than $360,000 for funding in 2006. Grants will fund AIDS orphans in Zambia and Uganda, preventive health training in Ethiopia, Brazil, Burma and Ghana, and farming and small business training in Malawi and Malaysia.

Contributions may be sent to Anglican Communion Network, with ARDF in the memo line, 535 Smithfield Street, Suite 910, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For more information, contact Nancy Norton at nnorton@nauticom.net or 412-216-0277.

ECUSA PANSEXUALISTS TAKE NOTE. A particularly bad strain of chlamydia not usually seen in this country appears to be slowly spreading among gay and bisexual men, an infection that can increase their chances of getting or spreading the AIDS virus. Called LGV chlamydia, this sexually transmitted disease has caused a worrisome outbreak in Europe, where some countries have confirmed dozens of cases. Specialists say that's undoubtedly a fraction of the infections, because this illness is incredibly hard to diagnose: Few U.S. clinics and laboratories can test for it. Painful symptoms can be mistaken for other illnesses, such as irritable bowel syndrome. One wonders if the message of disease as it relates to homosexual behavior has or ever will sink into the revisionist heads of ECUSA's House of Bishops.

And to make ECUSA bishops and Integrity crowd really feel uncomfortable THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA (BSA) will have a booth in the exhibits area of ECUSA's General Convention (GC2006) in Columbus, OH in June. The BSA booth will be staffed by members of the National Episcopal Scouters Association (NESA). The Association promotes Scouting in the Episcopal Church, and encourages Episcopal youth to earn the God & Country award. ECUSA has passed resolutions condemning the Boy Scouts for not being inclusive. Who knows perhaps their booth will be right next door to Integrity!

On other positive news, the Diocese of Sydney, AUSTRALIA held its largest ordination in its history On February 4, 47 deacons were ordained for ministry in the diocese. The service was led by the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr. Peter Jensen, in St. Andrew's Anglican Cathedral, George Street, Sydney. Since Sydney is the largest Anglican diocese in Australia it is expected that this is also the largest ordination service ever held in Australia's Anglican Church. Writing in the Sydney diocesan newspaper Southern Cross, Jensen said, "I have to admit being overwhelmed with joy at the record number of deacons being ordained and the stipendiary lay workers as this year commences. They represent the increasing number of people who are sacrificing to be trained to go into ministry." As part of the strategy for achieving that goal, the Diocese is aiming to deploy 1,000 full-time and 10,000 part-time pastoral workers, both ordained and laypeople, over the next decade.

REFORM IRELAND, the orthodox wing of Irish Anglicanism is none too hopeful about the future for Anglicanism in their country. "Looking at the year ahead we can see only more strife and division within the Anglican Church worldwide and within the Church of Ireland in particular. Towards the end of 2005 it appeared that a more concerted and co-coordinated effort was being made by the 'liberal-catholic' establishment of the Church of Ireland to promote the revisionist agenda witnessed elsewhere in the Anglican Communion, especially in ECUSA.

The Government of NIGERIA has plans to outlaw same-sex marriage. Nigerians who may want to ape nationals of other lands by engaging in same-sex marriages may never have their dream realized in the country. The reason: The Federal Executive Council (FEC) gave approval for a bill, which bans same-sex marriages in the country. The bill, to be forwarded to the National Assembly, provides for a prison term of five years with no option of fine for anyone involved in such relationship. The evangelical PROVINCE OF NIGERIA is right in sync with its government. The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo, told journalists that same-sex relationships and marriages are un-African and an erosion of the culture of the people.

ARCHBISHOP CHEW INSTALLED IN SOUTHEAST ASIA. To resounding cheers and shouts of joy, the Province of Southeast Asia celebrated the installation of her Third Archbishop, the Most Rev. John Chew, Bishop of Singapore.

The 2-hour long installation ceremony held at St Andrew's Cathedral, right in the heart of the city of Singapore, saw 1600 guests in attendance including Primates, Bishops and senior church leaders from around the world. There were three key Chinese leaders; Mr. Ye Xiaowen, Director General, State Administration for Religious Affairs, Presbyter Ji Jianhong, Chairman of the Three Self Patriotic Movement of Protestant Churches of China and Revd Cao Shengjie, President of the China Christian Council. "This is a testimony to the deep friendship that John Chew has developed with them and his desire to help the emerging Church contribute to nation-building in China. His good relationship with politicians and church leaders in China has been cultivated through the years."

The Bishop of Lichfield, the Rt Revd Jonathan Gledhill, the Archbishop of Canterbury's representative had this to say, "There are lots of healthy signs of community despite the differences. The Dioceses of Singapore and Malaysia are wonderful examples of how different ethnicities and religions can come together and the Anglo-Saxon world can learn so much from them."

But some questions remain unanswered however. Will he be as pro-active an archbishop as his two predecessors Dr. Moses Tay and Archbishop Yong Ping Chung were in the formation of the Anglican Mission in America and fighting apostasy in the American Episcopal Church? Why were not AMIA Bishops John Rodgers and Chuck Murphy not at his consecration? While Dr. Chew is very evangelical and orthodox he is a team player, say sources and while he won't side with the revisionists he won't rock the Anglican Communion boat as a Primate either. The Diocese of Singapore has not grown as significantly under his leadership in comparison with other Asian dioceses like Kuching, Sabah, Singapore and West Malaysia, say sources. What will his relationship be like with Rwandan archbishop Emmanuel Kolini? We shall know more in time.

IN THE OVERHEATED CULTURE WARS the evangelical Christian Union at Britain's Birmingham University is considering legal action to counter its suspension by the Guild of Students because the association was deemed not inclusive enough by not stating it would admit people who are homosexual, bisexual or transgendered. The Birmingham University Christian Union said it has instructed attorneys to consider court action after the Guild of Students imposed the suspension and froze its assets when the Christian group refused on religious grounds to make changes to its constitution. Your scribe was a member of what was then known as the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship eons ago, where it would have been unthinkable to include (without repentance and faith) a group of people who wanted to live a lifestyle contrary to the gospel. My how things have changed.

ABDULLAH AND THE CARTOONS. An interview Bat Ye'or gave in 1993 is remarkably prescient in the current context of Islamic outrage over Danish cartoons mocking Muhammad. None of the talking heads, academic "pundits" etc. around today have even caught up to her insights from 1993/94, let alone her brilliant synthetic work on Eurabia, now being updated for the French edition. Here is a sample:

"I think the movement of Islamic radicalism will eventually sweep away the present Muslim governments and will win the allegiance of the Muslim masses in Europe, despite the very great courage of those Muslims opposing it...I do not see serious signs of a Europeanization of Islam anywhere, a move that would be expressed in a relativization of religion, a self-critical view of the history of Islamic imperialism, an acceptance of the principle of equality between Muslims and non-Muslims, a retroactive recognition of the rights of the peoples decimated and degraded by the system of dhimmitude, and an attitude of great moral humility -- a necessary stage on the path toward reconciliation between peoples: we are light years away from such a development. On the contrary, I think we are participating in the Islamization of Europe, reflected both in daily occurrences and in our way of thinking."

VirtueOnline takes the position that the radical Islamic outrage over the cartoons by fringe Islamic elements is at the very least hypocritical and at worst a danger to Western Civilization. Columnist Daniel Pipes writes: "The key issue at stake in the battle over the twelve Danish cartoons of the Muslim prophet Muhammad is this: Will the West stand up for its customs and mores, including freedom of speech, or will Muslims impose their way of life on the West? Ultimately, there is no compromise: Westerners will either retain their civilization, including the right to insult and blaspheme, or not."

Today's lead story reflects on fear that ECUSA's orthodox bishops have for any change in the direction of the Episcopal Church for reform and the fear that General Convention will allow the ECUSA to continue on its present course.

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