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PENNSYLVANIA: Four Primates Reject Bennison at ARD Fundraiser

FOUR PRIMATES REJECT BENNISON AT FUNDRAISER
FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

By David W. Virtue

GULPH MILLS, PA (12/5/2004)--Four Global South orthodox Primates refused to meet with revisionist Pennsylvania Bishop Charles E. Bennison in what was described as an "awkward moment" at a fund-raising benefit on Saturday night, a portent, said one primate, of what can be expected when all the Primates meet in February in Ireland.

The four primates were: Peter Akinola (Nigeria); Henry Luke Orombi (Uganda); Yong Ping Chung (Southeast Asia); David Gitari (Kenya ret.) and Archdeacon James Palacious representing Drexel Gomez (West Indies).

From left to right: Yong Ping Chung (Southeast Asia), Henry Luke Orombi (Uganda), Simon Barnes (ARD V-P), Rev. Gregory Brewer (rector, Church of the Good Samaritan), Peter Akinola (Nigeria), James Palacious (West Indies).

The event was to officially kickoff the Anglican Relief and Development (ARD) fund a new agency formed to channel giving from Anglican donors in the U.S. to Anglican churches in the economically poorer countries of the Anglican Communion. The fund was set up to provide an objective vehicle and alternative way to give money to impoverished provinces without going through the Episcopal Church whose money has been rejected by Global South bishops because of the American church's stand on homosexual behavior, or comes with strings attached.

The Rev. Gregory O. Brewer, rector of Church of the Good Samaritan had invited Bennison but the Primates uninvited him. The event turned into a major diplomatic snafu when the Pennsylvania bishop showed up, forcing the primates to retreat to another room telling their hosts that they were in "broken communion" with Bennison and would not shake his hand nor break bread with him, symbols of hospitality that have a deeper meaning in an African and Asian cultural context.

A guard was placed at the door of their room and invitees to the $150.00 a person event filed in a dozen at a time to speak with the visiting archbishops.

It was a rejection of the first order. Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan, President of ARD and leader of the Anglican Communion Network told the gathering that the bishops would meet at the Church of the Good Samaritan, the largest evangelical Episcopal parish on the East Coast, but because the four primates were in broken communion with the Bishop of Pennsylvania they could not be in the same room with him and had chosen to stay out of the main room of the club. "The program we had hoped for we are unable to go on with," he told the crowd.

"The reality of the decision by the American church has shattered and it has threatened classic Christianity and the faith once delivered to the saints," said Duncan.

"The Global South will not trust us to do the work around the world; the heart of the Anglican Church is now in Africa. These bishops are unable to accept money from the Episcopal Church because of the political use of the money. We need to do the gospel around the world."

Duncan said that because of the arrogance of the Episcopal Church that grants it makes are "torn". We lament that, but that is where we are."

The bishop said that over $460,000 had been approved for funding by ARD for 13 projects in nine nations ranging from HIV/AIDS work to economic development, feeding the poor and education. "The first project will go to the Dalits in India to provide economic livelihood," he said.

Bishop Bennison responded to the rejection by saying that he had been invited to the event by Brewer, and said he came to show support and his understanding of the church's meaning of "comprehensiveness". He failed to mention that he had been uninvited by the four Primates who made it clear they would not meet with him if he came.

Bennison said he had written to the primates welcoming them to the diocese and had granted permission for them to function liturgically and sacramentally, and therefore "I saw themselves in communion with me." But only one Primate, Yong Ping Chung of Southeast Asia had received that letter, VirtueOnline learned.

Addressing the issue of "broken communion," Bennison reiterated his claim that "schism is worse than heresy, and the worst heresy is to break communion with one another." He eschewed what he called "deviant labeling."

Duncan responded saying, "We are in an awkward time in the history of the Episcopal Church. It is heartbreaking. I am a cradle Episcopalian."

Duncan then asked Bennison to go. "I respectfully ask you to leave," he told the bishop. "You have dominated this event for over two hours." Bennison stayed to the very end.

At the end of the evening retired Kenyan archbishop David Gitari emerged from the back room and spoke briefly with Bennison and expressed his displeasure at the bishop's continued stay.

Despite the fact that the entire gathering did not want Bennison there, he chose to remain, totally oblivious to the fact of that pain he was causing and the selfish actions he took that caused pain and extreme embarrassment to all those present including a number of his own clergy. One of the clergy expressed disgust at Bennison's behavior and told him so. He said he was ashamed of him as his bishop and for the way he behaved.

Most of the Global South regard Bennison as a pariah and they have not forgotten his slur that he likened the growth of the Church in Africa to the growth of the Nazi Party.

ON SUNDAY, the four primates processed into the evangelical Church of the Good Samaritan in Paoli, where some 800 were gathered for multiple services but they did not preach or celebrate at the 9.0am service. Each archbishop gave a brief testimony and spoke of his work and ministry. They brought greetings from their provinces. Between Archbishops Akinola and Orombi the two men represent almost over a third of the Anglican Communion with nearly 28 million practicing Anglicans.

They did this, said a clerical source, because they did not want to be beholden to Bennison nor did they want to acknowledge or recognize his authority, but only to recognize the Church of the Good Samaritan. They also did not want to give any canonical reasons for Bennison to go after Brewer. The rector celebrated alone assisted by his own clergy.

END

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