Archives

The Rev. Dr. Ronald Moore Southern Anglican Substack Jan 26, 2026 One of the most difficult tasks entrusted to the Church is not preaching mercy, nor proclaiming hope, nor comforting the afflicted. It is the duty to judge. Not to condemn — for condemnation belongs to God alone — but to discern truth from error, faith from distortion, obedience from rebellion. Without this capacity, the Church ceases to be a teacher and becomes merely a commentator. She may still inspire, still console, still encourage — but she no longer governs, and therefore no longer guards. In every age, the Church has been forced to name falsehood when it clothed itself in Christian language. Sometimes that falsehood appeared as doctrinal deviation, sometimes as moral corruption, sometimes as political idolatry. In each case, judgment was not an act of pride but of fidelity: a refusal to allow Christ to be remade in the image of the age. Recently, strong language has again been used to describe the sacralization of war and nationalism — rightly so. When rulers invoke God to bless conquest, when soldiers are told they die as martyrs for the nation, when the Kingdom of Christ is confused with the ambitions of the state, the Church must speak. Such theology is not merely mistaken; it is a perversion of the Gospel. And yet beneath the louder controversy lies a quieter, more unsettling question. Not simply what is heresy. But who may rightly name it. For “heresy” is not a casual word. It is not a rhetorical flourish. It is the gravest judgment the Church can pronounce short of separation from communion. To name heresy is to claim not only theological clarity, but moral authority and pastoral credibility. And here the modern Church stands on uncertain ground. Judgment Begins at Home Scripture is unambiguous: “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:17). The right to correct the world is never granted to a Church that has refused to correct herself. From the beginning, the Fathers understood that discipline within the Church was not optional but essential to her witness. Cyprian of Carthage, writing in the third century amid schism and persecution, insisted that unity and discipline were the very marks of the true Church. “He cannot have God for his Father,” he famously wrote, “who has not the Church for his mother.” But this mother, Cyprian knew, must also correct her children. Augustine, confronting both Donatists and imperial pressure, warned that judgment exercised without integrity collapses into hypocrisy. “The Church,” he wrote, “is a threshing floor,” in which wheat and chaff remain mixed — but this did not absolve the bishops of their duty to separate truth from error when doctrine itself was threatened. And Chrysostom, whose pastoral courage cost him exile and ultimately his life, warned his fellow bishops that authority without discipline invites divine judgment: “The road to hell is paved with the skulls of erring pastors,” not because they taught falsely, but because they refused to correct when correction was demanded. The Fathers did not imagine a Church that preserved unity by silence. They imagined a Church that preserved unity by truth. The Modern Collapse of Discipline Over the last generation, much of Western Christianity — and Anglicanism in particular — has steadily abandoned the practice of doctrinal and moral discipline. Errors long recognized by the Church catholic have been tolerated, then normalized, then institutionalized. Episcopal authority has been exercised selectively, cautiously, or not at all. Unity has been preserved not by confession but by avoidance. Questions once settled by Scripture and tradition have been reopened not through councils but through committees. Moral teaching has been reclassified as pastoral preference. Public defiance has been met not with correction but with dialogue. The very word “discipline” has come to sound uncharitable. The result is not mercy. It is confusion. And confusion, left ungoverned, becomes fracture. More damaging still is the quiet erosion of credibility. When bishops decline to correct open rebellion within their own communion, when synods hesitate to define the faith they profess, when shepherds fear the flock more than they fear God, the Church forfeits something essential: the moral standing to judge error elsewhere. This does not mean that later judgments become false. It means they become weaker. The charge may be accurate, yet its authority diminished. The Political Temptation of Heresy Language There is a further danger in our present moment. When heresy is named primarily in geopolitical contexts — when it appears most readily against foreign powers, hostile regimes, or ideological enemies — theological language subtly becomes political language. The Church begins to condemn most vigorously not the errors that fracture her own body, but the errors that align with external conflicts. In such a climate, “heresy” risks becoming not a doctrinal category but a strategic one. This, too, is not new. In every age, the Church has been tempted to tolerate corruption at home while denouncing error abroad. Augustine warned repeatedly that the credibility of the Church’s witness depends not upon rhetorical force, but upon visible fidelity. “Remove justice,” he wrote, “and what are kingdoms but great robber bands?” The same logic applies to the Church: remove discipline, and what are judgments but empty words? When heresy is named most confidently against political enemies but rarely against ecclesial rebellion, the world quickly learns that theology has become selective. And selective judgment soon ceases to persuade. Authority Is Not Office Alone True ecclesial judgment rests on three pillars. First, doctrinal clarity. The Church must know what she teaches, and why. Her judgments must arise from Scripture rightly interpreted within the tradition, not from sentiment or pressure. Second, moral integrity. Those who judge must themselves live under judgment. Gregory the Great warned that the bishop who corrects others without correcting himself “builds with one hand and tears down with the other.” Third, pastoral courage. The Church must be willing to correct even when correction is costly — when it threatens unity, reputation, or institutional survival. Athanasius did not preserve the faith by diplomacy. He preserved it by endurance. Where any of these fail, judgment becomes fragile. This is why the language of heresy was always used sparingly in the tradition. The Church did not scatter it in interviews or deploy it casually in controversies. She reserved it for councils, confessions, and solemn acts of discipline. It was not a weapon of persuasion. It was a final remedy when teaching itself endangered salvation. The Deeper Crisis The present controversy reveals a deeper crisis than nationalism in the East or decadence in the West. It reveals a Church uncertain of her own authority. We live in an age in which bishops hesitate to judge their own clergy, synods hesitate to correct their own provinces, and communions hesitate to define their own faith — and yet expect to speak with clarity to the nations. This inversion cannot endure. Either the Church recovers the discipline to govern herself, or she will slowly lose the right to govern anything at all. For the authority to judge the world is not granted by office alone. It is granted by obedience. The Fathers understood this instinctively. Councils spoke with authority not because they were clever, but because they were faithful. Their judgments carried weight because they themselves bore discipline. Their anathemas were feared because their bishops were holy. When discipline vanishes, judgment becomes noise. A Final Word The use of faith to sanctify violence is indeed a blasphemy. The confusion of nation and Kingdom is indeed a grave error. The distortion of martyrdom into nationalism is indeed a perversion of Christ. These things must be named. But the Church must also remember: The sharpness of her judgments will never compensate for the silence of her discipline. If we wish to speak credibly against heresy in the world, we must first recover the courage to confront it in the Church. Only then will our words carry the weight they deserve.

By Chuck Colson May 17, 2004 Today marks the beginning of legal same-sex "marriages" in America. It begins in Massachusetts: the result of the state Supreme Court's ruling in the Goodridge case which said, "barring an individual from the protections, benefits, and obligations of civil marriage solely because that person would marry a person of the same sex violates the Massachusetts Constitution." Once again, courts are out of control. What is happening in Massachusetts today threatens to redefine and, ultimately, permanently damage our society's most basic institution. That being so, you would expect a huge public outcry. Unfortunately and surprisingly, that isn't happening. Congress is seeing little evidence of public outrage--not enough calls and letters to force them to act. It amazes me since it's clear that the impact of same-sex "marriage" won't be limited to same-sex couples. Stanley Kurtz of the Hoover Institution has written that widespread acceptance of same-sex "marriage" will widen the already existing gap between parenthood and marriage and continue to break down the family. Countries, like Norway, that adopted same-sex "marriage" saw their rates of cohabitation and out-of-wedlock births shoot up. There's no reason to suppose that won't happen here. Given what's at stake, I believe that Christians need to make stopping the spread of same-sex "marriage" their number-one cultural priority. And we have got to let Capitol Hill know that we support the Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA). The FMA provides that "marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman." It also provides that nothing in the United States or any state constitution shall be construed to require states to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Legal scholars tell us that this is the only way to keep other courts from following the Massachusetts Court's lead. While activist judges can interpret statutes the way they want to, they cannot ignore straightforward language like the FMA. This is the one way we rein in activists judges and force them to conform to the will of the people. But the time to act is now, during an election year. The entire House and one-third of the Senate are up for re-election in November. These members know that a vote against FMA can be politically damaging. So we have to push for a vote this year, not next year when the political consequences will be less grave. There's another reason to act now. The more marriage licenses granted to same-sex couples in Massachusetts, the more people get used to the idea of same-sex "marriage." We begin to lose our outrage; we begin to lose our sense of perspective. If we are going to preserve traditional marriage, we must act quickly. The Senate has announced a vote on FMA for June. House leaders have promised action this summer. Call us here at BreakPoint please (1-877-322-5527) so we can send you the materials that will help you argue this case and tell you how to contact your public officials. At the time of our founding, Massachusetts played a critical role in defining American liberty. But no longer do we want to follow Massachusetts, not now as it is leading us into family anarchy. FOR FURTHER READING AND INFORMATION: Maggie Gallagher, "Traditional Marriage Will Always Prevail," Townhall.com, 11 May 2004. Read more responses and opinions at www.townhall.com. Kyle Cheney, "Court divided on incest," Daily Free Press (Boston University), 24 March 2004. Free registration required. Fred Bayles, "Mass. preparing for a rush of gay weddings," USA Today, 12 May 2004. Fred Bayles, "Mass. to allow gay marriage Monday," USA Today, 17 May 2004. Pam Belluck, "Gays Elsewhere Eye Marriage Massachusetts Style," New York Times, 14 May 2004. Free registration required. Stanley Kurtz, "The End of Marriage in Scandinavia," Weekly Standard, 2 February 2004. See also this article responding to critics. Chuck Colson, et al., "Colson to NY Times: Gay Marriage Has Never Been a Constitutional Right," BreakPoint Online, 25 February 2004. Fr. Hans Jacobse, "Having It Both Ways," BreakPoint Online, 13 May 2004. BreakPoint Commentary No. 040413, "Is Anybody Listening?" See BreakPoint's sanctity of marriage resource page.

By Elizabeth Day THE TELEGRAPH 5/16/2004 A parish disgruntled by the appointment of Canon Jeffrey John as the Dean of St Alban's will divert thousands of pounds it normally sends to central Church funds to a Christian charity that seeks to "cure" homosexuals. Holy Trinity Church in Barnet, north London, will give £5,500 a year to the True Freedom Trust, which offers therapy to encourage sexual "transformation". The parish and parochial council announced that they were withholding their £33,600 annual quota - a voluntary "tax" paid by parishes to central diocesan funds - in protest at the appointment of Dr John, a homosexual. Instead, most of the money will remain with the parish, with £5,500 a year going to True Freedom. The charity was founded in 1977 by Canon L Roy Barker, a Church of England cleric, and Martin Hallett, a Christian homosexual who renounced his "promiscuous way of life" after becoming "convinced, through scripture, that homosexual sex was wrong". It has about 1,200 supporters and offers 13 support groups for homosexuals and lesbians across Britain. The trust, based in Liverpool, also offers support for families, counselling, speakers and motivational literature. Its website states: "Our understanding of the Bible teaching is that although many people may be aware of homosexual or lesbian feelings, homosexual genital conduct falls short of God's plan for His creation." The trust belongs to the UK Association of Christian Counsellors and is a founding member of Exodus International Europe, an international ministry that proclaims "change is possible for the homosexual through the transforming power of Christ". Martin Daly, the trust's assistant director, refused to comment on the donation, insisting that the organisation had yet to decide whether to accept the money. The Rev Charles Dobbie, the vicar of Holy Trinity, said that his congregation's decision to withdraw the quota and donate funds to True Freedom had been unanimous. "I told the diocese that we would be doing this with great regret in protest at the precipitate and divisive appointment of Jeffrey John," he said. "We are donating the money to the True Freedom Trust, a Christian ministry to practising homosexuals, because we love practising homosexuals and we want them to hear the truth from the trust, not falsehood. "As a small parish church, we are drawing a line in the sand and encouraging the wider world to care about the authority of the Bible and the love of God. We don't see why a revisionist minority should redirect our belief and we hope that other churches will follow suit." The reorientation of homosexuals has been a controversial issue within the Church. Last November, the Rt Rev Peter Foster, the Bishop of Chester, said that homosexuals should seek psychiatric treatment to help them. In 2001, the Courage Trust, a charity founded in 1990 to "heal" homosexuals, declared its mission to have been wrong, saying that such relationships were "God-given". The True Freedom Trust is now the only such organisation working within the Church. Dr John, 53, was originally appointed Bishop of Reading last July, despite revealing that he was in a long-term homosexual relationship that he says is celibate. He was forced to stand down after an outcry from the evangelical arm of the Anglican Communion, but was appointed the Dean of St Alban's cathedral last month. The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement condemned Holy Trinity's actions. "I would like to see the True Freedom Trust refuse the money saying that they do not wish to benefit financially at the expense of the wider Church," said the Rev Richard Kirker, the movement's general secretary. "I can think of nothing meaner-spirited, more spiteful and vicious than trying to penalise the diocese for welcoming a distinguished churchman as dean. "The True Freedom Trust is a deplorable organisation that only helps compound the sense of guilt and lack of self-worth that many gay people find themselves experiencing because of all the negative attitudes that churches of Rev Dobbie's persuasion inculcate them with. "The trust would be far more close to the spirit of the Christian gospel if it were to recognise the existence of gay people and affirm same-sex relationships in a positive and holy way." The Rt Rev Christopher Herbert, the Bishop of St Alban's, called Rev Dobbie's protest "misdirected". He said: "The withholding of such funds can only place more pressure on other churches, which continue to work hard to raise the requested payment for the good of the whole."

ECUSA has three months or face the music 5/17/2004 A collective of 18 Primates from the Global South, representing over 55 million Anglicans, have issued the following statement, calling on the leadership of ECUSA to repent within 3 months. STATEMENT OF THE GLOBAL SOUTH PRIMATES: By the special grace of our God, we, the Primates of the Global South of the Anglican Communion representing 18 Provinces with a membership of over 55 million, have met together in Nairobi on 15 & 16 April 2004 under the Chairmanship of the Most Revd Dr Peter Akinola, the Primate of all Nigeria. We begin our gathering around the Lord's Table celebrated by the Primate of Kenya, the Most Revd Benjamin Nzimbi, and the homily delivered by the Most Revd Drexel Gomez, the Primate of West Indies and Bahamas. Through it, we experience, with deep gratitude, Christian fellowship with one another because of our unity in our risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. As we meet, being acutely conscious of the current critical challenges we face as a Communion, we reaffirm our unswerving commitment to the historic and apostolic Christian Faith as revealed in the Holy Scriptures "once delivered to the saints" (Jude v.3), proclaimed and practised by the Anglican Communion over the centuries. It is our heartfelt desire to see the Anglican Communion move faithfully forward in true unity under the supreme authority of the Word of God. In this, we express our deep appreciation and prayerful support of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Dr Rowan Williams, in his unique leadership role amongst us. Affirming the Resolution I.10 of Lambeth 1998, and the unanimously agreed Primates' Statement of 16th October 2003 which the Presiding Bishop of the ECUSA himself consented to, and the Global South Primates' Statement of 2nd Nov 2003, we reiterate unreservedly our unequivocal opposition to the unilateral decision of ECUSA to proceed with the consecration of a divorced and practising homosexual priest as Bishop. This deliberate disobedience of the revealed will of God in the Holy Scriptures is a flagrant departure from the consensual and clearly communicated mind and will of the Anglican Communion. By this, ECUSA has wilfully torn "the fabric of the communion at its deepest level", and as a consequence openly cut themselves adrift and broken the sacramental fellowship of the Communion. We commit ourselves to ongoing prayer for the work of the Lambeth Commission recently appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and respectfully submit the following for their consideration: The Commission should include in its Report a specific call to ECUSA to repent; revoking and rescinding their decision and action regarding the election and consecration of Gene Robinson as a Bishop in the Church of God. Should ECUSA fail to comply within three months, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates should then take appropriate disciplinary action, which should include the suspension and ultimate expulsion of ECUSA from fellowship and membership of the Anglican Communion. Recognition and full Episcopal and pastoral oversight should be given by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates to those dioceses, parishes and laity within ECUSA who continue to uphold the historic faith and order of the Anglican Communion. Similar measures should be applied to the Bishop and Synod of the Diocese of New Westminster, Canada for their unilateral approval and implementation of rites for the blessing of same sex union. We also request the Commission to give urgent consideration to the renewal of mutual accountability and the harmonization of constitutions and canons of the various Provinces in the Communion. As Primates of the Global South, we are of one mind that these measures are essential to preserve our Communion in true union and to avoid the tragic realignment which would otherwise be inevitable. The ACC, upon the recommendation of the Brisbane 1986 Missions Conference, organised a gathering of the non-Western parts of the Communion for mutual consultation on their distinctive contextual mission challenges. The 1st South-South Encounter was held in Limuru, Kenya in 1994. The 2nd South-South Encounter in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1997, produced the important "Kuala Lumpur Statement on Human Sexuality" which was significantly fed into the 1998 Lambeth Conference resulting in no small way the historic and overwhelming approval of Resolution I.10. Other subsequent gatherings and initiatives took place in more recent years. At this juncture of critical challenges faced by the Communion for its integrity, credibility and acceptability both within and before other churches, faiths and an increasingly secularised and divided world, we resolve that our fellowship and unity be further consolidated and mutually strengthened for even more concerted efforts in our common faith, witness and mission of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, notwithstanding our diverse social, cultural, religious, economic and political contexts. We challenge ourselves to spiritual renewal and transformation in stewardship and development of resources, both human and financial, through biblical discipleship and mutual care and sharing! Thus, we further intend to gather in a 3rd South-South Encounter in Egypt under the theme of the "One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church". As we have experienced deep Christian fellowship and unity in the faith and mandate of our shared mission throughout the two days of our gathering, we are eager to share with you our wonder and joy in the amazing grace of God in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit. By the mercies of God, we urge all His faithful people in our historic and worldwide Anglican Communion, especially those in difficult situations for the sake of the Gospel, to be encouraged and to remain steadfast in "faith, hope and love". "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart". (Heb 12.1-3). Most Revd Peter J. Akinola, DD, CON for and on behalf of the Global South Primates

Special Report By David W. Virtue PROVIDENCE, RI (5/15/2004) — Concerned orthodox Episcopalians of Rhode Island (CERI) have formed a chapter of the American Anglican Council to combat the growing revisionism in that diocese and to continue the work of the Great Commission. "We formed in response to the actions of General Convention and subsequent measures of ECUSA," said Leah Turner, president of CERI. "We are determined not to be driven from the church we call home, nor to be in impaired communion with the Worldwide Anglican Communion. Our 'plan' is both simple and far reaching. We are going to continue the work of the Great Commission, and in fulfilling this we will strengthen the orthodox churches in our diocese and our voice in the church." Turner said she and her fellow orthodox believers were in the final stages of completing the affiliation procedure with Andrew Pearson, the AAC national coordinator. A statewide conference on April 24th drew more than 125 people from 21 of the 63 parishes in the diocese. "We were overjoyed when this number of people showed up. It shows we have more strength than we thought, and we want to show the revisionist priests in our diocese that we are a voice to be reckoned with. We will no longer be silent." Turner said that Rhode Island Bishop Geralyn Wolf has treated her and the arrival of the AAC well, and has said she wants to be a model of how the AAC can work together with the diocese. Turner said the recent conference had a two fold purpose, said Turner. "The first was to inform people of what has been happening both in ECUSA and the worldwide Anglican Communion, and secondly to invite them to join with us in standing up for the Gospel. The theme for our meeting was based on Rom 1:16a "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ…" Turner said CERI will offer a monthly teaching series called The Institute of Anglican Studies where people can come and hear rotating speakers teach on Biblical topics grounded in orthodox Anglican understanding. The first teaching was held at the Church of Sts. Andrew and Phillip in Coventry, RI where Fr. Mark Galloway taught on Justification by Faith. "What we are most excited about is the concept of Home Ministry Groups. We have developed a training course to teach lay men and women how to lead these groups with Bible Study, Spiritual Direction, and Lay Counseling. They will be members of an orthodox parish, thus giving the rector the right to visit no matter the physical location or Diocesan boundary." "This will allow us to spread the ministry of the church into places where people live, establish an orthodox presence throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Eventually it will replace the traditional parish model with a 'Parish Without Walls'. This plan allows us to live out our calling as Christians based on sound Church Growth Principles, while strengthening the orthodox presence wherever there are parishioners of that Church." Turner said the Ministry Group leaders would be under the oversight of their rector, herself and Ken Burrill, President of AAC Massachusetts. "Together they will train and coordinate the formation of these groups. Once they are established, we will post them on every AAC related website so that people who are searching for a new model of ministry can find a group to be a part of, learn and fellowship with them, and live lives of accountability and holiness." Turner said that a third phase of the plan is still being worked on and involves the recognition of a Lay order called The Lesser Franciscans. Turner said she had received support from an orthodox ECUSA Bishop who will either consent to be our protector or will help us to find one who can. "We are waiting for his response," she told Virtuosity. The Lesser Franciscans have a simple purpose. "We want to study the life and teachings of St. Francis, live a common rule of life, and fulfill our mission statement. We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way." "It seems a desperately needed mission for our church today. The Lesser Franciscans will be affiliated with the AAC as soon as all the legal aspects have been finalized. All the Home Ministry Group leaders have been asked to join. The combination of the two phases gives people immediate access to an orthodox rector, because they are members of his church and to an orthodox Bishop if they are members of The Lesser Franciscans." "This will allow us to move forward, strengthen our voice and numbers, and in the end will work regardless of the end result of the realignment now underway in the ECUSA. It is putting power in the hands of the laity to help chart the course of our church, to remain faithful to our understanding of the Gospel, and to support and protect our priests who have been so faithful to us." Ms. Turner is a business consultant and a cradle Episcopalian born and raised in Rhode Island. NOTE: If you are not receiving this from VIRTUOSITY, the Anglican Communion's largest biblically orthodox Episcopal/Anglican Online News Service, then you may subscribe FREE by going to: www.virtuosityonline.org. Virtuosity's website has been accessed by more than 1.6 million readers in 45 countries on six continents. This story is copyrighted but may be forwarded electronically with reference to VIRTUOSITY and the author. No changes are permitted in the text.

By Robert England May 16, 2004 BALTIMORE, MARYLAND — The Church is under attack around the world and from within because it has abandoned its role of leadership by weakening the faith and yielding to the pressures of the age. That's the message preached Saturday morning by the Right Rev. Ewen Ratteray, Bishop of Bermuda, at a day-long Festival of Faith titled "Jesus: True God and Only Savior" held here at Mount Calvary Church. Bishop Ratteray chastised the Church in the West for its "utterly confusing and conflicting messages that are being sent out with regard to sexual morality," including homosexuality. "For our disunity, our seeming lack of cohesion on doctrinal matters and in others areas is seen as a sign of considerable weakness and a reason to pay us little or no attention," the bishop told the congregation. Bishop Ratteray told the gathering that instead of the world telling the Church to accept its moral standards, the Church should be bearing witness to the Gospel, calling the world to repentance, and defending its own time-honed doctrines and morality. "We do have a Gospel to proclaim, and that Good News is centered on the fact that Christ is Risen and that He is Lord and King. This was essence of the preaching of the Apostolic Church, and who are we to change that?" the bishop asked. Bishop Ratteray contrasted the timidity, misdirection and backwardness of today's Church leaders with the leaders of the Apostolic Church. "[W]ithout the enthusiasm, the dedication and fierce faith of the Apostles, the Church would not exist!" he said. "The Church in our day needs the same level of courage, determination, enthusiasm and faithfulness that drove the Apostolic Church and caused her to spread so widely and rapidly in the early years," Bishop Ratteray said. "The spread of the Church in her early years was largely due to the conviction of the disciples that Christ had been raised from the dead. Had there not been that firm belief there would not have been a Church," Bishop Ratteray said. "Only because of this were they able not only to travel widely preaching and teaching, but also were willing to put their lives at risk in the process. That could not have happened on the basis of some myth or spurious belief. But they were driven by a sure and certain experience of the Risen Christ. For they were witnesses of that fact," the bishop told the gathering. Bishop Ratteray noted that a passion for the Gospel has spread rapidly in Africa and enabled the Church there to "be a bright and burning light in a world that is so full of darkness and misery in these days." Bishop Ratteray said the Church was under assault from within by those who had abandoned the doctrines and moral standards of the faith. "The creedal statements of the Church are no longer held in the esteem of old. To say nothing of disrespect for the Sacraments of the Church." The Bishop of Bermuda faulted the movement among Anglicans in Australia to allow lay people to celebrate the Holy Eucharist as an example of the Church drifting away from its moorings. More than 100 participants, most from Baltimore and its surrounding cities and towns, attended the festival. Mount Calvary was one of the first parishes in North American to realize the devotion of the second Oxford Movement in the late 19th century. Mount Calvary was also reportedly the first Anglican parish in North America to celebrate the mass daily. The parish has remained faithful to its Anglo-Catholic calling and heritage under its present rector, Fr. John Klein, SSC, and assistant priest, Fr. Charles McClean, SSC. The festival was attended by members of Mount Calvary, as well as Grace and St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Baltimore and other parishes in the Maryland diocese. There were also representatives from St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Bladensburg, Md., the Church of Ascension & St. Agnes in Washington, D.C., St. Paul's Episcopal Church on K Street in Washington, D.C., and Christ Church in Willliamsport, Pa., among others. Following the mass, the participants heard a lecture on the liturgy and theology of baptism from Fr. John D. Alexander, rector of St. Stephen's Church in Providence, R.I. and a testimonial by Sister Mary Charles of All Saints Convent in Catonsville, Maryland. In the afternoon, there were workshops followed by the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. The music of the mass was Missa Tertia by Hans Leo Hasler. The mass was sung by the choir, congregation and celebrant. The service began with an elaborate procession from the sanctuary through the congregation. Most of the congregants joined in the procession, which is the practice at the parish. Mount Calvary relies on Rite One from the 1979 prayer book with additions from the traditional Anglican service book. The Bishop of Bermuda was resplendent in a 19th century white damask and crimson velvet cope emblazoned with the initials of the sacred name (IHS) in gold thread. The bishop's stole was a beautiful example of pre-Raphaelite ecclesial needlework. Fr. Arthur Wooley, SSC, former rector of St. Luke's, Bladensburg, and Fr. McClean, SSC, acted as bishop's chaplains, both in white copes. Fr. Michael Heidt, rector of St. Luke's, Bladensburg, also processed. Fr. Klein acted as celebrant. The procession stopped for a prayer at the Marian shrine to the right of the sanctuary before resuming. Mount Calvary is a cathedral-style Gothic church that was built in stages. It lost its steeple in a hurricane nearly a century ago and it has not been rebuilt. The church is graced with handsome classical 19th century stained glass windows on the walls on either side of the pews. The sanctuary features a marble and mosaic tile raredos with twin angels and a central marble and onyx tabernacle. There is a hanging Rood (Christ on the Cross observed by the Virgin Mary and the Beloved Apostle John) suspended from the sanctuary arch, behind which hang seven sanctuary lamps. The altar was aglow with candles. A relic of St. Edward was placed for adoration at the epistle side (right side) of the tabernacle. Reflecting the style of the Rood, both the Lady Chapel and entrance to the sacristy were adorned by images of Christ and the saints. Mr. England is an Anglo-Catholic writer living in Washington, DC.

Persecution of Christians Around the World The following stories are made available by the Barnabas Fund, a leading world authority on the persecution of Christians around the world. HUNDREDS OF CHRISTIANS DIE IN BLOODY MASSACRES IN KANO NIGERIA 14 May 2004 Many hundreds of innocent Christians have died in Kano since a Muslim protest turned into carnage in retaliation for Muslim deaths hundreds of miles away in Yelwe. Members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) say some 600 Christians have been killed so far this week in Kano, Nigeria's second-largest city. Andrew Ubah, the general secretary of the association in Kano, told Reuters on Thursday 13 May that he was keeping a tally based on reports from church leaders throughout the city. "Almost 600 people have been killed and 12 churches burned," he said. David Emmanuel, a factory worker told Reuters he saw two truckloads of corpses on Wednesday night, and he counted at least 30 bodies in the street. Elsewhere, correspondents have seen 35 mostly burned and mutilated bodies. The official police tally of 30 that remains more or less static from Wednesday night is belied by the overflowing morgue and the constant stream of eye-witness reports from all quarters of the city. Bodies were being discovered on Thursday and because the main hospital mortuary was full were taken to undisclosed locations, according to the Red Cross. "Not all cases are reported, especially cases in which relatives have already buried their dead," said Aminu Inua, a Red Cross official in Kano. "Hundreds of people were killed," said Christian leader Mark Amani. "Some corpses were burned in wells. Even little children were killed. The bodies of pregnant women were ripped open and their bodies burned," he said. Sources report the killing of several hundred people when defiant mobs of Muslim youths armed with clubs and machetes and cutlasses rampaged at about 1 a.m. on Thursday despite a police imposed curfew. Mobs went from house to house looking for Christian victims and in some cases trapped the occupants inside and torched the houses. Police have been issued orders to shoot armed rioters on sight. While Muslims have complained that the police have killed innocent civilians as a result, they do not mean the scores of hacked bodies that lie in the streets and in charred buildings and vehicles according to residents. There are fears that the number of deaths may continue to grow since an order was circulated by Umar Ibrahim Kabo, the most senior Mulim cleric in Kano, for all Christians to leave the area by today, Friday 14 May. More than 30,000 residents, mostly Christians, have been driven from their homes in Kano officials said on Thursday, a figure confirmed by Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon in a telephone conversation with Barnabas Fund. Barnabas fund wishes to announce an urgent appeal to support the survivors, those displaced from their homes and the families of Christian victims in Kano. You can make a donation to help the pastors, their families and their churches through a Barnabas Fund office or via our website donation page - Remember to specify Project 39-500. At least 269 people have been killed in brutal violence between Muslim Hasua/Fulani and Christian Tarok fighters in Plateau State since February. The latest round of violence was sparked by a clash between Muslims and Christians in the village of Mavo in Wase District in mid-February, in which some 10 people were killed. Several days later on 19 February four police officers were killed in Tunga village, Langtang North District, by Islamic militants seeking revenge. The town of Yelwa in Shendam District first saw violence on 24 February when Fulani Muslim fighters struck again, massacring some 48 Christians who fled to a church in a vain attempt to find refuge. Some reports suggest as many as 50 more may also have been killed, and over 100 Christians fled the town. Two days later Christians turned on their Muslim neighbours in the nearby town of Gerkawa, Mikang Local Government Area, killing 40 - 50 in retaliation for the massacre in Yelwa. Army units evacuated some 3000 Muslims from Gerkawa, relocating them to Yelwa and further strengthening the Muslim dominance of the town. Tensions remained high in the region throughout March and April and exploded again into major violence in several villages in the border region of Plateau and Taraba States in late April when an estimated 100 people were tragically killed. The latest attack which has enraged Muslims across the country occurred in the aftermath of this violence, as on the weekend of 1 - 2 May Christian fighters attempted to retake Yelwa. (The town is now widely reported in the international media as a "mainly Muslim town" with no reference to the fact that this is only as a result of the massacre and driving out of Christians in February.) The deaths of 67 people have been confirmed in this latest bloody clash, with some estimating the total death toll at 200, 350 or even 630 people tragically slain. In addition to those killed, hundreds have been injured and at least 7,500 have been internally displaced because of the violence over the past three months. Thousands of homes and several churches and mosques have been burnt to the ground. Some reports indicate women and children have been kidnapped. Other minor clashes have also taken place. PRAY Pray for the families of the victims and the survivors of the attacks in Kano; pray that the Lord will heal them and mend this devastation in their lives. Pray that the government of Nigeria will have the strength to act justly and decisively in this situation and in the tensions felt throughout Nigeria; pray that further atrocities will be prevented.

Wandering Shepherds - Anglicans have had non-Christian bishops for decades, and heresy is even more harmful than homosexuality By Gene Edward Veith WORLD MAGAZINE Gay activists, feeling invincible with all of their victories, held a summit at the United Nations, in which the next phase of their conquest of the culture's moral code was announced. The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission listed the remaining laws that it wants changed, including "age of consent" laws. That is to say, the laws against pedophiles, apparently the next group to come out of the closet and to insist on the legality and the morality of their sexual preference. At the meeting, as reported by the Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute, Paula Ettelbrick, executive director of the IGLHRC, called for a "showdown with religion." One panel member, Princeton University professor Anthony Appiah, called for limiting religious freedom whenever it poses a "challenge" to the homosexual agenda. This would involve criminalizing as "hate speech" religious teachings and Bible readings that brand homosexuality as sinful—a measure already on the books in Sweden and that is being considered in Canada. Ironically, this initiative to take on religion took place the same week that the Episcopal Church allowed its congregations to hold services blessing same-sex unions and elected Gene Robinson bishop of New Hampshire, the first openly noncelibate and nonrepentant homosexual bishop in the Anglican Communion. The United Church of Christ already allows their clergy to be practicing homosexuals and stages gay weddings. The Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have refused to go this far but are wavering, with "study documents" set to open the door. While the gay radicals are looking for a "showdown" with religion, it appears that the liberal, mainline Protestants are getting out of Dodge—or even joining up with the outlaws. But for all of the fuss over the Episcopalians choosing a gay bishop, what should have been an even bigger scandal has received scant attention. For decades, the Episcopal Church and other Anglican bodies have been electing bishops who are not even Christians. John Shelby Spong recently retired as bishop of New Jersey. For his whole ecclesiastical career, he wrote and preached against every tenet of the Christian faith. Bishop Spong, author of Why Christianity Must Change or Die, did not believe in the virgin birth, the doctrine of the incarnation, the deity of Christ, the resurrection, or the existence of God. In England back in 1984, David Jenkins scorned the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ as "a conjuring trick with bones." This did not prevent him from being consecrated as bishop of Durham, the fourth-highest post in the Church of England. Richard Holloway, the former head of the Anglican Church in Scotland, also dismissed the notion that Jesus rose from the dead. And these were not the only bishops, entrusted to oversee their church, who rejected even the most basic tenets of the Christian faith. But this is old news. These particular bishops have all retired by now, though others with similar views continue to wield authority. The point is, the Episcopalian embrace of homosexuality happened only after decades in which the authority of Scripture was jettisoned and Christian doctrine became optional. Heresy is even more harmful to a church than homosexuality. Choosing a bishop who is gay is bad enough, but choosing a bishop who rejects Christianity is surely even worse. And it should not be surprising that a church that has rejected the authority and the truth of the Bible would take the far lesser step of saying that sexual immorality is OK. And those who no longer believe in Christ—His deity, His cross, His resurrection—can no longer offer homosexuals and other sinners the gospel that their sins are forgiven in Christ. Instead, they can offer them nothing stronger than the fiction that they have no sins that need forgiving. There are believing Christians in the Episcopal Church, a tradition that has given us John Donne, T.S. Eliot, and C.S. Lewis. The ruling liberals are confident that they will not revolt, saying that the conservatives made threats when the ordination of women was instituted but didn't do anything about it. This time, with the support of Anglican bishops in Africa and Asia, it may be a different story. But such controversies all go back to the battle for the Bible. The church bodies that rejected the inerrancy of Scripture in the 20th century now have no basis for resisting the homosexual agenda or any other cultural pressure. They have been sliding down the slippery slope and now they have nothing to grab onto to stop their fall. If the gay activists want a "showdown" with religion, those Christians who hold to the Bible will be like Gary Cooper in High Noon, abandoned even by their friends and family members, outnumbered and outgunned, but refusing to back down.

The Battle Over Same-Sex Marriage S.F. Episcopal Church cuts off bishop who wed Move against retired leader reflects split on gay issues Rona Marech, Chronicle Staff Writer Tuesday, May 11, 2004 A retired Episcopal bishop has been cut off by the diocese in San Francisco following his marriage last month to a same-sex partner in a church ceremony that had no legal authority. The order, issued by the presiding Bay Area bishop, means that Otis Charles, 78, will no longer be permitted to act as assisting bishop or preside over church ceremonies here. It reflects the deep divisions in the Episcopal Church over the issue of gay people in the life of the church. Charles married Felipe Sanchez Paris on April 24 in a ceremony at St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco, witnessed by several hundred family members and friends. The Right Rev. William Swing, bishop of California, decided to sever ties with Charles after an article about the ceremony appeared in The Chronicle. "No longer is he an assisting bishop, and no longer is he licensed to celebrate the Sacraments here," Swing wrote in an e-mail. He was out of town and not available to elaborate by phone. "I can only assume that it was very difficult for Bishop Swing to do this," said the Rev. Canon Michael K. Hansen, executive officer of the Diocese of California. "He wouldn't do this lightly." Although Charles is retired, he was licensed by the local diocese to preside over weddings, baptisms and other services. Though bishops are appointed for life, they can be stripped of their position after an extensive legal process, but church officials said that was extremely rare and wouldn't happen to Charles, who will remain a voting member of the House of Bishops. Hansen said the bishop had disciplined Charles because his wedding ceremony too closely resembled a marriage, rather than a blessing. "We will do a blessing of gay people, but it's not to look like a marriage," he said. "We're not in the (same-sex) marriage business." However, according to clergy at St. Gregory's, the bishop was aware of Charles' plans before the ceremony and had been satisfied with them. Charles was married for several decades before he publicly came out as gay in 1993. He did not return calls for comment. Same-sex marriage has become a flashpoint in the Episcopalian Church, which is already torn over gay issues. Though same-sex unions aren't officially encouraged, the church has acknowledged that in some dioceses, officiating over such ceremonies is common practice. Last year, in a hotly debated election, Gene Robinson, an openly gay priest, became bishop of New Hampshire. The church had long held that it was possible to ordain gay priests, as long as they were celibate, but Robinson's election created a furor because he has a longtime partner. Robinson and Charles remain the only two openly gay bishops. While Charles considers himself married, the church is careful to only use the word "blessing" when speaking about gay unions. Swing is generally known as a liberal bishop – albeit one with a moderate sensibility – who has welcomed gay people in the church. "One aspect of dismay here is that we see an unhappy conflict between two progressive leaders of the Episcopal church," said the Rev. Richard Fabian, a rector at St. Gregory's. "This is not a conflict between left and right. This is a conflict between two men who have led the church miles forward in their careers. Each of them in his own way is a hero."

Dr. Bill Atwood: On Bishop Otis Charles' "Marriage" While Bishop Charles may be celebrating, his actions are heartbreaking for many of us in pastoral ministry who understand what is happening and confusing to many who don't. First of all, it is tragic that the Episcopal Church has been so enveloped in doctrinal confusion that no one has convinced him of the creative and liberating truth of Biblical order. Now, the silence about this from our leaders is deafening, but the issues are so important, a response is necessary. It is easy to imagine how a relationship could be so intoxicating that objectivity about it is lost, but there is clear medical evidence that men who engage in same-sex intimacies shorten their lives dramatically. While there may be individual exceptions, that data is shocking. For the church to advocate and bless that which robs three decades from many people's lives is reprehensible. People are far too precious to be cast aside like that. The situation is also a source of great grief and confusion. Instead of encouraging behavior that the Bible clearly proscribes, we should love people well enough to tell the truth, saving lives and souls. As Christians, we have a responsibility to tell people when they are moving away from the redeeming love of Jesus Christ. It is also sobering to remember that bishops do not receive more license than others because of their office, but less. James wrote: 3:1 "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment." It is even more serious to know that little ones in the faith are watching and being led away from the teaching of the church. The voice of the church needs to be unmistakable in its call to repent from anything the Bible calls sin and turn to Jesus. That is always true, whether in secret sins we would rather not admit or in public displays of rebellion. Those who commit to conform their lives to the historic revelation concerning sexual limits and other patters of life will not find rejection but the abundant life that Jesus promises. The Rev. Canon Bill Atwood, D. Min.

By George A. Burns For a century and a half, from 1607 to 1784 there was no Anglican Bishop in America. The parishes were all under the theoretical leadership of the Bishop of London, three thousand miles away. Actually, the Puritans and many others in colonial American feared that if Bishops were sent here they might be clothed with more than "spiritual powers." On 14 November, 1784, Samuel Seabury was consecrated a Bishop by three Bishops of the independent Scottish Anglican Church, which had maintained a precarious existence in Presbyterian Scotland since the revolution of 1688. Now, in 2004, we Anglicans in North America are faced with a crisis of leadership not unlike that of the Church of the colonies. Our parishes today do not have an absence of Episcopal leadership. We have a proliferation of Episcopal leadership, but it is by a group of heretical Bishops. Many of these apostate Bishops actually admit that they have departed from the historic faith. They seek to justify their heretical voice and actions by giving us a new Bible, new Sacraments, and new Commandments. The parishes of the faithful can find both guidance and strength from the history of our colonial past. We do not need the ministrations of heretical Bishops. If the parishes of America could function under the leadership of a Bishop three thousand miles away, surely we can function under the leadership of the faithful retired Bishops of the Episcopal Church such as those who officiated at the Sacrament of Confirmation in Ohio. We can function under the leadership of the many foreign Archbishops who have offered their Episcopal oversight, such as Archbishop Akinola and Archbishop Venables. We can also function under the leadership of the Bishops of the other Anglican bodies who preserve our Anglican Book of Common Prayer and Tradition. As our forefathers put off the yoke of the tyrant, so we faithful in the Episcopal Church refuse to have the Word and Sacraments trodden under the feet of heretics. We will accept Episcopal leadership only from a faithful Father in God. Heretical Bishops! We Don't Need Them! Fr. George A. Burns, Assisting Priest Church of the Nativity Jacksonville, Florida

African mission conference closes: proposals to empower both clergy and laity From Michael Craske in Nairobi Archbishop Akinola: "Fire exists by burning: the Church exists by mission" A major conference held in Nairobi last week for representatives from across the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA) has called for an Anglican renewal in the continent, both through prayer and a dynamic approach to mission and evangelism. In a key note address on the third day of the conference, the Most Revd Peter Akinola, the Primate of All Nigeria, also issued a challenge to the delegates for a five-year evangelism strategy, in which everything in the African Church should be committed to mission, as he believed that "there cannot be any other goal other that of 'Africa for Christ.'" The CAPA Mission and Evangelism Conference, held between 12-15 April at a retreat centre outside of Kenya's capital city, heard a wide range of views from across Africa with delegates sharing their experiences of mission work. It reviewed how African evangelism had been successful and challenged itself to analyse its current efforts and weaknesses. At the conference's close a series of proposals were finalised in a summary document after a succession of increasingly focussed group debates. The Most Revd Peter Akinola, Marjorie Murphy, the Director of Mission and Evangelism at the Anglican Communion Office in London, and the Africa Director of the Church Mission Society (CMS) the Revd Dr Zac Niringiye, gave key note presentations to the delegates before each session. The CAPA Primates and others from the Global South also joined some of the discussion groups while attending a meeting held alongside the conference. The conference summary document stated that in order to develop a universal vision for African evangelism, CAPA should follow the example set by the Apostles and the early Church. The goal, it said, would be for every African Anglican to be an evangelist and that congregations should no longer be passive receivers of communion, but should openly promote Christian values and call people to Christ. But it also warned that this could only be achieved by leadership. "Church leadership – Primates, Bishops, Clergy – must be catalysts and role models in proclamation and demonstration of the Gospel. 'Every Anglican an Evangelist' is a feasible objective but must commence with 'Every Clergy member an evangelist,'" the summary stated, adding that a key to success would be a realignment in the role of theological colleges. Several delegates expressed concern during the debates that colleges were academic before being spiritually aware and that they were not placing emphasis on the "training of the Christian character." The document also outlined a major concern for all African churches, that of nominalism – where a member of a parish claims to be Christian yet fails to live out Christianity in their lives. "Too many African Anglicans say they are Christians but do not take part in Church events," said one delegate from Nigeria, who highlighted the Church of Nigeria's method for combating this problem. The method, which was adopted in the summary document, ensures that the community has an active role in their church by promoting stewardship in Church affairs. In future, Church projects – such as building, Church planting, and pastoral care – should be owned and empowered by members of a congregation so each would feel part of the Church community. Pastoral care was also a key concern, with many feeling that this was why many other denominations were more successful in retaining members. A newly-converted Christian should feel their spiritual lives and health were of absolute importance, it said, not only to their congregation, but also to their pastor, bishop, and primate. The report also talked extensively of Africa-specific problems for evangelism that might not affect the larger Anglican Communion. In particular the report highlighted tribalism. Many delegates expressed great concern that tribal considerations influenced the election of bishops and clergy, and said that any cultural practices that were inconsistent with God's word – and therefore evangelism – should be discarded. A suggestion to eliminate such tribal preferment included a request that all bishops and clergy be periodically moved across diocesan boundaries, even where congregations wanted to keep particular clergy in place. "In this way," stated a delegate from Rwanda, "good ideas and work in keeping with God's word would be spread throughout the African Church. What a member of clergy learns from his parish, and what he has – in turn – taught them, would be spread to enrich an entire province." During the conference Church Army Africa took the delegates to visit one of Nairobi's largest slums – with more than one million inhabitants – to show the good work undertaken by the organisation to spread the Gospel and alleviate poverty. Many were impressed by the scale of the projects and the strong spirit of unity, peace and energetic evangelism shown by those that directly benefited. Delegates also visited the city's cathedral All Saints. Reports were also presented on the Church in various African provinces and stories shared showing the excellent work of laity and clergy in all aspects of Church work, especially efforts for peace and reconciliation in Burundi and Rwanda. Archbishop Akinola, when issuing his challenge after hearing of the ideas brought up in the discussion groups, also warned the delegates of other possible problems. He said that evangelism must be properly planned and administered through evaluation and monitoring, adding that each evangelist should report directly to their church hierarchy and constantly inform them of progress and difficulties. He also implored them to take up the spirit of evangelism in the right attitude and put aside secular concerns, highlighting that Africa was abundant in god-given resources and that too many people excused the lack of mission work by having too little money. "Until the continent is won for Christ, the Church cannot claim any justification for its existence in this part of God's world," he said. The summary document of CAPA's Mission and Evangelism Conference and the key note addresses – which have been incorporated – will now be taken by delegates back to their provinces for further consultation with their clergy and congregations. CAPA is to follow up these consultations and assess needs and resources for the five-year evangelism plan to start in earnest. Photographs from the conference and Primates meeting in Nairobi will be available later this week. The speech of the Most Revd Peter Akinola will be available tomorrow on the ACNS Digest.