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By Ivan H. Golden Staff Writer June 19, 2004 GREENWICH In his first public comments on the same-sex marriage controversy that has divided the Anglican Church, the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams expressed solidarity last night with the American Episcopal Church. But he stopped short of taking sides in the divisive issue. “I’m well aware of the crossroads at which we stand,” Williams said to an audience of more than 400 people during a fund-raiser at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich. Williams said he wanted to make two points about the controversy: First, he said, “the present difficulties would feel a lot more difficult were it not for the immense love and generosity shown to me by (the American Episcopal Church).” Second, Williams said his experience on Sept. 11, 2001—when he was caught in lower Manhattan only blocks from the World Trade Center—had “made it difficult to feel estranged from the struggles of the Episcopal Church in the United States.” The American Episcopal Church has been at odds for more than a year with many Anglican churches worldwide over the Episcopal Church’s support for same-sex unions and its vote to elect a gay man, Gene Robinson, as bishop of New Hampshire. The archbishop of Canterbury, viewed as the worldwide leader of the Anglican Communion, had made no public mention of the controversy until last night, according to several bishops and pastors who attended last night’s $1,200-a-plate fund-raiser. In a brief interview after his speech, Williams declined to talk more about the issue. “I don’t think I want to go into that,” he said. Many pastors and bishops who attended the fund-raiser said they were relieved to hear Williams publicly acknowledge the controversy. And at least one, Canon Harold Lewis of Calvary Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, Pa., said he wished Williams had gone further. “Many of us, in fact, felt he should have said more,” Lewis said. “I think many of us in the Episcopal Church are feeling a little tenuous right now.” But others said Williams’ comments struck the right note, particularly given his responsibilities as the worldwide leader of the Anglican Communion. “I was very grateful that he did bring that up,” said the Rev. Jeffrey Walker of Christ Church in Greenwich. “But I’m also grateful that he didn’t spend the whole evening on that.” Although the allusion to the same-sex marriage debate was the most surprising aspect of Williams’ remarks, the vast majority of the archbishop’s 45-minute speech concerned the role of the Anglican Communion and other religious and human-rights groups in the United Nations. Last night’s fund-raiser was expected to raise $400,000 to $500,000 for the Anglican Communion Observer to the United Nations. The Anglican Observer, a nonvoting representative to the United Nations, lobbies U.N. members on behalf of Anglican issues and Anglican people worldwide. The position was created in 1985. In his prepared remarks last night, Williams contrasted religious and nonprofit groups, which he said serve the interests of human rights, with U.N. member states, which often bow to political and national concerns before considering human rights, he said. “There is an urgent need,” he said, “for a global, moral perspective.” Andrew Smith, the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut, said Williams’ speech laid out “a clear vision of the role of religion in helping bring about world peace.” END

BBC News Religious leaders and non-governmental bodies should be given a voice at United Nations Security Council deliberations, Rowan Williams has said. The Archbishop of Canterbury said the UN had been weakened by arguments over Iraq and its role in Bosnia and Rwanda. The UN’s work was “indispensable” but the organisation needed to change to recover its moral authority, he said. Church leaders should be able to make their views heard but did not need a UN vote, Dr. Williams told a US event. “There is an urgent need for structures and relationships that allow a global moral perspective to be voiced more clearly,” he said at an event to support the Anglican observer at the UN. Dr. Williams suggested the formation of a “standing commission,” which would have the right to comment on Security Council proposals or be heard in sessions. It would not have a seat on the council or the right of veto. The Archbishop said the Security Council could have more authority if resolutions could be prompted and executed by local democratic coalitions. Members would then have to consult those affected by their resolutions, he added. “Trends in UN reform... are driving towards the ‘moralising’ or civilising of the global economy and the world of international negotiation. Never has there been a time when the presence of religiously based voluntary groups has been of such moment,” he said. The comments came in Dr. Williams’ first major speech on international governance since taking up his post. He was attending an event in support of the work done by an Anglican observer at the UN. END

By Jay L. Greener The Anglican Mission in America, in tandem with five other groups, is today announcing an unprecedented level of cooperation among leading orthodox Anglican entities in the United States. In a letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, leaders of the Anglican Mission (AMiA), along with the leadership of the Anglican Communion Network (ACN), Reformed Episcopal Church (REC), Forward in Faith North America (FIFNA), Anglican Province in America (APA), and the American Anglican Council (AAC) affirmed a commitment “to make common cause for the gospel of Jesus Christ and common cause for a united, missionary and orthodox Anglicanism in North America.” The Rt. Rev. Chuck Murphy, Chairman of the Anglican Mission in America, welcomed the new day of cooperation: “Even as we watch with some sadness the painful yet necessary realignment in the Anglican Communion, I am encouraged by the willingness of a growing number of orthodox groups and voices to work together to shape a new Anglican witness for the 21st Century.” Bishop Bob Duncan of Pittsburgh, who serves as moderator for the Anglican network (ACN), will chair this new cooperative alliance. “To see orthodox Anglican groups move from competition and divisiveness to cooperation signifies a new season in the life of the Church,” observed Bishop Duncan. “This is not a declaration of organic unity—far from it—but it is a proclamation that we can function as allies in the cause of Jesus Christ.” Orthodox leaders are coming together in the face of a growing crisis within the Episcopal Church USA and the importance of working cooperatively for creative solutions to fulfill the mission of the Church. “For the Anglican Mission, our focus will continue to be on the call we have been given to plant and strengthen congregations and reach out to the un-churched,” stated the Rev. Jay Greener, AMiA’s Communications Officer. “This is not a merger—each group will remain distinct. But there is a new level of cooperation and mutual appreciation that is honouring to the gospel, and consistent with the missionary values of the AMiA. We look forward to participating in this important ‘roundtable’ of orthodox Anglican groups.” Jay L. Greener, Communications Officer The Anglican Mission in America 719-487-3258 jay@anglicanmissioninamerica.org END

By David W. Virtue ANSONVILLE, NC--The Rev. Daniel A. Brown, 56, got a first hand lesson on what it is like to be betrayed by his vestry. For nearly 8 years he labored as rector of All Souls' Church, Ansonville, and Priest-in-Charge of the 134-member Calvary Church, Wadesboro in the Diocese of North Carolina, faithfully preaching the gospel, declaring the Good News to all who would hear. But Fr. Brown, who describes himself as an evangelical catholic, found out the hard way what it is like to be the victim in the aftermath of the Robinson consecration. "My wife Donna and I came fresh from Sewanee seminary and we were both full of hope, enthusiasm and optimism for a future of shared ministries and the building-up of a Christian community." "For almost eight years I labored to learn and be the pastor and priest of the two churches in my cure and to exercise the gifts for ministry that God had given me. We experienced the usual ups and downs of parish life, but at Calvary we accomplished a Capital Campaign, two major construction projects and the acquisition of properties adjacent to the church assuring the ability to expand the church in the future. While we have not grown in numbers, we have been able to maintain our membership despite the fact that the county we live in is experiencing negative population growth." But in July of 2003 all that changed. On July 21st the vestry of Calvary Church met for its regularly scheduled meeting. On the agenda was the matter of the Diocesan asking, the annual financial pledge to support the Diocese of North Carolina. A discussion ensued and it was agreed to pay last year's asking of $11,888 as opposed to the 2004 of $12, 860 asking. "We did this for budgetary reasons. This action was taken three weeks before General Convention to prevent any linkage between the actions that many were anticipating at the Convention and any action by the vestry," said Fr. Brown. "On August 6, 2003 I mailed a letter to every household in the parish, in which I stated clearly and compassionately my position on the actions of General Convention. In this letter I tried to state clearly my position on church issues in a fair and open manner. I said Bishop-elect Robinson is a gay man, living in an active, sexual relationship with another man. This relationship is not marriage; rather it is an intimate relationship outside the bounds of marriage. The unwholesomeness of this would be true whether he were cohabiting with a man or with a woman. For the church in any way to condone this is a clear repudiation of the teaching of Holy Scripture and the church for over two thousand years." Has the Holy Spirit while visiting in Minneapolis given us a new purity standard for Christians to live by, wrote Brown? The orthodox rector made no secret of where he stood. "I had, along with other concerned clergy signed a letter to Bishop Michael Curry urging him to vote against the confirmation of [then] Canon Robinson and against approving the blessing of same sex unions. I offered to meet with individuals or groups to discuss the issues either privately or in an open forum. But a group of members chose another route." In the weeks following the letter and the presentation of the petition the following acts occurred: "I was accused of being "unchristian" because I opposed the confirmation of Gene Robinson. "I was asked by a member to resign because I disagreed with Bishop Curry's position on Robinson and same-sex blessing. "I was accused of trying to "tear us apart" and being "hateful" because I included in the recent Newsletter the minutes of the August vestry minutes in which a vestry member put forth a motion critical of the position taken by Bishop Curry and called for some punitive action. The motion was withdrawn by the vestry member at my urging. "I was told by another member that a rumor circulated that 'if a homosexual came to the church I would throw them out'." "Insults and rumors were not directed solely at me, but at my wife as well: "She was accused of being "rude and insulting" to Bishop Curry in a letter she wrote to him, when in fact, during a personal conversation with Bishop Curry on October 8, 2003 he stated that he found her letter "thoughtful and honest". "She was accused of removing Bishop Curry's picture from the hallway. The removal was in fact done by the Senior Warden for maintenance reasons. "My repeated attempts to engage in any form of meaningful dialogue were ignored or rebuffed." A petition was secretly gathered and presented to the vestry and the rector at the September 22 vestry meeting. The petition stated that forty-nine listed persons "support the Diocese of NC and our Bishops". "No other reason for this petition was given. When questioned, the presenter of this document said, "We have always paid our full asking". Brown said the issue of money took place in July well before convention. "On October 8, 2003 I met with Bishop Curry during the annual clergy conference at The Summit. At that time I informed him of the above-cited actions and expressed to him my concerns about the effect they were having on me and my wife. I informed him that because of this and the seeming impossibility of opening conversation on these matters the best thing I could do, principally because of the attacks on my wife, would be to actively seek another parish." Brown said Bishop Curry asked him to send his CDO Profile and resume to the Rev. Canon Marie Fleischer, Canon to the Ordinary and Deployment Officer so he could better be put in contact with vacant ministries. On November 9 Bishop Curry visited the parish. During his time here he saw and experienced first hand the strain we had been under, said Brown. "He personally stated to Donna and I that it would be wise for us to find another parish." "Later that same month at the annual parish meeting we elected three new vestry members. I was pleased because two of the three had served with me before and had been supportive. What I did not know is that these three new members came onto the vestry with the express purpose of undermining me and to seek my removal as rector." As the New Year rolled in people expressed their interest and concern over the upcoming Diocesan Convention January 28-30, 2004 when many of the "hot-button" issues would be debated. "Because of the rising tension I scheduled a forum a week following the convention inviting all interested parties to come. Our Delegates and Alternates were present and gave their reports and impressions of the convention business. The text of every resolution passed was handed out. Ample time was given for questions and answers and the floor was open to discuss any problems." A few days after the February meeting the Senior Warden of Calvary Church came to the church and began a casual conversation with Fr. Brown. "During the course of this conversation he informed me there were people in the church who didn't like me. I told him I was aware of that and unfortunately this is a fact of life in any parish." Then it happened. "I received a call from Bishop Curry informing me that a group of eight persons had gone to see Bishop J. Gary Gloster about me, with a list of grievances." "I was stunned," said Fr Brown to Virtuosity. "At no time before this call was I aware of any list grievances nor had it been presented to me or such a list even discussed or presented to the vestry. I called Bishop Gloster for more details and he listed the names of four of the eight people. I was shocked, hurt and deeply saddened to note that the list included the Senior Warden of Calvary, the Bishop's Warden of All Souls' and two members of the Calvary Church vestry." Fr. Brown learned that this group went to Bishop Gloster on their own without informing the vestry or himself. "We later found out through members of the parish that a family with a gay relative was instrumental in compiling the "grievance list" as well as the earlier petition. They allied themselves with a group whose political ideology is supportive of the gay agenda." Bishop Curry said he intended to send in a church consultant to counsel with the wardens and myself, said Fr. Brown. The purpose, he was told, was to map out a process to mediate and reconcile the differences that had arisen. "He asked me to make the appropriate arrangements and schedule the meeting. We met with the consultant in early March and agreed that he [the consultant] would make a formal presentation and proposal at the next Vestry meeting, set for March 22." On that date the full vestry as well as 10-15 parishioners appeared. "The consultant outlined his proposal for a series of two workshops focusing on interpersonal relationships, communication and reconciliation. A vestry member introduced a list of grievances into the record. I noted in my remarks that the accusations were general in nature and unsubstantiated and almost totally represented merely differences of approach and style to ministry. In sum, the "grievances" were, as one parishioner noted, "personal and political". The vestry voted to take the consultant's proposal under consideration and they formed a committee to investigate the grievances and to ascertain the feelings and opinions of all the parish members. On March 30 the special Vestry met and in its first order of business they voted not to engage the services of the consultant. The committee concluded that they were "beyond reconciliation". "They asked me to leave while they went into executive session. Twenty minutes later two members of the vestry came out and asked to speak to me privately. One then asked me "What would it take to get you to leave?" I responded that I was not prepared to answer that question and told them I needed to talk with Bishop Curry." On April 5 Fr. Brown with his wife met with Bishop Curry in his office in Raleigh. "We had a lengthy session during which he told me repeatedly and emphatically that I had done nothing wrong. He also told me that it was his desire that I leave my parish through a mediated settlement under Canon 41 and avoid the formal "Canon 42" proceeding which he noted is designed not at fact finding but simply for pronouncing conditions for dissolution of the pastoral relationship. Bishop Curry also told me that he would submit my name to be interviewed for a chaplain position at Penick Village, an Episcopal affiliated retirement village." At the regular Vestry meeting on April 17 the vestry voted to accept a mediation facilitated by the same church consultant. The purpose of this meeting was to come to a mutual agreement on dissolving the pastoral relationship under the provisions of Canon 41. Fr. Brown wrote a proposal to let him continue in the ministry while seeking to find another ministry. "We stated our desire to minimize conflict, heal some of the open wounds and to part company with this parish in a way least damaging to both parties. Our proposal was rejected out-of-hand because it "did not include a specific date when we would leave". The "people "want a change" we were told, meaning those who had engineered this entire scenario merely wanted me out without stating any reason." It was useless. "My wife was tired of the conflict and her health was suffering and her high blood pressure and asthma were acting up." Fr. Brown agreed to one year at pay and benefits and six months occupation of the rectory. The orthodox rector said the bishop also did not come through despite repeated calls to his office. "I have not heard from him again. He has offered to telephone other bishops on my behalf but I have not been informed that he has done so nor received any response to date from such efforts." As far as the diocesan office and staff is concerned, and outside of one letter requesting information for a deployment officers meeting he has not had contact with Canon Marie Fleischer, the diocesan deployment officer. Fr. Brown was not selected for the chaplaincy position at Penick Village. Fr. Brown feels deeply betrayed by what happened. "When a priest resigns from a parish, even for the best of reasons and innocent of any wrongdoing, it is very difficult to explain those circumstances to another church. The typical reaction is to assume that "where there's smoke there's fire" and eliminate you from consideration." The rector feels he has been abandoned by both bishops and Canon Fleischer. "It is becoming harder to avoid the conclusion than I am expendable; neither wanted nor welcome in this diocese anymore because I hold theological views opposed to the bishop(s)". "My own integrity and ethics prevents me from doing further damage to this parish by adopting the underhanded and malevolent tactics of this group." Fr. Brown believes he is suffering persecution because of his orthodox beliefs and his stand on Biblical standards which differ from those in his parish and perhaps, more tragically and sadly, being neglected and allowed to "die on the vine" by his own bishop. "What I have suffered (and am suffering today) is a far more insidious form of persecution than direct confrontation. It is neglect from those who have authority in a diocese towards clergy who oppose revisionist theology. It is far more effective than some splashy conflict. The intent is to get us out of the diocese and out of ministry if you can and ruin their chances for another position and reputation to boot." Fr. Brown said that his experience should alert other orthodox clergy in revisionist dioceses. I am mindful of the saying coined by the Jewish writer Elie Wiesel, "The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference". END

By James E. Flowers Christianity is not a feeling. That is to suggest that it does not address itself primarily, or even secondarily for that matter, to how or what you or I feel. Indeed, as outrageous as it may seem, there is a very real sense that in the long run God is not overly interested how we "feel" at all. Though He certainly weeps when we weep and laughs when we laugh, our feelings, which in the modern sense can mean anything from what we think, to what we perceive, to what we intend, to what we aspire to, are not particularly important. What is important is what we believe. For it is what we believe and not how we feel, which determines whether or not we are Christians at all. Sadly, our me-oriented, self absorbed generation, has elevated "feeling" to the point that in our culture, absolutely nothing is more important. Thus, the criteria of "how I feel" proceeds, and becomes the litmus test for every decision, every commitment, every behavior, regardless of whether or not the decision, commitment, or behavior is right or wrong, noble or ignoble. In short, "feelings" have replaced moral law, the notion of right and wrong, and so have become our chief criteria for living. For more than thirty years now, psycho-therapists have made a good living by simply asking the question, "How does that make you feel?" Now while one can imagine that this could very well be an important question under certain circumstances, the spirit of that question has become pervasive beyond all measure in our culture. Irrespective of what really is. Irrespective of what is true. "If it feels good do it." "How do you feel about that?" "Go with your feelings!" "Trust your feelings!" "Get in touch with your feelings." These are the mantras of popular culture. And the fact of them constitutes, I believe, the single biggest cultural shift of our generation. Moreover, there is no question in my mind but that this orientation to feeling has become nothing less than a religion in this country. It has become the religion of Popular Culture. It is essentially a form of deism or pantheism, wherein God is nowhere and everywhere, and does not really matter all that much anyway, leaving you and me to follow pretty much any path that we want. And the path that we invariably choose is the path of least resistance, which is always determined by how I feel, and which is always the road to hell. What is most frightening is when the Church begins to adopt the orientation of Popular Culture and Popular Religion and apply it to Christian understandings and doctrines. When this happens, a beast is born who must strike terror in the hearts of all the truly faithful. For "Christian Pantheism" is, in fact, not Christian at all. It is a wolf in sheep's clothing. And it's not about God at all. It is about me. It is about how I feel, and what I think, and what I want. And though it may not include a golden calf, it is the worst, the most deadly form, of idolatry. Further, it is the most prevalent form of heresy in the Church today. What the heretics of our day cannot grasp, is that it is God who judges us, and not the other way around. How we feel, what we think, about the Resurrection of the Body, the Atonement, the Uniqueness of Christ, the Authority of Scripture will, in the final analysis not matter one wit. The only thing that will matter, is whether or not we believe these things, because like it or not they are what defines our Faith. The Church has been occupied i.e. taken over, by those who largely no longer believe these things, nor I suspect do they believe in the God of our Salvation, for seeing no need for salvation, they have made themselves God. Aided by Post Modern Popular Culture, with it's "If it feels good do it." attitude, its tendency toward irreverence, and it's aversion to hard truth, these folks, bishops, priests, laypeople, have managed to pawn off thoroughly un-Christian notions as the "new and improved Christianity". "God evolves." "God changes His mind." "Right and wrong are relative terms." "Sin is a matter of perception." "There are no absolutes." "Bible reading is all a matter of personal interpretation." These are just a few of the tenants of the Post Modern Church which dares to call itself Episcopal. It is time for brutal honesty. It is time for straight talk. Many of our leaders in the Episcopal Church, many of our colleagues, are simply no longer Christians by any reasonable definition. They apparently no longer believe in heaven or hell, right or wrong, salvation, or the need for it. They are deists, pantheists, Wicca, Unitarians, Buddhists, they are not necessarily bad people, but neither are they Christians. It's time for them to come clean. The Rev. James E. Flowers, Jr. is rector of St. Timothy's Church Alexandria, Louisiana

By JOE FRIESEN The Globe and Mail June 22, 2004 A former primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, Archbishop Edward Scott, was killed in a car accident yesterday near Parry Sound, Ont. Archbishop Scott, 85, who led the Anglican Church from 1971 to 1986, was described as a man of compassion whose progressive ideas guided the church through a number of significant debates. He died after the car in which he was travelling left Highway 69 about 18 kilometres south of Parry Sound yesterday afternoon. The car, driven by his close friend Sonja Bird, rolled over and landed upside down on a metal culvert. Police are still investigating the accident but said no other vehicles were involved. Ms. Bird was transported to hospital with serious injuries. Archbishop Scott was born in Edmonton in 1919 and worked in Winnipeg and Vancouver before becoming primate in 1971. He was named moderator of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches from 1975 to 1983. During that time he helped to focus global attention on the plight of black South Africans living under apartheid. "He was a man with a passionate heart, passionately interested in justice for people," said Terence Finlay, a former archbishop of Toronto. Archbishop Scott spoke out on issues such as abortion, the death penalty and the ordination of women. He was an advocate for the recognition of same-sex relationships. His recent biography, Radical Compassion by Hugh McCullum, quoted him as saying: "Homosexuality is not a choice; it is a discovery. I now have a deep conviction that gays and lesbians were created by God and are loved equally with heterosexuals by God." He received the Pearson Peace Medal in 1998 and was named to the Order of Canada in 1978.

Special Report By David W. Virtue NEWTOWN, PA--The wardens and vestry of St. Luke's Episcopal Church has sent a letter to PA Bishop Charles Bennison asking that he not make an episcopal visit on June 20 because it will cause "deep and unnecessary spiritual distress." In their letter to Bennison, they said the bishop's views have caused "deep spiritual distress" because we cannot accept teachings he has promulgated in person and in print, such as 'we wrote the Bible; we can re-write the Bible.' 'He (Jesus) acknowledges his own sin. He knows himself to be forgiven.' Fr. Larry A. Snyder, rector of the 700-member traditionalist congregation near Philadelphia, said that during a meeting in the bishop's office, in April, Bennison said that Jesus was not the only Messiah, nor the unique means of salvation for the world; and that each of us becomes a Messiah. "Your teachings are in conflict with the biblical message, and therefore do not carry the power of the Gospel, nor present the faith and worship of the Book of Common Prayer as expressing traditional Anglican theology with its appeal to Scripture, the Creeds and the Councils of the undivided Church. Although you have been elected to an apostolic office, your teachings do not bear the authority of apostolic witness," wrote the vestry. The wardens and vestry said they had petitioned Bennison "many times to authorize a traditionalist bishop to make official episcopal visitations." Bennison rejected their pleas saying he had to come to maintain the unity of the diocese. The wardens then lit into the bishop saying; "Your response continues to be closed to any modification for our spiritual needs, even to the minimal offering of the House of Bishops program for Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Authority (DEPO)." In their letter they accused the bishop of having double standards saying that while he was willing to go through the process, "there would be no change of present diocesan (i.e. your) policy." They also challenged the bishop saying that he promoted unity but it was a unity outside "The Prayer for the Whole State of Christ's Church" which clearly identifies that such agreement had to be in agreement with God's Holy Word. "Without unity of faith, there can be no true unity," they said. No members of the parish family will present themselves, they will seek confirmation elsewhere. "Many will not receive communion because you sound an uncertain trumpet in conflict with traditional Christian faith and morals, and many will be present and praying for your return to the faith. No one will receive the laying on of hands from you." In a devastating blast at Bennison they wrote, "We fear that you have denied the need for God's plan of salvation offered in the unique ministry of Jesus, God incarnate, and faith in His atoning death, bodily resurrection, and physical ascension. Therefore, we are concerned for your eternal soul, and pray for your conversion." The rector, wardens and vestry have prepared a 14-page indictment of Bishop Bennison that includes failed reconciliation talks, broken promises over the Parson's agreement for alternative episcopal oversight and more, which they have sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, as well as to Frank Griswold, ECUSA's Presiding Bishop, Irish Archbishop Robin Eames of The Lambeth/Eames Commission, Archbishops Peter Akinola, (Nigeria); Drexel Gomez, (Nassau); Gregory Venables, (Southern Cone); and US Bishop Robert Duncan (Pittsburgh). Copies were also sent to the Rev. Glenn Matis, head of the Diocesan Standing Committee and Canon Ellis Brust a leader in the American Anglican Council.

By Paul Carter The Anglican Communion in Canada welcomes the news today that "The Anglican Mission in America, in tandem with five other groups, is today announcing an unprecedented level of cooperation among leading orthodox Anglican entities in the United States. In a letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury leaders of the Anglican Mission (AMiA), along with the leadership of the Anglican Communion Network (ACN), Reformed Episcopal Church (REC), Forward in Faith North America (FIFNA), Anglican Province in America (APA) and the American Anglican Council (AAC) affirmed a commitment "to make common cause for the gospel of Jesus Christ and common cause for a united, missionary and orthodox Anglicanism in North America." We hope that this new day of cooperation can be mirrored in Canada as all orthodox groups work for a common cause of gospel faithfulness and fruitfulness in the light of the recent General Synod's decision to "affirm the integrity and sanctity of committed adult same sex relationships" which as nine orthodox Canadian Bishops have noted "is in error and contrary to the teaching of Scripture and the tradition of the undivided Church, the clearly expressed conviction of the Anglican Communion at the Lambeth Conference of 1998, the overwhelming ecumenical consensus of the Church inside Canada and abroad, and the 1997 Guidelines of our own House of Bishops." We also welcome Bishop Bob Duncan of Pittsburgh, who serves as moderator for the Anglican network (ACN), desire. "To see orthodox Anglican groups move from competition and divisiveness to cooperation signifies a new season in the life of the Church," and we agree that this should not be "a declaration of organic unity-far from it-but it is a proclamation that we can function as allies in the cause of Jesus Christ." "As with the AMiA in the USA, with whom we already have a close working relationship, our focus in the ACiC will also be to fulfill the call we have been given to plant and strengthen congregations and reach out to the un-churched," stated the Rev. Ed Hird. "A similar move in Canada should not be seen as a merger-each group remains distinct. Our leadership continues to be thankful to God for the five International Archbishops who came to our rescue in February of this year and who made the offer of Temporary Adequate Episcopal Oversight. All the clergy of the ACiC are now licensed in the Province of Rwanda and we have our own Bishop Thomas Johnston, who can function with full jurisdiction outside the Anglican Church of Canada." ACiC plans to play a full part in the emergence of a similar 'roundtable' of orthodox Anglican groups across Canada.

TO THE CLERGY AND PEOPLE OF THE DIOCESE: Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, June 16, 2004 Thank you for your prayers and fasting on my behalf, and on behalf of all who were involved, in testimony before the Lambeth Commission this week. Please continue to pray for Archbishop Robin Eames and all the members of the Commission as its very important work goes forward. Please know that we were graciously received and fairly heard, as was the Presiding Bishop's team (which included our own George Werner). Transcripts of the testimony given will be posted on the Lambeth Commission website. The diocesan website (www.pgh.anglican.org) will link to the transcripts as soon as they are posted. Archbishop Eames made it clear to us that the principal issue the Commission was assigned to address was how the Anglican Communion could re-shape its life in light of a Province (the Episcopal Church in the United States) that has rejected the clear counsel and stated teaching of the Communion. The secondary issue the Commission struggles with – though not its stated assignment – is how deeply it is appropriate to enter into resolutions of the internal dispute within this Province. One aspect of our testimony involved the sharing of a letter of "common cause" sent to Archbishop Rowan Williams, and dated Trinity Sunday, June 6th. Opponents will surely distort the plain meaning of the letter and of what was shared. Following through on the commitment in the Network Charter to "the ongoing reunion of the Anglican diaspora," the common cause letter states that six distinct orthodox groups in the United States – some part of the Episcopal Church and some not – are each prepared to work toward a "united, missionary and orthodox Anglicanism in North America." In this "first-step" the leaders of the six groups also agree to work "under the chairmanship of the moderator of the Network." This letter does not mean that we agree on all theological issues, such as women's ordination, but it is a hopeful sign of our common commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Network team left encouraged and thankful that we are part of the Anglican Communion, and thankful for the Commission which the Archbishop of Canterbury has appointed to recommend how to keep our Communion both faithful and united. Now that the Commission testimony has taken place, I expect to turn my efforts and attentions this summer to our life together and our needs as a diocese. Please continue to pray for me and all our team, both in the diocesan office and in all the parishes, that these summer labors would also be interspersed with the rest and recreation in which so many of us need during these somewhat quieter months. Faithfully in Christ, +Bob Pittsburgh

By Jay L. Greener The Anglican Mission in America, in tandem with five other groups, is today announcing an unprecedented level of cooperation among leading orthodox Anglican entities in the United States. In a letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury leaders of the Anglican Mission (AMiA), along with the leadership of the Anglican Communion Network (ACN), Reformed Episcopal Church (REC), Forward in Faith North America (FIFNA), Anglican Province in America (APA) and the American Anglican Council (AAC) affirmed a commitment "to make common cause for the gospel of Jesus Christ and common cause for a united, missionary and orthodox Anglicanism in North America." The Rt. Rev. Chuck Murphy, Chairman of the Anglican Mission in America, welcomed the new day of cooperation, "Even as we watch with some sadness the painful yet necessary realignment in the Anglican Communion, I am encouraged by the willingness of a growing number of orthodox groups and voices to work together to shape a new Anglican witness for the 21st Century." Bishop Bob Duncan of Pittsburgh, who serves as moderator for the Anglican network (ACN), will chair this new cooperative alliance. "To see orthodox Anglican groups move from competition and divisiveness to cooperation signifies a new season in the life of the Church," observed Bishop Duncan. "This is not a declaration of organic unity—far from it—but it is a proclamation that we can function as allies in the cause of Jesus Christ." Orthodox leaders are coming together in the face of a growing crisis within the Episcopal Church USA and the importance of working cooperatively for creative solutions to fulfill the mission of the Church. "For the Anglican Mission, our focus will continue to be on the call we have been given to plant and strengthen congregations and reach out to the un-churched," stated the Rev. Jay Greener, AMiA's Communications Officer. "This is not a merger—each group will remain distinct. But there is a new level of cooperation and mutual appreciation that is honouring to the gospel, and consistent with the missionary values of the AMiA. We look forward to participating in this important 'roundtable' of orthodox Anglican groups." Jay L. Greener, Communications Officer The Anglican Mission in America 719-487-3258 jay@anglicanmissioninamerica.org

By Roger Steer Letter to an Influential Atheist is an open letter from Roger Steer to Richard Dawkins challenging Dawkins' vigorously proclaimed view that the theory of evolution by natural selection explains our existence and makes atheism intellectually respectable. Richard Dawkins is Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford. His books have been extraordinarily influential even in the minds of thousands of people who have never read them. Roger Steer decided to write his letter after reflecting on perhaps the most famous sentence Dawkins has ever written. Dawkins begins The Blind Watchmaker with these words: "This book is written in the conviction that our own existence once presented the greatest of all mysteries, but that it is a mystery no longer because Darwin and Wallace solved it, though we shall continue to add footnotes to their solution for a while yet." Roger Steer is not a so-called "creationist". He happily accepts that evolution by natural selection is a good description of the process which produces biological diversity. He has written the letter because Dawkins claims too much for evolutionary mechanisms. He tries to make them into a theory of "life, the universe and everything", and a biological theory — even such a major insight as this — isn't up to such Herculean tasks. It's an abuse of science to take a good theory out of its scientific context and use it for ideological purposes. Roger argues that Dawkins' influential books distort his readers' thinking in at least six ways. First, despite the striking and assured tone of his famous sentence, Dawkins does not actually believe that Darwin and Wallace "solved the mystery of our existence" as from time to time he honestly admits. Second, Dawkins misleads people by suggesting that Darwin and Wallace set out to solve the mystery of our existence: the truth is that the puzzle they sought to unravel was more modest. Third, by repeatedly linking the two men's names in the way he does, Dawkins implies that they drew from the theory of natural selection the same philosophical conclusions as he does: in fact they did not agree in their estimates of the explanatory power of natural selection and neither man agreed with Dawkins. Fourth, Dawkins does not acknowledge how controversial the wider conclusions he draws from the theory of evolution by natural selection are among his own colleagues within the scientific community. Fifth, in vigorously proclaiming his view that the theory of evolution has made atheism intellectually respectable Dawkins misrepresents the story of Darwin's alleged "loss of faith" and totally ignores Wallace's insistence on the universe's essential spiritual dimension. And finally, Dawkins either misunderstands or deliberately caricatures the nature of Christian faith. In correcting Dawkins flawed history, and in discussing the complexity of the human mind, human possession of consciousness, our life in an orderly universe, and the Christian understanding of creation, Roger Steer presents a compelling and interesting case for belief in God. You can read some reviews of Letter to an Influential Atheist by visiting Amazon.co.uk Reviews, and also clicking on the Customer Reviews link. You will also find a debate about the book at http://www.bowness.demon.co.uk. or from Authentic Media, Box 1047, Waynesboro, GA 30830-2047, USA. In 1800 a 15-year-old Welsh girl, Mary Jones, walked 28 miles, barefoot, across the side of a mountain to buy a Welsh Bible, for which she had saved six years, from a Methodist minister, Thomas Charles. Impressed, Charles persuaded friends to set up a society to provide affordable Welsh Bibles. The group quickly realised that Bibles in the language of the people must be made available not just in Wales, but around the world. They agreed to distribute the unadorned Bible, without note or comment, to transcend sectarian divides. The subsequent achievements of Bible Society are astonishing: so much so that the elderly Mary Jones, aged 71, would donate a half-sovereign to the Society's appeal to print and circulate a million Chinese New Testaments. The Society whose formation she unwittingly triggered quickly attracted within its orbit kings, queens, a Russian tsar, an Ethiopian emperor, prime ministers - the list goes on. This is the story of men and women of immense ability and courage. But above all it is the story of a book - the Book - and of the way it has broken through barriers of culture and language to set hearts on fire right around the world. Roger Steer is the author of 12 books, including George Müller: Delighted in God, which has been continuously in print for nearly 30 years. He has been a trustee of Bible Society for many years. He lives in Devon, UK.

By Ben Merkle The Episcopalian Church of the USA consecrated homosexual Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003. That same year the Bishop of Oxford in the Anglican Church attempted to appoint homosexual Jeffrey John as the Bishop of Reading. Although this attempt failed, the close call was enough to ruffle feathers throughout the Anglican communion and tensions have arisen once more as Jeffrey John has been recently put forward as Dean of St. Albans. In 2002, the New Westminster diocese of the Church of Canada recognized a same sex union, also causing a tremendous uproar within the Anglican communion. These various inroads of sodomy within the Anglican Church are a small part of a much larger sodomite movement, but an odd complication has arisen in this particular arena for the homosexuals. In the unbelieving story, opposition to sodomite Bishops is supposed to be proof positive of homophobia, and generally synonymous with northern European, white power obsession. In the Ameri-pagan mind, those who object to practicing queer clergypersons are the folks who walk arm-in-arm with clansmen and uneducated snaggle-toothed rednecks. They are supposed to be the unenlightened persecutors of minorities. Only with the mightiest of efforts have the progressives managed to ignore the glaring problem of the Nigerian Church. The Primate of Nigeria, the most Reverend Peter Akinola, has been at the front of the battle over sexual perversion, speaking out against the Anglican apostasy in no uncertain terms. When the Church of Canada gave her blessing to a sodomite union, the Nigerian Church officially severed communion with the diocese of New Westminster. But most significant is how Akinola cast the nature of the controversy. Many of us from the two-thirds world feel that the global north still seeks to retain its disproportionate power and influence in our Church just as in the world. It is significant that those dioceses most tempted to indulge themselves with unilateral actions, taken without consulting the wider Communion, seem so often to be among those materially most advantaged and to be in the global north. Should this not occasion reflection? Do we not see here, in the ready assertion of superior wisdom, a new imperialism? The Nigerian Church has continued to cast the European and American sodomite agenda as another wave of white colonialism. This is "a new imperialism." It's "colonialism" all over again. It is a white, European agenda being forced onto the African Church. Akinola noted that "... the rich Churches in Europe, America and Canada ... have long used their wealth to intimidate the financially weak Churches in Africa." The homosexual debate has evangelicals hemming and hawing and trying to make their timid objections friendly, all the while knowing that no matter how many qualifications are made, they will still be portrayed as back woods fundamentalists. Akinola is immune to these concerns. He writes, "I cannot think of how a man in his senses would be having a sexual relationship with another man. Even in the world of animals, dogs, cows, lions, we don't hear of such things." What an awkward position our liberal brothers are in. This is supposed to be a fight between the enlightened, open minded, educated progressives and the intolerant, ignorant, hatemongering Bible thumpers. But when the Church of Nigeria steps into the ring, propaganda gets tricky. How enlightened is it to call Africans ignorant? "Backward African bishops," as some have called them, really doesn't sound so enlightened. Things get trickier: of the 76.5 million members of the worldwide Anglican Church, 36.8 million are African. It works to use nasty invectives against other whites. Mary Ann Sieghart vomited a tirade in the London Times against Peter Jensen, the Archbishop of Sydney, Australia and the movement begun in his diocese. Sieghart describes the Sydney Anglicans as "the most narrow-minded, puritanical and zealous brand of Anglicanism, a new puritanism." Sieghart attempts to lay the blame for the blocking of Jeffrey John's appointment on Jensen's shoulders, writing "It would not be too much of an exaggeration to say that it was Jensen's people who managed eventually to block the appointment of Jeffrey John as Bishop of Reading." Jensen is certainly a player, but his being singled out over the African Churches, is far more strategic than honest. You can call Australians "narrow-minded," because they're as white as the sodomites they oppose, and so are preferable as an enemy. Akinola is certainly in a rhetorically privileged position, making him a powerful voice in the current fight. And his faithfulness in light of the privilege has been glorious. The most telling moment throughout this debate came quite recently. Several African churches, including both the Nigerian and the Kenyan have refused to receive money from any diocese recognizing sodomite clergy. The decision will have a major impact on the already impoverished Church. But unlike "principled" American tax objectors who make the hard decision of refusing to pay money, the Churches of Nigeria and Kenya are refusing to take money, just when it is most needed. Akinola explained the decision well: "We will not, on the altar of money, mortgage our conscience, mortgage our faith, mortgage our salvation." END