Called to be peacemakers. Every Christian is called to be a peacemaker. The Beatitudes are not a set of eight options, so that some may choose to be meek, others to be merciful, and yet others to make peace. Together they are Christ's description of the members of his kingdom. True, we shall not succeed in establishing Utopia on earth, nor will Christ's kingdom of righteousness and peace become universal within history. Not until Christ comes will swords be beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning-hooks. Yet this fact gives no possible warrant for the proliferation of factories for the manufacture of swords and spears. Does Christ's prediction of famine inhibit us from seeking a more equitable distribution of food? No more can his prediction of wars inhibit our pursuit of peace. God is a peacemaker. Jesus Christ is a peacemaker. So, if we want to be God's children and Christ's disciples, we must be peacemakers too. --- From "Issues Facing Christians Today” John R. W. Stott

A costly calling. The incentive to peacemaking is love, but it degenerates into appeasement whenever justice is ignored. To forgive and ask for forgiveness are both costly exercises. All authentic Christian peacemaking exhibits the love and justice -- and so the pain -- of the cross--- From "The Cross of Christ" John R. W. Stott

Dear Brothers and Sisters
www.virtueonline.org
January 15, 2010

A newscaster on Public Radio this week, talking of the great changes The Episcopal Church has gone through, said that in past times TEC was characterized as being “rich, white America at prayer,” but that this is no longer the case. “What once was an exclusively upper-class, white denomination now has great cultural and ethical diversity.” Indeed. The context of his remarks made it clear he meant to speak of “ethnic diversity.” Whether a slip of the tongue, or a Freudian slip, it left me chuckling.

Diversity of color is not all that TEC is engaged in. Questionable notions of diversity that denude Christianity of its exclusive claims are becoming more commonplace among TEC bishops.

Frank Griswold, former Presiding Bishop, told The Living Church that in retirement he is speaking out and exploring diversity with a particular focus on Buddhism. Episcopal bishops are anxious to look for common ground with other religions in order not to offend. They are prepared to turn a blind eye to the unique claims of Christ in order to promote an allegedly better world where peace, love and harmony reign. They will even look for truth claims in Islam even though that religion will not tolerate diversity claims with Christianity.

So it is not surprising that in the second of my two-part series on Sewanee: The University of the South, diversity - ethnic, religious and sexual should dominate the academic landscape there. Parents are blithely unaware to what their sons and daughters are being exposed. Millions of dollars are pouring into the Episcopal Church’s only university and theological seminary creating a generation of nice, affirming, but unbelieving students who are not being taught the unique claims of Christ and the salvation he offers. Culture, niceness, diversity and political correctness trumps truth. I urge you to read Part II in this ongoing series on Sewanee and pass it on to your friends who have children of university age and ask them to consider seriously what a true Christian academy can and should be and whether Sewanee is appropriate for them.

*****

Proposition 8 is back again on the front legal burner of Californians. Episcopal Church pansexualists are out lobbying hard for its rejection. In November 2008, Proposition 8 passed overwhelmingly by Californians who favor traditional marriage between a man and a woman. Howls of outrage, death threats and more were aimed at Evangelicals, Mormons and Catholics.

An historic battle regarding the definition of marriage is now under way.
The legal battle to determine the constitutionality of one-man, one-woman marriage began in a San Francisco federal courthouse this week. The Supreme Court of California created same-sex "marriage" last year, even though the justices knew the issue was about to go to a vote.

Ron Prentice, executive director of ProtectMarriage.com, said the future of marriage may be riding on this court case.

"It's impossible to overstate the importance of this case to the future of marriage in America. Not only is the constitutionality of California's Prop. 8 at stake, but so are the marriage laws of 45 other states and the federal Defense of Marriage Act," Prentice said. "Prayers and support have sustained us and give us confidence that we will prevail in this historic battle."

No cameras were allowed to record the proceedings, after the United States Supreme Court overruled Judge Vaughn Walker, fearing the public exposure might see an outbreak of violence where real people might get hurt. This brought on an angry rebuff from lesbian Integrity leader Susan Russell (The Rev.) of All Saints, Pasadena, who skewered the court for taking such a stand. You can read that story in today’s digest.

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Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, was struck by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake on Tuesday, January 11. The quake was centered southwest of Port-au-Prince, a city of about 2 million inhabitants. The Anglican Relief and Development Fund (ARDF) is assessing the situation and working with their partners to respond with assistance to the victims.

VOL urges its readers to give generously. Click here to donate. www.anglicanaid.net

Checks can be sent to:

The Anglican Relief and Development Fund,
PO Box 3830, Pittsburgh, PA 15230-3830 with the word "Haiti" in the memo line.

The Episcopal News Service reports that four Episcopalians have been killed, but the totals are not all in. Haiti Bishop Jean Zaché Duracin's home was destroyed in the earthquake. His wife injured her foot, according to news received by the Rev. Christopher A. Johnson, the U.S.-based
Episcopal Church's officer for social and economic justice.

Now wouldn’t it be nice, indeed humane, if the millions of dollars TEC and its liberal dioceses have dedicated to spend on lawsuits fighting over property retention were spent on situations like this where real lives of people are at stake. Don’t count on it.

Province 2 bishops have issued a statement about the situation in Haiti which you can read in today’s digest.

*****

In the Diocese of Pennsylvania, Fr. David Moyer and the Church of the Good Shepherd have lost the first round in the property litigation brought by the Diocese. In an Order dated December 22, Judge Stanley Ott of the Montgomery County Orphans' Court rejected Moyer's and Good Shepherd's request that the case be dismissed, although he did require the Diocese to file an Amended Petition adding Bishop Rodney Michel as a party and deleting references to tort claims. All other Objections of Good Shepherd and Moyer were "0verruled and Dismissed" The Diocese filed its Amended Petition on January 12. Under Judge Ott's Order, Good Shepherd, Moyer and the other individual defendants have been directed to file answers to the Amended Petition by February 3.

*****

In UGANDA a number of people from the Pro Faith, Family, and Human Rights leaders have spoken out about anti-homosexual legislation in that country and are asking for an apology from Rick Warren for his misreading of the situation. “We acknowledge receipt of a letter from you in which you called on us (Ugandan Pastors) to ‘speak out’ against the proposed ‘Anti-homosexuality Bill 2009’, which is currently before our parliament. This bill has been greatly misrepresented by some homosexual activists causing hysteria and we take this opportunity to give you the background, facts and response to the concerns you raised. A special meeting of 20 denominational heads met on Thursday 17th Dec in the offices of the minister of Ethics and Integrity, examined your letter and formed a joint task force to respond to you as well as help support the parliament in the passage of this bill. We are further distressed by your unwarranted abuse of our duly elected officials who are in the process of making laws in the fulfillment of their mission and make demand that you biblically issue an apology for having wronged us as demonstrated by the facts of this letter.” You can read the full report in today’s digest.

*****

Canadian Anglicans are facing the reality that their pro-homosexual stance might well kill off the denomination. In Montreal the bishops acknowledged a "general pessimism" among themselves about the potential for "any clear resolution" of the divisive issue of sexuality at the church's upcoming General Synod in Halifax this June.

This is one of the many observations recently made by two pastoral visitors from the U.K. who were deputized by the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. They were invited to attend the four-day meeting of the House of Bishops last November in Niagara, Ont., at the request of Archbishop Williams who is seeking ways to heal divisions among member provinces of the Anglican Communion.

No matter what decisions may be reached at the 2010 General Synod, however, the gathering is bound to be "a watershed both for the (Anglican Church of Canada) and for its wider relations with the Anglican Communion," said Bishop Chad Gandiya of Harare, Zimbabwe, and Bishop Colin Bennetts, the retired bishop of Coventry, in their report. "At its worst it could lead to internal anarchy. At its best it could help us all to appreciate and practice a properly Christian style of inclusiveness.”

The Canadian House of Bishops also approved a resolution recommending that the final text of the proposed Anglican Communion Covenant be presented for consideration to the General Synod meeting in June.

*****

The Danish Church votes to enter full communion with Porvoo Churches. The ecclesiastical council of the Church of Denmark, (Den Danske Folkekirke) has endorsed the Porvoo Agreement, and will enter into formal communion with the Church of England, Church of Ireland, Church in Wales, Scottish Episcopal Church and the Lutheran Churches of Nordic and Baltic states.

In an announcement distributed to the country’s 2200 congregations last week, the church’s governing ecclesiastical council, with the approval of its 12 bishops, endorsed the 1996 agreement that provides for inter-communion between the Anglican and Nordic Lutheran Churches.

The Rt. Rev. David Hamid, the suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe noted that arrangements for the public signing of the declaration had yet to be finalized, but the decision by the Danish Church to accept the Porvoo Common Statement was a “major ecumenical breakthrough.” Source: Religious Intelligence

*****

The abortion industry is dying a natural death. The older generation of "abortion providers" is passing from the scene and the younger generation, it seems, is not picking up the mantle. This is forcing a worried "pro-choice" crowd to come up with some rather outlandish suggestions for recruiting and training young doctors in the art of slaughtering the innocent.

The average age of an abortion provider in this country is soaring upwards. Many doctors who deserve to retire and spend their days playing golf stay in the business because there are so many women who claim they need abortions and so few people to provide them. Few counties have abortion providers, and many women have to travel hundreds, sometimes thousands of miles to get one. It is all it's because younger doctors don't want to perform abortions.
A program to encourage "bright, young pro-choice people" will not succeed in the present medical climate because the "bright" and "young" among us do not buy the "pro-choice" argument. Like every lie, it cannot be perpetuated forever. If the number of "abortion providers" is declining due to a lack of interest by a new generation of doctors and other healthcare workers, the best suggestion is not to force medical schools to teach a barbaric procedure or to offer scholarships to those willing to perform it. Rather, the best suggestion is . . .

Let the death industry die!

****

Church of England Bishop Jonathan Gledhill of Lichfield is encouraging young Christians mulling their future course in life to consider becoming a priest in the Church of England. He has launched a recruitment drive across the Diocese of Lichfield to increase the number of 18 to 35-year-olds offering themselves for full-time service in the Church. His message to young Christians is: “Don’t settle for anything less than God’s best.” “One of the most satisfying careers of all is to spend one’s creative energies in building Christian community: in preaching and teaching the Christian faith, leading worship, making new disciples, transforming communities.

“It is a way to become rich beyond one’s wildest dreams; not financially, but in every other way, as all the surveys show.”

*****

A Church of England document, leaked to the “Guardian”, reveals the Church’s plans to target young children and toddlers in an effort to revive itself in the face of what is being seen as a terminal decline.

The document called “Going for Growth” will be presented to the General Synod in February. It sets out plans to bring more children into the Church by providing breakfast clubs, homework and sports and mother and toddler groups clubs.

The document says it aims to make churches more “child-friendly” and to work towards every child — regardless of their faith — having a “life-enhancing encounter with the Christian faith and the person of Jesus Christ”.

This is on top of a legal duty to conduct a daily act of worship. According to the “Guardian”, the Church intends to “remind” any schools that have covertly dropped it.

The Church will provide propaganda material that can be used in this enforced worship slot. The document reveals that the Church also intends to target further education colleges with what it calls a “social, moral, spiritual and cultural curriculum”.

*****

In another move to get at reluctant children, the Archbishop of Canterbury has announced plans for a major expansion of church schools. The Church of England already sponsors 27 academies — government-funded, but independently run secondaries — and has eight more in the pipeline for 2010 and another 30 under discussion. Indeed, the “Daily Telegraph” has reported that the CofE intends to increase the number of Church-sponsored academies from the current 28 to 50, providing places for nearly 60,000 pupils.

*****

The Church of England continues to be rent by internal schism. Evangelicals, normally a cohesive force with strict doctrinal boundaries has been under siege in recent years with little clarity. This week that changed. An article by Dr. Mike Ovey, principal (president) of Oak Hill Theological College, offers a brilliant riposte to the liberal evangelical group "Fulcrum". These are neo-evangelicals whose days might well be numbered when Tom Wright, Bishop of Durham retires in two years. Ovey brings a much needed clarity to evangelicalism in England that has been long overdue. You can read his analysis in today’s digest.

****

Also read Charles Raven’s brilliant analysis of Southeast Archbishop Moses Tay’s take on the Covenant. In an article entitled “A Prophet confronts Lambeth Pragmatism”, Raven writes that the Archbishop of Singapore, now retired, “brings a sharp prophetic insight to bear on the Anglican Covenant and warns that it is a 'whitewash'.”

“It cannot be of God' he says, “because if you try to keep the light and darkness together, righteous and immoral together, to say we are a church, it's disparaging the meaning of covenant”.

That the Windsor Covenant process is both superficial and manipulative has been a regular theme of Raven’s articles over the past twelve months.

The essential challenge of his remarks is not to the revisionists and liberals, but to those pragmatic conservatives who have managed to convince themselves that, despite its deficiencies, the Covenant can be used to their advantage as a way of marginalizing the American Episcopal Church and other Provinces which are following its lead. Evidence that this mindset now appears to be gaining some traction with the Global South comes from Archbishop John Chew, current Archbishop of South East Asia and incumbent general secretary of the Global South Steering Committee, who claims that twenty Global South Provinces are ready to sign on to the Covenant at their next 'South to South' encounter in Singapore next April.”

This is must reading.

*****

I have written a story on the birth, life and ultimate decline of a single parish in TEC spanning nearly half a century. The history and destiny of this particular church is typical, perhaps archetypical of thousands of TEC and ACofC churches who have been deceived into believing you can mess with the Word of God, and try to change God’s mind for him about human sexual behavior. The death knell is written into these aging congregations and with no discernible gospel their death is assured. Wrote one blogger, “It is sad, but it is part of God's plan to separate the wheat from the chaff.”

*****

I will be on the road for the next few weeks bringing you stories from the Mere Anglican conference in Charleston SC, then from Greensboro NC where the Anglican Mission in the Americas meets for its annual conference, and thence to London and the Synod of the Church of England.

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In Christ,

David