No actual autograph. It is true that no actual autograph of Scripture has survived. The loss is presumably due to a deliberate providence of God, which may have been to prevent us giving superstitious reverence to pieces of paper. Nevertheless, we know something of the scrupulous care with which scribes copied the sacred Hebrew text, and the same would have been true of the New Testament documents. Further, we possess a great many more early copies of the original text than of any other ancient literature. By comparing these with each other, with the early 'versions' (i.e. translations) and with biblical quotations in the writings of the church fathers, scholars (called 'textual critics') have been able to establish the authentic text (especially of the New Testament) beyond any reasonable doubt. The uncertainties which remain are almost entirely trivial; no doctrine of any importance hangs upon them. --- From "Understanding the Bible"

Dear Brothers and Sisters
www.virtueonline.org
October 30, 2010

When the final chapters of the Episcopal Church are written, Katharine Jefferts Schori will go down as the most litigious leader of any Christian denomination in modern American history.

Look at what has happened, due to threats of and resorts to litigation, just in the space of a few years on her watch:

* For the first time in its 221-year history, the Church has mortgaged its prime property to help pay for lawsuits;
* Church leadership (and the lack thereof) has caused the DFMS and its treasurer to play fast and loose with the stated purposes for drawing on donor trust funds to finance diocesan litigation;
* The Church has loaned more than a million dollars of its sorely needed funds to groups with no ability to repay such amounts, even if they finally prevail in the pending lawsuits;
* The Church has gone to inordinate lengths to prop up groups as Potemkin dioceses, just so they can serve as plaintiffs in the lawsuits, while having little potential to remain viable on their own;
* General Convention, 815 and the Executive Council are all running in different directions, with no regard for the limits imposed by the Constitution and Canons; and, last but not least,
* The Church is in a deadly, downward spiral of declining membership, declining revenues and greatly increased debt.

VOL is indebted to the work of San Joaquin attorney Allan S. Haley for these facts.

Prolonged litigation is one of the most toxic forms of stress to which humans can subject themselves. The constant worry of what future decisions made by distant and poorly informed judges eats away at raw nerves while the outlays required leave no resources for survival in tough times. It is time to remember the words of St. Paul in I Cor. 6:5; "I say this to your shame. Is there no one among you wise enough to settle disputes between fellow Christians? 6:6; Instead, does a Christian sue a Christian, and do this before unbelievers? 6:7; The fact that you have lawsuits among yourselves demonstrates that you have already been defeated."

And defeated TEC will be. With four dioceses in litigation that could run on for years and a near certainty of a fifth when the Empress of 815 starts her reign of terror on the Diocese of South Carolina, the tab for all this could run as high as $50 million.

What will winning look like when it is all over? There will be a slew of empty churches, the parishioners having long since fled, Potemkin dioceses with faux bishops, and empty buildings looking to be sold to lively start-up evangelical congregations with pastors reaching out to post-modern kids for Christ. Some will be sold to saloons (Jefferts Schori's first choice) and the bigger ones for condo developments once the land has been cleared.

In the end everyone loses. TEC's gospel of Inclusion is no gospel at all, and everyone knows it. No one is converted to Christ. Of course, everyone is welcome to the table with "open communion" already unofficially accepted and where Holy Communion is served by a lesbian in a miter.

*****

Three Episcopal dioceses have now stepped up to the plate to question the Title IV Changes being imposed on them by the National Church which, if ratified, will kick in next July and over ride diocesan canons. The Living Church says the the three dioceses - Dallas, South Carolina and Western Louisiana - have expressed their concerns about the revised Title IV that grants greater authority to the church's presiding bishop over other bishops, and to diocesan bishops over their clergy, amid accusations of misconduct.

The Diocese of South Carolina adopted seven resolutions that either delete references to the Episcopal Church's canons, or specify that the diocese recognizes those canons only through 2006.

The annual convention of the Diocese of Dallas voted to study revisions to Title IV for the next several months and to reconvene in early summer to act on conclusions of that study.

"The more we looked at Title IV, we began to realize what we have here is a constitutional crisis," said the Rt. Rev. James M. Stanton, Bishop of Dallas. "Much of our concern has to do with due process for clergy and protections for clergy."

You can read more about this in today's digest.

PS. Bishop Mark Lawrence is waiting to be deposed by Jefferts Schori.

*****

The vultures are gathering and the long knives are out for Fr. Dan Martins, Bishop-elect of the Diocese of Springfield. Bishop Jerry Lamb of the Diocese of San Joaquin says he has has grave concerns about Martins becoming the next Springfield bishop. He has written a letter to all TEC bishops and Standing Committees telling them that Martins lacks what he calls "suitability" for the job. He points to Martins blogspot "Carioca Confessions" in an attempt to make his case. On the HOB/D listserv Louie Crew, first sodomite emeritus for Integrity, has also attacked Martins pretty well guaranteeing the kiss of death for Martins obtaining consents.

VOL has said all along that if elected, it would not be a cakewalk for the orthodox priest. Apparently, we were right. VOL has also noted that Mark Lawrence was the last orthodox bishop to get the nod and it took him two votes to get it.

With this blast by Lamb to all members of the HOB, and with Crew manipulating the Standing Committees of the all the dioceses on the HOB/D listserv, it is pretty near certain that Martins will get a stay-at-home-do-not-pack-your-bag card.

So Martins, who is orthodox in faith and morals, is happily married, gets nixed while Gene Robinson, a homosexual, alcoholic, divorced bishop and father of two and now married to another man, who admits he cannot endorse parts of the creed gets a pass, and is eulogized for his behavior. Go figure.

*****

The Fairfax Circuit Court is scheduled for yet another hearing on Nov. 12th in the matter of the Diocese of Virginia versus Truro Church before Judge Randy I. Bellows.

The hearing is being held to determine the appropriate procedure and schedule to resolve all outstanding matters, and set briefing and trial schedules as necessary with regards to the matters to be taken up on November 12.

*****

The Diocese of Montreal will launch its own "flying bishop" in 2011 to serve traditionalists opposed to the diocese's introduction of same-sex unions.

Speaking to the Oct 15 session of the diocesan synod, Bishop Barry Clarke said he will present to the January meeting of the diocesan council a plan for "shared episcopal ministry."

"This does not mean that I am abdicating my responsibility as the diocesan bishop to those clergy and parishes," the bishop said in his presidential address to the synod.

This will be a "shared ministry with a fellow bishop. This is a pastoral response to a particular need at this time in our church. The clergy and parishes that may be involved in this shared episcopal ministry will still have to meet their full responsibility to live within the canons and the constitution of our diocese and of our church."

The concept of "shared episcopal ministry" was recommended by the 2004 Windsor Report as a way to provide pastoral oversight for traditionalists at odds with the innovations of doctrine and discipline made by some American and Canadian dioceses. "I have met in prayer and in consultation with those members of the diocesan family who have made this request of me. It is my intent to move forward and honour their request," Bishop Clarke said according to a report by the Montreal Anglican.

*****

The Assyrian bishop in the United States says his ancient church, one of the first in China, will not have any official dialogue with any Protestant churches that support the blessing of homosexual partners or the ordination of women. Bishop Mar Awa Royel, the president of an inter-church relations commission of the Assyrian Church of the East, told a Hong Kong audience earlier in October that the church is committed to ecumenical dialogue, but that it will not support dialogue with churches that it believes deviate from the teachings of Jesus Christ. The Assyrian Church was once referred to as the Nestorian Church, and was earlier regarded as heretical and faced persecution. Source ENI.

*****

VTS chapel fire ruled accidental.The Oct. 22 fire that quickly destroyed the chapel at Virginia Theological Seminary has been ruled accidental.

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced its findings Oct. 28. ATF's National Response Team, along with ATF special agents from Falls Church, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., worked with the Alexandria Fire Department to investigate the cause of the fire. The federal response is routine when a fire of this size occurs in a house of worship, the seminary and the ATF said.

The fire began in a trash can left near a heater in the sacristy, Susan Shillinglaw, VTS director of communication, told ENS. The team of investigators removed the debris from the heavily damaged structure, took photographs, recovered fire debris from the scene for laboratory analysis and conducted more than 40 interviews throughout the campus, according to the ATF.

"It is clear that the fire was not caused by any deliberate or criminal act," the Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, VTS dean and president, said in a message posted on the VTS website. "Although the fire was caused by human agency, those involved took 'steps that any responsible person would have taken.' However, these steps were not sufficient to stop the catastrophe that followed."

*****

The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Missionary Church(E.M.C.), William Millsaps steps down shortly as Presiding Bishop. His successor is Bp. Council Nedd.
Bishop Nedd was unanimously elected by the House of Bishops and affirmed unanimously by the House of Clergy and the House of Laity at a General Synod held on October 21-24 at Christ Church Monteagle.

*****

The Church of England statistics are in and things aren't as bad as it would seem. A source in London interpreted the information for VOL coming up with this. It's "steady as she goes" - ten times as many new full-time priests as the RC church plus another 300 part-timers. Evangelism is beginning to take effect and to turn back the tide. Some dioceses are growing, despite the onslaughts of the socialist Labour government, the secularists and atheists, and the grim materialism of a decadent and depraved media. In 2001, the national Census asked for the first time about religious affiliation. Some 72% of people in the UK described themselves as Christians. Just last month there was a very big survey done, which was expected to reveal a great drop in religious affiliation, after so many years of Dawkins and the rest. The result? 71% described themselves as Christians. Obviously, this translates into infrequent church attendance, in most cases, but there is a tremendous opportunity here to save many, many souls for Christ. You can read it all here: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/statistics/churchstats2008/statisticscontent2008.html

*****

In the Diocese of Baltimore, Mt. Calvary Church, which is departing for Rome, might be allowed to keep their building, but not their $5 million endowment, according to a VOL source. There are three larger Episcopal Churches within short blocks of Mt Calvary. Mt Calvary would have closed years ago if it hadn't been for the endowment. With only 45 "members in good standing" and with a quorum present for vote of only 24, Mt. Calvary cannot maintain the expense of staff and buildings without the endowment covering 80% of their budget. The (RC) Diocese of Baltimore has been closing churches with most priests having three churches. So the buzz (in the RC priestly community) is that the Mt. Calvary community will be offered worship time at one of two RC churches within blocks of Mt Calvary. The word in the Diocese of Maryland is that the bishop will keep the endowment. Mt Calvary's building will be sold - the RC doesn't want it and neither does TEC. TEC and RC stand shoulder to shoulder on breakaway parishes and property rights. The rector of the outgoing parish, Fr. Jason Catania has written about all this in a letter to his parish which you can read in today's digest.

*****

The Anglican Covenant designed to draw us all together in deeper bonds of fellowship and inclusivity is running up against brick walls. Two progressive Anglican groups, Inclusive Church and Modern Church, have joined together to campaign against the proposed Anglican Covenant, which they say is "an attempt by some leaders of the Anglican Communion to subordinate national churches to a centralized international authority, with power to forbid developments when another province objects."

The covenant first was proposed in the 2004 Windsor Report as a way that the Anglican Communion and its 38 autonomous provinces might maintain unity despite differences, especially relating to biblical interpretation and human sexuality issues.

But some Anglicans, including Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and the Episcopal Church's Executive Council, have raised concerns about the covenant being used as an instrument of control, particularly in section 4, which outlines a method for resolving disputes in the communion.

In November, the Church of England's General Synod will be asked to approve the covenant.

The Diocese of Albany in upstate in New York has signed on to the Covenant.

*****

Canadian Anglican Primate Fred Hiltz apologized recently to gays, lesbians and bisexuals in Canada. At a Eucharist to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Integrity, he stated: "I know many of you have suffered the consequences of homophobia in the church," he said. "I know many of you have suffered subtle forms of persecution." He acknowledged that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people have been labeled as disordered and unnatural, have suffered anxiety and depression and "have been pressured to hide the truth about what you are."

He said, "I stand before you as one member of the church called by office to care for all members of the church." He admitted the church had silenced them, refused to listen to them, and failed to see them as deeply committed to the church. Then, speaking slowly and emphatically, he continued, "I am sorry for the many ways in the past, and maybe in the present, in which you have been hurt by the church. I am sorry."

Hiltz did not extend the apology to sadomasochist Anglicans for obvious reasons. Nor did he apologize to all the orthodox Anglicans in Canada who have been persecuted, marginalized and demonized for standing up for the faith once for all delivered to the saints.

*****

Just how bad are things financially in TEC? A small window of observation comes from the Diocese of New York where the budget has dropped $3 million from $10.8 to $7.8 million, a drop of over 25%.

In the department of don't let a liberal bishop go to waste, New York Bishop Mark S. Sisk announced Oct. 28 the appointment of retired Connecticut Bishop Andrew "Drew" Smith as assistant bishop effective Nov. 1.

"It has been my intention ever since the retirement of Bishop [E. Don] Taylor to appoint an assistant bishop to share the episcopal duties of the diocese with Bishop [Catherine] Roskam and myself," said Sisk in the e-mail.

Smith, Sisk added, will serve the diocese on a quarter-time basis.

*****

The Archbishop of Canterbury, clearly under siege from fleeing Anglo-Catholics, disillusioned Evangelicals, unhappy Anglican Primates, angry homosexuals and women priests bucking to become bishops, has hired a new pitchman AKA Secretary for Public Affairs in the person of The Rev. George Pitcher. Pitcher, a former Religion editor of the "The Telegraph", is no lover of orthodox Anglicans. Whatever gifts the Rev George Pitcher may possess, he smeared, by the laziest association, two of the most admirable figures in his own Church, Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali and Lord Carey, during his former career.

You don't need to be religious to be religious correspondent anymore than you need to be a criminal to be a crime correspondent. But what of a public affairs secretary? Should they be public? Our favorite blood-crazed ferret (Damian Thompson) helps to raise the issue after exploiting a temporary collapse in the Times paywall to find a blog from George Pitcher, about how the BBC gave the pope an easy ride.

Damian asks, "Is this what the archbishop thinks, too, George?" It would be entertaining and marvellous if he were speaking with his master's voice, but something tells me Lambeth Palace wasn't expecting its new public affairs secretary to be quite so public. Until Pitcher's appointment Team Rowan had no profile whatsoever. In George Pitcher, however, they have someone who is connected, opinionated, published and social. It would be a shame if Pitcher - who has delighted us with his insights on Aaqil Ahmed - were to retreat from public life entirely. On the other hand, a bolshier addition to the team might be just the tonic. For the Fleet Street God squad anyway."

*****

I returned this week from a memorable congress in Cape Town, South Africa where some 5,500 Evangelicals from 198 countries gathered to both proclaim the "unsearchable riches of Christ" share and hear gospel stories and to stand alongside the world's poorest, those with HIV/AIDS, Christian converts in Muslim lands and a whole lot more. It is a conference I am unlikely to see again in my lifetime. It is something to hold onto bearing in mind that from the heights of Cape Town, I descended back into the heretical waters of the Diocese of Pennsylvania and Charles Bennison.

I have written a number of stories about this momentous event and plan to write a few more before signing off. Do read the Cape Town Commitment. I am becoming more convinced that the US is a nation of Indians (the most religious nation on earth) being ruled by a gang of Swedes (the most secular nation on earth), at the same time the world is becoming more ferociously religious than ever, even as secularism, atheism and post-modernity rear their heads attempting to push people away from God.

*****

PLEASE consider supporting VOL with a tax-deductible donation. We are in urgent need of funds to keep going. We are traveling the world bringing you the best in Anglican news. VOL has a small, overworked staff and they must be paid. You can send a donation to:

VIRTUEONLINE
1236 Waterford Rd.,
West Chester, PA 19380

Or you can make a payment through PAYPAL at VOL's website: www.virtueonline.org.

We will respond promptly. Thank you for your support.

All blessings,

David