The false analogy of race (immutable) to sexual behavior (changeable and variable) has once again reared its ugly head in the California Supreme Court majority opinion. The foundation was laid at the federal level in the Texas sodomy case which invoked the extra-constitutional and specious 'right of privacy' vis-a-vis homosexual behavior. The slippery slope of legalizing consensual adult sex and all its permutations has brought us to this critical juncture. If the people of California refuse to amend the state constitution to forbid same-sex marriage come November, I fear all will be lost for the United States. Our country will have gone the way of socialist and libertine Western Europe with its declining birth rates and failing Christianity. --- Episcopal California layman

"Despite what others may say, we have no plans to '"jump ship'" and leave the Church of England or put ourselves under overseas bishops, but rather to stay as gospel-faithful Anglicans. Nor do we have any intentions to start some new "political' organization - the evangelical world has enough of those already!" --- The Rev. Stephen Sizer

Dear Brothers and Sisters
www.virtueonline.org
5/23/2008

To no one's surprise three of the Episcopal Church's ultra-liberal California bishops have come out with ringing endorsements of the California Supreme Court's ruling on same-sex marriages this past week, putting themselves in the vanguard of feel good faith which lacks both the wisdom and judgment of history. Scripture and nearly every other religious group condemn the actions of the state supreme Court. Los Angeles Bishop Jon Bruno called the decision an important one "because it reflects our baptismal vow to 'strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being' and our commitment to justice and mercy for all people."

Bishop Marc Andrus of California enthusiastically welcomed the court's decision, which effectively declared as unconstitutional Proposition 22, the "Defense of Marriage Act" approved by state voters in 2000 saying "All children of God should be afforded the same rights under the law" including the right to marry and establish a family. This decision recognizes that all Californians, regardless of sexual orientation, have equal access to one of our fundamental human institutions."

San Diego Bishop James R. Mathes said he supported the Supreme Court's decision and would oppose the likely effort to amend the constitution. "At a federal level, the constitution has only been successfully amended to expand rights, not remove them, and it follows that California would maintain a similar posture," he wrote. It is time for the church to be prophetic said the Rev. Susan Russell, the lesbian president of Integrity and called the ruling a huge step forward for "marriage and the sanctity and importance of marriage and against bigotry and separation."

Dennis Prager a TownHall columnist believes differently, "The California Supreme Court and its millions of supporters are playing with fire. And it will eventually burn future generations in ways we can only begin to imagine." The Episcopal Church is simply following the bell curve of the culture and it is being burned as thousands leave the denomination. The Roman Catholic message on homosexuality remains clear, messages that should be received loud and clear at Lambeth Palace and 815, although past history would suggest that any comprehension on the part of Anglican and Episcopalian leadership will be sorely lacking. Pope Benedict firmly re-stated the Church's position, "The union of love, based on matrimony between a man and a woman, which makes up the family, represents a good for all society that cannot be substituted by, confused with, or compared to other types of unions." You can read a number of stories on the California decision in today's digest including my own take that the California decision reflects the debasement of the Moral Law.

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UNITY WITH ROME might be growing more elusive even as efforts are being stepped up to improve relations. President of the Pontifical Council on Christian Unity Cardinal Walter Kasper's message to the Anglican Communion was quite clear. He said "The dividing lines, which have unfortunately become evident on ethical issues since the latter half of the last century, are therefore not secondary or irrelevant for an understanding of the nature of the church, as in touching on holiness, they touch on the essential nature of the church itself."

The decision by some Anglican Churches to ordain homosexual clergy and bless same–sex unions in the Kasper belief that they are prophetic actions that demonstrate God's love and acceptance of all people, is not in conformity with the faith of the Gospel and the early church, he said. "We should not imagine that we possess more of the Holy Spirit today than the early church fathers and the great theologians of the Middle Ages," he said. By posing the question of what constitutes Anglicanism's core, Cardinal Kasper asked the Communion whether it can be an ecumenical partner with the Roman Catholic Church. The goal of ecumenism, said Cardinal Kasper is "a spiritually renewed church, in which the church in its concrete form becomes to the fullest degree that which, in its undeveloped nature it always has been and always remains: the one, holy church we profess together in the Apostles' Creed."

If Anglicanism cannot add to the Catholic Church's fullness by speaking with a common voice on hitherto universally agreed ethical standards, its value as an ecumenical partner is questionable, he said. Cardinal Kasper urged Anglicanism to quickly put its house in order, "The Roman Catholic Church would 'work and pray' for clarity from the Anglican Communion on the divisive issues of doctrine and discipline that were dividing the church," he said. He urged this summer's Lambeth Conference, where he will address the gathered bishops, to settle its disputes over homosexuality as it is "not sustainable to keep pushing decision-making back because it only extends the crisis."

Don't hold your breath. Anglicanism is cracking. Liberal (Affirming) Anglicanism is not appealing to Rome. Evangelical Anglicanism will never go to Rome. Increasingly, it appears Anglo-Catholics will only get to Rome if they shed Anglicanism, cross the Tiber and then get the Anglican Use Rite.

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SIX other stories captured the HEADLINES in VOL this week. In New York City, Mrs. Katharine Jefferts Schori, TEC's Presiding Bishop, announced at a media event on The Lambeth Conference that she is sending the liberal Bishop of Colorado, Rob O'Neill, to the GAFCON conference to be "present" for Jerusalem Bishop Suheil Dawani. Interpretation: O'Neill will be Dawani's minder and remind him, even as Dawani addresses GAFCON pilgrims, that it is The Episcopal Church that pays his bills and to not get too friendly with these schismatic types or the money might just dry up. Dawani has been uncomfortable from the get go about aligning himself with GAFCON, but he will lead a pilgrimage to the Baptism site of Jesus in Jordan on Saturday, June 21, and will speak at the close of the Conference. Clearly, this has the top brass at TEC's national headquarters worried, as they believe they have bought and paid for the Diocese of Jerusalem. Dawani's predecessor, Riah Abu El-Assal, was easily bought off. He has been accused of corruption and is in a major legal battle with Dawani over property issues. This is a minefield as much as the Middle East itself is. In other Middle East news, the Presiding Bishop of the Middle East, Mouneer Anis, announced that he was bowing out of attending GAFCON and urged all the Communion's bishops to turn up to Lambeth. Anis has run hot and cold on GAFCON, but apparently he was persuaded, for political reasons, to throw his lot in with Lambeth. As I said, it is a minefield worthy of the West Bank and Gaza. You can read stories on all this in today's digest.

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Three of the EPISCOPAL CHURCH'S TOP SEMINARIES face closure or must sell off of assets in order to stay alive. You can read my story on the "Bankruptcy of Liberalism as Episcopal Seminaries Face Closure" in today's digest.

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The SLOW MOVING TRAIN WRECK that is The Episcopal Church saw two Anglican leaders, Archbishop Gregory Venables (Southern Cone) and Mrs. Jefferts Schori (TEC), face off over who owns parish properties and the urgent issue of boundary crossing. Venables has been criss-crossing Canada and the U.S., speaking at various dioceses which are either now under his ecclesiastical umbrella or soon will be, much to the annoyance of Mrs. Jefferts Schori.

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In the DIOCESE OF ALBANY, e-mails have been flying back and forth over the Internet over the possibility of an open fight on their diocesan convention floor next week over two sexuality resolutions. The convention will be held in Speculator, New York. You can read my story on this in today's digest. VOL will attend the convention.

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This week, the Bishop of UPPER SOUTH CAROLINA, the Rt. Rev. Dorsey Henderson warned the clergy in his diocese not to talk to the media about the defection of St. Christopher's in Spartanburg, an orthodox parish. The name of the game is control, and he wants to control what is said and not said. VOL obtained a letter written to Diocesan Clergy by the bishop after the parish, led by the Rev. Dr. George Naff Grey who has been inhibited, departed. The parish says it will not fight to keep the $3 million property. The bishop set a deadline to conform or he would inhibit and depose the orthodox priest.

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The DIOCESE OF PENNSYLVANIA is in shambles. Charles Bennison, the inhibited Bishop of Pennsylvania, faces the first of two trials in June. In the meantime, the diocese is dithering over whether the multi-million boondoggle, known as Camp Wapiti should be opened this summer to young campers. Latest word is that the $150,000 necessary to open it cannot be found. Therefore it will not open. The whole camp will ultimately be sold off at a tremendous financial loss to the diocese.

The diocese itself is in financial free fall. Here is what a source told VOL. The program budget as currently configured assumes 100% fulfillment of all pledges received. This sets aside the historic reality of a 10-20% pledge "shortfall". If one factors in this statistic, the diocese will experience a deficit of between $100,000 - $125,000 in 2008. Secondly, the Standing Committee has three times rejected requests from Finance and Property and Diocesan Council to cover the operational expenses for Wapiti, which historically were covered in the program budget, but were not in 2008 (for reasons which defy logic). These expenses are estimated at $150,000. Unless something changes, it appears as if these Wapiti operational costs will need to be absorbed in the program budget effectively forcing the cancellation of the camp or run a deficit above $200,000. The Standing Committee can always vote to release funds at their disposal, risking the wrath of convention as they dip in to funds normally used for other purposes (conventional wisdom lends one to conclude they will need them to pay an assisting bishop sometime soon so they are holding on to them). "It's a Mexican Standoff and the (Wapiti) camp looks to be cancelled. None of these figures include principal and interest on the $2.7 million dollar loan which kick in 11/09. The future of the Wapiti property will be determined by the Diocese after consideration of the facts presented by the Wapiti Task Force created at the 2007 Diocesan Convention. The Wapiti Task Force will present its finding at a meeting on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 7:30 pm at Calvary Church, Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.

Meantime, there seems to be a cover-up of a cover-up going on regarding Bennison. He stands accused of covering up his brother's sexual abuse of a minor and faces an ecclesiastical court. Now there seems to be a second cover-up as no testimony from those abused has been provided, no filed motions or filed answers by Bennison have been provided, even though VOL has asked for them. If we ever do get responses from TEC's national headquarters, we will let you know immediately.

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In the DIOCESE OF FT. WORTH, a group of local Episcopalians met to form an organization to respond to what they are calling a "proliferation of misinformation" concerning the pending split between the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and The Episcopal Church (TEC) headquartered in New York City. The group, calling themselves "Remain Faithful," has taken steps to organize as a non-profit corporation with the stated purpose of setting forth the true position of traditional and orthodox Episcopalians in this diocese who believe TEC no longer stands for the historic faith. "Remain Faithful looks forward to stating clearly the positions of orthodox Episcopalians - and in particular orthodox lay Episcopalians," said Chad Bates, the group's chairman. "We stand alongside our orthodox clergy in support of our shared beliefs and feel the time has come for an organization led by the laity to uphold our traditional faith in unequivocal terms."

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A group calling themselves ANGLICAN LAITY FELLOWSHIP (ALF), representing laity throughout the Anglican Communion have written a letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury asking him to resolve the two most serious issues before the Anglican Communion: the status of the U.S. Episcopal Church's compliance with the Windsor Report and the primates' Dar es Salaam ultimatum, and secondly to establish an Anglican Covenant, a process for deliberation of doctrinal matters and for discipline of unilateral acts by some provinces in the Anglican Communion including The Episcopal Church. You can read the full letter in today's digest.

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CANA Expands as New Church Leaders Are Ordained. The Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) ordained five candidates to the Sacred Priesthood and three candidates to the Sacred Order of Deacons on Saturday, May 17. The candidates represent five Virginia parishes and Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, N.Y. The celebrant and ordaining bishop was the Rt. Rev. David Bena, Suffragan Bishop of CANA, who performed the ordinations at a 1:00 pm service at The Falls Church, in Falls Church, VA.

"CANA is committed to providing the church with the next generation of American Anglican clergy who are well-trained, Spirit-filled, and mission driven. These new ordinands are certainly no exception. The fact that CANA's 60 congregations, with an average Sunday attendance of 8,600, are thriving, despite relentless opposition and some of the largest lawsuits ever mounted by The Episcopal Church speaks volumes to the faith of our parishioners and our commitment to the Scriptural foundation of the Anglican tradition," said CANA Missionary Bishop Martyn Minns.

"This ordination ceremony is yet another testament to the tremendous growth that CANA is experiencing. We are grateful for the commitment these new clergy members have made to serve God's church and to stand firm in orthodox Anglican faith. We are also blessed by numerous other applicants who have expressed interest in ordination through CANA as we look forward to building our ministry in the days ahead," concluded Bishop Minns.

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Twenty-six Mission Organizations met in Virginia recently to network around global mission. Sponsored by the Anglican Communion Network's ANGLICAN GLOBAL MISSION PARTNERS (AGMP) initiative, they brought together churches, dioceses, jurisdictions (such as the Reformed Episcopal Church), seminaries, and other organizations focusing on helping the church to send missionaries, interns, and teams, grow in mission understanding, and reach out across the globe sharing the Gospel in word and deed. One of the major purposes of this gathering was to network by sharing resources, encouraging one another, and developing cooperative relationships that more effectively help the church to minister across cultures. Task groups also met to discuss initiatives in mission. Specific actions were identified to move forward in several areas including engaging youth in the Great Commission especially with unreached people groups, strengthening ministry partnerships with the Province of South East Asia, and developing a missional covenant that will enhance relationships with the global church. The AGMP envisions an Anglican church in North America passionately committed to making disciples of all nations in the name of Jesus Christ. The mission of AGMP is to network missionary movements in order to propagate the unchanging Gospel of Jesus Christ. AGMP pursues fulfillment of the Great Commission through collaborating, exhorting, equipping, sending and receiving in ways that increase the impact of one another's ministries and the entire Body of Christ. You may learn more about AGMP and explore the partners' web links via www.agmp-na.org, the AGMP website in development.

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Rome welcomed a new DIRECTOR FOR THE ANGLICAN CENTRE. Very Rev. David Richardson, former Dean of Melbourne, (Australia), was installed and blessed as the new Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome (ACR) on May 7, 2008. He also will serve as the Archbishop of Canterbury's personal representative to the Holy See (The Vatican and the Pope). Cardinal Walter Kaspar, head of the Pontifical Council for Church Unity, participated in the liturgy and gave a warm welcome to the new director. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams gave the homily and said the work of the church must be accomplished with "a deep awareness of the spirit and the cross, not just warm feelings" as well as warning about what some see as "fearful exclusion". Speaking of Blessed Julian of Norwich, Archbishop Williams recalled her words, "Love was his meaning" and reminded the congregation to "surrender to the crucified" and to do all we do in "a spirit of generosity". For the full story click here: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/news.cfm/2008/5/20/ACNS4407

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MYANMAR (BURMA) PRIMATE Offers Damage Assessment. Two weeks after Cyclone Nargis devastated his impoverished country, Archbishop Stephen Than Oo, Primate of the Anglican Church of Myanmar, issued a damage assessment and statement on relief efforts. "We appreciate the support shown by our sisters and brothers within the Anglican Communion thus far," Archbishop Oo wrote in a statement released through Anglican Communion News Service. "A small fact-finding team from the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia has spent the last six days with us. They have brought an initial installment of medicines and medical supplies, blankets, candles, clothing, food and other sundry items, as well as some financial assistance. Their advice and encouragement has been invaluable. Emergency funds have also been received from the Province of the Anglican Church in Southeast Asia through the Diocese of Singapore, from the Australian Anglican Board of Mission, and from the Myanmar Anglican fellowship in Singapore." Archbishop Oo said the official toll of dead and missing is 78,000 and 56,000, respectively, but approximately 1 million people are reported by the government to be homeless. Much of the country remains without electricity and the most affected areas are generally only accessible by boat. More specific requests for aid will have to await a more comprehensive damage assessment, Archbishop Oo said. "We are also assessing the extent of damage to church buildings and property both in the Delta region and in and around Yangon."

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The PROVINCE OF NIGERIA elected two new bishops recently. The Episcopal Synod of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), met at the Cathedral Church of Saint James the Great, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, May 14, 2008, and elected the Venerable Akintunde Popoola of All Saints Church, Wuse, Abuja to the See of Offa, Kwara State, where the incumbent was recently consecrated. Also, the Venerable Geoffrey N. Chukwunenye of All Saints Church, Surulere, Lagos, was elected to the newly created See of Oru in Imo State. The Venerable 'Tunde, as he is affectionately known, is the province's Director of Communications. After the consecration, he will drive four hours (from Abuja, the province's headquarters) to Offa where his new life begins.

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FORWARD IN FAITH International is calling for Prayer for GAFCON. The leaders of Forward in Faith throughout the world are asking that its members and supporters enter into forty days of prayer preceding the historic meeting of bishops and representatives from the worldwide Anglican Churches. GAFCON, the Global Anglican Future Conference, will focus on the Mission of the Church; bringing souls to Jesus Christ,' said Stephen Parkinson, the Director of Forward in Faith in the United Kingdom. "Our Lord Jesus Christ commanded us to extend His Kingdom and to keep His commandments. GAFCON's brings our focus upon the implications of the Great Commission; we come together as ministers to carry out our Lord's directive. I hope every member of Forward in Faith will be part lifting up each body and each person who will be coming to Jerusalem that we be "moving in the Power of God,'" said Bishop Keith Ackerman, SSC, President of Forward in Faith North America and current TEC Bishop of Quincy (IL).

The COMMON CAUSE PARTNERSHIP (CCP) is hosting a prayer blog so that Anglicans around the world might join as one in the 40 days leading to GAFCON. The Book of Common Prayer contains prayers for The Church, The Unity of the Church, For Mission, and other great prayers upon which to frame the 40 days of prayer and ask that God might use Anglicans for bringing the message of Jesus Christ to all peoples and places.

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SEWANEE, University of the South, is having a name change problem that is causing confusion. The student newspaper outed the problem recently. Since its name change, Sewanee has fallen from 34 to 40th in U.S. News College rankings. The purpose of the name change was to get back into the top 25. Apparently it is not working. Wrote a source, "Failure. Money wasted. Typical Episcopal Behavior." Read about it here: http://www.sewaneepurple.com/opinion/23

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You can watch an interview with Ugandan ARCHBISHOP HENRY LUKE OROMBI at Anglican-TV. He was interviewed recently at St. James, Newport Beach, where he was spending time with 150 Anglican (formerly Episcopal) leaders. http://innocentdoves.blogspot.com/2008/05/anglicantv-interview-with-archbishop_20.html

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ALL SAINTS CHURCH, Pasadena, CA, received a letter from the IRS closing a dormant investigation into the church's tax-exempt status after nearly two years and without an audit actually ever taking place. This final IRS letter did not alter the Church's tax-exempt status. The investigation was launched in response to a sermon the previous rector, the Rev. George Regas, preached, prior to the 2004 Presidential election, against the Iraq War in which Jesus debated both candidates for President. The IRS also concluded, without explanation, that the sermon in question "constituted intervention in the 2004 President election." All Saints Church has announced that it has formally referred the numerous procedural and legal errors of the exam to the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service and has demanded correction and an apology. The current Rector, the Rev. J. Edwin Bacon, Jr. has expressed "great concern about the IRS closing letter and its implications for freedom of the pulpit at All Saints Church."

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WANT A FREE QURAN? Coming to your doorstep soon? If you're in your front yard, working in the flower bed or chatting with a neighbor, they'll pass by silently to attach one of the bags they're carrying to your front door knob and leave without speaking or engaging you in debate. Their mission? To place a copy of the Quran in every home in the United States. "We're just trying to be honest brokers of information," Wajahat Sayeed, founder and director of Book of Signs, which is also known as the Al-Furqaan Foundation, told the Chicago Tribune. "You make your own judgment." Al-Furqaan is distributing its 378-page paperback English translation of Islam's holy book using teams of paid walkers who descend on neighborhoods, going door-to-door, much like other deliverers of newpapers and advertisements. They don't hand them directly to residents but, instead, leave them at the front door - but never on the ground. That would be disrespectful.

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NEW ZEALAND is divided over homosexual policy. The 58th meeting of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia (ANZP) has found the church sharply divided over questions of human sexuality, but firm in its desire to remain together. Meeting in Wellington, the 160 Synod delegates devoted five hours on their second day of business to discussions of the Windsor Report and the St Andrew's draft of the proposed Anglican Communion covenant. Facilitated by former Archbishop Sir Paul Reeves, representatives from each of the church's 17 episcopal areas gave a 10-minute presentation on their views on the issues of human sexuality, and then broke into three groups divided along racial lines for debate before returning to plenary session.

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In the ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF PERTH, Australia, the Venerable Kay Goldsworthy was consecrated as assistant bishop for that diocese at a service in St. George's Cathedral in Perth on May 22. Goldsworthy, 51, becomes Australia's first woman bishop. The Most Rev. Roger Herft, the Archbishop of Perth, presided over the service and the Most Rev. Phillip Aspinall, primate of the Anglican Church of Australia, preached.

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For the people who wrote the Affirmation of Saint Louis, The FELLOWSHIP OF CONCERNED CHURCHMEN'S biennial gathering will feature Leaders of Forward in Faith and the Anglican Church in America. The conference will be held from 5 PM Monday, 9 June, to 1 PM Wednesday, 11 June, at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, Belleville, Illinois (airport: St Louis). Dinner speakers are the Rt. Rev. John Broadhurst, chairman of Forward-in-Faith International (Monday) and the Rt. Rev. George Langberg, president of the ACA's College of Bishops (Tuesday). The theme of the gathering is "Solutions to the Problem of Traditionalist Anglican Disunity in North America". Speakers at the seminar consist of the Rt. Rev. Paul C. Hewett (DHC, on inter-jurisdictional regional cooperation), the Rt. Rev. Winfield Mott (APA on inter-communion agreements), The Rev. Elijah White (CANA, on the role of overseas bishops), and a speaker to be announced on (the link between female "ordination" and same-sex "marriage"). The cost is $200-$275 for two nights and six meals (no host bar before dinners). You can register here: DJ Fulton, Treasurer PO Box 427 Morrow, GA 30260

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VOL is still looking for a few supporters who will consider making a tax deductible donation to help defray costs to attend GAFCON in the Middle East and LAMBETH in Canterbury. Our promise to you is we will receipt ALL donations. We pay all our bills in 30 days. We are an annually audited 501(c)3 ministry. We believe VIRTUEONLINE has been raised up for such a time as this. We have been repeatedly told that VOL's reports have enabled new jurisdictions to form, parishes to leave TEC (though we do not necessarily advocate that). We aim to objectively report the news and let you make the decision. Thank you for your support. You may help by sending a donation through PAYPAL at www.virtueonline.org or by sending a snail mail check to:

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