Anglicanism, as a part of the world wide church was, and is strongly affected by each of these events... But probably nothing has affected Anglicanism in the last 3 decades more then liberalism

Brazilian Perspective

It is important to say that Brazilian Anglicanism was born as a daughter church of the ECUSA. Two graduate students from Virginia Theological seminary came to Brazil as missionaries. And in 1898 the church was established.

Until 1949, evangelicalism was the primary vision, but changes started around 1960 through the influence of ECUSA and the WCC. Clergy were sent to the USA to liberal seminaries, with offers of scholarships, and a growth in publications etc... Less then one decade was enough to takeover the whole church and liberalism has dominated it since then.

Today we, as a Diocese in Recife, with our orthodox position and clear evangelical faith are an isolated body in the Province of Brazil. For the Brazilian province and for us, Christianity seems to be two different things:

* For them, the Bible is not the word of God, nor His primary means of revelation ...for us it is.

* For them, the Church is a social and cultural environment where moral and ethical issues should not be discussed

* For us, Church is a community for the transformation of society. Spiritually, morally, ethically, and socially, we work to restore creation to the image of God through Jesus Christ.

* For them Faith is an expression of the spirit of the age... and the multi faith vision is accepted. Jesus is just part of God's revelation , but never the only one...

* For us, Faith is our only reason to live, faith in Jesus Christ alone as Saviour and Lord...

* For them ecumenism should be broad and includes all creeds and religions. Recently we became aware of one bishop in Brazil attending voodoo cults ...

* For us, ecumenism is a relationship with those who profess their faith in Jesus Christ as the only son of God, and the only Saviour...

* For them, evangelism is a very horizontal teaching of the justice in earth. One must never help someone of another faith come to Jesus... this would be totally wrong.

* For us, evangelism is the proclamation of the good news of God, to the whole human being and to all human beings. It is good news by bringing people to the faith in Jesus Christ

* For them sexuality is a personal subject. Hetero, or homo sexual are equally suitable for the church and for the clergy and there is nothing considered sinful in this matter...The biblical standards are not relevant.. Because for them the bible is not relevant

* For us, homosexuals are loved by God and should be loved by all of us, but we teach that this is an attitude that goes against the will of God, as shown in His Word...

I could keep giving you more and more significant differences that today we find within the Province of Brazil.

THE BIG QUESTION IS: Who is following the Tradition, the doctrine, the vision and the guidelines of the Anglican Communion? Who has been faithful to Lambeth resolutions? Who are the faithful Anglicans in Brazil today?

In the end we come to a point where we have... two churches, two different and two different visions of God almighty .. is it right and fair that we will be judged by those same people who totally disagree with our orthodox doctrinal positions, and have historically oppressed the evangelicals?

The Diocese of Recife

The diocese was founded in 1974 by the bishop Edmund Knox Sherrill, who was profoundly affected by the renewal movement. His successor was a liberal bishop. We suffered for 12 years under his episcopate. I myself, having been prepared for ministry, waited for a period of more than 4 years to be ordained with the only reason for delay being my evangelical faith. Our present bishop was elected by the diocesan synod itself, as a man of integrity and orthodox, evangelical belief. At the time, his election was not accepted by 2 of the 6 diocesan bishops and 1 of the 6 standing committee in the province. We ran the risk of not having the election authorised by the house of bishops. These are the same men who are judging him today in a trial, is that right and fair?

What is Brazilian Anglicanism today?

The Brazilian province depends financially on the ECUSA and Canada. Over 40% of the province budget comes mainly from these two churches. The Episcopal church of Brazil is largely an "empty pews" organisation. It is a tiny church and the only denomination that is not growing in Brazil today. There is little hope for the near future. The exception is the Diocese of Recife. By the grace of God, in the church of the Holy Spirit where I am the rector, there are probably more active members than in any single diocese in the whole province. 6 of the 7 bishops in the province voted against Lambeth Resolution 1.10 The ordination of gays and lesbian priests in Brazil today, is a regular practice. There is no bishop, beside Cavalcanti that has not ordained an openly gay or lesbian priest in recent times.

Is it right and fair that the unique and only part of the Church in Brazil that is growing and staying faithful to Anglicanism today, is to be judged by those who are in steep decline and acting against the Anglican Communion guidelines?

Relationship between the Province and The Diocese

After Gene Robinson's consecration as bishop, the diocese of Recife issued a declaration of impairment of communion with the dioceses of New Hampshire and New Westminster. The House of bishops put pressure on bishop Cavalcanti to stop speaking out on the subject, arguing that this was not an issue for the Brazilian church. Our Diocesan Synod decided by a huge majority of votes to declare a state of impaired communion with any diocese or province that supports the ECUSA decision. We also decided to suspend the companionship programme with the diocese of Central Pennsylvania, which supports the ECUSA vision

The House of Bishops declared special oversight by a bishop from outside the diocese and today, the sufragan bishop and 14 clergy, who represent a very few churches, are fully supported financially by the Province. They act as a parallel diocese within the diocese of Recife. Later on, the House of Bishops began a process of suspension against the Bishop of Recife without any consultation, based on the erroneous argument that he abandoned the communion of the church and didn't provide pastoral care for those within his diocese. This small group has received the full support and supervision from the province, with the money that should have been sent to the diocese being cut and sent to this group.

Is it right and fair that we, who are losing resources, and having our boundaries crossed .. are to be judged by the same people who crossed our boundaries, cut our resources?

Since the letter from Archbishop Rowan Williams requesting that both sides refrain from taking further action to compromise the unity of the church and to wait until the meeting of the Primates at Newry, Bishop Cavalcanti has not made any public statement or taken any other action, while in contrast, the Primate of Brazil has done the following:

1. Has crossed diocesan boundaries to ordain three new deacons and priests within the Diocese of Recife without the permission of the necessary committees under Canon Law.

2. Has created a special commission to analyse the situation in the anglican communion which has produced a document that includes an appendix attacking Bishop Cavalcanti and reaffirming the principle of unlimited inclusivity within the Province.

3. Has not responded to ask for restraint from the small minority of seminarians and clergy under the special supervision who have continued to attack Bishop Cavalcanti personally (over 400 emails are filed).

4. Has nominated the suffragan bishop as the diocesan authority in Recife.

5. Has stopped inviting Bishop Cavalcanti to any meetings of the house of Bishops. Is it right and just that we who respect the unity of the Anglican communion and those with authority should be judged by those who refuse to listen to the request of the Archbishop of Canterbury?

The behaviour of the Province

What is amazing in all of this, is that the province, since the beginning of this conflict have listened to this small group from within the diocese, have supported them, and have put our bishop under trial on the strength of their accusations. On the other side of the case, there is the whole diocese. 35 clergy, becoming 40 this month. 42 congregations with outreach programmes, dozens of ministries and thousands of members ... But, the primate has never listened to these people. He has never come to Recife to talk to them. He has never even responded to the call of many, including my self who sent many letters begging him to come to Recife and listen to us... but why?

Is it right and fair for someone to make judgements and take actions with huge and damaging consequences when only one side of the case has been listened to?

But we will stand firm, and will persevere with the vision that God has given to us to build His church in NE Brazil, and to remain faithful Anglicans, holding to the guidelines of the Anglican communion. Today the diocese of Recife is surviving by the contributions of the parishes, the help of individuals and churches from Anglicans around the Communion... and, supremely by the grace of God. The Brazilian Episcopal Church is led by people who hide their true positions and attitudes behind a canon law that they do not follow. They fail to affirm what they really believe... They never write in the canons what they are doing in practice.

If justice were to be exercised, the Brazilian Episcopal Church would have to answer to the Anglican Communion for what they are doing, for their practice is not different from the practice of ECUSA or the Canadian church.

Is it right and fair, to be judged by those whose practice goes against Anglican teaching, and who in a very flawed process, suspended Bishop Cavalcanti without ever coming to Recife to listen to the majority of the diocese and never accepted an invitation to talk to us?

The mission must go on

In the midst of all those problems, conflicts, trials...there is a church, a living church which is doing the work of God.

What is happening now in the Diocese of Recife? In the midst of this crisis... churches has been planted , confirmations have taken place... ministries are going on , because we depend on the Lord of the Church. We have today churches growing amongst the poor, the very poor, the middle and the upper class. We have churches at the garbage dump, at the fishing villages, in the slums, in the suburbs. We have churches in the city and in the country, which are growing.

In the middle of a poor slum area you will find one of our congregations with more then 300 people on a Sunday. In the middle of a dump you will find a church transforming that area into a garden of life.

Different situations, different areas... One gospel, one message.

My own church parish is a case to mention. The Church of The Holy Spirit was planted 8 years ago...with 30 people and today has nearly a thousand people in the congregation. It makes us the largest Anglican church in all of Latin America. There are around 40 different ministries and programmes which include:

* Pioneers with Alpha Course for South America - Alpha in prisons; Youth Alpha

* Pioneers with Marriage Course for South America

* A cell church with almost 50 cell groups

* 4 church plants in the last 3 years

o In a very poor area of the city St Lukes church

o In a fisherman village Jesus of Nazareth Church

o In the country, two churches Gravatá church , Resurrection church

* 2 more in our plans to be planted in the near future

* An established social outreach called the House of Hope working inside a slum area with around 10.000 people living in this community

o Including a day care for 50 kids

* Professional courses

* Dental & Medical clinics

* An orphanage to be built in the next year

* And a Church congregation now established

Within the diocese of Recife, the churches have developed different kind of ministries which communicate the gospel by word and deed to hundreds of people every year. For this reason we find it very hard to live within the Episcopal church of Brazil who do not seem to believe anymore in the same God, or the same Jesus, and who appear to have no vision for mission or growth. It appears that we are different churches who are speaking different languages.

Is it right and fair that these expressions of mission should be put at risk and that we are to be judged by those who show no interest in the matter of mission at all?

Our urgent appeal

For the reasons above, we appeal for the panel of reference in the Anglican Communion to give the Diocese of Recife alternative provincial oversight... We can no longer accept the oversight of the Primate of the Episcopal Church of Brazil, who has acted illegaly, in a way that is untrustworthy and supports practices that are unbiblical and against the accepted teaching of the Anglican communion. We need a province which can help us and to whom we may be accountable. We are doing the work of the Lord, we need the help of the brothers and sisters...

The clergy, people and the bishop of the diocese of Recife, want to stay in the Anglican Communion. This is our church, this is the place the Lord has called us to serve. We appeal to the mind and the heart of the leaders of the Anglican Communion. Help us, to be able to proclaim the faithful gospel that the Anglican Church proclaims

There is Hope in Recife

We urgently appeal for a temporary oversight under any orthodox province until Lambeth 2008. Then we will be judged not by one small group, but by the whole Anglican communion where it may be clarified who are the faithful Anglicans in Brazil.

This would be right and fair

--The Rev. Miguel Uchoa is Archdeacon of the South of the Anglican Diocese of Recife and rector of the Church of The Holy Spirit.

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