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1) http://gs2004.classicalanglican.com/modules/news/ KARL POPPER, the intellectual father of modern 'liberals' -- "The moral decisions of others should be treated with respect, as long as such decisions do not conflict with the principle of tolerance. We have the right not to tolerate the intolerant. We should tolerate even them whenever we can do so without running a great risk; but the risk may become so great that we cannot allow ourselves the luxury." (The Open Society and its Enemies, 1945)
2a) http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1242967,00.html The draconian disciplinary measure is expected to be recommended by a commission set up by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, to resolve the crisis over homosexuality. The suspension of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America, known as Ecusa, from the 75-million strong Anglican Church is expected to be recommended at the final meeting of the Lambeth Commission in Windsor next week. It comes after an outcry by evangelicals and Anglican churches in Africa at the ordination of a divorced gay father of two, the Right Rev Gene Robinson, as Bishop of New Hampshire. The commission's findings, which will not be published officially until October, will cause widespread dismay among liberals and Anglican-Catholics in the West, who will regard it as a sign of capitulation to the conservative evangelical lobby. But the alternative, an Anglican fudge, would alienate further the fast-growing churches in Africa and Asia, the Global South, leading inevitably to schism. A senior source last night told The Times: "This will not be a fudge. This report will have teeth." The exclusion of the American Church would not necessarily be permanent but would last until the province, which is financially powerful but numerically weak, "repented" of its actions in the election of Bishop Robinson, who lives with his male partner. It would be allowed back in when Bishop Robinson retired, or in the unlikely event that he was removed from his post, as long as Ecusa did not consecrate any more similar bishops, or commit the other "sin" of sanctioning rites for the blessings of gay unions. The Anglican Church in Canada, where the diocese of New Westminster has authorised the Church's first same-sex blessings rite, is also likely to face disciplinary action, although not as severe as America. The General Synod in Canada agreed this summer to hold off on universal sanction of same-sex blessings. But if the Canadian Church were to pursue this, it too could find itself in the exclusion zone. The disciplinary measures are expected to be made possible as part of a "radical" restructuring of the Anglican Church in response to the crisis over gays. The Church of England was pulled back from the brink last year when Dr Williams persuaded Dr Jeffrey John to stand down as Bishop of Reading for the sake of church unity. Dr John was subsequently made Dean of St Albans. The commission, chaired by Dr Robin Eames, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland, is made up of representatives of both the conservative, liberal and catholic wings of the Anglican Church from both the West and the Global South. There is certain to be a bitter fight between the different factions before any recommendations are enacted. America is financially powerful and the commission's recommendations must go first to the primates next February and then to the Anglican Consultative Council, the representative body of the Anglican Communion, before they can be enforced. Sources at the highest level of the Church are understood to consider the whole situation a disaster for the lesbian and gay community in particular. But disciplinary action against America is thought to be the only way to preserve what little unity remains of the Anglican Church. Already, some church leaders and provinces have declared themselves "out of communion" with America and Canada. The Nigerian Church is "planting" or founding new evangelical Anglican churches in America in response to the crisis, and bishops in Uganda have taken three parishes in America into their "care". The restructuring is the most radical of a number of options that have been considered by the commission. Another way forward would have been to persuade all provinces to agree a joint code of canon law, but it would have taken many years for all the separate synods to agree. This would also have turned the Anglican Communion into a pale shadow of the Roman Catholic Church, with the Archbishop of Canterbury an Anglican pope in all but name. Instead, it is expected that the Anglican Communion will be reformed into a federation similar to that of the worldwide Lutheran Church.
2b) http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=55bf0bcac515bba2 The worldwide Anglican church is preparing to exclude the U.S. Episcopal Church for ordaining a gay bishop, The Times of London reported Thursday(...) The Anglican Church in Canada, where the British Columbia diocese of New Westminster has authorized the church's first same-sex blessings rite, is also likely to face disciplinary action, although not as severe as the Episcopalians the report said(...)
2c) http://gs2004.classicalanglican.com/modules/news/ Under tough proposals likely to be recommended by the Lambeth Commission next month, the liberal leadership of the American Episcopal Church could be excluded from policy making and shunned by the vast majority of Anglicans. Bishops who publicly support the consecration of Canon Gene Robinson as Anglicanism's first actively gay bishop last year or who authorise gay "marriages", both of which breach official Anglican policy, would be penalized. They would only be readmitted to the councils of the worldwide Church if they reversed their position and repented(...) The report could prove particularly embarrassing to the Primate of the Episcopal Church, Bishop Frank Griswold, who could find himself shut out of the annual meetings of the primates, the heads of the 38 provinces which make up the Church. The measures could also apply to the liberal Bishop of New Westminster in Canada, the Rt Rev Michael Ingham, who triggered the crisis by authorising a rite of same sex blessing in his diocese 15 months ago(...) 2d) http://www.virtuosityonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1254 LAMBETH REPORT WILL BE DISASTROUS FOR ANGLICAN PANSEXUALISTS Anglican Communion will be reshaped. Anglican Communion Office to Close Special Report By David W. Virtue 9/3/2004 The Lambeth/Eames Commission's report is going to have teeth; it will be disastrous for the Anglican Communion's pansexualists; there will be some kind of "formal suspension" of The Episcopal Church, following which there will be a radical restructuring of the Anglican Communion that could see the dissolution of the Anglican Communion Office in London because of its ultra-liberal pro-Western stance. The Queen has apparently made it clear to Dr. Rowan Williams that she will not permit the break up of the Anglican Communion over the gay issue, and that Williams must do everything to see that the orthodox are not "penalized" for their views, sources in London told Virtuosity. Virtuosity was told that Dr. Williams has made it clear that he will come down on the side of unity and will not risk losing the orthodox wing of the church. The Anglican Communion will not break up Virtuosity was told, but the liberals, including the Episcopal Church's Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold are "living in complete denial" about what is going to happen to them, said the source(...) What is truly needed is for the ECUSA and the leaders of the Anglican Church of Canada to repent and remove V. Gene Robinson and for Griswold to publicly and honestly admit that when he signed the declaration at Lambeth and proceeded to carry out the actions he had signed to oppose, to say so and repent, said another source(...) The Nigerian Church will shortly send a bishop to the U.S. and is already planting new evangelical Anglican churches on American shores. A number of orthodox Primates have already taken several Episcopal Churches under their protection in response to the crisis(...) 3a) http://www.churchnewspaper.com/?go=news&read=on&number_key=5733&title=Presiding%20Bishop%20objects%20to%20Uganda%20move Presiding Bishop objects to Uganda move Number: 5733 Date: Sep 3, 2
3b) http://gs2004.classicalanglican.com/modules/news/
3c) http://www.churchtimes.com/80256E4E00384246/httpPublicPages/1C0715F85AF6B00A80256F03004D78B3?opendocument
4a) Couple to lead marriage course
4b) http://bcc.rcav.org Originally conceived by British Anglican minister Nicky Gumble as a way of reaching unchurched people in their 20s and 30s, Alpha groups meet away from the church, in someone's home, a restaurant or pub, to share a meal, watch a video addressing questions such as "Why does God allow suffering?" and "What about other faiths?" and talk(...) In 20 years Alpha has expanded from an Anglican parish in Brompton, England, to more than 150 countries. Alpha Canada expects to double its numbers to over 5,000 churches offering the course by 2006. More information about this fall's Alpha series can be found at http://www.invitethenation.org
4c) http://www.alphacanada.org/ AIRDRIE, AB: The Ramada Inn conference centre will be rented by a new church plant for their Alpha banquet Sept 22nd! EDMONTON, AB: Alpha ads will run in 12 movie theatres, paid for by money raised by three local churches! GUELPH, ON: Twelve churches will be hosting 2 Alpha intro dinners, expecting 600 people (400+ already registered!)!!! PETAWAWA, ON: A church party with 'Where 'ya been!' invites going out to the community, to show that church is fun and to share about Alpha. This same church is inviting the homeless in to dinner and a movie and a local limousine company have donated their cars, drivers and time to transport the homeless to the event!! ST. JOHN'S, NL: City Council has declared Sept 19-25th, "Alpha Invitation to the Nation Week"! VANCOUVER, BC: 170 people have signed up for a joint Alpha course training event on Sept 11th at a local church If you know of a church that is running Alpha but is NOT on the website, please contact us at the Alpha office and we will do our best to follow up with the church to make sure they are registered! Registering your course enables us to keep you connected with updates & resources & prayer support!
5a) http://www.charismanow.com/a.php?ArticleID=9690 Walden Media -- owned by Christian billionaire Philip Anschutz -- is partnering with the Walt Disney Studios to create the $100 million fantasy film. Plans for a Narnia video game already are in the works and Walden has optioned the rights to all seven of the titles. "I think this is just the kind of movie audiences are looking for, and we're thrilled to be able to bring it to the screen," Walt Disney Studios Chairman Dick Cook told "Charisma" magazine in the September issue, out now. The full story on "The Chronicles of Narnia" can be found in the magazine. The Chronicles of Narnia has sold more than 85 million copies sold to date. Scheduled to be filmed this summer in New Zealand, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" tells the story of siblings Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, who are separated" from their parents in London during World War II and sent to the country for their own safety. Once ensconced in an eccentric uncle's estate, the children soon discover a magic wardrobe that leads them to the mystical world of Narnia. There, a classic battle of good vs. evil unfolds, with plenty of spiritual analogy that centers around Lewis' Christian worldview. Director Andrew Adamson ("Shrek" and "Shrek 2") and award-winning writer Ann Peacock ("A Lesson Before Dying") signed on to bring the first of the classic tales to theaters(...) 5b) http://www.mytelus.com/news/article.do?pageID=news_home&articleID=1702689 Thursday, Sep 02, 2004 The Passion of the Christ DVD sells 4.1M in first day LOS ANGELES (AP) - The second coming of Mel Gibson's biblical epic The Passion of the Christ sold 4.1 million DVD copies by Wednesday after only one day in stores. While the figure is high, it's not quite a record-breaker. Finding Nemo holds the No. 1 overall spot for one-day DVD sales with about eight million. For a live-action movie, Spider-Man holds the one-day record with seven million. Although The Passion fell short of that, its U.S. distributor, Fox Home Entertainment, said it did inaugurate several secondary industry records. In terms of one-day sales, Fox describes the movie as the bestselling R- rated film of all-time and the bestselling non-English language film of all-time. Most DVD sales trackers, however, only divide rankings between animation and live-action. The Passion, starring Jim Caviezel as Jesus, earned more than $370 million US at the North American box office, making it the year's second-most popular movie behind Shrek 2, which earned $436.7 million US. The film, which Gibson wrote, directed and bankrolled, was also one of the most controversial movies in years. Besides its violent depiction of the crucifixion, some Jewish organizations complained it might spark a rise in anti-Semitism by blaming ancient Jewish people for killing Christ. The Passion DVD is on track to sell as well as Hollywood blockbusters such as Spider-Man and The Lord of the Rings movies, which topped out between 15 million and 18 million total disc sales, said Scott Hettrick, editor in chief of DVD Exclusive magazine(...)
6a) http://anglicanjournal.com/130/07/canada13.html The priests - Rev. Barclay Mayo, rector of St. Andrews, Pender Harbour (which now calls itself Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church) and Rev. Edward Hird, rector of St. Simon's - said they were being "evicted" and vowed to hold on to their properties and resources. A third priest, Rev. Silas Ng, incumbent of the Church of Emmanuel , Richmond - which rents facilities - said his church received a "notice of closure." "Given that there are no remaining parishioners in their locale, the threatened eviction action of the diocese and the bishop can only be seen as vindictive, punitive and financially manipulative, revealing a priority of possessions over people," the three priests said in a statement. Neale Adams, communications officer of the diocese, said, "The letter to the priests did not 'threaten eviction.' It stated that our diocesan council had asked him (Bishop Ingham) to request of the priests that they seek alternate worship space, since they are no longer members of the Anglican Church of Canada, so their parish buildings may be used by Anglicans who wish to remain in the diocese." The three priests, who oppose same-sex blessings, declared last March that they were leaving the church to form the Anglican Communion in Canada (ACiC), a group under the authority of Anglican bishops in Africa and Asia . Bishop Ingham accepted their resignations in April. "While the diocese holds the property deed for Pender Harbour in trust for the parish, it is the people of that congregation and the community who have resourced, built and maintained the church and properties," the priests added. "St. Simon's, a separate legal entity, owns its church property and building, and the diocese has no legal interest in it." However, the diocese's chancellor, George Cadman, said in an earlier interview that, "Our canons are very clear that the properties within the diocese can't be disposed of without the approval of the diocesan council and the bishop." In related developments in the Vancouver-based diocese: * The British Columbia Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit by two former trustees of the parish of St. Martin's, North Vancouver , "by consent of all parties." In a statement, former parishioners of St. Martin 's said they had dropped the lawsuit since the parish preferred "to use resources for ministry instead of a court battle." Christopher Vondette and James Burns filed the lawsuit last March stating that their removal violated B.C. corporate law. * Mr. Cadman said the two trustees also agreed to pay a portion of the legal costs incurred by the diocese. The trustees were discharged when Bishop Ingham imposed a canon, or church law, allowing a bishop to intervene in a parish in crisis. * Some parishioners of St. Martin 's announced they would leave the church and join the ACiC. St. Martin's, which now calls itself St. Timothy's church, was among the parishes opposed to same-sex blessings and formed a coalition called Anglican Communion in New Westminster. " Retired bishop Bill Hockin* has resigned as episcopal visitor to conservative parishes in the diocese of New Westminster . "I had hoped I could be an agent for conciliation, but the conditions of alienation and fear did not allow that," he told the New Brunswick Anglican newspaper. "I told Bishop (Michael) Ingham that I would do it for a year and I did, but the distance was just too far and I was disappointed that only one parish took advantage of the offer of the services of the episcopal visitor."
6b) http://www.samesexblessing.info/Default.aspx?tabid=74 Since the Anglican Church in the Lower Mainland is a diverse group that respects and often celebrates its differences, there is an Episcopal Visitor to the diocese. ("Episcopal" is a church term meaning governed by or relating to a bishop.) Part of the motion of the decision-making synod of New Westminster that in June of 2002 requested a rite of blessing of same sex unions authorized this ministry of a second bishop to work with Bishop Michael Ingham, the diocesan bishop. The synod wanted to offer a level of safety and comfort to clergy and parishioners who oppose the blessing of homosexual couples in order than healing and reconciliation of relationships may occur. The visiting bishop and the diocesan bishop, working together for the well being of the whole church, would model collegiality and mutual respect. In May 2003 the bishop announced that he had appointed the Right Rev. William Hockin, Bishop of Fredericton, to serve as the Episcopal Visitor to the diocese as of November 1. On that date Bishop Hockin retired his post as diocesan bishop in that New Brunswick diocese. Continuing to reside on the East Coast of Canada, he has made several trips to the Diocese of New Westminster since. Creating the Episcopal Visitor in the Diocese of New Westminster is a solution to the perceived need to minister to "dissenting minorities" similar to what has taken in the Church of England. As a national church, the Church of England in 1993 decided to create what became popularly known as "flying bishops." These episcopal visitors provide pastoral care to parishes opposed to the ordination and ministry of women priests. Like the Diocese of New Westminster arrangements, the episcopal duties performed by English episcopal visitors are "such episcopal duties as the diocesan bishop may request."
6c) http://www.acinw.org/media/background/faq2.pdf 6d) http://www.acinw.org/articles/RespondstoEpiscopalVisitorAnnouncement.html May 13th 2004( almost 16 months later): Background On May 1st, 2003, the Bishop of New Westminster announced to the House of Bishops the appointment of an Episcopal Visitor to the Diocese of New Westminster, as a solution to minister to parishes that were "adversely affected" by the Diocese's June 2002 decision to proceed with the "marriage" of same-sex unions, officially repudiating the Lambeth Conference, the House of Bishops' Guidelines on Human Sexuality, and two thousand years of central Christian teaching.
6e) http://www.acinw.org/articles/AnglicanDioceseofYukonSupportsBishop.html May 13th 2003 (...)Bishop Ingham later offered to provide an 'Episcopal Visitor' for the conservative parishes and last month appointed Bishop William Hockin to this role. Bishop Hockin will be available to teach, preach, preside at worship and provide pastoral care for clergy and parishioners. However David Short says the Episcopal Visitor will have no jurisdiction or control, and 'will be at the complete discretion and control of Bishop Ingham' and is therefor an unacceptable alternative.
"He is being used as a pawn to paste over the biblical and theological chasm that exists, the rupture in communion that followed from the decision to bless same-sex unions, and the united testimony of Scripture, tradition, the Lambeth Conference and even the stated position of the [Canadian] House of Bishops," he said(...)
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6f) http://www.christianweek.org/Stories/vol17/no05/story4.html
6g) http://www.anglicanjournal.com/129/06/canada05.html
6h) http://www.anglican.nb.ca/fp_archives/031020/031020_what_i_found.html
6i) http://www.canadianchristianity.com/cgi-bin/na.cgi?nationalupdates/040901news
7a) http://www.virtuosityonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1249
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