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Dear friends in Christ,
Having recently returned from the 800-strong Essentials Conference in Toronto, I was most impressed by the presentations of Bishop Bob Duncan of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and Archbishop Greg Venables of the Anglican Province of the South Cone. Representative from the ACiC Coalition http://www.acicanada.ca attended, as one of the nine Common Cause Partners http://aacblog.classicalanglican.net/archives/000494.html . The worship, teaching, and fellowship were very good with a joyous Eucharist celebration at St. Paul's Bloor Street on the Thursday evening, reminiscent of the Essentials celebration at St. George's Montreal at its beginning in 1994.
Essentials has decided to no longer be a coalition of the three founding members [Anglican Renewal Ministries Canada which I used to lead, Barnabas Anglican Ministries (Evangelical), and Prayer Book Society of Canada]. Instead the only way to be a member of Essentials is either by joining the Anglican Essentials Federation (who are committed to remaining in the Anglican Church of Canada and trying to reform it from within) or the Anglican Network in Canada who are still currently an 'inside strategy' but are preparing a 'lifeboat' (structure) in case the Anglican Church of Canada 'chooses to walk alone'. Whether Canadian Anglicans and congregations choose the Federation model, the Network model, or the ACiC model, all three are in agreement of the seriousness of the Anglican crisis, and the call to love and affirm each other in our different models. Members of the Anglican Communion in Canada (ACiC) need to stand with their Essentials friends, as persecution and exclusion will likely increase for them.
Yours in Christ, Ed Hird+ Rector, St. Simon's Church North Vancouver Anglican Communion in Canada (ACiC)
http://www3.telus.net/st_simons
p.s. Here is the rather predictable 135-page PDF report to the Anglican Consultative Council by ECUSA attempting to justify their consecration of Gene Robinson in New Hampshire: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/documents/ToSetOurHopeOnChrist.pdf . I did not notice one ounce of repentance in the ECUSA report.
1) http://anglicanjournal.com/extra/news.php?newsItem=2005-06-20-2_mns.news Essentials meeting forms new groups MARITES N. SISON, STAFF WRITER, Anglican Journal June 20, 2005 - Conservative Canadian Anglicans, meeting in Toronto June 16-18, were urged to join two new groups, one of them working towards becoming the official replacement for the Anglican Church of Canada in anticipation that it may be "suspended or removed from the Anglican Communion" or may decide to "walk apart" over the thorny issue of sexuality.
Anglican Essentials Canada (formerly called the Essentials movement) launched the Essentials Federation and the Anglican Network in Canada before 750 delegates, most of them Canadian Anglicans, during a gathering dubbed the "Open Door Conference." There were also visitors from the U.S. and abroad.
The Federation is aimed at Canadian Anglicans disappointed or frustrated at the crisis plaguing their church but reluctant to cut ties. Organizers said it is for individuals and parishes who "believe they are not in impaired or broken communion" with the national church and "are able in conscience to participate in their diocese and the Anglican Church of Canada."
The Network, on the other hand, is for those "in a state of serious theological dispute and impaired or broken communion" with the national church or their diocesan bishop. It is also for those who may "desire adequate Episcopal oversight from a network bishop," and who feel they can no longer contribute financially or "participate fully in their diocese" or the Anglican Church of Canada.
The network is also "building an ecclesial body" in the event the Anglican Church of Canada "walks apart from the global Communion, and such a structure is required by the Primates as necessary to become fully recognized members of the Anglican Communion," according to an explanatory document distributed to delegates.
Both the Federation and the Network will, however, establish relationships with primates of the Communion. In the event that the Anglican Church of Canada is suspended, organizers said, the Federation - like the Network - will "seek to be recognized by the global Anglican Communion as full continuing members of the Anglican Communion and work in submission to the Primates and other Instruments of Unity."
Organizers denied that they are attempting to subvert the national church or are leaving it by forming the two groups. "We're not setting up a parallel church at this time. We're setting up structures so that if the Anglican Communion says the Anglican Church of Canada is out, we have a lifeboat," Cheryl Chang, executive director of the Network, told delegates. "In the event of a global schism, the Network will align with Orthodox Anglicans."
In a press conference, Ms. Chang, a lawyer, acknowledged that the Network was looking at the possibility of seeking a legal right to the name Anglican Church of Canada. "We're certainly looking at that issue and we anticipate that it will be an issue at some point," she said in response to a question on whether the Network was prepared to take the issue to the Supreme Court if the need arises. (Discussions on legal strategies and financial implications were closed to the public.)
During the conference, speaker after speaker strongly urged conservative Canadian Anglicans to "stand firm," to "speak up" and to initiate a "grassroots movement" that could begin by organizing "house meetings" that would work for a church rooted in the Bible and missionary work. The goal is to set up local chapters of the Network and Federation, said Rev. George Sinclair, Network chair.
""Others say don't stir the pot, give it time. But it would be sad to see the day when the Anglican Church of Canada separates itself from the authority of God and even more tragic if there were none who spoke out against it," said Don Harvey, retired bishop of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador and now Network moderator. "…We are going to be the loyal Anglicans who will follow the standards of Holy Scripture."
In a news conference, Bishop Harvey said he was not expecting a hopeful outcome from the June 18-29 meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council, where the American and Canadian churches have been asked to "set out the thinking behind their actions" relating to sexuality. The Episcopal Church in the United States of America will explain the actions behind the election of a gay bishop in New Hampshire; the Canadian church will discuss the blessing of same-sex unions, which has been approved in one diocese, New Westminster.
"I think for the most part it's still going to be an attempt to justify why this particular province has gone in the direction it tends to be going," said Bishop Harvey.
In his speech, Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh declared that the time has come "to cease a compromise," and to help build a "united Biblical and missionary Anglicanism in North America." He urged Canadian Anglicans to follow the example of conservative Episcopalians who have established "common cause" or partnerships with Anglicans who have left and formed other movements or groups because of disagreements over issues such as the ordination of women.
Bishop Ronald Ferris of Algoma, who attended the conference as a delegate and speaker, struck a more moderate tone. "The Canadian scene is not presently as divided as the U.S. Episcopal scene," he said. He stated that in Canada "we have a smaller house of bishops where strong bonds of mutual affection and respect prevail; in the United States, many urban dioceses implemented same-sex blessings formally several years ago. That is not the case in Canada."
He also outlined ways for Anglicans to "uphold orthodox teaching and values" and ways to "co-exist in a liberal Church and permissive culture," among them by looking "for truth and goodness in opponents and guarding against frustration, anger or other false motives within ourselves."
He added: "The conflict must be channelled and contained in disciplined and effective measures. It will need to focus on issues rather than personalities, truth over spin, convincing over intimidating, and building over dismantling."
Bishop Ferris told the Anglican Journal that he was joining the Federation in a personal capacity and was not reflecting a diocesan position.
Archbishop Gregory Venables, primate of the Southern Cone (of South America), urged delegates not to believe that a compromise between conservative and liberal views on sexuality was possible. "You can't hold those two positions together," he said. "…What you've got in Western society is a new culturally adaptive Christianity which follows philosophy and human thinking rather than what Scripture has taught."
In a press conference, Archbishop Venables said he did not think his presence at the conference violated the agreement among primates not to cross national boundaries to intervene on sexuality questions. "I'm here to share what's going on outside, to speak of the situation from a much broader perspective…I'm not doing anything in an Episcopal sense," he said. (Earlier, Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, had criticised the visit of Archbishop Venables to Vancouver shortly after the primates' meeting in Northern Ireland last February.)
However, Archbishop Venables informed Bishop Colin Johnson of Toronto about his visit in a letter. Bishop Johnson, in a written reply said, "I trust that you will use the occasion to seek for prayerful unity in Christ rather than to further the cause of disunity."
Bishop Johnson, who accepted an invitation to speak at the opening of the conference, urged delegates to "be charitable and generous in your discussions so that it may truly reflect the Gospel of Christ." He also underscored the need for unity within the church and stated that he was uncomfortable with discussions about "separate structures."
Some lay delegates interviewed by the Journal said they were ready to join either one of the groups and others said they were still undecided.
Sheung Kai Yung of the Church of the Good Shepherd, one of the parishes in New Westminster that walked out of the diocesan synod when it approved same-sex blessings, said he was joining the Network because he was disheartened when General Synod passed a motion affirming the "sanctity of committed same-sex unions."
Benita Greenwood of St. Thomas' Church, in Fort McMurray, Alta., said she came with other parishioners "to get information" and had found the conference to be "really positive in its message about unity in holding the Gospel as truth" but would need to report to her parish first before arriving at a decision.
There were some passionate responses from the floor during a question-and-answer period about the Network and Federation, with one delegate from Ontario declaring, "Let the Boston Tea Party begin, the peasants are ready!"
However, Bishop Harvey called for caution, saying, "We have to do this properly…There are legal implications and we want to do this in conjunction with the Anglican Communion otherwise it becomes just a local breakaway situation."
Delegates also attended services at St. Paul's church, Bloor St.; youth delegates held separate events.
Meanwhile, a new Anglican publication, Anglican Planet, was introduced to delegates as "the alternative" to the Anglican Journal, where, according to Sue Careless, news editor, "you see yourself ignored, trivialised or demonized." Ms.Careless said Anglican Planet "really wants to represent the orthodox" viewpoint, but denied that it was a mouthpiece for Essentials. Rev. David A. Harris, the editor of Anglican Planet, is a coalition chair for the Essentials Council and is with the Prayer Book Society (PBS). June 20, 2005
2a) http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15675322%255E2703,00.html http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-1661242,00.html US Anglicans to justify gay stance Ruth Gledhill, London June 21, 2005
ANGLICAN leaders will hear for the first time today a theological justification by the heads of the Canadian and US churches for their actions over homosexuals, which have brought the Anglican community to the brink of schism.
US Anglican Church Primate Frank Griswold will deliver a report to a meeting in Nottingham, central England, on why it was right to ordain the openly gay Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire.
The Canadian Primate, the Archbishop of Montreal Andrew Hutchison, will also lead a delegation to explain the actions of the New Westminster Diocese in authorising same-sex blessings(...)
All sides are hoping to avert schism. One outcome in 2008 could be that the US and Canada are forced into observer status unless they agree to adopt the orthodox line.
However, internationally, the rift appears unbridgeable. In Brazil, the former bishop of Recife, Robinson Cavalcanti, is to appeal against his deposition by a church court for declaring his diocese out of communion with New Westminster and New Hampshire.
The Recife diocesan standing committee has described his deposition as vicious, and has called an extraordinary synod for August(...)
2b) http://www.livingchurch.org/publishertlc/viewarticle.asp?ID=1084 Status Quo at ACC Holds on Second Day 06/20/2005 Living Church Magazine Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams defused an early crisis at the Anglican Consultative Council triennial meeting (ACC-13) in Nottingham today, pouring cold water on attempts to force an early resolution of the North American question.
Sources at the meeting confirmed that rival proposals surfaced at the start of proceedings. Although The Living Church has not seen the texts nor learned the identity of their sponsors, a resolution backed by a number of conservative delegations was proffered asking the representatives of the Episcopal Church and Anglican Church of Canada to leave the meeting. Despite containing the requisite signature of 10 delegates, the ACC's chairman, Bishop John Paterson, reportedly ruled it "out of order."
A rival initiative asked the ACC to seat the U.S. and Canadian delegations, granting them voice and vote. Supporters of this measure advanced two primary arguments. One view held the ACC had the legal responsibility to order its affairs, and that any steps to discipline the U.S. and Canadian delegations should be taken at the meeting by the ACC, and not agreed to beforehand. The other view expressed support for the stance taken by the Episcopal Church and indicated dissatisfaction with the strong line taken against it.
At the opening session on Sunday morning, Bishop Paterson told the delegates that a resolution had been received, but due to lack of time, would not be addressed until the pertinent point in the agenda had been reached. No further details were offered.
Ten minutes into the next business session on Monday morning, Bishop Paterson announced the session would be closed and asked the media, visitors, and the U.S. and Canadian delegations to leave. No reason was given for the change to "executive session." After the private session ended, the delegates filed out, taking coffee in a somber mood, and the communications staff said no formal explanation of the closed session was expected.
Speaking in confidence to TLC, a number of delegates said there had been an airing of rival views over the U.S. and Canada question. After both sides laid out their conflicting concerns and demands, Archbishop Rowan Williams rose and asked the Council to refrain from taking precipitous action, urging patience, Christian friendship and charity(...)
(The Rev.) George Conger is in Nottingham, England reporting for The Living Church from the triennial meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council.
World Anglicans Gather in Nottingham Expecting Homosexuality Debate
The world's Anglican leaders on Sunday gathered in Nottingham, England, for a critical 10-day meeting on the unity, future and direction of the Anglican Communion. Posted: Monday, June 20 , 2005, 18:00 (UK)(...)
The setting for this year's ACC, however, is marked with unbridled divisions that stem from the U.S. Episcopal Church's (ECUSA) ordination of an active homosexual bishop and the Canadian church's blessing of same-sex unions(...)
2d) http://www.americananglican.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=ikLUK3MJIpG&b=675589&ct=1047827 From Nottingham... June 20, 2005 AAC Press Release on the Anglican Consultative Council Meeting: Episcopal Church's "Unofficial" Delegation Defies Primates' Instructions June 19, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nottingham - The Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA), in complete defiance of the Primates of the Anglican Communion, has sent their delegates to the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) meeting currently underway in Nottingham, England(...)It is important to note that this is contrary to the Primates' expressed expectation and was not sanctioned by the Council as a whole.
A number of ACC members have expressed discomfort at the presence of ECUSA "observers" who have been present for all sessions, meals, social gatherings and even rode on the van transporting the ACC to Sunday's worship service. Despite his so-called withdrawal, ECUSA's ACC delegate Robert Sessum has participated in Finance Committee meetings and has been observed engaging in several private conversations with ACC staff and leadership. Both Ms. Hicks and Bishop Roskam are obviously "working the room" during breaks and social gatherings.
One ACC member expressed strong frustration saying that the Americans "have displayed arrogance in assuming that their status within the Council is undiminished."
"They were included in the welcome and the official roll call. It was as if Dromantine simply hadn't happened, and I find it very difficult to imagine frank discussions about their presence or even the actions of their provinces while they are in the room."
Another ACC member was outraged by the unlimited access enjoyed by the US and said the delegation had been "party to the entire program in contradiction to the Dromantine Communique."
"The Primates requested that US representatives withdraw and attend only when they make their case at the appropriate time. Their presence in the sessions is totally confusing to other ACC delegates from around the world. Can no one stop the ECUSA juggernaut?"
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Canon Kenneth Kearon, Secretary General of the ACC, and ACC Chairman Bishop John Paterson appear unwilling to enforce the Primates' expectations, and John Rees, legal adviser to the ACC pointedly emphasized the "broad powers of the chair". A member displeased with the situation pointed to Kearon's apparent support of ECUSA's position. "He made this happen - allowing them to be present is his decision."
The Episcopal Church is sending a second force that will make a 90-minute presentation on Tuesday, June 21, 2005(...)
2e) http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4717299 5:53pm (UK) Gay Bishop Decision to Be Discussed
By Vicky Shaw, PA
The ordination of a gay bishop is to be justified to Anglican leaders at a meeting tomorrow.
The Primate of the US Anglican Church, the Most Rev Frank Griswold, is to deliver a report on why the Church was justified to ordain an openly gay man, Gene Robinson, as Bishop of New Hampshire(...)
Giving his Presidential Address at the meeting today, Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams said media attention was likely to focus on a conservative-liberal split.
Dr Williams said: "Those who have criticised the blessing of same-sex partnerships have been trying, I think, to say that we cannot change what we say about marriage without seriously upsetting what you might call the ecology of our teaching, the balance of how we show and speak of God.
"They would say that blessing same-sex unions has this effect, and that without such blessing people living in such unions are at least in tension with the common language of the Church."(...)
2f) http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/news05062004.asp ACNS 3991 | ACO | 20 JUNE 2005 Archbishop of Canterbury's Presidential Address at ACC-13 (an excerpt)
(...)So there are two issues coming out of this that need patient study. What is the nature of a holy and Christ-like life for someone who has consistent homosexual desires? And what is the appropriate discipline to be applied to the personal life of the pastor in the Church? The last Lambeth Conference concluded that the reasons I have just outlined made it impossible to justify a change in existing practice and discipline; and the majority voice of the Communion holds firmly to this decision. It is possible to uphold this decision and still say that there are many unanswered questions in the theological picture just outlined, and that a full discussion of these needs a far more careful attention to how homosexual people see themselves and their relations. The Lambeth Resolution called for just this. It also condemned in clear terms, as did earlier Lambeth Conferences, the Windsor Report and the Primates' Dromantine statement, violent and bigoted language about homosexual people! - and this cannot be repeated too often. It is possible to uphold Lambeth '98 and to oppose the shocking persecution of homosexuals in some countries, to defend measures that guarantee their civil liberties. The question is not about that level of acceptance, but about what the Church requires in its ordained leaders and what patterns of relationship it will explicitly recognise as unquestionably revealing of God. On these matters, the Church is not persuaded that change is right. And where there is a strong scriptural presumption against change, a long consensus of teaching in Christian history, and a widespread ecumenical agreement, it may well be thought that change would need an exceptionally strong critical mass to justify it.
That, I think, is where the Communion as a whole stands. That is why actions by some provinces have caused outrage and hurt. To invite, as does the Windsor document, those provinces to reconsider is not to say that there are no issues to be resolved, no prejudice to be repented of (because there unquestionably is much of this); it is not to reject the idea of an 'inclusive' Church or to canonise an unintelligent reading of the Bible. It is to say that actions taken in sensitive matters against the mind of the Church cannot go unchallenged while the Church's overall discernment is as it is without injuring the delicate fabric of relations within the Church and so compromising its character.
It is said that there are times when Christians must act prophetically, ahead of the consensus, and that this is such a time for some of our number. We should listen with respect to what motivates this conviction. But we also have to say that it is in the very nature of a would-be prophetic act that we do not yet know whether it is an act of true prophecy or an expression of human feeling only. To claim to act prophetically is to take a risk. It would be strange if we claimed the right to act in a risky way and then protested because that risky act was not universally endorsed by the Church straight away. If truth is put before unity - to use the language that is now common in discussing this - you must not be surprised if unity truly and acutely suffers(...)
2g) http://www.livingchurch.org/publishertlc/viewarticle.asp?ID=1083 Withdrawn Status of North Americans Noted 06/19/2005 The 13th triennial Anglican Consultative Council opened with housekeeping items and a distinction noted about the withdrawn North American delegates being seated separately. After morning worship, ACC chairman, the Rt. Rev. John Paterson of New Zealand formally opened the first session and introduced the new ACC General Secretary, the Rev. Canon Kenneth Kearon.
Canon Kearon then explained the seating system. Delegates, members of the primate's standing committee and ecumenical observers were assigned to the center of the auditorium, Canon Kearon said. Visitors, including representatives from American church groups, such as Affirming Catholicism, the American Anglican Council and the Anglican Communion Network, were seated behind the delegates. Press and staff were allotted their sections, while a fifth section was given to the six observers from the American and Canadian churches.
The segregation of the North American observers at the first session included not only loss of voice and vote, but also a number of the traditional social amenities of ACC meetings. The six do not participate in the daily bible studies. They have been housed separately and the dining privileges extended to the Americans and Canadians are on par to those extended to visitors and the press.
The ACC constitution creates three tiers of membership; large provinces such as the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Nigeria are allocated three seats (bishop, priest and deacon). Tier two provinces, such as Wales or the West Indies are allotted two seats. Tier one provinces, such as Burundi and Mexico are allotted a single representative who is often the primate(...)
(The Rev.) George Conger is in Nottingham, England reporting for The Living Church from the triennial meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council. U.S., Canadian Anglicans Gather in England By JILL LAWLESS, Associated Press Writer LONDON -- Anglican bishops from the United States and Canada gathered in England on Tuesday to brief a top church body on their stance on homosexuality -- an issue that threatens to split the 77 million-strong global communion (...)
2i) http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/pdf/truehearing.pdf A True Hearing is a selection of materials for the Anglican Consultative Council in its "hearing" on issues of human sexuality. It is commended by Drexel Gomez, the Primate of the West Indies. 2j) http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/truehearexec.asp Read the Executive Summary
3a) http://www.anglicanessentials.ca/readarticle.php?article_id=40 Orthodox Canadian Anglicans Express Full Support for Bishop of Recife in Brazil after Bishop is wrongfully deposed Anglican Essentials Canada denounces the actions taken by the Primate of Brazil to depose the Bishop of the Diocese of Recife(...)
Anglican Essentials Canada agreed with the statement of Archbishop Gregory Venables of the Southern Cone, that the action "reflects a profound disregard and disrespect of the call for restraint and patience from the Primates of the Anglican Communion" and Essentials expresses its full support for the bishop and diocese of Recife(...) 3b) http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/news05062001.asp Recifé Confirmation - Pictures 20th June 2005 Showing that Robinson Cavalcanti, the Bishop of Recifé is far from deposed but in fact is carrying out his full Episcopal functions, these photos come from a confirmation service on the 19th of June 2005. http://aacblog.classicalanglican.net/archives/000716.html AAC President Writes Episcopal News Regarding Los Angeles Diocese Depositions
The Rev. Canon David C. Anderson Source: The Episcopal News, Diocese of Los Angeles edition Spring 2005 issue Page 19
I have to say as a member of the diocese that the news article about the deposing of the five clergy who transferred to Uganda is written from a very elitist and sectarian point of view ["Priests, deacon who led 3 dissident parishes deposed from ministry," Eastertide 2005 edition]. The clergy mentioned were lawfully and canonically transferred to the Province of Uganda according to the protocols of the Province of Uganda of the Anglican Communion. They are recognized by most of the Anglican Communion as now being on the rolls of the Province of Uganda(...)
The Primates' meeting in Belfast did ask that there not be any new independent unilateral encouragement of or initiation of cross boundary events, but this does not prevent the relationships already in place from being under full operation, now with Primatial cognizance(...) (The Rev. Canon) David C. Anderson Atlanta, Georgia Anderson is president of the American Anglican Council. Date: 6/16/2005
5a) http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/06/20/1096829-cp.html Grits to push same-sex vote By BRUCE CHEADLE, Canoe News, June 20th 2005 OTTAWA (CP) - The minority Liberal government has served notice it will ask MPs to extend Parliament's sitting indefinitely, which could bring same-sex marriage legislation to a vote. In what amounts to a game of summer-vacation chicken, Liberal House leader Tony Valeri gave notice Monday of a votable motion to extend the Commons sitting beyond the scheduled June 23 recess(...)
Toronto Sun Newspaper POLL What should Ottawa do with the same-sex marriage bill? " Pass it right away 17% " Delay it until an election 7% " Get rid of it for good 76% To vote, click on www.torontosun.com
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