From here thanks to Kevin Kallsen

IRD: I noticed that GAFCON focused on a re-evangelization of the West. What can you tell us about that? What are some of your hopes and plans on this front?

BDH: As you know, the reason for the first GAFCON in 2008 was in response to certain actions and movements going on the western church that were deemed again to be something as an impediment to the clear proclamation of the Gospel. So it’s been recognized that there are certain issues facings the western church that, in some circles, have undermined the credibility of the Church and the Gospel being preached in those areas””that something needs to be done in terms of addressing these issues.

It’s also been recognized that the western church, as far as church attendance goes (we could say on some level fervency and evangelism and things related to that) are waning, whereas in the Global South being planted at a dramatic rated, church attendance is dramatically higher there than it is in the West. So there’s something going on there in the Global South that is to be emulated and learned from by the western church. And so, I think everyone at GAFCON has recognized there are things that the Global South can do to help us as we try to wrestle with our culture and doing evangelism and the work of the church.

Read it all.

Watch it all.

“This weeks show is everything you wanted to know about GAFCON I, II, and III but were afraid to ask.”

Thanks to Kevin Kallsen and George Conger+ at Anglican TV

The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) will effectively provide for Anglican traditionalists the fellowship and support that provinces give to dioceses, Dr Peter Jensen, a former Archbishop of Sydney, Australia, told the Church Times at the close of the GAFCON conference in Nairobi last week….

Read it all.

I am grateful to God for my recent experiences as a participant in the second Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON2), which met October 21-26 in Nairobi, Kenya. With nearly 1400 delegates from around the world, it was the largest conference of faithful Anglicans in history! Over 330 Bishops attended (30 of whom were Archbishops), and they brought with them priests and laity from almost 40 different countries. They embodied the richly diverse constituency of the global Anglican Communion. No other international gathering has represented so many Anglicans.

Read it all.

…the Communique reaffirms the understanding from 2008 that GAFCON is “not a moment in time but a movement of the Spirit.” This phrase is not flight of rhetoric but a claim that GFCA is among other things a God-ordained “ecclesial” entity. Secondly, the Conference identifies itself as an “instrument of Communion” called into being because of the failure of other Instruments of Communion. I suppose some will take this claim as an open rebuke of the existing organs of the Lambeth bureaucracy. It is that, and my essays on Communion governance stand as testimony as to why such a rebuke is justified. But it is more than that: it is a positive declaration that the GFCA plans to be a vehicle of God’s grace to reform and revitalize the Anglican Communion.

Some may ask by what right the GFCA appoints itself an instrument. In an early draft, the Statement Committee proposed saying that “we are conscious that we have become an instrument of Communion.” I think that wording is revealing, even if the final form moves consciousness into conviction. What I mean is that the GAFCON movement did not start out intentionally to overturn existing authorities but rather over a period of fifteen years came to realize that no other option was workable and that God had indeed formed new bonds of affection among its members during the times of trial.

So is the GFCA laying the groundwork for a separate Communion? Absolutely not! At the first GAFCON virtually all the delegates were adamant that they were not leaving the Anglican Communion, because “we are the Anglican Communion!” Some may think this is verbal trickery. It is not. There is nothing sacrosanct about the so-called Instruments of Communion. To be sure, the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lambeth Conference carry the weight of almost 150 years’ continuance. However, for good or ill, Archbishop Longley refused to grant the first Lambeth Conference ecclesial authority as a council and by so doing he built in a weakness that has been a major reason for the recent crisis. During the past decade, whenever the Primates proposed more authoritative action ”“ e.g., “To Mend the Net” proposal or the Dar es Salaam Communique ”“ Canterbury squelched the attempt.

Read it all.

The Church of England is facing a split over proposals to offer a formal blessing for gay couples.

Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, the former bishop of Rochester, warned on Tuesday that a move to celebrate same-sex relationships in church would be a “red line” for traditionalist parishes.

Clergy and lay members of the Church opposed to any relaxation of the rules could reject the authority of any bishops who supported the move, he warned.

Read it all.

Read it all.

1. GAFCON isn’t about schism ”” or sexuality. Archbishop Jensen of Sydney immediately countered talk in the western press of Anglican schism by calling it “nonsense” and defining GAFCON as a movement to renew the Anglican Communion, not a new church. Similarly, press attention on homosexuality hasn’t been realized in the discussions at GAFCON. Instead of flashpoint issues, GAFCON has seen more attention give to bringing the Gospel to those who do not know Jesus.

Read it all.

Read it all.

As at any conference, ID badges dangle on lanyards around the necks of all the delegates. The lanyards at GAFCON are actually fine strands of beads. Here utility meets delicate beauty.

When I first received my badge, I didn’t think much of the lanyard. That’s a nice detail, I thought. A touch of Africa. But there’s a story behind these strands of beads. A good one.

Each one of the strands of beads that the 1300 delegates wear this week at GAFCON was handmade by women and girls in the Marsabit Diocese of northern Kenya. Small strands of loving kindness.

They have made these under the guidance of Alice Wangui, a Mother’s Union worker for this area, and Mama Sue, who is married to the bishop of this diocese.

Photo: Ladies of Marsabit, Laurel Moffatt

This is a place of Hot and Dry. The deserts have names I had not heard before. My mouth works to pronounce them, the syllables lying like rocks in my mouth:
Turlbi
Kargi
Marikona
Isiola

This is a place of Push and Pull. Where tribes war over those fleeting commodities, water and pasture.

The names of the tribes as new to me as the names of the desserts in which they live: Borana, Ledile, Burlge, Gabra, Saburu, Turkana,

The Borana and Burlge fight as I write.

Life is Hard and Dry, Alice tells me. It’s a place where rain does not deign to fall. Except every two years. Or three,

Beautiful. Read it all.

“That [GAFCON] has come to the soil of Africa has been historic,” noted Nigerian Archbishop Ben Kwashi, calling the conference “a blessing.” Praising the depth of Bible teaching at the event, the leader of Jos diocese highlighted conference concerns such as care of the oppressed and sharing of one another’s burdens.

“As an African, I’m tired of hearing all the bad news about Africa,” Kwashi candidly stated. “GAFCON has given good news.”
Kwashi, whose diocese in Nigeria’s middle belt has been hard hit by Islamist violence, noted that “militants are as merciless to Christians as they are to peaceful Muslims.”

“We love and are called to love ”” in this many Christians have lost their lives. In time, militancy will be defeated, but we have to communicate with those who do not love us ”” that isn’t easy.”

Read it all.

Jake Belder ”@jakebelder
A big thank you to the #gafcon2013 delegates! All of us confessing Anglicans are grateful for your faithfulness and your work this past week [This elf seconds this tweet!]

Canon Jack Lumanog ”@CanonLumanog
After the #GAFCON2013 statement was read and received, I got a high five and an enormous hug from Archbishop Ben… http://fb.me/SKpw7I9Z

Canon Jack Lumanog ”@CanonLumanog
#gafcon2013 “You have been on the Mount of Transfiguration. It is time to return to your homes and the… http://fb.me/2RuhYK8Hy

David Martin Hanke ”@dmhanke
‘Lift high the cross!’ Closing Eucharist. #gafcon2013 http://instagram.com/p/f7XvvUlhcD/

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
Closing with Stand Up For Jesus #GAFCon2013

Rev. Anson Ann ”@revansonann
++Wabukala thanked the Kenyan police force by giving them a bible… this will never happen in the West. #GAFCON2013 pic.twitter.com/n1CuZVeAks

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue
The Police are presented with a new Bible by AB Wabukala in thanks for helping 2 keep us safe. #gafcon2013 “Now go read it to your friends!”

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue
PFJ [Abp. Peter Jensen] gets a standing ovation. Now Martyn Minns too. #gafcon2013 pic.twitter.com/774vwESs0p

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue
Lots of thanks. Especially to the Kenyan church who have cared for us and bolstered security with government help. #gafcon2013

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue
Thunderous applause. Standing ovation. Spontaneous singing. PFJ crying. Statement has an impact! #gafcon2013 pic.twitter.com/91NqfjIN0F

Helmut Paul Wambi ”@wambipaul
@gafconference it has been a success here in Nairobi. #gafcon2013

Rev. Anson Ann ”@revansonann
After the final Nairobi Communique was read out, there was a standing ovation and singing broke out. #GAFCON2013 pic.twitter.com/447VxPpRcN

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue
Dr Senyonyi x2 [John & Ruth] come forward to read the GAFCON 2013: The Nairobi Communique. #gafcon2013 This will be a moving moment.

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue
There’s been too much caution. Anglican caution has brought us to today! Bishop of Recife, Brazil #gafcon2013

daveclancey ”@daveclancey
The armor of God is the gospel. #GAFCON2013 #eph6 #ArmorofGod

daveclancey ”@daveclancey
“Everything starts with prayer. And ends with prayer.” Bp Miguel Uchoa. #gafcon2013

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
Key moments and decision moments are prayer moments – Bp Ochoa #GAFCon2013 #Preach

Rev. Anson Ann ”@revansonann
+Ochoa: Be strong in the Lord (Eph 6:10). Don’t depend on yourself. Don’t even try. #GAFCON2013 pic.twitter.com/UY0Ug8T1uW

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
Say to the Lord, “Let me never walk in my presumption” – Bp Ochoa #GAFCon2013 #BoldPrayer

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
Each challenge we face, no matter how big, has our God who is much bigger – Bp Ochoa #GAFCon2013 #Eph6 #Truth

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
Don’t even try to live a Godly life on your own. Depending on the Lord means less of you more of Him – Bp Ochoa #GAFCon2013 #Eph6

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
The All Saints children’s choir blessing our socks off w In Christ Alone #GAFCon2013”¦ http://instagram.com/p/f7HWqFl3rW/

daveclancey ”@daveclancey
Gafcon is a movement. So we must move ahead. Bp Miguel Uchoa of Recife. #gafcon2013

Rev. Anson Ann ”@revansonann
Our beloved #ANiC bishops at #GAFCON2013. pic.twitter.com/CNDABq8G3h

Zane Elliott ”@squeakycog
Hallelujah thine the glory, hallelujah amen, hallelujah thine the glory, revive us again. The cry of #gafcon2013 the heart of #Anglicans

gillian davidson ”@gfdavo
Final church service of #gafcon2013 a time of personal and corporate repentance.

gillian davidson ”@gfdavo
Bp Kanuku, Kenya on Eph 6 urging #gafcon2013 to humbly, in repentance put on the breastplate of God and face the fight that confronts us.

Canon Jack Lumanog ”@CanonLumanog
Last day of #gafcon2013 and my body has just about had it! The spirit is willing – but the flesh is weak.

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
Yesterday my Rwandan sister, Vivian, told me I dance like an African! #Yessss #Arrived #GAFCon2013 @ThornhillMA @grod125

Anglican Future ”@gafconference
Thankful to All Saints Cathedral and ACK for gracious hospitality and Christ-like love to #gafcon2013 delegates #anglican

This post used to be sticky – look below for new entries.

Here is the FINAL Nairobi Communique and Commitment from the GAFCON website. You can download the PDF file here.

GAFCON 2013: THE NAIROBI COMMUNIQUE

You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:19-20)

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we, the participants in the second Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) ”“ 1358 delegates, including 331 bishops, 482 other clergy and 545 laity from 38 countries representing tens of millions of faithful Anglicans worldwide ”“ send you greetings from East Africa, a place of revival in the last century and of growth in the Anglican Church today.
Introduction

We met with great joy in Nairobi from 21st to 26th October 2013. We gathered each day for prayer and praise, studied Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and shared in the Holy Communion at the beginning and end of our conference.

It was very poignant that our meeting took place only a month after the violent terrorist attack in Nairobi at the Westgate Shopping Mall in which so many innocent men, women and children lost their lives. Our hearts go out to those families who have lost loved ones and to all of those who still suffer. We continue to remember them in prayer. In meeting here we have been able to express publicly the hope that Jesus Christ brings to a world in which brokenness and suffering find frequent expression.

In our gathering, we reaffirmed our view that we are a global fellowship of confessing Anglicans, engaged in a movement of the Holy Spirit which is both personal and ecclesial. We appreciated that the Archbishop of Canterbury sent personal greetings via video and gave us the assurance of his prayers, and we likewise pray for him. We believe we have acted as an important and effective instrument of Communion during a period in which other instruments of Communion have failed both to uphold gospel priorities in the Church, and to heal the divisions among us.

The Formation of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans

In 2008, the first GAFCON was convened in order to counter a false gospel which was spreading throughout the Communion. This false gospel questioned the uniqueness of Christ and his substitutionary death, despite the Bible’s clear revelation that he is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). It undermined the authority of God’s Word written. It sought to mask sinful behaviour with the language of human rights. It promoted homosexual practice as consistent with holiness, despite the fact that the Bible clearly identifies it as sinful. A crisis point was reached in 2003 when a man in an active same-sex relationship was consecrated bishop in the USA. In the years that followed, there were repeated attempts to resolve the crisis within the Communion, none of which succeeded. To the contrary, the situation worsened with further defiance. As a response to the crisis, we adopted The Jerusalem Statement and Declaration which commits us to biblical faithfulness, and has since provided the framework for renewed Anglican orthodoxy to which we, in all our different traditions ”“ Evangelicals, Anglo-Catholics and Charismatics ”“ are committed. We also formed the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GFCA).

Since then, we have become a movement for unity among faithful Anglicans. Where, in taking a stand for biblical faithfulness, Anglicans have been marginalised or excluded from provincial or diocesan structures, the Primates’ Council has recognised and authenticated them as faithful Anglicans. The GFCA has been instrumental in the emergence of the new Province of the Anglican Church in North America, giving formal recognition to its orders and welcoming it as a full partner province, with its Archbishop having a seat on the Primates’ Council. The GFCA has also prevented the original Diocese of Recife from being isolated from the Anglican Communion. At the same time, local fellowships have been set up across many provinces. These have been a vital support to ministers and congregations alike, as the pressures on faithful gospel witness have increased.

The GFCA and the Future of the Anglican Communion

The fellowship we enjoy as Christians is distinguished from all other associations by the fact that it is at its heart a common ”˜fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ’ (1 John 1:3). For this reason it has a particular character. It involves repentance and ”˜walking in the light, as he is in the light’ (1 John 1:7”“9). The character and boundaries of our fellowship are not determined by institutions but by the Word of God. The church is a place where the truth matters, where it is guarded and promoted and where alternatives are exposed for what they are ”” an exchange of the truth of God for a lie (Romans 1:25). Our willingness to submit to the written Word of God and our unwillingness to be in Christian fellowship with those who will not, is clearly expressed in The Jerusalem Statement and Declaration. This means that the divisions in the Anglican Communion will not be healed without a change of heart from those promoting the false gospel, and to that end we pray.

There is much we can learn from the East African Revival about having a change of heart. Beginning in the last century, the Revival has touched millions of lives across many countries as the Holy Spirit has moved lay men and women, as well as clergy, to share the gospel with others. Two significant features of great relevance to our situation are ””

• Real repentance for sin demonstrated both in confession of guilt and a desire to make amends
• A confidence that the gospel has the power both to save the lost in all the world and to transform the church, rather than seeing the church conformed to the world.

We urge those who have promoted the false gospel to repent of their unfaithfulness and have a renewed confidence in the gospel. We repent of indifference, prayerlessness and inactivity in the face of false teaching. We remind them ”“ as we remind ourselves ”“ that the sins from which we must repent are not simply those which the world also believes are wrong; they are those that God himself abhors and which are made clear in his Word.

The 1998 Lambeth Resolution I.10 on Human Sexuality states that sexual activity is to be exclusive to marriage and that abstinence is right for those who are single. We still hold to that authoritative statement. Sexual temptation affects us all, and we pray therefore for faithfulness to God’s Word in marriage and singleness.

We grieve that several national governments, aided by some church leaders, have claimed to redefine marriage and have turned same-sex marriage into a human rights issue. Human rights, we believe, are founded on a true understanding of human nature, which is that we are created in God’s image, male and female such that a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife (Matthew 19:6; Ephesians 5:31). We want to make clear that any civil partnership of a sexual nature does not receive the blessing of God. We continue to pray for and offer pastoral support to Christians struggling with same-sex temptation who remain celibate in obedience to Christ and affirm them in their faithfulness.

The gospel alone has the power to transform lives. As the gospel is heard, the Holy Spirit challenges and convicts of sin, and points to the love of God expressed in his Son, Jesus Christ. The sheer grace of God in setting us free from sin through the cross of Christ leads us into the enjoyment of our forgiveness and the desire to lead a holy life. This enables the relationship with God that Jesus makes possible to flourish. Moreover, just as individual lives can be transformed, so can the life of churches. We therefore commit ourselves and call on our brothers and sisters throughout the Communion to join in rediscovering the power of the gospel and seeking boldness from the Holy Spirit to proclaim it with renewed vigour.

Strengthening the GFCA

We are committed to the future of the GFCA and to that end have decided to take steps to strengthen our fellowship.

First, we have resolved to be more than a network. We are an effective expression of faithful Anglicanism and therefore, recognising our responsibilities, we must organise ourselves in a way that demonstrates the seriousness of our objectives. These are threefold.

• Proclaiming and contending for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Examples of work we wish to resource are the preparation of convincing theological rebuttals of any false gospel; supporting a network of theological colleges whose students are better oriented to ministry, whose faculties are well-trained, and whose curricula are built on the faithful reading of Scripture.
• Building the fellowship. We need to find new ways of supporting each other in mission and discipleship.
• Authorising and affirming faithful Anglicans who have been excluded by their diocese or province. The main thrust of work here would be devoted to discerning the need for new provinces, dioceses and churches ”” and then authenticating their ministries and orders as Anglican.

Second, pursuing these objectives will require GFCA to operate on a more systematic basis and to that end we shall organise around a Primates’ Council, a Board of Trustees, an Executive Committee and regional liaison officers, who will be involved in fostering communication among FCAs.

Third, we recognise that moving the GFCA on to a new footing will involve making substantial new resources available. We must, therefore, invite provinces, dioceses, mission agencies, local congregations and individuals formally to become contributing members of the GFCA. In particular, we ask provinces to reconsider their support for those Anglican structures that are used to undermine biblical faithfulness and contribute instead, or additionally, to the financing of the GFCA’s on-going needs.

Our Priorities

Our Lord’s command is ”˜to go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you’ (Matthew 28:19”“20). We believe therefore that our first priority must be to make disciples. This means that our movement must be committed to –

• Evangelising areas of our world where clear gospel witness has become obscured or lost and bringing the gospel to unreached peoples. Much of our energy must be devoted to bringing the gospel to children and young people and developing the leaders of the future. We also recognise the need to pray for, love and witness to Muslims with the gospel of Jesus. We call upon churches to train their members in such outreach.
• Supporting genuine gospel initiatives, recognising that there are times when the maintenance of structures can constrain the proclamation of the gospel. In line with The Jerusalem Statement’s expectation that the Primates’ Council would intervene to provide ”˜orthodox oversight to churches under false leadership’, the Primates’ Council will carefully consider working beyond existing structures as an obedient response to Jesus’ commission to take the gospel to all nations.
• Guarding the gospel. We shall continue publicly to expose any false gospel that is not consistent with apostolic teaching and clearly to articulate the gospel in the church and in the world.

Our second priority must be to deepen discipleship. We must keep stressing that our identity is primarily found in Christ rather than in national, ethnic or tribal attachments. In addition, there are many pressures on Christians today which require a degree of maturity in order to withstand them. These include aggressive secularism, where increasingly Christians are being told that their faith must only find expression in private, and not in public life, and where the contribution of Christianity to the public good is denied; militant Islamism which continues to threaten the existence and ministry of the church in some places; and seductive syncretism which introduces supposedly alternative approaches to God and thereby denies the uniqueness of Christ.

Countering these pressures and promoting the gospel in difficult circumstances requires Christians to accept that their witness involves suffering for Christ (2 Timothy 3:12); to stand with those who are suffering for Christ; to be alert to the ways in which the Scriptures are being falsely undermined by opponents; to engage graciously in the public square; and to refuse to be intimidated when subjected to persecution.

As a third priority, we must witness to the transforming effect of the gospel in working for the transformation of society, so that the values of the eternal Kingdom can be seen here and now. We therefore believe that it is right to engage in the public arena with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15”“16), but without allowing our priorities to be shaped by the world’s agenda; that our churches should work for the protection of the environment and the economic empowerment of those who are deprived of resources; and that we should not ignore the cries of the marginalized and oppressed who need immediate aid.

We affirm the ministries of women and their vital contribution to the life of the church: their call to the task of evangelism, discipling, and building strong marriages, families, churches and communities. GAFCON 2013 upholds the Bible’s teaching that men and women are equally made in the image of God, called to be his people in the body of Christ, exercising different gifts. We recognize that we have differing views over the roles of men and women in church leadership.

It grieves us that in many communities women and children are marginalized through poverty, lack of education, HIV/AIDS, the mistreatment of widows and orphans, and polygamy. Furthermore, they suffer domestic violence, sexual abuse, trafficking and abortion. We repudiate all such violence against women and children and call on the church to demonstrate respect for women, care for marginalized women and children around the world, and uphold the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death.

We are conscious of the growing number of attacks on Christians in Nigeria and Pakistan, Syria and Egypt, Sudan and many other countries. Where our brothers and sisters are experiencing persecution, we must all call on governments and leaders of other religions to respect human rights, protect Christians from violent attack and take effective action to provide for freedom of religious expression for all.

Conclusion

We are conscious of many pressures on faithful gospel witness within the church, but equally conscious of the great need the world has to hear the gospel. The need for the GFCA is greater now than when we first met in Jerusalem in 2008. We believe the Holy Spirit is challenging us and the rest of the Anglican Communion to remain faithful to our biblical heritage; to support those who suffer as a result of obedience to Christ; to deepen the spiritual life of our churches; and to respond to anti-Christian pressures with a renewed determination to spread the gospel. The seriousness with which we take our mission and our fellowship will be reflected in the way individual churches make the GAFCON vision their own, and in how we resource the work the GFCA seeks to initiate. We invite all faithful Anglicans to join the GFCA.

Finally, we make the following commitment to strengthen our fellowship and promote the gospel.

The Nairobi Commitment

We are committed to Jesus Christ as the head of the Church, the authority of his Word and the power of his gospel. The Son perfectly reveals God to us, he is the sole ground of our salvation, and he is our hope for the future. We seek to honour him, walk in faith and obedience to his teaching, and glorify him through our proclamation of his name.

Therefore, in the power of the Holy Spirit ””

1. We commit ourselves anew to The Jerusalem Statement and Declaration.
2. We commit ourselves to supporting mission, both locally and globally, including outreach to Muslims. We also commit to encouraging lay training in obedience to the Great Commission to make and mature disciples, with particular attention to recruiting and mobilizing young people for ministry and leadership.
3. We commit ourselves to give greater priority to theological education and to helping each other find the necessary resources. The purposes of theological education need clarifying so that students are better oriented to ministry, faculty are well-trained, and curricula are built on the faithful reading of Scripture.
4. We commit ourselves to defend essential truths of the biblical faith even when this defence threatens existing structures of human authority (Acts 5:29). For this reason, the bishops at GAFCON 2013 resolved ”˜to affirm and endorse the position of the Primates’ Council in providing oversight in cases where provinces and dioceses compromise biblical faith, including the affirmation of a duly discerned call to ministry. This may involve ordination and consecration if the situation requires.’
5. We commit ourselves to the support and defence of those who in standing for apostolic truth are marginalized or excluded from formal communion with other Anglicans in their dioceses. We have therefore recognized the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) as an expression of authentic Anglicanism both for those within and outside the Church of England, and welcomed their intention to appoint a General Secretary of AMiE.
6. We commit ourselves to teach about God’s good purposes in marriage and in singleness. Marriage is a life-long exclusive union between a man and a woman. We exhort all people to work and pray for the building and strengthening of healthy marriages and families. For this reason, we oppose the secular tide running in favour of cohabitation and same-sex marriage.
7. We commit ourselves to work for the transformation of society though the gospel. We repudiate all violence, especially against women and children; we shall work for the economic empowerment of those who are deprived; and we shall be a voice for persecuted Christians.
8. We commit ourselves to the continuation of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, putting membership, staffing and financing onto a new basis. We shall continue to work within the Anglican Communion for its renewal and reform.
9. We commit ourselves to meet again at the next GAFCON.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

26 October 2013

The second Global Anglican Future Conference, which concludes this weekend in Nairobi, resolved to expand its leadership role in supporting and recognising Anglicans in places where Biblical faith has been compromised.

A meeting of bishops within the conference this week voted without dissent to affirm the Primates Council in recognizing and overseeing theologically isolated Anglicans. This includes the expansion of the Anglican Mission in England and similar bodies around the Communion.

Read it all (and take the time to watch the related press conference).

(in reverse chronological order, from most recent to earliest)

David Ould ”@davidould
Africa; it’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you. #gafcon2013

David Ould ”@davidould
last night in Nairobi. Will be very sad to leave this country where we have been so wonderfully looked after #gafcon2013

Sam Allberry ”@SamAllberry
The Kenyans should lead the singing at all Christian conferences. It’s been a wonderful week! #gafcon2013

David Ould ”@davidould
Hearing from the sole #gafcon2013 Pakistani delegate about how they Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus. #thestrifewillnotbelong

Jeff Walton ”@jeffreyhwalton
More communique: Fort Worth: affirm Anglo-Catholics. Quincy: mention Eucharist alongside Gospel as unifying #Anglican

Jeff Walton ”@jeffreyhwalton
More N. Amer. #GAFCON2013 communique suggestions: change evangelizing West to “areas where Gospel has been obscured.” #Anglican

Jeff Walton ”@jeffreyhwalton
Suggestions for #GAFCON2013 communique heard in North American discussion group: more on sanctity of life, unborn. #Anglican

Jeff Walton ”@jeffreyhwalton
“Integrity & authority of Gospel is fundamental. Go wrong with them, everything will go wrong in the end.” -Archbp Peter Jensen #GAFCON2013

Canon Jack Lumanog ”@CanonLumanog
Served as secretary of @The_ACNA caucus here at #GAFCON2013. Working out the final communique in working groups organized by Province.

Moses Kimani ”@SirMosesKimani
Listening to the amazingly good Nairobi Communique of the #GAFCON2013 Conference at All Saints Cathedral. Applause! Applause! Applause!

Rev. Anson Ann ”@revansonann
John Guernsey+ just read out the draft of the Nairobi Communique. It was very well written and exceeded my expectations. #GAFCON2013

ACNA ”@The_ACNA
Bishop John Guernsey of @The_ACNA serves as Chairman of Communique Team at #GAFCON2013 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BXa18BECAAAakgI.jpg:large ”¦ #Anglican #Episcopal #GAFCON

Mel Lacy ”@lacymel
Significant afternoon for all those at #gafcon2013 as we consider the draft Nairobi communique in our provinces pic.twitter.com/jAZKlpTyGX

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
Our task is not to recreate the Jerusalem statement, our task is to put our shoulder to the wheel to move the GFCA forward #GAFCon2013

Canon Jack Lumanog ”@CanonLumanog
In Nairobi – is it possible to feel like coming home to a place I have never been before? #GAFCON2013

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue
The most important moment of #gafcon2013 has arrived. @ All Saints Cathedral http://instagram.com/p/f42sQuKA6k/

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
Thanks to John Thorpe for a great session on Teaching Others to Teach the Bible #ChildrenAndYouthTrack #GAFCon2013

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
@lacymel Train your leaders, Teach Bible study skills, Disciple them, Be culturally aware, PRAY #GAFCON2013 #ChildrenAndYouthTrack

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
@lacymel Teach the Word, Build Christian worldview, Support parental discipleship, Live out the Word, Teach signif. of Church #GAFCon2013

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
Great session yesterday by @lacymel on discipling vibrant young people who follow Christ #GAFCon2013 #ChildrenAndYouthTrack

David Martin Hanke ”@dmhanke
I really enjoyed visiting with the delegation from Myanmar this morning. #restorationva #gafcon2013 http://instagram.com/p/f4sa1dFhfk/

Canon Jack Lumanog ”@CanonLumanog
Canon Jack at a Tweetup over tea during #GAFCON2013 of social media folks from America, Australia and England. http://fb.me/2NFzEdSYZ

Jeff Walton ”@jeffreyhwalton
Islam changes wrld by power gain, Chrstns change wrld by willingness to give up power -Bishop Nazir-Ali http://bit.ly/18ibbVj #gafcon2013

Canon Jack Lumanog ”@CanonLumanog
“Christ’s cosmic victory erupts in visible expression in the local assembly.” Rev. William Taylor #gafcon2013

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue
When headship and submission are on display in marriage, so is the cosmic victory of God in Jesus Christ. #gafcon2013

David Ould ”@davidould
Marriage mirrors the gospel to the world – Willy Taylor #ephesians5 #gafcon2013

Canon Jack Lumanog ”@CanonLumanog
“The western church, at best, has been asleep. At worst, has been deceived.” Rev. William Taylor #gafcon2013

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue
If you sleep walk into partnership with those who court the world, you’ll be eaten alive by a crocodile. #gafcon2013 William Taylor on fire.

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
Rev Taylor thanking our brothers and sisters in the global south for “staying awake” #GAFCon2013 #Eph5 # Blamo

David Ould ”@davidould
Biblical truth means we cannot be partners with those who deny it and use deceptive words Eph. 5:6-7 Willy Taylor #gafcon2013

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
Submission to one another is part of bringing all things under the lordship of Christ – W Taylor #GAFCon2013 #Eph5

Nigel Fortescue ”@nigelfortescue
Today we’ll get a look at the draft GAFCON II statement. This is a pinnacle moment. Will it give us a direction to go together? #gafcon2013

Heather Strong Moore ”@StrongHeather
Ain’t no worship like African worship! So grateful for the joyful fervour that our brothers and sisters bring to our Communion #GAFCon2013

David Ould ”@davidould
Picture simply can’t do justice to the joyful music and dancing at #gafcon2013 pic.twitter.com/dqaaG58Lz1

David Martin Hanke ”@dmhanke
Good morning! Afayo! (He is Lord!) #gafcon2013 http://instagram.com/p/f4OFSGFhcA/

Sam Allberry ”@SamAllberry
Next time someone tells you liturgy = dry, send them to All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi. #gafcon2013

***
Note: there were extremely few tweets from Day 4, so we did not do a roundup of Day 4 tweets. Perhaps there were wifi problems…

UPDATE: Check out new resources from the mini-conferences on Marriage & Family and Theological Education added under Day 4. Also a bunch of new links added for Day 6.

This is our attempt to pull together all the most important conference resources (transcripts, videos…) in one place, in chronological order, by day, as it happened, in the clearest form possible. We will continue to update it as new resources become available.

LAST UPDATE: Tuesday 29 October 17:30 GMT / 13:30 Eastern US

The GAFCON Communique and T19 discussion thread on the Communique is here.

Note: the official GAFCON website is here.
The GAFCON II schedule is posted here.
GAFCON Photo album

SUNDAY October 20, 2013 (Pre-Conference)

1. Abp. Welby Preaches in All Saints Cathedral Nairobi and meets with GAFCON Primates for lunch.
Video of Abp. Welby’s sermon
Notes of Archbishop Justin’s sermon to GAFCON Primates in Nairobi

2. Abp. Welby’s luncheon with the Primates and Abp. Peter Jensen’s Address to the Luncheon
VIDEO: Archbishop Jensen’s address to the archbishops’ luncheon with Justin Welby [12:12]
TRANSCRIPT: Archbishop Jensen’s address to the archbishops’ luncheon with Justin Welby

Other resources:
Photos October 20

Recommended Articles and Commentary: [All entries written by those present at GAFCON II]
George Conger: Welby backs GAFCON vision for a renewed church

***********

DAY 1: MONDAY OCTOBER 21, 2013

1. Opening Press Conference
VIDEO: Full Press Conference
VIDEO: Press Conference Highlights
Day 1 Press Release: Nairobi conference confirms major realignment in Anglican Communion

2. PLENARY SESSION: Opening worship, Vision for conference, East African Revival
Video: Abp. Wabukala welcomes delegates to Kenya [7:41]
Video: Abp Jensen Opens the GAFCON Conference (including roll call of nations) [22 minutes]
TRANSCRIPT: Presentation on the East African Revival by the Rev. Dr. John Senyonyi, (Vice-Chancellor of Uganda Christian University)
[*NEW*] VIDEO: Presentation on the East Africa Revival by the Rev. Dr. John Senyonyi (Vice-Chancellor of Uganda Christian University) [48 minutes]

Other Day 1 Resources:
Day 1 Photos
Day 1 Feature Article: Legacy of East African Revival Frames GAFCON Opening Night
Video: Monday highlights

Day1 – Recommended Articles and Commentary: [All entries written by those present at GAFCON II]
GAFCON 2: Monday 21st October (Andrew Symes, Anglican Mainstream)
Fr. George Conger’s Summary of Day 1 at GAFCON: Revival and the Anglican Way
Bishop Mark Lawrence: Jottings from GAFCONII
David Ould: Gafcon Day 1- The Church Gathered and a Firm Word for Abp Welby
Nigel Fortescue: GAFCON Day 1: The Future Has Arrived
Laurel Moffatt: GAFCON Day One in Living Colour
Rob Munro: GAFCON DAY 1: Seeds of Revival?
ACNA Daily Digest: Monday
Selected Tweets: GAFCON Day 1

***********

DAY 2: TUESDAY OCTOBER 22, 2013

1. Opening Eucharist and Biblical Exposition from Ephesians 1
To our knowledge there are no videos of the worship or transcripts/videos of the Bible teaching. You can get some idea by reviewing the day’s photos and Tweets (see below)

2. PLENARY SESSION: Chairman’s address by Abp. Wabukala of Kenya; Presentations on the theme of “Global Challenge (Bp. Nazir-Ali / Dr. Mike Ovey)”
TRANSCRIPT: Chairman’s Address GAFCON 2013 Plenary 22nd October [Video is not yet available]
VIDEO: Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali: Global Challenge (12 minutes) [No transcript has been posted]
TRANSCRIPT: The Grace of God OR the World of the West? The Rev Dr Michael Ovey, President Oak Hill College, London [FULL PDF is here]
VIDEO: Dr. Mike Ovey’s presentation on The Grace of God or the World of the West [50 minutes]

3. PLENARY SESSION: ”˜We are not alone’ / The Lonely Church
note1: we elves are not 100% sure of the order of these various talks. Apologies if we’ve gotten things muddled.
note2: it appears that many of the talks by those facing persecution in dangerous places were not recorded. But a number of the articles and blog entries below provide excerpts.
VIDEO: The Lonely Church [13 minutes]

In order, the speakers are:
Richard Ellena, Bishop of Nelson in New Zealand,
Miguel Uchoa, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Recife,
and Charlie Masters, Bishop Coadjutor of the Anglican Church in North America’s diocese in Canada

VIDEO: The Rev. Paul Perkin: What is happening in the Church of England [18 minutes]
TRANSCRIPT: The Rev. Paul Perkin: Battle for the Soul of Britain – what;s happening in the CoE
Video: Apb, Jensen interviews Andrea Minichiello Williams on Christian Persecution in the UK [2:30]

Other Day 2 Resources:
You Are Not Alone – brief summary of several of the testimonies from those persecuted for their faith
GAFCON Feature Article: Churches tempted to ”˜change Christian faith’ for culture
Tuesday Oct 22 Photos
Tuesday Highlights Video [under 3 minutes]
Photo of all 331 Bishops attending GAFCON

Day 2 – Recommended Articles and Commentary: [All entries written by those present at GAFCON II]
GAFCON Diary Day 2 (Anglican Mainstream)
Fr. George Conger’s Summary of Day 2 at GAFCON – A Suffering and Lonely Church
David Ould: GAFCON Day 2 – A Clear Challenge to Welby and Much More
Nigel Fortescue: GAFCON Day Two: Reality Struck Home Today
Rob Munro: GAFCON Day 2: Who’s Changing Whom?
Laurel Moffatt: GAFCON Many Voices One Song
Restoration Anglican: Nairobi Update #1
St. Johns Working UK blog: GAFCON Day 2 Update
ACNA Tuesday GAFCON Daily Digest
Selected Tweets: GAFCON Day 2

***********

DAY 3: WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 23, 2013

1. Opening Worship and Biblical Exposition from Ephesians 2
To our knowledge there are no videos of the worship or transcripts/videos of the Bible teaching. You can get some idea by reviewing the day’s photos and Tweets (see below)

2. Abp. Welby’s Video Greetings to GAFCON
Text and Video of Abp. Welby’s short message

3. Mini-Conferences (Mini-Conferences took place Wednesday – Friday)
Here are the mini-conference topics:

The Challenge of Islam ”“ led by Bishop Michael Nazir Ali
The Work of the Holy Spirit ”“ led by Dr. Stephen Noll
Marriage and Family – led by Dr. John & Ruth Senyonyi
Children and Youths – Rev Zac Vernon
Gospel and Culture – Dr. Alfred Olwa
Being Women of God – Christine Perkin
Aid and Development – Rev Dennis Tongoi
Theological Education – Dr Andrew Shead
Episcopal Ministry – Bishop Wallace Benn

VIDEO: Participants reflect on the mini-conferences taking place at GAFCON [2:30]
(It’s unclear at this point what, if any, further resources will be posted online from the mini-conferences. We will be sure to post them if/when they are put online!)

Other Day 3 Resources:
Feature Article: GAFCON Delegates Share Across Cultures as Mini-Conferences Begin
Photos: Day 3

Day 3 – Recommended Articles and Commentary: [All entries written by those present at GAFCON II]
GAFCON Report Day 3 (Anglican Mainstream)
David Ould: Day 3: Welby and Jensen – Ambiguity of Context and Clarity of Scripture
Nigel Fortescue: GAFCON Day 3
Rob Munro: GAFCON Day 3: What marks a movement of the Holy Spirit?
Restoration Anglican: Nairobi #2
ACNA Daily Digest – Wednesday
Selected Tweets from GAFCON II – Day 3 October 23, 2013

***********

DAY 4: THURSDAY OCTOBER 24, 2013

1. Opening Worship and Biblical Exposition from Ephesians 3&4
To our knowledge there are no videos of the worship or transcripts/videos of the Bible teaching. You can get some idea by reviewing the day’s blog entries (see below).

2. Mini-Conferences continue
Video on Women’s mini-conference
Jeff Walton: GAFCON Conferees Engage Challenge of Islam [summarizes mini-conference presentation by Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali]
** NEW ** Resources from the Marriage and Family Mini-Conference
** NEW ** Building For the Future- A Statement on Theological Education, from the Theological Education Mini-Conference

Other Day 4 Resources:
Photos Day 4 (mostly pictures from this afternoon’s trip to Nairobi National Park)
VIDEO: GAFCON Thursday Highlights

Day 4 – Recommended Articles and Commentary: [All entries written by those present at GAFCON II]
Summary GAFCON II Day 4 (Andrew Symes, Anglican Mainstream)
Nigel Fortescue: GAFCON Day 4
Rob Munro: GAFCON Day 4: Widening Horizons
Bishop Foley Beach: The Suffering Church
David Ould: GAFCON Day 4: Global Anglicanism in its Natural State
GAFCON Day 4 (St. John’s Working UK blog)
Shari Hobby: GAFCON Reoprt Day 4
ACNA GAFCON Daily Digest Thursday
[*NEW*] Bishop Mark Lawrence: Jottings from GAFCON II – Take 2 (summarizes Days 2 – 4)

***********

DAY 5: FRIDAY OCTOBER 25, 2013

1. Opening Worship and Biblical Exposition from Ephesians 5
To our knowledge there are no videos of the worship or transcripts/videos of the Bible teaching. You can get some idea by reviewing the day’s blog entries (see below).

2. Mini-Conferences conclude

3. Statement Assembly / Press Conference.
VIDEO: GAFCON Friday Press Conference
Friday October 25 Press Release: GAFCON Votes to Expand

4. Commitment Assembly

Other Day 5 Resources:
Day 5 Photos
Friday Highlights Video

Day 5 – Recommended Articles and Commentary: [All entries written by those present at GAFCON II]
Jeff Walton: GAFCON Leaders Point to “Strong Foundation of the Bible” at Second Press Gathering
Anglican Mainstream: GAFCON 2 Report Friday October 25
Nigel Fortescue: GAFCON Day 5
St. John’s Working UK blog: GAFCON Friday, Day 5
Rob Munro: GAFCON Day 5 – Discerning the call of God for the Future
Bishop Foley Beach: GAFCON the East Africa Revival
Selected Tweets GAFCON Day 5
VIDEO: Canon Phil Ashey of AAC – Anglican Perspective Commentary on GAFCON as an Ecclesial movement [2 minutes]
ACNA Daily Digest – Friday
Snippets of African Worship “Afayo [He is Lord] via Instagram here and here

***********

DAY 6: SATURDAY OCTOBER 26, 2013

1. Opening Worship, Holy Communion and Biblical Exposition from Ephesians 6

2. Concluding Plenary Session

3. CONFERENCE COMMUNIQUE
The FINAL Nairobi Communique and Commitment
PDF Version

Day 6: Other Resources:
Feature Article: GAFCON ends with commitment in Nairobi
NEW: GAFCON Photos – Saturday

Day 6 – Recommended Articles and Commentary: [All entries written by those present at GAFCON II]
Laurel Moffatt: GAFCON – Strands of Loving Kindness
Rob Munro: GAFCON Day 6 – Discovering the Real Meaning of the Anglican Communion
Some Final Tweets from GAFCON Day 6
Restoration Anglican: GAFCON Day 6
St John’s Working UK: GAFCON Day 6
[* NEW*] ACNA Daily Digest – Saturday
[*NEW*] Nigel Fortescue: GAFCON Day 6 – Final Thoughts
[*NEW*] Reflections from Nairobi, October 2013, Simon Vibert
[*NEW*] Foley Beach: GAFCON – The Bishops’ Conference (reflections on the Bishops’ Mini-Conference)

***********

OTHER INTERESTING RESOURCES, ARTICLES & COMMENTARY (including some articles by those not present at GAFCON II)
George Conger’s GAFCON II Photo Album at Flickr {see note on copyright here.)
Chris Sugden: The dual challenges of an aggressive secular world and increasingly worldly established church (a very good overview of key themes of GAFCON II)
George Conger: Behind the Scenes at GAFCON (further details about conference attendees, organization and financing) (Oct. 24, 2013)
Canon Vinay Samuel: Reflections on the future of orthodoxy in the Anglican Communion
George Conger (Church Times): GAFCON Looks to the Future (Oct 25, 2013)
Lent & Beyond: The Faces of GAFCON (includes one of the best photos from the conference!)
Lent & Beyond: Why should we care about, and pray for, GAFCON? ”“ Part 1: By the Numbers
Lent & Beyond: Why GAFCON 2013 matters ”“ part 2: The mini-conferences
Jeff Walton: Top Ten Things You Might Not Have Expected About GAFCON
Chris Sugden (Christian Today): GAFCON offers itself as ‘important and effective instrument of Communion’ (October 26)
[*NEW*] Lent & Beyond: The Faces of GAFCON – Part 2 (30 awesome pictures)

All the bishops attending the conference agreed without dissent to the following resolution:

To affirm and endorse the position of the Primates Council in providing oversight in cases where Provinces and Dioceses compromise biblical faith, including the affirmation of a duly discerned call to ministry. This may involve ordination and consecration if the situation requires.

Read it all.

Watch the whole Vimeo video (a little over 2 1/2 minutes).

The conference has spent the last 2 days concentrating on “mini conferences” looking at a diverse range of topics. I’ve spent time with others considering the work of the Spirit in the Church. Yesterday we considered the question of spiritual opposition, what it looks like and how Jesus by His Spirit is the stronger man (Luke 11:22) who defeats all demonic opposition. It was truly fascinating to hear from Ugandan Rev Dr Afred Olwa about spiritual warfare in rural Africa. We then broke into small groups and discussed what spiritual opposition GAFCON churches were facing and what might be done about it. What was striking was that although I was in a group dominated by Africans (as you would expect in a conference that accurately reflects the true makeup of the Communion) their concern was first and foremost for the Western churches. The responses of potential solutions was also encouraging. Much of it was grounded in what we might call “word ministry”. There was a deep desire to stand publicly with those who were facing opposition; not just to send bland greetings but genuinely stand in the fire with them (Justin Welby take note). There was also a heartfelt desire to share one with another in partnership in ministry. I’ve spent a lot of time introducing African bishops to the distance learning material from Sydney’s Moore Theological College which is already supporting many dioceses all over the world to train their clergy and laity. Perhaps in the future there’ll be an opportunity to renew those relationships as we extend that partnership.

More personally, I’m struck by the work yet to be done amongst some of us evangelicals in addressing the question of Spiritual warfare. Not one conservative I spoke to doubted in any way the genuine nature of the demonic encounters that Alfred and others were describing, but for many of us we have not yet fully clarified how they manifest themselves in our particular culture.

Read it all.

Check it out (you can click on it to make it larger).

Living alongside and evangelizing Muslim neighbors has been a recurring theme at the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) meeting this week in Nairobi, Kenya. Relations between Anglican Christians and Muslims have been made more complicated in recent years with the rise of radical Islamists and key differences in how Christians and some Muslims understand moral codes and public law.

“Our arguments should have validity and strength in the pubic square, people should see it is focused on love, truth and graciousness,” declared Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali at a GAFCON mini-conference session on Islam held on Thursday. The former bishop of Rochester, England explained that Christians and Muslims have a different attitude about power.

“Islam believes you change the world by gaining power, Christians believe you change the world by a willingness to give up power,” Nazir-Ali assessed. Yet temptation to theocracy, he reported, is everywhere.

Read it all.

There is nothing in Anglicanism like GAFCON. The Lambeth Conferences have all the bishops and their wives; the Anglican Consultative Council has a few representatives from each province. The Third Divine Commonwealth Conference in Nigeria from November 18-22 with 5000 people is largely composed of members of the Church of Nigeria.

GAFCON2013 is made up of bishops, clergy and lay people drawn from 38 countries numbering over 1300 people.

The Archdeacon of Cardigan, the Venerable Will Strange, describes the worship, led by a choir and a drummer as fantastic. The morning bible expositions of the Book of Ephesians have been spectacular and models of their kind.

Read it all.

We believe the apostolic faith,” Dr [Peter] Jensen said in the opening session, “and we do not believe the faith of those who contradict the Bible, and who deny the uniqueness and supremacy of Christ.”

The first day of the conference was devoted to worship, and to a preparatory talk given by Dr Jensen. The second day alternated between worship and presentations by the Archbishop of Kenya, Dr Eliud Wabukala, who hosted the conference, and the Principal of Oak Hill Theological College, the Revd Dr Mike Ovey.

Shorter presentations were offered by the Vicar of St Mark’s, Battersea Rise, the Revd Paul Perkin; the Archbishop of Sudan, Dr Daniel Deng Bul; the Bishop of Jos, Nigeria, the Rt Revd Ben Kwashi; Andrea Minichiello Williams, of Christian Concern; the Bishop of Nelson, New Zealand, the Rt Revd Richard Ellena; and the vice-chancellor of Uganda Christian University, Canon John Senyonyi.

Read it all.

Today has been a S-L-O-W news day at GAFCON II. The plenary session time was short, followed by mini-conference sessions. Then in the afternoon the delegates took a trip to Nairobi National Park, and had dinner at a famous Nairobi restaurant. Hopefully the slightly slower pace will have given the attendees a bit of a mental break. (If you’ve ever attended a large, intense week-long conference, you know how welcome a respite can be mid-week!)

Even though it’s been a less notably newsworthy day, however, there are some excellent Day 4 roundups starting to appear on the blogs now. Here are links to four entries we elves really liked and recommend reading.

Summary GAFCON II Day 4 (Andrew Symes, Anglican Mainstream)
Nigel Fortescue: GAFCON Day 4
Rob Munro: GAFCON Day 4: Widening Horizons
Bishop Foley Beach: The Suffering Church

And for those of you who want to see the photos of gorgeous Kenyan wildlife and scenery… here you go:
Photos Day 4 (ACNA facebook page – mostly pictures from this afternoon’s trip to Nairobi National Park)

P.S. we forgot to mention: the preacher this morning for the Bible exposition of Ephesians 4 was John Yates III (the son of the Rector of The Falls Church) and who was just interviewed this week by Stand Firm blogger David Ould. [See Kendall’s post here]. By all accounts, John Yates III can preach as well as his dad!

Update: David Ould’s latest blog entry about Day 4 at GAFCON wasn’t yet available when we first posted this entry, but it certainly is worth reading as well, and thankfully Kendall posted it as a stand alone article, above.

It appears that the default position of the communion in the past decade was to assert that what we hold in common is an adequate basis for unity in the communion. What we hold in common tended to get reduced to our “historic bonds of affection”. Everything else was contested.

Such an attitude to unity ignored the centrality of the identity discussion of the communion. When it did deal with the identity issue it drove a wedge between the local and universal and between diversity and unity. It privileged the local and diversity over the universal and unity.

A global/universal communion of churches has two key features: identity and unity. Identity is integrally connected to unity. It is the undermining of the integrity of the identity of the Anglican Communion that produced fragmentation and brokenness we see today in the Communion. The four instruments of unity that were expected to deal with the breakdown of unity in the communion, have failed in the opinion of both Anglican leaders and commentators.

Read it all.

[Same Sex Practice]…goes against the teachings of the Bible and should not be admitted to the Church, conservative Anglican leaders have said.

Gathering in Nairobi for week-long Global Anglican Future Conference, the clergy on Monday said they would preach for adherence to the teachings of the Bible and do not support the infiltration of “secularising” influences.

Read it all.

Conference members have been enjoying the outstanding venue of All Saints Cathedral, its Trinity Conference Centre and grounds festooned with tents for meals, stands for 44 exhibiting organisations and a street craft market. There are one hundred patient volunteers of whom eighty are members of the cathedral congregation.

The Dean and the Church Council have closed all other Cathedral activities for the week and taken a bank loan of £100,000 to pay for the extra facilities. The overall impression is that this is how a Cathedral and its precincts can be used to resource the whole Church.

There were nine day long ‘mini-conferences’ …on Islam, Marriage and Family, Theological Education, Aid and Development.

Read it all.

It was ably demonstrated from history and contemporary analysis that the West is be default proclaiming a gospel of cheap grace. That means proclaiming a faith without repentance, and which therefore requires no forgiveness; a grace that is self bestowed, not given by God, and therefore a presumption. All this has flowed from the man-centredness from Kant onwards, where ”˜maturity’ implies autonomy and entitlement, leading to rights without duties, and a narcissism that responds to any challenge with irrational rage.

The fruit of this non-gospel is a worldly church promoting itself to others with an attractive mix of technological and financial superiority, but worldly in its theology. It only proclaims as sin things that culture is willing to concede are has, like racism or injustice; what it won’t do is challenge what culture approves. Many examples of the fruit of this were given, from places now persecuted over it.

Read it all.