Primates of the GAFCON Primates’ Council meeting in London have issued the following statement about the Province of the Anglican Church in North America.
We welcome the news of the North American Anglican Province in formation. We fully support this development with our prayer and blessing, since it demonstrates the determination of these faithful Christians to remain authentic Anglicans.
North American Anglicans have been tragically divided since 2003 when activities condemned by the clear teaching of Scripture and the vast majority of the Anglican Communion were publicly endorsed. This has left many Anglicans without a proper spiritual home. The steps taken to form the new Province are a necessary initiative. A new Province will draw together in unity many of those who wish to remain faithful to the teaching of God’s word, and also create the highest level of fellowship possible with the wider Anglican Communion.
Furthermore, it releases the energy of many Anglican Christians to be involved in mission, free from the difficulties of remaining in fellowship with those who have so clearly disregarded the word of God.
6th December, 2008 AD
It’s not a “Statement by the GAFCON Primates”, it’s a statement by [b]some[/b] GAFCON primates – i.e. “Primates of the GAFCON Primates’ Council meeting in London…” West Africa and Tanzania were not present, nor have they issued statements, nor presumably have they endorsed this one otherwise it would be an official “Statement by the GAFCON Primates Council”.
Through most of the T1:9 threads of today: Talk talk talk. But the “beat goes onâ€, and I know which god I will be worshiping this coming Sunday, and He is my rock and redeemer.
Hey, it’s one more step forward. At least this is in the right direction.
Jim Elliott
Florida
Jim, That was exactly my point.
The GAFCON Primates have shown themselves to be superb talkers and writers ever since the Hope and Future Conference in Pittsburgh 2005. When they gather together with His Lordship the Archbishop of Canterbury and other Primates, they seem to lose their voice. Here’s praying the next Primates meeting will show some willingness to act.
What, Dan? Don’t you see the faithful, purposeful, consistent, measured, inspired, fruitful action, organizing, regrouping, working in and through the various organizations…(to mention a just a few of them) Ekklesia, REC, AMiA, AAC, ACN, Global South, CANA, GAFCON, FCA, Jerusalem Declaration, Primates Council, APNA (and the Lord’s Hand, Mind, Character at work in all this)?
In other words, Dan, if you can’t see the action…plug in your TV.
I agree with Dan that the Primates show too much deference to the ABC.
#5 and #6, with all due respect for your activity list of the various groups involved in the current unpleasantness, a few, very few, decisive actions by the Primates from 2003 through 2006, could have done much to prevent some of the actions of the subsequent years and enhanced the efforts of the groups and events you mention. They threatened actions, but did nothing, and deferred time and again to Canterbury’s manipulations and maneuvers. And what action is there to see on my TV – more statements and lots of liturgical haberdashery?
Dan, are you saying that the Primates missed hearing the Holy Spirit telling them to get their act together and do more or are you expressing your own disappointment.
Guys, I see CANA (safe harbor for orthodox provinces under Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, etc) as action, GAFCON and the Jerusalem Declaration as action…the formation of a North American Anglican Province as action, the event last Wednesday in Wheaton, the election of an Archbishop as action and the next conference in July as action.
What is your definition of action?
RE: “Forever GAFCON leaders represent themselves only as truly Anglican … the only Anglicans who are Christian … presenting their version of faith as fact … and necessary for all which wish to remain Anglican.”
Uh — no they don’t. They’ve clearly acknowledged, in writing, that there are many in the Anglican Communion who have not joined GAFCON who are Anglicans and Christians.
Gee Hopper – many Christians in the GAFCON region live in actually peril because of their beliefs – if they became widely thought of as the gay church the muslims might actually kill them. In the US, being known as the gay church merely subjects traditionalist Episcopalians to derision by other faithful Christians.
Hopper – my point was that Christianity for many in GaFCON countries is a full commitment, hence they are more willing to engage in a winner take all battle to stop heretical beliefs from infecting the Church Catholic. The GAFCON Churches cannot kill TEC as you imply (it will continue at a minimum as a political movement regardless of their actions)- they can and arguably should work to remove TEC from the Anglican Communion because it holds non acceptable and dangerous beliefs to most orthodox Christians and if TEC’s views prevail they would likely have to leave the AC out of conscience.
As to the West, by which I assume you mean western Civilization – I think we ought to stop making stupid decisions that devalue our own culture – I could care less whether our decisions annoy the Muslim Militants – I do care whether we make foolish decisions that destroy our will to fight them. A civilization that embraces nonsense like same sex marriage, religion without doctrine, and cultural and moral relativity – these are things not worth dying or killing for.