All through our gathering at the recently concluded Primates’ meeting I kept wondering whether we were the ones to whom John was writing. We have a glorious reputation ”“ a worldwide communion of millions with a glorious history and beautiful heritage, fluid structures, grand cathedrals, “infallible” canons, historical ecclesiology and ”˜flexible’ hermeneutics ”“ but we are in danger of forgetting what we have received and heard and replacing it with the seemingly attractive gods and goddesses of our age. We are in danger of becoming the ”˜living dead’ by giving the outward appearance of life but in reality we are no more than empty and ineffective vessels. In parts of our Communion some have merged the historical gospel message of Jesus the Christ with seductive ancient heresies and revisionist agendas, which have resulted in an adulterated and dangerous distortion of the gospel. The call to obedience and repentance is one that we must declare but we refuse and instead we replace it with a polite invitation to empty tolerance and endless conversation. Sometimes we think that we can replace the need for repentance with activities, programmes, endless meetings, conventions and communiqués — we are wrong!
Our world is in turmoil desperately looking for hope and we have been given that hope in the life and person of Jesus the Christ who sets us free from the slavery of sin to the new life of the Spirit — that is our message, that is our assurance, that is the holy life to which we have been called. It is a life of costly commitment where we reject the false gods and promises of this present age and embrace the one true God and His righteous claims upon our lives. It is a life of obedience to the revealed Word of God which must never be compromised. It is a gospel message which is to be fully proclaimed unfettered and undiluted. It is a life worth living and a life worth dying for. It is a life of true freedom that was birthed in this land and one we dare not forget.
Amen.
Compare this message with the vapid pronouncements of Shori, Chane, Bruno and their ilk. Here is a man with a real grounding in theology, not a retreaded retiree or one who sees poor prospects in their chosen field and seeks something more secure in the “religious life”.
++Peter’s message will simply fly over the heads of Schori and Company and their patsies.
Archbishop Akinola ends his State of the Communion statement with the most appropriate possible word: [b] REPENT [/b]
Who is the most influential Anglican today?
These words are faithful and true, yet what action will follow?
#6
My thoughts exactly. I still remember Abp. Peter at Hope and a Future telling people that they needed to choose: “Are you Network or are you ECUSA?” I don’t necessarily like the process by which ACNA formed, but assuming that you are committed to it body and soul – as many in Pittsburgh are – I hate to think what it felt like to read the Alexandria Communique and the strong endorsements given by Abps. Peter and Henry (Orombi). Because, frankly, if they’re willing to stay yoked to Canterbury indefinitely (while building the new structure from within), I fail to see why that approach could not have held here also and I also fail to see why certain Communion Conservative clergy who made their case in 2007 and 2008 deserved the brickbats that were directed at them. “Come ye out from among them and be separate,” if you hold to it in an ecclesiological context, ought to be a universal principle.
Or am I missing something?
[url=http://catholicandreformed.blogspot.com]Catholic and Reformed[/url]
Jeremy Bonner, I am in total agreement with you. Abp. Peter may be a nice guy, but come one, what were the results of this conference at a 5-star resort? NADA. ZIP. Unless you count the nice paid junket the attendees, their families and staffs received. (Uh, how’s YOUR parish budget? Struggling? Maybe you should ask to go along with your own Purple-Shirted Wonder to the next fancy ‘conference’). The irritatingly predictable results? Wordswordswords, blabblabblab and total INaction. They simply kicked the can down the road, as they have over and over again. And the folks in the pews wind up paying for it! What a racket!
Amen.
Well, apparently this blog no longer wants to hear from those whose disgust with TEC and the inaction of the AC towards it has reached the point where we have LEFT and joined a Christian Church.
OK, see ya. Won’t waste my time or effort here anymore. (Gee, that’s familiar! How many MILLIONS of former Episcopalians have said exactly that in the past 10 years?!?)
I’ll peek in once in awhile, but I’m outta here. It was fun while it lasted. Thanks, Canon Harmon, and good luck. You’ll need it.
This guy ROCKS!
Um, that’s not disrespectful, is it? Because he does!
If only he listened to the words he speaks.
John,
not only does he mean what he says, he LIVES it daily.
Thank God for +Akinola’s bold witness, and may the leadership of TEc learn from him!
May God continue to bless His Grace and to protect his flock. I’m ever grateful for his profound witness.
Jeremy – yes, you are missing something…….having had GAFCON, the ABC and ACO are no longer in denial of the size and strength of opposition to the hypocrisy of accomodation with revisionist’s contradictory views….. so, now Akinola and Venables et al can wait for the ABC to bring TEC and Canada to heel. If they do not agree to moratoria or the Covenant going forward, they will be walking away from the AC…… very good result for GAFCON. I am impatient for resolution but can see the sense of keeping TEC in a position in which it either has to agree to a Covenant or walk away…… and ACNA is still part of the AC in the meantime (nothing lost at all)
“Sardis was a name of contempt. Its people were notoriously loose living, notoriously pleasure-and luxury loving.”
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In a timeless sense, Los Angeles and New York City can be viewed as modern-day versions of ancient Sardis.
Amen.
Londoner,
Sorry but there’s just a little too much bait and switch in this for me. By your logic the GAFCON primates (all of them) could still have been at Lambeth last year to witness to precisely what you describe – coming from Jerusalem and pointing to the church in waiting.
If you’re going to tell others of the need for absolute separation and you believe that Rowan Williams is part of the problem (and Abp. Peter has certainly given the impression that he believes both) then it is disingenuous to treat the Primates meeting in this fashion. Nothing has changed institutionally since Dar-es-Salaam; that was precisely the argument made here in October last year.
As I say, I have no problem with working from within, but that is not what has recently been expressed in an American context – that’s the “failed ACI-Covenant strategy.” Now anyone can change their minds or revisit their strategy, but then they owe amends to those whom they previously dismissed as deluded in their thinking (by implication if not always in plain words).
Jeremy’s skepticism highlight the problem. I’m still puzzled why there is no hint of Archbishop Akinola’s sentiments in the Alexandria statement, why there was no commentary from the GAFCON Primates on the statement. All the tea leaf reading and interpretations in the world do nothing to change the impression that what the Anglican “Communion” choose to do in Egypt was to continue the same policy and employ the same means to deal with the Episcopal “Church” and its Canadian counterpart. The statement’s observations about conservative Anglicans are to put it as charitably as possible, disappointing and discouraging. While I appreciate the Archbishop of Nigeria’s clarion call, it is unfortunate it came a week too late.
++Akinola, Orombi and Venables have put words into action…CANA, safe orthodox parishes harbored, nurtured and new-born faithful, fully orthodox, and fruitful parishes thriving and abiding in the Way, Truth and Life of Jesus Christ. The Lord has prepared a table before us in the presence and despite the opposition of our enemies.
The work of the Church is to lift up and to glorify Jesus Christ in His Church, to prepare the way for His return as King and to remain faithful despite the cost and the suffering. Revelation 12:11
No, Jeremy….because of GAFCON, the power of the GAFCON Primates is now massive – that is why they can be less agressive and let Rowan reassert Lambeth 1.10 and push the Covenant…..because of GAFCON’s size, the AC is moving in the direction of GAFCON now…..it was important to show what the AC would be without GAFCON and Lambeth did that (with the embarassing spectacle of 1/4 bishops coming from tiny TEC bust most of the AC’s bishops not being there) Akinola et al would have objected if there was something to object to but there isn’t for now……slowly, we are getting the point where revisionists walk away because the AC will not let go of Lambeth 1.10…..or if that does not happen, the ABC et al know that GAFCON is serious and can go it alone because it will not forever tolerate hypocrisy in the structures (that is why it was important to boycott Lambeth)
I think the GAFCON Primates are being wise after showing strength…..and letting Rowan discipline TEC’s revisionists…..he and GAFCON know they can always leave the AC if Rowan tries any funny business to keep TEC revisionists happy!
#19 where is the power of GAFCON? Is it in pronouncements?
Reply to John W. (#20.)
The same could be asked of the ABC.
John – the power of GAFCON? Well, I won’t give a spiritual answer…but in terms of Anglican politics, it is size, breadth and ability to organise demonstrated in 08 with the GAFCON conference…… the ABC knows he faces a choice – if he pleases TEC revisionists, he will be losing most of the AC and seeing his watch as the one on which the AC shrank to a tiny, western, liberal sect….he does not want that…..GAFCON proved to him that pleasing the revisionists (as he did with Lambeth invitations) will lead to the decimation of the AC….. not worth doing that for a slowly disappearing, already small North American group of revisionists who have captured a church through its “democratic” polity and not really made Rowan’s years at the top much fun as they continue to tear the fabric of the Communion. In short, the GAFCON power is that the conference proved we are not bluffing……and, as someone else said, salvation does not go through Canterbury so we will not be compromised for that old relationship if it means corruption