A leader of a prominent evangelical grouping in the Anglican war over gays has been appointed bishop to one of the oldest historic Episcopal seats in the country.
Although Sherborne, founded in 705, is no longer a see in its own right but an area in the Salisbury diocese covering Dorset, the appointment Dr Graham Kings as its bishop is one of the strongest signs yet that the Archbishop of Canterbury is winning the battle for Anglican unity.
Dr Kings is founder of the increasingly influential group Fulcrum, which publishes the writings of conservative evangelical Bishop of Durham, Dr Tom Wright.
The rare instance of a man who is scholarly, charitable, and palpably devoted to the Gospel receiving the preferment he deserves. Those of us who met him at the Covenant event in Dallas last year were utterly charmed at his Christian charisma. I have never met someone so well informed about the state of Anglicanism on a global scale or so committed to preserving the distinctive character of the Reformed Catholicism that is our heritage. The people of Dorset are fortunate indeed to have acquired him as their Area Bishop.
I wish him all the best and all the blessings in his new ministry. Graham is energetic, fun, deeply spiritual, and has a heart for evangelism. He is also a liturgist, pioneer blogger and did I mention a poet?
http://www.fulcrum-anglican.org.uk/page.cfm?ID=415
Even though the appointment is to a suffragan see, without a seat in General Synod, Graham adds further luster to the bench of bishops in the Church of England and makes one wonder whether our tradition of “bishops by ballot” is in practice all that it is trumpeted to be!
Pageantmaster (#2),
Thanks for adding a few tidbits of personal information about Dr. Kings. But you neglected to mention that besides his other virtues, the leader of Fulcrum is also an occasional commenter here at T19 (wink). And his contributions here are often very illuminating and sensible. His insights and perspective as a moderate evangelical are especially helpful for those of us on this side of the Pond who don’t always understand the CofE very well.
Admittedly, I have sparred with Dr. Kings here a few times, because he is earnestly committed to working within the system and preserving the current Anglican Communion wienskins, while I’m equally committed to the more exciting, if riskier, strategy of creating brand new post-colonial, post-Christiaendom wineskins that are capable of surmounting the new challenges Anglicanism faces in the 21st century. Since I’m a partisan supporter of the ACNA and the FCA movement, it’s no surprise that I’m naturally critical of the whole Fulcrum/ACI approach as inadequate to deal with the depth and severity of our vexed Anglican crisis. But at the same time, I have great respect for Graham Kings+, just as I admire Dr. Chris Seitz, etc. Both of these sterling leaders are men of the highest integrity, as well as being champions of a generous and very intelligent orthodoxy.
I’m delighted by tis appointment. This is great news. Congratulations to Dr. Kings, and the whole Fulcrum movement he represents. May his ministry as a successor of the apostles be long and bear much fruit for the Kingdom of God!
David Handy+
#4: Well said. I like and respect Dr Kings, but think he is a probably a bit more conservative than most of those who post on the ‘Fulcrum’ website (I don’t think ‘Fulcrum’ is much more than a website of 30-40 liberal evangelicals, not a ‘movement’ as such), most of whom seem inclined to accept same-sex unions and women bishops. Much of the material I have read on ‘Fulcrum’ is disappointing (including the recent bashing of Patrick Sookhdeo by some kid, and the anti-Israel tilting).
wvparson #3, I have long wondered if the American method of electing bishops is a good idea. I’m not sure with what it could be replaced, though.
azusa (#5),
Thanks. I appreciated your comment too.
David Handy+
It’s sad that Ruth has a preference for words such as “war” and “battle.”
Many thanks indeed for all these encouraging comments. We would value prayers for our farewells in Islington, the preparations for the move to Dorset at the end of May, and the plans for the consecration at Westminster Abbey on 24 June 2009.
We have our Annual Parochial Church Meeting tomorrow, Sunday. The next day Oliver O’Donovan is launching his book of Fulcrum [url=http://www.fulcrum-anglican.org.uk/?130]articles[/url] at St Mary Islington, and giving a lecture [url=http://www.fulcrum-anglican.org.uk/?400] ‘The Reading Church: Scriptural Authority in Practice'[/url].
I am also trying to write a Fulcrum newsletter for April on the context of the [url=http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/news.cfm/2009/4/3/ACNS4593]Anglican Consultative Council meeting[/url], which is from 1-13 May in Jamaica.
One of the problem with how TEC selects is bishops is that the skills needed to get the job are no longer the skills needed to do the job. To be elected bishop, one must have a very good diocesan reputation and/or very good national reputation. Generally, one must be able to come across as reasonable and “a uniter” in the various “walk abouts” (aka dog and pony shows) that are now common. Very rarely are candidates asked about the Trinity or Christology or sotierology or their knowledge of Scripture. They are not asked about if they hold the Faith of the Church.
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
Good news of sorts, to be sure. Readers of this blog who are sympathetic to Gafcon and efforts of that sort should note this, however: G Kings+ and esp. NT Wright+, both of whom are theologically orthodox in a way that many of the Fulcrum groupies are not, have publicly expressed their opposition to Gafcon in no uncertain terms, and thereby managed to undermine the vulnerable cause of persecuted US and Canadian parishes seeking institutional shelter from litigious bishops. This, at any rate, is how I’m told it feels to clergy and parishioners concerned. With sincere best wishes and prayers for Dr Kings in his consecration and future ministry in Dorset, it’s a thought worth pondering if in today’s Anglicanism on both sides of the Atlantic, episcopal preferment doesn’t come with a clearly legible political price tag. It would be surprising if it didn’t.
I am afraid I am with you Hoskyns. I feel that the Communion analysis lacks depth by both Wright and Kings, and they are no help to those in hostile dioceses. Wright would not be hired at any regular Episcopal seminary, for example.
Francis,
I’m afraid very few if any conservatives would be hired at any ‘regular’ Episcopal Seminary for that matter. <:-)>
No. 10 – I should think that it were not necessary to question any candidate on his Trinitarian or Christological views. Thx.
rob,
I wish it were not necessary. Unfortunately, it seems it needs to be.
#14 rob k: I believe you’re quite off the mark here. View, for example, all the many articles regarding Fr. Forrester being put forward for approval (after election) as bishop in TEC (such as [url=http://new.kendallharmon.net/wp-content/uploads/index.php/t19/article/22122/]here[/url]). That is one of the mistakes we’ve made over the years, methinks; assuming people who are ordained are, in fact, holding to “the faith once delivered” and are willing “to guard the faith, unity and discipline of the church”. Here’s hoping we’re learning the lesson from our mistakes!
Sorry if I’m too much of a technotard to be able to make the link above work; I’ve tried for about 15 minutes, so if it’s not working, I’m done trying. Elves – any help?
Rob K – I wish it were otherwise. Witness our PB who does not think that Jesus is the Way, Truth, or Life, but that Jesus is [b]a[/b] way, truth, and life. Witness Forrester and the fact that he is receiving [b]any[/b] consents is troubling to me.
Any more, ordination shows the ability to negiotiate a “Process” and to master the academic work to graduate with an M.Div. It does not mean that the person holds, understand, and can teach the faith.
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
People can also appear communicators, scholars, and “uniters” and not know jack re: leadership.
Dr. Kings is company excluded on that score.
LJ – Montanan, & Phil – You took me wrong.. My fault for my oblique comment. I know that it is actually to case that some with heterodox view make it as far a candidacy. IThey should have been cut off at the pass earlier.
I think my use of the past perfect subjunctive in no. 14 suggests my intended meaning. tjhx.