A Communique from the GAFCON Primates Council
For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations. ~ Isaiah 61:11
This week, from 13th to 17th April 2015, we have met in London for prayer and fellowship in order to help chart the future of global Anglicanism. We are uniting faithful Anglicans, growing in momentum, structured for the future, and committed to the Anglican Communion.
Uniting Faithful Anglicans: GAFCON 2018
We are excited to announce that the next GAFCON conference will be in 2018. This global gathering now serves a critical function in the life of the Anglican Communion as it is an effective instrument of unity which is capable of gathering the majority of the world’s Anglicans.
Delegations representing every continent and all orders of the church (lay and ordained) will again be invited to share in this powerful time of fellowship, worship, and teaching. An organising committee comprising global delegates and local representatives of the likely location has been formed. A further announcement will be made when the details of the venue have been confirmed.
Growing Momentum: Newest Province and Fellowships
We were encouraged to hear reports from some of the newest GAFCON provinces and fellowships.
Province
At the beginning of our meeting, Archbishop Foley Beach of the Province of the Anglican Church in North America was unanimously elected to the GAFCON Primates Council. Archbishop Beach shared about the remarkable growth being experienced in North America, evidenced by the planting of 483 new congregations since 2009.
Fellowships
We celebrated the recent launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Australia (FCA AU), the newest GAFCON fellowship, led by the Venerable Richard Condie, Archdeacon of Melbourne. Over 450 participants attended the inaugural conference in March 2015 and this fellowship is now well positioned to contend for the faith in the years to come.
FCA UK & Ireland, formed at our initiative, continues to welcome and provide support for faithful Anglicans in the British Isles. We are particularly concerned about the Church of England and the drift of many from the Biblical faith. We do not regard the recent use of a Church of England building for a Muslim service as a minor aberration. These actions betray the gospel and discourage Christians who live among Muslims, especially those experiencing persecution.
We support Bishop John Ellison in resisting the unjust and uncharitable charges brought against him by the Bishop of Salisbury, and in view of the Great Commission, we note the sad irony that this former missionary bishop to South America now finds it necessary to defend himself for supporting missionary activity in his own country. We continue to encourage and support the efforts of those working to restore the Church of England’s commitment to Biblical truth. Equally, we authenticate and support the work of those Anglicans who are boldly spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and whose circumstances require operating outside the old, institutional structures.
We remain confident in the great good of gospel ministry, and we see what happens when actions impacting the Communion are taken without the priorities of the faith once delivered.
Wherever they are and whatever their circumstances, GAFCON continues to unite faithful Anglicans under a common confession of Christ’s Lordship and a desire to make disciples.
[blockquote] “effective instrument of unity” [/blockquote]
I am sure that this choice of words was deliberate. I am thinking that at this point GAFCON is the only instrument of unity. Now to choose a more graceful name…
This is something that has been said many times by various bishops in the Global South, but in view of some recent discussions, it is good to see Anglicans around the world reminded of it:
[blockquote] “We are not leaving the Anglican Communion. The members of our churches stand at the heart of the Communion, which is why we are committed to its renewal. We belong to the mainstream, and we are moving forward.
…
We invite all faithful Anglicans to join us in renewing the Communion so that united by a biblical and apostolic faith we can defend and proclaim the transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.”[/blockquote]
It is interesting also to read the description of the Gafcon Conference as “…an effective instrument of unity…” – a pointed dig at some of the other so-called Instruments of Unity, but one that is deserved, as both their effectiveness and unifying character leave much to be desired.
The ABC and his fellow bishops of the CofE have decided not to call the Lambeth Conference because it suits them not to do so – because they cannot control it. This cynical ploy has only damaged their own standing in the Communion. In the same vein, they have failed to call a Primates Meeting for 2013 or 2015, and no indication of when if ever they will call another one. Again, all this does is invite others to carry on with their own Instruments of Unity.
As for the other instruments, the unrepresentative nature of the ACC is well known, and the ABC is chosen by a process in which only certain interests within the CofE have any input. Contrast this with the far more representative method by which a Pope of the RCC is chosen. That might not matter if regular Lambeth Conferences and Primates Meetings were being held in such a way that the Primates and Bishops of the Communion could be confident that major issues were being properly considered and debated, but the cynical neutering of those instruments highlights the unrepresentative nature of the ACC and the office of ABC.
Well the ACC and the ABC created the vacuum, so GAFCON has stepped in to fill it. Thanks be to God.
[blockquote] “We celebrated the recent launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Australia (FCA AU), the newest GAFCON fellowship, led by the Venerable Richard Condie, Archdeacon of Melbourne. Over 450 participants attended the inaugural conference in March 2015 and this fellowship is now well positioned to contend for the faith in the years to come.” [/blockquote]
Given the situation in the Anglican Church of Australia, Melbourne is a strategic location to launch FCA Aust. And we desperately need it. I believe Archdeacon Condie is the rector of St Jude’s Carlton which has been a bulwark for apostolic doctrine in Melbourne. The classic church building was damaged in a fire a few months ago that was deliberately lit. Apparently the congregation continues to meet in four different locations but is continuing in faithful witness and worship.
The following comment about Bishop Ellison of AMiE came as a surprise to me. There was a kerfuffle a few months ago about him attending the installation of the new rector of Christ Church Salisbury (which is not part of the Church of England).
[blockquote] “We support Bishop John Ellison in resisting the unjust and uncharitable charges brought against him by the Bishop of Salisbury, and in view of the Great Commission, we note the sad irony that this former missionary bishop to South America now finds it necessary to defend himself for supporting missionary activity in his own country. We continue to encourage and support the efforts of those working to restore the Church of England’s commitment to Biblical truth. Equally, we authenticate and support the work of those Anglicans who are boldly spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and whose circumstances require operating outside the old, institutional structures.” [/blockquote]
According to the Daily Telegraph, +Ellison is “under investigation in the Diocese of Salisbury” which is meaningless because he resides in the Diocese of Winchester. See http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/11546390/Bishops-back-Church-of-England-breakaway-congregations.html. Nothing whatsoever is said about any action being taken by the CofE itself, or Dio Winchester, presumably because there isn’t any.
Christ Church Salisbury is in the Diocese of Salisbury, as its name suggests, and Bishop Ellison who is an assistant bishop in the Diocese of Winchester has provided some sort of oversight to it. So far I have had the impression that its only a few liberal extremists (e.g. the dozen or so people that do 99% of the posts on Thinking Anglicans) and some journalists that want to make any of this. The CofE in general does not seem to want to create any issue over the actions of a 75-year old missionary bishop from South America. But it appears from this statement that Gafcon itself is quite happy to have the issue of +Ellison’s actions front-and-centre.
” +Ellison is “under investigation in the Diocese of Salisbury†which is meaningless because he resides in the Diocese of Winchester.”
Such things were “meaningless” in TEC as well, until 2007, when there was an overthrow of the TEC constitution. Then the PB took unprecedented and unconstitutional action, and was backed by 70% of the diocesan bishops- resulting in depositions of dozens of bishops (several of them retired) and hundreds of priests. It is hardly unreasonable to think that the bishops of the CoE could act in concert with the TEC HoB, with whom they maintain a full communion relationship. By definition of which, they fully recognize the legitimacy of all of the TEC depositions. So, if the TEC depositions are valid (as the CoE maintains), why would the HoB of the CoE hold back from taking the same action in response to the same “offense”?
Sorry, “dozens of bishops” is an overstatement, and should have read “over a dozen bishops.” What can I say? I was on a roll.
Let us keep in mind the recent vote to revoke the “perpetual” agreement on flying bishops. Rules only apply until such time as the zeitgeist decides they don’t mean what they say.
A good thing to see that our ACNA ++Foley Beach has been added, unanimously, to the GAFCON Primates group.
Very nice to see our ACNA leader, ++Foley elected to the GAFCON Primates group.
Hi tj, I agree with you that such depositions (or withdrawal of licence) are on the cards in CofE at some point within the next few years.
On the other hand, I can’t see much enthusiasm for it now in the case of +Ellison, despite the fulminating on Thinking Anglicans, Fr Ron Smith etc. Which shouldn’t surprise because this is not the first time +Ellison and AMiE have done this, its just the first time that the extremist liberals have noticed.
Okay, now the Bishop of Salisbury has filed a complaint under the clergy discipline measure. Probably not a welcome move by CofE hierarchy I would think, but they have to deal with it.
The worst that can happen is that +Ellison loses his clergy licence in CofE, and I doubt that will stop him doing what he is doing.