Global South Anglican

The first Iranian Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Iran, the Rt.Revd Dehquani-Tafti died on Tuesday, April 29 at his home in Oakham - England.

Bishops Robert Duncan and Henry Scriven confirmed today that they will be attending both the Global Anglican Future Conference in Jordan and Jerusalem in June and the Lambeth Conference of Bishops in Kent, England, this July and August.

A Vatican cardinal has said that the time has come for the Anglican Church to choose between Protestantism and the ancient churches of Rome and Orthodoxy.

Speaking on the day that the Archbishop of Canterbury met Benedict XVI in Rome, Cardinal Walter Kasper, the president of the Pontifical Council of Christian Unity, said it was time for Anglicanism to “clarify its identity”.

The rampant individualism and selfishness of Western culture was the greatest single threat to the faith. Believers must surrender their lives to God and be faithful to him, rather than pursue their own moral, political or social agendas. The Church faces “the challenge of discernment and commitment” as it entered the 21st century, he said, urging the bishops to hold fast to the faith once delivered, and not succumb to the siren song of culture.

IN A POINTED critique of the Episcopal Church, Pope Benedict XVI told participants at an ecumenical prayer service in New York that the decision of some ecclesial communities to place their perceived prophetic witness above all else, weakened the body of Christ...(Reported in CEN, 2nd May 2008)

Reports of the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) National Conference, April 25-26 are available here and here.

We appreciate the effort and sincere concern of this group and we recognize how their work has brought about important reflections on our nature as communion.

However, although acknowledging that commendable effort, we believe that our Communion does not need new instruments of consensus beyond those that historically have been our benchmarks in terms of identity…

Read it all here

A second iteration of a draft covenant for the Anglican Communion (the St. Andrew’s Draft) is now circulating; and it is likely that some version thereof will be presented to the Bishops of the Communion when they meet in Canterbury this summer. At some point after this gathering, a covenant proposal will be circulated among the provinces of the Communion for ratification. There is no doubt that most (though perhaps not all) of the member provinces of the Communion will ratify a covenant within the next few years. The question is really not so much ratification of the Covenant, but (1) the sort of covenant that will be ratified; (2) the way in which the provinces of the Communion comport themselves during the period leading up to ratification; and (3) how the Communion might best respond to a situation in which a province rejects the covenant but there are dioceses and parishes within that province that do not.

Read it all here

An encouraging report and some photos can be viewed here and here.

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have today issued a joint statement in support of the strong voice of fellow bishops in Zimbabwe.

As a global battle pits senior Anglicans against each other, more than 300 conservative Christians who have broken from the Anglican Church of Canada will gather at an evangelical church in Delta on Friday to welcome their new leader, South American Anglican Archbishop Gregory Venables.

The meeting takes place the same week 11 Anglican Church of Canada clergy in Greater Vancouver resigned from the denomination to serve under the authority of the South American primate, who was asked this week by Canadian Primate Fred Hiltz not to intervene in his jurisdiction.

ONE OF THE GRAVEST weaknesses of contemporary Christianity is the little attention paid to the wrath of God. We have become sentimental and have so stressed the love of God as to become unwilling to talk about his wrath. In part this is because the culture will not let us do so. There is an outcry whenever the clear teaching of the Bible is given in public. Church members have to live in this world. They do not want their minister to talk about unpopular or divisive subjects. The minister is aware of this and he is tempted to soft-peddle on matters which are scriptural. Among them is the subject of God’s wrath.

The Chung Hua Sheng Kung Hui ("Chinese Anglican") official publication The Chinese Churchmen (圣 公会报) ceased publication after the political changes in China in 1949. On 2 January 1955 Chinese Churchmen (圣工), literally meaning “sacred work”, was launched. It appeared more or less a quarterly magazine until the end of 1957, the eve of the “Great Leap Forward” in China.

This publication is not widely known nor available in public, however. Copies still survive in the China East (Huadong) Seminary in Shanghai, and in the Shanghai Municipal Library. It offers important insight on the life and work of the Chinese Anglicans in the beginnings of the post-denominational period in Chinese Christianity.

We are grateful to Miss Li Cuixiang for compiling the index. The (unofficial) English translation is provided by Michael Poon.

Sheng Gong (圣工）Index (1955-1957)

See also CSCA Chung Hua Sheng Kung Hui Source Documents.

A note from Dr Michael Nai-Chiu Poon, Director, Centre for the Study of Christianity in Asia

Now online at Fulcrum. Addresses from Fulcrum Conference Islington, 12 April 2008

Tom Wright, ’Conflict and Covenant in the Bible‘

Andrew Goddard, ’Conflict and Covenant in the Communion‘.

“We urge our friends in the Diocese of Virginia and The Episcopal Church to respect the court’s ruling and join with us to begin a process of healing.  These are also the wishes of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as prolonging this process – pitting Christian against Christian in court – does nothing to save one soul, strengthen one family, or help one person in need.  Let us choose healing over litigation and peaceful co-existence over lawsuits, and let us devote all our resources to serving Christ and helping others around the world.”

Archbishop Peter Akinola presided over a remarkable meeting of the Standing Committee of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), but nobody from the world media noticed. It wasn’t that it was a closed or secret meeting – it’s hard to keep a gathering of a thousand church leaders quiet, and preparations had been public for months.

An informative article which is relevant to the on-going interfaith work.

“...Human beings have never lacked for things to fight over, but for the last two millennia, they have fought the most over ideas involving the divine. Politics, technology, military capacity, and diseases have all played decisive roles in shaping history, yet it is impossible to understand the rise and fall of empires, the clash of civilizations, and the evolving balance of power without appreciating the unique fervor that religion inspires, and the speed with which new religions can spread...”

Read it all here

3.  The theme for the meeting and of the daily Bible Study was “Being in the world but not of the world” taken from the Gospel of John Chapter 17:14-19. We were reminded that Jesus did not ask the Father to take his followers out of the world but rather that they remain in the world as a testimony to His love. Our lives, however, are to reflect His values and His character and not embrace the values of the world. This challenge is a continuing one because in every age we see the traditions of the world seeking to corrupt the church. Our protection is the Word of God because it speaks truth to the deceptions of the world. In this light we were encouraged to examine our own lives, and the churches that we serve, to be sure that all that we do conform to the truth of God.

Read it all here or download as pdf here.

Five Primates - Abp Peter Akinola, Abp Greg Venables, Abp Kolini, Abp Mouneer Anis and Abp John Chew - met together for some heart to heart conversations from 13th to 15th March in London. They released this statement. 

You can also download the pdf copy here

It was with great sadness that we received the news of the murder of Archbishop Rahho.  On behalf of my brother bishops, clergy, and congregation in the Province of the Episcopal/Anglican church in Jerusalem, we send our heartfelt condolences to the Chaldean Catholic Church community in Iraq. 

The SYNOD of the Province of the Anglican Church in South East Asia met in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia on 27th to 28th February, 2008. They issued this statement.

You can also download the pdf copy here

Bishop Duncan Responds to Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori: Read here

ACI: On the Matter of Deposing Bishops at a Time of Communion Self-Assessment: Read here

The presence of Jesus brings life in abundance to those who put their trust in him.  It is therefore necessary for CAPA to promote sustainability and to initiate intelligent projects that will transform the lives of many. The former Chairman of CAPA, the Most Rev Peter Akinola has laid much emphasis on the need for us to be self-reliant. I will certainly like him, encourage you to promote South to South economic ventures and to look for partnership when it comes to training and empowerment programmes. The risen Lord brings new life and I am convinced that CAPA as a coordinating body if faithful in its calling can overcome the barriers that prevent us to enjoy the fullness of life.

I was shocked when the time line of the covenant process was presented. The plan that it would be enacted in 2015 gives the impression that we are NOT in a state of crisis and that there is no desire to move towards a solution. In my opinion, if we wait until 2015 or even 2012 the Communion will be fragmented.  If we truly are in a situation that makes us “seriously concerned”, as mentioned in the JSC resolution, how can we wait another four or seven years?

The question of Lambeth Conference invitations will be reviewed by the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Windsor Continuation Group (WCG), sources familiar with its deliberations tell The Church of England Newspaper. Chartered last month by the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, the WCG will take a second look at the decision not to extend invitations to the African-consecrated American bishops of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Nigeria, and may also discuss the question of Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire’s non-invitation.

ENS reports House of Bishops consents to deposition of John-David Schofield, William Cox

Bishop Schofield responds to the HOB decision: ““It is a shame that the disciplinary process of The Episcopal Church has been misused in this way. The disciplinary procedures used by the House of Bishops, in my case, were intended for those who have abandoned the Faith and are leading others away from orthodox Christianity, as held in trust by bishops in the Anglican Communion – and which The Episcopal Church had previously upheld also. The question that begs to be answered by the House of Bishops is, why bishops who continue to teach and publish books that deny the most basic Christian beliefs are not disciplined while those of us who uphold the Christian Faith are?””

Anglican Network response

Archbishop Venable response

We affirmed that the goals of GAFCON are to:

1.  Provide an opportunity for fellowship to continue to experience and proclaim the transforming love of Christ.
2.  Develop a renewed understanding of our identity as Anglican Christians within our current context.
3.  Prepare for an Anglican future in which the Gospel is uncompromised and Christ-centered mission a top priority.

My aim in this exploration is to understand the rise and development of the idea “Global South Anglican”.  This designation only emerged following the Red Sea Third Global South Encounter in October 2005.  The terms “global South”, “Global South”, and “Global South Primates” often appear in the popular discussion on the Communion crisis, not only between the “Global South” and its supposed antagonist The Episcopal Church, but also in conversations among Anglicans in the Southern Hemisphere.  For some, it may remain unclear what “Global South” and its cluster of related terms stand for, and which churches it represents.  Is it a movement, a power-bloc, a lobby, or an ultra-conservative group that centres on certain personalities?  The Global South Anglican website poignantly focused this concern in a posting on 26 February 2008.  The posting includes a picture of Archbishop Peter Akinola, Primate of Nigeria, and Archbishop John Chew, Primate of South East Asia in Dubai, with an accompanying editorial note. 

Christopher Wells offers his notes on the second draft of the proposed Anglican Covenant. Read it here

The Archbishop of Dublin John Neill wrote an article Drafting an Anglican Covenant in the Church of Ireland Gazette.

The Bishop of Dudley (UK), David Walker also wrote an article entitled Why the new Covenant creates hope

This is a fair and insightful article by Andrew Goddard which is a great read over at Fulcrum.

A judge in the Ontario Superior Court in Hamilton, Mr. Justice James Ramsay, has ruled today that, for the next couple of weeks, the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) parishes of St George’s Lowville (Milton, Ontario) and St Hilda’s (Oakville, Ontario) can retain exclusive use of their church facilities.  There is another court hearing set for March 20, where the judge will be asked to determine a longer term interim arrangement while the bigger legal issue of who owns the church buildings is sorted out. 

“To be an Anglican, first of all, you must believe what Anglicans believe,” JI Packer says.

The Rt. Rev. Valentino L. Mokiwa, Bishop of Dar es Salaam in the Anglican Church of Tanzania, was elected archbishop of the province Feb. 28 during a special session of the General Synod in Dodoma.

A meeting of friends.