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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

“For the brief time from September to December 2007, Professor Wright expended himself to help in the drafting of the catechetical outline. I remember him as a humble, meticulous, and wise mentor… “

The Rt. Rev. Stephen Myint Oo Than, Bishop of Hpa’an, was enthroned on Febuary 17, 2008 to be the 6th Primate and Archbishop of the Church of the Province of Myanmar and the 13th Bishop of the Diocese of Yangon.

The Gafcon organizing committee, which is arranging an alternative to the Anglican Lambeth Conference, has announced that the dates and venue of the Jerusalem conference have been changed. Following consultations with the Bishop in Jerusalem, the Rt Rev Suheil Dawani, the conference will now be broken into two parts: a consultation for church leaders in Jordan from June 18-22 and a pilgrimage to Jerusalem from June 22-29.

Read the rest here

The Standing Committee of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney has given its full support to Archbishop of Sydney Dr Peter Jensen’s decision not to attend the Lambeth Conference. The decision was announced earlier this month and this was Standing Committee’s first meeting since then. Read full report

“The decision of our Bishops not to attend the Lambeth Conference in 2008 is the culmination of ten years of thought, prayer and action. We have played our part in challenging false teaching and practice, always hoping that those who have flouted the strong position taken by the last Lambeth Conference would turn back in repentance...” Archbishop Peter Jensen, in his address at the Synod (18th Feb 2008). Read it all here

A CORRECTION on the Church of Uganda position regarding the Anglican Communion and the Lambeth Conference…

Seven Anglican congregations voted this weekend to accept the episcopal oversight of Bishop Donald Harvey, Moderator of the Anglican Network in Canada, under the Primatial authority of Archbishop Gregory Venables and the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. Most churches accepted this option with decisive majorities.

Read more here

Eighty-six per cent of participating parishioners at Metchosin’s St. Mary the Incarnation Anglican Church voted yesterday to separate from their national body over the issue of same-sex marriage, part of a pattern that has developed across the country.

Meanwhile, St. Matthew’s Anglican parish in Abbotsford became the second Lower Mainland congregation in a week to split from the Vancouver-area diocese overseen by Bishop Michael Ingham.

We have received your letter encouraging us to attend the Lambeth Conference with you. We trust that we are united in faithful obedience to the Scriptures and also to the Anglican Formularies.  We understand your desire to continue to support the efforts of the Archbishop of Canterbury. As GAFCON Bishops and primates, we share with you a commitment to the communion and its future. We ask you to understand that we have reached a different conclusion and request you to understand our decision…

More here

Vancouver Sun: Members of what is described as the largest congregation in the Anglican Church of Canada voted strongly Wednesday to split with Vancouver-area Bishop Michael Ingham over his support for same-sex blessings. “It means that the community speaks with one mind,” said St. John’s Shaughnessy Anglican Church spokeswoman Lesley Bentley, after a preliminary count showed that out of 495 ballots cast, only 11 opposed the split and nine abstained.

Read more here

Anglican Network of Canada (ACN) - Bishop Harvey welcomes St John’s (Shaughnessy). Read more here