Latest Anglican News       Volume 1, Number 8,      12 September 2007

Some commentators say the consecrations last week of two bishops in Kenya and the one in Uganda for service in the U.S. may prove to be the pivotal moment in the unity of the Anglican faith worldwide.  But more probably the tipping point will come at the end of this month when The Episcopal Church (TEC) is expected to decide whether or not to adhere to the Dar es Salaam Communiqué agreed to at the meeting of Anglican Primates in Tanzania last February.  And which way will the Archbishop of Canterbury come down.  He is known to be quite liberal, but will he decide to represent the traditional side of the Anglican Communion (AC), which seems to be the majority of its Primates and members.  Much of the future of the AC will depend on what he decides. 

Not to be outdone by the Anglican churches in Kenya and Uganda, the Province of the Episcopal Church of Rwanda announced September 4 that it will ordain three additional Bishops to work in their outpost in the U.S.A., the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA).  The ordinations will take place in Dallas 26 January 2008 following the AMiA Winter Conference.  AMiA will then have eight active bishops.

Putting more pressure on the already explosive situation, TEC Diocese of Chicago announced last week that a lesbian priest is on the shortlist of nominees to become its new bishop ordinary, and Bishop V. Gene Robinson has given the go ahead to clergy in New Hampshire to conduct same-sex blessings, beginning next year after the state’s civil-union law comes into effect. 

At the other end of the debate, TEC Bishop of Ft. Worth, Jack Iker, sent a letter to his flock this week, saying, “I am pleased to report to you that the realignment of the Anglican Communion is well under way…  By the end of this month, TEC House of Bishops will have decided (their) future direction…and as a result we too will have to declare our future as a diocese. I do not expect TEC will comply with the requests of the Primates in their Dar es Salaam Communiqué. In that case, we will see further fraction and division in the Communion during the months ahead. We will then have to choose in favor of the Anglican Communion majority at the expense of our historic relationship with (TEC)…  Pray, my brothers and sisters, for the peace and unity of the Church. Pray that the Bishops of The Episcopal Church will turn back, even at this late hour, from the course they have been pursuing…  Pray too for the leadership of this diocese as the realignment continues that we may remain faithful to the received faith and practice of historic, biblical Christianity.”

An unnamed women blogger has said, “How can you stay yoked to heretics, who set out from the beginning to change the doctrine, discipline and worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA? (former name of The Episcopal Church [TEC])  …The Lord said he would save HIS church not The Episcopal Church in particular…  My husband used to say ‘It’s the Lord's Supper not the Lord's smorgasbord.’ It’s a sit down dinner in our ‘Sunday Best’…”

Quoting the Reverend Dr. Peter Toon, “It seems that a dominant part of TEC… is intent on going its own way believing that it has been given a new form of Religion by a Deity (but not the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ), loosely related to historical Christianity and very much tied to modern views of human beings as bearers of rights and of natural dignity, which in their fulfillment provide wholeness and holiness…a Religion for those who wish to be—in 21st century terms—both in the world and for the world, as Deity’s co-workers, with little or no sense of eternal salvation through the sacrifice and atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

In an article dated 3 September, Dr. David Virtue, of VirtueOnLine has opined, “The meeting of the House of Bishops will be the most defining moment in the history of TEC since its founding in Jamestown, Virginia in 1607.  The boil of forty years of apostasy and heretical utterances will be publicly lanced for the entire world to see. It will not be a pleasant sight.  The legal and ecclesiastical ugliness that will follow this meeting cannot be fully imagined…  One mystery that remains is what orthodox dioceses like Central Florida, Albany, Dallas, Rio Grande and South Carolina will do…  These dioceses are basically orthodox, but have small vociferous, highly litigious, liberal contingents with which to contend…  Windsor bishops like Texas Bishop Don Wimberly will fold their cards and go with TEC.”

A short aside: In a recent broadcast, talk-radio commentator Dennis Prager opined what a wonderful, simpler, happier world this would be if everyone would just observe the Ten Commandments.  In fact, he said, if we would all just observe two of the Ten Commandments – thou shalt not steal and thou shalt do no murder.  Think how your life would change if we all were safe from these concerns.  Think of the difference it would make to our security and public safety, not to mention the affect on the world’s economy.

Your questions are welcome on the subjects raised in this newsletter, or any concerns that you have regarding Anglicanism.  Send your queries to me with the subject “Anglican Questions” at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Rudy Schenken, REC Lay Representative to Common Cause Partners