Latest Anglican News                                             Volume 1, Number 16, 06 December 2007

The following news letter was developed over the last several days, and is posted today as scheduled.  However, an important exchange between TEC Presiding Bishop Catherine Jefferts Schori and the Bishop of San Joaquin John-David Schofield has prompted me to issue a separate news letter on that subject, also today - Volume 1, Number 17.  Be sure to look at both letters.

From David Virtue’s VirtueOnLine newsletter dated 21 Nov 2007, we have picked several items, including an announcement of a book written by Bishop Sutton that is now available for free download from the internet. First, from Virtue, several quotations from John Stott’s writings:

“We sinners still of course have to suffer some of the personal, psychological and social consequences of our sins, but the penal consequence, the deserved penalty of alienation from God, has been borne by Another in our place, so that we may be spared it.” --- From "The Cross of Christ" by John Stott

"The ultimate issue in relation to Jesus Christ is not one of semantics (the meaning of words) but of homage (the attitude of the heart), not whether our tongue can subscribe to an orthodox formulation of the person of Jesus, but whether our knee has bowed before his majesty. Besides, reverence always precedes understanding. We shall know him only if we are willing to obey him.” --- >From "The Authentic Jesus" by John Stott

Also excerpted from VirtueOnLine:
At its annual convention the DIOCESE OF DALLAS was not all doom and gloom despite the loss of some 3,500 parishioners this year.  At its 112th gathering Bishop James Stanton called for the election of a Suffragan Bishop and said the last year had been his most difficult, both personally and professionally, and among the most challenging that the diocese had experienced. Despite the departures of Christ Church in Plano, St. Matthias in Dallas, and Faith in Allen, and members of four other churches where those who remain are finding ways to move forward, the diocese reported an increase of 1,013 members across the diocese. However, the diocese lost approximately 3,000 in average Sunday attendance.  The convention passed resolutions to:
* Recommend Stanton for the manner in which he has dealt with departing churches,
* Express disappointment with the House of Bishop's response to the Primates' Communiqué,
* Reject the support of Millennium Development Goals, the darling objective of Presiding Bishop Catherine Jefferts Schori’s (PBCJS) efforts .

The trial phase of the case involving 11 Virginia congregations where the majority voted to leave The Episcopal Church (TEC) last year ended Nov. 20… A decision is unlikely before late January, however...  In an article by Julia Duin of the Washington Times, PBCJS admitted that she forced Virginia Bishop Peter Lee to renege on his agreed Protocol with the departing congregations and instead, hit them with law suits.

“Captains and Courts”, is a book demonstrating a Biblical Defense of Episcopal Government written by the Right Rev. Dr. Ray R. Sutton a Bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Bishop. In this book, Bishop Sutton offers helpful ideas about the priesthood of all believers, the Lord's Supper, as well as a number of other topics. The central theme of his book is a positive Biblical defense for the Episcopalian form of Church government. Whether you are Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Congregationalist, or Independent, this book certainly deserves a thoughtful read. The book is available for free download from this website. http://www.biblelighthouse.com/govt/captains_and_courts.htm

(For the information of our readers, this book was written by Bishop Sutton some years ago, and was never published until it became available in this format.  Please take the time to look at this book.  It’s yet another example of the scholarly theologian we are fortunate to have in our midst.)

Archbishop Gregory Venables, Primate of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone of South America has offered refuge to any parishes in the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) who wishes to leave that organization, just as he has offered to take in certain parishes and dioceses in TEC in the USA.  From his letter to Canadian Anglicans we have extracted a few of his clear and inspiring statements, and be certain to read and understand the significance of te first sentence:
 
“It is…good to be able to say that these steps we have taken are fully supported by a significant number of other orthodox Anglican provinces. There is no need for any to walk alone or step outside the Anglican family.  Let me also be clear regarding the nature of the division which has led to these out-of-the-ordinary moves. It is a severance resulting from a determined abandoning of the one true historic faith delivered to the saints.

This reality alone makes it clear that it is not schism.  Schism is a sinful parting over secondary issues.  This separation is basic and fundamental and means that we are divided at the most essential point of the Christian faith. The sin here is not one of schism but of false teaching which is not at its root about human sexuality but about the very nature of truth itself.

When we talk about the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ we are not referring to something liquid or amorphous.  Christianity is specific, definable and unchanging. We are not at liberty to deconstruct or rewrite it.

If Jesus was the Son of God yesterday then so He is today and will be forever.

This is about the foundational certainty of our very existence and is not something we can amend to suit our circumstances or personal opinions and preferences.

Holy Scripture which is the source of our creeds is revealed and ageless truth.  It was not written out of human knowledge or wisdom but inspired by the Spirit of God.

Jesus died not to establish and preserve institutional franchises but for our sins so we could come into a right relationship with God our Father and Creator. Structural norms cannot be equated to the eternal gospel which determines our eternal destiny.
These are sad but significant days. It has been heartbreaking to recognize that we have reached such a crucial and critical point in the life of the Anglican Communion. What has been perpetrated has indeed torn the fabric of our Communion at its deepest level.

We recognize this tragedy with profound grief and love for all those involved and affected.
We judge no one but cannot and will not deny the eternal truth which has purchased our redemption.”-
 
Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has taken several steps, neither of which will endear him to traditional Anglicans.  First, he has unleashed a politically based blast at the United States government claiming it is practicing the worst kind of imperialism.  Commenting on this amazing story, Ruth Gledhill, Religious reporter for the Times of London has said: “In many respects, Rowan Williams has been a disappointment as an Archbishop of Canterbury… It is ironic that he attacks the US for British-style imperialism when many in his own Anglican Communion accuse him privately of using imperialist methods of 'divide and rule'  in attempting to resolve his own intractable problems with the Church.” She opines that there might not be an Anglican Communion to lead, if things continue on as they have of late.  If you wish to read Dr. Williams’ entire interview, email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with your request.

In a separate action, Dr. Williams participated, last week, in a meeting of gay Christians.  At the meeting he encouraged them to continue to engage with their opponents in the ongoing row over sexuality.  The Archbishop also presided at a service of the Eucharist for members of the Clergy Consultation, a group of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and intersex priests in the Church of England.  British evangelical groups raised their concerns over the meeting. “Every occasion for listening pastorally to people is to be welcomed,” they said. “However, the Holy Communion is a fundamental symbol of fellowship and an expression of our unity in Christ. Since the Archbishop has apparently proceeded with this service, this makes it more likely that he will become a focus of division,” said the statement issued by the Church of England Evangelical Council and Anglican Mainstream.

Rudy Schenken, REC Lay Representative to Common Cause Partners

Please note: the sentences and paragraphs in bold print were highlighted by the writer.