Latest Anglican News                                                                                       Volume 3, Number 7, July 20, 2009

This report could have been three times as long as it is, with The Episcopal Church (TEC) triennial General Convention, making big time news, and the Church of England (CoE) holding its semi-annual Synod, along with comments, pro and con, still flowing in about the formation of ACNA.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
Not really shockingly, TEC has thrown out the moratorium on consecrating LGBT persons into the episcopate.  Both the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops overwhelmingly voted to make this unbelievable change to TEC constitution and canons to allow persons in same-sex relationships to any “ordained ministry post.”  Will this act finally cause TEC to be shunned by the rest of the Anglican Communion (AC), or will its bank balances, which have been paying for much of the AC offices overhead and travel save them one more time?
While at the CoE Synod settled nothing important except that a motion that it be “in communion” with ACNA was put forward with enough voter support to require it to be on the agenda for discussion at its next Synod in February 2010.
 
Please notice, as you read through this report, how CHC, the REC and Dallas are often either recognized or connected in some manner to what is written.

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From the Washington Post: “TEC chooses to "walk apart" from Anglican Communion.  In the slow-moving train crash of international Anglicanism, a decision taken in California has finally brought a large coach off the rails altogether. The House of Bishops of TEC… has voted decisively to allow in principle the appointment, to all orders of ministry, of persons in active same-sex relation ships. This marks a clear break with the rest of the Anglican Communion.”                                                          

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From Dr. Albert Mohler, Dean of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville KY: “Acting in open defiance to the worldwide Anglican Communion, the Episcopal Church has voted to end a de facto moratorium on the election and consecration of openly gay bishops. The vote was overwhelming in both houses of the denomination's General Convention…  The specific language adopted by the General Convention declared the church's openness to the ordination or election of homosexual persons to "any ordained ministry." In taking this action, TEC now signals its absolute determination to defy Scripture, tradition, and the urgent cries of its own sister churches in the Anglican Communion.   …TEC has, in effect, told the Anglican Communion that it will go its own way, whatever the cost.

The Bible clearly disqualifies an unrepentant homosexual from the Christian ministry.  Why would a church allow the ordination of homosexual priest and then balk at homosexual bishops? Forces for biblical orthodoxy within the Anglican Communion must recognize that a decision to allow openly homosexual priests is, in effect, a decision to allow homosexual bishops.  The Church of England faces this reality on the question of female bishops already. The decision to ordain women as priests means inevitably of women as bishops.”

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Fr Todd Wetzel, Executive Director of Anglicans United writes from the General Convention (GC) (Wetzel was a candidate to be CHC Rector in 2001before we called Bishop Sutton): “There has been and will continue to be a lot of rhetoric in TEC around the subject of ‘inclusivity.’   …As used at the GC, the word seems to be specifically applied to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) individuals whose presence here is so obvious.  Actions to appease this group are deliberate.  …That same “inclusivity” does not apply either here at GC or in many of our respective TEC dioceses to:  the theologically orthodox (derisively referred to as “fundamentalists”); deliberate and thoughtful heterosexuals (dismissed as “homophobes”); and, those who actually value interdependence with the Anglican Communion as constitutive and primary (here referred to as “schismatic’s”).  These folks are called names and are ever so politely being bullied. For them, the Episcopalian rhetoric of inclusion foreshadows their exclusion. 

 …Around the Church generally, there is a lot of talk about finding ways to include everyone in our life together.  … That’s our talk but our ‘walk’ reveals the contrary.
 
The actions of TEC leadership exhibit a “take no prisoners” management style that requires conformity or departure… Evidence:  Pittsburg, San Joaquin, Quincy and Ft. Worth. Their stories reveal a “Fire! Ready. Aim,” strategy that precipitated a separation our leadership now described as “schismatic.” The Presiding Bishop said to the House of Bishops, in last Sunday’s homily that, “Schism is not a Christian act!”  So, to her way of thinking these folks are no longer Christian? 

…More often than not this Convention has presented a “double think” world.  Inclusivity means exclusivity.   Reconciliation means deposition.  Budget cuts mean “creative financing.”  And, what we once meant by the term “Anglican Communion” is now replaced by a newly developed transnational “Episcopal Communion.” 

I used to laugh at the aphorism, ‘The beatings will continue until morale improves.’  I doubt morale in the Episcopal will improve as a result of this Convention…”                                                                                  
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From Father David Coady: “It is apparent to all that The Episcopal Church has set in motion an international movement.  TEC is not just in the United States, but is, in of itself, an international body.  It is prepared to be a rival to the World-Wide Anglican Communion.  Of course, the Church of England has also departed the Holy Catholic Church with the ordination of women.  Where is a Christian to go who wishes to follow the Anglican Way?  The Continuing Church Movement must be prepared to move towards unity and be in communion with National Churches who are keeping the Faith once delivered.  The REC and APA have a covenant relationship with the Church of Nigeria (Anglican).  This could prove to be a way forward for all who call themselves Anglican. 

TEC is dead.  It is alive in the world but dead to the call of God.”

An article was headlined “Will the Episcopal Church move draw in – or drive out – believers”                                                                                                  To which blogger Bill replied: “It would be a contradiction to say that a person drawn into TEC is a ‘believer.’  TEC has committed suicide.”                           To which a blogger, Father Richard Sutter commented “She committed suicide in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on September 16, 1976, when the GC of TEC voted to approve women's ordination. Everything since then has been the body flopping on the floor. The conclusion is certain; she is already dead; it just takes a while for the autonomic responses to taper off.”                                                                              Followed by this from EMC Bishop William Millsaps (who incidentally was a candidate for Rector at CHC in the 1990’s before we called Fr. David Edman):   “I was present at Minneapolis…at the 1976 fiasco called General Convention. The late  Dr. Donald Henning, a right well known priest and then rector of St. Michael's and All Angels in Dallas…said " The Episcopal Church just committed suicide. It no longer has any claim to be a catholic body." … He was a great man and, in my opinion, said words which are prophetic.”

From a blogger named Bob K: "Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori has warned the Church of England that it should not recognize the new Anglican Church in North America, arguing 'schism is not a Christian act.'  Is this woman joking? GC 2009 has made TEC an offense to Christianity! Why a Christian continues remain in TEC and support its anti-Christian views can only be contributed to people's attachment to the buildings and memories of a past time of glory!

From London’s Sunday Telegraph, “So the Anglican Communion has finally split. Having written countless times that ‘the Church was teetering on the brink of schism last night’, I can now say that the American Church has gone over the edge. No more hanging around, it’s jumped.
When I saw Rowan Williams on Saturday, he said that he was hopeful that they would continue to hold the line agreed by the Communion that practicing homosexuals should not be consecrated as bishops. He had been out to the General Convention, ...in Anaheim, and had come back reasonably optimistic.

In deciding to ignore the pleas for this policy…, the Americans have clearly shaken him warmly by the hand before stabbing him in the front. They have delivered a fatal blow to his hopes for unity and now there can be no more fudging the issue.”

From a blogger identified as DDH: “There will be no schism. I have spoken again and again about this since c.1963. The only way schism could occur is for Canterbury to toss TEC out the door, and that won't happen. There is simply too much money involved.”

From gay Bishop Vicki Gen Robinson, at a luncheon on July 8: “The Episcopal Church should proudly wear the mantle of being known as the ‘gay church.’

From a blogger identified only as Sally: “I'm delighted, as a straight cradle Episcopalian, about the coming acceptance of openly gay (though celibate or monogamous) clergy. It's about time, and if it does lead to schism, then I will follow whichever group is the more accepting, regardless of what it calls itself. God made *all* of us, and I cannot accept that He created an entire class of people who are not permitted to live life fully. He does not make mistakes in His creation, so He must have a purpose for gays and lesbians, even if we mere mortals refuse to see that. And if a same-sex orientation were truly of no use to humanity, surely evolution would have reduced or eliminated it by now.”

From ACA priest (and friend of CHC), Father Sam Edwards: “The latest institutional enshrinements of insanity from Anaheim, like the previous instances going back to the 70s, will not draw in anything like what they will drive out. This is because, contrary to the propaganda manufactured for "nice people" and other useful idiots, the agenda in TEC, as in the secular realm, is not expansion and inclusion, but destruction.  Make no mistake, The final goal of the proponents of homosexual "marriage" is not the expansion of marriage but its destruction…”

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From Fr David Virtue: “The passage of resolution D025, that pansexual practitioners will now be acceptable to all orders of ministry in The Episcopal Church, is a clarifying moment.  …There is now no more doubt, no more fudging, no more hesitation and no more ambiguity. We have complete clarity.  TEC has stepped outside the bounds of biblical morality and the main sweep and teaching of church history on human sexuality.  The question now is: Is The Episcopal Church any longer a Christian denomination in any moral or theological sense?”

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From a letter dated July 17, from the representatives of the Diocese of South Carolina at GC to the Mrs Schori:

South Carolina stands before you with broken hearts. By passing Resolutions 025 and 056 this GC has overturned the clear and consistent teaching of Holy Scripture and the Christian Church.  We will have repudiated the teaching and practice of the Anglican Communion. The Communion’s patience and generosity toward the Episcopal Church makes our persistent refusal to heed their requests to us to honor the called for moratoria all the more devastating.

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Comments are still flowing across the internet about the question of women’s ordination (WO) in some jurisdictions within ACNA.  Here are some of the latest:
From Bishop Terry, whose last name is not provided: “The birth of a new Anglican province in the dusty plains of north-central Texas left the question of women's ordination dangling in the air, writes Julia Duin in the Washington Times’…, but the fact is that it was not left dangling in the air. It was left open to each diocese without an order from above demanding it be done OR ELSE. We’ve left all that behavior behind!”

“Hmmmm”, says Father Dick Kim, “We’re not going to go away a female priest told me…”
 
Then Fr Kim quoted Bishop William Wantland, on the question, ‘will ACNA eventually outlawlaw ordaining women entirely. "Of course. That's our mission," he said. "Christ is the bridegroom and the church is the bride. The priest at the altar is an icon of Christ. What image is that if the person at the altar is a woman? It's a lesbian relationship."

Whaaa???

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In other action the House of Deputies on July 14 declined to concur with the House of Bishops on Resolution C067, which called for the Presiding Bishop and the Executive Council to provide a variety of financial information about their litigation strategy with respect to traditionalist dioceses and congregations that have chosen to leave the denomination.  Among other information requested in the resolution are the total amount spent to date, the source of the funds, and the budget for the coming triennium and “an estimate of the amount of property value retained and expected to be retained by TEC.  The resolution was proposed by the Diocese of West Texas, but was soundly defeated
 
The lawsuits began to proliferate after the 74th General Convention in 2003. Since then four dioceses, Fort Worth, Pittsburgh, Quincy and San Joaquin, plus all or a significant majority of hundreds of congregations have left TEC claiming that they own title to the church property and they have refused requests to vacate. TEC claims title to all such property under its so-called Dennis Canon.

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In debating the resolution on who may be called to ministry in TEC, the following definition was proffered in the discussion; “no person may be excluded from access to the discernment process for any ministry lay or ordained. The resolution went on to specifically mention that transgender people—transsexuals, and others who differ from ‘majority societal gender norms,’ were included.”  “Non-majority societal gender forms” - what an interesting definition of LGBT people – obviously approved for use by TEC.

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To cap it off, TEC Los Angeles Bishop Jon Bruno, whose diocese hosted the GC, called it "probably one of the least rancor-filled conventions I have been to. The whole attitude was… about respecting each other where we are at," he added.                                                                                                               To which blogger Father Dick Kim added “Isn’t that nice – a house in ‘perfect’ peace and harmony with it own theology?
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And sadly, American Anglican Council leader, Bishop David Anderson says, “TEC was once a great church, a denomination that, as people moved up the social ladder, they wished to join. Many of the presidents of the United States were members, and many Congressmen, Senators, judges and leaders in the business world were members as well  At least a generation ago, perhaps two, things began to quietly change – but few noticed. A new Prayer Book was adopted with changes in liturgy, women were ordained as deacons, then priests, then finally bishops, and the exclusivity of the Christian Gospel began to be challenged by a few priests and bishops. The changes, however one felt about them then, or feels about them now, caused a division to develop in TEC.”  How sad, how sad…!!!

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And finally, as Peter Drucker said many years ago, “Past performance is the best indication of future performance.” 

Rudy Schenken
Church of the Holy Communion, Dallas
www.holycommuniondallas.org
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