So What?

An article in The Church Times now suggests that Archbishop Peter Akinola did not write all of the piece entitled "A Most Agonising Journey towards Lambeth 2008" (see the post below) that came out over his signature.

These "journalists" are shocked—SHOCKED, I tell you—that Abp. Akinola may have had assistance in writing this document. Have these journalists never heard of a public figure using a ghostwriter or engaging in collaborative writing before? Here's my perspective on this whole thing: SO WHAT?

I happen to be a seminary dean, not primate of a whole country, and (believe it or not) there are many occasions when not every word that is issued publicly over my signature was actually written by me. And, I will guarantee you, if I were writing an important document about a situation in Nigeria (or any other country), and I happened to have a colleague there, I would gladly accept all the additions, corrections, or editorial changes that colleague wished to contribute.

But, you know what? If, in the end, a document goes out over my signature, it is because I OWN it. It says what I wish it to say; I stand by it, and I am responsible for it. And Abp. Akinola is just as much the owner of "A Most Agonising Journey towards Lambeth 2008."

In the final analysis, the real significance of "A Most Agonising Journey towards Lambeth 2008" is not who wrote it, but whether it is a true assesment of where we as the Anglican Communion now stand. If it appeared over Abp. Akinola's signature, it is obviously his assessment. And I, for one, happen to think he is right.

A MOST AGONIZING JOURNEY

Archbishop Peter Akinola writes to Nigerian Synods on the Journey towards Lambeth 2008

A Most Agonizing Journey towards Lambeth 2008

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Eph. 4:1,3)

We have been on this journey for ten long years. It has been costly and debilitating for all concerned as most recently demonstrated by the tepid response to the invitations to the proposed Lambeth Conference 2008. At a time when we should be able to gather together and celebrate remarkable stories of growth and the many wonderful ways in which our God has been at work in our beloved Communion as lives are transformed new churches built and new dioceses established there is little enthusiasm to even meet.

There are continual cries for patience, listening and understanding. And yet the record shows that those who hold to the “faith once and for all delivered to the saints” have shown remarkable forbearance while their pleas have been ignored, their leaders have been demonized, and their advocates marginalized. We made a deliberate, prayerful decision in 1998 with regard to matters of Human Sexuality. It was supported by an overwhelming majority of the bishops of the Communion. It reflected traditional teaching interpreted with pastoral sensitivity. And yet it has been ignored and those who uphold it derided for their stubbornness. However, we have continued to meet and pray and struggle to find ways to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

The journey started in February 1997 in Kuala Lumpur. It was here, during the 2nd Encounter of the Global South Anglican Communion that a statement was issued in which concern was expressed about the apparent setting aside of biblical teaching by some provinces and dioceses. The statement pleaded for dialogue in ‘a spirit of true unity’ before any part of the Communion embarks on radical changes to Church discipline and moral teaching. [[i]]

Sadly, this plea, and several similar warnings, have been ignored and ten years later, in February 2007, the Primates of the Anglican Communion met in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and experienced an agonizing time trying to repair the Communion that has been so badly broken. Their earlier prediction at the Primates Meeting at Lambeth Palace In 2003, that rejection of the faith committed to us would tear “the fabric of our Communion at its deepest level,” has proven to be accurate. In Dar es Salaam the Primates proposed, as one last attempt to restore unity, a period of seven months for those who have brought our Communion to the brink of destruction to reconsider their actions and put a stop to the harmful actions that have so polarized our beloved church. [[ii]]

With about seven weeks to go, hope for a unified Communion is not any brighter than it was seven months or ten years ago. Rather, the intransigence of those who reject Biblical authority continues to obstruct our mission and it now seems that the Communion is being forced to choose between following their innovations or continuing on the path that the church has followed since the time of the Apostles.

We have made enormous efforts since 1997 in seeking to avoid this crisis, but without success. Now we confront a moment of decision. If we fail to act we risk leading millions of people away from the faith revealed in the Holy Scriptures and also, even more seriously, we face the real possibility of denying our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The leadership of The Episcopal Church USA (TECUSA) and the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) seem to have concluded that the Bible is no longer authoritative in many areas of human experience especially in salvation and sexuality. They claim to have ‘progressed’ beyond the clear teaching of the Scriptures and they have not hidden their intention to lead others to these same conclusions. They have even boasted that they are years ahead of others in fully understanding the truth of the Holy Scriptures and the nature of God’s love.

Both TECUSA and ACoC have been given several opportunities to consult, discuss and prayerfully respond through their recognized structures. While they produced carefully nuanced, deliberately ambiguous statements, their actions have betrayed them. Their intention is clear; they have chosen to walk away from the Biblically based path we once all walked together. The unrelenting persecution of the remaining faithful among them shows how they have used these past few years to isolate and destroy any and all opposition.

We now confront the seriousness of their actions as the year for the Lambeth Conference draws near. Sadly, this Conference is no longer designed as an opportunity for serious theological engagement and heartfelt reconciliation but we are told will be a time of prayer, fellowship and communion. These are commendable activities, but this very Communion, however, has been broken by the actions of the American and Canadian churches. The consequence is most serious because, even if only one province chooses not to attend, the Lambeth Conference effectively ceases to be an Instrument of Unity. The convener’s status as an instrument or focus of unity also becomes highly questionable. Repentance and reversal by these provinces may yet save our Communion. Failure to recognize the gravity of this moment will have a devastating impact.


Scorned Opportunities

Following the 1997 warning, the 1998 Lambeth Conference issued Resolution 1.10 that affirmed the teaching of the Holy Scriptures with regard to faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union and declared that homosexual practice was incompatible with Biblical teaching. At their meeting in Porto, Portugal, in March 2000 the Primates reaffirmed the supremacy of Scripture as the “decisive authority in the life of our Communion.” [[iii]] [[iv]]

The General Convention of the Episcopal Church USA responded in July 2000 by approving Resolution D039 acknowledging relationships other than marriage “in the Body of Christ and in this Church” and that those “who disagree with the traditional teaching of the Church on human sexuality, will act in contradiction to that position!” The Convention only narrowly avoided directing the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to begin preparation of official rites for the blessing of “these relationships … other than marriage.” [[v]]

In 2001, the Primates’ meeting in Kanuga, North Carolina issued a pastoral letter acknowledging estrangement in the Church due to changes in theology and practice regarding human sexuality, and calling on all provinces of the Communion to avoid actions that might damage the “credibility of mission in the world” [[vi]] In April, 2002 meeting at Canterbury the Primates further issued a pastoral letter recognizing responsibility of all bishops to articulate the fundamentals of faith and maintain the Church truth. [[vii]]

In what appeared to be deliberate defiance the Diocese of New Westminster in Canada voted in June 2002 to approve the blessings of same-sex unions with the enthusiastic support of their Bishop Michael Ingham. [[viii]] Later that year ACC-12 meeting in Hong Kong in October 2002 approved a resolution [34] urging dioceses and bishops to refrain from unilateral actions and policies that would strain communion. [[ix]]

The following year ECUSA met in General Convention in Minneapolis in July/August 2003. Among their many actions they chose to reject a Resolution [B001] affirming the authority of Scripture and other basic elements of Christian faith [[x]] while approving the election as bishop [C045] someone living in an unashamedly sexual relationship outside marriage. [[xi]]

The Primates’ meeting at Lambeth Palace in October 2003 issued a pastoral statement condemning ECUSA’s decisions at General Convention describing them as actions that “threaten the unity of our own Communion as well as our relationships with other parts of Christ’s Church, our mission and witness, and our relations with other faiths, in a world already confused in areas of sexuality, morality and theology and polarized Christian opinion.” They also declared that if the consecration proceeds “the future of the Communion itself will be put in jeopardy” and that the action will “tear the fabric of our communion at its deepest level, and may lead to further division on this and further issues as provinces have to decide in consequence whether they can remain in communion with provinces that choose not to break communion with the Episcopal Church (USA).” They also called on “the provinces concerned to make adequate provision for Episcopal oversight of dissenting minorities within their own area of pastoral care in consultation with the Archbishop of Canterbury on behalf of the Primates.” [[xii]] ECUSA responded the following month by proceeding with the consecration of Gene Robinson thereby tearing the fabric of our Communion and forcing Nigeria along with many other provinces to sever communion with ECUSA.

Earlier, in June 2003, we in the Church of Nigeria had cut our links with the diocese of New Westminster and sent a clear warning of reconsidering our relationship with ECUSA should Gene Robinson be consecrated. [[xiii]] As always, we were ignored.

During 2004 there was a growing number of so-called ‘blessings’ of same-sex unions by American and Canadian priests even though the Windsor Report released in September 2004 reaffirmed Lambeth 1.10 and the authority of Scripture as central to Anglican Common Life. The Windsor Report also called for moratoria on public rites of same-sex blessings and on the election and consent of any candidate to the episcopate living in a same-sex union. [[xiv]]

One consequence of this continuing intransigence by ECUSA was the alienation of thousands of faithful Anglicans who make their home in the USA. The attempts by the Primates to provide for their protection through the Panel of Reference proved fruitless. So the desire of these faithful Anglicans for alternatives for their spiritual home led to many impassioned requests to the Church of Nigeria and a number of other provinces within the Global South. The Standing Committee of the Church of Nigeria (CofN) recognizing this urgent need during their meeting in Ilesa in March 2004 and as a result initiated a process for the provision of pastoral care through the formation of a Convocation within the USA.

During the African Anglican Bishops Conference (AABC) in October 2004 the Primates present released a statement that among other things urged the Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Church of Canada to take seriously the need for “repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation enjoined on all Christians by Christ.’’ It called on Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Church of Canada to move beyond informal expressions of regret for the effect of their actions to a genuine change of heart and mind. [[xv]]

Although the Primates in February 2005 at their meeting in Dromantine, Northern Ireland, advised the withdrawal of both ECUSA and the ACoC from the ACC [[xvi]] the continued influence of these churches on the Communion and their renewed efforts to make others adopt their intransigent line frustrated any genuine reconciliation attempts. The agonizing journey towards unity and faith seemed unending.

The failure of resolve by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the unwillingness of the other Instruments of Unity to effect discipline on those who had rejected the mind of the Communion prompted the Church of Nigeria to effect a change in her constitution during a General Synod held in Onitsha in September 2005. This constitutional change not only protects the Church of Nigeria from being led into error by any Church in the Communion but also makes full constitutional provision for the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA). [[xvii]]

The Third Anglican South-to-South Encounter in Egypt October 2005 issued a very strong indictment of ECUSA and the ACoC and called for a common “Anglican Covenant” among churches remaining true to Biblical Christianity and historic Anglicanism. [[xviii]]

Ignoring all the calls for repentance, homosexual unions and nominations for episcopacy continued in the USA with the Archbishop of Canterbury expressing “deep unease” with such nominations in California in February 2006. [[xix]]

A much-awaited ECUSA General Convention in 2006 proved to be a disappointment as resolutions expressing regret for the harm done to the communion were rejected as well as one that tried to emphasize the necessity of Christ for salvation. Approved were resolutions promoting homosexual relationships as well one apologizing to homosexuals for the Anglican Communion following Biblical principles. A pledge to include openly homosexual persons was requested “of our sister churches in the Anglican Communion and Anglican Communion bodies as evidence of the apology”. Finally someone who does not regard homosexual behaviour a sin, and does not consider Jesus the One way to the Father, was elected as Presiding Bishop. [[xx]] The agony of a frustrated communion was visible worldwide except among those already prepared to embrace this dangerous path departing from the faith.

Nigeria needed no further prodding to proceed with the election in June 2006 and the August 2006 consecration of the Rt. Rev. Martyn Minns to give Episcopal oversight to CANA. The Nigerian House of Bishops also declared a reluctance to participate in the 2008 Lambeth Conference with an unrepentant ECUSA and Canada. [[xxi]]

The Global South Anglican Primates meeting in Kigali, September 2006 recognizing that ECUSA appears to have no intention of changing direction and once again embracing the ‘faith once delivered’ said in their communiqué: “We are convinced that the time has now come to take initial steps towards the formation of what will be recognized as a separate ecclesiastical structure of the Anglican Communion in the USA . . . . . . . We believe that we would be failing in our apostolic witness if we do not make this provision for those who hold firmly to a commitment to historic Anglican faith.” [[xxii]]

The Anglican Communion Primates meeting in Dar es Salaam in February 2007 reaffirmed the 1998 Lambeth resolution and called on ECUSA (now TEC) to consider definite actions, which could heal the communion as well as reassure those who have been alienated of adequate pastoral care. By June 2007, both the ACoC and TEC indicated unwillingness to comply but a desire to remain part of the Communion they have hurt so much. As the deadline approaches, we fail to see how these positions can be reconciled. The situation has been made even more incoherent by the decision, made earlier this year, to extend an invitation to the Lambeth Conference of those responsible for this crisis with no call to repentance, whilst rejecting bishops who have stood firm for the Faith.


All journeys must end someday

“We are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for of running a race.” (Hebrews 12:1)

These past ten years of distraction have been agonizing and the cost has been enormous. The time and financial resources spent on endless meetings whose statements and warnings have been consistently ignored is a tragic loss of resources that should have been used otherwise. It now appears, however, that the journey is coming to an end and the moment of decision is almost upon us. But this is not a time to lose heart or fail to maintain vigilance. It would be an even greater tragedy if while trying to bring others back to the Godly path, we should miss the way or lose the race.

§ We want unity but not at the cost of relegating Christ to the position of another ‘wise teacher’ who can be obeyed or disobeyed.

§ We earnestly desire the healing of our beloved Communion but not at the cost of re-writing the Bible to accommodate the latest cultural trend.

As stated in “The Road to Lambeth” [[xxiii]] “We Anglicans stand at a crossroads. One road, the road of compromise of biblical truth, leads to destruction and disunity. The other road has its own obstacles [faithfulness is never an easy way] because it requires changes in the way the Communion has been governed and it challenges [all] our churches to live up to and into their full maturity in Christ.”

The first road, the one that follows the current path of The Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Church of Canada, is one that we simply cannot take because the cost is too high. We dare not sacrifice eternal truth for mere appeasement; we cannot turn away from the source of life and love for a temporary truce.

The other road is the only one that we can embrace. It is not an easy road because it demands obedience and faithfulness from each one of us. It requires a renewed commitment to the Historic Biblical Faith. For those who have walked away from this commitment, especially The Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Church of Canada, it requires repentance, a reversal of current unscriptural policies and credible assurances concerning such basic matters as:

a. The Authority and Supremacy of Scripture.

b. The Doctrine of the Trinity

c. The person, work and resurrection of Jesus the Christ

d. The acknowledgement of Jesus as Divine and the One and only means of salvation

e. The doctrines of sin, forgiveness, reconciliation, and transformation by the Holy Spirit through Christ.

f. The sanctity of marriage and teaching about morality that is rooted in the Bible.

These are not onerous burdens or tiresome restrictions but rather they are God’s gift, designed to set us free from the bondage of sin and give us the assurance of life eternal.

It is our hope and fervent prayer that in the coming months, all those in leadership will be directed towards the restoration of true unity in the Body of Christ by an unconditional embrace of the One who says to all who will listen, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”

John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim’s Progress, describes the Christian life as a journey from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. On his journey, Pilgrim is confronted by numerous decisions and many crossroads. The easy road was never the right road. This is our moment of truth.

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. (Deuteronomy 30:19,20a)

+ Peter Abuja

-----------------------
[FOOTNOTES]

[i] The Kuala Lumpur statement on Human Sexuality available here.

[ii] Communiqué of the Primates meeting in Dar es Salaam in February 2007 available here.

[iii] Lambeth 1998 resolution 1.10 text is available here.

[iv] Communiqué of the Primates meeting in Porto in March, 2000, available here.

[v] Text of Resolution D039 from General Convention 2000 can be found here.

[vi] Communiqué from the Primates meeting in Kanuga, North Carolina in March 2001, available here.

[vii] Communiqué from the Primates meeting in Canterbury in April 2002, available here.

[viii][viii] Diocese of New Westminster policies on Same Sex Blessings can be found here.

[ix] Resolutions from ACC-12 meeting in Hong Kong in October 2002, available here.

[x] Test of Resolution B001 rejected by General Convention 2003, available here.

[xi] Text of Resolution endorsing the election of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire, available here.

[xii] Communiqué from the Primates meeting in Lambeth Palace in October 2003, available here.

[xiii] Statement from Church of Nigeria breaking Communion with the Diocese of New Westminster, available here.

[xiv] The full text of the Windsor Report is available here.

[xv] Statement from the Primates gathered at the first African Anglican Bishops’ Conference is available here.

[xvi] Communiqué from the Primates meeting in Dromantine in February 2005, available here.

[xvii] Statement issued on 15th September 2005 describing actions of the General Synod is available here.

[xviii] Communiqué from 3rd South to South Encounter held in October 2005 text available here.

[xix] Article describing reaction by Archbishop Rowan to California election is found in Church of England Newspaper, February 24th, 2006

[xx] Episcopal News Service describing the election is available here.

[xxi] Minutes of the Church of Nigeria House of Bishops meeting June 2006

[xxii] Communiqué from the Primates meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, in September, 2006, available here.

[xxiii]Complete text of the Report “The Road to Lambeth” is available here.

Lincoln Brewster - "Love the Lord"

So, what is the Dean of Nashotah House doing promoting a contemporary Christian music video? Well, let's just say that I am liturgically and musically ambidextrous. If you are an Anglican who is into contemporary Christian music, try imagining the following piece as a response to the Summary of the Law (in place of the Gloria—a rubrically permissable substitution in the 1979 BCP) for use in a contemporary worship setting.

If your liturgical taste stops with Healey Willan and the 1928 BCP, do not click on the video below. It will only give you apoplexy, or the vapors, or something. If it is too late, and you have already clicked on the video, just take two aspirin, or maybe a stiff Gin & Tonic, and lie down. It will pass.

And if you haven't understood a word I have said in the preceding two paragraphs, I hope you'll enjoy the video anyway.



♪ I will love You Lord
With all my heart
With all my soul
With all my mind
And with all my strength...♪

4 Simpsons Blog takes a poke at false teachers (D'oh!)

One virtue (perhaps the only virtue, IMHO) of the television show, The Simpsons, is that it often tells the truth about things we don't want to recognize and does it in a humorous way. The same goes for this blog (also apparently by four individuals named Simpson) dealing with false teachers in organized Christianity and a lot of other things.

A Response to the Rev'd Prof. Christopher Seitz

I want to express my thanks for the many responses to what began as a comment on a piece Greg Griffith had posted on Stand Firm before Matt Kennedy elevated my response to the level of an article. I thank Matt for that as well.

To Chris Seitz, I must hasten to say that I never intended to suggest that all of you in the ACI "have avoided academic conflict, fought no battles in University life, written no books that did not earn them derision and hurt their professional ‘advancement’..." All of you have done and continue to do great work for Christ—and at considerable cost. Ephraim Radner's work on the Covenant Design Group alone is something for which all conservatives owe him a great debt. And, indeed, I would be praising him publicly, instead of criticizing him as I did, had he found a more gracious way of articulating his differences with the Network than launching a broadside against the Network's elected Moderator.

In saying that you all live "in your heads," I was not trying to be insulting; I was simply using the vernacular to refer to the tendency all of us in academia sometimes have of developing highly nuanced views of things. This is both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that it gives you the insight and the patience to work with the Windsor Bishops and other Communion leaders. The curse is that it distances you from those of us who feel like we have been wading through nuances until we have worn out our hip boots.

I have spent 26 years in theological education, 21 of those years in two Episcopal seminaries—not as long as some of you in the ACI, I know, but long enough. I have been a deputy to five General Conventions, and I still serve on several Church commissions and committees. And I am tired. Frankly, I long for godly bishops who have truly heard from our Lord, whose "yes" means "yes," and who don't need Balaam's donkey to tell them which way they ought to go. I do not have the subtlety or patience that you and Ephraim possess, so I am glad that you are where you are and are doing what you are doing. I pray God will richly bless your work.

The difference between the ACI and the Network is an example of the classic tension between diplomacy and direct action. I, along with many members of the Network and Anglicans from the Global South, believe that our present situation calls for both. So I pray that those who are committed to both approaches can work together, without disparagement, to produce the orthodox Anglican future for which we both long.

Chris Seitz responds to my response to Ephraim Radner

My response yesterday to the Rev. Dr. Ephraim Radner's resignation from the Anglican Communion Network was circulated on the Stand Firm blog by Matt Kennedy. I am very thankful for the comments many have offered to my response. One of those responses was from an esteemed colleague and friend, the Rev. Professor Christopher Seitz. I am taking the liberty of copying his response here:

I cannot imagine what it is like to be in academic life at so bucolic a setting as Nashotah House, and I have great respect for my friend Robert Munday. But the idea that ACI theologians have avoided academic conflict, fought no battles in University life, written no books that did not earn them derision and hurt their professional ‘advancement’ and just live in their heads is sad commentary from a fellow traveler.

“I fear that these gentlemen live in their heads so much that they cannot appreciate the anger and frustration of many grass roots Episcopalians who have grown weary of endless meetings, faithless leaders, and “dialogue” designed to keep conservatives occupied while liberals consolidate their gains.”

No, we are working full out with Windsor Bishops and with key leaders in the Communion precisely to the degree that we are aware of the anguish. This is not at issue. At issue is what kind of solution is to be sought: one that protects the legacy, in Christ, of what the missional life of Anglicanism is, globally.

May God bless the work of Dean Munday in the very important vocation of teaching ordinands to live in their heads, hearts, wills, hands and feet. For Christ’s sake.

A Response to Ephraim Radner

On Stand Firm, Greg Griffith has commented on the Rev. Dr. Ephraim Radner's resignation this week from the Anglican Communion Network. To say, as Greg does, that Ephraim Radner's resignation was done clumsily is too generous. His "resignation" was nothing less than an unwarranted public attack on Bishop Robert Duncan. Radner acts as if the direction the Network is taking is due to Bishop Duncan alone. Bishop Duncan is not a Pied Piper leading naive children. The members of the Network Council who met this past week are bishops and elected representatives of the several dioceses that comprise the Network, along with representatives of regional convocations composed of several thousand Episcopalians and other Anglicans in parishes that are not in Network dioceses. These elected leaders are members of diocesan councils and standing committees, deputies to the Episcopal Church's General Convention--delegates with many years of experience at all levels of the Episcopal Church. These bishops and diocesan leaders re-elected Bishop Duncan as Moderator of the Network by acclamation. Dr. Radner, on the other hand, was elected by no one and speaks for no one other than himself and possibly the other scholars of the Anglican Communion Institute.

I agree with Greg Griffith in my appreciation for Dr. Radner and the ACI's courageous and visionary efforts in the past. If I were to fault them for anything it would be this: I fear that these gentlemen live in their heads so much that they cannot appreciate the anger and frustration of many grass roots Episcopalians who have grown weary of endless meetings, faithless leaders, and "dialogue" designed to keep conservatives occupied while liberals consolidate their gains.

Dr. Radner criticizes Bishop Duncan for saying the See of Canterbury and the Lambeth Conference are lost. It is worth reading what he actually said, in context, here.

When Rowan Williams opened the Dar Es Salaam meeting by presenting a ridiculous report suggesting that TEC had done enough to comply with the request of the Primates, it was the last straw for many conservatives. It was also at that moment that several of the Primates determined there was no hope in Canterbury and that they should go home and do what they have since done in designating new bishops to be consecrated for work in North America. Can Dr. Radner read that report, and look at the aftermath of Dar Es Salaam, and not see that the Archbishop of Canterbury has lost his way?

Many of the Global South Primates and a growing number of bishops in Rowan's own province have come to the conclusion that the Lambeth Conference may be lost as well. And if it is ultimately lost, it will be for no other reason than the ineffectual leadership of the present Archbishop of Canterbury.

Dr. Radner and the members of the ACI may want us to believe there is some hope in waiting until September 30. If so, they are expecting us to trust in a process and in leadership that have thus far proven themselves unworthy. They should not be surprised that there are those of us who think their optimism is just as unwarranted as their criticism of the Network leadership.

Questions Worth Answering

Over 200 years ago, John Wesley gave his followers 22 questions to ask themselves every day in their private devotions.  The questions originated in the spiritual accountability group started by Wesley when he was a student at Oxford—a group that detractors called "The Holy Club."

1. Am I consiously or unconsiously creating the impression that I am better than I really am?  In other words, am I a hypocrite?



2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?



3. Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence?



4. Can I be trusted?



5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?



6. Am I self-consious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?



7. Did the Bible live in me today?



8. Do I give it time to speak to me every day?



9. Am I enjoying prayer?



10. When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?



11. Do I pray about the money I spend?



12. Do I go to bed on time and get up on time?



13. Do I disobey God in anything?



14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?



15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?



16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?



17. How do I spend my spare time?



18. Am I proud?



19. Do I thank God that I am not like other people?



20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, critisize, hold a resentment toward or disregard?



21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?



22. Is Christ real to me?

"Encourage one another daily . . . so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness" (Hebrews 3:13).

Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi: "What is Anglicanism?"

The current issue of First Things, contains a compelling article by Ugandan Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi, entitled, "What is Anglicanism?" In it, he rehearses some of the history of the Anglican Church in Uganda, which he says is based on "three pillars: martyrs, revival, and the historic episcopate."

It would be easy to dismiss Archbishop Orombi's comments as being a natural reflection of the state of Uganda's relatively young church. But that would be a mistake. "Martyrdom," the commitment to love and confess the Gospel, even at the cost of one's life, lies at the heart of Ugandan Christian identity. But it is also incumbent on every Christian. As theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, "The cross is laid on every Christian... When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die."

"Revival" speaks of the need for the Church continually to be refreshed and empowered by the Holy Spirit. The lesson that we can and must learn from the African Church is that revival is not an option for the Church, but an ongoing necessity.

Regarding the "historic episcopate" Orombi says, "More than a simple unbroken line of consecrations, we are to be apostolic in nature: faithful to the apostolic message, submitted to apostolic authority in Scripture, committed to apostolic mission and ministry, and devoted to apostolic worship."

I have often said that encountering the Church in the Global South is like stepping into the pages of the Acts of the Apostles. Anyone who reads Orombi's article will see what I mean.

I pray that the Anglican world takes note of Archbishop Orombi's words--and those in the Western Church who might be otherwise inclined to disagree with Orombi need to hear them most. His words convey a powerful truth--a truth that must shape the future of Anglicanism if it is to survive.

If Everyone Cared (music video by Nickelback)

Even if you don't like rock music, the message is poignant.



"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. "
Margaret Mead
US anthropologist & popularizer of anthropology (1901 - 1978)

Cherie Wetzel on Exec Council Meeting, #4

As I write these words, the following report from Cherie Wetzel (number 4 in a series convering the current meeting of the Episcopal Church's Executive Council) has not yet been posted to the Anglicans United website, but it is being circulated by e-mail. I am reposting it here in its entirety, because I believe that it is a significant piece of reporting, if one wishes to understand the current mindset and character of the Episcopal Church.

Reporting on June 13, 2007

Hi, Everyone.

Well, the surprises never end here. Just about the time that you think the crowd can't be any more revisionist, some other person shows up. Today's surprise guest is Bishop Michael Ingham, Diocese of New Westminster (Vancouver) Canada. He is the Canadian observer to The Episcopal Church (TEC).

The day ended with a two-hour plenary session. Mrs. Schori chaired the meeting, doing the introductions. She shared glowing words about the courageous bishop from Canada, lamenting that they only had a year to share with him as Canadian observer. Bishop Ingham, the only bishop in Canada to insist on the right to do same-sex marriages, and generally thought to be apostate, was given a standing ovation.

His remarks were brief, "This is a time of turmoil in the Communion and I have appreciated how TEC has tried to maintain connection with the Anglican Communion and yet defend your polity.

He continued, "There is a great deal of animosity and tension in the air right now. (general statement; not here at Council.) Rowan Williams (Archbishop of Canterbury) came to Canada last month to our House of Bishops' meeting. He shared one entire day with us - a silent retreat day with four small talks that he presented. His presentations on the Scriptures were brilliant. Rowan is quite a scholar." (The talks have all been torn to shreds by theologians and church historians; one expert even questioned the basic interpretation of the scriptures.)

"There were fleeting minutes to ask him questions, but no time for him to ask us questions. No time to talk about what it was like right now to be the Church in Canada. And then he was gone. Don't let that happen to your design when he comes to speak with you in September." (The Archbishop will meet with our House of Bishops in New Orleans in late September.)

Canada begins their once every three years Synod next week. They will also elect a new Archbishop and will vote again on same-sex blessings. This issue nearly passed in 2004. However, Ingham noted that it cannot be "marriage" unless the liberals can figure out a way to change the church canons at one Synod instead of the constitutional requirement for 75% of both houses approve two Synods in a row. They will try and get a one time 60% approval vote this Synod; he is worried that they will spend all their time arguing about what percentage is "enough." The Canadian government approved same sex marriage several months ago. So this synod will attempt to change the marriage Canons wording to include two men or two women, instead of the historical one man and one woman; otherwise, it will only be a blessing and gays will still be second-class citizens. This will make it very hard to compete with the United Church of Canada, who can already do same-sex marriages.

The other big issue at this Synod is the depopulation of the rural areas of Canada, especially those areas above the Artic Circle. There are resolutions suggesting they reduce the number of dioceses, diocesan offices, bishops and staffs. Since the Anglican Church of Canada almost went bankrupt paying the abuse claims from the residential schools for indigenous children over the past five years, finances are a significant issue.

Ingham concluded with," I doubt that anything will happen with same-sex marriage. If it does, it will make things with the Communion uncomfortable for us and by relationship, for you. Regardless, we have to pursue these issues." This is when the standing ovation happened.

We heard several other reports prior to the main event of the afternoon: Davis Mac-Iyalla, the Nigerian gay man, was ushered into the room, replete with African garb. He was introduced by the chairman of the National Concerns Committee, who was responsible for inviting him to come and speak to the two committees on Monday. Today, he was center stage with the entire Council and many gay activist guests. It was the closest thing to worship that I have seen since I arrived here.

Davis spoke clearly and with great excitement. He relayed a similar story to what we heard on Monday. Details were changed when necessary; but the bottom line was that Peter Akinola and other African Archbishops are lying to the rest of the Communion. Their actions are willful and intentional. And at home, they are conniving with the government to make being a homosexual punishable by death. (Davis continues to ignore the fact that under Muslim Sharia law, homosexuality IS punishable by death. He refuses to acknowledge that any further penetration of this country by the Moslems puts not only he, but all 2000 members of his gay advocacy group Changing Attitudes, in great danger.)

The biggest portion of his talk today blamed everyone else: the archbishops, the police, the government. Gays can't help it. It is not their fault. They can't help acting out in public. They can't restrain themselves and shouldn't have to. The Episcopal Church has to help them secure the freedom that gays in this country have.

Sadly, most saw this as a sacred obligation. TEC MUST do something to protect the lives and ensure the freedom to be gay for people in Nigeria. And, all over Africa. That is how they are going to "stick it" to the archbishops who have been such a source of aid for the Biblically orthodox in America; and such a source of enmity for the leaders of TEC.

I bid you peace and a good night's sleep. Do not be discouraged by these proceedings. God will not be mocked. I will write again in the morning, as Mrs. Schori and Bishop Ingham are con-celebrating at the Eucharist. I will not attend. May God have mercy on me, a sinner.

Cherie Wetzel for Anglicans United
July 13, 2007, 10:30 PM

Kenyan Primate to Consecrate Former Episcopalian as U.S. Bishop

From The Living Church:

The Most Rev. Benjamin Nzimbi, Primate of Kenya, has announced he will consecrate the Rev. Canon Bill Atwood as a suffragan bishop to oversee the U.S.-based congregations of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK).

The Aug. 30 consecration of Canon Atwood as “Suffragan Bishop of All Saints' Cathedral Diocese, Nairobi” is “part of a broader and coordinated plan with other provinces,” Archbishop Nzimbi said on June 12, to “support the international interests of the Anglican Church of Kenya, including support of Kenyan clergy and congregations in North America.”

An undisclosed number of Global South primates are expected to participate in Canon Atwood’s consecration in Nairobi and are expected to work with the Kenyan Churc h in forming a “North American Anglican Coalition.”

Read it all.

Has Hollywood run out of ideas?

I was just looking at the list of movies at my local theater. Half of the titles showing right now are sequels: For starter's, there's Ocean's Thirteen, following Ocean's Twelve(2004), and Ocean's Eleven (2001), which was itself a unnecessary and inferior remake of the 1960's Ocean's Eleven, starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and the rest of the Rat Pack. Then there's the third installment of Pirates of the Caribean, Shrek the Third, Hostel-Part II, and Spiderman 3. Hollywood is so lacking in creativity that sequels rule the box office.

Then there is the growing number of movies that are based on old television shows. Here's just a partial list:

The A-Team (scheduled for 2008 release)
The Addams Family
The Avengers
Batman (so many sequels I have lost count)
The Beverly Hillbillies
Bewitched
The Brady Bunch
Charlie's Angels
Dallas (announced)
Dragnet
The Dukes of Hazzard
The Flintstones
The Fugitive
George of the Jungle
Get Smart
Gilligan's Island
I Dream Of Jeannie (scheduled for 2008 release)
Inspector Gadget
I Spy
The Jetsons Movie (Live action) (Possible 2009 release]
Leave it to Beaver
Lizzie McGuire
Lost in Space
Maverick
McHale's Navy
Miami Vice
Mission: Impossible
The Mod Squad
The Monkees
The Munsters
Mr. Bean
Mr. Magoo
My Favorite Martian
Popeye - live action movie based on the cartoon and comics.
Rocky and Bullwinkle
Scooby-Doo
Star Trek
Starsky & Hutch
The Twilight Zone
The Untouchables
The Wild Wild West

A longer list can be found here.

It is one thing to make a popular show into a feature length film. But Hollywood has clearly gone trolling through the history of television, looking for any old show they think people will pay to see made into a movie. Why? They've run out of ideas! Can the end of civilization be far behind?

Judging from the quality of some of these movies, it has already arrived.

Global Schism: Is the Anglican Communion Rift the First Stage in a Wider Christian Split?

Some of the nation's leading journalists gathered in Key West, Fla., in May 2007 for the Pew Forum's biannual Faith Angle Conference on religion, politics and public life.

Philip Jenkins, a Penn State University professor and one of the first scholars to call attention to the rising demographic power of Christians in the southern hemisphere, analyzed the ongoing schism in the worldwide Anglican church. While the dispute concerns attitudes toward homosexuality, Jenkins argues the core of the conflict lies in how biblical authority is defined.

Will the current alliances between conservative Western and African leaders endure? Will African leaders begin to press an ultra-liberal economic agenda? Are other mainline denominations in the U.S. headed for similar splits? Jenkins answered these and others questions, while offering a fascinating glimpse into the life of African Christianity.

Read it all.

The Risen Christ

A beautiful new hymn from Keith Getty—a composer who, in my opinion, is a modern-day Charles Wesley:

The Risen Christ

O breath of God, come fill this place;
Revive our hearts to know Your grace;
And from our slumber make us rise
That we may know the Risen Christ.

O Word of God, so clear and true,
Renew our minds to trust in You;
And give to us the bread of life
That we may know the Risen Christ.

O love of God, so unrestrained,
Refresh our souls in Jesus' name.
Let us reflect Your sacrifice
That we may know the Risen Christ.

May God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit make us one.
In holiness let us unite
That we may know the Risen Christ.

No Small Event

The blogosphere has been buzzing all week over the installation of Martyn Minns as Missionary Bishop in the Church of Nigeria for CANA—the Convocation of Anglicans in North America. Not surprisingly, conservative bloggers have been praising this action; liberal bloggers have been dissing it, as has PB, Katharine Jefferts Schori herself, who according to the New York Times, stated that “an invitation to episcopal ministry here without any notice or prior invitation” was not in keeping with “the ancient practice in most of the church...” So Katharine is finally concerned with adhering to the ancient practice of the Church. Let's hope this is the beginning of a trend.

But why all the fuss? It has been well over a year since the Synod of the province of Nigeria voted to set up CANA. Martyn Minns went to Nigeria to be consecrated a missionary Bishop on August 20, 2006. Surely these actions were more significant; and just as surely, last week's installation in Virginia was simply the next step along a predictable path.

Two observations, neither of which is original: (1) It happened over here. Nevermind that a priest from Virginia goes to Nigeria and is consecrated, just as long as nothing happens over here that might convince North Americans that they can be Anglicans apart from TEC. (2) The installation over here is starting to drive the point home that TEC's actions might actually result in consequences that matter.

Whatever the case, the reactions on both the right and left make it clear this is no small event.



Filmed at Hylton Chapel
Woodbridge, VA
Produced by Kevin Kallsen
by AnglicanTV

How To Save A Life

How To Save A Life (lyrics) by The Fray

♪Step one you say we need to talk
He walks you say sit down it's just a talk
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through
Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
Between the lines of fear and blame
And you begin to wonder why you came♪

♪Where did i go wrong, i lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And i would have stayed up with you all night
Had i known how to save a life♪

♪Let him know that you know best
Cause after all you do know best
Try to slip past his defense
Without granting innocence
Lay down a list of what is wrong
The things you've told him all along
And pray to God he hears you♪

♪Where did i go wrong, i lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And i would have stayed up with you all night
Had i known how to save a life♪

♪As he begins to raise his voice
You lower yours and grant him one last choice
Drive until you lose the road
Or break with the ones you've followed
He will do one of two things
He will admit to everything
Or he'll say he's just not the same
And you'll begin to wonder why you came♪

♪Where did i go wrong, i lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And i would have stayed up with you all night
Had i known how to save a life♪

Turning green? Make your own biodiesel fuel at home

Now here's something different: running a diesel car or truck on fuel made from recycled kitchen grease. Of course, if we all do this, there won't be enough restaurants to supply the used grease for recycling. But if this can achieve commercial viability, it's goodbye petroleum, hello biofuel!

Bishop will marry under N.H. civil unions law

I was in Chicago today on Nashotah House's annual Church Tour. As our group was leaving one of the churches, someone pointed to a newsstand containing the Chicago Free Press, a local gay newspaper. The cover article vividly illustrated what other media reported earlier this week:

The Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, says he and his partner of 18 years will be among the couples taking advantage of New Hampshire's soon-to-be-signed civil unions law.

Now take a look at the last few posts on this blog:
1. The Presiding Bishop says, "it has become a vocation for the Episcopal Church to keep questions of human sexuality in conversation, and before not just the rest of our own church, but the rest of the world."
2. The ex-governor of New Jersey, who had to resign from office following admission of a homosexual relationship with an aide and who is divorcing his wife, has been accepted into an Episcopal seminary.
3. The bishop of New Hampshire, whose elevation to that office, coupled with the Episcopal Church's refusal to repent for that elevation, threatens to divide the Anglican Communion, now says he will marry his partner in a civil union ceremony, once the new law in New Hampshire goes into effect.

You have to admit it has been one helluva week--though exactly how you mean that statement will depend on whether you are for these developments or opposed to them. Whatever the case, it is becoming increasingly hard to deny that Gay Rights and the Millennium Development Goals have become the new Gospel of the Episcopal Church. It is also hard to deny that the leadership of TEC probably sees all of this week's events as good publicity.

McGreevey to Enter Episcopal Seminary

NEWARK, N.J. (May 3) - The nation's first openly gay governor has become an Episcopalian and been accepted into a seminary, according to a published report.

Former Gov. James E. McGreevey, who was raised as a Roman Catholic, was officially received into the Episcopal religion on Sunday at St. Bartholomew's Church in New York, said the Rev. Kevin Bean, vicar at the church.

McGreevey has entered the church's "discernment" phase, which usually precedes seminary work, Bean told The Star-Ledger of Newark in a report posted Wednesday on its Web site.

McGreevey, 49, shocked the nation in August 2004 by proclaiming himself "a gay American" who had an extramarital affair with a male aide, and said he would resign that November. The aide denies having an affair and claims he was sexually harassed by the former governor.

McGreevey has been accepted to study at the General Theological Seminary in New York, the oldest in the Episcopal Church, school spokesman Bruce Parker said Wednesday. "Mr. McGreevey has been admitted to the master of divinity program and he will be starting in the fall," Parker said.

Episcopal leader holds firm on gay rights

From the Boston Globe, April 25, 2007:

Episcopal leader holds firm on gay rights... Says N.H. bishop's election a blessing

In an interview during a visit to Boston, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori compared the gay rights struggle to battles over slavery and women's rights, and said she believes that it has become a vocation for the Episcopal Church [emphasis added] "to keep questions of human sexuality in conversation, and before not just the rest of our own church, but the rest of the world."

Read it all.

Sadly, the patient is not only quite ill, but in denial as well.

♪"Baby, baby why can't you sit still?
Who killed that bird out on your window sill?
Are you the reason that he broke his back?
Did I see you laugh about that?"♪

♪"I need a rem-e-dy
for what is a-ailin' me..."♪

Remedy, by The Black Crowes

A Visit From the Archbishop
Written by The Anglican Communion Institute
Wednesday, 25 April 2007

It is becoming obvious that the leadership of TEC means to move resolutely ahead with its mission of civil rights and inclusion, insisting that these are imperatives of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a kind of brand name for American Episcopalianism. (We leave to the side whether inclusion or civil rights are being honored or thwarted by this idea.)

In the light of the failure to respond positively to the communiqué of the Primates Meeting, the course being charted is becoming increasingly clear. Apparently the Archbishop of Canterbury is prepared to hear out the leadership of TEC on an alternative plan that will deal with the problems it has created for life in Communion. But the disconnect that will result could be palpable, not least because TEC leadership does not acknowledge that it has created a problem that requires any remedy of the kind an Instrument of Unity has recently urged, with urgency. It views the problem as 'conservatives' out of step with the enlightened views it holds. The recent reports of Presiding Bishop Schori's comments make this very clear indeed.

... [SNIP] ...

Efforts to delay or to seek another form of 'peace' can only be seen as yet another example of American unilateralism. There is nothing wrong, uncanonical, imperial, or otherwise with the communique's requests. The requests address with clarity and charity a problem that unilateralists in the Communion have created. There is no evidence that the Primates are seeking fresh alternatives to the communiqué they crafted, and Archbishop Rowan is going the extra mile to take the pulse up close. Sadly, the patient is not only quite ill, but in denial as well.

Read it all.

Our vocation is to share in God’s happiness

Fr Timothy Radcliffe on "Hearing the Call"—

We often think that our existence is a bald fact. But it isn’t. To exist at all is to be called by God. A star would not exist if God had not called it into being. There is a lovely passage in the Book of Baruch where God sees the stars and they joyfully cry out: “Here we are! Here we are!” The stars say “yes” to God. And everything that exists – including our own apparently insignificant lives – is a “yes” to the God who calls.

What’s odd about human beings is that we don’t just say “yes” by existing; we also say “yes” with our words. God speaks a word to us and we reply with words. And that, in fact, is why we were created: to answer God’s word. This human vocation, which we all share regardless of our particular calling, is expressed in the beautiful Hebrew word hineni, which means, “here I am”. When God calls Moses from the burning bush, Moses replies: “Hineni.” When Isaiah hears a voice asking “Whom shall I send?” he replies: “Hineni. Send me.” So, the human vocation is to say “here I am” when God calls.

We live at a time when there is an awful loss of confidence in the meaning of human existence. We have no idea what the future of humanity holds, of what disasters and violence lie ahead, of whether we shall be blown up by bombs or drowned by the rising sea or fried by global warming. But when we say “here I am” to God, we recognise that we are called by Him and going to Him. ....

Read it all.

Nickelback - Savin' me [ music video ]

Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life (Psalm 39:4).

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12).

"Liberal Anglicans verge on heresy"

It took me awhile to quit laughing at this pathetic title of a piece in the London (Ontario) Free Press by Canadian journalist Rory Leishman. "Liberal Anglicans verge on heresy."   Verge?????

The problem is that the Canadians have never really mastered the British art of understatement. When they try it they just look wimpy.

But after I stopped laughing, I read the rest of the piece, and Leishman's last two paragraphs were worth the effort:

Over the centuries, heretical sects have broken with the injunctions of Scripture. These sects have disappeared. Like a number of other liberal denominations, the Anglican Church of Canada and the Episcopal Church of the United States are now poised also to lapse into heresy and wither away.

Regardless, Christians can be certain about the ultimate survival of the holy, catholic and apostolic church. In the words of a classic hymn: "Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane, but the church of Jesus constant will remain. Gates of hell can never 'gainst that church prevail; we have Christ's own promise, and that cannot fail."

Read it all.

Colorado Episcopal Church Battles Diocese

DENVER (AP) - Colorado's largest Episcopal congregation was left in turmoil Tuesday after leaders voted to leave the denomination and the bishop responded by dismissing the parish's leadership.

The controversy at Colorado Springs' Grace Episcopal Church and St. Stephen's Parish is the latest in a tense dispute among Episcopalians and their fellow Anglicans worldwide over how they should interpret what the Bible says about sexuality and other issues.
...
[Read it all.]
...
The leaders of Grace and St. Stephen's voted to join the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, a missionary diocese of the Church of Nigeria led by Archbishop Peter J. Akinola.

Armstrong has led the 2,500-member congregation for 19 years. The diocese said in a statement Jan. 3 that he had been placed on 90-day leave the previous week, following a nine-month review of the church's finances. It did not release details of the allegations against him.

Parish leaders cited the handling of Armstrong's suspension, along with the denomination's rejection of the "historic faith," as reasons for the vote.

Senior warden Jon Wroblewski said the parish had fought for a return to orthodoxy within the denomination but has lost hope in reform.

"It's clear that The Episcopal Church no longer believes in the historic, orthodox Christian faith common to all believers. It's also clear that purported Episcopal values of 'inclusion' do not apply to orthodox believers," Wroblewski said in the statement.

Several Virginia Episcopal churches voted late last year to align with Akinola, including prominent congregations in Fairfax and Falls Church. Clergy in the breakaway churches were warned by Episcopal leaders that they could be removed from the ministry.

The Episcopal Church is the U.S. wing of the 77 million-member Anglican Communion, a fellowship of churches that traces its roots to the Church of England.

Anglicans have been debating for decades how they should interpret Scripture on salvation, truth and sexuality. Those divisions reached the breaking point in 2003 when Episcopalians consecrated the church's first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.

Read it all.

---

On the Net:

• Grace and St. Stephen's Parish


• Episcopal Diocese of Colorado

Episcopal Bishops Reject Ultimatum

From the Associated Press:

NEW YORK (AP) - Episcopal bishops meeting privately in Texas have rejected demands from the world's Anglicans that they provide an alternate leader for conservatives who oppose ordaining gays - a move that brings the church to the brink of expulsion from the Anglican Communion.

In the strongest and most direct language yet defending their support for gay relationships, the bishops said that accepting a second leader for traditionalists would violate Episcopal church law and the founding principles of the church.

"We cannot accept what would be injurious to the church and could well lead to its permanent division," the bishops said in the resolution.

Last month, Anglican leaders emerged from a meeting in Tanzania with an ultimatum for the U.S. denomination. They gave Episcopalians until Sept. 30 to unequivocally pledge not to consecrate another partnered gay bishop or authorize official prayers for same-sex couples. Otherwise, they said, the church risked a much-reduced role in the 77 million-member Anglican Communion.

Read the rest here.

Islam Could Become Europe's Dominant Religion, Experts Say

By Kevin McCandless
CNSNews.com Correspondent
March 02, 2007

London (CNSNews.com) - As the Anglican Communion continues to fight over homosexuality and as church attendance plummets, experts say that Islam is well on its way to becoming the most dominant religion in Europe.

Meeting in London this week in their General Synod, the leaders of the Church of England continued to feverishly debate the role of gay and lesbian priests, an issue that increasingly threatens to cause a schism in the worldwide Anglican Communion.

This follows another meeting in Tanzania last week in which Anglican bishops issued an official warning over the matter to the Episcopal Church, the American wing of the Communion. Under threat of being relegated to a lesser role in the Communion, the Episcopal Church must promise by the end of September not to consecrate another homosexual bishop or introduce prayers for gay couples.

Currently, research studies show that church attendance in Britain is dropping precipitously, as well as across the whole of Western Europe.

According to Christian Research, a British think tank, only 6.3 percent of the British population in 2005 attended Christian services on a weekly basis.

The group also projects that around 4,000 churches will close over the next 15 years, being sold off or rehabilitated for other uses.

Reflecting a trend around Europe, British churches in the past decade have been transformed into restaurants, cafes, art galleries, mosques, and in one notable instance, a training school for circus acrobats in Bristol.

But while church attendance on the continent reportedly shows a similar decline, the level of Muslim religious participation and the Muslim population itself has exploded.

In recent years, experts say that young European Muslims are returning to the faith which their parents observed only sporadically, becoming much more devout.

Though Muslims only comprise around 3 percent of the British population, Christian Research says that in 35 years there will be twice as many Muslims in mosques on Friday as there are Christians in churches on Sunday.

In a 2004 ICM poll of 500 British Muslims, 51 percent said that they prayed every day.

In November, a study by the Spanish magazine Alba said that more mosques and prayer centers have been built in France than churches over the last century, with over 4,000 mosques currently serving the largest Muslim population in Europe.

Europe has seen a wave of Muslim immigration during the last century, in large part from the countries of North Africa, and some experts predict that they will become the dominant population by the end of this century.

In January, the Islam-Archive Central Institute, a government-sponsored think tank, projected that Muslims will be the majority population of Germany by 2046, based on their higher fertility rates.

Brent Nelson, an expert on European Islam at Furman University in South Carolina, told Cybercast News Service Thursday it was hard to guess what a Europe with a large Muslim minority would look like.

However, he said that unless Christians and Muslims as a whole learn to compromise and live together, there was a danger of a clash between the two cultures.

From introducing daily prayers into the workplace to building mosques and minarets in cities, there would be endless grounds for conflict in the future, he said.

"The danger is that Europe will not come to terms with what it means to absorb a large Muslim population," he said. "And in turn that Muslims won't come to terms with what it means to live in the West, the need to compromise with Western values. If that doesn't occur, you'll have a culture war which will dwarf anything we've seen in the United States."

David Masci, a senior research fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, said Thursday it was difficult for many Muslim immigrants to accept the secular nature of countries like Holland.

"Look," he said. "Holland is a society which is very, very liberal in terms of attitudes towards gender and towards sexuality. These people are clearly pushing against that."

However, he added that the Pentecostal and Evangelical strains of Christianity were showing a revival in Europe, spurred on by an influx of immigrants from Africa and Asia.

Though he didn't believe that Muslims would become the majority in Europe, he said he did see Muslims and Evangelical Christians eventually working together to achieve common goals, in areas such as curbing abortion laws and same-sex marriages.

Sara Silvestri, an expert on European Islam at Chatham House, a London-based think tank, that many Muslims also had a tendency to exaggerate their religious beliefs when asked.

In times of crisis, she told Cybercast News Service , events over the last five years and the media spotlight on Islamic issues pushed previously nominal Muslims to be more active in their faith.

"I know Muslims who don't wear a veil, who don't grow a beard, but who still identify themselves as a Muslim in the social sphere," she said.

On Wednesday, Nicole Bourque, a professor of religious studies at Glasgow University, said that she thought increasing numbers of Christians would convert to Islam in the coming years.

She said that she knew of around 200 converts in Glasgow alone, mostly lapsed Christians who had grown up without a strong religious background.

While many were women who had married Muslim men, she said many had been attracted to learn more about Islam by its increased profile since 2001.

Oh, and by the way...

One other thing the Primates asked of The Episcopal Church in their recent Communique from the Tanzania meeting was:

On property disputes
The Primates urge the representatives of The Episcopal Church and of those congregations in property disputes with it to suspend all actions in law arising in this situation. We also urge both parties to give assurances that no steps will be taken to alienate property from The Episcopal Church without its consent or to deny the use of that property to those congregations.

When I first read the Primates Communique, I would have bet some serious money that nothing in this Communique would stop the Episcopal Church's attorneys, who seem hell-bent on suing as many departing congregations and, in general, inflicting as much pain on orthodox Anglicans as they possibly can.

Well, I was right...

Lawyers for the Episcopal Church have told two attorneys representing some of the 11 Diocese of Virginia congregations involved in a legal dispute over possession of church property that "there is no basis at this time" to put that litigation on hold.

Washington, D.C. attorneys Mary A. McReynolds and Steffen N. Johnson asked by letter on February 22 that the litigation be put on hold after the communiqué issued at the end of the recent Primates' Meeting "urge[d] the representatives of The Episcopal Church and of those congregations in property disputes with it to suspend all actions in law arising in this situation."

The Primates' recommendation concerning litigation was one of a number of interrelated recommendations which they made concerning the way the Episcopal Church should deal with disagreements among its members.

In their February 26 reply, David Booth Beers, chancellor to Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, and his colleague Heather H. Anderson, first reminded the two attorneys that the Anglican Communion is a federation and not a "juridical or legislative body."

Thus, they wrote, it "has no legal authority over the affairs of its members."

I hope the Primates are paying attention.

Well, I tried...

Okay. Okay. Okay. I said I wasn't going to do it; but I am. I said I wasn't going to rant about the nonsense happening in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion right now. I said I was going to get this blog back on its original mission of focusing on the things that pertain to the Church's mission to take the Gospel "to all the world"--hence the name of the blog.

But sometimes things get in the way of the Church's mission. And right now LOTS of things are getting in the way of the Episcopal Church's mission. And, just like the Arian Controversy or the Pelagian Controversy, the Church isn't going to get back on its mission fully unless and until it deals with its heresy.

In case you aren't an Anglican, what you need to know is this: The Primates (leaders of the 38 regional and national provinces of the Anglican Communion) met in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, February 14-19, 2007. The Primates dealt with a number of issues; but, just as in the case of the two ancient controversies I mentioned above, this gathering of bishops dealt with a new controversy that is dividing the Episcopal Church and that threatens to divide the Anglican Communion: It is the issue created by the Episcopal Church's blessing of same-sex unions and ordaining persons living in same-sex relationships--an issue made most pointed by the Episcopal Church's consent to the election of a partnered gay bishop for the Diocese of New Hampshire, in 2003.

The Primates Communique outlined their concern:

At the heart of our tensions is the belief that The Episcopal Church has departed from the standard of teaching on human sexuality accepted by the Communion in the 1998 Lambeth Resolution 1.10 by consenting to the episcopal election of a candidate living in a committed same-sex relationship, and by permitting Rites of Blessing for same-sex unions. The episcopal ministry of a person living in a same-sex relationship is not acceptable to the majority of the Communion.

The Primates continued:

[W]e believe that there remains a lack of clarity about the stance of The Episcopal Church, especially its position on the authorisation of Rites of Blessing for persons living in same-sex unions. There appears to us to be an inconsistency between the position of General Convention and local pastoral provision. We recognise that the General Convention made no explicit resolution about such Rites and in fact declined to pursue resolutions which, if passed, could have led to the development and authorisation of them. However, we understand that local pastoral provision is made in some places for such blessings. It is the ambiguous stance of The Episcopal Church which causes concern among us.

The Primates then declared:

The standard of teaching stated in Resolution 1.10 of the Lambeth Conference 1998 asserted that the Conference "cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions". The primates stated in their pastoral letter of May 2003,

"The Archbishop of Canterbury spoke for us all when he said that it is through liturgy that we express what we believe, and that there is no theological consensus about same sex unions. Therefore, we as a body cannot support the authorisation of such rites.".

The Primates went on to give the following admonition:

In particular, the Primates request, through the Presiding Bishop, that the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church:
1. make an unequivocal common covenant that the bishops will not authorise any Rite of Blessing for same-sex unions in their dioceses or through General Convention (cf TWR, §143, 144)...

Well, it only took seven days for the Episcopal Church to show what it thought of the Primates injunction, as seen in this well publicized wedding at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, Morristown, NJ. Read the whole story. You get the idea from the picture above. And, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

A New Beginning

I've seen this happen to lots of bloggers. It's sort of a disease--or at least a syndrome. It doesn't have a name, but it should. Something like "Blogger's Curmudgeonitis."

You know what I mean--the tendency for bloggers to go on a rant about some pet peave--or lots of pet peaves--to let the world know how utterly p___ed off they are at whatever happens to be irritating them at the moment. Well, a bad case of Blogger's Curmudgeonitis hit me sometime between February and June 2006. It has taken awhile to recover.

You see, I am an Episcopalian. And if you have read just about any newspaper or news website anytime in the past year, you may have noticed that it is a rough time for Episcopalians. If you don't know what I mean, I'd better not try to explain. Blogger's Curmudgeonitis is like Malaria; if you don't avoid certain things, it tends to come back.

Fortunately, Blogger has a feature that allows you to go back and delete posts that, after several months, strike you as being too grumpy. So I did.

Now for the new beginning: I gave this blog the name "To All the World" because the focus is supposed to be about the Church's mission to "go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15, NIV). So, in the spirit of a New Year's resolution, this blog is going to get back "on message." Stay tuned.

Is Bottled Water really such a good idea?

Bottled water, a natural resource taxing the world's ecosystem
Feb 10 10:10 AM US/Eastern

Bottled water consumption, which has more than doubled globally in the last six years, is a natural resource that is heavily taxing the world's ecosystem, according to a new US study.

"Even in areas where tap water is safe to drink, demand for bottled water is increasing, producing unnecessary garbage and consuming vast quantities of energy," according to Emily Arnold, author of the study published by the Earth Policy Institute, a Washington-based environmental group.

Arnold said although in the industrial world bottled water is often no healthier than tap water, it can end up costing 10,000 times more.

"At as much as 2.50 dollars per liter (10 dollars per gallon), bottled water costs more than gasoline," the study says.

It added that the United States was the largest consumer of bottled water, with Americans drinking 26 billion liters in 2004, or about one eight-ounce (25 cl) glass per person every day.

Mexico was the second largest consumer at 18 billion liters followed by China and Brazil at 12 billion liters each.

In terms of consumption per person, Italians came first at nearly 184 liters, or more than two glasses a day, followed by Mexico and the United Arab Emirates with 169 and 164 liters per person respectively.

Belgium and France follow close behind and Spain ranks sixth.

The study said that demand for bottled water soared in developing countries between 1999 and 2004 with consumption tripling in India and more than doubling in China during that period.

That has translated into massive costs in packaging the water, usually in plastic bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which is derived from crude oil, and then transporting it by boat, train or on land.

"Making bottles to meet Americans' demand for bottled water requires more than 1.5 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel some 100,000 US cars for a year," according to the study. "Worldwide, some 2.7 million tons of plastic are used to bottle water each year."

Once the water is consumed, disposing the plastic bottles poses an environmental risk.

The study, citing the Container Recycling Institute, said that 86 percent of plastic water bottles in the United States end up as garbage and those buried can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade.

In addition, some 40 percent of the PET bottles deposited for recycling in the United States in 2004 ended up being shipped to China.

The study warned that the rapid growth in the industry has also ironically led to water shortages in some areas, including India where bottling of Dasani water and other drinks by the Coca-Cola company has caused shortages in more than 50 villages.

It said that while consumers tend to link bottled water with healthy living, tap water can be just as healthy and is subject to more stringent regulations than bottled water in many regions, including Europe and the United States.

"In fact, roughly 40 percent of bottled water begins as tap water," the study says. "Often the only difference is added minerals that have no marked health benefits.

Recording Industry vs The People

This past Christmas there is one kind of present that was absent from our family's shopping list: CD's. That's right, no shiny discs of recorded music were to be found under our Christmas tree. We haven't bought any CD's in our household in the past year, and we probably won't for the forseeable future. Why? The recording industry has declared war on its customers. Witness the following:

It was Easter Sunday, and Patricia Santangelo was in church with her kids when she says the music recording industry peeked into her computer and decided to take her to court.

Santangelo says she has never downloaded a single song on her computer, but the industry didn't see it that way. The woman from Wappingers Falls, about 80 miles north of New York City, is among the more than 16,000 people who have been sued for allegedly pirating music through file-sharing computer networks.

"I assumed that when I explained to them who I was and that I wasn't a computer downloader, it would just go away," she said in an interview. "I didn't really understand what it all meant. But they just kept insisting on a financial settlement."

The industry is demanding thousands of dollars to settle the case, but Santangelo, unlike the 3,700 defendants who have already settled, says she will stand on principle and fight the lawsuit.

"It's a moral issue," she said. "I can't sign something that says I agree to stop doing something I never did."

Read it all here.

People like Santangelo who never downloaded music illegally are being sued by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) simply because music files were in a shared files folder on their internet connected PC. Did Santangelo illegally download the files? The RIAA doesn't know. Did anyone actually illegally copy the files just because they were available in a shared files folder. The RIAA doesn't know. The RIAA is proceeding on the assumption that anyone who uses file sharing software and who has mp3 files on their computer is guilty of copyright infringement. To date 3,700 people have paid settlements of $3,000 or more rather than risk the much greater cost of fighting in court. Now it seems the RIAA has met its match in Patricia Santangelo who is willing to fight rather than pay.

You can read more about Santangelo's case and contribute to her defense here.

Sadly, the lawsuits continue. You can read more about the abuses by the recording industry against women, children, and grandparents here.

Female Chauvinist Pigs - Ariel Levy on 'raunch culture'

Young women are expressing their sexuality more overtly, and outrageously, than ever. But in her hotly debated new book, US feminist author Ariel Levy argues that this is not liberation, it's a betrayal. She takes us on an eye-opening tour of 'raunch culture'

Read the complette article at The Independent (UK).

If that link fails, the article is archived here. [WARNING: Mature language and descriptions of sexual situations.]

If we are going to reach the culture, we have to know the culture. Consider for a moment what the liberating power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has to say to this culture, which seems only to find "liberation" in self degradation and depravity.

¹⁷So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. ¹⁸They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. ¹⁹Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

²⁰You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. ²¹Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²²You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:17-24).

When is a Crescent not just a Crescent?

Credit: Zombie

The multiculturalism that acts as a screen for "Islamophilia" hit a new low today with the unveiling of the winning design for a memorial for the victims of Flight 93, to be erected in the fields near Shanksville, Pa., where the 40 brave passengers of Flight 93 made sure their plane went down on September 11, 2001, rather than let terrorists turn it into a weapon to be used against other innocent human beings.

Blogger Michelle Malkin told her readers: "Tons of you are stunned, outraged, and sickened by the new Flight 93 Memorial, the 'Crescent of Embrace.' I called the architect responsible for the redesign, Paul Murdoch of Los Angeles, yesterday for comment. He did not return my call, but he did speak with the Johnstown, Pa., Tribune Democrat, as quoted in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

Neither Murdoch nor his supporters see any problem with the red crescent wrapped around the crash site near Shanksville, Pa., where 40 innocent people were murdered at the hands of Islamic terrorists:

"This is not about any religion per se," Murdoch said in a telephone interview with the Tribune-Democrat in Johnstown. "It's a spiritual space, and a sacred place, but it's open to anyone."
The word "crescent," he said, was used as a generic architectural term for a curved line.

Oh really. I am sure if they had tried designing the memorial in the shape of a Cross and calling it “the Cross of Embrace” the ACLU would have been jumping all over this. See also here and here. The same people who are blinded by political correctness when it comes to Islam are also incredibly ignorant of it. The crescent is every bit as much a symbol of Islam (think "Ramadan," lunar month, etc.) as the Cross is of Christianity.

Well, in one way, having a memorial to the victims of Flight 93 that reminds the viewer of Islam may be ironically appropriate. It was, after all, in the name of that religion that 40 victims were sacrificed one bright September morning.

The Dubious Heroics of Doubt

From the July 2005 issue of New Directions magazine comes the following column, entitled "Last Chronicle", dealing with a phenomenon that longtime Episcopalians/Anglicans and other mainliners have experienced: the "heroic" posturing of skeptics in clerical garb and the "prophetic" pronouncments of unregenerate agnostics on ecclesiastical payrolls.

Last Chronicle
You will have met him or (just as probably) her. S/he is a clergy person whose only theological certainty concerns the heroic dignity of doubt. Volunteer an orthodox opinion – that the tomb was empty, the conception was virginal, the gospels are reliable – and you will be told that you simply have not faced up to all the problems and difficulties involved.

Dare to suggest that it was precisely in considering those difficulties and problems that you reached your present firm opinion, and you will unleash a tirade which degenerates into a reading list.

You will ask yourself, as always, in the quiet aftermath of such a fruitless encounter, just why doubt is so much more heroic than faith. We live, do we not, in an age which has canonized uncertainty and divinized relativism? What in heaven’s name is heroic about adopting the majority position? It might be right; it is hardly glamorous.

But the fact is that the more exalted the churchperson, the more likely s/he is to adopt this curious position. Think of all the books with titles like ‘A Bishop Rethinks…’ Recall the media posturings of David Jenkins (who was a class act) and the ridiculous website of Jack Spong (who emphatically is not). (See also this website.)

You will eventually conclude, I suspect, that you are the fall guy. The heroic doubter would sink into oblivion were it not for the orthodox like you. You are the darkness against which the jewel shines. Doubt can only be portrayed as heroic if there are still enough believers to sustain it.

The Fatherhood of God (Part 1)

Why do Christians call God Father? There are those who would say that using masculine language for God is only the result of a patriarchal conception of God that we need to move beyond. But the significance of calling God Father goes much deeper than that. It is worth noting that no other religion calls God Father. Even in Old Testament Judaism, they never addressed God as Father. They might say metaphorically, that God is like a Father. But they never called God “Father” in the way that Jesus does.

Jesus brings something entirely new to the realm of human existence. He calls God "Father," because God is his Father, and he teaches his disciples, “When you pray, pray like this: “Our Father, who art in heaven…” Jesus could not call God “mother,” because he had a mother, and she wasn’t God. As we are “in Christ”—that powerful reality that the Apostle Paul deals with again and again in the New Testament—as we are in Christ, his Father becomes our Father.

But I hear the objection, “What about those who have had bad relationships with their fathers or who have had abusive fathers? It isn’t helpful for them to think of God as Father.” The problem is that naming God according to our conception of what is helpful relegates God to the level of a human construct. We don’t think of God as Father because it is a helpful analogy. We call God Father, because it is a reality—indeed the most precious reality that human beings can know&mdashthat if we are in Christ, his Father becomes our Father.

Those who may have had hurtful relationships with their earthly fathers can find healing and fulfillment in the true and perfect fatherhood of God. God's love and care for us, through Christ, is a precious and powerful truth of which we must not lose sight amid the changing religious landscape that surrounds us.