The frank Paper was written by Canon Dr Vinay Samuel, former General Secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Churches and a member of the Founding Leadership Team of GAFCON 2008; Canon Dr Chris Sugden, co-founder of the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, a Canon in the Church of Nigeria and also a member of the Founding Leadership Team of GAFCON 2008,;and the Revd Paul Eddy, a former member of the Church of England's General Synod, and the Public Relations Consultant to the Primates of the GSFA at the 2022 Lambeth Conference 2022, and widely credited for giving the GSFA a 'global voice'.

Following the Church of England's decision to introduce 'Prayers of Blessing' for couples in Same Sex Unions, the three say orthodox clergy in the CofE are seeking 'alternative episcopal oversight'. However, only four bishops on General Synod voted against the prayers, and at the GAFCON Kigali conference last month, the then Chairman, Archbishop Foley Beach, said GAFCON would not intervene and provide 'flying bishops'. Rather, any clergy/parishes wanting alternative episcopal oversight should approach the Anglican Network in Europe (ANiE). This effectively means leaving church buildings, vicarages and the CofE, and joining a 'parallel' Anglican body -- which is impractical for the vast majority of clergy/parishes.

Canon Samuel said many orthodox clergy in the CofE find themselves in something of a cul-de-sac, without a clear direction for the CofE, and the Anglican Communion. They are "stuck in the middle of decades of theological issues not being dealt with properly, just swept under the carpet for the sake of tradition and history", he said. "Today, there is an 'Anglican Communion' and a 'Church of England' in name only, but not in any way united by theology, or true Christian fellowship". He said clergy are asking whether GAFCON and the GSFA have any concrete plans, or in GAFCON's case, even believe in the Anglican Communion as it is known?

He explained: "At a global level, GAFCON is calling for a 'new communion'. But if so, who will do it and how will it be done? The GSFA say they will remain as a 'holy remnant' to reform it. But what is the theological basis of both actions and, if a new communion is to be formed, of a new communion? Without such clarity you cannot rally people to move in these uncharted waters.

"Twenty-five years after 'Lambeth 1.10', we are yet to have a strategy and plan that the Orthodox can buy into and unite over. Why is this? It is, we believe, because we have not done theological work on ecclesiology that will help us to make judgments, unite and act together. No strategy appears to have emerged in spite of so many meetings and so much change."

The paper says that throughout the history of Christian mission, people have been encouraged to give up certain cultural practices. There was discontinuity with some cultural markers of identity, but continuity in their Christian identity with all other Christians. If the paper is challenging reading for Archbishop Welby, it will also be for Primates of Anglican provinces -- some of whom have been asked to support governments wishing to criminalize homosexuality.

Canon Chris Sugden, who has served amongst churches and cultures of the Global South since 1977 says he senses a 'Kairos moment' for the Global South. An opportunity to tackle the issue which has become so culturally ingrained. He said: "For many in the Global South, their culture and identity is based on family and tribe. They [wrongly] see homosexuality as a 'disease' which would prevent human flourishing and thereby, the cessation of their family line, inheritance and status. They need gracious help, education and understanding as they work through the science and demographic proportions of homosexuality, which is rarely over 3% in any country, and more importantly, theology."

In the paper, the Revd Paul Eddy says the Kigali GAFCON conference may have unwittingly brought a merger between the GSFA and GAFCON from bottom up. He said: "Provinces such as Nigeria and Uganda have already left the Anglican Communion and see no point in continuing it. But thanks to an intervention by clergy and laity at the Kigali conference, asking that all future major decisions regarding the communion be' jointly made and published' by GAFCON and the GSFA, this tied the hands of GAFCON leaders to the broader 'holy remnant' GSFA position. GAFCON, for the first time, used the GSFA language of 're-setting' the Anglian Communion."

But, he says, a 'Theology of Culture and Cultures' needs to shape the global family's accountability. "We need a strategy that enables global multicultural communions to develop theologies and strategies drawing on the Bible and cross-cultural mission experiences."

The paper concludes with many searching questions for Global South leaders, including: -

When does a tradition go beyond acceptable limits?
When does it become illegitimate?
If acceptance of same-sex behavior (rather than orientation) is beyond the limits of the tradition, why is not the acceptance of the death penalty for homosexual behavior, or even orientation, not also ultra vires?

Are GAFCON/GFSA really interested in helping their orthodox colleagues in the Church of England to have episcopal ministry? If so, what are they planning to do about it?

What is GAFCON/GSFA's consistent biblical analysis of cultures and of how to engage with them?

What is GAFCON/GSFA's own understanding of how to engage theologically and pastorally with the experience of those with same-sex attraction?

What is GAFCON/GSFA's understanding of where the authority lies to discern and decide the meaning of the Bible?

Canon Samuel concludes: "The Anglican Communion today faces a similar issue to that addressed at the first Jerusalem Council. What are the limits of diversity? Who can 'walk together', and on what basis? The purpose of 'walking together' is not just to show unity as some very dysfunctional families attempt to do, but to demonstrate the unity the Lord gifts to his global body. This means not just mutual burden-bearing but mutual accountability and correction. We need strategies that enable this to be not just an ideal but practice on the ground."

VIRTUEONLINE ANALYSIS

By David W. Virtue, DD

First let me say that these are noble sentiments, worthy of consideration, but they will fall on deaf ears.

1.There is not a shred of evidence that Archbishop Justin Welby will heed the call of these men to a "Global Anglican Council" resembling a modern-day Council of Nicea. Welby has shown no regard for GAFCON except to call them a "ginger group."

2. Welby steadfastly refuses to acknowledge that the chairman of GAFCON, ACNA Archbishop Foley Beach is even an authentic Anglican worth talking to. Welby refused to allow Archbishop Beach to come to the last Lambeth Conference except as an observer, and has steadfastly refused to recognize his leadership in any form. Welby would have to reverse his position. Would he? Most unlikely.

3. A VOL analysis of who will attend the Primates' meeting in Rome next year reveals that only about 60% of the primates will attend and they REPRESENT ONLY 15% OF THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION.

4. Some 85% of the communion is now represented by GAFCON. They have argued that there is no point sitting down with the Archbishop of Canterbury who has been steadily pushing the Church of England off the theological and moral cliff, following closely the lead of the American Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada.

5. GAFCON sent divorce papers to Lambeth Palace and Justin Welby has steadfastly refused to sign them.

6. GAFCON leaders will never step foot on English soil, negotiate, or have any dealings with Welby and the vast bulk of the Church of England bishops because they have bought into homosexuality, and show no remorse or repentance, if blessing same sex unions remains on the table.

7. To argue that the CofE has not changed its doctrine on marriage is pure sophistry. It's a language game pure and simple, and the CofE's trajectory will follow that of the Episcopal Church that eventually led to full on acceptance of homosexual marriage and the casting out of a bishop who refused to go along with Resolution B012 which brokered homosexual marriage into the church.

8. They argue that Welby would need to recuse himself from chairing any meetings to take the Communion forward. The Council would include bishops, theologians, church historians, pastoral counsellors, academics and on-the-ground clergy dealing with these issues in different cultures, they say. Archbishops don't readily give up power, unless they are declared heretical (see Arius vs. Athanasius) and no one has the will to declare Welby a heretic and chuck him out. And you would need a Council to do that. The most you can do, and it has been done, is to declare him no longer primus inter pares. It is basically a toothless proclamation that Welby has so far ignored. In fact, Welby has taken on more papal-like powers in recent months, hobnobbing and travelling with the pope and other religious leaders. Even as calls for him to resign have echoed around the communion, Welby has dug his heels in more deeply. (For the record no one in the Episcopal Church had the courage to declare John Shelby Spong a heretic for his 12 Theses that denied every doctrine of the Christian Faith as untenable.)

9. To argue that the Kigali "trumpet" gave off an "uncertain sound" is not to do justice as to what it said. The Kigali statement called for a RESET of the whole Anglican Communion which means that Welby would have to go, and an orthodox leader take his place to lead the communion. Less than that is totally unacceptable to GAFCON leaders, who, we have noted own 85% of the communion. Quite frankly there is nothing in it for them to have Welby as their leader in any form and his replacement could only come from the Global South, not the mostly morally compromised western provinces that have long abnegated Biblical authority on human sexuality!

10. Yes, there is little doubt that GAFCON and GSFA will at some point, in the not-too-distant future unite, precisely because there is no evidence that the trajectory of the CofE is going to change, nor for that matter, any western province that allows the blessing of same-sex unions and same sex marriage. The notion of a "holy remnant" cannot go on indefinitely if Canterbury refuses to change or repent. I cannot imagine an archbishop or bishop of either GAFCON or the GSFA darkening the doors of Canterbury Cathedral with a dean living in a non-celibate same-sex relationship. Furthermore, for Welby to have an Appointments Secretary married to another man, puts the kibosh on any future orthodox appointments in the Church of England.

11. In an interview I did with Archbishop Glenn Davies of Sydney, Australia, he as much admitted that schism is inevitable, but offered no time frame.

12. Lambeth Resolution 1:10 still stands as the apex of thought on human sexuality and it has never been retracted or annulled. It was reinforced at the recent Lambeth conference.

To read KIGALI TRUMPETS UNCERTAIN SOUND click here: https://virtueonline.org/kigali-trumpets-uncertain-sound