"African Pentecostalism has grown large enough to begin to influence world Christianity" -- Evangelical Focus

"The men who really believe in themselves are all in lunatic asylums." --- G. K. Chesterton

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
www.virtueonline.org
May 12, 2023

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, got a temporary reprieve from Anglican travails this past week with the coronation of King Charles III, in a service heavy with pageantry, history and global goodwill. Welby may even think it will make everything right and his Anglican problems go away, perhaps even re-establish his leadership in the Anglican Communion!

If he thinks this, he is sadly mistaken.

The pushback on the blessing of same-sex marriage will not suddenly disappear because Welby believes the Church of England has not changed its doctrine and that he can fudge the issue. He seems to think that GAFCON and the Global South are too dumb or stupid not to see through his wily, high-handed, colonial, duplicitous ways.

They are not fooled for a moment.

Global South Anglican leaders have, for the most part, been educated in Western universities and seminaries and know all too well what the game is about. They will have none of the double speak from the resident of Lambeth Palace.

Archbishop Welby is on the hook till he resigns or he and his fellow bishops repent. If not, the divorce will be made final sooner rather than later.

The United Methodists split and they now have two distinct Methodist churches.
The latter,now known as the Global Methodist Church is a new denomination of Protestant Christianity subscribing to views consistent with the conservative Confessing Movement and to orthodox Anglicanism across the globe.

THE CORONATION was clearly center stage for some 20 million or more tuned in across the globe with multiple stories on the comings and goings of the royal family. Most of the news was adulatory, but a few commentators saw through the expensive masks and crowns and offered an alternative narrative.

Francis Capitanio, Communications Director for the American Anglican Council offered up this insightful observation; "The Church of England and the King of England share the same problem: an overabundance of externals with little substance. There are other similarities. Both institutions are instituted by God. Both are steeped in tradition. Both have sacramental practices that are supposed to point towards an inward spiritual reality. In the coronation, the monarch is anointed with holy oil, receives the royal regalia, and is crowned with St. Edward's Crown. But the oil, the regalia, and the crown all point to a monarchy that was, not the monarchy that is right now. Over the centuries the Crown has been stripped of its power and relegated to a ceremonial role whose greatest purpose is to stand above rival factions and unite the people under a symbolic, enduring institution in English history. In the same way, the Church of England has been reduced to a symbol of spiritual unity with whom less than half of the British people now identify. The Church, like the King she just crowned, seems less than relevant to anyone's life anymore."

The central issue at stake was whether Charles would be the 'Defender of Faith', or 'Defender of the Faith' -- a title that all English sovereigns since Henry VIII have held as head of the Church of England. As it turned out, the former won over the latter, and it remains to be seen how this will play out over what many see as a short reign for King Charles, compared to his mother.

THE GAFCON/GSFA FUTURE. "What this means is that we are now going to have two Communions of Anglicans going forward, the Global South Anglicans who are keeping to the teachings of the Scripture and the Global North Anglicans who are preaching and practicing a watered-down gospel," said the Rev. Tom Otieno, vicar of Saint Barnabas Anglican Church in Nairobi, Kenya.

"We no longer recognize the leadership of the Rt. Rev. Justin Welby as the head of the Anglican Church, and I believe we are soon going to announce the new headquarters of the Global South church," Otieno added.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, still thinks he owns the show as nothing can be done without consulting with him and the other three instruments of communion.

As one wag noted, "The Church of England -- enjoying an effortless air of superiority since 1534."

The Anglican Church in Uganda was hailed for breaking away from the Church of England. Anglican Bishops in Uganda led by Namirembe Diocesan Bishop Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira commended Church of Uganda leaders for taking a firm decision to cut ties with the Church of England.

According to the Monitor Newspaper, while presiding over the confirmation ceremony for more than 100 children held at St Peter's Church in Kisaasi, Kampala yesterday, Bishop Luwalira said the Church of Uganda cannot bow to the pressure from people who are doubting God's authority by allowing gay activities in church. You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/anglican-church-uganda-hailed-breaking-away-church-england

Archbishop Justin Welby issued a disconnected response to the Kigali statement. He opined that the Instruments of Communion would deal with their concerns. He did not realize that the GAFCON archbishops had delivered a coup d'etat, no longer recognizing him or the Instruments that so bend to his will.

Some eleven Anglican primates who speak for 85 percent of practicing Anglicans in the global communion, delivered the "Kigali Commitment" to Canterbury over the weekend. This declaration claims that Welby no longer leads the Anglican Communion that he was selected to lead 10 years ago.

The chair of St Augustine is now empty, as far as these Anglican primates are concerned.

GAFCON no longer recognizes Welby's authority or that of the Instruments of communion, and they no longer need to consult the ABC on how to do evangelism and discipleship. The Lambeth Conference seems more interested in climate change and other woke issues that have little to do with saving souls: https://virtueonline.org/archbishop-welby-issues-disconnected-response-gafcon-statement

One thoughtful observer, a Reformation scholar, Dean Chuck Collins said this; "The Kigali Commitment is celebrated by biblical Anglicans worldwide. I hear celebrations all the way from Africa! I read it again this morning, and I too am glad for all it says, but I wonder about what it doesn't say. It rightly disconnects the Communion from the cancer that would kill us, but I wonder if it misses the opportunity to connect us back to the rock from which we were hewn. Is there anything distinctly "Anglican" about this statement that we might not find in a gathering of orthodox Methodists or Presbyterians? The earlier Jerusalem Declaration connects us back to our Anglican heritage, the Elizabethan Settlement and our historic formularies, but the recent "Commitment" seems to perpetuate the false idea that structural changes (a conciliar definition of Anglicanism) defines us, rather than what Anglicans have affirmed and confessed for five hundred years - 2000 years, really. Perhaps I am the only one who would like to have seen more than a passing reference to the Articles of Religion, the books of Homilies, and the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. Can theological problems be solved by something other than theology?" Worth thinking about.

Dave Doveton of Anglican Mainstream has written an interesting take on the Anglican Communion: The reordering of the Anglican Communion and the correlation with contemporary events in the geopolitical world order.

"The Revd. William Taylor, rector of St Helens Bishopsgate, in a recent interview described the rejection of the Archbishop of Canterbury as head of the Anglican Communion by the GAFCON Kigali Statement as "the end of an era". This he said, because Canterbury had walked away, and that this would have enormous implications not just for the Anglican Communion, but for the Commonwealth as well which was founded on the basis of the United Kingdom giving spiritual leadership to the countries it had once colonized."

"Those who watched the coronation service of King Charles III on May 6th would have seen the Commonwealth leaders present, this following a prior meeting the day before where they affirmed their commitment to the Commonwealth under his leadership. There is an interesting correlation between the formation of independent autonomous provinces which make up the Anglican Communion and the later development of the British Commonwealth. Through the colonial period there was a symbiotic relationship between Church and State which had positive but also negative outcomes and many historians have chronicled this symbiosis. After the colonial era this symbiosis between church and the bureaucratic state was broken. Later the relationship between the mother Church of England and the Churches planted in her colonies was also transformed over time through processes which varied according to each situation." You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/reordering-anglican-communion-and-correlation-contemporary-events-geopolitical-world-order

***

If you were wondering if the Church of England, in light of the Kigali GAFCON statement might change their tune about promoting the Living in Love and Faith process, report, (they call it a process), well, the answer is no.

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York, as Presidents of the General Synod of the Church of England, have agreed to proceed with a November meeting of Synod this year to continue the process of blessing the unblessible.

"The July meeting will include a substantial item on the proposals, which emerged from the Living in Love and Faith process, to enable same-sex couples who have marked a significant stage of their relationship such as a civil marriage or civil partnership to come to church to give thanks, offer prayers of dedication to God and to receive God's blessing."

It is, as one high up in the CofE told VOL, "In the absence of a named see or archbishop in place of Canterbury at the end of the week in Kigali, Lambeth will carry on regardless and attempt to pursue the delusion of "good disagreement."

Welby will carry on regardless of what took place at Kigali. General Synod members have been notified of an additional meeting in November this year so that the bishops can pursue their sinful agenda of blessing ungodly unions.

And Justin Welby wants and hopes that talk of reconciliation and living with "good disagreement" will work, when in fact they are lost causes.

***

And just when you thought that things could not get worse for the Church of England, the former Archbishop of York, Lord Sentamu was charged that he did not act on an abuse allegation of a vulnerable child in its care. He rejected review findings that he did not act on the allegation. The church has apologized to Rev Matthew Ineson, who was aged 16 when he was abused and later went on to become a vicar.

A leading bishop said the church "should be ashamed" that it had let down a vulnerable child in its care who was abused by someone in a position of trust.
You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/lord-sentamu-rejects-review-findings-he-did-not-act-abuse-allegation

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An interesting story crossed my cyber desk this week. The ACNA House of Bishops has requested the Church of Nigeria transfer and release all congregations, parishes, dioceses, clergy, bishops, and structures in North America to the ACNA.

A bold and gutsy move, but will Nigerian Archbishop Henry Ndukuba and his HOB go for it? As of this digest going to cyber press, we have not heard from the CON.

That this is happening so soon after meeting in Kigali where it was all hugs and kisses, this poking of the bear, seems a little out of place. We await more news. You can read the full statement here: https://virtueonline.org/acna-house-bishops-requests-church-nigeria-transfer-and-release-all-congregations-parishes-dioceses

***

A source told VOL this past week that Katherine Jefferts Schori, when she was Presiding Bishop asked the Church Pension Fund (Group) to pay $40 million to fund litigation against the break-away dioceses. The trustees were adamant that they would not do that, but I have it on good authority that she asked. If so, did she get the money?

VOL reached out to the Curt Ritter of the CPG and got this response: "We do not comment on internal CPF Board discussions, so I can neither confirm nor deny that these conversations happened."

Make of that what you will.

***

Anglican Watch reports that a shocking number of Episcopal child sex abuse cases were reported in Boy Scouts litigation.

"Many Episcopalians like to live in their little slice of stained glass paradise, immune to the vagaries and issues of real life. This particularly is the case when it comes to child sex abuse (CSA), where Episcopalians like to lean back, clutch the pearls, take a dainty sip of Chardonnay and murmur nervously, 'Well, it can't happen here. Everyone knows everyone, and we have policies to prevent these things'."

Unfortunately, an analysis of the recent Boy Scouts of America (BSA) sex abuse claims/litigation makes clear that these assumptions are, at best, wishful thinking. They're also dangerously wrong.

For starters, only a small portion of child sex incidents are reported, with just 12 percent being reported to legal authorities. That number soars when boys are involved, many of whom may feel shame or embarrassment over their experiences. You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/shocking-number-episcopal-child-sex-abuse-cases-reported-boy-scouts-litigation

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LATEST TEC STATISTICS. Women make up about 17.5% of the CURRENT living House of Bishops. But only 4% of the HISTORIC House of Bishops.

There are approximately 272 living Episcopal bishops in the HOB. There are 226 living male bishops and 46 living women bishops. There have been at least 1,155 members of the Episcopal House of Bishops since it was first established in 1784 by Bishop Samuel Seabury (I Connecticut).

WOMEN BISHOPS
49 Women bishops have been directly elected to the Episcopal HOB. Two others have been transferred in from another Anglican jurisdiction, and 2 women bishops-elect are ready to join the fold. Their consecration dates are in September.

Four have died:
✓Jane Dixon RIP 2012
✓Barbara Harris RIP 2020
✓Carolyn Tanner Irish RIP 2021
✓Mary McLeod RIP 2022

One was deposed:
✓Heather Cook 2015

GAY & LESBIAN BISHOPS

The Episcopal Church is so tied to the culture that the House of Bishops has seen seven self-identified gay and lesbian bishops and bishopettes in its ranks including:
✓Thomas Brown (X Maine);
✓Jeffrey Mello (XVI Connecticut);
✓Bonnie Perry (XI Michigan);
✓Mary Glasspool (New York-assisting);
✓Deon Johnson (XI Missouri);
✓Thomas Shaw (XV Massachusetts-RIP);
✓Vicky Gene Robinson (IX New Hampshire-retired).

THERE ARE NO TRANSGENDERED BISHOPS ... Yet. None are on the horizon. However, there are a number of transgendered vocational deacons and priests, anyone of whom could toss their names in the ring to be the next bishop.

BISHOPS-ELECT

There are seven bishops-elect in the wings to join the HOB:

✓MATTHEW HEYD (New York Coadjutor)
Consecration Date: May 20

✓JUSTIN HOLCOMB (V Central Florida)
Consecration Date: June 10

✓SALLY FRENCH (XIII New Jersey)
Consecration Date: June 24

✓DAVID READ (West Texas Coadjutor)
Consecration Date: July 8

✓CARRIE SCHOFIELD-BROADBENT (Maryland Coadjutor)
Consecration Date: September 16

✓ANN RITONIA (VIII Armed Forces)
Consecration Date: September 30

✓CHARLIE HOLT (Florida coadjutor)
Consecration date: In limbo due to episcopal election being challenged

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry is on record saying he would like to see more bishops of color, especially Black women, arguing that the body is still overwhelmingly white.

***

Three days into his new job as Bishop of Ontario, William Cliff was inhibited after misconduct allegations were made against him. Cliff was elected bishop of Ontario on April 29

A majority among both lay delegates and clergy elected Cliff over the Rev. Bradley Smith of St. John the Evangelist Church in Peterborough, Ont. at an electoral synod April 29, according to a statement released by the diocese the same day. The resignation of Bishop Michael Oulton, Cliff's predecessor, was to become effective at the yet-to-be-announced date of Cliff's installation. You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/william-cliff-inhibited-after-misconduct-allegation-three-days-after-being-elected-bishop-ontario

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