The Most Reverend Jackson Ole Sapit
Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church of Kenya
Your Grace,
We, the bishops and members of Forward in Faith North America, write to express our profound sadness at the decision of the Anglican Church of Kenya to break two thousand years of episcopal principle and practice, the great tradition in Anglicanism since the English Reformation, as well as GAFCON protocol, and consecrate a female bishop.
Your decision to act unilaterally in opposition to the expressed concerns and agreements of the GAFCON Primates Council is a break in the fraternal love and respect that has been a hallmark of GAFCON and witness to orthodox Anglicans worldwide.
Sadly, the actions of your province directly harm Christ's Church by failing to uphold the "doctrine, sacraments and discipline of Christ, as the Lord has commanded and as this Church has received them." Specifically, this innovation directly harms the maintenance of the historic episcopate, challenges our missional and ecumenical relationships throughout the world, and opens the door for Satan to divide Christ's One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
The Historic Episcopate
In a 2017 communique from the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), the Primates noted: "It is our prime recommendation that the provinces of GAFCON should retain the historic practice of the consecration only of men as bishops until and unless a strong consensus to change emerges after prayer, consultation and continued study of Scripture among the GAFCON fellowship." The historic male episcopate provides the Church a common assurance of sacramental validity.
Ecumenical Relationships and Christian Mission
Recently the GAFCON Primates Council has reached out to the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches, as well as Protestant denominations such as the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, in order to further our relationships and further our common mission in fulfillment of our Lord's prayer in John 17, "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me." (John 17:20-21).
Our ability to fulfill this prayer, heal division, and carry out Gospel mission together will only be further impaired by breaking with the holy Biblical tradition given by all male apostles to all male successors.
Doctrine, Discipline and Division
While the Anglican Church in Kenya currently maintains an orthodox understanding of the Gospel, it should be noted that every province that has adopted women into the episcopate has, in time, yielded to the pressures of the culture and left Biblical morality.
Listen to the words of Saint Paul to Timothy, "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
Lastly, your Grace, for the sake of the Gospel and our unity in Christ we call upon the Anglican Church in Kenya to refrain from further actions of division and to repent of your actions which have directly harmed your brother and sister Anglican Christians around the world.
Faithfully,
The Rt. Rev. Eric Vawter Menees,
Ordinary of San Joaquin and President of Forward in Faith North America
The Rt. Rev. Richard Lipka
Ordinary of the Missionary Diocese of All Saints and Vice President of Forward in Faith
The Rt. Rev. Ray Sutton
Ordinary of the Diocese of Mid-America
The Rt. Rev. Walter Banek
Assisting Bishop of the Diocese of Mid-America
The Rt. Rev. Clark Lowenfield
Ordinary of the Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast
The Rt. Rev. Ryan Reed
Ordinary of the Diocese of Fort Worth
The Rt. Rev. Jack Iker
Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Fort Worth
The Rt. Rev. Bill Wantland
Assisting Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Worth
The Rt. Rev. Alberto Morales, OSB
Ordinary of the Diocese of Quincy
The Rt. Rev. Keith Ackerman, SSC
Assisting Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Worth
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