Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Anglican Catechism in Outline (ACIO) Interim Report
Follow the link to the Adobe Reader version of the outline. This discussion and these materials should be at the heart of our parish lives and discussions about how to fulfill the Great Commission!
Canada's largest Anglican congregation leaves ACC
World renowned theologian J.I.Packer also leaves ACC
By Sue Careless
J.I.Packer (left) and David Short, Rector of St. John's Shaughnessy (right).
The largest congregation in the Anglican Church of Canada has voted overwhelmingly to leave the ACC and realign with a more orthodox branch of the Anglican Communion based in South America.
In a secret ballot on Feb. 13, St. John’s Shaughnessy in Vancouver voted 475 to 11 (with 9 abstentions) to come under the episcopal authority of Bishop Donald Harvey and the Primatial oversight of the Most Reverend Gregory Venables of the Province of the Southern Cone. This move will ensure that the clergy and congregation, while under a new jurisdiction, are still part of the global Anglican Communion.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, has told the leader of the ACC, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, that while he doesn’t support interventions across ecclesiastical boundaries, he is powerless to stop them.
Michael Ingham, Bishop of New Westminster, has warned that the Diocese will pursue in court any parish that seeks alternative episcopal oversight.
However, according to Leslie Bentley, a spokeswoman for St John’s, sympathetic legal counsel has told the church that there is “a very strong argument to maintain the property.”
Each Sunday about 760 people worship at St. John’s. Of those, about 150 are children in the Sunday school. One hundred teens swell the youth group while “College and Careers” draws 40 people.
St. John’s was part of New Westminster until 2002 when the Diocese approved the blessing of same-sex unions and departed from what the evangelical congregation considered “biblical faithfulness.” With several other like-minded churches they formed the Anglican Communion in New Westminster, which was still part of the national body. Now St. John’s has left the ACC as well.
The rector, the Rev. David Short, and the assistant priest, the Rev. Dan Gifford, along with retired honorary assistant, Dr. James I. Packer, are expected to relinquish their ACC licences and receive new ones from Bishop Don Harvey to minister in the Anglican Network in Canada. Dr. Packer is a world-renowned theologian and prolific author probably best known for the Christian classic Knowing God.
For the past six years there have been no confirmations performed nor new clergy licences issued at St. John’s or the other dissenting parishes as they waited for more orthodox episcopal oversight.
In April 2007 the Primates of the global Anglican Communion had recommended a Pastoral Council to oversee distressed Anglicans and Episcopalians in North America but the scheme was never implemented by the ACC or The Episcopal Church.
Bentley said that the Primates had called for the Diocese of New Westminster and the ACC to repent by Sept. 30th and that when they didn’t the Southern Cone made the offer of “temporary emergency oversight” in November. “The offer of the Southern Cone is supported by Primates representing well over half the members of the Anglican Communion,” she said, “while the Diocese is in impaired or broken communion with over half the Communion.”
Three other Vancouver-area evangelical Anglican churches are holding similar votes in late February and are likely to also realign with the Southern Cone:
The Church of the Good Shepherd, a Cantonese-speaking congregation in Vancouver, attracts 300 people each Sunday with another 100 attending midweek services. St Matthias and St Luke in Vancouver has about 190 people worshipping in Mandarin, Cantonese and Japanese. In Abbotsford, 290 people worship each Sunday at St. Matthew’s.
Two other churches in British Columbia, Church of the Resurrection in Hope and St. John’s in Richmond, are already affiliated with the Southern Cone.
On its website the Diocese reports considerable shrinkage: “In the history of our diocese, 124 parishes have been established, and 47 have been merged or closed.”
Bentley said, “There can be no good reason for the Diocese to take over the parish to protect [theologically] liberal members as there are six liberal parishes within a ten-minute drive of St John’s, which leads me to believe that the Diocese is only interested in protecting St John’s building and property. They either want the money or they just want us out.”
No diocesan money was used to start the parish; the Diocese only gave permission for it to be founded. The church was independently incorporated in the Diocese in 1932. This year the church exceeded its budget by $28,000. Bentley claimed that not only has Bishop Ingham “abandoned” St John’s for the past six years, but the Anglican Church of Canada has been “completely mute” as well. She said if Bishop Ingham locks them out “We’ll meet on the grass.” ■
See also the "Update on the Suspension of J.I. Packer", below.
Update on the Suspension of J.I. Packer
Commentary by Sue Careless
You know there must be something terribly wrong in the Anglican Church of Canada when one of its bishops threatens to suspend a world-renowned theologian whom Time magazine has called the 'doctrinal Solomon' of Christian thinkers.
The Bishop of the Diocese of New Westminster, Michael Ingham, has sent Dr. J.I. Packer a letter threatening suspension from ministry. The letter claims that the Oxford scholar “abandoned the exercise of ministry” after the church where he serves as honorary assistant, St John’s Shaughnessy, voted to separate from the diocese and join the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone under the oversight of Anglican Archbishop Gregory Venables.
The Southern Cone is in full communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Communion. In contrast about half the primates or leaders of the 38 provinces of the global Communion have declared themselves to be in “broken” or “impaired” communion with the Diocese of New Westminster after Bishop Ingham approved the blessing of same-sex unions in 2002 and was a consecrator of Bishop Gene Robinson, an actively gay man, in 2003. Currently eight parishes in the diocese are permitted by Ingham to bless same-sex unions and another two have recently requested permission.
Dr. Packer, 81, has been described as one of the most important evangelical theologians of the late 20th century and has served as general editor for the English Standard Version of the Bible.
Dr. Packer is a prolific writer who has authored or coauthored over forty books, including the modern Christian classic Knowing God. Other titles include Rediscovering Holiness, A Grief Sanctified and recently Praying: Finding Our Way from Duty to Delight. Packer is a scholar who can make theology (teaching about God) accessible to the layperson.
Amazon.com describes Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs as offering “precise descriptions without sacrificing depth” and then adds: “Packer's philosophy is that theology is for doxology and devotion, and therefore he presents his material in a way that brings awareness of the divine presence.”
British-born Packer moved to Canada in 1979 and has taught and mentored dozens of priests across Britain and Canada. He currently serves as the Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Bishop Ingham also sent letters threatening suspension to the Rev’d David Short, the rector of St. John’s, Shaughnessy, and the Rev’d Dan Gifford, the assistant minister. Dr. Packer worships and still occasionally preaches at St. John’s, which, with an average Sunday attendance of 760, was the largest Anglican congregation in the Anglican Church of Canada until Feb. 13 when it voted 475-11 to leave the national church. However, under the protection of the Southern Cone it is still part of the Anglican Communion.
In February a total of 15 churches—including the largest Chinese Anglican congregation in Canada—voted to separate from the Anglican Church of Canada.
Articles in TAP by J.I. Packer:
* Jan 2008: Anglicans Adrift: Who we are and where we stand: A theological perspective
* Nov 2005: The Other Quadralateral: What is Anglicanism? It has four main characteristics: It is catholic, canonical, creedal and comprehensive
Articles in TAP about J.I. Packer's writings:
* Packer provides hope for the modern soul
See the original article for links to the above articles: Update on the Suspension of J.I. Packer
You know there must be something terribly wrong in the Anglican Church of Canada when one of its bishops threatens to suspend a world-renowned theologian whom Time magazine has called the 'doctrinal Solomon' of Christian thinkers.
The Bishop of the Diocese of New Westminster, Michael Ingham, has sent Dr. J.I. Packer a letter threatening suspension from ministry. The letter claims that the Oxford scholar “abandoned the exercise of ministry” after the church where he serves as honorary assistant, St John’s Shaughnessy, voted to separate from the diocese and join the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone under the oversight of Anglican Archbishop Gregory Venables.
The Southern Cone is in full communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Communion. In contrast about half the primates or leaders of the 38 provinces of the global Communion have declared themselves to be in “broken” or “impaired” communion with the Diocese of New Westminster after Bishop Ingham approved the blessing of same-sex unions in 2002 and was a consecrator of Bishop Gene Robinson, an actively gay man, in 2003. Currently eight parishes in the diocese are permitted by Ingham to bless same-sex unions and another two have recently requested permission.
Dr. Packer, 81, has been described as one of the most important evangelical theologians of the late 20th century and has served as general editor for the English Standard Version of the Bible.
Dr. Packer is a prolific writer who has authored or coauthored over forty books, including the modern Christian classic Knowing God. Other titles include Rediscovering Holiness, A Grief Sanctified and recently Praying: Finding Our Way from Duty to Delight. Packer is a scholar who can make theology (teaching about God) accessible to the layperson.
Amazon.com describes Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs as offering “precise descriptions without sacrificing depth” and then adds: “Packer's philosophy is that theology is for doxology and devotion, and therefore he presents his material in a way that brings awareness of the divine presence.”
British-born Packer moved to Canada in 1979 and has taught and mentored dozens of priests across Britain and Canada. He currently serves as the Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Bishop Ingham also sent letters threatening suspension to the Rev’d David Short, the rector of St. John’s, Shaughnessy, and the Rev’d Dan Gifford, the assistant minister. Dr. Packer worships and still occasionally preaches at St. John’s, which, with an average Sunday attendance of 760, was the largest Anglican congregation in the Anglican Church of Canada until Feb. 13 when it voted 475-11 to leave the national church. However, under the protection of the Southern Cone it is still part of the Anglican Communion.
In February a total of 15 churches—including the largest Chinese Anglican congregation in Canada—voted to separate from the Anglican Church of Canada.
Articles in TAP by J.I. Packer:
* Jan 2008: Anglicans Adrift: Who we are and where we stand: A theological perspective
* Nov 2005: The Other Quadralateral: What is Anglicanism? It has four main characteristics: It is catholic, canonical, creedal and comprehensive
Articles in TAP about J.I. Packer's writings:
* Packer provides hope for the modern soul
See the original article for links to the above articles: Update on the Suspension of J.I. Packer
Monday, March 3, 2008
Southern Cone Primate to visit Fort Worth Diocese
Archbishop Gregory Venables, Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, has accepted an invitation from Bishop Iker to make a pastoral visit to the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth during the first weekend of May. He will be accompanied by his wife, Sylvia.
On Friday, May 2, Archbishop Venables will meet with all the clergy of the Diocese at the Church of the Holy Apostles, and then on Saturday, May 3, he will address a specially-called Convocation of the 2008 convention delegates at St. Vincent’s Cathedral. The purpose of the convocation is to provide information: Archbishop Venables will answer questions from the delegates, but no legislation will be considered. On Sunday, May 4, Archbishop Venables will preach in the morning at the Cathedral, and on Sunday evening at St. Andrew’s Church in downtown Fort Worth. Question-and-answer forums will follow the services at both churches.
Archbishop Venables was born in England and grew up near Canterbury. After he and Sylvia were married in 1970, the two felt called to serve as lay missionaries in Paraguay, where they moved to in 1978, sponsored by the South American Mission Society (SAMS.) According to a biographical sketch in a recent issue of the San Joaquin Star, it was while serving in Paraguay that Archbishop Venables felt called to the ordained ministry, and he was ordained a priest in 1984. He was consecrated to serve as Auxiliary Bishop to Peru and Bolivia in 1993 and elected Presiding Bishop of the Province in 2001. He has also served as the Diocesan Bishop of Argentina since 2002, and he and Sylvia reside in Buenos Aires. They have a son, two daughters and two sons-in-law, all of whom are serving in ministry within South America.
The Diocese of Fort Worth is considering aligning with the Province of the Southern Cone, and this visit will help clarify the practicalities, benefits, and possible drawbacks of such a move.
On Friday, May 2, Archbishop Venables will meet with all the clergy of the Diocese at the Church of the Holy Apostles, and then on Saturday, May 3, he will address a specially-called Convocation of the 2008 convention delegates at St. Vincent’s Cathedral. The purpose of the convocation is to provide information: Archbishop Venables will answer questions from the delegates, but no legislation will be considered. On Sunday, May 4, Archbishop Venables will preach in the morning at the Cathedral, and on Sunday evening at St. Andrew’s Church in downtown Fort Worth. Question-and-answer forums will follow the services at both churches.
Archbishop Venables was born in England and grew up near Canterbury. After he and Sylvia were married in 1970, the two felt called to serve as lay missionaries in Paraguay, where they moved to in 1978, sponsored by the South American Mission Society (SAMS.) According to a biographical sketch in a recent issue of the San Joaquin Star, it was while serving in Paraguay that Archbishop Venables felt called to the ordained ministry, and he was ordained a priest in 1984. He was consecrated to serve as Auxiliary Bishop to Peru and Bolivia in 1993 and elected Presiding Bishop of the Province in 2001. He has also served as the Diocesan Bishop of Argentina since 2002, and he and Sylvia reside in Buenos Aires. They have a son, two daughters and two sons-in-law, all of whom are serving in ministry within South America.
The Diocese of Fort Worth is considering aligning with the Province of the Southern Cone, and this visit will help clarify the practicalities, benefits, and possible drawbacks of such a move.
A New Name for an Old Church in Manteca
(Originally published as an Editorial in the Manteca Bulletin)
Several Manteca families founded St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church in 1956. They were assisted by St. John the Evangelist in Stockton (founded in 1850 on land given by Captain Charles Weber himself)! The church moved to our current location, on the corner of Cottage and Louise, in 1960 surrounded at that time by fields.
Having been in Manteca for only a year, I have been blessed to be able to minister to some of those same founding members, their children and grandchildren, who continue to pray and work toward the Kingdom of God. The prayers and spiritual support of our oldest members has never been more important as we are facing our greatest challenge in leaving our former denomination, the Episcopal Church.
Like many of what are called ‘mainline’ churches, the Episcopal church does not require its members to teach that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, that Holy Scripture is the inspired word of God, suitable for teaching and correction. Also, they do not require that their members be faithful in marriage and celibate outside of marriage. As my great-grandmother used to say, ‘God instituted the family before He instituted the church.’
For Anglicans and the vast majority of Christians all around the world, as well as the people of St. Mary the Virgin, the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the Authority of Holy Scripture and sexual morality are non-negotiables. Our former denomination and the media like to play on the salacious details of this change in our church, but they will find none of that in the Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin; we simply preach the Gospel and seek to build up and strengthen the Christian Family through ministries like Engaged Encounter which we hosted over President’s Day weekend.
You will still find that we offer our building for the Bread of Life ministry every Tuesday, for Alcoholics Anonymous, Al Anon, Hospice of San Joaquin Grief Groups, the California Alliance of Retired Americans and for the Manteca Pregnancy Center, among others. Our former denomination has threatened to sue us and to take our buildings. On learning about this, I was blessed to find ministers from the Greater Manteca Ministerial Association offering us the use of their facilities if we were made homeless for the sake of the Gospel. Christians all over this community have called us and written notes saying that they are praying for us and support us.
I want to thank this community for the support of our Christian family as we continue to seek and to serve the lost in the name of Jesus Christ. May we all have the opportunity to continue in the things that we have learned, knowing from whom we learned them.
Several Manteca families founded St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church in 1956. They were assisted by St. John the Evangelist in Stockton (founded in 1850 on land given by Captain Charles Weber himself)! The church moved to our current location, on the corner of Cottage and Louise, in 1960 surrounded at that time by fields.
Having been in Manteca for only a year, I have been blessed to be able to minister to some of those same founding members, their children and grandchildren, who continue to pray and work toward the Kingdom of God. The prayers and spiritual support of our oldest members has never been more important as we are facing our greatest challenge in leaving our former denomination, the Episcopal Church.
Like many of what are called ‘mainline’ churches, the Episcopal church does not require its members to teach that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, that Holy Scripture is the inspired word of God, suitable for teaching and correction. Also, they do not require that their members be faithful in marriage and celibate outside of marriage. As my great-grandmother used to say, ‘God instituted the family before He instituted the church.’
For Anglicans and the vast majority of Christians all around the world, as well as the people of St. Mary the Virgin, the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the Authority of Holy Scripture and sexual morality are non-negotiables. Our former denomination and the media like to play on the salacious details of this change in our church, but they will find none of that in the Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin; we simply preach the Gospel and seek to build up and strengthen the Christian Family through ministries like Engaged Encounter which we hosted over President’s Day weekend.
You will still find that we offer our building for the Bread of Life ministry every Tuesday, for Alcoholics Anonymous, Al Anon, Hospice of San Joaquin Grief Groups, the California Alliance of Retired Americans and for the Manteca Pregnancy Center, among others. Our former denomination has threatened to sue us and to take our buildings. On learning about this, I was blessed to find ministers from the Greater Manteca Ministerial Association offering us the use of their facilities if we were made homeless for the sake of the Gospel. Christians all over this community have called us and written notes saying that they are praying for us and support us.
I want to thank this community for the support of our Christian family as we continue to seek and to serve the lost in the name of Jesus Christ. May we all have the opportunity to continue in the things that we have learned, knowing from whom we learned them.
How Now Shall We Live?
Clergy from the newly re-formed Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin met with Common Cause Partner clergy from around the Western States to discuss the vibrant future of Anglicanism in the Central Valley, California, the U.S. and abroad.
Congregations from across the Anglican spectrum shared their experiences with leaving the Episcopal Church and the new ministry that they have been blessed with. Members of the AMIA, the ACN, the CEC, fellow members of the Southern Cone and others were in attendance. They warned of pit-falls and of grief while recommending new submission to Jesus Christ, renewal of prayer and focus on Scripture while protecting and giving thanks for our Bishop, John-David Schofield.
“Ad Spots” were given for church planting conferences, outreach programs, and Men’s and Women’s Retreats. Updates on Anglican Church News, especially the state of and the next steps of the Common Cause Partners were discussed while the membership in the room was a testament to the ‘on-the-ground’ reality of the Common Cause Partnership and the desire for a united Anglicanism in North America.
Clergy from San Joaquin were the given opportunity to ask advice and insight into moving out of ‘wilderness wandering,’ which became the metaphor for the time within TEC, struggling against its heresy and bureaucracy. There was also an opportunity of the sharing of vision for the Diocese of San Joaquin. Among the visions offered were new ways of supporting and strengthening the episcopacy, of encouraging calls to ministry, of finding fellowship and sharing ministry across borders.
On focus through the day were the supreme Lordship of Jesus Christ, the necessity of the Great Commission and the blessing of fellow clergy and of Bishop John-David, who was spontaneously met with a standing ovation!
The day ended with prayer for the lost and those that the Lord is calling us to minister to, for each other, for our churches and for those brothers and sisters who were not with us.
Congregations from across the Anglican spectrum shared their experiences with leaving the Episcopal Church and the new ministry that they have been blessed with. Members of the AMIA, the ACN, the CEC, fellow members of the Southern Cone and others were in attendance. They warned of pit-falls and of grief while recommending new submission to Jesus Christ, renewal of prayer and focus on Scripture while protecting and giving thanks for our Bishop, John-David Schofield.
“Ad Spots” were given for church planting conferences, outreach programs, and Men’s and Women’s Retreats. Updates on Anglican Church News, especially the state of and the next steps of the Common Cause Partners were discussed while the membership in the room was a testament to the ‘on-the-ground’ reality of the Common Cause Partnership and the desire for a united Anglicanism in North America.
Clergy from San Joaquin were the given opportunity to ask advice and insight into moving out of ‘wilderness wandering,’ which became the metaphor for the time within TEC, struggling against its heresy and bureaucracy. There was also an opportunity of the sharing of vision for the Diocese of San Joaquin. Among the visions offered were new ways of supporting and strengthening the episcopacy, of encouraging calls to ministry, of finding fellowship and sharing ministry across borders.
On focus through the day were the supreme Lordship of Jesus Christ, the necessity of the Great Commission and the blessing of fellow clergy and of Bishop John-David, who was spontaneously met with a standing ovation!
The day ended with prayer for the lost and those that the Lord is calling us to minister to, for each other, for our churches and for those brothers and sisters who were not with us.
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