Updated again Friday morning
The Associated Press has a lengthy article Historic Episcopal parishes in Va. moving toward break.
The local paper in Falls Church, the Falls Church News-Press has an article, Voting Begins Sunday on Pulling Out Of Denomination at F.C. Episcopal.
In response to the above, Matt Thompson at Political Spaghetti has written Archbishop Akinola DEFINITELY supports legislation in Nigeria that calls for prison sentences for homosexual activity.
Martyn Minns has written this on the website of Truro Parish, in response to an earlier news report in the Washington Post:
A Statement of Clarification
In a recent Washington Post article, Archbishop Peter J. Akinola was characterized as “an advocate of jailing gays.” That is not true.
Archbishop Akinola believes that all people—whatever their manner of life or sexual orientation—are made in the image of God and deserve to be treated with respect. “We are all broken and need the transforming love of God,” Archbishop Akinola said to me during a recent conversation.
Archbishop Akinola also said, “Jesus Christ is our example for this. He refused to condemn the woman caught in adultery instead he said. ‘Go now and sin no more.’ That is an essential part of the message of the Gospel and the teaching of our congregations.”
Your brother in Christ,
Martyn
Update this statement now also appears on the CANA website: A Statement of Clarification
Jim Naughton at daily episcopalian has responded strongly to Bishop Minns with a piece headlined Martyn Minns, clarifier.
Meanwhile, the CANA website has after a long interval had an update and now provides a Frequently Asked Questions page with answers to (currently) 25 questions.
Addition The Truro Parish website has a page headed The Vote.
This is your electronic resource center for Truro’s congregational vote December 10–17. Click on the links below for resources to help you be an informed voter.
Further addition Friday This PDF file contains information about The Anglican District of Virginia of CANA full text reproduced below the fold.
Update
Matt Thompson has more to say at Oh, Martyn.
Fr Jake has commented Does Abp. Akinola Want to Jail All Gays?
Mark Harris has also commented Bishop Martyn Minns defends Archbishop Akinola at an opportune time.
The Anglican District of Virginia of CANA
One of the great blessings that has come out of the division caused by The Episcopal Church has been the coming together of biblically faithful congregations who are collectively determined to stand firm in the orthodox faith. In Virginia, we have worked with an informal but growing association of congregations who have gone through the 40 Days of Discernment, and many of whom are taking congregational votes at the same time as we are.
An outgrowth of the discernment process has been the formation of the “Anglican District of Virginia” (ADV) as an association of congregations under the ecclesiastical authority of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA). Virginia congregations voting to disassociate from The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Virginia in order to remain in the Anglican Communion may do so by joining ADV (which is the formal means by which they join a different branch of the Anglican Communion).
The Anglican District of Virginia (ADV) will serve two main functions:
First, ADV will function as a region under the auspices of CANA. What CANA offers us, among many other things, is an authentic connection to the Anglican Communion. Truro’s Communion connection will be through the ADV to CANA. Whereas CANA is a national organization, ADV is a Virginia one with a local focus. Early association with the ADV allows Truro and other congregations to be instrumental in the leadership of the ADV and CANA. Similar districts may be formed in other states.
Second, ADV will function as an umbrella organization for both CANA congregations and other Anglican congregations in Virginia. Provision will be made for various congregations (already under the oversight of another non-United States Province of the Anglican Communion) to join ADV—for example, there may be Virginian congregations under the oversight of Uganda or Bolivia, who have a keen interest in continuing to partner with us in a more formal way. These congregations would be able to retain their unique lines of authority while still sharing the common goals of the ADV.
We have been waiting a long time to come to a place where we can band together with other congregations in a positive way. As ADV and CANA spread the Good News of Jesus Christ and fulfill the Great Commission, they will be building blocks for the Anglican Communion’s emerging ecclesiastical structure of biblically faithful Anglicans in our land.
It is tempting to be overwhelmed by the decision we are making. But recognizing that God has frequently achieved his goals with flawed people, we can trust in his grace and mercy as we embark on this project together. To God be the glory!
On the CANA website’s FAQ page, I found the following very interesting claim, which seems to refer to the Kigali Communique. Events after Kigali proved this claim false. That CANA made it on their website is deceptive in the extreme. Someone should call them out on this. It is utterly reprehensible. Quote: Q6. What is CANA’s relation to the Anglican Communion? CANA is a duly constituted convocation within the Church of Nigeria, which, in terms of active membership, is the largest Province of the Anglican Communion. […] At their meeting in September 2006, the Global South Primates of the Anglican… Read more »
What world is Minns a part of?
His new bossman backs legislation that would put me in jail and also violates the spirit of the calls for dialog in both Windsor and the adendem to scripture that is Lambeth 1.10.
Well, I laughed until I cried!
I was thinking of all the venom and excoriation dumped on Frank Griswold for all the “double talk” – then I laughed and cried some more!
Someone – somewhere must nail this man’s lies.
Minns appears to be relying on the nuance that “sexual orientation” and “behavior” are two very different things. Clearly there is no Nigerian legislation on the table that criminalizes the former. But the range of “behavior” that the Nigerian legislation does criminalize goes far beyond “sexual activity” to advocacy, assembly, and so on. I’m not sure which is more concerning here — the Nigerian Archbishop’s continued support for this legislation, or his American Agent’s deliberate prevarication and misrepresentation, under the guise of “clarifying.” We have a saying in the Southern US for folks who appear to be completely innocent: “Butter… Read more »
Reading Martyn’s ‘clarification’ reminds me that no matter what else happens at the Annual Council of the Diocese of Virginia early next year, I will NOT have to listen to Bishop Minns, as I guess not even +Peter Lee’s hospitality will extend to inviting him as guest, much less giving him voice. TBTG! Possibly the ultracons at Truro and The Falls Church will also be gone.
In the section from Truro titled ‘The Vote,’ the claim is made that these actions are in accord with a document called Protocol for Departing Congregations. The claim is further made that the Diocese of Virginia has agreed to this document. I believe that this is not the case. The document has been received, not approved, by the Standing Committee and Executive Board. There is quite a big difference between receiving a document – yes, we have it and will read it – and approving a document as a guide to action. I would hope someone more in the know… Read more »
Step right up folks and get your FREE red hot bowl of Mumbo-jumbo-gumbo, magico, presto-chango LGBT “friendly” Akinola STEWED spew with a sweet and sour sauce of spin…It’s cooked up for us again today by Nigerian Bishop Martyn Minns who often reopens, reprocesses, reheats, recycles and represses tiny, yet seemingly tasty, bites of almost-truth that he hopes we will swallow whole!
AB Akinola reportedly said: ‘Go now and sin no more.’ That is an essential part of the message of the Gospel and the teaching of our congregations.” The story of the woman taken in adultery nowadays given (when translated) as John 7:51 – 8:11, originally was Luke 21:39ff, the disloyalty (moixeía is disloyalty towards the Husbander/House/Ethnic people/group/House congregation, n o t sex – certainly not post 16th century “adultery”) of the couple taken in the act, comparing favourably with Judas’s disloyalty towards Jesus in (present) chapter 22:1. Incidentally, this is the only place out of 29 in the NT were… Read more »
Say what? I kept thinking as I read these postings. People don’t support people being sent to jail, but they do support legislation. What does this mean? They support ineffective legislation or an ineffective legal system? After all, if they don’t support people going to jail, but they do support the legislation, that must mean that they do not want the legislation to be fulfilled… Some of the comments by some of the players are targetted at an uninformed audience who are unaware of the history of their antics. This strategy relies on suppression of communication, so the evidence of… Read more »
This is instructive, from CANA’s questions and answers on its website (above link). ‘ Q13. What is CANA’s position on women’s ordination? ‘CANA recognizes that there are differing theological positions in the Anglican Communion about *women in ordained ministry. CANA acknowledges the integrity of those who understand the Holy Scriptures to permit the ordination of *women to the priesthood and those who believe the Scriptures prohibit *women’s ordination. Archbishop Peter Akinola has stated that there needs to be freedom for CANA to include both perspectives because of its North American character. CANA believes that for the health and well being… Read more »
On the issue of women’s ordination, CANA expresses that it understands both those who find women’s ordination supported in Holy Scriptures and those who do not in the same Holy Scriptures. However, the same principle does not hold to respecting GBLT Christians. Why pretend to be loving when the core that holds CANA and Nigeria, as well as other groups, together is a common cause to elliminate non-heterosexual orientations from the face of God’s green Earth? Admitting that one is bigotted and prejudiced is the beginning of the cure. Perhaps those who do not agree should stop enabling the social… Read more »
However Archbishop Peter Akinola and Bishop Martyn Minns and Canon Akintunde Popoola phrase their relationship with and understanding of the proposed legislation in Nigeria, the effect of the proposal – not even its enactment – and their support of it, is to encourage people in the belief that the Anglican Church encourages the abuse of gay people and colludes in threats to attack and kill. Davis MacIyalla, a 34 year old gay Nigerian who happens to feel he has been called by God to a prophetic ministry to LGBT Anglicans in Nigeria, is now receiving emails containing threats to his… Read more »
But I am afraid that those warm words are little but hot air, Colin – why, otherwise, is the English church opposing equality for gay and lesbian people with regard to the receipt of goods and services.
The solution is the break up of the Anglican Communion, and a new global denomination based on ECUSA
I have a question: It seems to me that Bp. Minns’ clarifying statement re AB Akinola and the pending legislation in Nigeria with regard to LGBT persons came out of the blue. I asked myself, “Why is this being done? What went before that made this necessary now?” There have been months and months of conversations regarding AB Akinola and this legislation, with not a peep of clarifying, but now…now we hear something. What was the precipitant for this statement? Why has it been made now, at this time?
Lois Keen
Well said, Colin.
Well done.
I wish we in the UK could do something to support Cavid , and lgbt people in Nigeria, and Colin in carrying this distressing burden.
(I could imagine someone like John Gladwin (Bp. Chelmsford) would consider sending a letter or press release –or perhaps asking others (bishops, etc ?) to join him in this.
And could / would the British governement, & Stonewall &/ or OUtrage! perhaps join in ?
Or Amnesty. Or the ACC.)
I asked myself the same question, Lois. Perhaps Bishop Minns has found that this issue troubles those he is trying to recruit. Perhaps it is being suggested that Akinola is the wrong home for those looking for a non-TEC primate. Perhaps Archbishop Venables is looking more congenial, with less baggage and better judgment. Perhaps Bishop Minns finds himself in an uncomfortable place because, as a Bishop of the Church of Nigeria, he, at least, has nowhere else to go.
You can see an interview with him at http://www.anglicantv.org/blog/index.cfm/2006/9/30/Interview-with-Bishop-Martyn-Minns
Here’s my guess, Lois. Truro and Falls Church are both in Northern Virginia, a relatively gay-friendly area. Heck, I’m sure a lot of the parishioners at the two churches have LGBT friends. The vote at both parishes to secede from TEC is starting this Sunday, I think, and +Minns simply wanted to provide a fig leaf for voters to say, “No, we’re not homophobic, we’re voting to secede for other reasons.”
Prayers forDavis MacIyalla.
As these churches consider their future they should certainly examine the suspicious connection between some of these men and natural disasters.
“Tornado in London takes city by storm
George Carey denies involvement. Pope Benedict mum as well
Akinola: ‘No comment’ “
http://admiralofmorality.blogspot.com
The impetus for the recent statement was a December 4 Washington Post article containing the following sentence: “If the votes at The Falls Church and Truro succeed, as their leaders predict, the 3,000 active members of the two churches would join a new, Fairfax-based organization that answers to Nigerian Archbishop Peter J. Akinola, leader of the 17 million-member Nigerian church and an advocate of jailing gays.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/03/AR2006120301186.html
There is fairly strong support among the extremist right of the Episcopal Church for the proposed Nigerian laws themselves, as a number of their recent communications have made clear. See the thread at: http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/1599/ Fr. Matt Kennedy of Stand Firm writes: “There is nothing objectionable about the law itself.” He also writes: “Supporting such a law does not at all entail ‘hating homosexuals’…. In principle the idea of sanctioning homosexual behavior, if it is as dangerous as we say, is not at all out of bounds.” A commenter on this thread replied: “I heartily agree with you there Matt+. So… Read more »
I’m a fairly ordinary Anglican parishioner, and I had *no idea* before this of the level of hypocrisy, malice, lying and downright hatred there is in the Church. I am bloody ashamed to be associated with it, and if there was a non-homophobic church to go to, I would go there and leave the CofE to stew in its own hatred. Except that that wouldn’t help Davis and all the GBLT people in Nigeria and the rest of the world who have to live in fear. I thought that Christ came to free the oppressed? So what can we do… Read more »
There is an underlying issue here I would like to address, though it is difficult to do so in a respectful way. I will try — Truro Church and Falls Church both have attracted a number of parishioners who are powerful figures in the Washington Republican Establishment. I have seen the following names mentioned on Stand Firm! and TitusOneNine (corrections welcomed): U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, Supreme Court Justic Clarence Thomas, and journalist Fred Barnes. One of the main power sources for this Republican Establishment is Vice President Cheney, whose daughter Mary is Lesbian. She and her lfe partner, Heather… Read more »
Of course, the problem with the Nigerian legislation is that it isn’t an “anti-sodomy” law — that’s already on the books. What the new legislation prohibits are universally recognized human rights including freedom of speech and assembly. Perhaps Fr Matt and his interlocutor haven’t actually read the Bill in full. Even being a witness at a same-sex “marriage” in Nigeria can earn you a five-year jail sentence under the proposed legislation: “8(2) Any person performs, witnesses, aids or abets the ceremony of same sex marriage is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a term of 5 years… Read more »
I suppose no one is reading this ancient December 8 thread here in the latter days of December 22, but just in case– Archbishop Akinola’s position on the Nigerian legislation has been made very clear by his letter of December 19, which stated in part: ‘Sadly, I have also heard that some are suggesting that you [Virginia congregations] are now affiliated with a Church that seeks to punish homosexual persons. That is a distortion of our true position. We are a Church that teaches the truth of the Holy Scriptures and understands that every person, regardless of their religion or… Read more »
What’s your point, DGus? He sees the legislation as strengthening family values in Nigeria. How? it certainly doesn’t strengthen families who have gay children. Is he saying that imposing a prison sentence will somehow encourage gay people to change? If so, that shows a very poor understanding of homosexuality, despite his obvious high level of education. His suggestion that the Church in Nigeria is somehow better than the Muslims because they are merely asking for imprisonment is laughable.