Updated again Wednesday morning
Jonathan Petre reports in the Mail on Sunday that African and Asian church leaders threaten to ‘plant’ a bishop in Britain to defy Welby on gay Christians:
Conservative Anglican archbishops from Africa and Asia are plotting to create a new ‘missionary’ bishop to lead traditionalists in the UK – after warning that the Church of England is becoming too liberal on homosexuality.
The rebel archbishops are set to give the green light to the controversial plan at a crucial meeting in Africa this week in defiance of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.
Insiders said the move was the ‘nuclear option’ as it would represent a highly provocative intervention into the Church of England by foreign archbishops and a direct challenge to the authority of Archbishop Welby, who is nominal head of Anglicans worldwide…
Anglican Mainstream which has close ties to GAFCON reports that:
Anglican Mainstream understands from Gafcon UK that this article is only partially correct, and that Gafcon UK will be issuing a comment later.
We will update this article when the latter occurs.
The Church of Nigeria has this notice of the meeting.
Updates
GAFCON UK has issued the following clarification, according to Anglican Ink
“The situation in the UK is not uniform. Within England there is troubling ambiguity from diocese to diocese in their teaching and pastoral practice as it pertains to human sexuality and biblical church order. However, the situation in the Scottish Episcopal Church is of immediate concern. There has been a clear rejection of biblical truth by the Scottish Episcopal Church, and they are expected to finalise this rejection of Anglican teaching and apostolic order in the upcoming June meeting of their Synod. Alternative structures and oversight will need to be in place should that unfortunate reality come to pass. At their meeting this week, the Gafcon Primates will be considering a range of options for how to care for those who remain faithful to Jesus’ teaching on marriage.”
This page from GAFCON UK lists items from the Church of England that are troubling to GAFCON: Radical inclusion after Synod: a briefing (updated).
The Church Times has this report: GAFCON contemplates missionary bishop to support UK malcontents. It includes this quote from GAFCON UK:
…In a response clarifying a report in the Mail on Sunday, GAFCON UK, a conservative Evangelical grouping, said that some of the language in the report was misleading. GAFCON Primates were not “plotting” to create such a bishop: “This implies subterfuge and deceit, and that foreign church leaders plan to impose a solution on British Anglican churches, which is not the case.”
Discussions were taking place “in response to requests from Anglicans in the UK”.
The statement, provided by the Executive Secretary of Anglican Mainstream, on behalf of GAFCON UK, explained: “The GAFCON Primates recognise the existence in England, Scotland and Wales of faithful Anglicans who are already distanced from their local structures because of revisionist teaching and practice in the Church of England leadership, and they are ready to provide assistance. One option is to consecrate a missionary Bishop to give oversight if necessary.
“That the GAFCON Primates are considering consecrating a bishop with particular responsibility for these Islands is not a secret and should not come as a surprise. . . Many of the world’s senior Anglican leaders, including the Archbishops who lead the GAFCON movement, have for some time been concerned about the Church of England’s drift from orthodox, Biblical Christianity.”
Good. We American Episcopalians have had to deal with GAFCON “Bishops” for over a decade. Successive Archbishops of Canterbury have tolerated border crossings in the USA, and so it is high time the Primates see first-hand the confusion sown when an “Anglican” bishop sets up shop in an existing diocese. Welby has played footsie with GAFCON for years — speaking at their convention, inviting Foley Beach to the Primates Meeting, stating that he “rejoices” that GAFCON exists — time for Cantuar to learn that GAFCON folks don’t negotiate, compromise, or listen.
This will be set up with subtle details to make sure it’s a bit meaningless. The current GAFCON strategy towards England involves allowing parishes to create a certain ambiguity as to which side they’re on. Parishes can loudly agree with GAFCON and deplore the liberal acts of the CofE without doing anything that might result in them losing their buildings or otherwise being inconvenienced. So Michael Nazir-Ali (or whoever gets the job) will get a fancy new job title from GAFCON and will go round preaching more sermons in ConEvo parishes, but will stop short of doing anything that really… Read more »
Of course this move may reinforce the illusion the ABC and other C of E leaders have that they are actually doing something liberal and inclusive towards gay people, which they blatantly are not.
Bp. Alan Wilson the singular and shining exception.
Ah, a bishop even to the right of Genghis Khan. Suppose the Bishop of Maidstone will feel rather redundant.
Even this possibility shows that successive Archbishops of Canterbury have used an approach that is strategically flawed–not to mention morally bankrupt.
How’s that Lambeth 2020 guest list shaping up now?
It will be a sad day that the CofE follows the ECUSA and divides over what used to be one of its core principles – the canonical authority of the teaching of Jesus and His Apostles. But, unlike civil changes such as the banning of slavery (which is banned in the OT) and the priesthood of all believers (which is found in the NT) the approval of same-sex sexual relationships goes against Jesus’ condemnation of all forms of fornication (not just same-sex sex) and against the canonical understanding of marriage – which is based on us being biologically embodied creatures… Read more »
One other point: Despite what the Mail says, Archbishop Welby is _not_ the “nominal head of Anglicans worldwide.”
He is treated nowadays as first among equals, as a matter of courtesy, by provinces that are entirely independent.
This means, although the people who go to his garden parties tend to forget it, that the Archbishop of Canterbury is Primate of All England, and England only.
He has no jurisdiction or power in Scotland or Wales, much less anywhere else.
Perhaps this will call the college of Bishops to their senses, and make sure neither they, nor the Primates of Canterbury and York continue with their double speak on the matter of human sexuality. If as they claim to love us in God’s name, let them show it by their fruits and actions.
They are only too quick to discipline gay clergy. Let us see if the Primate of Canterbury acts against province invasion.
Remember Archbishop Williams refusing the Presiding Bishop of the U.S.A. to wear her mitre.
Fr John Emlyn
One wonders if “nuclear” threats represent Christian respect for others – or just another “my way or the highway” denial of anyone else’s discernment. Use of the phrase speaks worlds about Gafcon’s willingness to inflict pain and damage in order to get their way.
Since the COE is a state religion, I wonder if a “missionary” bishop might have visa issues since a bishop must give permission for visiting clergy to preach; at least if they are a non-canonical resident.
I was about to make the same point as Rev. Keller, that it would be interesting to see the basis upon which an African bishop intending to incite what amounts of schism within the Church of England might apply for a work permit. Unfortunately, I suspect that such a work of schism could be done on a tourist or business visitor visa, as the bishop would not be an employee of a UK company.
Gafcon will select a British person, resident in England, as likely as not.
But it is simply gesture politics of the most redundant sort, in my not so humble opinion.
Rev. Keller and Interested,
Not sure I see your point.
Presumably he won’t be applying for a permit to work for the Church of England.
Hypothetically speaking (I’ve not seen the promised further comment from GAFCON UK), the putative bishop would seek to work for GAFCON UK or an organisation like it, right?
And GAFCON UK, or the similar organisation, is not part of the Church of England. So it can have whatever bishops they want, right?
Or am I missing something?
“there may be a marginal positive in that he may draw off the chaps who think the purpose of Christian faith resides in their ability to control the lives of other people.”
Rod Gillis makes an important point here.
Sometimes “schism” (however minor) acts as the lance for a boil that otherwise will not heal.
If GAFCON wants to be the branch of Anglicanism in the UK that is built on discrimination against LGBT people, then why not let them go ahead and do that, as long as they don’t walk out with property and money?
Rod said “Conservatives… are hawking a rather repressive biblicism as their gospel.”
Isn’t there a theological problem with thinking that, when conservatives quote what Jesus taught regarding sexual morality, they are being “repressive” and “biblicist”?
“the approval of same-sex sexual relationships goes against Jesus’ condemnation of all forms of fornication (not just same-sex sex) and against the canonical understanding of marriage – which is based on us being biologically embodied creatures (not just reproduction)”
Keep telling yourself that…and only you will believe it.
“It will be a sad day that the CofE follows the ECUSA and divides over what used to be one of its core principles – the canonical authority of the teaching of Jesus and His Apostles.” It will be a happy day when conservatives recognize that TEC has followed the path of radical love and inclusion BECAUSE of Jesus and His teachings and authority, not in spite of it. We have vast numbers of scholars who do not read into Jesus teachings anything like remotely resembling the interpretation posited by RevDave. Jesus says nothing about LGBTQI people but he says… Read more »
“And GAFCON UK, or the similar organisation, is not part of the Church of England. So it can have whatever bishops they want, right?” Work permits aren’t _quite_ as easy as that. For a small random organisation to sponsor a non-EEA citizen on a Tier 2 visa is not easy. There was rampant abuse of the system in the past, and now the requirements on both the sponsor and on the employee are quite onerous. For a start off, the sponsor has to show that the job cannot be done by an EEA citizen or that the chosen non-EEA person… Read more »
it is time GAFCON declared its unilateral independence from the ACC.
However, they should not be allowed to take the brand-name with them – and certainly not any item of Church plant belonging to the Provincial Churches they seek to undermine.
“Isn’t there a theological problem with thinking that, when conservatives quote what Jesus taught regarding sexual morality, they are being “repressive” and “biblicist”?”
No, RevDave; we too obey Jesus and do not “lawlessly repudiate our wives for any reason.” This said, there is a theological problem when the likes of you misappropriate his rabbinical objection to repudiation to see in it a God-ordained and restrictive definition of Christian marriage and then proceed to vociferously denounce your opponents and un-biblical and sub-Christian.
The GAFCON Ordinariate?
“the sponsor has to show that the job cannot be done by an EEA citizen or that the chosen non-EEA person is exceptional in some way”
Why wouldn’t GAFCON UK have an argument that they [need/want/require/will be damned if they aren’t ministered to by] an Anglican bishop who is not “tainted” by the “radical inclusion” of the Anglican churches in England and Scotland?
I believe that most EEA Anglicans not in the UK are extra-provincial to Canterbury….
If these bigots were worried about “how to care for those who remain faithful to Jesus’ teaching on marriage” they’d have sent their flying bishop decades ago when divorced clergy and bishops were getting remarried.
Why don’t they just own up to their hatred of gay people?
I must say I am grateful to GAFCON (I never thought I might find myself saying that)for publishing their round-up of statements by various C of E Bishops expanding on the idea of “radical inclusion”. In particular they cite the Bishop of Manchester complaining about the argument of conservatives, which “asserts that until the law and the canons change, wider teaching is fixed”. He calls this “the logic of logjam.” It seems that these Bishops are finally, at last, attempting to remove a few logs from the jam. When the jam finally clears in the inevitable rush, I doubt that… Read more »
Sounds good..but what about divorce..many in GAFCON agree with it!
Hi Rod and Cynthia, here’s what I mean: Jesus said “… fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” And the Apostle Paul’s various vice lists are rather similar eg “I fear that there may perhaps be quarrelling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. I fear that when I come again, my God may humble me before you, and that I may have to mourn over many who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and licentiousness that… Read more »
As Anthony Archer said above the arrival of a GAFCON bishop will be disconcerting to the Bishop of Maidstone and those parishes which are under, or seeking to come under his episcopal care.It would surely split the cons evangelical constituency and it is difficult to see how the GAFCON church could sustain itself outside a few cities.
I can’t see ‘homosexuality’ (even defined as activity rather than a natural condition) anywhere in either of those lists quoted by RevDave. And whatever ‘sexual immorality’ is supposed to be a euphemism for, it’s tautologous to say that it’s not immoral. Nobody does. The dispute is about what it means.
Hear that, CofE?
In return for a decade or more of fence-sitting and dithering about homosexuality, the Church of England is being attacked as unbiblical and unorthodox.
Perhaps it is time for the Church of England to get off the fence, and make the argument that neither the Bible nor orthodoxy requires the church to discriminate.
Stop playing politics, let the Communion chips fall where they may, and get on with ministering to the people of England.
The Rev Dave provides a very long list of sins named by Jesus and St Paul, and then proceeds to ignore inaction on all of them except the sexual ones. Methinks he does protest too much. What about the injustice, exploitation, inequity, hatred, quarrelling, jealousy, that are rife in the GAFCON and our societies? It is so much easier to pick on vulnerable minorities, and feel so, so righteous. The words mote and plank come to mind.
gerry, how do you get to the idea that I believe in inaction on all but sexual sins? I certainly don’t!
Rod, making lists of sins is hardly only an ancient, or even only a GAFCON, habit. Here’s a sin list you might recognise: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/jul/16/tackling-homophobia-sexism-racism And, it is inaccurate to say that Jesus never taught about homosexual sex. His hearers were religious Jews, so when He taught that “… sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person” His hearers would have understood sexual immorality to include all the sexual relationships forbidden in the Jewish Scriptures. On the other hand, when His Apostles taught Gentile Christians,… Read more »
What a relief to find out that this is not all bad news ! Bring it on ! If they are anything like the nice Elders / bishops sent to us by the Mormons, they may bring much to delight in, after all…. As Anthony Archer said above the arrival of a GAFCON bishop will be disconcerting to the Bishop of Maidstone and those parishes which are under, or seeking to come under his episcopal care.It would surely split the cons evangelical constituency and it is difficult to see how the GAFCON church could sustain itself outside a few cities.… Read more »
Umm, RevDave, can you explain why you change your second rendition of Mk 7.21 to bolster your argument? First you translate ‘porneiai’ as ‘fornication’ (as Liddell and Scott, who would also offer ‘prostitution’), then in your subsequent post as ‘sexual immorality’ (a bit of a vague catch-all with no real grounding in the Greek). And to head off any thought of suggesting that a hypothetical Aramaic original would carry such a vague meaning I can only cite the Syriac, which sticks with a word which Payne Smith translates in pretty much the same way as L&S. I don’t really think… Read more »
Rev Dave, I am delighted that you are concerned about inaction on Justice, which preoccupies the ancient prophets and Jesus very much.
The missive from Gafcon reeks of self-righteousness, a sense of punishment, a fear of sexuality and of free women, and a view of God that I wouldn’t touch with a fifty foot barge-pole. It bears little resemblance to the God of Jesus, whom I recognise.
I fear I’m late to the party but this is a fascinating conversation between RevDave and others. It seems to me that Rod’s latest post is a reminder that the issue is unlikely to be solved by debating the meaning of individual texts. Rod, if you’re still reading, I’d love to hear your answers to these questions: Firstly, what do you think the Bible actually is? In what sense (if any) is it the word of God? How would you recommend parishioners approach it, not just on specific issues but generally? And secondly, but relatedly, if you’re not a fan… Read more »
Rod, as you say, it is our assumptions that are different. I (and I guess GAFCON) are not particularly interested in differentiating among various cultural and historical horizons because we just want to be Christians – obeying Jesus’ call to “come, follow me”. I would never say that “… if Jesus had addressed it, that would not settle the question anymore than his teaching, according to the gospels, settles issues dealing with divorce or with economic justice–the latter being something the parables and sayings address with some abundance. The New Testament authors simply did not have the empirical or theoretical… Read more »
Thanks Rod for your reply. I’ll try to track down that essay. It seems to me that there are a great number of other questions raised – in this view of Scripture, where does authority lie? How would you describe the God that Christ reveals? Since the world is obviously not as it should be, what would you say is the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment? And so on. Perhaps, however, this rather old and dead thread is not the space for it any more and these things can be picked up another time and place… feel free to reply here… Read more »
Rod Gillis ‘It is my contention that biblicism, like most forms of dogmatism, has caused great harm to good people. I conclude this in part after years of experience as parish priest listening to people who had been really worked over by religious dogmatists.’
Yes – and I am glad you were there for them. But there is liberal dogmatism too and I have journeyed with Christians in churches where a dogmatic liberal scepticism has left them without any basis on which to believe at all.
Thanks Rod. I always feel I would enjoy a long coffee with you …. I agree with your last paragraph. It frustrates me enormously and my concern over here (UK) is that the focus on mission is increasing that tendency rather than letting it go – while using the (thoroughly patronising) language of ‘setting the laity free’.