So much for the moratorium. From the Ottawa Citizen:
An Anglican church in Ottawa may soon be the second in Canada to bless same-sex marriages.
Bishop John Chapman plans to ask the Canadian House of Bishops next week if he can develop an appropriate rite, then designate one parish — possibly Saint John the Evangelist on Somerset Street — to offer blessings to gay couples already married in a civil ceremony.
He told several hundred people gathered at Christ Church Cathedral yesterday for an annual synod, or general meeting, that he wants to take it slowly.
“We have talked about this issue since I was a seminary student in the mid-seventies. We must ‘experience’ the issue as a church before clarity of heart and mind might be attained. For this reason, I hope to proceed, but slowly and cautiously.”
As Peter says, when do you stop praying for mercy? I have nothing left to pray. Let God’s Will unfold and keep us safe until we come through to the other side.
But what about the Archbishop of Canterbury’s request for a moratorium on same sex blessings? According to an August 1st article in the Anglican Journal
Proposed ‘retrospective’ moratorium means New Westminster will be asked to withdraw all same-sex blessings, says Windsor Continuation Group member
How than can the Ottawa Diocese go ahead with this?
Unless, the Anglican Church of Canada truly is no longer part of the Global Anglican Communion.
“Unless, the Anglican Church of Canada truly is no longer part of the Global Anglican Communion.”
Bingo.
# AMPisAnglican
You really don’t believe that Chapman or Bird or the others in their circle are going to listen to the Archbishop of Canterbury when the primate of the ACoC won’t even listen to him do you.
The blind leading the blind, the deaf refusing to listen but yet they accuse the faithful of creating schism. yukkkkkkkk!
God is taking the faithful through Pauline, may as well just keep forging ahead and not look back because that crowd is not looking back, heck, they’re not even asking permission for anything….welcome to North America and the Hollywood syndrome.
The moratorium has already been broken by the Anglican Network in Canada in concert with the Southern Cone with the invitations and acceptances of clergy and parishioners in the past few weeks.
There are congregations are looking for Godly Orthodox oversight. The continued blessings in the Diocese of New Westminster and expansion to other areas in Canada make oversight necessary until an orthodox North American Province is established, hopefully in the near future. Why doesn’t the ACoC let those churches who vote overwhelmingly to temporarily come under an orthodox bishop allow them to peacefully go with their congregations, staff and assets instead of bullying and arguing those congregations over land and money? Its not like they are leaving to worship someone other than Christ or to lead people away from the unchanging truth of scripture.
James [5],
Are you suggesting that John Chapman would not be doing this had St. Bede’s not joined ANiC?
Also, you seem to be implying that the 2 sides of the moratoriums are morally and spiritually equivalent; they aren’t.
David, I don’t think there are “2 sides”. There were 3 items in the moratoria – ceasing same gender blessings, not ordaining a bishop in a same gender relationship, and ceasing cross border interventions. The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Windsor Continuation Group spoke of them together by saying breaking any other them would add to the fracturing. In other words there is no moral superiority in cross border interventions.
James [8],
You didn’t answer my first question.
The fact that the ABC spoke of them together and declared that the breaking of any would add to the fracture – a proposition I would argue against – does not of itself make them morally or spiritually equivalent.
The ANiC parishes joined the Southern Cone because they believe that the path the ACoC is on is heretical; you may agree or disagree, but that is the reason. It cannot lead to self-gain for the parishes, more likely the reverse.
The ACoC wishes this to stop because it sees it as a territorial and structural threat; if you really think that the ACoC is concerned on the basis of a gospel imperative, please enlighten us by pointing to a relevant reference.
Now, it is clear to me at least, that the motives of the ANiC parishes are inherently more worthwhile and in harmony with the gospel message than those of the ACoC.
The ACoC wishes to break the moratorium on SSBs largely because it is determined to fit in with the culture; again, they really do not cite a gospel imperative to do so. Peter Wall in the Michael Coren debate admitted that it is legitimate for the prevailing culture to shape the activities of the church. ANiC believes that this is contrary to biblical principles.
So on the one hand, the ACoC wants to break the moratorium on SSBs to fit in with the culture; ANiC wants it to hold to fit in with the bible.
To summarise: breaking the intervention moratorium is a territorial issue; breaking the SSB moratorium is an issue of pursuing heresy in order to bow to our culture.
And none of that even begins to address the call for legal action against ANiC parishes to cease and the repeated rejection by the ACoC for talks with Don Harvey.
[8] James,
Apparently you believe that blessing sin is a moral equivalent to an administrative oversight. Is that correct?
Since the ACoC repeats ad nauseum that individual members have the right to leave the ACoC, how is it that the ACoC feels it has the right to deny these faithful refugees the right to associate with anyone they want after they leave?
FYI: New West had no intention of ceasing their legal warfare. Ingham signed expanded lawsuit papers prior to leaving for Lambeth, which were processed during Lambeth and served after Lambeth. New West has not ceased SSB’s nor have the “private” services stopped in Toronto. There is an unbroken violation of Windsor and DAS by the ACoC that shows no signs of reversing.
Bishop Don has repeatedly been stonewalled in his efforts to negotiate a Christian arrangement for the ANiC parishes. Had there been one iota of an indication that the ACoC would cease and desist, your arguement might have limited merit. As it is, the ACoC continues on its road to apostasy and orthodox believers continue to flee to safe havens.
Peace,
Jim
Isee Giants in the land,but guess what the Giants are no longer the enemy, the giants are the men women and children of God who dare to stand tall upon theword of righteousness and truth and declare it once more to this lost nation. these mighty men of God are moving with a resolute firmness to challenge the voice that has been raised up against the true christians of this nation.There is no longer a spirit of fear and intimidation but of valour and of great strength and a move of holiness and purity.Ibelieve God will use great people of faith such as J.I packer,Bishop Bob Duncan Bishop Don Harvey , Bishop Malcolm Harding as they take hold of the rod of authoritythat has been given to them by the Great God Jehovah.They will wield this rod of authority at the enemy as he triesto tear down the foundations upon which the church was founded, they won’t have to worry about what theywill say because the Lord will fill their mouths with His words of authority that will break the ceders. They will use the rod of their mouths to hit the ground with the truth . Ibelieve there is an apostolic call being released upon this land once again, a call that breaks every yoke and renders the enemy useless against it.All nature cries out for the return of Christ. A storm has been raging in the heavenlies. We must bring ourselves in alignment with the word of God. Its not enough to read it, We must Live it.In Heaven we will see God face to face so faith falls away.In Heaven we will posess God so hope falls away. In Heavenwe will love God as HE loves us so love remains. Faith Hope and Love on earth and vision, Possession and union with God in Heaven are not two seperate lives we live, but merely two stages of the same life. The kingdom of God begins now It’s up to us to accept it.
#5 +Jim
You have, as usual, ignored the other two issues of the moritorium, which if addressed first would have not lead to the third. Oh well, soon you can deal with Bishop Duncan.
Steve L….thanks for the identification of #5…..sounds like that kind of thinker alright.
No folks, it’s not Bishop Jim – a different ACoC person named James.
The Anglican Church of Canada – Challenging your Christian Faith for over thirty years.
It’s a funny thing, but I don’t seem to recall any border crossings in the church when I was growing up. They seem to have started quite recently — oh, sometime after the whole SSB thing began. Funny. It’s almost as though one caused the other!
And I may be wrong, but I have the oddest feeling that if the latter infraction were to cease, then so would the former. Let’s just call it a hunch . . .
Thanks Kate
Wake up and smell the roses. Wake up little susie. wake up bishop bird dont let a few take down the whole anglican church of Canada. It will happen in fact it is well on the way to destruction. dont think so look around. take a good look and think how many more churches are going to want to go to anic, the further you go from the Bible the more churches that belive in the scriptures will defect to a safe and healthy place of worship. although I am from an anic church I pray for you each day. It scares me what you might be teaching our children. may God open your eyes and ears
re. #18
the tighter you grasp the more star systems will slip from your hand
BTW another faithful orthodox priest got fired this Friday past by our friend Bishop Bird of Niagara. No reason given, just a letter of dismissal and told to go. So Father Robert (Bob) Hudson of Saint Luke’s Hamilton Ont may be out on his ear literally as he is living in the church rectory with his wife, son and daughter and the daughter’s young son.
Parish Council meets with the bishop on Sunday at his request. Just thought someone would like to know how Bird operates seeing as he was mentioned here.
I have made some email inquiries about comment #20 and will post about what I find out if/when I can.
Latest in.. from Saint Luke’s Hamilton
There was a service this morning conducted by one of the diocese’s mulls. The old warden read the bishops letter re the firing of FR Bob.
Several people stood up and left at this point
Then a terrible happening. After he had read the lesson one of our parish councilmen had a heart attack and died. The place was Bedlam what with the ambulance etc.
Made for a quiet time when the bishop came to see the parish council that afternoon.
He saw that we had the parish hall still decorated for the Halloween Salsa dance and the flags poles were still draped in black garbage bags for the event. A symbol of death, of our friend, Fr Bob’s ministry there and the end of the parish as it was looms.
[22]
What a fine Christian legacy Bird is leaving in Niagara. With so much time left in his tenure, I breathlessly await his “new” initiatives.
Peace,
Jim