Read it all here:
Dr Rowan Williams adopted unusually forthright language to accuse the hardline traditionalists of lacking legitimacy
One of his staff even suggested the rebels were becoming a “Protestant sect”.
The Archbishop’s comments follow the creation at the weekend of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (Foca), a global network for millions of Anglicans unhappy at the ordination of the openly homosexual Bishop of New Hampshire, Gene Robinson.
Dr Williams called for patience from those who want to create an alternative worldwide Anglican Communion.
“It is not enough to dismiss the existing structures of the Communion,” he said. “If they are not working effectively, the challenge is to renew them rather than to improvise solutions that may seem to be effective for some in the short term but will continue to create more problems than they solve.”
The announcement of the Foca network came at the end of the Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon) in Jerusalem.
Some 300 bishops, principally from Africa but also from the United States and Britain, claimed that they wanted to “sideline” Dr Williams’ leadership of the worldwide Communion in favour of Foca. They published 14 central tenets of faith, based on traditionalist interpretations of scripture, and committed themselves solely to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.
Three of the key rebels are due to speak in London today.
In a statement issued on the eve of their arrival, Dr Williams said: “Gafcon’s proposals for the way ahead are problematic in all sorts of ways and I urge those who have outlined these to think very carefully about the risks entailed.”
He added that the rebels’ claims that their network would operate across provincial boundaries was “fraught with difficulties”.
The Archbishop also addressed growing accusations that the breakaway traditionalists are post-colonialists trying to seize power for an alternative Communion run out of Africa. “No-one is likely to look back with complacency to the colonial legacy,” he said.
These comments from Abp. Rowan continue the emphasis that the Anglican establishment has placed on Anglican structure over adherence to the Gospel. Western revisionists are allowed the latitude to twist Christianity to conform to contemporary cultural prejudice while the Anglican hierarchy must remain sacrosanct and untouchable.
The last paragraph quoted reveals the thinking of many Western bishops: it is about who has power. In reality it is about who continues to try and live by the Gospel.
It seems to me to be traditional instiutional behaviour when said institution is threatened. I think they must take FoCA seriously – I have seen seperate attacks from Lambeth (institutional), the MCU (liberal) and Fulcrum (institutional conservative).
I long ago stopped listening to anything Rowan had to say.
Winter Traveler, me too! The only reason I look in on the blogs at all is to see how rapidly anglicanism is going down the tubes. I suspect it’s the first of many denominations that will go down the tubes. God has only one true church. It’s referenced several places in the New Testament as the “Church of God” (e.g. Church of God at Corinth, Church of God at Ephesus, Church of God at Galatia, etc.). It’s the one true group that stands together on the solid foundation that Jesus built it on. They are of one mind, one faith, and all under one leader—Jesus, himself. He is the cornerstone of the true church, and also the chief priest of the true church.
What was hard for me was to discover was that I had been deceived by the Anglican church most of my life. The Anglican church is in love with its prayer book; NOT Jesus. These churches who call themselves “Christian” today are NOT Christian. They don’t even know what Jesus truly taught. It’s due to this discovery that I can no longer attend or be a member of any denominational church. Any house divided will fall, and that’s already very evident in current events today.
What we need to do instead is pray for God’s guidance in finding his TRUE church. You might be very surprised how different it really is from the denominations we see around us today.
Admin note: Edited for some of the content. I’m happy for differing views to be expressed, but some of this was too strong. Also, some was really off topic for an Anglican blog. Please can we all keep further responses within blog rules, thank you!
sort of bursts my bubble..,
Please note this article was written one year ago. Nothing new.
This simply adds further proof to the fact that the Anglican Church of Canada and the other so-called liberals, but more correctly called apostates continue in their goal to destroy any orthodoxy and to push the church over the brink of apostasy and irrelevance. Tragically the claimed orthodox bishops, particularly those in the Anglican Church of Canada, are content to sit back and smile with the hope that the problem will go away. The Anglican Church of Canada’s website “Vision 2019” will not publish or allow any comments supporting orthodoxy or comments critical of the current reign of apostasy within the church. If they were true to their vows, they would be calling their apostate colleagues to account. The church is quickly losing any claim to be a Christian church with the current emphasis being on being “politically correct” and instead of being a witness for Christ is allowing society to be a witness for the church.
Frank – you said “The Anglican Church of Canada’s website “Vision 2019” will not publish or allow any comments supporting orthodoxy or comments critical of the current reign of apostasy within the church”
Isn’t this your name in the comments ? http://www.anglican.ca/v2019/yourstory/stories/?p=240
Must have been their token orthodox post. Just like you are our token troll, eh James? How long did it take you to find Frank’s comment? Surely someone as important in your diocese as you has more important things to do…
James [#7],
My comments were not published on the Vision 2019 site; they were considerably less critical than Frank’s.
#5 So, it’s nothing new – does that make it right, or not worth writing about?
#7 Yes, that is the only comment they have allowed and that was severely edited by them. I tried to respond to Ron G., Halifax, stating that each and every one of us has a tendency to sin in one area or another due to our personality or upbringing as we all have that old nature within us. However the church cannot “bless” any sin and to do so not only seriously misleads those seeking such a “blessing” but is an affront of our Lord.
They simply deleted my entire message in this matter. Try to call the Primate or any bishop to account will simply result in your comment being deleted. The agenda of the apostates is quite obvious.
I notice there was no acknowledgement on their part that they edited the comment, either. Not terrifically honest, I’d say.
Regarding my comment in #3, I’m sorry to find that you edited my comments. Yes, they were strong words, BUT what I wrote came right from the Bible. The book of Revelation speaks clearly of the daughters of the harlot.
#6, your comment “The church is quickly losing any claim to be a Christian church with the current emphasis being on being “politically correct” and instead of being a witness for Christ is allowing society to be a witness for the church.” is very noteworthy. Sadly, the Anglican Church was never a Christian Church. It came out of the Roman Catholic Church in protest. If they had dropped all the ritual, ceremonial practices, etc., that originated in paganism which the Roman Catholic Church has always practiced, and instead returned to the simple teachings of Christ and adhered to the 10 Commandments as given in Scripture, then they might have returned to a true part of the TRUE Church of God. But, unfortunately, all the paganistic practices that were forced on the original Christians in the first century AD were adopted and carried over. It’s been centuries of deception that we’ve all fallen party to. I was deceived by that too. I am 53 years old. I was a cradle Anglican born and raised in a small parish in the Diocese of Algoma. I used to worship the prayer book and the archbishop, etc., but never understood how to truly worship GOD! I just merely followed what everyone else did. I just listened to what they said, all out of the prayer book. I never really studied the Bible and checked things out for myself. Only a few years ago did I finally begin study the Bible intensely and begin to see the light and understand the Bible better. The Anglican Church doesn’t teach the Bible. They only teach the prayer book (their current version of it) and they keep changing it to meet their own personal desires, regardless of what the Bible says to do. God has given us no authority to change what the Bible says or means. He also gave us no authority to change the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. The Romans did that. I’ve had grave concerns about the actions and beliefs of Rowan Williams for some time. Initially I was very upset and angry and felt betrayed by his actions. I’ve now come to realize that he is deceived, just as I was for most of my life. Revelation 12:9 states “Satan deceives the WHOLE WORLD” (emphasis mine). And, indeed, Satan has deceived the whole world.
I’ve been studying fervently for the last few years and have gone through some very startling realizations about what the “church” is. It’s been very hard for me to accept that the things that are Anglican (many of which I loved so much) are just not Christian or Biblical. I went through some very difficult emotions coming to accept this. But, I could see it plainly in the Bible that I was being deceived, and had to follow God’s Word, NOT Anglican traditions.
Admin, yes, I know some of this is hard to hear. It was for me too in the beginning. However, I have to say it anyway. The early Christians kept trying to speak the truth and had to flee for their lives. The Romans were doing everything possible to suppress the truth that Jesus taught. All Christians were being executed by the Romans. Those that were not strong enough to stand for what they knew was true gave in and took on the paganistic ways of the Romans. That’s where the Roman Catholic Church originated. It did not originate with Christ and what His disciples taught. Paul warned strongly about this in Corinth right after Christ’s death. Jude then gave a strong warning in his letter. He stated his original intention was to write a more friendly letter, but he felt he had to write a strong warning instead because of what he was seeing happen to the church that Christ started. He wanted the true sheep to hear those words and make the right decisions. No, this is not Anglican, because Anglicanism is not Christian. I’m compelled to state that, because it is true.
–It wasn’t what you wrote, but how you put it that was at issue. Admin.
Kate #8 / Frank Wirrell #11
Actually, if you looked you will see a number of posts critical of the ACoC – Franks’ wasn’t a token, although David is right that his does not show up. While I cannot speak for the Vision 2019 website and their handling and editing of messages received; I do notice that they have published a number of very critical messages.
So it is simply wrong for Frank to say “will not publish or allow any comments supporting orthodoxy or comments critical of the current reign of apostasy within the church” just as it is wrong for him to then state “Yes, that is the only comment they have allowed…”
Not true!
To give credit where it is due, Dean Robin Walker, of the Brandon Cathedral, has allowed me to post several times on his blog without editing my comments. I think he had to “bite his lip” a few times, but he always responded to me in a respectful and throughtful manner (a courtesy I don’t always extend to others)
I assumed that Frank meant that it was the only comment of his that was allowed. I do believe that the orthodox comments on Vision 2019 are tokens… just enough to make it look like they are soliciting everyone’s views.
I am starting to see a pattern here, James. On this thread:
http://www.anglicanessentials.ca/wordpress/index.php/2009/06/27/anglican-journal-anglican-church-in-north-america-wraps-up-inaugural-assembly/
Charles asked you to what direction your quesitons tended, as you seemed to think that David and I were hiding something that you had to drag out of us. Here again, you are accusing a commenter of bearing false witness when it is just as likely that you misunderstood what he was saying. I am well aware that you are on the ACoC side of “The Current Unpleasantness” – if you have something constructive to add to the discussion, you are welcome to continue posting here. If you don’t, well, maybe you could spend your time more fruitfully elsewhere.
Admin, regarding your comment at the end of my #13 comment, I’m not sure what I wrote that prompted your description of “It wasn’t what you wrote, but how you put it that was at issue.” I did make some strong statements. That is true. Some may find that hard to take. Like I said in my comments in #13, I initially went through some very trying times trying to sort a lot out. I’m still sorting a lot out. Since you deleted what you found offensive in my first comment at #3, then I can’t respond to that. All I can say is that anything I said was based on Biblical truth. The Bible is the Word of God. That’s all that matters to me. Anglicanism believes in tradition and reason also. I’ve come to realize that there’s no room for tradition and reason in true Christianity. God is no respecter of men. He gave us all we need in Scripture. It’s a little bit here, a little bit there, but it’s all in the Bible. You just need to study hard to find it. I’m still filling in lots of missing pieces in my search for deeper understanding too. All I know is that I cannot rely on my own understanding to know what is right and what is wrong. The Bible interprets itself if you let it do so. Jesus has never honored the traditions and reasoning of men. He clearly states in the Bible that what might seem right to a man is not right to God. Coming to this understanding has changed my entire approach to the Bible and how I study it. I no longer rely on the comments of theologians, etc. I look for the explanations of things I don’t understand right in the Bible. It’s there and sometimes it’s hard to find, but there’s always an explanation.
Two very important verses in Scripture have really helped me in my understanding.
John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
I’ve come to realize that God is not calling everyone right now. He doesn’t expect us to go out there and “save” the world. That’s HIS job. He calls who He calls. When He calls, then it’s our responsibility to respond; to study Scripture and learn His truth so we can come to him and receive his Holy Spirit. This has helped me tremendously. I’m going through a lot of discernment about whether God is calling me right now. He’s the only one who can open my eyes and help me to see his truth. I suspect he may be doing that, so I feel compelled to continue to search the Scriptures and acquire a deeper understanding. Like I said earlier, this has not been easy. It’s been very challenging emotionally. What I thought was true Christianity all my life has been revealed to me as nothing but deception. That’s very hard to overcome. That’s why I believe Rowan Williams, and so many other theologians, priests, etc. are deceived. I don’t blame them for having it wrong any more. I used to. Now I trust that God is in charge and He’s calling who he’s calling in HIS OWN TIME! He has his own master plan and none of us have any control over that, no matter how much we think we do. He expects us all to study Scripture diligently and then follow what it says. The hard part is that what he wants us to do is so profoundly different from what the world thinks we should do, so we find ourselves at total odds with everyone around us, like the early Christians in the first century AD did. A lot of us won’t have the strength to stand up and follow the right way, just like so many in the first century AD didn’t. That’s why Jesus said the right gate is a “narrow” and “difficult” gate and that “few will find it”. He said that wide is the gate to destruction and most will take it.
Matthew 7:13 ” Enter by the narrow gate; for wide [is] the gate and broad [is] the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
Matthew 7:14 “Because narrow [is] the gate and difficult [is] the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Admin – Sometimes admins here have a fine line to walk Marg, but I do prefer to err on the side of free expression. I did however feel that post #3 was a bit of a 2*4, hence the editing. You’ve made your point well in the subsequent posts though, thanks. Having made the point, I’m curious for some examples. You appear to paint the whole Anglican Communion black with a very wide brush – i.e. “Sadly, the Anglican Church was never a Christian Church” – how do you arrive at this conclusion?
Marg,
I’ve come to realize that there’s no room for tradition and reason in true Christianity
Christianity is an eminently reasonable religion; what I suspect you mean is the tendency man has to use sophistry to bolster his predisposition to ignore God and do what he wants – what the ACoC is doing now.
There is room for tradition in our Christianity too: we have 2000 years of accumulated wisdom on the understanding of our faith – we should learn from it, not throw it out. However, replacing the truth of the gospel with expressions or forms of worship or with an institution is quite wrong.
Am I missing something? Why are you re-publishing and discussing an article that’s a year old?
Because I live in a time warp.
And it seems somewhat relevant because of this
Please tell me that I am not the only one who immediately thought of the Rocky Horror Picture Show?
Before my time.
David [#20], don’t you find it interesting that the FCA is meeting at Westminster Central Hall, a large Methodist Church in Central London right across the street from Westminster Abbey?
Reference #7, 9, 14 & 16
Obviously Vision 2019 are reviewing this blog as they have now posted my response to Ron G., Halifax.
If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.
George Washington (1732-1799) First President of the USA.
Admin writes: “–It wasn’t what you wrote, but how you put it that was at issue.”
No admin, censorship is like any other human condition: it exists or it does not! If it does not, then we have unedited free speech.
Rev. Malachy Egan
Church of Saint Mary Magdalene
Halifax, NS