Sunday 29 June 2008

GAFCON (Not Quite) Final Statement

We are not to recognise the GAFCON Primates Council, but Encourage it, according to the revision of the apparent early publication of the GAFCON Final Statement. The Final Statement contains the Jerusalem Declaration itself after a long explanation. So corrected the explanation states:

GAFCON is not just a moment in time, but a movement in the Spirit, and we hereby:

- launch the GAFCON movement as a fellowship of confessing Anglicans
- publish the Jerusalem Declaration as the basis of the fellowship
- Encourage GAFCON Primates' Council.

There are no surprises in the "three facts" that the Conference statement says reason current developments, except that it sees itself as a result of these changes too, causally, which puts itself into a self-proclaimed unique position (as if no one else has been caused to do anything 'positive').

The next bit then is here comes a "confessing fellowship" of Anglicans "united in the communion (koinonia) of the one Spirit" and the Jerusalem Declaration here is called:

a contemporary rule

Which almost suggests that this Global Anglican Future fellowship is some sort of Order. It goes on that the:

goal is to reform, heal and revitalise the Anglican Communion and expand its mission to the world. Our fellowship is not breaking away from the Anglican Communion.

Except it will attempt to change matters that will put it into conflict with structures of the Anglican Communion in many localities. It will assume an arrogance of righteousness in those places it deems are out of step with its own declarations. The first structural point made is this:

While acknowledging the nature of Canterbury as an historic see, we do not accept that Anglican identity is determined necessarily through recognition by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Yet Anglicanism, except for the continuing Churches that copy the same form, is defined by the Communion of Canterbury as first bishop equally among bishops. This is clearly not only undermined but actually replaced. And it leads to The Jerusalem Declaration [see end].

The replacement structural change it introduces is the Primates' Council. It is what was expected: international oversight by a council of primates. This Council will actually make declarations on what is orthodox and what is not. It is oversight as predicted and involve:

the development of this fellowship which will take more time... cooperation with the Global South and the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa.

The initial Council is the Primates' Council that will develop as follows:

  • encourage them [GAFCON primates] to form the initial Council of the GAFCON movement
  • enlargement of the Council and entreat the Primates to organise and expand the fellowship of confessing Anglicans
  • Primates' Council to authenticate and recognise confessing Anglican jurisdictions, clergy and congregations
  • the desirability of territorial jurisdiction for provinces and dioceses of the Anglican Communion, except in those areas where churches and leaders are denying the orthodox faith or are preventing its spread, and in a few areas for which overlapping jurisdictions are beneficial for historical or cultural reasons
  • the Primates' Council will need to put in place structures to lead and support the church
  • a province in North America for the federation currently known as Common Cause Partnership to be recognised by the Primates' Council

So we have the Council that recognises existing confessing orthodox Anglicanism, that also declares Anglicanism void when it is not orthodox, and puts in international oversight including structures when not orthodox, and will (under Robert Duncan with other bishops) set up a new Province for the USA and Canada. I guess we are to expect declarations of unorthodoxy elsewhere to ultimately lead to other new provinces. This is the logical extension.

In other words, this Primates Council declares what is and what is not Anglican. It is a takeover.

We had better know what orthodoxy is. They tell us within the declaration:

2. The Bible ...translated, read, preached, taught and obeyed in its plain and canonical sense.
4. Thirty-nine Articles as containing the true doctrine of the Church
5. [Jesus Christ] humanity’s only Saviour from sin, judgement and hell
6. the 1662 Book of Common Prayer as a true and authoritative standard of worship and prayer, to be translated and locally adapted for each culture
8. Christian marriage between one man and one woman as the proper place for sexual intimacy [and] ...abstinence for those who are not married
11. [ecumenical!] We recognise the orders and jurisdiction of those Anglicans who uphold orthodox faith and practice, and we encourage them to join us in this declaration.
12. diversity and acknowledge freedom in secondary matters
13. We reject the authority of those churches and leaders who have denied the orthodox faith

This actually clashes with the given theological diversity of Anglicanism today. The Church of England does not require submission to the Thirty-nine Articles except as one of the historic formularies. There is no requirement to read the Bible in a plain sense. There are various ways of understanding Christ, even if the pluralist and a faiths-universalist views were not included. Anglicans are moving towards promoting fidelity and faithfulness in relationships, for example via recognitions of the Civil Partnership in Britain, and this sexual obsession of GAFCON is not acceptable to many loyal Anglicans (many of whom are otherwise loyal in a rather full doctrinal manner). We heard in the week that Primates can decide what are secondary matters: that the Bible can never be contradicted, that the Bible does not contradict itself (oh yes it does - and often).

So, well, as these structures emerge, and their activities begin, and the institutional reaction is given back, one can say: welcome to the schism.


***

In the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit:

We, the participants in the Global Anglican Future Conference, have met in the land of Jesus' birth. We express our loyalty as disciples to the King of kings, the Lord Jesus. We joyfully embrace his command to proclaim the reality of his kingdom which he first announced in this land. The gospel of the kingdom is the good news of salvation, liberation and transformation for all. In light of the above, we agree to chart a way forward together that promotes and protects the biblical gospel and mission to the world, solemnly declaring the following tenets of orthodoxy which underpin our Anglican identity.

1. We rejoice in the gospel of God through which we have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Because God first loved us, we love him and as believers bring forth fruits of love, ongoing repentance, lively hope and thanksgiving to God in all things.

2. We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God written and to contain all things necessary for salvation. The Bible is to be translated, read, preached, taught and obeyed in its plain and canonical sense, respectful of the church's historic and consensual reading.

3. We uphold the four Ecumenical Councils and the three historic Creeds as expressing the rule of faith of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

4. We uphold the Thirty-nine Articles as containing the true doctrine of the Church agreeing with God's Word and as authoritative for Anglicans today.

5. We gladly proclaim and submit to the unique and universal Lordship of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, humanity's only Saviour from sin, judgement and hell, who lived the life we could not live and died the death that we deserve. By his atoning death and glorious resurrection, he secured the redemption of all who come to him in repentance and faith.

6. We rejoice in our Anglican sacramental and liturgical heritage as an expression of the gospel, and we uphold the 1662 Book of Common Prayer as a true and authoritative standard of worship and prayer, to be translated and locally adapted for each culture.

7. We recognise that God has called and gifted bishops, priests and deacons in historic succession to equip all the people of God for their ministry in the world. We uphold the classic Anglican Ordinal as an authoritative standard of clerical orders.

8. We acknowledge God's creation of humankind as male and female and the unchangeable standard of Christian marriage between one man and one woman as the proper place for sexual intimacy and the basis of the family. We repent of our failures to maintain this standard and call for a renewed commitment to lifelong fidelity in marriage and abstinence for those who are not married.

9. We gladly accept the Great Commission of the risen Lord to make disciples of all nations, to seek those who do not know Christ and to baptise, teach and bring new believers to maturity.

10. We are mindful of our responsibility to be good stewards of God's creation, to uphold and advocate justice in society, and to seek relief and empowerment of the poor and needy.

11. We are committed to the unity of all those who know and love Christ and to building authentic ecumenical relationships. We recognise the orders and jurisdiction of those Anglicans who uphold orthodox faith and practice, and we encourage them to join us in this declaration.

12. We celebrate the God-given diversity among us which enriches our global fellowship, and we acknowledge freedom in secondary matters. We pledge to work together to seek the mind of Christ on issues that divide us.

13. We reject the authority of those churches and leaders who have denied the orthodox faith in word or deed. We pray for them and call on them to repent and return to the Lord.

14. We rejoice at the prospect of Jesus' coming again in glory, and while we await this final event of history, we praise him for the way he builds up his church through his Spirit by miraculously changing lives.


[Updated Sunday 29. As before, I have excluded introductory text up to the Jerusalem Declaration above. It was not clear if the next part below was within the Jerusalem Declaration or not. It is not, but the final part of the Final Statement is included here as it contains concrete plans for structural change. I have repasted these sections on Sunday to take account of extra paragraph breaks when I checked between the whole leaked Statement and the Press Release from GAFCON on Sunday.]

The Road Ahead

We believe the Holy Spirit has led us during this week in Jerusalem to begin a new work. There are many important decisions for the development of this fellowship which will take more time, prayer and deliberation. Among other matters, we shall seek to expand participation in this fellowship beyond those who have come to Jerusalem, including cooperation with the Global South and the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa. We can, however, discern certain milestones on the road ahead.

Primates' Council

We, the participants in the Global Anglican Future Conference, do hereby acknowledge the participating Primates of GAFCON who have called us together, and encourage them to form the initial Council of the GAFCON movement. We look forward to the enlargement of the Council and entreat the Primates to organise and expand the fellowship of confessing Anglicans.

We urge the Primates' Council to authenticate and recognise confessing Anglican jurisdictions, clergy and congregations and to encourage all Anglicans to promote the gospel and defend the faith.

We recognise the desirability of territorial jurisdiction for provinces and dioceses of the Anglican Communion, except in those areas where churches and leaders are denying the orthodox faith or are preventing its spread, and in a few areas for which overlapping jurisdictions are beneficial for historical or cultural reasons.

We thank God for the courageous actions of those Primates and provinces who have offered orthodox oversight to churches under false leadership, especially in North and South America. The actions of these Primates have been a positive response to pastoral necessities and mission opportunities. We believe that such actions will continue to be necessary and we support them in offering help around the world.

We believe this is a critical moment when the Primates' Council will need to put in place structures to lead and support the church. In particular, we believe the time is now ripe for the formation of a province in North America for the federation currently known as Common Cause Partnership to be recognised by the Primates' Council.

Conclusion: Message from Jerusalem

We, the participants in the Global Anglican Future Conference, were summoned by the Primates' leadership team to Jerusalem in June 2008 to deliberate on the crisis that has divided the Anglican Communion for the past decade and to seek direction for the future. We have visited holy sites, prayed together, listened to God's Word preached and expounded, learned from various speakers and teachers, and shared our thoughts and hopes with each other.

The meeting in Jerusalem this week was called in a sense of urgency that a false gospel has so paralysed the Anglican Communion that this crisis must be addressed. The chief threat of this dispute involves the compromising of the integrity of the church's worldwide mission. The primary reason we have come to Jerusalem and issued this declaration is to free our churches to give clear and certain witness to Jesus Christ.

It is our hope that this Statement on the Global Anglican Future will be received with comfort and joy by many Anglicans around the world who have been distressed about the direction of the Communion. We believe the Anglican Communion should and will be reformed around the biblical gospel and mandate to go into all the world and present Christ to the nations.

Jerusalem

Feast of St Peter and St Paul 29 June 2008


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