May Newsletter 2009 (abridged)


written by William Taylor

With our chairman away on sabbatical I have been given the privilege of writing this month’s newsletter. Rod asked me to take the opportunity to spell out the aim of the emerging movement, the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA) and particularly he asked me to highlight its launch on Monday, 6th July at Westminster Central Hall. You may have already seen that the title of the day is Be Faithful! – Confessing Anglicans in Local and Global Mission.

 

Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (UK)

The Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA) has arisen following the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) in June last year. You will remember that at GAFCON the Jerusalem Statement and Declaration was issued as an affirmation of historic orthodox Anglicanism and the formation of FCA was announced. The aim of FCA globally is to encourage Anglicans who are committed to the orthodox teaching of the Anglican Church to stand together for the truth and not to give way under the pressure of Anglicans who preach a different gospel. FCA (UK) will have the same aim but focused on the United Kingdom.

 

Unity and Solidarity

As has been frequently repeated, the movement is not schismatic – there is no plan to ‘break away’ from the Church of England; nor is it divisive – the movement does not promote new and erroneous teaching. Rather, FCA will form a broad grouping of churches and individuals who are committed to the historic, credally orthodox, confessional Anglican Church. Such credally orthodox confessional Anglican theology is alive and well throughout the Anglican Communion and, whilst we ought not to be swayed by numbers and power-politics, it does happen to be mainstream globally with 40 million Anglicans (out of 55 million) committed to it.

Reform Council member Paul Perkin, vicar of St Mark’s Battersea Rise, is chairman of Be Faithful! Paul has said:

This is not schismatic. The purpose is unity and mission. The focus of the FCA is of unity, solidarity and support of the majority of the Anglican Communion.

Already there have been a number of preliminary regional gatherings of FCA (UK), with Bishop Wallace Benn playing a major part in many of them. There are others planned as follows:

May 14th, St Bartholomew’s, Bath
May 15th, Christ Church, Virginia Water
May 18th, Holy Trinity Platt, Manchester
May 19th, St Andrew’s, Newcastle-under-Lyme
May 20th, Christ Church Fulwood, Sheffield

 

Be Faithful! – Confessing Anglicans in Local and Global Mission

The launch in Westminster Central Hall on 6th July will contain various elements:

  • There will be a focus on the global Anglican Church with contributions by video link or in person from at least three of the GAFCON Primates.
  • We shall also be hearing from our brothers and sisters in America who have been dealt with so unpleasantly by The Episcopal Church of America. Leaders of the new province in North America will be joining us and it will be good to express our support of them.
  • There will be a presentation on the doctrinal and confessional heart of historic Anglican faith from Archbishop Peter Jensen, and, we anticipate, by video link with Dr Jim Packer.
  • The afternoon will be given over to laying out the kind of ministry that FCA will both promote and support as we commit to standing and contending side by side for the faith of the gospel. Our goals will be: gospel mission across the United Kingdom, orthodox ministry by faithful ministers, responsible stewardship of resources, fellowship with gospel churches and doctrinally orthodox oversight.
  • Bishop Michael Nazir Ali will bring the day to a close as he addresses us at a celebration of the Lord’s Supper.

I do hope you will be able to join us for the day. To book in online go to this page on the Anglican Mainstream website and click on the Buy Now button at the bottom.