General Reform News for June
Chairman's Report
There are two major topics on which we need to alert you to developments. The first is GAFCON – the global Anglican conference taking place in later this month. The second is the forthcoming debate at General Synod on women bishops.
GAFCON
Funding
There has been a tremendous response to the appeal for help in funding the travel and accommodation arrangements for bishops from the Third World who will be attending the conference. Our target was £50,000. At the time of writing we have contributed over £65,000. Thank you to everybody who has contributed in finance and prayer: the result is a wonderful encouragement and a firm statement of communion with those who are holding fast to the Bible’s authority.
What will GAFCON achieve?
The issue now facing us is ‘what will GAFCON achieve?’ The very fact that there is a gathering of 1000 Anglican leaders from all over the world, including 280 bishops, is itself an important public statement of orthodox commitment. But many of those struggling in the USA and Canada (where Jim Packer and David Short have just been threatened by the Bishop of New Westminster with prosecution for trespass if they set foot in their church building) as well as evangelicals in this country who are apprehensive of similar developments here, will be hoping for some clear signposts for future action.
In a pre-conference press release, the aims of GAFCON were stated. They were to:
- Provide an opportunity for fellowship as well as to continue to experience and proclaim the transforming love of Christ.
- Develop a renewed understanding of our identity as Anglican Christians.
- Prepare for an Anglican future in which the gospel is uncompromised and Christ-centred mission is a top priority.
The numbers that have booked seem to offer great promise for fulfilling the first of these goals. So far as the second is concerned, we look forward to a joyful and positive statement that Anglicanism is defined by its commitment to the biblical faith and not by institutions. This will help us all, in our different national settings, with decisions about the future. ‘Invitations to Lambeth’ cannot be an adequate definition of Anglicanism. We are a confessional church – and it is the faith we profess that is our primary distinguishing characteristic. Canon A5 encapsulates the distinctively Anglican reformed tradition. This says:
“The doctrine of the Church of England is grounded in the Holy Scriptures, and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In particular such doctrine is to be found in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, The Book of Common Prayer, and the Ordinal.”
The third goal - in which we prepare for our future as gospel people - cannot succeed without recognising that the needs and circumstances of faithful Anglicans will vary across provinces and dioceses. My hope therefore is that GAFCON will express its warm support for all those bishops who have come to the aid of parishes and dioceses struggling in South America, the USA and Canada – and will accept that this is an inevitable development as the dividing lines between liberals and orthodox become clearer. Territoriality is irrelevant to the fight for the preservation of the gospel: and it is important that we all recognise that this is what we are fighting for. It’s not just an argument about sexual ethics. According to some reports, Katherine Jefferts Schori, the presiding bishop of the US Episcopal Church, is perceived not only to approve of same-sex unions and but also to believe that Jesus Christ is not necessarily the only way to God. Here are two trade-marks of present-day liberalism: a refusal to accept God’s Word when it challenges social mores, and a denial of the uniqueness of Christ. We must be firm in our resistance.
It is good to know that many Reform members will be attending GAFCON. I will be part of a ‘Statement Group’ helping to articulate the conclusions of the conference. Please continue in prayer for us all.
Women Bishops
The Manchester Report
At this July’s General Synod there will be two debates on women bishops. The first will concern the Manchester Report and the second will pave the way for the preparation of a single-clause Measure permitting women bishops. Protection for those who disagree with this move will only be provided on a ‘voluntary’ basis through a Code of Practice to which “all concerned would be required to have regard”.
The Manchester Report was published in April. Its purpose was to describe the different options that were available in dealing with the issue of women bishops. It was not required to choose between them.
The Report identified a range of possible alternatives for making special provision for those who disagree with the consecration of women bishops.
(a) New Structures.
Various proposals (e.g. for a new province or for creating ‘peculiar jurisdictions’) were quickly dismissed. However one idea taken seriously was for the creation of new, special dioceses. Such dioceses would be headed by male bishops and would operate just as all other dioceses do at the moment, albeit on a non-geographical basis.
(b) Arrangements within Existing Structures
The main proposal is for a Code of Practice enabling diocesan bishops to delegate some of their functions to complementary bishops where they are petitioned to do so by a parish. The report says such a Code could be voluntary or mandatory and could entail either the removal of the provisions in the 1993 Measure entitling parishes to pass Resolutions A or B, or their retention. A major alternative to this approach is for the ‘statutory’ transfer of specified responsibilities from diocesan bishops to complementary bishops. These responsibilities could include:
- the celebration of the sacrament and Divine worship
- pastoral and spiritual care
- disciplinary arrangements
- ministerial review
- appointments to the petitioning parish
- sponsorship of candidates for ordination training
The report accepts that diocesan bishops may want to keep these final three responsibilities.
The Forthcoming Debate at General Synod
Despite all the detail in the Report of how protection could be given to those who dissent from the change, the House of Bishops decided by a small majority to put forward a motion to General Synod which provides the barest minimum of reassurance.
What is at stake is not just whether the Church will continue to honour reassurances given in 1993. Our concern is that gospel ministry should prosper. What we need is reassurance that our candidates for ordination will still be welcomed and that clergy will continue to be able to find livings. That can only be guaranteed if it is enshrined in legislation. A Code of Practice will not be enough because its provisions will not be binding.
The need for clear legislative protection can be seen both by examining developments in England and in the wider Anglican Communion. In England the Pilling Report on senior church appointments has recently described clear evidence of discrimination against conservative evangelicals. If this is the case when legislation formally protects our position what possible good could a non-binding Code of Practice do? What is needed are clear arrangements, set up and guaranteed by a Measure.
A refusal by General Synod to provide any statutory safeguard is tantamount to a clear decision to exclude “conservative” evangelicals (and conservative catholics) from the Church of England. Without it, there will be no assured future for us and our need for alternative forms of oversight will grow.
Action To Date
Reform has analysed the Manchester Report and held urgent consultations among Council Members. As a result, we made a clear submission to the House of Bishops prior to its meeting in May, urging them for the sake of unity not to press forward with legislation on women bishops. Such action would only add to the divisions already facing us in the Anglican Communion. However, we said that if they decided to take action, then our needs would only be met if a safeguard could be offered that provided jurisdictional independence for those bishops who would oversee dissenting clergy and parishes.
Since then we have been actively briefing members of General Synod and preparing for further efforts to encourage all evangelical members of General Synod (whatever their view on women bishops) to vote against the motion on the grounds that without protection many of their partners in the gospel will see themselves as excluded from the Church.
Every member of Reform can add to this effort to secure greater protection for our position:
(a) Letters and telephone calls to bishops and your members of General Synod expressing your concerns will be a tremendous help.
(b) Signing one of the petitions that have now been organised will also help. http://www.gopetition.co.uk/online/19592.html [petition now closed]. Around 700 have signed this and the number is rising steadily. It is asking General Synod to reject the ‘Single Clause, Code of Practice’ option.
http://www.gopetition.com/online/19595.html [now closed] This one is for those who approve of the consecration of women as bishops but still wish to see General Synod reject the ‘Single Clause, Code of Practice’ option.
You may also find it helpful to read the article ‘Less like a Church’ about the impact of the ‘Single Clause’ option on the future of the Church of England at: http://ugleyvicar.blogspot.com/2008/05/less-like-church-impact-of-manchester.html
(c) Urgent prayer for the debate at General Synod. The Manchester Report will be debated on Saturday 5th July and the proposal for legislation on Monday 7th July.
We have to recognise that the Church of England is determined to introduce women bishops and provide minimal protection for us. It is just possible that eventual proposals for legislation will fail to achieve the two thirds majority required in each House of General Synod. However, even if legislation fails in this ‘quinquenium’ it will re-surface in the next General Synod (elected in 2010). We therefore need a strategy for safeguarding biblically faithful ministry within the Church of England for when this occurs. Members of the Reform Council are now working on this and we hope to explore such a strategy with as many members as possible at our forthcoming conference in October.
These are fast-moving times, but it is good to know the sustaining power of the Lord as we seek to remain faithful in his service, as well as the wonderful encouragement that comes when we see lives transformed by the gospel. At the end of the day, our ability to focus on gospel work is key, whatever changes have to occur to the institutional arrangements within which we minister.
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18
Rod Thomas
Other News
Global Anglicanism & English Orthodoxy. A briefing for incumbents and local church leaders
July 1st 2008, 10.30am - 4.30pm, All Souls Church, Langham Place, London. Speakers: Henry Orombi, Archbishop of Uganda; Greg Venables, Archbishop of the Southern Cone; Jim Packer; Peter Jensen, Archbishop of Sydney. To find further details and how to get a ticket for this event click here. This important event is not organised directly by Reform but we want to support it and encourage people to attend.
Booklets
Why are there objections to women being bishops in the Church of England?
This booklet was first published and distributed in 2007. It is very concise and is in a ‘question and answer’ format with a helpful bibliography at the end. We are sending a copy to every member of General Synod with a brief letter from Rod Thomas. It is intended to answer frequently asked questions and to indicate the way forward for the Church of England.
There are copies available to be used in PCCs or Deanery Synods. If you wish to use the content in a parish magazine there is a mini-version. The full text is also available.
Applying for a post in the Church of England.
This is a new booklet by Hugh Balfour. On the face of it it seems useful to a minority of Reform members. The booklet does have a wider interest too, however, as the principles can be appplied to other contexts. The text is available.
To order any of these booklets contact the Reform office.
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