All is not well in the TEC:
6/08 Episcopal Life letter to the editor by Rev. John Beverley Butcher, author of The Tao of Jesus, recommends omitting the Nicene Creed
6/08 “I urge you to encourage all couples, regardless of orientation, to follow the pattern of first being married in a secular service, and then being blessed in the Episcopal Church,” Bishop Marc Handley Andrus wrote his clergy
June 9.6/08 Find webpage of All Saints, Corpus Christi. The purpose statement is “Celebrating the Divine in prayer and action.” Core values include “We are committed to finding innovative ways of experiencing God’s presence in all Sacred Traditions.”
1/08 Hindu-Christian interfaith service
1/08 Buddhist mandala constructed at Philadelphia cathedral
1/08 Native American smudgers at bishop consecration
3/08 Rev Clayton Morris, liturgical officer for TEC explains the Eucharist
12/07 “Trans-Spirituality, Trans-Gender, Trans-Spirit, and Transforming” workshop offered by Oasis, Newark
12/07 Sacramento cathedral hosts Tibetan Buddhiststo construct mandala and hold Medicine Buddha Healing Ceremony
12/07 Seattle parish offers astrology workshop
10/07 Sufi dance taught in Seattle cathedral
9/07 >Navajo teachers and medicine men help with a Navajo blessing ceremony during consecration of bishop
6/07 Interfaith baptism in Newark (Muslim and Jewish prayers added to Christian liturgy)6/07 Episcopal priest in Seattle announces she is a Muslim.
5/07 A liberal Episcopal layman/ordained Sufi leads Sufi healing circle meetings at St. Philip’s Cathedral, Atlanta, GA
4/07 A copyrighted Liturgy of Invitation was celebrated by the Episcopal Committee on Science, Techology, and Faith. Readings included antitheistic philosophy. (Not on SF.)
9/06 A Tibetan Buddhist lama leads a guided meditation for EDS seminarians & faculty.
5/06 Episcopal Bookstore offers pagan book Love Potions for sale online.
4/06 Wiccan priest/Episcopal layman surfaces, having had essays published on the Oasis blog and Father Jake’s blog and Louie Crew’s blog.
4/05 Two Druid/Episcopal priests exposed in Pennsylvania.
5/04 A transgender shaman/pagan priest and a witch are featured speakers at a conference partly sponsored by the Episcopal diocese of Michigan GLBT outreach group
1/95 Gaia mass in Grace Cathedral, San Francisco
Source: The Ugley Vicar
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Archbishop of Canterbury on Homosexuality
The Archbishop of Canterbury has continued his quest for Anglican unity with a strong statement against living in sin and gay sex. Dr Williams said: "I do not believe that sex outside marriage is as God purposes it." And he said he remained "committed" to the Church’s official stance against gay sex, which aims to preserve Biblical norms.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Lambeth Briefing 1
Important happenings since Lambeth began:
1. The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the USA has once again (in an interview) denied that the Bible is authoratative, but claims that the Word of God is a moving target to be interpreted on an ad hoc basis. Read the whole interview here.
2. Ruth Gledhill has reported that plans are afoot for some fifth "instrument of unity" in the Anglican Communion that would be some sort of international canon law blueprint, and would include some sort of moderate-conservative plan for oversight of conservative parishes in America in conjunction with the Episcopal Chruch.
3. NT Wright said that there was mistrust between the different factions over who was going to make the next significant move. “It’s like a very odd game of cards,” he said. “We’re all being very civil and talking politely, but people are wondering who is going to play which card next and hence what responses may be possible.” Bishop Wright added that the summit was lacking direction and questioned how effective it would be. “There’s a sense that we’re all not quite sure where this is going. That’s the mood of the conference. It is gloriously confusing at the moment and slightly worrying in that one has no idea what’s actually going on.”
4. The openly homosexual Bishop Robinson was not allowed to participate in Lambeth's Episcopal House of Bishops meeting.
1. The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the USA has once again (in an interview) denied that the Bible is authoratative, but claims that the Word of God is a moving target to be interpreted on an ad hoc basis. Read the whole interview here.
2. Ruth Gledhill has reported that plans are afoot for some fifth "instrument of unity" in the Anglican Communion that would be some sort of international canon law blueprint, and would include some sort of moderate-conservative plan for oversight of conservative parishes in America in conjunction with the Episcopal Chruch.
3. NT Wright said that there was mistrust between the different factions over who was going to make the next significant move. “It’s like a very odd game of cards,” he said. “We’re all being very civil and talking politely, but people are wondering who is going to play which card next and hence what responses may be possible.” Bishop Wright added that the summit was lacking direction and questioned how effective it would be. “There’s a sense that we’re all not quite sure where this is going. That’s the mood of the conference. It is gloriously confusing at the moment and slightly worrying in that one has no idea what’s actually going on.”
4. The openly homosexual Bishop Robinson was not allowed to participate in Lambeth's Episcopal House of Bishops meeting.
Patriarchs, Archbishops, Primates, etc. Comment on Lambeth
"It seems to me that members of the conference have a very serious task: they have to choose between the traditional, biblical norms of morality and tendencies which consider sin and general permissiveness as manifestations of love and tolerance. That is why there is laid on members of the conference such a great, historic responsibility."
Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia
"With all our heart we as Orthodox pray that the present Lambeth Conference will prove to be a council of reconciliation and unity, an occasion for speaking the truth in sincerity and without compromise, yet an occasion for speaking the truth in love."
Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch
"The ecclesiological questions which form the framework of your deliberations are a reminder that ministry conferred by ordination is bound by the apostolic faith handed down from the beginning and by the 'regula fidei' faithfully transmitted, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, through the ages ... New issues that have arisen in our relationship pose a further and grave challenge to the hope for full and visible unity that has been the long-standing goal of our joint ecumenical endeavour."
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone Vatican Secretary of State
"May I suggest that the Conference not lose sight of the fact that the current year is the year of St Paul. This provides the Conference with a stimulus and an opportunity to reflect upon the message and the theology of the apostle to the Nations, and to examine to what degree the Church has remained faithful or has deviated from the Pauline teaching and principles, given that most of Europe was originally evangelised by the apostle St Paul and has immediate need of re-evangelisation."
Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens
"We are living in a fast-changing world. The implications of unprecedented developments, in many areas of human life, to the church's ecclesiological, moral and missiological self-understanding are significant, indeed."
His Holiness Aram I of Cilicia
Source: Ruth Gledhill
Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia
"With all our heart we as Orthodox pray that the present Lambeth Conference will prove to be a council of reconciliation and unity, an occasion for speaking the truth in sincerity and without compromise, yet an occasion for speaking the truth in love."
Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch
"The ecclesiological questions which form the framework of your deliberations are a reminder that ministry conferred by ordination is bound by the apostolic faith handed down from the beginning and by the 'regula fidei' faithfully transmitted, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, through the ages ... New issues that have arisen in our relationship pose a further and grave challenge to the hope for full and visible unity that has been the long-standing goal of our joint ecumenical endeavour."
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone Vatican Secretary of State
"May I suggest that the Conference not lose sight of the fact that the current year is the year of St Paul. This provides the Conference with a stimulus and an opportunity to reflect upon the message and the theology of the apostle to the Nations, and to examine to what degree the Church has remained faithful or has deviated from the Pauline teaching and principles, given that most of Europe was originally evangelised by the apostle St Paul and has immediate need of re-evangelisation."
Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens
"We are living in a fast-changing world. The implications of unprecedented developments, in many areas of human life, to the church's ecclesiological, moral and missiological self-understanding are significant, indeed."
His Holiness Aram I of Cilicia
Source: Ruth Gledhill
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
The Eve of Lambeth
Tomorrow, the three week long Lambeth Conference will begin. It seems that many across the world are holding their breath (though often, not their words) to see what, exactly, the Bishops will do. God be with them.
Episcopalians and Presbyterians Growing Closer
The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. agreed to move forward with a dialogue with The Episcopal Church aimed at encouraging closer relationships between congregations. The agreement, which must be approved by The Episcopal Church's 76th General Convention next year, would permit Presbyterian and Episcopal clergy to perform ministerial functions in each other’s congregations “when requested and approved by the diocesan bishop and local presbytery.” It stops short of a full communion agreement like the one that The Episcopal Church signed with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 2000. Under the polity of the Presbyterian Church, the General Assembly action must be ratified by a simple majority of the denomination’s 173 regional presbyteries. That ratification is expected to be completed by the General Assembly’s next meeting in 2010. Bishop Christopher Epting, the Presiding Bishop’s deputy for ecumenical and interreligious relations, described the agreement as “the way to take one step forward on the local level” which eventually “helps advance the whole ecumenical cause.”
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
A Bishop Who Won't be at Lambeth
Almighty God, by whose grace and power your holy martyr Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho triumphed over suffering and was faithful even to death: Grant us, who now remember him in thanksgiving, to be so faithful in our witness to you in this world, that we may receive with him the crown of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
BBC: Archbishop's Body Found in Iraq
BBC: Archbishop's Body Found in Iraq
Under One Week Until Lambeth
We are now under one week until this decade's Lambeth Conference, the 10-yearly meeting of nearly all the bishops of the global Anglican communion (representing around 80 million Christians) to pray, study, fellowship and discuss issues of concern in the communion. More than 650 bishops are expected to attend the gathering at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England.
According to the Lambeth website, a particular focus will be on equipping the bishop as enabler and encourager of God’s people in their purpose and mission. Other issues of large concern are stated as safeguarding God's creation, engaging a multi-faith world, and living under scripture. I hope, indeed, that these are some of the primary concerns of the gathering, but you'd have to be asleep or not paying attention to not realize that the homosexual question promises to be of great concern as well. Archbishop Rowan Williams is hoping (for good reason) that it doesn't completely take over the conference, but it seems like the communion can't wait another ten years for a strong decision so something will probably have to happen. At the last Lambeth conference, the bishops voted overwhelmingly that homosexuallity was not compatible with scripture or Anglican teaching, but that appartently wasn't enough to put the issue to bed.
Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the USA Katharine Jefferts Schori has called for prayer leading up to the conference, and I can't imagine a better thing to call for. The Presiding Bishop suggested the prayer for the Church from page 515 of the Book of Common Prayer:
O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Please join me and the millions of other Episcopals and Anglicans the next days as the conference gets ready to begin.
According to the Lambeth website, a particular focus will be on equipping the bishop as enabler and encourager of God’s people in their purpose and mission. Other issues of large concern are stated as safeguarding God's creation, engaging a multi-faith world, and living under scripture. I hope, indeed, that these are some of the primary concerns of the gathering, but you'd have to be asleep or not paying attention to not realize that the homosexual question promises to be of great concern as well. Archbishop Rowan Williams is hoping (for good reason) that it doesn't completely take over the conference, but it seems like the communion can't wait another ten years for a strong decision so something will probably have to happen. At the last Lambeth conference, the bishops voted overwhelmingly that homosexuallity was not compatible with scripture or Anglican teaching, but that appartently wasn't enough to put the issue to bed.
Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the USA Katharine Jefferts Schori has called for prayer leading up to the conference, and I can't imagine a better thing to call for. The Presiding Bishop suggested the prayer for the Church from page 515 of the Book of Common Prayer:
O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Please join me and the millions of other Episcopals and Anglicans the next days as the conference gets ready to begin.
Thoughts on the Jerusalem Declaration / GAFCON
Here are NT Wright's and JI Packer's response to GAFCON (Global Anglican Futures Conference) and the Jerusalem Declaration. They are remarkably different opinions from two very wise men, and worth a close read.
GAFCON was a seven day conference of conservative Anglican bishops and leaders which was held in Jerusalem last week. The conference was planned to occur one month prior to the Lambeth Conference, the ten-yearly gathering of Anglican bishops from around the world. It is primarily aimed at Anglican leaders who consider themselves to be in impaired communion with the global church because of the consecration in 2003 of openly homosexual bishop Gene Robinson by the Episcopal Church in the United States.
GAFCON was a seven day conference of conservative Anglican bishops and leaders which was held in Jerusalem last week. The conference was planned to occur one month prior to the Lambeth Conference, the ten-yearly gathering of Anglican bishops from around the world. It is primarily aimed at Anglican leaders who consider themselves to be in impaired communion with the global church because of the consecration in 2003 of openly homosexual bishop Gene Robinson by the Episcopal Church in the United States.
The Jerusalem Declaration
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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