Anglican Leaders Sign Statement on Boy Scout Policy

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
May 21, 2013

A number of leading North American Anglican leaders have signed the following letter in support of the Boy Scout policy prohibiting open homosexuality.

The following statement was released earlier today and reads:

"We strongly support the Boy Scouts of America current prohibition on open homosexuality and retaining it without revision. Nearly 70 percent of BSA troops are hosted by churches and religious institutions. Upholding traditional morality is vital for sustaining this partnership, for protecting Scout members, and for ensuring BSA has a strong future. A proposal from the BSA board to prohibit "discrimination" based on "sexual orientation or preference" for BSA members potentially would open the Scouts to a wide range of open sexual expressions. In our current culture, it is more important than ever for our churches to protect and provide moral nurture for young people and for the Scouts. We implore members of the upcoming BSA Council to affirm the BSA's present policy, which the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed, and which has served BSA well."

CALIFORNIA: Turlock Anglican congregation walks to new church after closing service

By Sue Nowicki
THE MODESTO BEE
http://www.modbee.com/2013/05/19/2722994/turlock-episcopal-congregation.html
May 19, 2013

The sign outside St. Francis Anglican Church reads "think FORGIVE act." Action and forgiveness were the themes of the day, as the parishioners gathered Sunday for one last time at their church on Main Street before walking several blocks away to begin a new church in rented facilities.

The congregation opened its closing service with "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee," which includes the words, "Thou art giving and forgiving ... teach us how to love each other."

It was especially poignant because the St. Francis facility has been in a tug-of-war since 2007, when 40 of the 47 parishes in the San Joaquin Diocese voted to leave the national Episcopal church over theological differences. The departing parishes, including St. Francis, and the diocese were sued by the Episcopal church in 2008 and 2009 in a bid to regain those properties.

TANZANIA: Three thousand attend enthronement of Tanzania's new Primate
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby honoured at his fellow Primate's installation

By Bella Zulu
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/news.cfm/2013/5/20/ACNS5393
May 20, 1013

Around 3,000 people from Tanzania, other parts of Africa and beyond gathered at Dodoma's Cathedral of the Holy Spirit on Saturday (18 May) for the installation of the Anglican Church of Tanzania's new Primate.

The enthronement of the Bishop of Mpwapwa Dr Jacob Erasto Chimeledya was described by one church worker as "like a dream" because of the number of dignitaries in attendance. These included the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion Archbishop Justin Welby and his wife Caroline.

Other notable guests at the service included the Primate of the Anglican Church of Kenya the Most Revd Eliud Wabukala and representatives from other Anglican Provinces including Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi. As Dodoma is the country's political capital, the service was also attended by many government leaders including the President of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete.

AUSTRALIA: Anglican Bishop of Grafton quits over 'failings' in child abuse complaints

By Nick Ralston
THE SYDNEY HERALD
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/anglican-bishop-of-grafton-quits-over-failings-in-child-abuse-complaints-20130518-2jsx4.html
May 18, 2013

An Anglican bishop has resigned over his failure to properly pass on child sex abuse complaints at a children's home on the NSW north coast.

Keith Slater has stood down as the Bishop of the Diocese of Grafton, apologising for his "past failings" in the management of claims of abuse at the North Coast Children's Home in Lismore.

"I apologise to those who bravely came forward to tell their story of abuse and were turned away," he said in a statement. "I acknowledge the pain and further damage that this response may have caused."

In 2006 the Anglican Diocese of Grafton received a number of claims alleging acts of "physical, psychological and sexual abuse" at the home between the 1940s and the 1980s.

Interfaith Event Teaches That U.S. Is 'Aiding' Oppression
Episcopal priest says Islamic leaders 'changed my life and thinking'

By Ryan Mauro
http://www.theird.org/
May 20, 2013

The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) returned to All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California on May 5 to address the topic of radicalization in the wake of the Boston bombings. The church leader said there is a "crisis" of "Islamophobia" in America. MPAC denounced violence but said terrorism is a response to the U.S. "aiding and abetting oppression" at the behest of the military-industrial complex.

At the May 5 event, church leader Rev. Ed Bacon said that he "literally had my life changed and my thinking changed because of these two leaders," referring to MPAC leaders Maher Hathout and Salam al-Marayati. He went so far as to say that the Islamic Center of Southern California, where Hathout is a spokesman and Muslim Brotherhood texts are used, is "my mosque." At the event, both MPAC leaders denounced terrorism and said Muslims must provide a counter-narrative to the violent themes that radicalize. Hathout said that too many Muslims are "soft" in confronting the radical ideas and have a "gang" mentality where they automatically side with other Muslims against non-Muslims.

Anglican Mainstream Writes Letter in Support of St. James Newport Beach

May 16, 2013

To the Rev Richard Crocker and people of St James, Newport Beach

Dear Friends and Fellow Christians,

We were very disturbed and saddened and saddened to read the news that legal proceedings against you by other Anglicans mean that you may soon be deprived of your property at St James and have to find alternative accommodation.

We wish first to assure you of our fellowship with you as you continue to take your stand on biblical and orthodox Anglican teaching. We share with you a passion to proclaim the gospel of our risen Lord Jesus Christ and affirm you in your faithful discipleship.

SANDWICH, Mass: Episcopal priest suspended for plagiarism

By George Brennan
http://www.capecodonline.com/
May 17, 2013

SANDWICH - One of the Ten Commandments is "thou shall not steal," but an Episcopal priest has been suspended for allegedly lifting more than a dozen Sunday sermons verbatim from a book.

The Rev. John E. McGinn, 65, who has led the 300-plus families at St. John's Episcopal Church since 1993, was placed on administrative leave amid allegations that he plagiarized sermons dating back to 2006, said the Rev. Mally Lloyd, canon to the ordinary for the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, a position equivalent to the bishop's chief of staff.

As many as 15 sermons have been identified as direct copies, Lloyd said.

Archbishop of Canterbury abandons his support for civil partnerships for heterosexual couples
U-turn will anger both Tory backbenchers and campaigners who argue heterosexual couples should be able to enter civil partnerships as an alternative to marriage

Andy McSmith and Sarah Morrison
THE INDEPENDENT
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/
May 18, 2013

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has abandoned his support for allowing heterosexual couples to enter into civil partnerships under pressure from the church hierarchy.

His climbdown will be welcomed by the Government as it looks to finally ensure the smooth passage of the equal marriage bill through the House of Commons this week, against Conservative backbench and Labour Catholic opposition.

But the Archbishop's U-turn will anger both Tory backbenchers and campaigners who argue that in the name of equality, heterosexual couples should be able to enter civil partnerships as an alternative to marriage.

VA: Anglican Congregation Seeks Rehearing After Losing Property Suit to Episcopal Church

By Michael Gryboski,
Christian Post Reporter
http://www.christianpost.com/news/
May 16, 2013

An Anglican congregation in Virginia that recently lost a property suit against The Episcopal Church is asking for a rehearing before the state Supreme Court.

George Ward, senior warden of the vestry of The Falls Church Anglican, told The Christian Post that the congregation will submit a petition that may be heard by the Court.

Godless UK: A quarter of Britons have no religion with Christians increasingly likely to be retired people
One in four people in Britain no longer believes in any religion
Figure rises to more than a third of under 25s
2011 census shows number of Christians fell by 4.1million

By STEVE DOUGHTY
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news
May 17, 2013

One in four people no longer believes in any religion, official analysis of national census returns found yesterday.

It revealed Christianity is in decline and Christians are increasingly likely to be older or retired people.

Many young people, young men in particular, appear to be rejecting religious belief altogether. Nearly one in three under-25s - 32 per cent - say they do not have a religion.

BOLIVIA: Consecration of First Anglican Asian Bishop in Latin America

Press Release
May 15, 2013

Archdeacon Raphael Samuel was formally consecrated as the Diocesan Bishop of Bolivia at a Sunday morning service of the eucharist at Cristo Luz Del Mundo (Light of the World). The Presiding Bishop of the Southern Cone of the Americas, the Rt. Rev. Hector "Tito" Zavala together with the Bishops from Peru, Uruguay and Paraguay led in the consecration of the new Bishop of Bolivia. Bishop Raphael succeeds Bishop Frank Lyons who left the diocese of Bolivia last year to serve in the Diocese of Pittsburgh

The election of Archdeacon Raphael Samuel as the Bishop of Bolivia represents a landmark in church missions in that he is the first Asian missionary to be consecrated Bishop in the Spanish speaking Anglican world.

"We need to be a risk-taking church": Archbishop of Canterbury opens international Christian conference
"In conversation with Nicky Gumbel, Justin Welby said he is "more optimistic about the church now than I have ever been in my life

http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/
May 13, 2013

Archbishop Justin has prayed for Christian unity and told church leaders that "we need to be a risk-taking church".

The Archbishop was speaking this morning before an audience of more than 5,000 Christians on the first day of HTB's annual leadership conference.

"We need to be a risk-taking Church. There is no safety in Christ - there is absolute security, but there is no safety," he said during a question and answer session with the Rev Nicky Gumbel, vicar of HTB.

Archbishop Justin said he was more hopeful than ever for the future of the church as it "fills in" the gaps left by the state following the global financial crisis.

UK: All Complaints against Evangelical CofE Bishop Dismissed

The former Bishop of Lewes, Rt. Revd. Wallace Benn, released the following statement regarding the dismissal of all Clergy Discipline complaints against him:

By Rt. Revd. Wallace Benn
May 11, 2013

As of 10 May 2013, all complaints against me under the Clergy Discipline Measure have come to an end without any misconduct of any kind having been established. No complaint against me has been allowed to proceed beyond the preliminary stages of the process.

Since November 2011, the Safeguarding Advisory Group of the Diocese of Chichester, its Chairman (Mr Keith Akerman) and the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (Mr Colin Perkins) have tried to make a number of complaints against me under the Clergy Discipline Measure.

All their efforts were misconceived and unjustified, as has now been established. The decisions that none of the complaints should be allowed to proceed have been made in part by the Archbishop of York and in part by the Right Honourable Lord Justice Mummery, sitting in his capacity as President of Tribunals. Some of the complaints have been dismissed on their merits and the rest on the basis that they have been made outside the time allowed under the Clergy Discipline Measure and where no good grounds exist for any extension of time.

Christians Suffer in Syria at the hands of rebel forces
American Anglican Bishop visits region

By The Rt. Rev. Julian M. Dobbs
Special to virtueonline
www.virtueonline.org
May 10, 2013

The Rt. Rev. Julian Dobbs being received by the Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church on May 6, 2013.

I recently returned from a visit to Lebanon with CANA's Canon Missioner, the Rev. Canon Wayne Buchanan where we met local Christian leaders from the region and discussed the plight of Christians in Syria who are suffering amidst Syria's destructive civil war which has now been raging for more than 18 months. Millions of helpless Christians are caught in its crossfire with no one to defend them.

Syria used to be one of the easiest places in the Arab world to be a Christian. The Church has existed there since Biblical times. In the book of Acts it was on the road to Damascus, capital of today's Syria, that Saul was stopped short in his mission to destroy the early Church. The risen Christ asked him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" (Acts 9:4). It was in Damascus that Saul regained his sight after being struck blind, and it was here that he was filled with the Holy Spirit, was baptized and began his ministry as an apostle.

'Divine Conspiracy' Author Dallas Willard Dies

By ERIC TIANSAY
http://www.charismanews.com/
May 9, 2013

Dallas Willard, philosopher, professor and best-selling author of The Divine Conspiracy, died of cancer on Wednesday. He was 77.

Willard was "one of the great reformers of Christian thought of the past century," and "his most powerful lessons were in how he lived an unhurried life with God," said Gary Moon, director of the Dallas Willard Center for Spiritual Formation at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, Calif.

The Divine Conspiracy was Christianity Today's Book of the Year for 1999. Additionally, Willard's Renovation of the Heart won Christianity Today's 2003 Book Award for Spirituality and the Association of Logos Bookstores' 2003 Book Award for Christian Living. His other books included Hearing God, A Place for Truth and The Spirit of the Disciplines.