The Beacon Lecture Series at All Saints, Chevy Chase, Maryland I have two topics on my mind that I propose to disclose gradually rather than announce them at the beginning. The two are related to one another. I propose to divide this presentation into two parts, pausing in the middle for some discussion. I understand that I am inside the Beltway here, and in a presidential election year at that; therefore I know that everything I say will be in a political context. I am certa

In his recent article to The Witness, Fr. Harris presents us a post-modern justification for the actions of the General Convention of ECUSA in 03. For despite his analysis of Anglican history, he shows himself well aware of the possibility that the Global South primates representing the majority of the Anglican Communion may well take some type of action. This is why he makes interesting claims in his paper that I doubt would stand up to profound analysis. Among them are equa

SARASOTA (March 9) — Saying the Episcopal Church has “denied Jesus the Christ” for elevating a non-celibate gay priest as the bishop of New Hampshire, the rector of the Church of the Nativity in Sarasota is resigning to form a new congregation under the umbrella of the Anglican Mission in America. The Rev. Jim Murphy’s last Sunday at Nativity will be March 28… In a letter to his congregation… Murphy said the Archbishop of Rwanda… has agreed to accept him as a priest in good s

Conservative prelate licensed a priest outside his diocese Solange De Santis, Anglican Journal March 9, 2004 Bishop William Anderson of the northern British Columbia diocese of Caledonia is facing potential disciplinary action after licensing a conservative, former Episcopalian priest in the United States diocese of Wyoming. “Bishop Anderson is acting improperly,” said Archbishop David Crawley… “The canons of our church state that a bishop is not allowed to interfere in anoth

By David W. Virtue March 5, 2004 PHILADELPHIA, PA — A group of Anglicans who want traditional Anglican worship using the 1928 Prayer Book has been formed in the Philadelphia area. Last November, a small group calling themselves “The Anglican Gathering” began worshipping on Sunday afternoons. “To some, it seemed an aggressive move… Episcopalians are everywhere but orthodox Anglicans are few… We knew that many members of our community are uncomfortable with the promiscuous pant

March 5, 2004 As violence in Iraq reaches new appalling levels, the foundations are being laid upon which sharia (Islamic law) may be built. With the current figures standing at 271 deaths after the anti-Shia bombings of March 2, the Iraqi Governing Council has declared three days of mourning, and hence a delay in the signing of the interim constitution, or Transitional Administrative Law (T.A.L.). The T.A.L. cites Islam as a source of law — as opposed to the source — which w

By Sandi Dolbee UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER April 7, 2004 The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego announced yesterday that an independent committee will be formed to investigate accusations of misconduct against Episcopal Community Services (ECS), the church’s social service arm. The announcement comes less than a week after The San Diego Union-Tribune reported the county District Attorney’s Office is investigating ECS to determine if any wrongdoing occurred involving finances and

Church’s national council sends resolution to triennial meeting By Solange De Santin and Marites N. Sison Staff Writers, Anglican Journal Mississauga, Ont., March 7, 2004 — Council of General Synod (CoGS) voted to ask General Synod in May to decide whether dioceses may offer blessing ceremonies to gay couples. The council… wrestled with the issue… over four days… In the end… “it is very important that General Synod get the opportunity to express its mind on the matter at this

Weekend: All Things Considered HEADLINE: Reverend Canon David Roseberry talks about the theological arguments against gay marriage ANCHOR & HOST: JOHN YDSTIE Gay marriage continued to grow as an issue this week… President Bush stepped into the fray announcing his support for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage… Reverend Canon DAVID ROSEBERRY (Christ Church, Plano, Texas): Good to be here. YDSTIE: Now just so our listeners understand, you’re an Episcopal priest, is

Subject: Executive Council Vote on the Network Richardson, Texas Sunday, 7 March 2004 Dear Bishop, Executive Council Members, and Central Convocation Members, I have been in prayer and reflection concerning the diocese’s position on the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes… I too fear the polarization of the diocese; however, my analysis is that the actions of 74th General Convention have — in fact — already polarized the diocese and the country and the Anglica

News Analysis By David W. Virtue The Episcopal Church, facing its worst spiritual crisis in living memory, is also coming apart at the financial seams. Around the country many downtown cathedrals face massive financial shortfalls coupled with dwindling congregations. One cathedral, St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, in the Diocese of the Rio Grande (New Mexico and Texas), announced on its website last week that it faces a $145,000 shortfall in its one million dollar 2004 budget.

By Barbara Cornick CBN.com Andrew Burrows came from a broken home and spent his youth abusing drugs and alcohol. He was the last candidate for the ministry…or so he thought. Gorgeous places to visit, fun things to do, and a laid-back lifestyle — this is the Bahamas that tourists see. But for Andrew Burrows, it is not just a vacation spot; it is home. And growing up here wasn’t always as pleasant as his natural surroundings. "When I saw and experienced how my mother struggled

COMMENTARY By Erik Nelson March 3, 2004 Dialogue is usually a positive thing. When there is clear disagreement on an issue, dialogue between the opposing parties can usually clarify the points of contention and perhaps even resolve some of the disagreement. But dialogue is also difficult. It requires that all parties are willing to, essentially, put down their weapons and agree to discuss the issue without continued warfare on other fronts. It is difficult to negotiate border

When the inevitable telephone call from the Bishop of Indianapolis finally came, the Rev. Robert Todd Giffin feared the worst. He suspected that the Rt. Rev. Catherine M. Waynick had learned that with the full authority and approval of the Bishop of Springfield, Fr. Giffin was going to be offering pastoral care to Episcopalians within Bishop Waynick’s diocese who no longer recognized her as their spiritual leader. The call itself was anticlimactic. After a cordial 30-minute c

By Deanna Truman-Cook Iowa City Press-Citizen Craig Holmes, pastor of The River Community Church, opposes gay marriage. "We stand simply on God's word," Holmes said. "That marriage is meant for a man and a woman. That is the way God designed us and instituted marriage." The Rev. Mel Schlachter, of Trinity Episcopal, supports gay marriage. "There is a lot of polarizing of groups going on," Schlachter said. "There needs to be people of every persuasion sitting down and talking.

In 2001, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor lamented: “Christianity almost beaten in Britain.” Indeed, secularism has eroded the Church’s presence in the West—church attendance in much of Europe hovers below 5–15%. Yet globally, Christianity is surging in the Global South (Africa, Latin America, Asia), promising a seismic shift in the faith’s center of gravity. Philip Jenkins (The Next Christendom) notes: “The era of Western Christianity has passed within our lifetimes, and the

The South Carolina Court of Appeals reversed a lower court decision and ordered a full trial in the property dispute involving All Saints Church, Pawleys Island—one of the state’s largest Episcopal churches, which voted to leave ECUSA and join the Anglican Mission in America (AMIA). In 2000, the Episcopal Diocese filed a public notice asserting that parish property was held in trust for the diocese and national church under the Dennis Canon. All Saints sued to remove the noti

On March 7, 2004, Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold appeared on BBC Breakfast with Frost. His responses revealed a theological framework rooted in relativism and contextualism—not universal truth. David Frost: “If it does lead to a schism… will it, in retrospect, have been worth doing?” Griswold: Avoided the hypothetical, instead praising the “honorable” actions of the Diocese of New Hampshire and ECUSA, and expressing hope the Communion “will hold together in spite of differen

On March 3, 2004, 17 clergy members of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas wrote to Bishop James M. Stanton and the Executive Council expressing concern over his affiliation with the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes. While affirming respect for the Bishop’s personal decision, they urged the Executive Council not to take any official action endorsing or rejecting the Network—insisting that such a consequential decision must be made by the full Diocesan Conventio

Almost a dozen revisionist Episcopal groups operating under the banner Via Media planned a strategy meeting in Atlanta (March 25–27, 2004), described by Lionel Deimel of Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh as an opportunity to “swap notes, meet each other and plan strategy.” Critics argue this is a euphemism for coordinating efforts to marginalize, pressure, or displace the biblically orthodox minority in The Episcopal Church (TEC). The use of Via Media (“Middle Way”) is